T-shirt #274: Captain Mar-Vell Logo

T-shirt #268: Captain Mar-Vell

Greetings blog reader. T-shirt man here. Day 268. Let me repeat day 268. No, I am not stoned. I am stone cold sober, and I just like savoring my achievement thus far. Granted, 268 is not a significant number, but I am simply amazed that I have posted a blog entry every day for two hundred and sixty eight days. Okay, faithful readers. Yes, I know. Though I published yesterday's entry on U2 yesterday, it was unfinished when I originally published on Thursday. I finished it today, though, and notified the necessary social media outlets. Now, again, with today's, the original posting was "under construction." Believe me, the omnipotent... (um, okay, if I was omnipotent, I wouldn't have to publish blog entries in progress)... how about ever astonishing?


Okay, the ever astonishing and swashbuckling T-shirt blogger man does not like sharing his works in progress any more than a few of you (a very few) like finding them either via Google search (yes, you searcher bot) or because you have my blog book marked and check me frequently, a kindness for which I will always try to give you something interesting to read. How am I doing so far? More whimsy than usual, that's for sure.



Quality of content should be in the eye of the beholder but without too much knowledge of the beholder's interests, I just sally forth and meander around the forest of actual content.

You may notice that the logo of TODAY'S SHIRT matches the image in  the comic book cover to the left.

I happen to own this issue of Captain Marvel #1. It is among my earliest comics.

For those who like to peruse my blog, I am starting to collect a category for blog entries that feature images of some of my oldest comic books. Given that issue came out in May of 1968, I was six years old at the time. It may have been a reading material purchase for the move from Traverse City to Schoolcraft.

The issue is also special because it features the art of Gene Colan, who is so special to me that I devoted a category to him.

Checkout what Comic Vine had to say about this volume of Captain Marvel.

Captain Marvel Volume 1
A Marvel series featuring Mar-Vell, a former Kree soldier turned The Protector of the Universe. Captain Marvel Vol. 1 is Mar-Vell's only long running solo series. The series was launched following the success of Captain Marvel's debut in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 and picks up the story arc from Marvel Super-Heroes #13. The series started in 1968 and lasted until 1979. However due to low sales figures, it was put on hiatus after issue #19 (December 1969). The volume resumed in 1970 for 2 further issues (June and August) but another break ensued until September 1972 when the series returned with a bi-monthly release.
The creation of the Captain Marvel character led to Marvel attaining the rights to the "Captain Marvel" name and forcing DC to rename their Captain Marvel series to " Shazam!". To retain their trademark, Marvel has published a Captain Marvel title every few years since, leading to a number of ongoing and mini series' as well as one-shots featuring a number of different characters using the Captain Marvel identity.
Created by writer/editor Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan, Captain Marvel Vol. 1 also saw the introduction of Carol Danvers a.k.a. Miss Marvel, who would eventually go on to take the title of Captain Marvel (ComicVine, 2013).

The original Marvel version of Captain Marvel seemed more iconic and cool. He was a military officer of the Kree Imperial Militia. Gene Colan's amazing art carried the book, but it was not a big mega hit outside hardcore comic book fans. In 1969, Marvel re-vamped the character with a variation on the version of the character at DC--who became known as "Shazam," when DC lost the trademark to the name Captain Marvel (though the wizard who gave him his powers is Shazam and the "Big Red Cheese" into which Bill Batson transforms is often referred to as Captain Marvel)--and with Mar-Vell exiled to Negative Zone, linked with "Nega-Bands" worn by Rick Jones, could only "come out" to play when Rick clanked the bracelets (Nega Bands) together. I liked the concept much more than Billy's magic word and lightning bolt. This was something a child could mimic. I spent a lot of time knocking my toy Nega Bands together as a child. Goodbye Rick Jones. Hello Captain Mar-Vell.

The revamp gave the good Captain a different costume, which I like, but I love the original much more.

Eventually Marvel brought on board Jim Starlin to helm the comic. He is the creator of Thanos. I have already written about him and since I gave him his own category, obviously, there is more content to come. For now, if you missed it, check out T-shirt #260: Stark R&D.

One of the resources below is a crazy fan page for Captain Marvel in all incarnations. Damn, I love the Internet. Weird, wild stuff.

CAPTAIN MARVEL (MAR-VELL) RESOURCES

CAPTAIN MARVEL COMIC VINE

CAPTAIN MARVEL WIKIPEDIA

CAPTAIN MARVEL (MAR-VELL) MARVEL WIKIA

CAPTAIN MARVEL CULTURE


BOOK REPORT

Having finished these two audio books since my last update (reviews below), I am on to the audio book for Dune Messiah, second in Frank Herbert's DUNE CHRONICLES.

The Shining 
I want a better rating system here in Good Reads. I would give the book a 4.45 and the audio book edition a 5/5. I read this book a long time ago but did not remember well the differences between it and the Kubrick film, which I love. I had been meaning to watch the supposedly more faithful TV adaptation and never have (but I plan to now). I would argue that as frightening as the Kubrick film is, the book is more frightening by far. Jack Torrance's descent into madness is horrible to watch, even if it is more possession than madness. The idea of a family snowbound for the winter while the husband and father loses his mind and becomes a homicidal maniac is truly terrifying just as an idea let alone the story in its execution. Stephen King is exorcising demons here, tackling alcoholism and anger, violence and self-control, in ways that must be fueled by his own personal life, which makes the story all the more compelling. The book is more hopeful than the Kubrick film in its ending, which is appreciated, though the use of the mallet instead of the axe may be contrived solely to allow for the survival of the characters. I hesitate to give the book five stars because I find some of the plot elements a bit hokey, such as the hedge animals, which do not fit with the rest of the story. Their animation seems more out of a Harry Potter type story than this one. This one thing Kubrick wisely eliminates and replaces with the hedge maze, which is more plausible and more frightening. But I do give Campbell Scott's narration an unequivocal five stars. He's brilliant with just a few hints, a few notes, of Nicholson sprinkled into his vocals for angry Jack. I wanted to reread this book in preparation for King's sequel, _Doctor Sleep_, and I am glad I did. Profoundly disturbing. A MUST read.

The Woman in Black
This is a quick read in the Victorian style. It sounds like Dickens in its prose and its rhythms and the audio edition is brilliantly narrated. The description of the setting of the remote Eel Marsh House out the Nine Lives Causeway is definitely the best part of the book. The haunting itself and its subsequent mystery along with the final shocker are all rather predictable, though not unenjoyable. For fans of ghost stories and period pieces, it's worth a read. Though I am not inspired to read more by Susan Hill despite her deft touch and skill as a writer. Perhaps I am simply jaded and expect too much from my books.

OKAY, JUST ONE MORE WORD ON CAPTAIN MARVEL

In the cover gallery I am sharing, I will end with the most recent incarnation of Captain Marvel as Carol Danvers, the long time Ms. Marvel, Warbird, and Binary finally assumes the mantle of Captain Marvel long ago implied. A new comic features Carol as Captain Marvel. I am not reading it but maybe that will change. Here's two good articles on hero upgrades or "titles to watch" in MARVEL NOW.

TOP FIVE TITLES TO WATCH IN MARVEL NOW

TOP TEN SUPERHERO UPGRADES IN MARVEL NOW

WEEKLY COMIC LIST

Again, I want to point out the ever-shrinking back log as I get caught up on more comics. Even with catching up somewhat, I am falling behind as well because I did not read all the comics that came out last week before fetching this week's comics.

For the next two weeks, comics will come out on Tuesday. I doubt I will deviate from presenting my lists on Friday, though. I am unlikely to go fetch comics on this coming Tuesday, Christmas Eve, as that's a day for family, with my wife and kids. And given that the following Tuesday is New Year's Eve, I am unlikely to fetch comics then either, though I know better: never say never.

I would also like to point out some other changes to the weekly list. Please note (if this interests you, otherwise why are you reading this) that not only has Codename: Action broken out of the back log, it has jumped to fourth!! Daredevil enjoys a higher slot this week.

Not surprising to see Fantastic Four in my top slot, given the books that came out this week, even though Fraction and Bagley have left the book.  Uncanny Avengers jumped up some spots on the strength of the last issue. Even though Stuart Immonen did not draw All New X-Men #020, it takes the second slot on the strength of the story alone. Thank you Brian Bendis. Okay, I am lying. It jumped to number two because of the cover in the image above. Geez. I am such a stupid fan boy.

Of the list below, I have read through Young Avengers so far. I almost brought forward a book from last week, but I changed my mind after I leafed through it. all of the top eight comics were good reads, though I must say that the one with the biggest impact was The Superior Spider-Man #024. This comic had a lull in its run, but it has consistently delivered quality story lines, and as it gears up to issue #25, get ready for a blockbuster!

I decided to return one comic because I am not reading it. It's a difficult thing to order comics two months in advance and then have them fall into the back log.

COMICS FOR 1312.18

Fantastic Four #015
All New X-Men #020
Daredevil #034
Codename: Action #4
X-Men #008
Uncanny Avengers #015
The Superior Spider-Man #024
Young Avengers #014
FF # 015
Thor: God of Thunder #016
Avengers Assemble: Inhumanity #021
Avengers Assemble: Inhumanity #022
Secret Avengers #013
Red Sonja #6
Saga #17
Mind the Gap #16
Birds of Prey #26
Wonder Woman #26
Indestructible Hulk: Inhumanity #017
Black Science #2
The Amazing Spider-Man #700.4
The Amazing Spider-Man #700.5

BACK LOG
Cataclysm Ultimate X-Men #002
Uncanny X-Force #015
Ten Grand #6

OTHER
Locus v.71 #6

RETURNED
Max Brooks' Extinction Agenda

CAPTAIN MAR-VELL COVER GALLERY

This was my second Captain Marvel comic.

Oh yeah!
Did I mention that Captain Marvel died of cancer?

COUNTDOWN TO THE END OF THE BLOG YEAR - 91 shirts remaining

- chris tower - first published - 1312.20 - 20:44
final publication - 1312.21 - 13:40