Frederick Freeman (New Earth)

Freddy Freeman was an average teenager and fan of Captain Marvel until he was paralyzed after an encounter with Captain Nazi. He would later find himself empowered by his best friend and secret idol, Billy Batson, as Captain Marvel, Jr., later shortened to CM3. Eventually, he would advance to become the new magical champion of Earth under the name Captain Marvel. Freddy has prominently served as a member of the Marvel Family and the Teen Titans.

History

Origin

Freddy Freeman was an all-star student at the Binder school; an archetypal 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, Freddy and Billy met Billy's long-lost sister Mary, whom Freddy immediately fell for.^[2]

Later, Freddy and his grandfather Jacob went on a fishing trip in the Fawcett Bay. Nearby, Captain Marvel was engaged in a battle with Captain Nazi. Marvel knocked Nazi into the lake, and the Freemans are attacked when they attempt to save the villain. 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.^[3]

The injured Freddy was taken to the wizard Shazam by Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel, who granted the boy the power to become Captain Marvel, Jr. However, Jacob Freeman died, and Freddy went on a rampage against Captain Nazi as Captain Marvel, Jr. Nazi was eventually brought to justice after Mary got Junior to calm down.

Teen Titans

Junior got into a fight with Captain Marvel and quits the Marvel Family.^[4] He started a new life in New York, during which he joins the Titans team. He even saved Chain Lightning from a suicide attempt. A possible romance of Argent with Freddy was explored, but after a particularly horrible date (Freddy 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—he converts from the human Freeman to his superpowered form by saying "Captain Marvel". (Just as Marvel transforms by saying "Shazam!" after the being who gave him his powers.)

Outsiders to Infinite Crisis

Later, Junior once again went by the name "Captain Marvel Junior", now wearing a white cape like that of the other two Marvels instead of his traditional red one.

Captain Marvel, Jr. made a guest appearance to battle a new version of Sabbac,^[5] an old Fawcett Marvel Family foe. Junior was a member of the Outsiders for a while, 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.

Junior, Captain Marvel, and Mary Marvel made brief appearances during the Infinite Crisis. One year later, Captain Marvel, Jr. is no longer a member of the Outsiders.

The Trials of Shazam!

When the wizard Shazam was killed,^[6] his and Mary's mystical powers were revoked. Now that Batson is the controller of the Rock of Eternity, it is only through overcoming a series of trials and judgments that Freeman would regain his mystical powers and succeed Batson as Captain Marvel.

Stripped of his former superhuman powers, Freeman was trying to prove himself worthy to possess all of Batson's former power levels. Each of the six beings who grant their abilities to Captain Marvel—Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury—would present Freddy with a "trial" (similar to the Labors of Hercules), which Freddy would have to complete successfully in order to be granted with that benefactor's particular power. If he completed all six tasks, he would take on the name Shazam. Zarab Babak, a demoted necromancer, served as Freddy's guide during his trials.

The current gods that give Freddy his powers are in no way related to the Olympian counterparts. They are known as the Lords of Magic, and simply share their names with them.

The first of these was the trial of wisdom set by Solomon. He had to withstand the pain of getting a magical tattoo placed upon his soul. The woman Rachel Zallman was Solomon himself in his mortal disguise. Freddy survived the process and gained a better understanding of himself, in doing so he was granted the wisdom of Solomon (attainment of vast intellectual and mystical knowledge by overcoming).

At the same time, however, a dark organization known as the Council of Merlin are backing their own candidate, a Creole sorceress named Sabina. If Sabina wins the trials, then the power of Shazam will be lost to the Marvel Family and she will control it.

The second trial, the trial of courage, was set by Achilles. He had to combat against a "Hate Empath" which fed on the hatred of the people in the middle east. With the help of Achilles in the mortal disguise of a soldier he defeated the Empathic demon, though not before Sabina shot Achilles in his heel, killing him. Though Achilles didn't truly die but moved on to the next great warrior. For his effort he was granted his Captain Marvel red and yellow outfit and the courage of Achilles (Near-Invulnerability).

The third trial, the trial of strength, is set by Hercules. He has to find a way of breaking Hercules out of jail, who in his mortal disguise faced off against Medusa and her minions in the form of a gang of yakuza. He inadvertently killed passing innocents thus breaking the magical covenant for a being of his rank. Fate punished him by making Hercules mortal and thus he was subject to their rules, which meant jail time as well. Putting Freddy in a hard position before he could make his decision Sabina in disguise as a lawyer brought the head of Medusa out to paralyze Hercules then forced him to bestow her with his power. Hercules did so but apparently doesn't take kindly to thieves so Sabine is only given half the power. Hercules then bestows the other HALF of the Strength of Hercules to Freddy. Sabina and Freddy fight but are evenly matched. After she teleports away before Freddy can take his winning shot, Hercules says he passes the trail but he can only truly be capable of all the power after he defeats Sabina.

The fourth trial, a trial of stamina to be set by Atlas never takes place. Sabina teleported deep underground to where Atlas held up the world and killed him with the Dagger of Three Faults to steal his power. Upon finding him Zareb has Freddy take Atlas's place which Freddy reluctantly does. However and taking on the role is too much to bare, for the 3 minutes he wears the helm of Atlas seems like months to him, luckily Marvel comes and relieves him but not before warning him that he can only be away from the Rock of Eternity for 24 hours. Freddy and Zareb then go to a local hospital to speak to the mortal disguise of Apollo, so that he may take Atlas' place as the next in line. Apollo refuses but then decides on giving Freddy his trial, a simple fight if he loses his life is forfeit and if Freddy wins he gets Apollos' power. They fight while elsewhere Sabina takes control of the Council of Merlin. When lives of innocent are put into danger Apollo saves them and relents to become the new holder of the world. In becoming a god again he relinquished his mortal life as if it never happened, with the realization Apollo upset over his loss of mortal life, thus Freddy has been bestowed with only HALF of the Healing of Apollo. Only truly capable of all the power after he gets a replacement for him as Atlas's replacement.

The fifth trial of speed set by Mercury also never takes place. Sabina killed hundreds of elves to learn a piece of information to find Mercury, she then tore through a couple more people to get the rest of the information. All this led to Tawky Tawny who fights Sabina and has the upper hand until his inclination to talk gave her the necessary information she needed to take him down. Before she could do so Mercury revealed himself just as Freddy arrived forcing him and Sabina to go after him. At this point Freddy lost on options for the trials he was failing calls along with Marvel and Zareb on the Shadowpact and Zatanna for aid in searching for Mercury in the hopes that he finds him so the Sabina doesn't. Meanwhile, Sabina and the Council of Merlin find Mercury's mortal children and threaten their lives forcing Mercury out of hiding. He succeeds in using his speed to save his daughter but his son is chained to Sabina and she uses the Dagger of Three Faults to take his power. Without the power they are on equal footing, thus Freddy plays the last card he has and calls on the Justice League of America for help.

The sixth trial of power set by Zeus. Marvel and Freddy knowing full well that if Sabina gets the power of Zeus she can take the rest from Freddy. Though at the same time they know Zeus will never give her the power willingly so she has to magically compel him to do it. The only way for her to do so is by using old magic, namely a Blood Spell, she has to sacrifice one million people. Meanwhile, Sabina and the Council of Merlin asks for the backing of Merlin himself in return Sabina as the Acolyte of the powers of Shazam promises to be Merlins' Champion and corporeal anchor to the earth realm. In the battle, a portal opens in Las Vegas and demons pour through killing all in their path and transforming them into demons as well. The spell is two-fold if one million souls are killed and taken then Merlin gains a foothold in this reality and is then empowered to compel Zeus to award the powers of Shazam to Sabina. The Justice League fights the demons and Freddy fights one on one with Sabina, and tells her of his plan is to allow her to beat him up so he can get her closer to the immersion portal she opened. If he throws them both through the one-way portal they will be destroyed and all the suffering she has caused that day will be undone. This will also cause the powers of Shazam to be lost to all. Freddy sees this as more fitting then allowing her and evil to wield them and destroy the Earth. In making this decision of self-sacrifice and bravery Freddy has appeased the Fates and Zareb revealed himself as Zeus. Having witnessed all of Freddy's trials Zeus, as Lord of the Gods of Magic and Gatekeeper of the power of Shazam, gives Freddy his power and bestows upon Freddy the remaining powers from he other gods stolen by Sabina. In saying "Shazam" Freddy is bestowed the full power of Shazam and Sabina is sent flying into the Emergsion portal destroying her army of demons and her.

Afterwards, Freddy talks to Zeus/Zareb, who explains that he needed an anchor to the Realm of Earth. In Freddy proving himself, Zeus could reclaim his Terran province, So that he may return to his full power. Freddy apologizes for giving him a hard time during the trials to which Zeus says it wouldn't have been as much fun. Zeus tells him that his days of chasing criminals are secondary, he is now needed to protect the world, to keep the darkness at bay. To keep magic in balance.^[1]

Cry for Justice

Captain Marvel joined the splinter faction of Hal Jordan and Oliver Queen's Justice League in search of the villain Prometheus. They searched several location,s until Supergirl deduced (a bit too late) that Captain Marvel was not Freddy, but Prometheus himself. Prometheus had abducted Freddy and sewed his mouth shut so he could not call down the magic lightning.

Final Crisis

Freddy discussed with Tawky Tawny about the current events plaguing the Marvel Family, with Billy gone and Mary missing. He then contemplates about asking Black Adam for help and transforming into Shazam permanently. Later he gets an invite for Article X by Alan Scott which is actually a Superhero Draft. He joins most of Earth's heroes in the JLA's Hall of Justice.^[7]

After the activation of the Anti-Life Equation, Freddy fights his way to Khandaq to reach Black Adam to have him rejoin The Marvel Family, only for Black Adam to tell him he was unsure as the New Gods have overthrown the Lords of Magic and that as their champions they are at their weakest.^[8] Ultimately, Black Adam agreed to help, and joined Freddy and Tawny during the assault on Bludhaven. Almost immediately, Adam begins trying to kill Mary, who was part of Darkseid's forces. Adam said he looked into her eyes and didn't see Mary, but a leering old man. Throwing Adam aside, Mary attacked Freddy, saying that she had a new magic word.^[9] As the battle continued, Mary focused her attentions on Supergirl, but Freddy was able to grab Mary and shout "Shazam", changing them both and suppressing Desaad. Now in control again, Mary was horrified at her actions, saying she could never change back again, as Freddy told her it wasn't her fault.^[10]

When Black Adam strips Batson of his powers as Guardian of the Rock of Eternity, Freeman was able to continue accessing his magical powers. When the wizard Shazam was revived,^[11] he stripped all of the Marvels of their powers, and petrified Black Adam and Isis. Freddy was not affected by this as his powers come directly from the lords of magic. Shazam has stated he will deal with Freeman but whether the Wizard Shazam will challenge the gods to remove/reduce or change Freeman's powers has not been dealt with.

Post-Brightest Day

Freddy later confronted Osiris in the process of killing a group of gunmen and two battled, with Osiris telling Freddy that he has to continue killing people in order to free his sister Isis from her stone imprisonment. Freddy eventually convinced Osiris that his sister would not approve of the bloodshed that he has caused and offered to help him find another way to save her, but Osiris instead betrayed Freddy, using his abilities to summon a mystical bolt of lightning that reverted him back to his human form. Freddy immediately attempted to transform back into Captain Marvel, but was horrified to discover that he no longer possesses his abilities and that they were robbed from him completely. Osiris then departed, leaving a distraught Freddy to be frustrated over the loss of his powers.^[12]

Powers and Abilities

Powers

• Magical Tattoo: Freddy was granted a magical tattoo which grants him access to various magical realms. The visual representation of the tattoo can only be seen in his powered. It also facilitates a connection to the Wisdom of Solomon.^[13]

Abilities

• Charisma: Freddy is an incredibly likable person who gains friends and romantic partners quickly. Billy once remarked that he had many girlfriends at once.^[3]
• Indomitable Will: Through his force of will, Freddy forced himself to wake up from Dr. Morpheus's black-smoke induced illness, which killed three other men before him.^[20] Even without the stamina of Atlas, he withstood Solomon's soul tattoo, which killed most who bore it.^[14] He even managed to undergo the burden of Atlas, which had him go through literally every issue on Earth and try to solve them, millions of them at every given second, albeit only managed to perform this for three minutes before breaking down in tears.^[21]
• Stick Fighting: Freddy is a fairly proficient in using his crutches as weapons in low-level conflicts.^[22]
• Firearms: Freddy accompanied Achilles into battle in Qurac in which he steadily grew better at using firearms in a combative setting. Achilles remarked that his courage would help Freddy 'find his aim'.^[23]
• Military Protocol^[24][23]

Weaknesses

Other Characteristics

• Paraplegic: In his normal human form, Freddy has limited mobility due to his lame leg.

Notes

• Freddy Freeman was created by Ed Herron, C.C. Beck, and Mac Raboy, first appearing in Whiz Comics #25. However, the New Earth version of Freddy Freeman first appeared in The Power of Shazam! #3 by Jerry Ordway and Peter Krause.
  

Trivia

• When Freddy became Captain Marvel/Shazam, his powers differ from Billy Batson's version as the powers itself were fasciliated directly from the affiliated gods rather than through the Wizard Shazam himself.
• Freddy Freeman is sometimes called CMJ or MJ.

Related

• 144 Appearances of Frederick Freeman (New Earth)
• 63 Images featuring Frederick Freeman (New Earth)
• 10 Quotations by or about Frederick Freeman (New Earth)
• Character Gallery: Frederick Freeman (New Earth)

Footnotes

Marvel Family member This character is or was a member of the Marvel Family in any of its various incarnations, and an ally of Captain Marvel and the Wizard Shazam. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Marvel Family members."

Outsiders member This character is or was a member of one or more of the teams known as the Outsiders. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Outsiders members" category.

Justice League member This character has been a member of the Justice League of America, or the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from the clutches of both interstellar and domestic threats. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Justice League of America members" category.

Teen Titans member This character is or was primarily a member of the younger superhero team known as the Teen Titans, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Teen Titans members" category.

Young Justice member This character is or was a member of Young Justice, a team of younger super-heroes and side-kicks who fight crime together separately from their adult counterparts, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Young Justice members" category.

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