Bad Medicine
I took a perverse satisfaction in the "announcement" of Marvel's new book, The Order. It's not because I necessarily think the book will fail, or because I bear the creators any ill will. No, I am satisfied because Marvel was going to call the book The Champions. But now they can't.
If you haven't heard, a small publisher of super-hero comics managed to snatch up the trademark for Champions when Marvel wasn't looking. In much the same way that Marvel snatched up the trademark for Captain Marvel.
DC can't title a book Captain Marvel. They can't use that name on a cover. Even though the Golden Age Captain Marvel predates the existence of Marvel as a comic book company by decades. And all Marvel has to do to keep it that way is have their "Captain Marvel" headline a mini-series every few years.
It's always annoyed me, that. So it pleases me to see that Marvel is getting a taste of its own medicine (even if, admittedly, the medicine in this case is pretty weak). It won't change anything of course... Captain Marvel books will continue to be titled Shazam!, much to the confusion of non-comic book geeks the world over.
But it did make me laugh maniacally for a moment. And that's really what matters, right?
Labels: Captain Marvel, Marvel
posted by Diamondrock @ 5:12 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Laughing maniacally is good for your blood pressure, or so I've heard.
So...Marvel is hoist with their own petard? I love it.
So does that mean if DC had the rights to "Captain Marvel", that Marvel couldn't have had a Captain Marvel book? Could they have gotten away with "Mar-vell"? Not that it would bother me if they couldn't. I find Mar-vell's kids much more interesting than him (and his "Return" was horribly lame).
I was just wondering.
I should note that Marvel's "Captain Marvel" was created for the purpose of yanking the trademark out from under DC's nose.
But yeah, if DC had the trademark then Marvel wouldn't be able to to title the book "Captain Marvel." It could still be about a Captain Marvel, it just couldn't have his name on the cover or in advertising...
I'm with you here.
I've always been annoyed that The Big Red Cheese had to be called Shazam and Marvelman had to be rechristened Miracleman.
What goes around, comes around.
I have to call you a bit, Marvel was around as Timely, which became Atlas, which became Marvel. If they weren't we'd never have the great Sub-Mariner.
Also I love Mar-Vell so I seem to be the only person in the world GLAD Marvel got the name. Hell it started the idea that companies either use it or loose it.
But it's on that note why I also find them loosing Champions funny.
I'm aware that they were around as a different company. But they weren't called *Marvel* until decades after the REAL Captain Marvel was created. That was my point.
Post a Comment
<< Home