DC Database
Don't have an account?
Register
DC Database
Advertisement
Register
DC Database
DC Database
130,236
pages
in: C.C. Beck/Cover Artist, Dennis O'Neil/Writer, C.C. Beck/Penciler,
and 39 more

Shazam! Vol 1 4

Sign in to edit

"Ibac the Cursed!": Billy meets Stanley Printwhistle, the latter now a street cleaner, reformed after a finishing 10-year jail sentence. With Captain Marvel back and meddling in the affairs of evil again, the spirits of [[Caligula (Ne

Shazam! #4 is an issue of the series Shazam! (Volume 1) with a cover date of July, 1973.

Synopsis for "Ibac the Cursed!"

Billy meets Stanley Printwhistle, the latter now a street cleaner, reformed after a finishing 10-year jail sentence. With Captain Marvel back and meddling in the affairs of evil again, the spirits of Caligula, Attila the Hun, Cesare Borgia and Ivan the Terrible telepathically whisper to Stanley to say his word and become Ibac, to fight the champion of good once again. Ibac jumps Billy and leaves him in a condemned building about to be dynamited. Fortunately, Billy was doing radio interviews and happened to have his tape recorder on when he needed to transform to save a child before. He manages to work the buttons with his nose to get the recorder to replay his magic word and transform him in the nick of time.

Marvel and Ibac battle, but eventually Marvel manages to get the upper hand. When Ibac refuses to surrender, the evil spirits revoke his transformation. Printwhistle promises he didn't do it on purpose, and Marvel lets him go.

Appearing in "Ibac the Cursed!"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:


Antagonists:

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:


Vehicles:




Synopsis for "The Mirrors That Predicted the Future"

It’s Billy Batson’s birthday, but he is alack because nobody really remembers it. He walks into a man who immediately says he has whiplash and demands money from him, but gives up when he finds Billy’s broke and introduces himself as “Conway ‘Con’ Mann.” He suddenly looks in a mirror and says he’s seeing a plane crash and Billy calls SHAZAM to try to find it… but finds it hasn’t crashed yet, but rights it in time. Con is moderately confused when Billy returns and asks him how he knew the plane was going to crash and Con figures that when he has a hand on Billy’s shoulder and looks into a mirror… he can see the future! He does so and sees Billy riding in his car and offers they become partners, claiming it’s also his birthday and they decide to celebrate together. Con figures that going to the tracks isn’t a good idea for a kid and offers they can cheat at the races using this newfound power and claims he’ll “donate it to charity.” In the past, the Wizard Shazam recognizes the auspicious birth of Billy and Mary Batson on April 1st, but at the same time was born Conway Mann, who is not pure of heart and steals all the time. They hear a report on the radio that Stanley “Snake” Skinnis, an escaped convict, has been spotted driving a black sedan. Looking into his rear-view mirror, Con says that he can see that they convict will pass them in a few minutes and Billy, having been confused when Con said there’s “something big at stake,” thinks he’s getting a free steak dinner out of this. They soon head to a nearby circus and into a Hall of Mirrors where Con sees Captain Marvel standing next to him and they soon spot Snake and another goon, Slimy, as he hands him a gun and a ticket out of the country. Billy calls SHAZAM and Snake recognizes Captain Marvel after he put him away from 25 and the two dash into the Hall of Mirrors to escape him. In doing so, they escape and Snake releases a disgruntled elephant and Captain Marvel pins it down to let the carnies stake down the beast. Con is amazed that Captain Marvel has returned after 20 years and the World’s Mightiest Mortal soon catches Snake atop a trapeze platform. A cop offers Captain Marvel the $10,000 reward for catching Snake and Con is excited to be rich again… until John Dingling, the circus’ owner, foots them with a bill for $10,000 in damages. Billy and Con soon drive off and Con sees something in the mirror again… telling him he’ll have a pleasant surprise. Later, Billy heads home and finds that all his friends have thrown him a surprise party.

Appearing in "The Mirrors That Predicted the Future"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Conway "Con" Mann (Single appearance) (Flashback and main story)
  • Slimy (Single appearance)
  • Stanley "Snake" Skinnis (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:


Vehicles:

  • Con's Blue Sedan

Synopsis for "Captain Marvel and The Ownerless Diamond!"

This story is reprinted from Captain Marvel Adventures #97.

Billy goes to interview Professor Bright, who angrily turns him away, having no time for interruptions to his work. While walking away, Billy finds a huge diamond on the ground, and after verifying it with jeweler Sam Skowl, goes on the air to report that it's missing. Skowl tries several times to pose as a rich businessman and claim the huge diamond, but is foiled from getting away with it. In the end, Captain Marvel decides to go back to where it was found and realizes it was near Professor Bright's laboratory. Skowl shoots at them to try and get the diamond, which suddenly pops like a bubble in his hand. With disgust, Professor Bright explains it was on the ground outside because he knew it would do that, like all the other flawed synthetic gems he's been trying make!

Appearing in "Captain Marvel and The Ownerless Diamond!"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:


Antagonists:

  • Sam Skowl (also appears in disguise as "Pierpont J. Van Dyke" and "Chauncey Spinwheel") (Single appearance)
  • Two Unnamed Thieves (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Professor Bright (Single appearance)
  • A Cop

Locations:

Items:

Vehicles:


Notes

  • "Ibac the Cursed!" and "The Mirrors That Predicted the Future" were reprinted in Showcase Presents: Shazam! Vol. 1 and Shazam!: The World's Mightiest Mortal Vol. 1.
  • The second story sets April 1 as Billy Batson's birthday (thus, Mary Batson's as well, since she is his twin). However, DC Calendar sets Billy and Mary's birthday as December 23rd.
  • It's not made entirely clear where Conway Mann received this prophetic power, as he's never seen again, nor why they only work when he touches Billy Batson's shoulder.



See Also

Recommended Reading

Links and References
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
More Fandoms
Advertisement