Comments on: DC Comics and Military Ranks

By: Alan

Alan — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 09:00:33 +0000

The only other biggish name I can think of is Captain Universe. But Captain Britain is probably the best example. Certainly Marvel seems to have thrown ranks around a lot less than DC (or other companies that DC later bought).

By: Pie Man 70

Pie Man 70 — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 08:54:48 +0000

I was actually trying to think of Marvel characters with Captain in front of their name who weren’t captains. Only Captain britain comes to mind. Trying to think of anyone else.

By: Alan

Alan — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 09:22:10 +0000

Agreed. Marvel have it more sussed than DC, in that a lot of their characters who use the title, are actually using it as a military rank, whether directly (Captain America), or simply because its analogous to their alien rank (Captain Marvel).

A lot of DC’s characters that use it are older characters, and the title “Captain” is more because it sounds cool. Partly why I didn’t mind Citizen Steel as much, as it still sounded good. But I think Captain Marvel and Captain Comet sound better than Marvel or Comet. Marvel just sounds too bare, and Captain Comet suits the character’s origins better (from that era of Flash Gordon-esque heroes).

By: Pie Man 70

Pie Man 70 — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 08:45:31 +0000

I quite liked how they came up with the Marvel Marvel as it allows an easy distinction in type. The origional Captain Marvel was a Kree soldier called Captain Marr-Vell (His son and daughter who later took the title are called Genis-Vell and Phlya-Vell) So in fact if we were to apply human charactaristics to this he should technically be refered to as Captain Vell. The idea is that peopel heard someone call him Captain Marr-Vell and assumed he was a super hero called Captain Marvel.

This was nodded to in his ultimate incarnation. WHile under interrogation he gives his name as something like Pliesokommander HalasonGenisMahr-vel. Goes on to explain that the first bit is his rank. His interrogator then has to report that He’s a Kree Alien called Captain marvel.

By: Alan

Alan — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 09:35:38 +0000

No idea if it is an editorial policy or not, just a trend I’ve noticed. Not sure why they’re doing it really. It could just be a huge conspiracy theory on my part, and they are indeed just trying to “modernise” the characters.

Captain Atom is indeed Monarch at the moment. No idea what name he’s using though. I missed the end of the Battle for Bludhaven series that it happened in.

By: Alan

Alan — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 09:34:08 +0000

Captain Marvel is actually a character in both companies. In the Marvel case, he’s an alien who decided to help protect Earth, whereas in DC, he’s a kid who gets empowered by the wizard Shazam.

(DC) Captain Marvel was actually created before Marvel comics existed (it was possibly still called Timely Comics at the time) by Fawcett Comics. DC eventually bought Fawcett over, hence how they ended up with a character called Captain Marvel.

Marvel, of course, complained and there’s now an agreement that DC can still use the name for the character, but not on merchandise or products. So most DC Captain Marvel books tends to use the name Shazam on the cover (the name of the wizard, and the magic word used to change into Captain Marvel). So in Forbidden Planet’s window you’ll see comics called (for example) “Shazam and the Monster Society”, which actually features Captain Marvel.

Its a bit confusing really…

By: Pie Man 70

Pie Man 70 — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 09:25:58 +0000

ANy idea if it is actually an editorial policy, like Marvel and Smoking?

It oculd be they’re going all Wildstorm and going for more 1 word names Despite Captain Atom (Now Monarch I believe presumably becuase there’s already an atom. But wasn’t he a captain before he became Atom? anyhoo I digress) Mocking this in the Armageddon Crossover.

By: Euggs

Euggs — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 09:25:04 +0000

Seems funny that Captain Marvel (or now just Marvel) is a DC comics character rather than a Marvel comics character…