It's been known since 2014 that the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first female lead character will be none other than the current Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers. The film, currently slated for a March 8. 2019 release date, will star Oscar winning actress Brie Larson as the newest guardian of Marvel's galaxy. Here's eight quick talking points about a character that's about to bring much-needed diversity to superhero blockbusters.
The Character's Name Has a Convoluted History
The history of superhero films begins with 1941’s Adventures of Captain Marvel. Still, the forthcoming Captain Marvel film will be the current hero’s silver screen debut. Confusing, isn’t it?
Fawcett Comics had a hero back in the Golden Age called Captain Marvel, and the character was and remains a separate entity from the current Marvel hero. That Captain Marvel, and a cast of supporting characters that includes Elvis’ style icon Captain Marvel, Jr., became part of the DC Universe in the 1970s. Since Marvel already had its own Captain Marvel by then, its competitor renamed its new acquisition Shazam. To further muddy the waters, the DC hero formerly known as Captain Marvel has a film on slate, as well.
The character name has been passed around in the Marvel Universe over the years, due in part to Marvel’s desire to retain the trademark. The original Captain Marvel was an alien named Mar-Vell, and several of his kin used the moniker at different times.
There was even a different female Captain Marvel in the ‘80s — an African American woman from Louisiana named Monica Rambeau. She’s an undervalued character and even led the Avengers at one point, but she’s no Carol Danvers.
Representation Really Does Matter
Captain Marvel will give young girls who are thrilled to see the recent diversification of Star Wars films a new hero to emulate once her solo film hits theaters. That alone makes this film exciting, as “representation matters” is a truth that’s more than just a trendy hashtag.
The Current Captain Marvel Was Formerly Ms. Marvel
Although the current Captain Marvel didn’t become the alpha-level hero she is currently until 2012, Carol Danvers isn’t new to longtime readers. She had similar powers and the same backstory as Ms. Marvel, a character that dates back to 1968.After she was given the Captain Marvel mantle, her old character name was adopted by the groundbreaking Kalama Kahn, a Muslim teenager.
She Led Her Own All-Woman Avengers
Although it was cancelled late last year, the short-lived, all-woman A-Force would make for a great on-screen team, pairing Captain Marvel with the most ridiculous in theory and amazing in action X-Man, Dazzler.
The Captain Marvel of Today is Modeled After Historic Icons
When writer Kelly Sue DeConnick molded Danvers’ current character, she made the US soldier turned galaxy-saving superhero into a cross between two historic figures. Danvers has the skills and swagger of Air Force test pilot Chuck Yeager, while bearing a slight resemblance to another strong-willed intellectual, Gloria Steinem. The end result makes a character in a logic-defying multiverse downright relatable and believable.
She's a Marquee Name Now in the Comics
When Marvel did a sequel to its Civil War story arch last year, it was Captain Marvel, not Captain America, opposing Iron Man. That’s how far this character, and other women within the Marvel Universe, has come in recent years.
Please Don't Overexpose a Good Thing
The downside of Captain Marvel’s popularity, which will likely soar once she has her own movie, is the chance that she’ll become as obnoxiously ever-present as Wolverine and Deadpool. To limit fan fatigue, and give other characters a fair shake, let’s hope that Marvel positions other women near the top of its pecking order.
See what else made it into our Top 8 by visiting its official page.
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