Superman/Shazam: First Thunder

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Superman/Shazam: First Thunder, is a 2006 comic book miniseries published by DC Comics. It recounts the first meeting between Superman and Captain Marvel.

[edit] Plot

Set at the beginning of what the Wizard Shazam calls "the second coming of heroes", after the debut of the Man of Steel, Batman, Captain Marvel but before the coming of Wonder Woman, the Flash, and Green Lantern, Superman travels to Fawcett City in pursuit of a group of criminals who have just robbed a museum from Metropolis and used magic against him. Upon arriving in Fawcett, he finds that Captain Marvel is fighting the same group of thieves; together, Superman and Marvel dispatch a pair of monsters and, after which, they take a break from crime fighting to chat at Mt. Everest, where they discuss their powers and professional lives as superheroes. Afterwards, they continue working together to thwart the villain Eclipso and Lord Sabbac.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Marvel's nemesis, Dr. Sivanna, has contacted his business rival and normally enemy Lex Luthor and asked for assistance in destroying Captain Marvel. Luthor gives Sivanna Spec, a meta-human tracker for hire who eventually discovers that Captain Marvel is the alter ego of 11-year old Billy Batson. After learning this, Sivanna sends a heavily armed hit men to the subway where the orphaned Billy is living with orders to kill him. Calling upon the power of SHAZAM, Captain Marvel dispatches his would be killers, but caught in the crossfire is Billy's best friend, Scott Okum; Marvel rushes Scott to the hospital, but they are unable to save him. When Fawcett City police are unsuccessful in interrogating one of the killers, Captain Marvel assaults him and threatens to kill him if he does not reveal who sent them to attack him. The killer buckles and reveals his employer as Dr. Sivanna. Thirsting for revenge, Marvel travels to Sivanna's office building, shatters the top floor and nearly chokes Sivanna to death, but he can't bring himself to kill Sivanna, even though he knows Sivanna will attack him again, and leaves.

Back in Metropolis, Clark Kent, having just published an article on the encounter of Superman and Captain Marvel, learns of Marvel's "rampage" in Fawcett City, and confronts Marvel at Mt. Everest, demanding an explanation for his actions. The tearful, guilt ridden Marvel tells Superman what happened, that Scott was his best friend, and then reveals his true identity, calling upon the power of SHAZAM to transform him back to Billy Batson, commenting that it might too dangerous to still be "Billy". Superman then confronts the Wizard Shazam and berates him for bestowing the power and responsibility of Captain Marvel upon an 11 year old boy. The Wizard remarks that Billy is a boy "in need of guidance..."

The story ends with Clark Kent meeting Billy Batson at his new home, an abandoned building. Billy initially thinks that Kent is from social services, but then Kent reveals himself to be Superman, sits down next to Billy and tells him: "My real name is Clark." This seems to imply that Superman has agreed to become a mentor to Captain Marvel.