Warning: Spoilers for Shazam #16!Shazamfans assemble! The Captain’s best villain is back in the comics and isn’t playing around.Mister Mindhas long been trying to dismantle the DC Universe, starting with the Shazam family, and though he’s little, he’s proved to be one of the Captain’s most formidable foes. After his post-credits appearance in theShazam!film, he never had a satisfying return for comic fans - until now.
InShazam! #16by Josie Campbell, Dan McDaid, Roberto Poggi, Trish Mulvihill, and Troy Peteri, Freddy Freeman is acting a little strangely. He’s taken to calling himself the Commander, saying it outranks Billy Batson’s nickname, the Captain. The truth, however, is even stranger, as a peculiar man starts to take Freddy under his wing. The issue ends with a massive reveal:the man’s body is being controlled by the bug-mastermind Mister Mind himself.
In a fun reveal that gives fans a satisfying conclusion to a forgotten post-credits scene from the DCEU,Shazam’s bestvillain is finally ready for one more battle.
Shazam’s Greatest Villain Is Back to Tear His Family Apart
Mister Mind Has Possessed Many DC Heroes
Mister Mind first appeared in 1943’sCaptain Marvel Adventures#26by Otto Binder, Al Liederman, C. C. Beck, and Pete Costanzaas one of the earliest (and strangest) supervillains in comic book history. Through timeline changes, he’s gone from being a mutant worm to the sole survivor of his species hailing from Venus. Currently, he’san incredibly powerful telepath with innate knowledge of the mystical artsborne from his consumption of curios and tomes as a sort of literal bookworm. But this parasite’s main goal is possession of the Captain - so that he can have a body as fit as his mind is.
Shazam Makes a Shattering Confession, Forever Changing His Own Powers
In Shazam #14, Billy Batson makes a shocking confession about his relationship with Shazam, and it forever changes the hero’s powers.
As more pieces of traditionalShazam Family lore return to continuity, Mister Mind is yet again trying to take possession of the various champions of Shazam, this time by worming his way into the mind of Freddy Freeman. It’s a main goal of his, as he had once been seen inhabiting the robotic body of Booster Gold’s companion Skeets, turning him evil in the celebrated52series by Mark Waid, Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, and various artists.Mister Mind seems to pop up everywhere and when he’s least expected- even in Shazam’s films.
Mister Mind’s Return Satisfies a Loose Plot Thread
Mister Mind Appears in the Post-Credits Scene ofShazam!
After Dr. Sivana’s defeat in the 2019 filmShazam!,a post-credits scene revealed Mister Mindto be the next major villain of Zachary Levi’s Shazam. However, this never quite panned out, asthe sequel,Shazam! Fury of the Gods,had a completely different plot in mindas the DCEU started to fracture behind the scenes. Shazam fans will now have to content themselves with Mister Mind’s gruesome return in the comic where he first debuted.
While not the only homage to the successful film of the same name, the ongoingShazam!series continues to thrillcomic fans by honoring some loose plot threads left in the films. This time, however, Mister Mind is arriving in a much starker way, and he might just complete his longtime goal of fracturing the Shazam Family. If anything, at least this one glimpse of Mister Mind is paying off the tease that theShazam!film left fans with five years ago.
Shazam!#16is available now from DC Comics!
Shazam
Originally known as Captain Marvel, the magical champion Shazam is a DC Comics superhero who gains his powers from various mythological figures: Solomon’s wisdom, Hercules' strength, Atlas' stamina, Zeus' power, Achilles' courage, and Mercury’s speed. When child Billy Batson utters the phrase “Shazam,” he transforms into an adult superhero with these combined abilities. Shazam fights villains alongside the Marvel Family, embodying the ideals of heroism, justice, and magic in the DC Universe.
