#bb85week

[currentlyjaywalking]

Cutie Patrol

[marybatson]

BILLY BATSON WEEK 2025

It’s that time of the year again! 2025 marks the 85th Anniversary of Billy Batson as Captain Marvel debuting in Whiz Comics #2, the first official cover-dated issue released February 1940.*

A brief history In December of 1939, children at newsstands were picking up a particular issue with the cover of a flying man dressed in red, effortlessly lifting a car overhead. Bill Parker, senior editor at Fawcett Comics during this time, had developed a new kind of superhero: Billy Batson is a young orphan boy who transforms into a powerful champion named Captain Marvel at the drop of the word “SHAZAM!” He fights crime against notable villains together with a memorable cast of heroes he calls “family.”

A few years past their heyday, Fawcett Publications endured troubling legal problems that put their sales in jeopardy, eventually settling their dragging copyright case with National Comics Publications (predecessor of modern-day DC Comics) and putting Captain Marvel to rest indefinitely. The Captain’s return to comics happened in late 1972 under DC Comics, a run which the original artist C.C. Beck had worked on for only a year. Ever since, Billy Batson and his counterpart have appeared in many different iterations in many different comics, one of the only memories still enduring from a time already passed.

NOSTALGIA

The role of an archive is to make nostalgia obsolete. [...] Every comic book page is, like a work of scholarship, an act of recovery, or at times a dream in which nothing is ever lost, as past, present, and future make room for each other and exist in harmony. Studied carefully, a fanzine or a comic book, like Billy’s Historama, might reveal several lifetimes to us, one generation after another of names, faces, and stories. The art of nostalgia is figuring out which one to tell next.

— Captain Marvel and the Art of Nostalgia, Brian Cremins

This year’s overall theme is NOSTALGIA. Take this as you might, for however you interpret nostalgia—perhaps a reflection on your own personal narrative with Billy Batson, or an exploration between him and his own massive history, be it in-universe or with real life pop culture. You might even disregard the day-to-day prompts below and dedicate yourself to nostalgia thematically for the entire week! How you’d like to work with it is up to you.

Day 1 ☆ February 23, 2025 HOLY HISTORAMA

The Historama, similar to a crystal ball, is described as Shazam the Wizard’s “super-television screen,” of which he may use to see the past, present, and future. In later iterations, it presents itself as a book or object that displays any scene through time and, possibly, space. On this day, you might center the Historama itself, or explore any scenes of Billy’s history from any time or place.

Day 2 ☆ February 24, 2025 THE BOY OF ARTHURIAN LEGEND

Bill Parker, when asked to describe his inspiration for Captain Marvel, once said, “Specifically I got it from the Stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, stories with which I had been familiar and read as a child.”

At its core, the story of Billy Batson as Captain Marvel was a story about old wizards, spells, myths, and secrets—elements which children center their greatest fantasies and perhaps still carry with them throughout adulthood. Use this day to commemorate Billy Batson as a fulfilled fantasy, maybe as a knight facing dragons in some faraway world or a space-wandering sailor, the wildest childhood dream come true.

Day 3 ☆ February 25, 2025 SWEET HOME FAWCETT

This prompt is simply Fawcett: Fawcett Comics and their previous publications, possibly outside of Captain Marvel and friends, or Fawcett the city as depicted in the DC Comics iterations, home base of Billy and Captain Marvel.

Day 4 ☆ February 26, 2025 RETURN OF THE CHAMPION

Across his storied history, Captain Marvel has faced many setbacks in his journey back to comic book stands: previous lawsuits and settlements, harried DC Comics events, logistical decisions made behind closed doors. However many times he’s put on the back burner, Captain Marvel still manages to return in a triumph. We will see him again in fleeting appearances, celebrated homecomings, maybe a long-awaited reunion...

Day 5 ☆ February 27, 2025 THE WORLD HE LIVES IN

It is of note that, while Fawcett Comics held onto its hero as long as they could for the first few years, the DC Comics universe is where Billy and the Captain have held their home—for over fifty consecutive years. Use this as a day to reflect on Billy’s past DC universe adventures, from teams he’s been on to events he’s partaken in.

Day 6 ☆ February 28, 2025 A MARVELOUS FAMILY

Billy Batson’s not the only one with a candle to blow. Mary Marvel debuted in 1942, while Captain Marvel Junior had appeared much earlier, in 1941. Their contributions to the stories of Captain Marvel have been monumental in immortalizing his place as a beloved hero with weight and history. They are also deeply adored by Billy himself. Have this day to celebrate family, for each Marvel Family member who has added to the menagerie over the years, or to simply center Mary and Freddy and their own achievements.

Day 7 ☆ March 1, 2025 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BILLY

Happy Birthday Billy Batson! Give him a cake. Give him a balloon. Give him a present. Tell him how much you appreciate him. He is eighty-five years old. He looks timeless! Is the secret the amber from the Sivana suspendium?

This is a free day, open for anything.

How to participate On Tumblr (and elsewhere, if desired), use the hashtags #billybatsonweek and #bb85week simultaneously so that others might see and engage with your work. Late entries are always, always welcome. I’ll be sure to reblog all entries inside the tags for archival reasons, so please don’t hesitate to tag my blog!

The Archive of Our Own story collection is linked here.

On previous weeks Feel free to browse entries from previous years for inspiration, or reuse the old prompts altogether!

2022 Prompts Post / 2022 Entries

2023 Prompts Post / 2023 Entries

2024 Prompts Post / 2024 Entries / AO3 Collection

*FOOTNOTE: Captain Marvel/Billy Batson celebrated his genuine 85th Anniversary December 2024, a date which acknowledges his original on-the-shelves debut in December of 1939. The cover date used in this character celebration week corresponds with what DC Comics used in their 75th Anniversary year count.

[ledesaid]

Billy: Excuse me, sir! Do you know where the great ship-eating whirlwind of the north is!?

Random Sailor: What!?

Billy: Do you know how to get to the northern ship-eater!? I got lost in the storm!"

Random Sailor: What!?

Billy: Never mind! Thanks anyway!

Amidst a fierce storm, their silence makes sense. However, falling through a transdimensional rift linked to a third act? That's beyond comprehension.

After that, he met a guy named Sinbad with a great ship. This ancient world, with its bizarre tales of kings of the seven seas and magical weapons, feels surreal. Magical dungeons with hidden treasures?

The strangest part: everyone believes he's a Magi! A mage of creation who has immense power capable of creating dungeons or destroying countries… Okay, Billy could do that, he can do that, he doesn't plan to do it, but it’s curious that they know what he is capable of without him telling them. It takes a bit of the burden off his shoulders.

Yet, it seems Sinbad wants Billy to stay as Sindria's Magi permanently.

While looking for a way home, he can't help but admire him. He treats Billy as an equal, even without knowing about his big magical transformation.

However, Billy suspects the king is not too keen on helping him return.

Their quest to stop the marine disaster responsible for the typhoon hasn't been very successful.

Sinbad: Billy, any luck!?

Billy: No! The storm is very strong, and people are running for shelter!

Sinbad: We'll try again tomorrow! Let's return to the ship!

The storm that was battering the region only disappears when Billy manages to interact with the glowing butterflies called Rukh and stops the whirlwind causing the problem.

Obviously, they return to Sindria to celebrate. Sinbad's friends and the townspeople celebrate him in a way he knows won't happen at home. He decides to enjoy it.

The days turn into months, and they refine into years. The League takes ten years when they can finally come to rescue him.

Billy: Friends!

Superman: Captain!

Wonder Woman: Brother! Thank Athena you're in one piece. It took us a few weeks to find your location. We feared that something…

Flash: Buddy, you look younger, or is it my imagination?

Billy: Well… it's been a bit more than a week for me…

Superman: You can tell us at home. The portal won't last long.

The now twenty-year-old man looks back. It is not his childhood that frames his gaze; he left that place long ago. But he has waited for this moment for so long that... he already had some short-term plans in mind... He has lived ten years as Billy Batson and ten years as Billy the Fifth Magi.

Flash: Cap… how long has it been? Flash seems to understand Billy's dilemma a little.

"Ten years."

That makes everyone hug him. Billy cries with happiness.

Billy: I’ve helped this world a lot. I’ve met many countries… I’ve been the Magi of several of them. I feel like I’ve learned a lot. But despite having enjoyed it here so much… I don't forget my role as the champion of magic at home… let's go back.

The people of our dimension also have the right to their own Magi to protect them. I have many stories to tell you. There was a really cool guy named Sinbad, a boy named Alibaba who reminds me of myself, a little Magi named Aladdin, and this pink-haired girl like Jinx who was as strong as you, Diana.

But I'm happy they arrived now. If they had arrived seven years ago, they would have had to face Sinbad, the king of the seven seas.

-------

Hi!, I am participating in BILLY BATSON WEEK 2025! @marybatson

Day 1 | u are here | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5

[wolfsbanesparks]

Billy Batson Week 2025

And that's a wrap! Happy Billy Batson week everyone! And a huge thank you to @marybatson for putting this all together! It's been such a blast!

Day 7: HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILLY

Birthday Confession

Summary:

It's Billy's 18th birthday. Before he can celebrate with his family and friends, he decides there's something he has to do: reveal his identity to the Justice League.

[lolinuyashazeldafan]

Shazam: The Justice League

A Shazam fanfiction for @marybatson event Billy Batson week 2025 day 5 The world he lives in.

After chasing Dr. Sivana, Billy find himself in a open field where he saw the Justice League battling the starfish alien Starro, which Billy quickly said, "Hold on, Justice League!" and Batman, fighting Starro, ask Billy, "Who are you?" which Billy said, "What?!? You don't know me?" Martin Manhunter said as he try to get freed from Starro, "This is a fellow hero from the future. Captain, this is our first time battling Starro!" and Billy said in surprise, "Holly Molly! That must mean that I'm in the early years of the Justice League!" Suddenly, a green beam hit the Justice League and weaken them, and Dr. Sivana come out of hiding and said to the alien threat, "Starro, I'm Nyarlathotep! I have help you defeat the Justice League, and you will now be free to take over this planet!" Billy come forward and shout, "Not if I have anything to do with it!" and Starro come toward Billy, whose remember that he can control others and he quickly shout, "Shazam!" only for the magic lighting to hit Starro, giving Billy a idea and he keep shouting Shazama over and over until the starfish alien is defeated. As Billy turn to Dr. Sivana, the mad scientist said, "I must be honest that I didn't see this coming." and flee to a time tunnel, which Billy quickly followed. When the time tunnel closes, the Justice League begins to awake up with the defeated Starro still out cold and Superman ask, "What just happened while we were out?"

[gukikoya4]

[florawriting]

So, I decided to put my big boy pants on and take a leap of faith into actually publishing my writing. And what better way to start then partaking in Billy Batson Week.

While I sadly am not able to do every day within the actual week itself (college is a b*tch), all seven of them will eventually be on my AO3. For now I plan to do the three or four in the week itself and the rest the week or so after.

Now, let's skip the sappy talk and let me link you to day 1: Holy Historama! I hope you enjoy!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63364879

Edit: WHY ISN'T THE LINK WORKING *demonic screech*

[coffecakeuwu]

Pensaba subir esto el día de ayer, pero la calva que le dibuje a Billy me detuvo de hacerlo, quizás ya me acostumbre a verle razón por la que no me molesta tanto ahora, pero nose, nose. En todo caso es mi pequeño aporte a la fecha de ayer ¡Feliz cumpleaños Billy!