BY: Hunter Murray
Photo Courtesy Screen Rant
We are currently in between two Captain Marvel movies. Many of you probably know that Marvel’s latest film, Captain Marvel, hit theatres two weeks ago while DC Comics’ very own Captain Marvel movie, Shazam, hits theatres at the start of April. Now, how is Shazam considered a Captain Marvel movie? It is because Shazam used to actually be called Captain Marvel, years before Marvel’s captain made her debut?
When the superhero known today as Shazam was created, he was called Captain Marvel. He was extremely popular when he first started in the ’50s. His comics actually began to sell more than Superman. This Captain Marvel was a child by the name of Billy Batson. When Billy said the magic word ‘Shazam’, he would turn into a grown adult that could fly, has super strength, speed and electricity powers. Even today, it is considered a unique idea.
Marvel’s Captain Marvel is a superhero created years later. Captain Marvel was the name given to an alien soldier known as the Kree. Many people have had the name but the most popular one today is Carol Danvers. This Captain Marvel could fly, has super strength, speed and energy blasts. However, she is pretty different from DC’s Captain. In 1972, Marvel filed a lawsuit against DC and trademarked the name, Captain Marvel. DC tried fighting it and had the upper hand since their Captain Marvel came out first. However, Marvel ended up winning the rights to use the name in the end.
After the lawsuit, DC’s Captain Marvel changed its name to Shazam. Though, it never really caught on for several years. People still called him Captain Marvel and DC stopped writing him as much as they used too. Even in 2009, DC had Shazam appear in the animated TV show called Young Justice, but he was referred to as Captain Marvel. In 2011 DC rebooted all of their comics and released a Captain Marvel volume known as Shazam. Today, the character is called Shazam and Captain Marvel is never mentioned in the DC comics and shows. I don’t doubt there will be a reference in the upcoming Shazam movie.
