WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Shazam! #12 by Jeff Loveness, Brandon Peterson, Mike Atiyeh and Rob Leigh, on sale now.
Since he was created in 1939 by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck in 1940's Whiz Comics #2, Fawcett Comics' Captain Marvel predates many of the superheroes in the DC Universe, even though he was acquired by DC Comics himself decades later and eventually rebranded under the moniker Shazam. However, the latest issue of Shazam! reveals one glaring shortcoming that the Earth's Mightiest Mortal has in direct comparison to many of the more prominent superheroes in the DCU.
Despite a few highlights like Black Adam and Doctor Sivana, Billy Batson has nowhere near as extensive or memorable a rogues gallery as heroes like Superman and Batman.
The issue opens with Billy and his adopted brother Freddie Freeman confronting the ravenous Herkimer, the leader of the Crocodile Men. The Crocodile Men are among the oldest villains that Billy ever faced, created by Beck and Otto Binder in 1943's Captain Marvel Adventures #22. Revealed to be from the faraway planet Punkus, Herkimer led the Crocodile Men to Earth to join Mister Mind's second lineup of the Monster Society of Evil in an effort to help the Axis Powers win World War II over the Captain Marvel Family and Allied Powers. While the villainous team featured more prominent Captain Marvel antagonists -- including Sivana and Captain Nazi -- Mister Mind regarded Herkimer as his second-in-command.
Following his debut and subsequent defeat, Herkimer and the Crocodile Men would continue to battle against Captain Marvel before eventually deserting the Monster Society to become a successful circus attraction,with a much friendlier demeanor.
\Also, Herkimer should not be confused with Sobek, a far more vicious Crocodile Man who was introduced during the year-long weekly series 52. Over the course of the series, Sobek grew closer to Isis' younger brother and Black Adam's brother-in-law Osiris. Created by Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, Grant Morrison, Mark Waid, Keith Giffen and Pat Olliffe 2006's 52 #26, Sobek was a genetically engineered creature that was secretly a Horseman of the Apocalypse targeting the Black Adam Family, devouring a depowered Osiris before being killed by Black Adam in retaliation.
This incarnation of Herkimer is certainly a villain, but he's nowhere near as sinister as Sivana, Mister Mind or Black Adam as he is easily bested by Shazam. And as a sheepish Billy admits to Freddie that his encounters with the Crocodile Men are more frequent than he'd care to admit, Freddie points out that Shazam's greatest weakness isn't one that can overcome the power of Zeus and strength of Hercules; it's that he doesn't have the types of villains that will garner him the same respect as Superman. While initially defensive, Billy decides to set out for Gotham City to prove to Freddie that he is more than capable of handling more established DCU villains all by himself.
With many of his early adventures focused on either helping the Allies win World War II or expanding his superhero family, Captain Marvel/Shazam doesn't have anywhere as near as memorable a rogues gallery as other Golden Age superheroes who endured into the modern era. While the nature of those foundational stories partially accounts for this, the years that the character spent out of regular publication after losing a lawsuit to National Comics and being relegated to Earth-S after the character's absorption into the DCU also played a role. And while a new Monster Society is quietly being formed by Sivana and Mister Mind to take on the Shazam Family during the DC Rebirth era, the villains of Earth's Mightiest Mortal just doesn't measure up to those of his heroic counterparts.