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Before the Captain, There was Team SHAZAM!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
 Bill Parker's idea of a team of super-heroes predated the Justice Society of America by about a year but the concept was shot down by Fawcett Executive Director Ralph Daigh who wanted a single hero instead. Because of the change in Fawcett's plan, All-American Comics' The Justice Society of America became the first team of super-heroes with the publication of All-Star Comics #3 in Winter 1940.
The Sterkanko History of Comics, Vol. 2 suggests that Parker's team concept was a "kind of take-off of the Three Musketeers except with twice as many characters." Parker's idea was that the names of the six heroes would somehow form the magical name, Shazam. Perhaps this would have become the team's rallying cry. In the end, the Shazam team was not to be.
When Daigh took the team concept off the table in favor of a single hero, Parker had to scramble to come up with a new idea that would please his employers. How would he take the team concept and merge it into a single super-hero?
Shazam! Fun Fact Text
When Bill Parker was charged with creating a hero to rival Superman, his first idea was far removed from the Man of Steel!
He envisioned a team of six men, each of whom would have a separate and distinct power ... Wisdom — Strength — Stamina — Power — Courage — Speed!
Together, these "six musketeers" would use their powers to balance the scales of justice! Fortunately, Ralph Daigh vetoed the concept.
The idea was that the names of Parker's team would collectively form the magical name "Shazam!"
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