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| Fawcett City | |
| Continuity: | DC Universe |
| Category: | City |
| Continent: | North America |
| Country: | United States of America |
| State: | California |
| Points of interest: | Sivana Mansion |
Fawcett City is a fictional city featured in comic books published by DC Comics. It relates to the Shazam line of comic book titles, which has its origins in the original Fawcett Publications titles from the 1940s. Fawcett City, in its current incarnation, made its debut appearance in the Power of Shazam graphic novel in 1994.
Description[]
Fawcett City is an idyllic metropolitan community located in the American Midwest.[1] Many years ago, the wizard Shazam took notice of the immorality and urban sprawl that had been infecting neighboring communities and took measures to protect Fawcett from similar misfortunes. Enlisting the aid of a sorcerer known as Ibis the Invincible, they succeeded in creating a distortion effect, which slowed time in Fawcett City allowing the city to maintain an aesthetic art-deco atmosphere similar to the trends popularized during the 1940s and 50s. [2]
Fawcett City is not without its corporate hierarchy however. As Metropolis is dominated by Lex Luthor, so too is Fawcett City the chosen territory of the mad industrialist Thaddeus Bodog Sivana. Sivana's need for money and power is unrelenting. In a bid to obtain even more wealth, he hired C.C. and Marilyn Batson to excavate the temple of Rameses II in Egypt. During this venture, Sivana's enforcer, Theo Adam murdered the Batsons, and the controversial fallout from the incident nearly ruined Sivana's position in Fawcett City.
A short while later, the wizard Shazam decided that it was now time for Fawcett City to have an official protector. He manipulated the Batsons' orphaned son, Billy, into finding him at the Rock of Eternity. There, he bestowed upon him the power of seven ancient elders, transforming young Billy Batson into Earth's mightiest mortal - Captain Marvel. [3]
Captain Marvel became Fawcett's chosen protector and shared his power with two other heroes - his sister, Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel, Jr. Unofficially known as the Marvel Family, the three heroes routinely fought against Doctor Sivana and the likes of villains such as Black Adam and Mister Mind.
Points of Interest[]
- Beckville
- This is a neighborhood located in Fawcett City. The name is derived from Shazam creator C.C. Beck.
- Binder Square
- This is a recreation area located in Fawcett City. The name is derived from Otto Binder, a longtime writer of the Captain Marvel family of titles.
- McKeon History Museum
- One of several natural history museums found in Fawcett City.
- Sivana Industries
- One of the largest and most successful business operating out of Fawcett City. Sivana Industries is owned and operated by millionaire entrepreneur Thaddeus Bodog Sivana.
- Sivana Mansion
- This is the ancestral home of the Sivana family. It is owned by the current family patriarch, Thaddeus Bodog Sivana, and his children, Beautia, Magnificus, Thaddeus Jr., and Georgia. Sivana's ex-wife, Venus Sivana lived in the mansion for a time.
- Solar Center
- This was the name of a front company owned by Doctor Sivana in Fawcett City. Dr. Bruce Gordon was the designer and chief architect of the Solar Center. [4]
- Binder Subway Station
- Beckoned by a mysterious figure, young Billy Batson was lured into the subway where he entered a mystic portal that brought him to the Rock of Eternity. It was here that he first met the wizard Shazam who granted him the ability to transform into Captain Marvel.[5]
- WHIZ Radio
- This is the news/radio affiliate station where young Billy Batson worked as an amateur newscaster.
Residents[]
Heroes[]
- Captain Marvel
- Captain Marvel, Jr
- Fat Marvel
- Golden Arrow
- Hill Marvel
- Ibis the Invincible
- Mary Marvel
- Spy Smasher
- Tall Marvel
- Uncle Marvel
Villains[]
Others[]
- Bruce Gordon
- C.C. Batson
- Dexter Knox
- Doc Quartz
- Ebenezer Batson
- Hoppy the Marvel Bunny
- Lance O'Casey
- Lisa Sutton
- Marilyn Batson
- Professor Edgewise
- Sinclair Batson
- Sterling Morris
- Sunny Sparkle
- Tawky Tawny
- Timmy Tinkle
- Venus Sivana
Notes & Trivia[]
- Fawcett City is named after Wilford H. Fawcett, the founder of Fawcett Publications. The New Earth version of the city first appeared in the 1994 graphic novel The Power of Shazam by Jerry Ordway. Previously, Captain Marvel had lived in San Francisco (Shazam! The New Beginning). In the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity, Captain Marvel lived in an unnamed city modeled after, and eventually revealed to be, New York City. However, in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe, Volume 4 (1985), Fawcett City was stated to be the base of operations of Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel, Jr. in their respective entries. Months later, writer Marv Wolfman established Fawcett City in-story in Crisis on Infinite Earths #7.
- Fawcett City's location has never been firmly established, though it is in the Midwest. Differing sources indicate:
- Indiana [6]
- Minnesota, at the location of Minneapolis [7]
- Wisconsin, based on implicit hints in Power of Shazam Vol 1.
See also[]
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ Countdown to Infinite Crisis 1; JSA vs. Kobra 4; others
- ↑ Fawcett City article at Wikipedia
- ↑ Power of Shazam (GN)
- ↑ Superman/Shazam: First Thunder 1
- ↑ Power of Shazam 18
- ↑ Titans Secret Files and Origins 1
- ↑ JSA vs. Kobra 4