Shazam: Main Comic Book Villains, Ranked Lamest To Coolest

The character of Shazam has been around as long as Superman and Batman. Originally known as Captain Marvel, Fawcett Comics created him and had an immediate success on their hands, as his comic book even outsold Superman for a time. However, when Fawcett went under, DC Comics picked up the character and eventually changed his name to Shazam.

Despite celebrating his 80th birthday in 2019, Shazam’s rogues’ gallery is nowhere near as deep as Superman or Batman, who both joined comics in the same year. However, there are a few interesting villains that Shazam has faced over the years that stood the test of time.

10 Mister Mind

Mister Mind is a mind-enthralling Venusian worm that made its way to Earth and teamed up with Doctor Sivana to become one of Shazam’s most dangerous enemies. However, as a small worm, there is nothing cool about Mister Mind, even though he was a fun surprise at the end of the DCEU Shazam! movie.

He first appeared in 1943 and returned in modern time in The Power of Shazam! #12 in 1996. In modern days, Mister Mind is responsible for many of Council of Eternity’s members, including Solomon.

9 Doctor Sivana

Doctor Sivana is Shazam’s most notable enemies, and was the villain in the Shazam! movie from the DCEU. In the comics, Sivana is much older and frail than he was in the movie, where Mark Strong portrayed him.

First appearing in 1940, he returned in The Power of Shazam! graphic novel in 1994 as a wealthy scientific genius who killed Billy Batson’s parents. He returned much more formidable in Justice LeagueVol. 2 #7 as an enemy of Black Adam.

8 Crocodile Man

Crocodile Man first appeared in 1943, a humanoid crocodile from a planet called Punkus. He was initially part of Mister Mind’s Monster Society of Evil but he eventually left the life of crime and joined a circus.

DC brought him back in 2020 when he appeared in Shazam! Vol. 3 #12 and looked very different, wearing a nice suit and attempting to attack a museum. He kept the same past, as an alien on Earth with superhuman strength and fangs.

7 Captain Nazi

One of Shazam’s earlier villains was the man known as Captain Nazi. He appeared in Master Comics #1 in 1941 and was a villain that Shazam could battle similar to Red Skull in Captain America comics. He was the counterpart of Captain Marvel, developed by Adolf Hitler’s super-soldier experiment.

In 1995’s The Power of Shazam! #5, Captain Nazi’s brother and granddaughter brought him out of suspended animation and put him against Shazam again.

6 The Seven Deadly Sins

Viewers of Shazam! also met the Seven Deadly Sins when Doctor Sivana brought them after Shazam. They appeared in the Prime Earth universe in Justice League Vol. 2 #14. The villains represent each of humanity’s seven deadly sins — Sloth, Gluttony, Wrath, Envy, Greed, Pride, and Lust.

They arrived as enemies of the mythical Pandora but they are mostly known for their time battling Shazam. Their first appearance came in 1940 with the same origin as the movie, demons captured as statues that came to life.

5 Sabbac

Sabbac is similar to Shazam in that his name is based on different powerful characters. While Shazam’s name is based on his powers, each from a different god, Sabbac’s name is based on demons from Hell which granted him powers – Satan, Aym, Belial, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, and Crateis.

His first appearance was in 1943 and he made his return in Outsiders Vol. 3 #8 in 2004 where he ended up battling the Outsiders rather than Shazam.

4 Blaze

Lady Blaze is one of Shazam’s more recent villains, not appearing in the original 1940s storyline, but showing up in the modern era. She is the sister of Lord Satanus and the daughter of the wizard Shazam. She first appeared in Action Comics #655 in 1990, disguising herself as a human named Angelica Blaze to steal souls.

Blaze ended up battling Shazam and Superman as a deadly and dangerous villain. In the mainstream universe, Blaze reappeared in Supergirl Vol. 6 #27 where she took the battle to Supergirl and Lobo.

3 Sabina De La Croix

Sabina De La Croix is a new enemy for Shazam as she first appeared in The Trials of Shazam! #3 in 2006. As with many Shazam villains, her powers were based in magic. Her father was the demon necromancer Marius De La Croix and his sorceress wife Becca De La Croix.

The Merlin Council found her parents and burned them alive and then realized that Sabina was a Fury, a powerful magical warrior. Merlin’s Council sent her to take the power of Shazam after Billy Batson ascended and she went to battle with Freddie Freeman, Billy’s champion.

2 Ibac

Ibac is another classic villain, first appearing in Captain Marvel Adventures #8 in 1942 when Lucifer gave him his powers to battle Shazam. Like Shazam, his name is based on his power sources, Ivan the Terrible, Cesare Borgia, Attila the Hun, and Caligula.

He was back in 1995’s The Power of Shazam! #1 and more recently returned with a new look in the story of Black Adam restoring rule to his home of Kahndaq.

1 Black Adam

Shazam’s greatest villain and the one fans love the most, is Black Adam. Not only is Black Adam a popular villain, but he is cool enough to earn the attention of Dwayne Johnson, who will take on the role in the DCEU. He first appeared in 1945 in Marvel Family #1, but he really came into his own in the modern era.

He was one of the principle characters in the one-year event series 52 where he ruled over his beloved Kahndaq, while governments of the world tried to topple him. In the mainstream universe, Black Adam is as much an antihero as he is a Shazam villain.

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