FROM BIG RED CHEESE TO MAR-VEL TO SHAZAM!

Few names in comics are as confusing—or as fascinating—as Captain Marvel. Over the decades, multiple publishers have carried a version of the character, each with their own spin, each adding another layer to the mythology. From lawsuits to relaunches, and even a complete name change, Captain Marvel’s story is one of the most tangled in comic book history.

Fawcett’s Original Marvel Family (1940s–1950s)

The story begins in 1940 when Fawcett Comics introduced the original Captain Marvel in Whiz Comics #2. Young Billy Batson could shout the word SHAZAM! and transform into a magically empowered hero. This version was so popular he actually outsold Superman during the Golden Age, spawning an entire Marvel Family of heroes. But success also brought lawsuits—DC claimed Captain Marvel was too close to Superman, and by the early 1950s, Fawcett ceased publication.

The Dormant Years & the MF ENTERprises Revival (1966–1967)

For more than a decade, Captain Marvel was absent from comic stands. That changed when MF Enterprises licensed the character in the mid-1960s. the revival only lasted a year before fading again.

Marvel Comics Claims the Name (1967–1980s)

While the character lay dormant, Marvel Comics smartly trademarked the name Captain Marvel in 1967, debuting their own version in Marvel Super-Heroes #12. Their Captain Marvel was Mar-Vell, a Kree warrior who became a cosmic defender of Earth. Over the years, Marvel would reinvent the mantle multiple times—Monica Rambeau in the 1980s, Genis-Vell in the 1990s, and eventually Carol Danvers, who took on the name in 2012 and became the most enduring modern version.

Shazam! The DC Rebrand (1973–Present)

When DC finally acquired the rights to the original Captain Marvel in the early 1970s, there was a problem: they couldn’t publish under the Captain Marvel name anymore because Marvel now owned the trademark. Instead, DC released the character under the title Shazam! beginning in 1973. To newer fans, the character himself simply became known as Shazam, creating the identity he still carries today.

One Name, Many Legacies

From Fawcett’s Golden Age powerhouse, to MF Enterprise campy revival, to Marvel’s cosmic warriors, and finally DC’s modern Shazam, the name Captain Marvel has meant many different things to many different fans. AMAZIng how a single name can carry multiple legacies across publishers and generations.