Captain Marvel, Jr

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File:Captain Marvel Jr.JPG

Captain Marvel, Jr.

Real Name: Frederick "Freddy" Freeman
Nicknames: Junior
Former Aliases: None
Other Current Aliases: CM 3

Status

Occupation: Occupation unknown
Legal Status: Legal status unknown
Identity: Secret
Marital Status: Single
Group Affiliation: Marvel Family; Outsiders; Formerly Teen Titans
Base of Operations: Fawcett City

Origin

Empowered by Shazam.

Place of Birth: Place of birth unknown
Known Relatives: parents, deceased, Jacob Freeman (granfather, deceased), Timothy Karnes (Sabbac, foster brother, deceased)
First Appearance: WHIZ COMICS #25 (December, 1941) (Published by Fawcett Comics); (First DC Appearance) SHAZAM! #1 (February, 1973); (Current Version) (As Freddy Freeman) THE POWER OF SHAZAM #3 (May, 1995), (As Captain Marvel, Jr.) THE POWER OF SHAZAM #7 (September, 1995)

History

Captain Nazi in Whiz Comics #25 (December 1941), one of Captain Marvel’s punches sends the villain careening into a lake. An elderly man, Jacob Freeman, and his grandson, Freddy, happened to be fishing in the lake near where Nazi has landed, and, not knowing who he is, lift the unconscious man into their boat to prevent him from drowning. Nazi immediately comes to, tosses Jacob into the lake, and knocks Freddy out of the boat with an oar. The old man immediately dies, but Captain Marvel is able to save an unconscious Freddy and bring him to a hospital.

Captain Marvel changes to his regular form of young Billy Batson, and is told by a nurse that Freddy is not expected to last the night. Billy then devises a better way to help the boy: he sneaks Freddy out of the hospital and takes him to the secret underground throne of the wizard Shazam, who first granted Billy the power to become Captain Marvel.

Billy asks the wizard to heal Freddy and save his life, but Shazam cannot, and instead tells Billy Power of Shathat he, as Captain Marvel, can pass along some of his powers to so that Freddy can walk again. Shazam disappears and Billy transforms back into Captain Marvel, just as Freddy awakens. Looking up, he exclaims “Why...it’s Captain Marvel,” and is instantly transformed into a super-powered version of himself. Freddy, who was now called "Captain Marvel, Jr.", resembled a younger Captain Marvel, though with a yellow-on-blue costume with a red cape, rather than Marvel's yellow-on-red with a white cape.

Captain Marvel informs Junior that he cannot remain in his super-powered form at all times, but that he must allow his human form to heal as best it can. With that, Freddy once again said his mentor's name and returned to his hospital bed. Freddy remains permanently lame in his left leg and is forced to walk with a crutch (although Captain Marvel, Jr. bears no such impediment). As a result, Junior sought revenge against Captain Nazi, and the two repeatedly battled over the years.

Current origin: The Power of Shazam!

Retconned out of existence after the 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths miniseries, Freddy Freeman was reintroduced in The Power of Shazam! #3 (although he makes a very brief cameo in the Power of Shazam! graphic novel). The modern version of the Freddy/Captain Marvel, Jr. origin, depicted in Power of Shazam! #3 - 8, closely followed his Fawcett origin, with the only major additions being details added to the main story.

In this new origin story, Freddy Freeman was an all-star student at the Binder school; an archetypical jock, he was also among the school's most popular and successful students. One of Freddy's friends was Billy Batson, Captain Marvel's alter ego, who worked as a boy reporter for WHIZ radio. At a WHIZ radio spelling bee hosted by Billy in Power of Shazam! #3, Freddy and Billy met Billy's long-lost sister Mary, whom Freddy immediately fell for.

In Power of Shazam! #6, Freddy and his grandfather went on a fishing trip in the Fawcett Bay, while Captain Marvel was engaged in a battle with Captain Nazi. Just as in the Fawcett origin, Captain Marvel knocks Captain Nazi into the lake, and the Freemans are attacked when they attempt to save Nazi. Captain Marvel intervenes and rushes both injured bystanders to a hospital. Jacob Freeman slips into a coma, and Freddy is found to have a severely injured spine and a broken leg.

The injured Freddy is taken to the wizard Shazam by Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel, who grant the boy the power to become Captain Marvel, Jr. However, Jacob Freeman dies, and Freddy goes on a rampage against Captain Nazi as Captain Marvel, Jr. Nazi is eventually brought to justice after Mary gets Junior to calm down.

Teen Titans

In Power of Shazam! #13, Captain Marvel, Jr. was written out of the book so that he could begin appearing in Teen Titans. In the issue, Junior gets into a fight with Captain Marvel and quits the Marvel Family. Junior appeared in solo adventures in three special issues of Power of Shazam! (#14, #19, and #37), with art by guest artists such as Gil Kane and Joe Staton. These issues find Junior starting a new life in New York, during which he joins the Titans team beginning with Teen TItans #17. He even saved Chain Lightning from a suicide attempt. A possible romance of Argent with CM3 was explored, but after a particularly horrible date (CM3 was unable to cover the bill), it was abandoned

At this time, Junior first began calling himself CM3 (short for "Captain Marvel Three", with Billy being CM1 and Mary CM2), so that he could identify himself without changing. After Teen Titans was cancelled in mid-1998, Junior returned to Power of Shazam! and the Marvel Family, after reconciling with Captain Marvel. He remained in Power of Shazam! until its cancellation at the end of the year.

Outsiders to Infinite Crisis

After the demise of Power of Shazam!, Captain Marvel, Jr. made sporadic guest apeparances throughout the DC Universe. Beginning in 2004, Junior once again went by the name "Captain Marvel Junior" (not "CM3"), and now wears a white cape like that of the other two Marvels instead of his traditional red one.

In The Outsiders (third version) #10, Captain Marvel, Jr. made a guest appearance to battle a new version of Sabbac, an old Fawcett Marvel Family foe. As of Outsiders #28, Junior was a member of the Outsiders, although he was apprehensive about the team's dark tone. He and Marvel Family nemesis Sabbac, The Seven Deadly Sins, and Dr. Sivana all played major roles in the series.

Dring the the 2005 Titans Tomorrow storyline in Teen Titans (third series), Captain Marvel, Jr. has a minor role. He is shown as a future version of himself, having dropped the "Junior" from his name and taken over as Captain Marvel (though he still obtains his powers with the magic words 'Captain Marvel"). During the same storyline, the present-day Captain Marvel, Jr. joins the Titans in a battle against Dr. Light.

Junior, Captain Marvel, and Mary Marvel made brief appearances during the ''Infinite Crisis'' miniseries. As of the ''One Year'' Later relaunch of Outsiders, Captain Marvel, Jr. is no longer a member of the team.

The Trials of Shazam!

Captain Marvel, Jr. will be the main focus of Judd Winick and Howard Porter's Trials of Shazam! limited series, which will redefine the Shazam! characters and their roles in the DC Universe. An eleven-page prequel to the limited series was printed in DC's Brave New World one-shot comic book, which was published on June 28, 2006. In the prequel, Junior and Mary Marvel lose their Shazam powers, while Captain Marvel becomes more powerful -- both after-effects of the death of the wizard Shazam in Day of Vengeance #6.

Trials will feature Freddy Freeman, powerless and left in his normal form without power, being required by the gods who empower the Marvels to undergo a series of trials (ala Heracles) to prove himself worthy of the Shazam powers. Writer Judd Winick has hinted that, after the series, Captain Marvel. Jr. will be promoted to Captain Marvel, with the current Captain taking over the role of the wizard.

Characteristics

Height: 5'6"
Weight: 145 lbs (xxx kg)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black
Unusual Features: No unusual features

Powers

Known Powers: Freddy was not granted his powers by the wizard Shazam, but by Captain Marvel himself: whenever Freddy says the magic word "Captain Marvel," he is magically transformed into a super-powered version of himself. Unlike Captain Marvel and the modern-era version of Mary Marvel, Junior remains a young teenager in his transformed state.

S for the Wisdom of Solomon: As Captain Marvel Jr., Freddy has instant access to a vast amount of scholarly knowledge. The wisdom of Solomon also gives Marvel clairvoyance and provides him with counsel and advice in times of need. He has knowledge of all languages, ancient and modern, and could hypnotize people as well, through this power. (Superhuman Knowledge)

H for the Strength of Hercules: Captain Marvel Jr. has incredible amounts of super strength, able to easily bend steel, punch through walls and lift massive objects. Marvel's strength is enough that he probably can fight against beings such as Superman or Wonder Woman to a standstill. (Superhuman Strength)

A for the Stamina of Atlas: Using Atlas' endurance, Captain Marvel Jr. can withstand and survive most types of extreme physical assaults. Additionally, he does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe when in Captain Marvel Jr. form. (Superhuman Endurance, Self-Sustanence)

Z for the Power of Zeus: Zeus' power, besides fueling the magic thunderbolt that transforms Captain Marvel Jr., also enhances Marvel's other physical abilities, provides physical invulnerability and resistance against most magic spells and attacks, and allows for interdimensional travel. Marvel can use the lightning bolt as a weapon by dodging it and allowing it to strike an opponent or target. The magical lightning has many uses, including creating apparatus, restoring damage done to Marvel, or acting as fuel for magical spells. (Invulnerability, Magical Resistance, Physical Enhancement, Interdimensional Travel, Spell Source, Advanced Healing)

A for the Courage of Achilles: Like the wisdom, this aspect is primarily psychological, and gives Marvel superhuman amounts of inner strength from which to draw. (Superhuman Inner Strength)

M for the Speed of Mercury: By channeling Mercury's speed, Captain Marvel Jr. can fly and move at supersonic speeds and, in space, supersolar speeds. (Supersonic Speed & Flight)

Limitations Freddy calls himself CM 3 so he does not accidentally transform. He, Billy, and Mary share their power.

Known Abilities: No known abilities.

Strength Level: Strength level unknown

Miscellaneous

Equipment: No known equipment.
Transportation: No known transportation.
Weapons: No known weapons.

Trivia

• The late Elvis Presley's favorite comic book character.

Related Articles

• Captain Marvel
• Mary Marvel
• Marvel Family
• Shazam
• Fawcett City
• Captain Nazi
• Sabbac (Timothy Karnes)

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