You're on Mute!

 Many people started working from home and taking school courses from home during the pandemic.  As people used video to communicate more and more, there was one resounding phrase heard on just about every teleconference - "You're on mute!"  In the pages of Captain Marvel Adventures #130 (published January 4, 1952) we have a funny incident where Sivana put's Billy Batson on mute!

Billy's working in his office at WHIZ when a surprise visitor enters his office - Dr. Sivana!  It's funny to see Billy's reaction here.  First he says, "Oh, hello there Sivana!  How are you?"  And then reality strikes that Billy now has the world's maddest scientist in his office!

In short order, Sivana uses his latest diabolical invention to put Billy on mute so he cannot say the magic word, "Shazam!" and transform himself into the world's mightiest mortal.

I really like the next part where Billy takes action.  The comic says, "...though Billy has been robbed of his voice, he can never be robbed of courage and resourcefulness!"  Billy takes matters into his own hands and breaks Sivana's machine and is able to say, "Shazam!"

I won't go into the rest of the story as I hope to cover it at a later time.  But I really liked this little interaction between Billy and Sivana.  I like Billy's realization that it's Sivana in the room after he first greeted him warmly!  It also offers another insight into the fact that Billy has to say the magic word - not think it or hope it - he has to say, "Shazam!" in order to transform himself into Captain Marvel.  And finally, it's another glimpse into the heroic and resourceful Billy Batson who is just as brave and courageous as his alter ego!

Captain Marvel Creates Marvelium!

The Periodic Table of Elements

You may have studied the periodic table of elements in school and may have had to memorize some of them.  The periodic table lists chemical elements like helium, titanium and gold.  New elements are added to the table as they are discovered by science.  However, in the pages of Captain Marvel Adventures #100 (published July 1, 1949*) we find that the periodic table of elements gets updated by Captain Marvel!  No, it's not scientists that update the periodic table, it is the World's Mightiest Mortal who has just created the world's mightiest element - Marvelium!

In fact, a total of three new elements are discovered or created.  They are Sivanium, Shazamium, and Marvelium.

Sivanium is the first new element.  It was created by Doctor Sivana, which he named in honor of himself!  Sivanium is living metal which can be "fashioned into human shape, duplicating every organ."  Sivana uses it to build an army of duplicate Sivanas!

Shazamium is the second element.  This element is still shrouded in mystery and all we know about it is from the wizard Shazam. He explains that it is an element unknown to earthly science!  With his bracelet made of Shazamium, the wizened wizard is able to adopt ethereal form and go back and forth from earth to the Rock of Eternity!  Not much else is known of this mysterious element, I presume it was created by Shazam himself!

Marvelium is the final new element added to the periodic table.  Marvelium was created by Captain Marvel himself and he uses it in this comic to foil the plot of Sivana.  Captain Marvel creates Marvelium in a lab using a cyclotron, the wisdom of Solomon, an atomic pile, and a mechanical brain machine.  In just a matter of moments, the World's Mightiest Mortal has created the world's mightiest element that can only be molded and shaped by him!

Not only does Captain Marvel create a new element, he even takes the time to update the periodic table of elements!  (I think it's pretty funny that he almost says "Shazam" when writing down Shazamium.  He catches himself and keeps from accidentally transforming back into Billy Batson!!)

Let me make a historical note concerning the periodic table that Captain Marvel has updated.  Cap makes Sivanium, Shazamium, and Marvelium numbers 97, 98 and 99 respectively on the periodic table.  Number 96 on the table, Curium, was discovered in July of 1944 at the University of California, Berkeley but was not made known to the public until November of 1945.  That's why Captain Marvel could assign the three new elements with the numbers 97 through 99.  It also must be noted that scientists created other elements in the 1940s (plutonium for example) using cyclotrons - just as Cap used a cyclotron to create Marvelium!  This gives me a greater appreciation for this comic and the obvious research done to bring some realism and current events to this whimsical adventure!

So now when one of your kids or family members need to study about the periodic table of elements, you can let them know about the three new elements introduced to us here in Captain Marvel Adventures #100!!

*According to Mike's Amazing World of Comics

Did You Know...

Did you know that Dr. Sivana, the world's maddest scientist, invaded the Rock of Eternity?  If you read 2014's Thunderworld adventure, you may have thought that that was the first time Sivana stepped foot on the Rock of Eternity.  But you may not have known that the first time Sivana invaded the Rock was in Captain Marvel Adventures #100!  I didn't know that until I read that issue!!

In Captain Marvel Adventures #100, Sivana tricks Shazam into giving him the shazamium bracelet - thus allowing Sivana the abilities only the wizard Shazam has!  Sivana quickly goes to the Rock of Eternity where he plans to rule not only the world, but the universe as well!

I thought the only time Sivana invaded the Rock of Eternity was when I read Thunderworld!  But now I know that Sivana invaded the Rock in the golden age of Captain Marvel in issue #100 of Captain Marvel Adventures!

Did You Know...

Did you know how Dr. Sivana got his name?  Dr. Sivana was the very first villain Captain Marvel faced (Whiz Comics #2).  C. C. Beck disclosed how Sivana got his name in an 1980's interview.  Beck said, "He (Bill Parker, Fawcett comic writer) created the word “Sivana” by combining the name of the Indian god Siva with the word Nirvana."  So there you have it - combine Siva and Nirvana and you get the scheming scientist Sivana!!!  I had no idea that that is how Sivana got his name!  It's always very interesting to me to learn these behind-the-scenes facts about Captain Marvel and his cast of supporting characters.

Did you know how Dr. Sivana go his name?  Now you do!!!