NorthRaider Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 (edited) So I was just about to start updating the MMMV wiki with info on DC Direct waves 5-8 when I hit a little snag. The thread title should explain it all: what on earth do I officially dub the article on this guy?! Do I go with the actual in-universe name of the character (Captain Marvel) or do I go with the name on the official DCD packaging ("Shazam!")? If I go with the latter, should it be "Shazam" or "Shazam!"? If I go with the former, what do I do if we get ANOTHER Captain Marvel minimate like Monica Rambeau from Marvel Secret Wars (since I apparently don't have the ability to rename articles)? I could probably use both names via parentheses, but do I type it "Shazam! (Captain Marvel)" or "Captain Marvel (Shazam!)" ? Or should it be "Captain Marvel (Billy Batson)"?! And on that note, what do I do about Mary Marvel? Do I use her in-universe name or just plain call her "Mary"?! Yeah, apologies if this question sounds inane or ridiculous... I just wanted to get the Multiverse's consensus on possibly the best route to go with something like this, since the wiki is still a forum resource and it would be nice if the info stayed as clear, up-to-date and accurate as possible. Edited May 25, 2009 by NorthRaider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Great question & after some deliberation I have come to the conclusion that ................. .....that is an excellent question Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdubya Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 (edited) Hmmm, while "Captain Marvel" is more accurate (as Shazam! is what he says rather than a name) and it is already established that it is DC, I suppose I'd ultimately go with what is printed on the package since that is what is being cataloged. Admittedly, I've always had a tendency to call him Shazam (or unnecessarily specify DC Captain Marvel) myself to avoid confusion as I immediately picture Mar-Vell when I hear the name (though even that gets confusing with the addition of Monica and now Genis). Nevertheless, Captain Marvel will always be Mar-Vell in my mind. BTW DST, where is my Mar-Vell 'mate (with Genis variant, packed with Kree Warrior army builder)? I'll accept "Series 31 or 32" as an answer. *This does smack of a new poll to annoy moderators: "Who comes to mind when you hear the name Captain Marvel ?" Edited May 23, 2009 by cdubya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniFiend UK Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I would go with Shazam! When I think Captain Marvel I think the Red/Blue Mar-Vell costume. funny on seeing a picture of Monica I do think captain Marvel instead of any of her trillion of other code names. back to DC my vote is Shazam! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 What about Ares & Ares? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirymate Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 List it officially as Shazam, but make sure you can get to the article if you search for Captain Marvel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthRaider Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 Thanks everyone I'll probably just mention his actual "Captain Marvel" name in the content of the article itself or something, then start up a disambiguation page should we magically get Monica or Mar-Vell (or Genis-Vell, or that Amalgam guy, or whoever) within the next few months. I guess this just leaves the problem of Mary Marvel (or just "Mary", according to DCD's packaging)... what of her? What about Ares & Ares? Ohhhhhhhhhhhh....... crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastmaximal Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 (edited) a disambiguation page should suffice for dealing with the Ares duo. also, the Transformers Wiki lists the canon name of the character as the article title, THEN has the toy-packaging name listed in a a separate section on toys. this might be useful for the Mary issue [or anything like it, frankly]. for instance this page for G1 Shockwave [see how it lists Alternators Shockblast, a toy representing that iteration of the character and released during the years they didn't have the Shockwave trademark, in toys -- this is a case similar to Shazam's]. of course, if it's a toy-only wiki, my suggestion is more or less moot. in that case, i'll go along with cdubya's suggestion -- we're listing the toys under their official release names, so that should be it. Mary's will be very plain and not very comic-like, but oh well. Edited May 23, 2009 by lastmaximal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov80 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I won't say, but if you don't make the right decision, I'm gonna delete your whole entry. So, choose wisely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthRaider Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 ... which almost begs the question why I don't see anyone else working on the wiki nowadays. ... and now I feel like I've gone back to square one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drgnrbrn316 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 ... which almost begs the question why I don't see anyone else working on the wiki nowadays. It's all I can do to keep the HQ up to date, so adding a second website to the pile won't do anyone any favors. I'll be happy to link to your hard work though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lantern Returns Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I call mine Captain Marvel as that is what he is referred to in DCU by everyone. I would go with Ares (DC) and Ares (Marvel), or heck place them both and have links to both universes. Could be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjwspider Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Officially, within the DCU, the character would be called Captain Marvel. However, due to copyright issues, DC can't release a title with that name - hence the Shazam! title we've grown accustomed to seeing (in addition to the fact Capt. Marvel is considered a fair use property in some countries - like the UK where we got Miracle Man/Marvel Man). I would suggest the Captain Marvel (Shazam!) title to reference the character. Then again, either one would be technically correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniFiend UK Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 What about Ares & Ares? Sounds like a law firm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimadman Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 What about Ares & Ares? Sounds like a law firm. A law firm that you would not want to trifle with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 What about Ares & Ares? Sounds like a law firm. A law firm that you would not want to trifle with. Custard,Cream & Sponge are a law firm not to trifle with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marquis de Carabas Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 Officially, within the DCU, the character would be called Captain Marvel. However, due to copyright issues, DC can't release a title with that name - hence the Shazam! title we've grown accustomed to seeing (in addition to the fact Capt. Marvel is considered a fair use property in some countries - like the UK where we got Miracle Man/Marvel Man). I would suggest the Captain Marvel (Shazam!) title to reference the character. Then again, either one would be technically correct. I always figured it was something like that, now I know for sure =] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsomedevil Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 I know what he's "supposed" to be called, but he's been Shazam to me since I was a kid. Old habits die hard... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fo Shizzle Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Shazam for president!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthRaider Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 (edited) My final "solution." Thank the wiki gods for redirects. Moreover, my final solution for Mary Marvel. Anything beyond these revisions shall hereby call for new disambiguation links. I think. EDIT: Damn exclamation point. Back to the drawing board. Edited May 30, 2009 by NorthRaider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Vox Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 It would be an interesting DC Universe if ol' Shazam had won the law suit disputes with Supes back in the day... if memory serves, there was a time where Billy Batson and his alter ego were a bigger selling book than Superman... Weird to think about with today's perspective. I tried to vote for Shazam for President but the hanging chad's messed me up.. those ballots are so confussing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricM Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Shazam is the name of the Wizard. Captain Marvel is Billy's heroic alter ego. The reason Shazam is on the package is because of rights issues with the name Captain Marvel due to Marvel comics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellpop Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 It would be an interesting DC Universe if ol' Shazam had won the law suit disputes with Supes back in the day... if memory serves, there was a time where Billy Batson and his alter ego were a bigger selling book than Superman... Weird to think about with today's perspective. I tried to vote for Shazam for President but the hanging chad's messed me up.. those ballots are so confussing... He was, in fact, the biggest selling character of the Golden Age. I always thought that DC didn't have much of a case (beyond the surface strongmen with dark hair and capes look, there's very little similarity). Apparently, the courts didn't agree. Shazam is the name of the Wizard. Captain Marvel is Billy's heroic alter ego. The reason Shazam is on the package is because of rights issues with the name Captain Marvel due to Marvel comics. True. Marvel owns the trademark to Captain Marvel. In the '60's, when they heard that DC was negotiating to use the character, they rushed out a character of their own to secure the trademark (I guess they didn't want to try and outbid DC). That's also why Marvel has to have a book with 'Captain Marvel' in the title out every couple of years, or they risk loosing the trademark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirymate Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Unfortunately, handsomedevil makes a good, if sad, point. For nearly 40 years now, Captain Marvel has been marketed only as Shazam. To the vast marjority of people, he's Shazam. Trying to explain the why's and wherefores will get you a blank look and a head shake. It's not "fair", it's not "right", but it's how it is. Captian Marvel doesn't deserve the fate he's been handed, stripped of his name, stripped of his history, reduced to a third stringer who can't keep his own title or even make it on a team book, partially cause you can never put his name on a cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TENIME_art Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Shazam is the name of the Wizard. Captain Marvel is Billy's heroic alter ego. This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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