Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Captain Marvel is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Most of these versions exist in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe. Following a trial in which DC Comics sued Fawcett Comics for breach of copyright, the latter stopped publishing Captain Marvel. In the late sixties Marvel gained the trademark "Captain Marvel" with their first series, forcing DC to call their Captain Marvel comic book Shazam, but to retain the trademark Marvel had to publish a Captain Marvel title every year or two since leading to a number of ongoing series, limited series and one-shots featuring a range of characters using the Captain Marvel alias. The first Captain Marvel was created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 (Dec. 1967). This character is an alien military officer, Captain Mar-Vell of the Kree Imperial Militia, who is sent to observe the planet Earth. Mar-Vell eventually wearies of his superiors' malign intent and allies himself with Earth as the Kree Empire brands him a traitor. From then on, Mar-Vell fights to protect Earth from all threats. He would later be revamped by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane. Having been exiled to the Negative Zone by the Supreme Intelligence, the only way Mar-Vell can temporarily escape is to exchange atoms with Rick Jones by means of special wristbands called Nega-Bands. He is also given superpowers and his Kree military uniform is replaced with a form fitting costume. With the title's sales still flagging, Marvel allowed Jim Starlin to conceptually revamp the character, although his appearance was little changed. Mar-Vell is freed from the Negative Zone and becomes a cosmic champion, the "Protector of the Universe" appointed by the co. More:
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