Rob Lowe Briefly Played One Of DC's Most Powerful Superheroes

Rob Lowe is a beloved actor who has been in numerous acclaimed movies and TV shows, from prestige dramas like "The West Wing" to the beloved Francis Ford Coppola crime drama "The Outsiders," but he is no stranger to populist entertainment like superhero stories. Lowe, of course, appeared in James Gunn's very first superhero movie, which was a far cry from "Superman."

But Lowe was also part of a big superhero universe, even if most people aren't aware of it, playing a major role as one of the most powerful DC superheroes. The show is "Young Justice," an animated superhero show that first aired on Cartoon Network starting in 2010 before moving to the short-lived DC Universe platform in 2019 and finally on HBO Max in 2021. Set on Earth-16, the cartoon focuses on teenage superheroes, starting with the sidekicks of Batman, Flash, and Aquaman, as they get tired of being treated as kids and make a covert superhero team of their own that eventually becomes just as big and important as the Justice League.

Rob Lowe provided the voice of Shazam (also known as Captain Marvel), the adult version of 10-year-old Billy Batson, who can transform into an adult with supernatural strength, wisdom, stamina, speed, endurance and power. Shazam is considered to be just as strong as Superman, if not more so due to the inherently magical nature of his powers — which Superman is susceptible to. In their early comic book days, Captain Marvel was already moving faster than the speed of light and throwing stars like they were baseballs, while Superman could only leap over buildings and move slightly faster than a locomotive.

Captain Marvel originally debuted in the pages of Fawcet Comics, where he proved incredibly popular with readers in the 1940s, even outselling Superman. It was Captain Marvel, not Superman, who became the first superhero to be adapted into film, in the form of a serial in 1941. Unfortunately, ever since DC Comics acquired the character of Captain Marvel, he's lost much of his popularity and prominence, not getting anywhere near the attention and number of solo comic book runs as other DC heroes.

It's easy to see why audiences resonate with Shazam/Captain Marvel even if DC Comics doesn't fully see it. The character, more than any other DC hero, is the epitome of childhood wish fulfillment: a kid who has the power to turn into an adult with superpowers. The best stories involving the character — even the 2019 movie — lean heavily on the juxtaposition a helpless kid and the big goofy adult with powers he transforms into whenever he says he word "Shazam."

Lowe provided the voice of Shazam in the first two appearances of the character in "Young Justice." However, during that time he also became a regular castmember in "Parks and Recreation," leading to the character of Shazam being recast and Lowe's brother, Chad Lowe, getting the role.

Still, Billy Batson/Shazam is a highlight of "Young Justice" whenever he makes an appearance, as he's the only character who can fully relate to the teenage heroes while still belonging with the adults. One of the best episodes in the entire show sees the entire world divided into two planes of existence: one with only kids and one with only adults. Being both an adult and a kid, it is up to Captain Marvel to serve as a bridge between the two and save the day.

The character is unique because, to the young heroes, Captain Marvel is a figure of authority, but also a pal who acts more childish than the Justice League members. To the adults, however, he's an immature, yet powerful enough hero to be tolerated and respected. Seeing Captain Marvel, one of the strongest heroes alive, practically idolize the teenage members of the team (because they are technically older than him) is absolutely hilarious. This is just one of the many reasons why "Young Justice" is one of the best superhero shows ever.