For the average Joe like me the upcoming exciting cinema releases of both Captain Marvel and Shazam! is super confusing.
As far as I knew they were once the same superhero!
Looking under their regal capes it seems it was a swish of lawsuits between comics publishers Fawcett and DC and ultimately a desire by Marvel to snaffle the name Captain Marvel that created the split.
Here's a captain's log of the main marvelous captains I could find
[the net is full of much more detailed chronologies and IMdB have a video on the subject]
Fawcett Comics 1941
Sued by DC. Cap looked to much like Superman!
They won.
DC ate the competition.
Captain Marvel becomes Shazam!
DC Comics 1973
but Marvel grab the name Captain Marvel.
Marvel 1968
Marvel 1974
The Captain sports the black and red spandex with star.
Marvel 1977
Ms. Marvel sports the same colour scheme and star
Marvel 2006
Ms. Marvel is still her own woman
Marvel films 2018
Ms. Marvel becomes the Captain!
DC films 2019
Shazam! gets his own movie too.
Marvelous!
What do you think readers? Confusing?
Anyone got any toys or collectables?