Since the Golden age of comics
Captain Marvel is a Character marred by corporate tit for tat, confusion greed and shenanigans.
Hindering creativity, perhaps?. Still very entertaining!
In 1939-1940 Fawsett comics introduced a character called Captain Marvel...
Story goes like this...
Little Billy Bastion meets a wizard named Shazam. Shazam Asks Billy to follow him to Fawcett City subway station. Once little Billy Bastion says “Shazam”...
Which is actually a acronym for the immortal elders who grant Billy his new superpowers.
Billy is then struck by lightning, Turning him into a adult superhero with SHAZAM superpowers.
Billy Bastion is now the alter-ego to and the Original. “Captain Marvel”.
Don't get confused yet!
This is not the same “Captain Marvel” as Marvel Comics “Captain Marvel” but follow me...
This Fawsett Captain Marvel character gained traction and sometimes was selling more than Detective Comics “DC” Superman Superhero character who we all know and love.
According to DC this “Captain Marvel” was a similar story and complete rippoff of their Superman so they launched a lawsuit against Fawsett Comics in 1941. After years of litigation in 1951 the judge gave it to Fawcett. The decision was then appealed by DC and DC won in 1952. The problem was...
Captain Marvel Adventures had been. The #1 top selling comic series during WW2, However Captain Marvel suffered declining sales every year after 1945 and, by 1949, it was selling only half it was during wartime. Thus It was no longer worth the fight to Fawcett...Fawcett agreed to cease publication of Captain Marvel and paid DC $400,000 in damages, Shortly after In late 1953 Fwacett was forced to shut down its comics division and fired all its comic book staff!. Otto Binder and Kurt Shaffenberger ended up at DC, becoming prominent members of the creative team for the Superman-related comics from 1954 through the 1960s
Still with me?
Along comes the 60's and superhero comics are gaining traction. By 1966 comics are becoming “popular” once again! However Fawcett was unable to Publish Captain Marvel due to the earlier publication ban.
DC was looking to expand and introduce new product. DC publisher Carmine Infantino decided to Licence the rights for “Captain Marvel” from Fawcett and re introduce the character to print in 1972.
Here is the catch...
By that time Marvel Comics had established “Captain Marvel” as a comic book trademark of their own. Of which they had first published their own version “Captain Marvel” in 1967...
The Marvel era was well underway.
Ding. Ding.The fight begins once again.
In 1973 DC released Shazam! subtitled “The Original Captain Marvel”.
Marvel Comics Did not like this. So Marvel Comics sent out a cease and desist letter. Which forced DC to change the subtitle to “the worlds mightiest mortal”
Then they were required to drop the “Captain Marvel” thing on all comics, toys, and merchandise. and run with Shazam!
This time Marvel really wins in the courts and DC is forced to Destroy the original “Captain Marvel”.
Afew years later DC decides to take the original Captain Marvel story line or very close to it. And make it Shazams! New storyline.... DC paid a licensing fee to Fawcett. Then continued a per Issue appearance fee.
Along comes the DC Multiverse concept, and the reintroduction of the Marvel Family.
They tried and tried but they couldn't revive Captain Marvel. It did not no matter how hard they tried it just was not happening.
Meanwhile To retain their trademark, Marvel Comics has had to publish a Captain Marvel title at least once every two years, This lead to a number of ongoing series, limited series and one-shots featuring a wide range of characters using the “Captain Marvel “Alias.
Here is Carol Danvers debut in 1967
Here is Carol Danvers in te 70's
Here she is again in the 2000's
Not until 2012.
Now Is when you can get confused...😁
Carol Danvers was re-created to fill Captain Marvel's shoes which is another storyline built for the times. Far off the original cannon. "Ms. Marvel"
This is the one they now choose to run with, mixing storylines. Pushing Confusion further....
Why not use the rather good Kamala Khan storyline for a movie? But whatever thats just me.
Personally I like the 2000's version best 😉. Ha!
Here is the catch...
DC was well ahead of this one Creating Supergirl with the alter ego “Kara Danvers” in 1966. Skeeky,:). More recently they released a Super-Girl series on netflix. O snap the name sounds familiar.
Marvel Now releases their new version of
"Captain Marvel" aka Carol Danvers on the big screen.
I wonder if there is any relation to super girl. :)
I don't really care who Captain Marvel is. I am just wondering where poor little Billy Baskin ended up. Lost in time? What does he think of this mess? And does he regret following a stranger in to the subway? Just to be granted superpowers and overtime have humanity rip them away and grant them to someone else?
How much time, money and energy went into creating the characters various identity's? Just to screw little Billy? Lol🤣
Probably unmatched?
I hope you enjoyed the comic book world of tit for tat.
A short write about the controversial History of A Fawsett, DC and Marvel Superhero named
“Captain Marvel”.
Keep Steemin!
✌😀
