SHAMAZ

Real Name:  Shamaz

Identity/Class: Human (Egyptian) magic user (circa 2950 B.C.)

Occupation: Court Wizard

Group Membership: Rama-Tut's Royal Court

Affiliations: Amenhotep (see comments), Rama-Tut, West Coast Avengers (Hawkeye (Clint Barton), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Tigra, Wonder Man)

Enemies: Fantastic Four (Human Torch, Invisible Girl, Mr. Fantastic, Thing) (see comments)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Egypt circa 2950 B.C.

First Appearance: Giant-Size Avengers#2 (November, 1974)

Powers/Abilities: Shamaz possesses an as yet undefined level of magic and was skilled in ancient mystical knowledge. Shamaz's magic--in conjunction with Rama-Tut's future science--was able to repel Rama-Tut from aging. Shamaz also helped to design and build a suspended animation chamber shaped like a mummy sarcophagus for Rama-Tut to use to awaken in the 20th century in order to prevent his divergent self Kang from being killed by the Swordsman and also prevent Kang from capturing the Celestial Madonna.

  Rama-Tut taught Shamaz how to speak modern English.

History:

(Giant-Size Avengers#2 - BTS) - Rama-Tut appointed Shamaz as his Court Wizard. Shamaz watched over Rama-Tut's kingdom in his absence and was present when a much older Rama-Tut returned to Egypt and reinstated himself as Pharoah.

(Giant-Size Avengers#2) - Shamaz used his magic in conjunction with Rama-Tut's future science to repel the Pharaoh's aging process. He next spent 7 years designing and constructing a suspended animation chamber for Rama-Tut to use to get back to the 20^th century in order to stop the Swordsman from killing Kang (his divergent self) and prevent him from capturing the Celestial Madonna (Mantis) and siring powerful children with her.

(West Coast Avengers II#20) - Shamaz ended a skirmish between the time-travelling West Coast Avengers and Rama-Tut's soldiers and informed them that Rama-Tut would be unable to aid them in repairing their malfunctioning time machine since he was in his pyramid preparing to enter suspended animation in the morning. Unable to prevent them from meeting with Rama-Tut, Shamaz led them to the pyramid's location and later asked how they fared.

Comments: Created by Steve Englehart and Dave Cockrum.

It has not yet been confirmed if Shamaz was present in Rama-Tut's first appearance in Fantastic Four I#19. A man bearing a slight resemblance can be seen on page 9 panel 1 but was never named or referenced in the story. If this was truly Shamaz then the following should be included as part of his history.

(Fantastic Four I#19, Avengers I#129 - BTS) - Shamaz was formerly the Court Wizard to Pharaoh Amen-Hotep.

(Fantastic Four I#19 - BTS) - Shamaz was present when the man who became Rama-Tut arrived in his era and may have helped restore his sight. After defeating Amen-Hotep and assuming the role of the new Pharaoh of Egypt, Rama-Tut appointed Shamaz as his court wizard.

(Fantastic Four I#19, West Coast Avengers II#21 (fb) - BTS) - Shamaz was present at the side of Rama-Tut when the time-travelling Fantastic Four were captured and paraded before the Pharaoh inside his throne room. Shamaz alongside a legion of Rama-Tut's followers were beaten by the Fantastic Four when they regained control of their minds and fought back against Rama-Tut. Shamaz was left behind as Rama-Tut fled Egypt and re-entered the time stream.

  It would stand to reason that Shamaz was partially responsible in curing Rama-Tut of his blindness and that he was probably a court wizard of the previous Pharaoh, Amen-Hotep.

  What ever became of Shamaz after Rama-Tut entered suspended animation? It is possible that he assumed control of Rama-Tut's empire and maybe became the new Pharaoh of Egypt. This of course is unconfirmed and purely speculative.

All pharaohs by the name of Amenhotep (including Akhenaten) reigned over 1000 years after Rama-Tut in the real world. There is still the possibility of an Amenhotep ruling before Rama-Tut because much information from the first dynasty of Egypt, which was the time of Rama-Tut's reign, is still disputed. In this case Amenhotep would be the vampire last seen as a member of one of Grim Reaper's Legion of the Unliving.
--Markus Raymond

Profile by AvatarWarlord72.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Shamaz has no known connections to:

• Shamash-Shum-Ukin, a time traveling Babylonian sorcerer, brother of Ashurbanipal the Assyrian, used Well of Time, possessed one of the Fangs of Xka'Ahk and tried to prevent it from being used to awaken the snake demon, fled when Xka'Ahk awakened, used Egyptian soldiers @ Savage Sword of Conan#7
• Shazam, ancient wizard who has ties with ancient Egypt and a similar name @ Whiz Comics#2 (Fawcett Comics)
• Any other characters with similar names such Shaman, Shamara etc.