DC’s First Superhero Movie: 1941’s Adventures of Captain Marvel
Before superheroes dominated the big screen, one of the earliest live-action adaptations was a groundbreaking moment for comic book cinema. DC’s first superhero film wasn’t about Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman – it featured a hero now better known by a different name. Interestingly, this superhero shared a name with a prominent Marvel Comics character who wouldn’t debut until decades later, leading to one of the most infamous legal disputes in comic book history.
The DC timeline is filled with comparable characters from Marvel Comics, with some particularly notorious examples. While their rivalry was often blown out of proportion, one character proved to be a point of contention for DC. It spawned years of lawsuits, rights issues, and an eventual name change.
In 1941, Republic Pictures released Adventures of Captain Marvel, a 12-chapter film serial starring Tom Tyler as the titular hero. It marked the first live-action adaptation of a comic book superhero, predating DC’s Superman or Batman on the silver screen. The story followed Billy Batson, who transforms into Captain Marvel to battle a mysterious villain known as the Scorpion.