Shazam Once Called Out The Magic Words While Getting Spanked

Billy Batson once decided to yell "SHAZAM" while he was getting spanked by a mobster, in one of the most hilarious comic panels ever.

Shazam's powers of being able to transform into a superpowered adult by saying the magic words "Shazam!" are among DC Comics' most unique abilities. However, there was one particularly awkward time when Billy Baston decided to transform into an adult: While he was getting spanked by a gangster.

Originally appearing in Whiz Comics #2 as the original Captain Marvel, Billy Batson was granted powers from a wizard who passed on his magical powers to his successor. When Billy says "Shazam," he's struck by a lightning bolt that turns him into the adult-looking hero. His powers come from the six immortal elders, as he's got superhuman strength, stamina, endurance, speed, flight, and durability among his many abilities. Well before Zachary Levi starred in DC's Shazam movie in the DCU and before his name was changed from Captain Marvel due to a lawsuit, Billy used his powers in an extremely inappropriate way.

In Whiz Comics #5 (1940) by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck, Billy finds himself tracking down a group that has managed to hypnotize a large group of young boys into robbing and thieving to the tune of $250 billion (adjusted for inflation, that's a lot of money). Billy befriends a hypnotized boy named Joe and discovers a group of gangsters participating in the robberies. Billy is hypnotized and nearly steals from a jewelry store, but after getting whacked in the head, he shakes out of it and transforms into Captain Marvel. After taking down the gang, the next week he infiltrates another suspected group. After he comes face-to-face with the gang in San Francisco, Billy tells the leader he belongs in jail. That's when the gangster decides to spank Billy, and mid-spank he transforms to Captain Marvel by saying "Shazam!"

After transforming, Billy gives the gangster a serious surprise, as Captain Marvel tells him "I'm a big boy now, doc." The surprise (and his pure strength) is enough to take down the gangster as Billy ends the criminal ring.

It's important to remember this comic was written more than 80 years ago and spanking was a major part of disciplining children. Still, the villain deciding that spanking Billy was the best option to stop him was super weird. It was made much weirder when Captain Marvel transforms into his superhero persona and tells him that he's a "big boy now, doc." Among the many ludicrous and hilarious panels that spawned from the Golden Age of Comics, Billy's transformation mid-spank might take the cake as the funniest ever. Instead of a good spanking, the gangster got a good beating - although, to be fair, it would have been extremely strange if he continued to spank Billy after he said the magic word, Shazam.

Next: Batman’s Parents KNEW They Were Going To Be Murdered

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