Following the time-traveling repercussions caused by the Flash, history was rewritten and a radically different version of several DC characters were introduced. Notable variations ushered in during this time were new versions of Captain Marvel and his family, specifically Darla Dudley. How much do you know about her?
Created by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert, Darla Dudley made her debut in Flashpoint #1 in 2011. Darla is a child living in Fawcett City alongside fellow foster children and friends Billy Batson, Pedro Peña, Eugene Choi, Freddy Freeman, and Mary Batson. After getting trapped in a subway car, the children are transported to the Rock of Eternity where they meet the wizard Shazam. Here, the wizard grants each of the children with a different aspect of his attributes. Due to her natural athletic abilities, Shazam grants Darla the speed of Mercury.
With the speed of Mercury, Darla is able to move at speeds far exceeding Mach 10 within Earth’s atmosphere, as well as soaring into the skies through sheer will. Meanwhile, Billy obtained the courage of Achilles, Eugene possessed the wisdom of Solomon, Pedro gained the strength of Hercules, Mary was given the stamina of Atlas, and Freddy was granted the power of Zeus. Together, by saying the word “Shazam,” the six children possessed the collective ability to turn into Captain Thunder, this timeline’s version of Captain Marvel.
In order to correct the timeline, Cyborg, Flash, Batman, Enchantress, and Element Woman ask the children for their help. After agreeing to help, the children shout “Shazam” and merge into Captain Thunder. They join the rest of the heroes to stop the war between the Atlantean and the Amazons currently underway in what is left of Europe. Captain Thunder fights against Amazon leader Wonder Woman, before being transformed back into children by the traitor Enchantress. Sadly, before the children manage to reform as Captain Thunder, Billy is stabbed to death by one of the Amazons – Penthesilea.
After the conclusion of the Flashpoint miniseries, Eugene, Pedro, and Darla were incorporated into the DC Universe as ordinary foster siblings to Billy Batson. However, a recent Funko Pop! released for the upcoming Shazam! film teased the possibility of Darla once again gaining the speed of Mercury. With the film still a few months away, it remains to be seen if Darla will be speeding into theaters near you. At the very least, Faithe Herman (This is Us) will portray the energetic and effusive little girl.
Shazam! hits theaters on April 5, 2019.
