Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell)

Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (vol. 1) #29 (Nov. 1973). Art by Jim Starlin.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Marvel Super-Heroes #12 (December 1967)
Created by	Stan Lee Gene Colan
In-story information
Alter ego	Mar-Vell
Team affiliations	"Defenders for a Day" Avengers Legion of the Unliving
Notable aliases	Captain Marvel, Dr. Walter Lawson
Abilities	Superhuman strength Flight Cosmic Awareness Solar energy absorption & projection Wields Nega-Bands

Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell) is a fictional character owned by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and designed by artist Gene Colan and first appeared in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 (Dec. 1967).

The character debuted during the Silver Age of comic books and has made many appearances since then, including a self-titled series and the second volume of the title Marvel Spotlight. Captain Marvel has also been associated with Marvel merchandise including clothing; video games; toys and trading cards.

Publication history

The name "Captain Marvel" had been originally trademarked by Fawcett Comics between 1940 and 1953 for a different character. Fawcett ceased publishing Captain Marvel comics in 1953 due to a 1951 copyright infringement suit from DC Comics, and their trademark ostensibly lapsed. Taking advantage of this, Marvel debuted its new Captain Marvel character in 1967 and quickly trademarked the name.^[1] It was not the first company to try to capitalize on Fawcett's lapsed trademark; in 1966 the small publisher M. F. Enterprises released a short-lived Captain Marvel.^[2]

Marvel's character debuted as the lead feature in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 (December 1967), written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Gene Colan. Shortly thereafter he was given his own series, commencing with Captain Marvel #1 (May 1968). The series failed to register with readers, and the series was revamped by writer-artist team Roy Thomas and Gil Kane in issue #17 (October 1969). The character was given a new uniform, designed by Kane and colorist Michelle Robinson, and greater abilities. An added plot feature was the introduction of sidekick Rick Jones. Jones and Marvel "shared molecules" allowing only one to exist in the real world at a time. Thomas stated that the intent of the change was to create a more science-fiction oriented update that was reminiscent of Fawcett Comics's original Captain Marvel, who similarly had an alter-ego that could not co-exist with the superhero.^[1][3]

The change, however, was not successful, and the series was published only intermittently from 1969.^[1] It was initially canceled with issue #21 (August 1970), though the character appeared in the Kree-Skrull War storyline in Avengers #89 - 96 (June 1971 - March 1972), also written by Thomas. In 1972 plotter and artist James Starlin decided to revamp the character, with the series recommencing with issue #22 (Sept. 1972). A spin-off series, Ms. Marvel, was launched in 1977, but sales remained modest, and the series was published on only a bimonthly basis until it was ultimately canceled in 1979.^[1] The continued publication, however, kept the trademark current. This had the effect of requiring DC Comics, which in the meantime licensed the original Fawcett Captain Marvel for publication, to print its new comics under the trademark Shazam!.^[4] Comics historian Don Markstein states, "Marvel didn't seem to quite know what to do with him—but they did put his comic out every other month through most of the 1970s, if only to maintain their trademark on his name..."^[1]

Mar-Vell made very few appearances in the Marvel Universe outside the title, appearing in Sub-Mariner #30 (Oct. 1970); Avengers #108 (Feb. 1973); Marvel Team-Up #16-17 (Dec. 1973 - Jan. 1974); Daredevil #107 (Jan. 1974); Defenders #62-63 (Aug.-Sept. 1978); Ms. Marvel #19 (Aug. 1978); Marvel Two-In-One #45 (Nov. 1978); Marvel Spotlight #1-4, #8 (1979-80); What If #17 (Oct. 1979) and Hulk #246 (April 1980). Starlin wrote Mar-Vell's death in Marvel's first graphic novel, The Death of Captain Marvel (Jan. 1984).

Following the character's death, Marvel published several comics with new characters taking up the "Captain Marvel" moniker, thereby maintaining their trademark on the name.^[1] The character returned, although not in a living capacity, in storylines in Silver Surfer vol. 3, #63 (March 1992) and Captain Marvel vol. 5, #5 (March 2003). The limited series Captain Marvel vol. 6, #1 - 5 (January - June 2008) was released as part of the 2008 Secret Invasion storyline and supposedly heralded the return of the character, although it was eventually revealed that this "Mar-Vell" was in fact an alien Skrull.

Fictional character biography

1960s

After the Kree's first encounter with humans,^[5] Captain Mar-Vell is sent to spy on Earth and decide if it is a threat to the Kree empire.^[6] He adopts the identity of a recently deceased scientist named Walter Lawson, but occasionally dons his Kree military uniform to protect the people he's observing. The first time he does this, people near him incorrectly pronounce his name as "Captain Marvel." His job is made difficult by his jealous Colonel Yon-Rogg, his growing affection for humanity, and his fake identity's criminal past.

After aiding humanity several times, Mar-Vell is found guilty of treason against the Kree Empire and sentenced to death by firing squad. Mar-Vell escapes in a stolen rocket, but becomes lost in space. After drifting for 112 days, he is weak and on the verge of madness. He is manipulated by Ronan the Accuser and Kree Minister Zarek into helping them overthrown the Supreme Intellegence.^[7] To better help them, Mar-Vell is given a new costume and enhanced abilities.^[8] After the conspiracy is foiled, Mar-Vell tries to return to Earth. On the way, he is hit by a blast of radiation that traps him in the Negative Zone.^[9]

The Supreme Intelligence enables Mar-Vell to telepathically contact Rick Jones, which he uses to lead Jones to a set of "nega-bands" at an abandoned Kree base. When Jones puts on the bands and strikes them together, he trades places with Mar-Vell and is encased in a protective aura in the Negative Zone. The pair discover they are able to maintain telepathic contact. Using this method, Mar-Vell can remain in the positive universe for a period of three hours.^[10]

1970s

After brief encounters with the villain Scorpio;^[11] and the Hulk,^[12] Jones uses Mister Fantastic's portal to the Negative Zone to free Mar-Vell, who then becomes embroiled in the Kree-Skrull War.^[13]

Mar-Vell also aids the Avengers against the Grim Reaper and the Space Phantom.^[14] After battling the atomic-powered Megaton, Mar-Vell is trapped in the Negative Zone once again.^[15]

Mar-Vell allies himself with Mentor and Eros against the death worshipper Thanos and his forces in a war for the Cosmic Cube.^[16] Seeing the magnitude of the threat, the cosmic entity Kronos aids them by creating Drax the Destroyer, whose sole purpose is to kill Thanos.^[17] Another cosmic being, Eon, transforms Mar-Vell into the "Protector of the Universe." This provides the hero with new abilities, including "cosmic awareness." Thanos gains the Cube and uses it to make himself omnipotent. Thanos' spirit leaves his body, and Mar-Vell uses the opportunity to shatter the Cube, which was still in Thanos' hand. This undoes Thanos's actions.^[18]

Mar-Vell encounters a new villain named Nitro. While defusing a bomb placed by Nitro, Mar-Vell is exposed to a powerful nerve gas called "Compound 13." Mar-Vell collapses due to the exposure, but recovers when given an antidote. The gas, however, would eventually prove to be carcinogenic and cause Mar-Vell to develop cancer.^[19] Mar-Vell investigates Nitro's allies, who are revealed to be the Kree "Lunatic Legion," leading to a series of protracted battles and the eventual trial of the cosmic entity the Watcher for constant involvement in Earth's affairs.^[20] After ending the threat and aiding the Watcher, Mar-Vell briefly separates from Jones and has an encounter with a space parasite that assumes the form of former lover Una.^[21]

Mar-Vell travels to the Kree homeworld of Hala, and through a protracted series of events that almost kills Rick Jones, frees himself from the manipulation of the Supreme Intelligence. During this period Mar-Vell also encounters the cosmic entity the Stranger.^[22] Returning to Earth, Mar-Vell encounters stranded Kree scientists who attempt to retrieve an inactive Kree Sentry located on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Heli-Carrier. This proves unsuccessful when the Sentry activates but fails to follow direction, going on a rampage. A new villain called the Cheetah attempts to manipulate the Sentry, although both are eventually defeated by Mar-Vell. The hero locates the Kree scientists, and briefly battles Ronan the Accuser, who was left with the mind of a child after a previous encounter.^[23]

Rick Jones is visiting Avengers Mansion when the robotic villain the Super-Adaptoid attacks. During a battle with the Avengers, Jones trades places with Mar-Vell, with the Super-Adaptoid eventually mimicking Mar-Vell's Nega-Bands. Mar-Vell then brings the Super-Adaptoid's pseudo bands together, exiling the robot to the Negative Zone and freeing Jones.^[24] Mar-Vell bids Jones farewell and encounters Mercurio the 4-D Man, who tricks Mar-Vell into returning to his home dimension, hoping to coerce the hero into building the Omni-Wave Projector. Mar-Vell, however, defeats Mercurio and returns to Earth.^[25]

Mar-Vell continues to have dealings with the Kree, preventing scientist Dr. Minerva from killing Rick Jones and battling High Council member Phae-Dor^[26] before travelling to Hala and, with King of the Inhumans Blackagar Boltagon ("Black Bolt") as his ally, preventing the "War of the Three Galaxies" by exposing a Skrull infiltrator.^[27] After another encounter with Nitro,^[28] Mar-Vell briefly attempts to adopt the Walter Lawson identity once again and works at an observatory. This plan is abandoned when forced to become Mar-Vell to stop an energy vampire called "Deathgrip."^[29] After an encounter with the Thunder God Thor,^[30] Mar-Vell is forced to fight off Drax, who has been driven insane due to being unable to fulfill his purpose and kill Thanos.^[31] Eventually convincing Drax to aid him, Mar-Vell enters into a war against ISAAC, the sentient computer that served Thanos and now directs his forces. After a series of protracted battles, Mar-Vell convinces ISAAC's female minion Elysius to join him, causing her to fall in love with Mar-Vell; he subsequently defeats ISAAC's other pawns Chaos and Tarterus and the warrior Stellarax on Earth.^[32] Mar-Vell eventually defeats ISAAC by entering the supercomputer's programming and forcing it to experience life.^[33] Mar-Vell meets Eon once again and reflects on the events of recent times.^[34]

1980s

The Death of Captain Marvel graphic novel (1982). Cover art by Jim Starlin.

After a battle in the mystical "Dark Dimension";^[35] an encounter with the Hulk^[36] and an adventure on an alien world,^[37] Mar-Vell discovers that his past exposure to the "Compound 13" nerve gas^[38] gave him cancer. Compounding the problem are Mar-Vell's nega-bands, which kept the cancer at bay but also caused it resist all known forms of treatment. As Mar-Vell accepts that his life is ending, many of his friends and allies come to Titan to pay their last respects. In his final moments, Mar-Vell experiences a vision in which he meets Thanos once again. Thanos has come not as a foe, but as a guide to show Mar-Vell the path to the afterlife. As he, Thanos, and Mistress Death pass into a blinding light, Mar-Vell dies.^[39]

His spirit was later called forth by the Grandmaster as a part of the Legion of the Unliving he had created to battle the Avengers.^[40]

1990s

When the Silver Surfer visits the Realm of the Dead, the character is counselled and aided in his escape by Mar-Vell.^[41] Mar-Vell's former lover Elysius also impregnates herself with his genetic information, giving birth to a son, Genis-Vell.

When Death declares Thanos to be forever barred from her realm and that she will never love him, Thanos uses the Reality Gem to restore Mar-Vell. They discuss Thanos' ability to make Death love him with the Reality Gem, and Mar-Vell convinces him not to do it. Thanos agrees, and returns Mar-Vell to death.^[42]

2000s

Visiting the Realm of the Dead, Genis encounters his father.^[43] He learns Elysius also gave birth to a girl, Phyla-Vell.^[44] Young Avengers member Hulkling is revealed to be the child of Mar-Vell and Princess Anelle of the Skrulls.^[45]

2010s

During the Chaos War, Mar-Vell and several deceased members of the Avengers return from the dead. He takes leadership of the group, helping protect several civilians and the comatose bodies of the main Avengers from chaos demons.^[46] However he is impaled from behind by the Grim Reaper and killed once more.^[47]

Powers and abilities

Upon his arrival on Earth, Mar-Vell possessed no superhuman (or super-Kree) powers apart from being stronger and more durable than most humans due to his advanced Kree physiology; the Kree have evolved with higher physical-strength levels than humans to combat the heavier gravitations of their home planets. As a soldier, the character is equipped with a device called a "universal beam" (or "uni-beam," at first a handheld pistol but later converted into a wrist-mounted device) that is capable of projecting energy; emitting beams of pure blackness and controlling magnetism.

When manipulated by "Zo" (actually Zarek, the Kree Imperial Minister), Mar-Vell gained the ability to teleport to anywhere in the universe, as well as the ability to mentally project illusions.^[48] These abilities were lost when Mar-Vell gained the Nega-Bands,^[49] which convert Mar-Vell's psionic energy into greater strength and durability, energy projection, and the power to fly at faster-than-light speeds and traverse vast interstellar and intergalactic distances and enable him to exist unprotected in deep outer space without having to breathe.

Once he is named the "Protector of the Universe" by Eon, Mar-Vell gains "cosmic awareness," which (among other things) allows him to detect threats and perceive changes in the universe as long as they are important to him for some reason.^[50] The full range and extent of this ability has never been clearly defined, although it was once described as comparable to Spider-Man's "spider-sense," albeit on a larger scale.^[51] This awareness can also be used internally, which alerted him to his terminal cancer even before he went to have it medically confirmed.^[39]

Mar-Vell's Kree military training gives him mastery of all forms of unarmed combat and extensive knowledge of the technology of the Kree Empire.

Other versions

Ultimate Marvel

The Ultimate Marvel limited series Ultimate Secret features a version of the character called Mahr Vehl, who aids Earth's heroes against the threat of Gah Lak Tus.^[52]

Universe X

In the limited series Earth X, Mar-Vell is reincarnated as the child of synthetic beings Him (Adam Warlock) and Her.^[53]

Lord Mar-Vell

InThe Thanos Imperative, the main antagonist is Lord Mar-Vell, an evil being from the "Cancerverse", a monstrous universe in which nothing can die. As such, all life has become cancerous undying beings, desperate to find a new universe to grow and infect. ^[54]

In other media

Television

• Captain Marvel appears in The Super Hero Squad Show episodes "Another Order of Evil" Pt. 1 and 2, voiced by Ty Burrell.
• Captain Marvel appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes episode "459", voiced by Roger Craig Smith. Here, he is portrayed as a blue-skinned Kree rather than his traditional appearance as a "White Kree," and uses the human alias "Philip Lawson." He does not have the Nega-Bands, but makes use of highly-advanced shape-shifting Kree weaponry. He helps the Avengers save Earth from a Kree Sentry sent to purge it of human life so the Kree can use the planet in their war against the Skrulls. He is distrusted by the team, particularly the Wasp, due to him being a Kree, but nearly sacrifices himself to take the robot's bomb into space and save earth. Afterwards he leaves to plead with the Supreme Intelligence to spare Earth, though he warns that the Kree will try to take Earth again.

Video games

• Mar-Vell appears as an alternate costume for the PSP exclusive character Genis-Vell in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (2006).^{[citation needed]}
• Captain Marvel is a playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online.

Toys

• The Toy Biz produced Marvel Select, Hasbro produced Marvel Legends and Marvel Universe action figure lines all feature Mar-Vell figures.

Collected editions

A number of the stories featuring Captain Marvel have been collected into trade paperbacks:

• Marvel Masterworks Captain Marvel:
  • Volume 1 (collects Marvel Super-Heroes #12-13 and Captain Marvel #1-9, 230 pages, September 2005, ISBN 0-7851-1821-7)
  • Volume 2 (collects Captain Marvel #10-21, August 2007, ISBN 0-7851-2430-6)
  • Volume 3 (collects Captain Marvel #22-33 and Iron Man #55, 288 pages, April 2008, ISBN 0-7851-3015-2)
  • Volume 4 (collects Captain Marvel #34-43, January 2012)
• Essential Captain Marvel:
  • Volume 1 (collects Marvel Super-Heroes #12-13, Captain Marvel vol. 1 #1-21, and Not Brand Ecch #9, 512 pages, July 2008, ISBN 0-7851-3059-4)
  • Volume 2 (collects Captain Marvel vol. 1 #22-35, #37-46, Iron Man (1968) #55, Marvel Feature vol. 1 #12, 520 pages, December 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4536-2)
• The Life of Captain Marvel (collects Iron Man #55, Captain Marvel #25-34, and Marvel Feature #12, 1991, ISBN 087135635X)
• The Life and Death of Captain Marvel (collects Iron Man #55, Captain Marvel #25-34, Marvel Feature #12, and Marvel Graphic Novel #1, 304 pages, February 2002, ISBN 0-7851-0837-8)
• The Death of Captain Marvel (collects Captain Marvel #34, Marvel Spotlight #1-2 and Marvel Graphic Novel #1, 128 pages, hardcover, June 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4627-X)

Footnotes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Markstein, Don. "Captain Marvel (1967)". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. http://www.toonopedia.com/capmarv2.htm. Retrieved August 30, 2010. 
2. ^ Markstein, Don. "Captain Marvel (1966)". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. http://www.toonopedia.com/capmarv0.htm. Retrieved August 30, 2010. 
3. ^ Roy Thomas interview in Daniel Herman, Gil Kane: Art and Interviews, 2002
4. ^ Markstein, Don. "Captain Marvel (1940)". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. http://www.toonopedia.com/capmarv1.htm. Retrieved August 30, 2010. 
5. ^ Fantastic Four vol 1 #61 (1967)
6. ^ Marvel Super-Heroes #12 (Dec. 1967)
7. ^ Captain Marvel #12-16 (April-Sept. 1969)
8. ^ Captain Marvel #10-11 (Feb.-March 1969)
9. ^ Captain Marvel #16 (Sept. 1969)
10. ^ Captain Marvel #17 (Oct. 1969)
11. ^ Avengers #72 (Jan. 1970)
12. ^ Captain Marvel #20 - 21 (June & Aug. 1970)
13. ^ Avengers #89-97 (June 1971 - March 1972)
14. ^ Avengers #108 (Feb. 1973)
15. ^ Captain Marvel #22-23 (Sept. & Nov. 1973)
16. ^ Captain Marvel #25-27 (March–July 1973)
17. ^ Iron Man vol 1 #55 (1973)
18. ^ Captain Marvel #28-33 (Sept. 1973 - July 1974)
19. ^ Captain Marvel #34-35 (Sept.-Nov. 1974)
20. ^ Captain Marvel #36-39 (Jan.-July 1975)
21. ^ Captain Marvel #40 (Sep. 1975)
22. ^ Captain Marvel #41-46 (Nov. 1975 - Sept. 1976)
23. ^ Captain Marvel #47-49 (Nov. 1976 - March 1977)
24. ^ Captain Marvel #50 (May 1977)
25. ^ Captain Marvel #51 (July 1977)
26. ^ Captain Marvel #52 (Sept. 1977)
27. ^ Captain Marvel #53 (Nov. 1977)
28. ^ Captain Marvel #54 (Jan. 1978)
29. ^ Captain Marvel #55-56 (March & May 1978)
30. ^ Captain Marvel #57 (July 1978)
31. ^ Captain Marvel #58 (Sep. 1978)
32. ^ Captain Marvel #59 - 62 (Nov. 1978 - May 1979)
33. ^ Marvel Spotlight vol. 2, #1-2 (July & Sept. 1979)
34. ^ Marvel Spotlight vol. 2, #3 (Nov. 1979)
35. ^ Marvel Spotlight vol. 2, #4 (Jan. 1980)
36. ^ Hulk #246 (April 1980)
37. ^ Marvel Spotlight vol. 2, #8 (Sept. 1980)
38. ^ Captain Marvel vol 1 #34
39. ^ ^{a b} The Death of Captain Marvel (April 1982)
40. ^ Avengers Annual #16
41. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #63 (March 1992)
42. ^ Cosmic Powers Unlimited #1, May 1995
43. ^ Captain Marvel vol. 5, #5 (March 2003)
44. ^ Captain Marvel vol. 5, #16 (Jan. 2004)
45. ^ Young Avengers #1-12 (April 2005 - Aug. 2006)
46. ^ Chaos War: Dead Avengers #1
47. ^ Chaos War: Dead Avengers #2
48. ^ Captain Marvel Vol. 1, #11-12 (March–April 1969)
49. ^ Captain Marvel' Vol. 1, #17 (October 1969)
50. ^ Captain Marvel #29 (November 1973)
51. ^ The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Vol. 2, #16 (June 1987)
52. ^ Ultimate Secret #1-4 (March-Oct. 2005)
53. ^ Earth X #0-12 (March 1999 - April 2000)
54. ^ The Thanos Imperative #1-6 (July - Dec 2010)

External links

• Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell) at the Marvel Universe
• Captain Marvel Culture, a history of the many Captain Marvels
• Captain Marvel Appearances in Publication Order
• Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell) at the Marvel Directory
• Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell) at the Comic Book DB
• Captain Marvel at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
• Captain Marvel at the Big Comic Book Database