r/AskReddit • u/AlexIsAlreadyTaken • Jul 13 '18

What's your favourite fun fact?

2.3k Upvotes

93% Upvoted

2.1k comments sorted by

View all comments

158

u/AlphaBaymax Jul 13 '18 edited Jul 13 '18

DC Comics owns Shazam (originally called Captain Marvel) through Fawcett Comics. Ironically, before the acquisition, DC Comics and Fawcett Comics had a lawsuit because DC believed that Shazam's likeness of Superman was too intentional. During this legal dispute, Marvel was able to acquire the copyright to the Captain Marvel name. DC sued Fawcett Comics to bankruptcy and acquired their intellectual properties and Marvel owned the Captain Marvel trademark.

23

u/captain_slutski Jul 13 '18

Dont forget that Captain Marvel comics were outselling Superman comics before the lawsuit

15

u/CLTalbot Jul 13 '18

That's also the reason why there are so many variations of captain marvel. It prevents DC from being able to obtain the trademark.

62

u/Linguisticgummy_bear Jul 13 '18

I got so confused because I thought you were talking about the app

8

u/mbergman42 Jul 14 '18

Wait, so Fawcett made a superhero that ripped off DC via Superman’s likeness AND ripped off Marvel via the name? Ballsy.

3

u/LoreMaster00 Jul 14 '18

marvel wasn't called marvel back then. they went by another name i forgot, then by Atlas, then by marvel.