The Evolution and Legal Battles Behind Shazam and Captain Marvel

One of the most intriguing aspects of the comic book world is its intertwined history of characters, copyrights, and legal battles. This is especially true for the character of Captain Marvel and how it has evolved over the years. Originally known as Captain Marvel, the character is now referred to as Shazam during his ongoing stories.

Legal Dispute and Name Change

The name change from Captain Marvel to Shazam came about due to a legal dispute between Marvel Comics and DC Comics. In the early days of the character, he was called Captain Marvel, but a legal issue with Fawcett Comics (the original publisher) ended up with DC Comics having to change the name to Shazam when they brought him back in the 1970s.

DC Comics was forced to make this change because of a lawsuit brought by Marvel over infringing on Superman's likeness. This led DC to call their version of the character Shazam instead of Captain Marvel, even though the character's name remained Captain Marvel in-universe.

Character Trademarks and Ownership

At the heart of this conflict is the trademark for the name Captain Marvel. Marvel owns the trademark for the name, and this has led to a long and complicated legal history. Originally, when the name was Shazam, DC Comics decided to change the name to Shazam to avoid confusion with the Marvel Comics character. However, when the original trademark for Captain Marvel expired, DC tried to reclaim the name, only to have Marvel acquire the character and create their own version of the character under the name Captain Marvel.

Character Relationale

While the legal battles are important, in the in-universe story, the character has a reason for using the name Shazam. He narrates the phrase, "Shazam" which transforms him from Billy Batson into his superhero form. Saying his name again will revert him back into Billy Batson. This is a crucial part of his character and secret identity. Thus, if he were to introduce himself as Captain Marvel, it could disrupt his secret identity and reveal his true form. Therefore, the name Shazam is better suited for both in-universe and out-of-universe reasons.

There have been discussions and debates about calling him Captain Marvel in the movies, but due to the legal issue, the movie is titled Shazam. This decision has been met with mixed reactions from fans, with some loving the parallel between the two franchises and others wishing for consistency.

Summary

In conclusion, the character known as Captain Marvel has undergone significant name changes over the years due to legal disputes and trademark issues between Marvel and DC Comics. Despite these changes, the character retains his original name Captain Marvel in the series himself. The legal battles and trademark ownership explain why the official call of DC's versions of this character is Shazam. Whether or not this will change in the future remains to be seen, but the character's history is a prime example of how the comic book world is intertwined with real-life legal issues.