C O N C E P T A B S T R A C T:
Billy Batson has the courage of Billy Batson. Other than that, he’s a kid with all the faults and frailties of a pre-teen child. He’s lived on the streets for longer than his age or appearance would suggest, making him a superior urban survivalist and teaching him to become resourceful in ways that would make others turn away from disgust. And he was like that, too, the first time he ate or drank something from out of the garbage, but between being gross and going another day without eating something, Billy’s learned to swallow pride.
Billy possesses a pair of Kymellian power gauntlets, known as the Nega-Bands, which were used by the previous Captain Marvel to tap into and channel the cosmic energies of the Rock of Ages. Because Billy doesn’t possess any natural talent for aetherial manipulation, more crudely known as sorcery, he must be wearing the Nega-Bands in order to be connected to the source of this power. While connected to the Rock of Ages, which does not exist in either time or space, Billy does not age or suffer the effects of time. When not in use, these gauntlets take the form of gold or copper looking bracelets, similar in design to POW/MIA memorial bracelets.
Wielding the Nega-Bands, Billy is able to tap into aetherial power with which he can combine the mystical sorcery that is the Will and the Word, casting the spell SHAZAM. This grants the wielder wisdom, strength, stamina, power, courage, and the capability for flight; including unaided faster-than-light travel through space. The exact meaning of the spell varies from user to user. In the case of Carol Danvers or Billy Batson, it is believed that the spell spells out this acronym:
S for the wisdom of Solomon
H for the strength of Hercules
A for the stamina of Atlas
Z for the power of Zeus
A for the courage of Achilles
M for the speed of Mercury
In contrast, a Kymellian user of the same spell, such as Kofi, would offer that the S stands for the wisdom of Shagya, while a Kree sorcerer, such as Phyla-Vell would say that the S is representative of Sindragosa. Owing to the older civilization he hailed from, Teth-Adam invoked the names of the ancient gods Set, Hersef, Amon, Zehuti, Anpu, and Menthu. The identity of the diety invoked is not related to the power of the spell or its effect, but is merely a psychological means of focusing the caster’s mind for the invocation.
While empowered, anything Billy is wearing is exchanged for a blue and red costume that features a gold lightning bolt on the chest, and a white, cowled cape with gold trimming. This costume, when not worn, and his clothing, when empowered, are stored in the otherworldly dimension known as Elsewhere. The Elsewhere tailors, clothiers of cosmic reknown, are able to maintain, replace, and repair the clothing or costume stored as necessary. This has the added benefit of Billy’s clothes getting laundered more regularly than was previously the case. Laundromats cost money after all.
In his empowered form, Billy is Earth’s mightiest mortal, but not merely for his physical characteristics. Enhanced intelligence, total recall, heightened senses, reflexes, and the ability to channel aetherial energy into bolts of lightning give him a host of options above merely punching something. With the assistance of the Nega-Bands, Billy has some capability for aetherial manipulation, making him a very poor sorcerer’s apprentice. Which is just as well, Billy’s better at punching stuff so he can leave the magic to Kofi.
This is Captain Marvel. Which Captain Marvel, you ask? ALL OF THEM IN ONE. DC’s Captain Marvel and Marvel’s Captain Marvel, in one condensed storyline using the set-up behind June Brigman’s Power Pack as the glue that makes it all work. And the best thing of all? Everything is possible in the mythos of both series. Mary Marvel? Yep, she’s there. Carol Danvers as Ms. Marvel or Binary? Yep, it’s possible. Someone wants to run Power Pack? I’ve left it wide open for someone to run them.
Other than that, I’ve eliminated the aspect of Billy turning into an adult, but having the mind of a kid, by simply leaving him as a kid. Because this is Bounce. Were you expecting anything different?
1x Thank
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