# Where did the trend of naming superheroes with the prefix "Captain" come from? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2016, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257 "2016-09-07T06:10:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/21 "2016-09-07T15:19:21Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Well, yeah, I was reading the first sentence and thinking “gee, you mean Batman minus the weird clothing?” Well, [his clothing got fairly weird](http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=16328) in the comics; I guess the idea was, _hey, he’s fighting bad guys and has an alter ego; let’s have Captain Midnight dress more like a superhero._ ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/22 "2016-09-07T15:59:07Z")
So, are there more Captain Superheroes than [Dr Supervillains](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate)? Or do they cancel each other out? ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/23 "2016-09-07T18:31:58Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > There was a DC villain named Major Disaster. I keep waiting for a cybervillain named Colonel Panic. There was a Captain America villain named Captain Nazi, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/24 "2016-09-07T18:47:54Z")
DC’s lighthearted response to Captain America was patriotic do-gooder [General Glory](http://static3.comicvine.com/uploads/original/1/15972/310960-150826-general-glory.gif). ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/25 "2016-09-07T18:58:00Z")
Kind of a different thing but in military installations, usually the Navy or Coast Guard, the Commanding Officer of the installation is often called “Captain”, despite his or her actual rank. For example, in “The Caine Mutiny” Humphrey Bogart’s character is sometimes referred to as Captain Queeg although his official Navy rank is Lieutenant Commander (two pay grades below what a real Captain is). Or an important business leader is sometimes called “A Captain of Industry” ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/26 "2016-09-07T19:21:16Z")
Colonel Carol Danvers calls herself Captain Marvel. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/27 "2016-09-07T19:32:35Z")
I thought she was Ms. Marvel. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Chihuahua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@Chihuahua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chihuahua)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/28 "2016-09-07T19:39:50Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I thought she was Ms. Marvel. > > Regards, > Shodan She was. Carol Danvers switched her name to Captain Marvel in 2012. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/29 "2016-09-07T20:23:52Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > How come none of them has ever been promoted? Or is someone else **Major America** and they just have a desk job back at HQ. Guardians of the Galaxy member Vance Astro took the name Major Victory after he acquired the shield formerly belonging to Captain America. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/30 "2016-09-07T20:31:22Z")
[Captain Sticky!](http://nightflight.com/meet-captain-sticky/) [(Passed away in 2005. Here’s a picture of him with Stan Lee.)](http://www.newsfromme.com/2005/01/29/captain-sticky-r-i-p/) I was in a superhero role-playing-game a few years back; my character was “Captain Doctor.” ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/31 "2016-09-07T21:13:25Z")
A captain, Army type not Navy, is high enough to have some authority but not so high that he wouldn’t take place in front line combat. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/32 "2016-09-08T03:20:53Z")
For your enlisted types I give you that unsung vigilante: **Corporal Punishment.** Ba-dum-CHEE. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/33 "2016-09-08T04:29:17Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > I was in a superhero role-playing-game a few years back; my character was “Captain Doctor.” So you were playing both sides of the fence? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/34 "2016-09-08T05:49:35Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > So you were playing both sides of the fence? Grin! Yes, yes, and yes! The character was only an actor, pretending to be a superhero, with an inflatable “muscle” suit. Then he’d go and do a quick-change, and come back in persona as “Mentalissimo,” a mystic/mentalist. Then another change, into a tuxedo, and he was “Agent Spy.” Gaw Dam I had fun with that character! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/35 "2016-09-08T06:10:07Z")
Don’t forget Professor Chaos (Butters) and his sidekick, General Disarray (Dougie) from South Park. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/36 "2016-09-08T14:57:17Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > There was a Captain America villain named Captain Nazi, I believe. [There was](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Nazi). But he really should have been Hauptmann Nazi. Or Hauptsturmführer Nazi, if he was in the SS. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/37 "2016-09-09T15:48:42Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > [There was](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Nazi). > > But he really should have been Hauptmann Nazi. Or Hauptsturmführer Nazi, if he was in the SS. That’s a Captain _ **Marvel** _ (DC) villain, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/38 "2016-09-09T17:01:08Z")
> [@TheChileanBlob](#): > > [Captain Underpants!](http://www.reading-rewards.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/captain-underpants-badge.jpg) Or from The Big Bang Theory, Captain Sweatpants! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/39 "2016-09-09T20:44:18Z")
I think the ambiguity of the terms has an effect: Major Malfunction: A big screwup or a superhero? General Malfunction: A widespread problem or a superhero? Captain Malfunction: Oh, that must be a superhero. (Lieutenant Malfunction: That’s redundant.) ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257/40 "2016-09-09T21:34:36Z")
AFAIK, the original Captain Marvel was the earliest use of the title in comics. Here are all the superheroic Captains I can list from memory: Captain Marvel (at least 7 of them) Captain Marvel Jr. Captain America Captain Britain Captain Canuck Captain Atom Captain Victory Captain Glory Captain Flash Captain Comet Captain 3-D Captain Action Captain Thunder Captain Trips Captain Planet Captain Universe Captain Metropolis Captain Ultra Captain Shazam The parodies and humorous characters: Captain Klutz Captain Tootsie Jughead as Captain Hero Captain Nice Captain Incredible Captain Everything Captain Carrot Captain Avenger Captain Justice Captain Victorious And the villains: Captain Cold Captain Boomerang Captain Stingaree Captain Nazi Captain Rumble [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-trend-of-naming-superheroes-with-the-prefix-captain-come-from/765257.md?page=3)