Why Shazam! Used to be Captain Marvel | The History of Captain Marvel Explained by Alex Ross
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- Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
- Comic artist Alex Ross delves into the history and influences of Captain Marvel now known as Shazam!
Alex explores the complex history and lineage of this character, originally of Fawcett Comics and later owned by multiple publishers through a complex and widely misunderstood series of events. Watch him discuss this original sketch through the finished comic cover.
Ross is basically going "Please excuse the mess" while showing us a masterpiece with dozens of different art styles.
Awesome.
So humble, the hallmark of a Master artist. Ross doesn't have to pretend to be anyone or speak highly of himself or his work, the art just speaks for itself.
His art is REALLY good. But not $1000.00 for a print good.
@@MattMatt77 To each his own, bro. If I got to meet the man and he signed the piece I'd probably pay more just to meet one of my heroes. You cant put a price on something like that.
@@shoheiimamura4067 Yeah I guess your right Bro. But I can "and have" gotten 7 pieces of original art from comics for cheaper then what people are paying for 1 of his prints. An that's kinda crazy and doesn't add up much... Bro. It's these hard for me to justify what he wants for a print when a original page for a comic that I love is cheaper and is more likely to go up on value do to it's 1 of 1. I'm not saying his art is bad but these because someone is a big name regardless on the art there stuff sell for WAY to much. An then if you go to a art museum you see people paying thousands or millions on 1 piece of simple are and it's because of people like you really. Bro
@@MattMatt77 You're totally missing my point, br0! $1000.00 is NOTHING in my world, so if I got to meet Alex and have a print signed I wouldn't mind dropping the stack on him because its a once in a lifetime experience. You ever been to a comic con!???
Alex Ross is a genius... Not only in his artistic prowess, but in his determination and ability to search out and assimilate the information and backgrounds of all of these amazing characters, which he then interpreted into this stunning piece!
He's an eloquent speaker as well.
Wow, the backstory of Jack Kirby's influence in Captain Marvel as a character is fascinating. Thank you for making this video!
My favourite artist in the history of comics
Mine too.👍
Elvis needs to be on there. Many of his stage clothes with the capes and high collars were influenced be the original Captain Marvel, as was the lightning bolt on his TCB logo. ⚡️
Based on his comics and his history, it appears that Elvis' favorite was Captain Marvel Jr. But you're right, the influence on his stage costumes is obvious. There's also a story that he dyed his hair black and styled it to match Freddy's character.
It's really strange that Gomer Pyle is on there but Elvis isn't.
Thank you Mr. Ross for the history lesson, as a life long fan of Captain Marvel there’s a lot I took away about my favorite character!
There's a strange phenomena with this character: whatever name you knew him first with, "Captain Marvel" or "Shazam", it'll feel weird to you anytime you hear him being called the other way around.
Indeed, I was around 10 when I discovered him back him 2011, back then I read Whiz Comics and Silver Age Earth S and he was also Captain Marvel with the Marvel family, Shazam was the wizard who gave him the powers.
It confused the hell out of me when I found out Marvel also had a Captain marvel and with the New 52 DC just called him Shazam
not that long ago, marvels captain marvel wasn't around, or was some weird character no one knew. This was years(decades) after the characters death, the originals. And like in the early 00s they tried to bring it back with some weird back story of him being from a different universe or whatever and it didn't catch.
So for a long time there was only one captain marvel. Ms.marvel became captain marvel in the early 2010s I think.
I knew him by both I'll call him by both🤷🏽🥴🙇🏽
It's like taking a comicbook class.
Brilliant! Too bad DC didn’t accept your pitch! One of the few remaining artists faithful to the original Big Red Cheese!
what was his pitch about?
I love this so much. Captain Marvel has such an important history in pop culture and is so unbelievably convoluted that this video and image do a fantastic job of paying tribute to the Character's tumultuous back story. Thank you for what you do Alex!
You can't imagine the joy I had when I saw this video was 19 min, thank you so much !
Man, oh, man... I wish there was some way that could be turned into a poster or print... Beautiful work, Mr. Ross. Absolutely beautiful.
I’d love to pick this up if it ever came out as a lithograph, but with all the different companies involved it’s not likely to happen.
More like this please, Alex.
It was really fascinating and your enthusiasm and encyclopaedic knowledge shines through.
Finally a long video! We need more history of your works. THANKS
Alex, your work on Captain Marvel/Shazam is the best. PLEASE do more!
That's fantastic! The original Captain Marvel is my favorite character in all of comics. I so wish I could get a print of that... it would go on my office wall in a heartbeat!
This video is like a holy grail to me. I hope you do more, you're one of my favorite artists and seeing you talk so much about your process, inspirations and the piece itself is incredible.
Captain Marvel is my second favourite character (first being Superman). You did a great job with him!. Really
I would LOVE an online version of this where you hovered over each character and you got the backstory/history. I’ve been a comic fan and ‘enthusiast historian’ for over 30 years and a few of these have stumped me....
This channel deserves many more subscriptions. Alex Ross illustrations are legendary, and I have never seen another artist giving that life to the characters he paints.
Him being a custodian on comics history make me appreciate him more.
Alex made a great mash-up with that piece of portrait and added a history lesson on Captain Marvel
Man, THIS is the kind of content I am here for. I love this level of deep dive on your work. Keep 'em comin'!
Thank you so much for sharing this video and the artwork. Captain Marvel (Shazam) is my favorite character. Glad he's getting some love.
My favorite part was the inclusion of Miracleman, his inclusion is very interesting. So some English company was reprinting the old Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr stories, but after DC sued Fawcett the company had nothing left to print. So what they did was the created their own heroes, Captain Marvel became Marvelman and Captain Marvel Jr. became Young Marvelman (later they introduced Kid Marvelman). So these comics are coming out weekly for a while but then Marvelman's creator, Mick Anglo decides to leave based on financial reasons, I think. Anyways because of his departure the British Company just reprints old stories up until issue 370 for both runs (both runs where just renamed from the Captain Marvel comics, where the characters appeared in text form of issues 19, then in issues 25 become the title characters), both titles were around until 1963. Until 1982, the characters were not used at all. But then came along Warrior Magazine. Warrior magazine had hired Alan Moore to write two stories, they were V For Vendetta and Marvelman. After a decade he was finally back! This version of Marvelman was different, it was a telling of a grown-up Mickey Moran (Marvelman's alter ego). He's forgotten his past and has grown up. But one day at a nuclear power-plant he remembers the word he would say to transform into Marvelman, KIMOTA! Marvelman was published in Warrior Magazine up until issue 21. Later, in 1985, The old Marvelman black and white stories were reprinted in color under the title, Miracleman, which originated from Alan Moores's work on a separate English comic, Daredevils where Marvelman made a cameo but was named Miracleman. The comic series would also complete the unfinished story from the Warrior magazine and began to produce previously scripted stories, many comic-collectors will recognize this as when Kid Marvelman destroys half of London and brutally murders millions of people ( this was all detailly drawn by artist, Jon Totleben). After this though, Alan Moore left. He was replaced by Neil Gaiman who would continue Miraclman's story. Over time though, Eclipse, the distributor of the Miracleman comics would delay the release of the comic until they went bankrupt, leaving Gaiman's story incomplete. After this Miracleman was in publishing limbo. In 1996, Todd McFarlane would buy all of Eclipse's creative assets, which include Miracleman. McFarlane introduced Mickey Moran in Hellspawn #6 with intentions of introducing Miracleman in issue #13. Miracleman was shown in McFarlane's section in the Image 10th Anniversary Book which tied into Spawn #150 and the character became Man of Miracles. In 2009 though, the creator of Marvelman and the man responsible for everything I have just typed was actually the real owner of Miracleman. Also in 2009, Marvel announced that they had purchased the rights from Mick Anglo. They started reprinting the published issues of Miracleman with bonus features like the original art and Marvelman stories from the 1950s. Now they plan to release ALL of Neil Gaiman's unfinished The Silver Age in late 2020. And that is the current standing of Miracleman.
Tldr: the British made a ripoff, eventually to be written by Watchmen guy and the ripoff has had the most convoluted copyright history in all of comics.
Loved seeing the Gentleman and Ben10 in here...
Speaking of dream sketches/painting, I'd love to see one of Marvel's 4 Kings... Black Bolt. Black Panther. Dr. Doom & Namor.
There's so much to say about this video, firstly thank you for putting out a 20 minute video with your insights to your own work this is what we've waited for years now, its great! Throughout the years I always associated Captain Marvel with your work because you captured that timeless illustrative style with your realism and brought him to life and gave him attention when no one else did and I gravitated towards that so much! Would love to see a short story with you at the helm creatively, written and illustrated by Alex Ross. A total passion project would be incredible!
love it...im 49 years old...an original comic book fan since I was 2 years old...captain marvel was always my favorite..
Great video, Alex.
However, I would like to say that DC Comics still uses the Captain Marvel moniker.
Grant Morrison used it in his Thunderworld Adventures comic, and it was published after the New 52 reboot.
Jeff Parker used it in Convergence: Shazam! as well.
A lot people probably don't know that, and I think it's important that they do.
First off thank you for this wonderful piece of artwork. I am a bit surprised though that superman wasn't represented, my reasoning is simple, had National Publishing (DC Comics) not won that lawsuit with Fawcett, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Captain Marvel would have become even more popular and Superman might have dwindled in to obscurity. Instead of a young boy of 7 picking up a Superman comic from the news stand I might have well picked up a Captain Marvel comic instead in the very early sixties. So to my way of thinking Superman's continued existence and to a lesser extant the rest of the DC line up is owed to the fact that Captain Marvel was discontinued by court order.
This is a fantastic piece of comic book history, explained by one of the best comic book artists in history. Great content, Thank you.
Nice to see new stuff by Alex.Looks amazing as usual!
I love the inclusion of Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle..."ShaZAAM!"
I was confused on why Gomer was included thanks for that
What a master class right there such an art historian.
Sir, please come back to DC comics. Your work really shine the most at DC, especially with justice league.
That was awesome. We need more of these "show and tells" with Alex and the pieces he creates. Thank you so much for posting it!
I love that he added Brandon Molale, who if I recall correctly, wanted to play Cap. Marvel, in quite a prominent position!
Captain Marvel is one of my favorite super heroes. Sad what happened to him in Kingdom Come. Wish you could do the same style for The Krofft Supershow on Saturday like Bigfoot and Wildboy. 70's sat morning when I was a kid
Amazing work and really interesting to see how much influence Captain Marvel has had. The difference in styles fir certain characters adds to it's uniqueness
This is real love for comics, that's why you're already a legend Alex
Thanks for this Alex. Especially the respect shown to the late great Jack Kirby!
Wow! Hadn't seen the Zappa cover before. The 'true' Captain Marvel has always been a favourite. Especially the clean lines of the Beck art. Beautiful.
I love your love for the history of comics and that you always do an homage to the old artists and creators. Keep doing this longer videos, please.
I wish DC would let you take complete control for the character one day
I like this so much better than the sorter videos! Great image and I love him explaining it in so much detail.
One of the greatest comic book characters created.
One of the nicest thing, I really like how he explain what he did. Relax and clear accent.
Thank you soooo much, I was thinking someone should do this after listening to your comic con panel.
Alex, you are in a class of your own. Your approach to your work, together with your passion and understanding of these wonderful characters is always inspiring.
What a wonderful idea! I love that you've included characters from so many different sources including Fred MacMurray, the reputed inspiration for Captain Marvel's facial features. I would love a more detailed look at the piece itself, though. I kept looking for all those I recognised or knew should be included and was very pleased to see Hanna-Barbera's Samson and Goliath as they were also part of the body switching crowd. One thing not mentioned of the Mar-Vell history is the period where Rick Jones is trapped in the Negative Zone and he and Mar-Vell continuously switch places by clanging together the wrist bands they wear, thereby repeating their own version of calling out Shazam!. I did get a good laugh at the inclusion of Gomer Pyle, too. Brilliant!
Ross..humble as ever. Didnt know about the deep dive on Kirby Cap/Shazam connection. great stuff!
I kinda like that The Big Red Cheese and Billy are not 'if it were a painting' centered. Love anything anyone who knew him has to say about Jack Kirby. Especially if it's not something I've heard or read before like a couple of the stories shared here. A heart felt thanks for helping make them more public.
Great and informative video and subject. Did you notice Gomer Pyle in the drawing? "Shaaaa-zam!" he'd yell out. I used to get a big $1 DC comic or comics pack at the supermarket in the 70's, when I was like 6 or 7 years old I think. I assume they were reprints of the original Shazam / Captain Marvel comics but I thought they were new. And on Saturday mornings there was the Shazam! and Isis shows followed by animated versions on another network later. I never understood why there was another Marvel Captain Marvel and why Shazam kind of faded away ... I was pretty excited to see him return in Ross's Kingdom Come and in later 90s / 2000's animated shows.
Fawcett Comics should have won the Captain Marvel lawsuit. They had the Captain Marvel character and the Captain Marvel name first. That was really stupid of DC Comics for stealing the rights to the Captain Marvel character and changing Captain Marvel's name to Shazam. And that was really stupid of Marvel Comics for stealing the rights to the Captain Marvel name. DC and Marvel need to be sued. And by the way, Shazam is the name of the Wizard, not Billy Batson's alter ego. And the Shazam family is called the Marvel family.
DC sued Fawcett because of similarities to Superman not over the name. When Fawcett agreed to stop publishing CM it was more because comic sales had declined and they didn't want to spend the money fighting a lawsuit that had already been dragged out for years. The Captain Marvel trademark (not the copyright or ownership) of the character became available because it wasn't in use which led to M.F. Enterprises publishing a book called Captain Marvel (the character that could split his body apart by yelling "Split!") and that comic brought to the attention of Marvel Comics that the trademark had lapsed so they quickly created their own Captain Marvel book so that they could claim the Captain Marvel trademark mainly so a competitor couldn't use it. This was before DC decided to license the original Captain Marvel and related characters from Fawcett eventually outright buying them and all of Fawcett's other characters in the mid-80s. DC changed the character's name in recent years because 40+ years of the book being called "Shazam!' and the character merchandise only being able to be sold under that name had caused the general public to believe that was the character's name and with a big budget movie looming (though it was years and years later before it happened) it made sense from a marketing standpoint. That said, I think the closest Billy ever came to being called "Shazam" within the context of the movie was when he told his foster siblings to "say my name!" in order to share the power with them. moo
@@JAbell1966 DC Comics should have renamed Captain Marvel (Billy Batson) from "Captain Marvel" to "Captain Marvelous".
Hey Alex. This is my first time to see an in depth feature of you speaking about something. You are hands down my favorite artist and to hear you expound about this was amazing. You know your stuff. The first artwork I ever saw of yours was "Kingdom Come" and I have been hooked ever since. I will definitely be looking through this channel. I do understand why that piece is something that could not be sold (licensing ect), but wow...just wow.
I will always call him Captain Marvel. That's his true name and always will be to me!!!
Wow! This was such a cool and informative post. The artwork displayed is out of this world!!! Captain Marvel has always been my favorite character in comics, with Steve Ditko’s The Question and The Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) from Charlton, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s The Thing and Dr. Doom from Fantastic Four, and Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily’s Spectre all following close after. As much a Captain Marvel fan as I am (the prize of my small comic collection is a December 1941 Captain Marvel Adventures #5 with beautiful cover art by C.C. Beck of Captain Marvel tearing part of a wing off a Nazi bomber in flight), I had no clue he had such a stories connection to so many other characters beyond Marvel’s Captain Mar-Vell and his diverse progeny. Thanks for sharing that beautiful artwork with us and the fascinating story behind it.
Jack is such an influence to me. He really did have such a fun imagination
I think Alex reminding us how great previous generations of creators were is so inspiring. Almost as inspiring as his actual art, ability, and speaking talent. Go Alex.
Alex Ross truly is the artist of comic book history. What an interesting and enlightening story this piece shares.
You are a legend, mr. Ross. I really appreciate all the work you do and thank you for this short history lesson accompanied by one of the most beautiful comic book art pieces ever made
*Bravo Alex.... we love you so much... sure LOVE the nod you gave to Fred MacMurray in this masterpiece you have created... unreal... God Bless*
Thank you for this video! I think it's great to hear you go through the backstory and some of the thinking and history of the pieces you do. I really appreciated the backstory about Captain Marvel (I didn't really get into the character until maybe seeing him in Kingdom Come?). I like hearing you talk about this piece and it comes through how you're so into it... and it makes me get into it too! Thanks for sharing!
This was great you should make more content like this explaining things you know about behind-the-scenes
Alex Ross American work epitomizes the best American style in American comic books. Lifelike and heroic. The Worlds Mightiest Mortal will always be my favorite as well as Alex Ross.
Alex Ross helps me have new appreciation for Jack (King) Kirby! Thank you, Alex!
That was really cool learning that. Thank You Alex. It makes me look at the charters differently now.
OUWW..MY.. I looked that sketch very detail...and many character Marvel there....awesome...you're really a master, God bless You Alex Ross
The true OG and only. ❤️⚡ ❤️
Thak you for this Mr. Ross, keeping alive the legacy in words and with this fine piece of art and history.
Amazing video! The idea of drawing a composition like that gives me heartburn!
This is a brilliant piece of work ! AS one who has spent a decade and a half researching all the Captain Marvels, I have a great appreciation for the depth and breadth of the influence and relevance you have explored, even including the genie Shazzan! But where does that Japanese superhero in the top-left corner fit in?
I never seem to make it to the conventions at which you appear, but I hiope one day to meet you and discuss your passion for the World's Mightiest Mortal and his influences and relevance. Shazam! Split-Xam! K-Tang!
I’m glad I took a closer look before commenting. Looks like Kevin Matchstick from Matt Wagner’s Mage series did make the cut! Outstanding! Kevin wore street clothes as opposed to a traditional superhero costume but his trademark was a black T-shirt with a white Captain Marvel lightning bolt.
One thing re: Kirby getting Shazam relaunched.
After bringing in original creator CC Beck and relaunching the character at DC, sales were dismal. 1970 audiences didn't care to read the same types of stories that 1940 audiences did. CC Beck absolutely refused any attempts to subtly update Shazam to at least bring him in line with the current crop of DC superheroes. He was still drawing racist caricatures like Steamboat, who was so offensive a character that he was banned in 1945. Imagine being so racist during the golden age of American racism that your character is banned!
This was at a time when the Comics Code was relaxing, and characters were experiencing more adult scenarios. It was hard to shoehorn Shazam's "gosh, golly, gee whiz" persona in to the same universe where Green Lantern was fighting racism, Green Arrow was fighting the heroin epidemic, Swamp Thing was leading a ghostly slave revolt, and Spectre was killing sinners in gruesome, but inventive ways.
CC Beck was gradually ousted off of his own book, and sales recovered somewhat when Shazam was brought more in line with the overall tone of DC. When Jack Kirby learned of all the troubles the editorial staff had with Beck, he felt that he potentially dodged a bullet, or at the very least, was spared from "having to knock some sense into a stubborn fool." By then, of course, Kirby had his own falling out with DC, and never got a chance to do his own spin on the character.
Some of the ideas he had for the Captain Marvel family were supposedly worked into the first couple of issues of The Sandman, before he left DC altogether. Michael Fleischer took over Sandman's writing and jettisoned nearly all of Kirbys plot notes, so who knows.
Sad to hear everything that happened to Jack Kirby,
Please Alex give us another DC Mythology book (Vol.2) and please include Chris Reeve Superman that you have made in them last couple of years!
Love this long form video. So much great info about such a personal piece and associated histories.
_Thank you!_
Can’t believe I just found your channel. Great Video, and thanks for sharing such a cool personal piece of work. I was so hoping that Miracleman would have been one of your featured characters and images. I can’t imagine that the Moore character would have been so impactful if not for the mythos of Captain Marvel to play with.
Love the style and creativity of this super legend, Alex Ross 👁🙏👁
Wow! Just wow! I knew jack kirby and joe simon were working on captain Marvel early in the years but i had no idea jack was the reason dc acquired the character. Alot is owed to that man.
I have a signed JSA #73 I'm never letting go of, it's the best Captain Marvel cover ever.
This composition is a treasure.
Very interesting and entertaining comics history lesson, Mr. Ross. Thank you for sharing!
Amazing artwork as always. I really liked the longer format of this video, I hope you do more in the same style!
Great work as usual Alex.
Thanks for sharing this project that we would probably have never seen otherwise. A very well though out and executed composition. I'm surprised that you didn't discuss anything about Marvelman/Miracleman.
Love the history lesson and also lol at jim nabors being in there...shazam!
Thanks Alex! You are the best!
Awe man, thanks to the team and to Mr. Ross. I loved this video
Captain Marvel is so much better and funnier than Superman. Shazam is pure superhero joy.
Alex certainly knows his comics history!
This videos was amazing. Lots of history and lots of good references. I know you can't make a print but i wouldn't mind have it on a sketchbook.
Mr Ross thank you for this video it was amazing!! I could listen to you for hours haha hope that you can make more videos like this in the future, really intresting stuff! And last but not least, that artwork is beautiful!
I never wanted any part of comic just only to be a respectful supporter of these great works. Now I want in this business and I am willing to set up my very own comic brand and company.
Damn! Nobody even talking about how Frank Zappa had an influence on comic book culture?! Thats amazing. Zappa was pals with JACK KIRBY!!! and Jacked explained to Zappa that he thought the whole Vadar thing was a rip off of Dr. Doom
Thank you, Mr. Ross. I learned something today... 👍
This is absolutely fantastic. Thank you.
Had a little chuckle when I saw Gomer Pyle "SHaazAM"
I love that you added Ben 10 and Grandpa Max and I'd like to mention that your Marvel redesign looks uncannily similar to a race of aliens in Ben 10 called Alien X
i knew most of this info.... but still It was fascinating to hear it again. :)
The art is beautiful as usual, but this history lesson on the character has melted my brain.
Wow That's very interesting that you had shared with us. You putted a lot of soul and heart into this piece. 😊😇
Finally a real video