Line #15 IAmNotShazam/ComicBooks


1	* A popular example (and the TropeNamer) is ''{{ComicBook/Shazam}}'', the title used for most works involving Creator/DCComics' Captain Marvel. Due to a trademark agreement with Creator/MarvelComics, DC cannot use the character's name for the series title but can for inside the comic itself, so they use his [[ByThePowerOfGreyskull transformation phrase]] instead; this leads to people mistaking the phrase ''for'' his name. This is especially strange, considering he himself has to be careful about using the phrase--"Shazam!" ''always'' summons a bolt of magical lightning whether Billy means to transform or not (or that's the case pre-New 52, anyway).
2	** This is exacerbated in the ''TabletopGame/HeroClix'' game, where any of his figures have to have Shazam written where the name is instead of Captain Marvel.
3	*** This seems to be the case for ''almost any'' DC-licensed product he appears in, as promotional material for ''VideoGame/MortalKombatVsDCUniverse'' referred to him as "Shazam" as well, but the game itself used "Captain Marvel".
4	*** A 1970s "dry look" hair product commercial labeled Captain Marvel as "Shazam."
5	** A humorously similar case occurs with [=CM3=], originally Captain Marvel Jr, a DC character who himself briefly changed his superhero name because the original starts with his magic phrase (which is "Captain Marvel"). This was also highlighted in a possible future where he eventually became Captain Marvel, which he, of course, couldn't say.
6	*** At one point pre-New 52, events had Captain Marvel take the (late) wizard Shazam's place, with [=CM3=]/Captain Marvel Jr. being groomed to take the role of TheHero -- with the codename "Shazam".
7	*** A promo on Creator/CartoonNetwork for ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' showcased several of Batman's allies, such as Aquaman, Green Arrow, and..."Shazam". Poor guy.
8	** ''WesternAnimation/{{Mad}}'', produced by Warner Brothers (which owns DC) averts this trope, but in a couple of sketches they refer to Cap as "Shazam" for the sake of a joke; for example, in the "Superfriends" song, they use it because it fit the song better than "Captain Marvel"; as well as their ''Series/SamAndCat'' parody "Shazam and Cat".
9	** Captain Marvel had his name changed to Shazam in the ComicBook/{{New 52}}, where he was reimagined as a [[DarkerAndEdgier grittier]], more relatable character. He starred in the ''ComicBook/Shazam2012'' miniseries presented as a back-up feature in the main ''ComicBook/JusticeLeague2011'' book, and subsequently appeared in the ''Justice League'' books. As he now needs to specifically channel his willpower (his "intent") while saying "Shazam" for the spell to work, he doesn't have to worry about summoning lightning bolts every time he introduces himself.
10	*** Shortly after this it was announced that [[ComicBook/MsMarvel Carol Danvers]] would start headlining a new ''ComicBook/{{Captain Marvel\|MarvelComics}}'' series for Marvel, with a live-action film in the works as well. WordOfGod claims the timing was a complete coincidence though. And the fact this all came a couple years after [[DisneyOwnsThisTrope Disney bought Marvel Comics]] has ''nothing'' to do with it...
11	*** Interestingly, post-N52 AlternateUniverse versions, such as in ''ComicBook/TheMultiversity'' and ''ComicBook/{{Convergence}}'', still go by Captain Marvel rather than Shazam.
12	** Captain Marvel appeared in the first two seasons of ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' with his name intact. However, when he reappeared in [[WesternAnimation/YoungJusticeRevivalSeries Season 3]] (which was made long after the name change had been instituted in the comics), his codename was never said onscreen, and the credits referred to him as "Shazam." The fourth season continues this trend with the introduction of Mary Bromfield, who is referred to exclusively by her real name and gets cut off before she can say her old codename "Sergeant Marvel."
13	** As of his new volume in 2023, Shazam is referred to as the name of the wizard once more, making Billy Batson an example of the trope. He just isn't referred to as Captain Marvel either. His writer Creator/MarkWaid has stated that this is the compromise DC Comics will follow from now on, referring to the alter ego as simply "The Captain".
14	* In [[Creator/AlanMoore Alan Moore's]] ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', the title is thematic and [[LiteraryAllusionTitle poetic]], not literal; there is a team of heroes called the Minutemen and a later, failed attempt to form one called the Crimebusters, but there is no team called the Watchmen. [[Film/{{Watchmen}} The movie]] actually does rename the Crimebusters "the Watchmen", however, it still counts, since the Crimebusters/Watchmen were a proposed team that never actually formed. The five main characters never make up an organized superhero team. For the most part, they're just independent vigilantes who form some close personal relationships. Nite Owl and Rorschach are the only characters who regularly fought crime as a team.[[note]]Though, contrary to semi-popular rumor, the comic ''does'' do a proper TitleDrop at one point - blink and you'll miss it, but "Who Watches the Watchmen" appears as a piece of anti-superhero graffiti during the New York riots leading up to the Keene Act.[[/note]]
15	* The lead character of Creator/NeilGaiman's ''ComicBook/TheSandman'' goes by many names, but "the Sandman" is never one of them. The closest he comes to acknowledging this name occurs when he is moved to laughter -- for the first and only time in the series, and even then, with a mask covering his face -- by the presumption of a human superhero calling himself "the Sandman". There's a certain irony in this, as the superhero Sandman comes from an older, defunct DC series; although in the continuity of ''Sandman'' Morpheus is of course much, much older than Hector Hall, in real chronology Hall had the title earlier.
16	** The third published collection (or one version of it anyway) contains a script for one of the stories along with commentary by Gaiman. He mentions that he always refers to the character as The Sandman himself, as well as in the script. He never mentions why other characters don't do the same, though.
17	** In the introduction to the contest in The Oldest Game, he is announced by multiple titles, concluding with "Mister Sandman".
18	** [[ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}} John Constantine]] has probably come the closest, since at the end of one crossover, he walks away from an encounter with Morpheus singing "Mister Sandman." In fact, that's a theme of the story; several times a different song that references "the sandman" starts playing. Constantine correctly identifies this as the universe trying to tell him something, and sure enough then Morpheus shows up.
19	*** He got the idea from Mad Hettie.
20	--->'''Mad Hettie:''' 'E's back, John.\
21	'''Constantine:''' Who's back, Mad Hettie?\
22	'''Mad Hettie:''' You ort ter know, smart boy. Morpheus. The Oneiromancer. You know... The Sandman.\
23	They continue to refer to him as "The Sandman" throughout the conversation.
24	* Neither Eric, nor any of the later vengeful souls from the comics or films of ''Franchise/TheCrow'', are ever referred to as "The Crow". The title refers to the bird that brings them back to life. They go by the names they held in life, if anything (though the crow in the original comic constantly refers to Eric as "Musician" or "Kid").
25	** In the TV series ''Series/TheCrowStairwayToHeaven'', "Crows" are what the series calls the "good" avenger-type revenants like Eric, whereas the "evil" sadist/hedonist-type revenants are referred to as "Snakes".
26	** Eric actually does refer to himself as "The Crow" in [[ComicBook/TheCrow the comic]] when speaking to police, although it's more of a thinly veiled clue than a superhero alter-ego. (His last words, heard by the police captain, were "The crow said don't look!")
27	* The short-lived Marvel book ''Marvel Knights'' revolved around a street-level team of heroes led by ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}. The team was never named and "Marvel Knights" was only used by the readers and the book's title.
28	* The star of ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'' is actually called Miyamoto Usagi. The title, which translates to "bodyguard rabbit", is what Usagi does. The series isn't helped by the fact that, during the character's appearances in the first ''[[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' cartoon, he was referred to as ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo.
29	* ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' was the name of the book, ''not'' the name of the team. It’s a description, not a proper name. The kids do not have a name for themselves, just like [[NotWearingTights they do not have costumes or code names]]. This is made more confusing because most fans do refer to them as "The Runaways", mostly because it is easier than saying, "those teenagers that star in the comic series that is called Runaways." The problem is exacerbated because Nico (The sort-of [[TeamMom team leader]]) does at one time address the group as "Runaways" (With the statement "Runaways, ''run away''!"); she is using the term as a description of the people on the team (Who are all teenage runaways), rather than as an identifying name.
30	** Nico at least seems to consider Runaways the team name, given she used it again later, and it was capitalized.
31	** Other characters refer to them as "Those Runaways" or "Those kids in LA" or "The Pride's Kids" keeping with the idea that they don't have an official superhero team name.
32	** Eventually, their official team name ''did'' become the Runaways. Albeit, being the type of series that it is, gets lampshaded by how ridiculous that they're being called that. Rarely do the ''team'' call themselves that however, as it's mainly used by non-members. In the 2017 revival, Gert even asks after coming BackFromTheDead "Who came up with that name", and Chase believes it was ComicBook/CaptainAmerica.
33	* ''ComicBook/BirdsOfPrey'' is not the team's official name, and was not even spoken in dialogue until issue #86 of the series, wherein [[ComicBook/{{Blackhawk}} Lady Blackhawk]] suggested it as a potential name. In later issues the characters ''specifically said'' that it was not their team name when Zinda Blake continues to use it, and it has never been used on "official" business (i.e. the induction of new members or cooperations with other superteams). However, the writers themselves often seem to forget this point, as numerous characters (Both on and off the team) refer to them as 'the birds' on a semi-regular basis, and the full "Birds of Prey" title itself makes an occasional appearance.
34	* Similar to the ''Birds of Prey'' example, ''ComicBook/UncannyAvengers'' is the title of the book, not the actual team featured. The team itself is referred to as the Avengers Unity Squad, while the title of the book is just a ShoutOut to the iconic ''Uncanny X-Men'' series.
35	* In a similar fashion, ''ComicBook/DarkAvengers'' refers to the comic book, not the actual team. Set during the ''ComicBook/DarkReign''-age in the Marvel Universe, it provides a ''dark'' take on the Avengers, a team of former villains posing as recogbizable superheroes assambled by Norman Osborn. In-universe the team is simply the Avengers, as it is the government-approved official team storywise - in real world the team is usually referred to as Dark Avengers.
36	* The third ''ComicBook/NewAvengers'' series, ''ComicBook/TheAvengersJonathanHickman'', is not about a team of [[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers]]; it's about ComicBook/TheIlluminati. ''New Avengers'' is basically the title because it wasn't being used and [[WolverinePublicity Marvel has realized any book with "Avengers" in the name is a guaranteed sales hit]].
37	* The team of heroines in ''[[ComicBook/TheDefenders Fearless Defenders]]'' aren't actually called that; they're known as the Valkyor. The series' writer, Cullen Bunn, has admitted in interviews that his editor basically slapped "Defenders" onto the book due to the name recognition factor.
38	* Technically, the official name of the city is ''Basin City''. ''ComicBook/SinCity'' is simply the nickname everyone including the inhabitants of said city call it, so, yeah, this one's OK.
39	* "Witchblade" is the name of the weapon/bracelet/thing, not the person wielding it. But plenty of people seem to think [[ComicBook/{{Witchblade}} Sara Pezzini]] or [[Anime/{{Witchblade}} Masane Amaha]] are named "Witchblade".
40	* In addition to all of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' examples over in Western Animation, one of the comic books has Homer asking Lisa "[[Literature/PrideAndPrejudice which character is Pride and which one is Prejudice]]" while watching TV. This naturally is a perfectly reasonable question to Homer, who is clearly well versed in buddy cop shows and movies like ''Series/StarskyAndHutch'', ''Film/TangoAndCash'', ''Film/TurnerAndHooch'', ''WesternAnimation/StrokerAndHoop'', etc. The title refers to the defining flaw of each of the two leads which keep them from getting together until the end of the story. So in a sense, he is pride and she is prejudice.
41	* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'':
42	** It was a running joke for the character ComicBook/AnyaCorazon to be mistakenly referred to as "Spider-Girl" by numerous characters. Even in the face of her impending execution, she angrily tells her captors "The name's Araña," after they take the gag off her mouth in order to let her give her last words to the camera. By late 2010, she [[AscendedFanon decided to just embrace the name]].
43	** The villain protagonists of ''ComicBook/TheSuperiorFoesOfSpiderMan'' don't call themselves the Superior Foes-they are the Sinister Six ([[RunningGag even though there are only five of them]]). The title has [[DoubleMeaningTitle multiple meanings]]: In part it is a reference to the ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan'', to which this series is vaguely connected, as well as a sarcastic reference to the protagonists being [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain anything but superior]]. Additionally, it references the SpiritualPredecessor villain-based miniseries, ''The Deadly Foes of Spider-Man'' (who didn't call themselves that either- they were the Sinister Syndicate).
44	** The Gwen Stacy of Earth-65 is not referred to as ComicBook/SpiderGwen in-universe, but Spider-Woman. It's just that we already ''have'' a ComicBook/SpiderWoman with her own title and the Spider-Gwen name became such a popular FanNickname that when this Gwen Stacy ended up getting a solo series, it [[AscendedFanon became the title of her book]]. After a few years, Marvel began to transition her to the codename "Ghost Spider" in other media, with her also adopting the name in the comics whenever [[DimensionalTraveler she isn't in her native dimension]], but it's still common to see diehard fans call her Spider-Gwen regardless (if only out of habit). [[spoiler:After she publicly revealed her identity at the end of Latour et. al's ''Radioactive'' run, some people in her universe do take to calling her Spider-Gwen, though she [[AtrociousAlias soon gets annoyed by it]] and demands they call her Spider-Woman again.]]
45	* ''ComicBook/EnemyAce'' is the title of the Creator/DCComics feature starring Hans von Hammer. Von Hammer is never actually referred to by that name (except generically - to the Allies he is of course ''an'' "enemy ace.") His actual RedBaron moniker is "The Hammer of Hell."
46	* In a weird story arc example, the famous ComicBook/IronMan story arc "ComicBook/ArmorWars" is actually called "Stark Wars" inside the comics. (It was intended as a ''Franchise/StarWars'' pun.) However, Marvel promoted it as the "Armor War" (singular) in their splash ad for the first issue of the arc, and the trade paperback was released as "Armor Wars", even though the individual chapters retained the original "Stark Wars" name in their titles. In any case, by the time "Armor Wars II" appeared in the comic, the "Armor Wars" name had stuck.
47	** Also, the two different "Stark becomes an alcoholic" stories often get conflated as one arc, "Demon In A Bottle". That story is only the early one from 1980, in which he kills the Carnelian ambassador and sobers up rather quickly. In fact, the title comes from the final issue of the arc, and the original trade paperback was released as "The Power of Iron Man", only later being reissued under the "Demon in a Bottle" name. The multi-year arc in the mid-80s where Obadiah Stane is the villain and Rhodey becomes Iron Man for the first time has no real name, although some fans call it "Demon In A Bottle II".
48	* In ''ComicBook/TheMask'', anyone who wears the title artifact is called "Big Head" - unlike in [[Film/TheMask the movie]] and derivated material, where masked Stanley goes by "The Mask".
49	* The ComicBook/BlackPanther villain ''Kiber the Cruel'' is only called Frederick Kiber or just Kiber in the pages of the Panther issues in which he appears. Although he is evil and murderous, none of his victims lives long enough to spread the word of his cruelty, which is the usual method in which evil men get such colorful monikers. The origin of this moniker is an issue cover blurb that says "Sinister are the Servants of Kiber the Cruel!". Kiber's entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe as well as other publications do list his entry as Kiber the Cruel, however.
50	* ComicBook/CaptainAtom's splinter [[ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Justice League]] in the '90s? They aren't actually ''called'' "Extreme Justice," you know; that's just the name of the book.
51	* This trope was [[DiscussedTrope discussed]] in an issue of ''ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}''.
52	-->'''Selina Kyle''': Maybe it'll be fun, like the thin man and his wife in those movies.
53	-->'''Slam Bradley''': Nick and Nora Charles.
54	-->'''Selina''': Yeah, ''Film/TheThinMan''.
55	-->'''Slam''': No, see, the thin man was the ''murder victim''. They were looking for the thin man.
56	-->'''Selina''': I though the thin man was the ''hero?''
57	-->'''Slam''': Nope.
58	-->'''Selina''': Then why did they call all the rest of the movies ''The Thin Man This and That''?
59	-->'''Slam''': Because Hollywood is full of idiots.
60	* Played with in an issue of ''[[ComicBook/TheAvengers A]] + [[ComicBook/XMen X]]'', where ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} teams up with Hawkeye. At one point, Deadpool is about to call Hawkeye [[Literature/LordOfTheRings "Legolas"]] before he shoots that down. Then he calls him [[Literature/TheHungerGames "Hunger Games"]] [[note]]most likely trying to reference Katniss[[/note]], which gets shot down, too, and [[WesternAnimation/{{Brave}} "Brave! The girl from Brave!"]] Yep. Shot down.
61	* Tommy Monaghan is not called ComicBook/{{Hitman}} in the series by that name, nor does he identify himself by that name, preferring "Tommy". However, in tie-in comics where he appears, people do refer to him by that name.
62	** Oddly, he does refer to himself as Hitman in his first appearance, saying that [[ThatManIsDead Tommy Monaghan is dead]] after the horrific [[WordOfGod and stupid]] events that empower him. This is quickly forgotten.
63	* The ComicBook/{{Micronauts\|MarvelComics}} lampshade this in the case of Commander Rann who is supposed to be based on the Space Glider toy from the Mego toyline. In the roll-call artwork on the splash page, he is named as "Space Glider", but never in the actual dialogue. While recounting events from his early life, he actually notes that "Space Glider" is not a name but a rank. Understandably, this was probably done in a move to establish Commander Arcturus Rann as a Marvel created character, thus assuring ownership. Easily done, as his character wasn't too dependent on looking that much like the toy, anyway.
64	* A lot of ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' fans think Super Sonic from ''ComicBook/SonicTheComic'' is named "Fleetway". Fleetway is the name of the ''publisher'', not the name of anyone in the comic. Super Sonic is just called "Super Sonic". Nevertheless "Fleetway" has become a FanNickname for him as well.
65	* The girls in ''ComicBook/{{Witch}}'' are not witches. If anything they are {{Magical Girl}}s. The title comes from their initials: Will, Irma, Tarnee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin.
66	* ''ComicBook/StrontiumDog'': The main characters are called Johnny Alpha and Wulf Stenhammer, both of whom ''are'' Strontium Dogs. The term "Strontium Dog" is a derogatory term for a [[BountyHunter [=Search/Destroy=] Agent]], the vast majority of whom are humans who have been mutated due exposure to strontium-90 and, as such, are legally prohibited from working in any other profession.
67	* Alison from ComicBook/UltimateXMen gets called "ComicBook/{{Dazzler}}" by other X-Men, even though she stresses that Dazzler is the name of her band and not her superhero name.
68	* A miniseries ''ComicBook/FantasticFour: True Story'' parodied the ''Literature/{{Frankenstein}}'' case described in the literature subsection. When traveling through the realm of fiction, the team has to get past Literature/{{Dracula}}. Since in this place [[YourMindMakesItReal imagination and wishes make things happen]], Ben tries to "imagine [[UltimateShowdownofUltimateDestiny Frankenstein fighting Dracula]]". He ends up summoning doctor Victor Frankenstein and quickly course corrects to "Frankenstein's ''monster'' fighting Dracula".

Context IAmNotShazam / ComicBooks