History Creator / FawcettComics

Fawcett Comics, a division of Fawcett Publications, was one of several successful comic book publishers during the GoldenAge of Comic Books in the 1940s. Its most popular character was [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]], the alter ego of boy radio reporter Billy Batson, who transformed into the hero whenever he said the magic word "Shazam!" Other characters published by Fawcett include Series/CaptainVideo, Hopalong Cassidy, [[Characters/ShazamOthers Ibis the Invincible, Bulletman and Bulletgirl, Spy Smasher]], Captain Midnight, Phantom Eagle, [[Characters/ShazamOthers Mister Scarlet and Pinky, Minute-Man]], Commando Yank and Golden Arrow.

Fawcett Comics, a division of Fawcett Publications, was one of several successful comic book publishers during the GoldenAge of Comic Books in the 1940s. Its most popular character was [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]], the alter ego of boy radio reporter Billy Batson, who transformed into the hero whenever he said the magic word "Shazam!" Other characters published by Fawcett include Captain Video, Hopalong Cassidy, Ibis the Invincible, Bulletman and Bulletgirl, Spy Smasher, Captain Midnight, Phantom Eagle, Mister Scarlet and Pinky, Minute-Man, Commando Yank and Golden Arrow.

Facing a declining comics market and with their other divisions flourishing, particularly the flagship ''Mechanix Illustrated'' which had struck gold with Tom [=McCahill's=] [[GearheadShow new-car road tests]] (the first to appear in an American publication), in 1953 Fawcett Comics ceased publication of its superhero titles and settled the ongoing case. Astonishingly after having spent a full decade in court over the ''copyrights'', neither National nor Fawcett insisted on provisions to keep the ''trademarks'' active so that nobody else could start calling their [[Creator/MarvelComics comics "Marvel"]]. Several of Fawcett's completed stories and artwork, as well as a few characters, were sold to Creator/CharltonComics. Fawcett returned to publishing comics in the 1960s, but mainly to publish ''ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUS'' and other books of reprinted NewspaperComics.

In the late 1960s Creator/MarvelComics gained the trademark "[[ComicBook/CaptainMarVell Captain Marvel]]" with its first series. In 1972 DC licensed — and in 1994, purchased — Captain Marvel and his related characters. Because of Marvel's trademark, DC has instead used the trademark ''Shazam!'' as the title of its Captain Marvel-related comic books and thus the name under which [[IAmNotShazam it markets and promotes the character]]. In 1973, Shazam and the Marvel family became an additional Earth (to the pre-ComicBook/{{Crisis|on Infinite Earths}} DC continuity), known for a period of time as Earth-S.

Facing a declining comics market and with their other divisions flourishing, particularly the flagship ''Mechanix Illustrated'' which had struck gold with Tom [=McCahill's=] [[GearheadShow new-car road tests]] (the first to appear in an American publication), in 1953 Fawcett Comics ceased publication of its superhero titles and settled the ongoing case. Astonishingly after having spent a full decade in court over the ''copyrights'', neither National nor Fawcett insisted on provisions to keep the ''trademarks'' active so that nobody else could start calling their [[Creator/MarvelComics comics "Marvel"]]. Several of Fawcett's completed stories and artwork, as well as a few characters, were sold to Creator/CharltonComics. Fawcett returned to publishing comics in the 1960s, but mainly to publish ''ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUS'' and other such titles.

Fawcett Comics, a division of Fawcett Publications, was one of several successful comic book publishers during the GoldenAge of Comic Books in the 1940s. Its most popular character was [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]], the alter ego of radio reporter Billy Batson, who transformed into the hero whenever he said the magic word "Shazam!" Other characters published by Fawcett include Captain Video, Hopalong Cassidy, Ibis the Invincible, Bulletman and Bulletgirl, Spy Smasher, Captain Midnight, Phantom Eagle, Mister Scarlet and Pinky, Minute-Man, Commando Yank and Golden Arrow.

Facing a declining comics market and with their other divisions flourishing, particularly the flagship ''Mechanix Illustrated'' which had struck gold with Tom [=McCahill's=] [[GearheadShow new-car road tests]] (the first to appear in an American publication), in 1953 Fawcett Comics ceased publication of its superhero titles and settled the ongoing case. Astonishingly after having spent a full decade in court over them, neither National nor Fawcett insisted on provisions to keep the trademarks active so that nobody else could start calling their comics "Marvel". Several of Fawcett's completed stories and artwork, as well as a few characters, were sold to Creator/CharltonComics. Fawcett returned to publishing comics in the 1960s, but mainly to publish ''ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUS'' and other such titles.

Facing a declining comics market and with their other divisions flourishing, particularly the flagship ''Mechanix Illustrated'' which had struck gold with Tom [=McCahill's=] [[GearheadShow new-car road tests]] (the first to appear in an American publication), in 1953 Fawcett Comics ceased publication of its superhero titles and settled the ongoing case. Several of Fawcett's completed stories and artwork, as well as a few characters, were sold to Creator/CharltonComics. Fawcett returned to publishing comics in the 1960s, but mainly to publish ''ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUS'' and other such titles.

Facing a declining comics market and with their other divisions flourishing,particularly the flagship ''Mechanix Illustrated'' which had struck gold with Tom [=McCahill's=] [[GearheadShow new-car road tests]] (the first to appear in an American publication), in 1953 Fawcett Comics ceased publication of its superhero titles and settled the ongoing case. Several of Fawcett's completed stories and artwork, as well as a few characters, were sold to Creator/CharltonComics. Fawcett returned to publishing comics in the 1960s, but mainly to publish ''ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUS'' and other such titles.

Facing a declining comics market, in 1953 Fawcett Comics ceased publication of its superhero titles and settled the ongoing case. (The non-comic book divisions of Fawcett, led by the flagship ''Mechanix Illustrated'', continued to publish.) Several of Fawcett's completed stories and artwork, as well as a few characters, were sold to Creator/CharltonComics. Fawcett returned to publishing comics in the 1960s, but mainly to publish ''ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUS'' and other such titles.

Facing a declining comics market, in 1953 Fawcett Comics ceased publication of its superhero titles and settled the ongoing case. (The non-comic book divisions of Fawcett continued to publish.) Several of Fawcett's completed stories and artwork, as well as a few characters, were sold to Creator/CharltonComics. Fawcett returned to publishing comics in the 1960s, but mainly to publish ''ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUS'' and other such titles.

In the late 1960s Creator/MarvelComics gained the trademark "[[ComicBook/CaptainMarVell Captain Marvel]]" with its first series. In 1972 DC licensed — and in 1994, purchased — Captain Marvel and his related characters. Because of Marvel's trademark, DC has instead used the trademark ''Shazam!'' as the title of its Captain Marvel-related comic books and thus the name under which [[IAmNotShazam it markets and promotes the character]]. In 1973, Shazam and the Marvel family became an additional Earth (to the PreCrisis DC continuity), known for a period of time as Earth-S.