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stelok · 08-05-2009, 01:19 PM

I have been aware for a long time that Fawcett's Captain Marvel character has been imitated many times. Let's see if a character must be similar to Captain Marvel, the character has to be a kid who can transform into an adult superhero.

Let's list down Captain Marvel imitations

Marvelman/Miracleman
Fly (Archie Comics)
Fly (Impact Comics)
Prime (Malibu Comics)
Captain Hero (who appeared in the final issues of Power Man & Iron Fist and later was retconned as Super-Skrull posing as a super-powered human boy)
Firestorm (DC comics)
Darkhawk (Marvel Comics)

Chris Nowlin · 08-05-2009, 02:26 PM

Superman.

Oh, you mean about the kid turning into and adult. Tom Hanks in Big.

Oh, but he's not a superhero. There's Rage. Except that he can't turn back into a kid, so that may not count. But he is a child transformed into an adult.

MDG · 08-05-2009, 02:47 PM

Robby Reed

Firestorm (originally anyway) didn't become an adult. He fused with an adult, so at least had access to grown-up thinking.

foxley · 08-05-2009, 05:48 PM

Captain Thunder (DC Comics)

Super Green Beret (Lightning Comics)

Babylon23 · 08-05-2009, 06:37 PM

Mighty Man from Savage Dragon, although she's an adult nurse that transforms into a male superhero. She gained her powers from the original Mighty Man though, who was definitely a Captain Marvel imitator.

benday-dot · 08-05-2009, 08:44 PM

Isn't Captain Marvel an imitation of Captain Marvel?

I mean Marvel's own with Fawcett's own. As Rick Jones exchanges place with the Kree Warrior Mar-Vell he is not so removed from Billy Batson and his Big Red Cheese.

Bicycle-Repairman · 08-05-2009, 09:18 PM

The British super-hero Captain Universe the Super Marvel wasn't a kid who transformed into an adult, but he was inspired by Captain Marvel. Captain Universe was an adult scientist who gained super powers by saying the word GALAP (an acronym for Galileo, Archimedes, Leonardo da Vinci, Aristotle, and Pythagoras).

Babylon23 · 08-05-2009, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benday-dot

Isn't Captain Marvel an imitation of Captain Marvel?

I mean Marvel's own with Fawcett's own. As Rick Jones exchanges place with the Kree Warrior Mar-Vell he is not so removed from Billy Batson and his Big Red Cheese.

He wasn't originally, but Roy Thomas introduced the Jones/Mar-Vell bodyswap concept as a direct homage to Fawcett's Marvel.

adam_warlock_2099 · 08-06-2009, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babylon23

He wasn't originally, but Roy Thomas introduced the Jones/Mar-Vell bodyswap concept as a direct homage to Fawcett's Marvel.

Is that why he hyphenated Marvel, as Mar-vell, and pronounce it as such?

Slam_Bradley · 08-06-2009, 08:42 AM

There was a long article on different Captain Marvel imitations world-wide in a fairly early issue of Alter Ego. If I think about it when I'm at home I'll see if I can find it.

I think Thor is an interesting case. Lame small guy is hit by lightning and turns into a god.

Cei-U! · 08-06-2009, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adam_warlock_2099

Is that why he hyphenated Marvel, as Mar-vell, and pronounce it as such?

It was Stan Lee, not Roy Thomas, who coined the name "Mar-Vell" several years before Roy and Gil Kane's Fawcett-inspired redesign.

Cei-U!
Point of order, Mr. Chairman!

Bicycle-Repairman · 08-06-2009, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adam_warlock_2099

Is that why he hyphenated Marvel, as Mar-vell, and pronounce it as such?

Marvel Comics' Captain Marvel was an alien military officer named Captain Mar-Vell sent to Earth on a secret mission for the Kree Empire. Seen fighting a Kree Sentry robot while wearing his Kree uniform, witnesses assumed he was a super-hero named "Captain Marvel". Mar-Vell would defy his evil superiors and become a protector of Earth.

Fawcett Comics ceased publishing the original Captain Marvel in 1953. There was another short-lived super-hero named Captain Marvel published by M.F. Enterprises in 1966. He was an alien android who could separate his body parts by saying "Split" and reconnect them by saying "Xam". Marvel introduced their Captain Marvel in 1967 and was able to secure the trademark on the name, which is why when DC later published new books starring the original Captain Marvel they couldn't use his name in the title. When Roy Thomas took over the writing chores on the Marvel Comics series he revised the character as an homage to the original Captain Marvel. Mar-Vell was banished to the antimatter universe called the Negative Zone but could temporarily switch places with teenager Rick Jones by using a pair of nega-bands. The revamped Captain Marvel was given a predominantly red costume. Gerry Conway created a supporting character named Prof. Savannah who seemed to be inspired by the original Captain Marvel's enemy Dr. Sivana, but unlike Sivana was a good guy.

Bill Angus · 08-06-2009, 04:20 PM

The version of The Fly (Archie comics) that I've read isn't a kid who changes into an adult super-hero... he's a married adult trying to continue his heroic career despite his wife's... preference... otherwise.

Is there another version?

Bicycle-Repairman · 08-06-2009, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Angus

The version of The Fly (Archie comics) that I've read isn't a kid who changes into an adult super-hero... he's a married adult trying to continue his heroic career despite his wife's... preference... otherwise.

Is there another version?

The Fly has gone through several incarnations. Originally he was a young orphan named Tommy Troy who found a magic ring that summoned Turan, a member of a race of magical Fly People that ruled Earth millions of years ago. Turan explained that most of the Fly People were destroyed in a disaster. A few Fly People fled to another dimension while those remaining on Earth became common houseflies. By rubbing the magic ring and saying "I wish I were the Fly" Tommy exchanged bodies with an adult Fly-Man to fight crime and greed.

Cei-U! · 08-06-2009, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Angus

The version of The Fly (Archie comics) that I've read isn't a kid who changes into an adult super-hero... he's a married adult trying to continue his heroic career despite his wife's... preference... otherwise.

Is there another version?

Tommy Troy was a kid in the earliest Jack Kirby issues. They aged him without explanation into lawyer Thomas Troy after Jack departed.

Cei-U!
I summon the swatter!

08-05-2009, 01:19 PM	#1
stelok ich liebe Leni Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: The Philippines Posts: 1,072	List of Captain Marvel imitations I have been aware for a long time that Fawcett's Captain Marvel character has been imitated many times. Let's see if a character must be similar to Captain Marvel, the character has to be a kid who can transform into an adult superhero. Let's list down Captain Marvel imitations Marvelman/Miracleman Fly (Archie Comics) Fly (Impact Comics) Prime (Malibu Comics) Captain Hero (who appeared in the final issues of Power Man & Iron Fist and later was retconned as Super-Skrull posing as a super-powered human boy) Firestorm (DC comics) Darkhawk (Marvel Comics)

08-05-2009, 02:26 PM	#2
Chris Nowlin my thirsty wanted whisky Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 29,826	Superman. Oh, you mean about the kid turning into and adult. Tom Hanks in Big. Oh, but he's not a superhero. There's Rage. Except that he can't turn back into a kid, so that may not count. But he is a child transformed into an adult. __________________ formerly coke & comics Boy, everyone is stupid except me.~ Homer Simpson And people take all this comedy seriously... and that is their tragedy. ~ Brothers Karamazov

08-05-2009, 02:47 PM	#3
MDG Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Fairport, NY Posts: 1,379	Robby Reed Firestorm (originally anyway) didn't become an adult. He fused with an adult, so at least had access to grown-up thinking. __________________ Kefauver: You have blood coming out of her mouth. Gaines: A little.

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08-05-2009, 05:48 PM	#4
foxley Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canberra, Australia Posts: 958	Captain Thunder (DC Comics) Super Green Beret (Lightning Comics)

08-05-2009, 06:37 PM	#5
Babylon23 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 6,337	Mighty Man from Savage Dragon, although she's an adult nurse that transforms into a male superhero. She gained her powers from the original Mighty Man though, who was definitely a Captain Marvel imitator.

08-05-2009, 08:44 PM	#6
benday-dot Hands of a Surgeon Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,385	Isn't Captain Marvel an imitation of Captain Marvel? I mean Marvel's own with Fawcett's own. As Rick Jones exchanges place with the Kree Warrior Mar-Vell he is not so removed from Billy Batson and his Big Red Cheese.

08-05-2009, 09:18 PM	#7
Bicycle-Repairman Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 386	The British super-hero Captain Universe the Super Marvel wasn't a kid who transformed into an adult, but he was inspired by Captain Marvel. Captain Universe was an adult scientist who gained super powers by saying the word GALAP (an acronym for Galileo, Archimedes, Leonardo da Vinci, Aristotle, and Pythagoras).

08-06-2009, 08:42 AM	#10
Slam_Bradley Touchdown! Join Date: May 2004 Location: Idaho Posts: 20,559	There was a long article on different Captain Marvel imitations world-wide in a fairly early issue of Alter Ego. If I think about it when I'm at home I'll see if I can find it. I think Thor is an interesting case. Lame small guy is hit by lightning and turns into a god.

08-06-2009, 04:20 PM	#13
Bill Angus Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 552	The version of The Fly (Archie comics) that I've read isn't a kid who changes into an adult super-hero... he's a married adult trying to continue his heroic career despite his wife's... preference... otherwise. Is there another version?