Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel is a title held by multiple superheroes in Marvel Comics, most of whom exist in the shared Marvel Universe. The first to use the name was Mar-Vell, while the current bearer is Carol Danvers.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Carol Danvers appears as Captain Marvel, played by McKenna Grace and Brie Larson. She has featured in Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame (both 2019), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel (2022), and the film The Marvels (2023).

After DC Comics sued Fawcett Comics for copyright infringement, claiming Fawcett’s Captain Marvel was too similar to Superman, Fawcett stopped publishing the character in 1953. In the late 1960s, Marvel secured the trademark “Captain Marvel” with its own first series. To keep the trademark, Marvel has released a Captain Marvel title every few years since, resulting in ongoing series, limited series, and one-shots featuring various characters using the alias.

The first Captain Marvel, Mar-Vell, was created by Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan, debuting in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 (December 1967). He is a Kree military officer sent to observe Earth as it develops space travel technology. Growing tired of his superiors’ harmful plans, he sides with Earth, and the Kree Empire brands him a traitor. He then defends Earth from all threats.

Later revamped by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane, Mar-Vell is exiled to the Negative Zone by the Supreme Intelligence. To escape temporarily, he swaps atoms with Rick Jones using special Nega-Bands. He gains superpowers, and his Kree uniform is replaced with a form-fitting costume. The swap—where a young man is replaced in a flash by an older hero—echoed the original Fawcett Captain Marvel, where Billy Batson says “Shazam” to transform.

When sales lagged, Jim Starlin conceptually revamped the character, though his appearance changed little. Mar-Vell is freed from the Negative Zone and becomes a cosmic champion, the “Protector of the Universe,” appointed by the entity Eon. He and Rick battle evil, notably the Death-worshipping Thanos. Mar-Vell becomes a close ally of the Titans, and one of them, Elysius, becomes his lover.

Mar-Vell later develops inoperable cancer from earlier nerve gas exposure during a fight with Nitro. He dies of cancer in the 1982 graphic novel The Death of Captain Marvel and has remained dead since.

The second Captain Marvel is Monica Rambeau, created by Roger Stern and John Romita Jr., first appearing in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16 (October 1982). She is a police lieutenant from New Orleans who can transform into any form of energy. Her powers are briefly altered so she cannot change to energy but can generate a personal force field; later, the Stranger restores her energy-transformation abilities. She is an Avenger and once served as their leader.

She eventually gives up the Captain Marvel name to the original Captain Marvel’s son, taking the name Photon. She uses that name until Genis-Vell adopts it; after discussion, she chooses Pulsar. Later, she joins H.A.T.E. (the Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort) in the series Nextwave, where H.A.T.E. (a subsidiary of the Beyond Corporation) forms a team to fight bizarre weapons of mass destruction. Members include Monica, a man known only as The Captain, Boom Boom, Aaron Stack, and Elsa Bloodstone. She later returns to the Avengers as Spectrum.

The third Captain Marvel is Genis-Vell, created by Ron Marz and Ron Lim, first appearing in Silver Surfer vol. 3 Annual #6 (1993). He is the genetically engineered son of Mar-Vell and Elysius, created from Mar-Vell’s cell samples and artificially aged to physical maturity but not emotional maturity. Like his father, he wears Nega-Bands, has cosmic awareness, and is for a time bonded with Rick Jones. Though they initially clash, they become good friends.

Genis goes insane and threatens to destroy the universe. After dying and being resurrected with secret help from Helmut Zemo, he joins the Thunderbolts as Photon. However, Zemo’s resurrection method links Genis to the ends of time, causing a degenerative effect on the universe. To prevent total destruction, Zemo scatters pieces of Genis’s body through time and the Darkforce. Long after his death, Genis is resurrected by Carol Danvers and Phyla-Vell.

The fourth Captain Marvel is Phyla-Vell, created by Peter David and Paul Azaceta, first appearing in Captain Marvel vol. 5 #16 (November 2003). She is the sister of Genis-Vell, created when Genis, an only child, recreates the universe, causing anomalies that restore his mother to life and bring Phyla into existence. She is last seen romancing Moondragon. Phyla appears in the Annihilation event, fighting alongside Nova’s United Front against Annihilus’s armies. After the original Quasar, Wendell Vaughn, is killed by Annihilus, she becomes the new Quasar. Phyla has superhuman abilities.