# Captain Marvel Captain Marvel is a Marvel Comics superhero name held by several characters since 1967, most famously the alien Mar-Vell and Air Force pilot Carol Danvers. The 2019 Brie Larson film adaptation turned the character into a flashpoint for online debate, spawning petitions, review-bombing campaigns and a policy overhaul at Rotten Tomatoes. ## Overview Captain Marvel is a Marvel Comics superhero identity that has passed through several characters since 1967, not to be confused with the DC Comics hero of the same name who now goes by Shazam[6]. The two best-known holders of the title are Mar-Vell, an extraterrestrial Kree operative, and Carol Danvers, a former United States Air Force pilot who inherited the mantle after her DNA fused with Mar-Vell's in an explosion[1]. The modern version of the character, Carol Danvers, gained mainstream recognition through the 2019 Marvel Studios film starring Brie Larson in the title role and Samuel L. Jackson as a de-aged Nick Fury[1]. The film's release turned Captain Marvel from a mid-tier comics property into a lightning rod for online arguments about representation, casting and film criticism, prompting a rare procedural change at Rotten Tomatoes[3]. Within internet culture, Captain Marvel is now shorthand for the 2019 review-bombing episode and the wave of petitions and YouTube commentary that surrounded the movie's release, rather than for any single image macro or catchphrase[5]. Urban Dictionary entries from 2019 collect the sarcastic and dismissive language fans and detractors adopted around the film[7]. ## How It Spread The first trailer for the film went up on September 18th, 2018 and pulled in more than 20 million YouTube views within its first 24 hours[1]. Coverage of Larson herself had already been building for years, with long-form profiles in Vanity Fair in 2017 and Marie Claire ahead of the film's launch tracking her path from child actor to Oscar winner for Room[2][8]. As the March 2019 release approached, backlash groups on YouTube and comment boards started organising against the movie, and Rotten Tomatoes was flooded with pre-release negative user ratings on the 'Want to See' meter[3]. On February 25th, 2019, Rotten Tomatoes announced it was removing the pre-release 'Want to See' score and disabling user comments before a film's opening, a change widely reported as a direct response to the Captain Marvel campaign[3]. The conversation kept spreading after release. A petition on ThePetitionSite demanded Larson step down so a 'gay woman of color' such as Monica Rambeau could take the role, ultimately gathering only 32 signatures but drawing wider attention through outlets covering the backlash[4][5]. Bounding Into Comics amplified the petition and quoted YouTube commentator Eric July's criticism of how Rambeau was portrayed in the film[5]. Urban Dictionary submissions from 2019 captured the mocking side of the discourse, pointing to the film's 53% audience score as proof it had flopped with fans[7]. ## How to Use Online, Captain Marvel is typically referenced in two ways. In comics discussions it functions as a shorthand disambiguation, with fans clarifying whether they mean Mar-Vell, Carol Danvers or the DC Shazam version[6]. In meme and review-culture contexts it is often invoked as a template case for review bombing and pre-release ratings manipulation, cited alongside the 2019 Rotten Tomatoes policy change whenever a similar campaign flares up around a later release[3]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Captain Marvel? Captain Marvel is a Marvel Comics superhero name held by multiple characters since 1967, most notably the Kree alien Mar-Vell and Air Force pilot Carol Danvers[1]. ### Where did Captain Marvel come from? Mar-Vell debuted in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 in December 1967, and Carol Danvers first appeared in the following issue in March 1968[1]. ### What does Captain Marvel mean? Online today it usually refers to Carol Danvers and the 2019 Marvel Studios film, and is often used as shorthand for the review-bombing controversy that surrounded that release[3]. ### How do you use Captain Marvel? In meme contexts it is commonly cited as a reference case for review bombing and pre-release rating campaigns, especially in discussions of the 2019 Rotten Tomatoes policy overhaul[3]. ### Is Captain Marvel still popular? The character is still a fixture of Marvel Comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Brie Larson's 2019 film cementing Carol Danvers as the mainstream face of the name[1]. ### Who plays Captain Marvel in the movie? Brie Larson plays Carol Danvers in the 2019 film, with Samuel L. Jackson co-starring as a younger Nick Fury[1]. ### Why is Captain Marvel controversial online? The 2019 film drew organised backlash on YouTube and Rotten Tomatoes, along with a petition asking Larson to step down in favour of a woman of color like Monica Rambeau[4][5]. ### How did Rotten Tomatoes respond to the Captain Marvel backlash? On February 25th, 2019 Rotten Tomatoes stopped showing the pre-release 'Want to See' percentage and disabled user comments before a film's release[3]. ### How well did the first Captain Marvel trailer perform? The debut trailer on September 18th, 2018 pulled in more than 20 million YouTube views in its first 24 hours[1]. ### Is Captain Marvel the same as Shazam? No. DC's original Captain Marvel character, created by C.C. Beck and Bill Parker in 1939, is now marketed as Shazam to avoid confusion with the Marvel trademark[6]. ## References 1. [https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/04/brie-larson-cover-story]() 2. [https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/making-some-changes/]() 3. [https://www.thepetitionsite.com/972/607/589/demand-captain-marvel-is-played-by-a-woman-of-color-not-brie-larson/]() 4. [https://boundingintocomics.com/2019/05/01/petition-demands-captain-marvel-be-played-by-gay-woman-of-color-not-brie-larson/]() 5. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/subcultures/captain-marvel]() 6. [https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Captain%20Marvel]() 7. [https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/entertainment/tv-and-film/brie-larson-641750]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/captain-marvel Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library