Captain Marvel (DC Comics) abilities. Based on book sales, the character was the most popular superhero of the 1940s, outselling even Superman. Fawcett expanded the franchise to include other "Marvels", primarily Marvel Family associates Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr., who can harness Billy's powers as well. Captain Marvel was also the first comic book superhero to be adapted into film, in a 1941 Republic Pictures serial titled "Adventures of Captain Marvel". Fawcett ceased publishing Captain Marvel-related comics in 1953, partly because of a copyright infringement suit from DC Comics, alleging that Captain Marvel was a copy of Superman. In 1972, DC licensed the
Marvel Super-Heroes (comics) Marvel Super-Heroes (comics) Marvel Super-Heroes is the name of several comic book series and specials published by Marvel Comics. The first was the one-shot "Marvel Super Heroes Special" #1 (Oct. 1966) produced as a tie-in to "The Marvel Super Heroes" animated television program, reprinting "Daredevil" #1 (April 1964) and "The Avengers" #2 (Nov. 1963), plus two stories from the 1930s-1940s period fans and historians call Golden Age of comic books: "The Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner Meet" ("Marvel Mystery Comics" #8, June 1940), and the first Marvel story by future editor-in-chief Stan Lee, the two-page text piece "Captain America Foils