Captain Marvel, Jr.

Freddy Freeman was orphaned at a young age. He and his brother Kit were split when the grandparents on both sides of the family each decided to care for one of the boys. Freddy was taken by his maternal grandfather and raised.

One day while out on a row boat, Freddy and his grandfather saw a costumed figure plunge from the sky into the water. The two sought to aid the figure, not realizing that the person in question was the villain Captain Nazi. Nazi had been attempting to disable an experimental jet that was being tested by the U.S. government, but was opposed by Captain Marvel. When Freddy's grandfather attempted to help Nazi from the water, Nazi killed him with a single blow. Taking a page from the Red Bee Book of Attacking More Powerful Foes, Freddy began to attack Nazi with one of the boat's oars, but with predictable results. Nazi defeated Freddy easily and left him in the water to die.

And die Freddy would have if not for the timely intervention of Captain Marvel. Seeing Freddy's inert body in the water, Marvel rescued the boy and took him to a nearby hospital. After being examining Freddy, the doctors told Captain Marvel that the boy would not survive the night. Feeling responsible for his injuries, Marvel decided to try and save the boy.

Transforming back into his alterego of Billy Batson, Marvel took Freddy and left the hospital. Batson then traveled back to the underground railway tunnel where he first met the wizard Shazam and gained his extraordinary powers. Upon finding the chamber, Batson summoned Shazam and asked if the boy could be saved. Shazam told him that by transfering a bit of his power to the boy, Freddy's life could be saved. Batson transformed back into Captain Marvel and the sound of the mystic lightning and thunder awoke the dying Freddy. Freddy said his hero's name and was given amazing powers similar to Captain Marvel's. Now, when Freddy Freeman says the name "Captain Marvel," he is transformed into his new identity. While in his form as Freddy, he is crippled in one leg from the injuries sustained at the hands of Captain Nazi.

Taking the name Captain Marvel, Jr., Freddy became a member of the Marvel Family. He often times opposed Captain Nazi and defeated him on a number of occasions. Captain Marvel, Jr. was trapped with the rest of the Marvel Family in a globe of Suspendium by Doctor Sivana for 20 years, but they were all revived after the globe went to close to the sun and began to melt.

Because the mystic words that must be spoken by Freddy to become Captain Marvel, Jr. are also the first two words of his name, he is the only hero is unable to say his own name.