Captain Marvel is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Most of these versions exist in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe. The original Captain Marvel is Mar-Vell and the current incarnation of the character is Carol Danvers.[2]
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Carol Danvers is Captain Marvel, portrayed by McKenna Grace and Brie Larson in Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame (both 2019), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), Disney+ television series Ms. Marvel (2022), and the movie The Marvels (2023).
Publication history
Following a trial in which DC Comics sued Fawcett Comics for breach of copyright, claiming Fawcett's Captain Marvel was too similar to Superman, the latter stopped publishing Captain Marvel in 1953.[3] In the late 1960s Marvel gained the trademark "Captain Marvel" with its first series.
In order to retain its trademark, Marvel has published a Captain Marvel title periodically every few years since, leading to a number of ongoing series, limited series, and one-shots featuring a range of characters using the Captain Marvel alias.[4]
Mar-Vell
The first Captain Marvel is Mar-Vell. Created by Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan, the character first appeared in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 (December 1967).[5][6]
Captain Mar-Vell is a military officer of the Kree Imperial Militia sent to observe the planet Earth, as it is developing technology to travel into space. Mar-Vell eventually wearies of his superiors' malicious intent and allies himself with Earth, and the Kree Empire brands him a traitor. From then on, Mar-Vell fights to protect Earth from all threats.
He was later revamped by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane. Having been exiled to the Negative Zone by the Supreme Intelligence, the only way Mar-Vell can temporarily escape is to exchange atoms with
Other versions
Age of Ultron
In the Age of Ultron crossover event, Janet van Dyne becomes Captain Marvel in an alternate timeline created by the death of Hank Pym. Pym is murdered by a time-travelling Wolverine to prevent the creation of Ultron, who will kill most of Earth's population in the future.
Amalgam Comics
In two issues of JLX and JLX: Unleashed, Captain Marvel combines with Captain Marvel to become yet another Captain Marvel, sporting the DC Comics lightning bolt uniform design but with the original green and white colors of the Marvel version.
Cancerverse
In The Thanos Imperative, the main villain is an alternate version of Captain Marvel called Lord Mar-Vell. Unlike his Earth-616 counterpart, this Mar-Vell colluded with the
In other media
Television
- Mar-Vell / Captain Marvel appears in The Super Hero Squad Show, voiced by Ty Burrell.[32]
- Mar-Vell / Captain Marvel appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, voiced by Roger Craig Smith.[32]
- Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel appears in Avengers Assemble, voiced by Grey DeLisle.[33]
- Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel appears in Guardians of the Galaxy, voiced again by Grey DeLisle.[33]
External links
- Captain Marvel at the Marvel Universe
- Captain Marvel at the Marvel Database Project
- Captain Marvel Appearances in Publication Order
- Captain Marvel Culture A history of the many Captain Marvels
- Captain Marvel (Phyla-Vell) at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
References
- The first 6 issues were published under the indecia ''Marvel's Space-Born Superhero! Captain Marvel''^
- Marston George. How many Captain Marvels are there in Marvel Comics? Newsarama, 2023-05-01, retrieved 2023-08-04^
- Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #2, Comics Should Be Good, June 9, 2005^