DC Updates Shazam's Magic, Increasing His Big Advantage Against Superman (2024)

Warning: Spoilers for Shazam! #12 ahead!

When going over the endless debate of DC power rankings and who beats whom, the Champion of Shazam stands out as an underrated rival to Superman. While they share incredibly similar powers, Superman's vulnerability to magic gives Shazam the edge - and a new update to the font of all magic in the DCU now tilts the scale heavily in Shazam's favor.

Josie Campbell, Mike Norton, and Emanuela Lupacchino's Shazam! #12 reveals that the cracks in reality that Shazam - now also known as "the Captain" - has been fighting have actually been caused by his human alter-ego, Billy Batson. Sure enough, when Billy is confronted with the fact that his birth mother went on to have a complete life with another child after abandoning him, his anguish causes reality to shatter all around him.

This is because, as the Captain explains, "The magic of [The Rock of] Eternity reacts...to what Billy feels." In other words, the magical center of the DCU's full power is directly unleashed by Billy's emotions.

Shazam Is Stronger Than Superman Thanks to Billy Batson's New Powers

Superman's Weakness to Magic Puts Him at a Massive Disadvantage

While arguably less well-known than his rivalry with Batman, Superman's rivalry with Shazam has often been one of DC's closest contests. Shazam is arguably Superman's closest counterpart in terms of superpowers, but the vulnerabilities he displays as Billy Batson have led to him being manipulated by villainous characters into fighting with Superman. Perhaps the most famous example of this takes place in Mark Waid and Alex Ross's classic 1997 miniseries, Kingdom Come, in which Superman must stop a mind-controlled Shazam from inciting a superhero war.

While Superman is less prone to manipulation than Shazam, Shazam's advantage is the magical nature of his powers. In an attempt to balance Superman's abilities, modern comics frequently depict him as vulnerable to magical energies and influences. This can be clearly seen in Action Comics #1061, when Bizarro (Superman's opposite) unleashes a titanic magical attack against all of Metropolis; Bizarro's affinity for magic is directly inverse to Superman's weakness to magic, and the magnitude of Bizarro's spell shows just how poorly Superman fares against the supernatural.

Shazam! #12 Decisively Settles the Shazam/Superman Debate

Billy Batson Is Literally Leaking Magic

Shazam #12 tilts the scale so heavily in Shazam's favor that Superman can't compete. The Rock of Eternity is the source of all magic in the DCU; this issue proves that Billy is a direct conduit for the Rock even without using the power of Shazam, and his emotions are enough to unleash magical energy so strong it fractures reality. While Superman and his family have proven capable of punching through dimensional barriers, the effortless way in which Billy channels the Rock's powers coupled with the Man of Steel's vulnerability to magic means that Superman is simply no match.

Billy Batson has incredible potential as he learns to handle the godlike powers of his alter-ego; now, he must learn to control the incredible magical power he has through his connection to the Rock of Eternity. Superman may be the moral rock of the DC Universe, but even he can't compete with the level of power Shazam is now capable of unleashing - and that means Shazam is now decidedly and definitively the victor in their classic rivalry.

Shazam! #12 is available now from DC Comics.

SHAZAM! #12 (2024)
	Writer: Josie Campbell Artists: Mike Norton, Emanuela Lupacchino Colorist: Trish Mulvilhill Letterer: Troy Peteri Cover Artist: Dan Mora

Superman

The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.

Created By

Joe Shuster , Jerry Siegel

First Appearance

Action Comics

Alias

Kal-El, Clark Kent, Jonathan Kent

Alliance

Justice League, Superman Family

Race

Kryptonian

Franchise

D.C.

Summary

The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.