Music legend Elvis Presley's iconic jumpsuits are rooted in an unlikely source... his childhood love of comic books. Some argue that the King's signatures, his spit curl, TCB logo, and 70s-era outfits, are all heavily inspired by Captain Marvel Jr.
CAPTAIN MARVEL Jr. comics #4 Fawcett *classic* WWII cover Mac Raboy whiz master https://t.co/T7G0sdJ8XC #ad pic.twitter.com/ueSiqyrlsP
— ClassicModern Comics (@ComicsModernAge) May 6, 2024
Captain Marvel Jr., also known as Freddie Freeman, is a teenage superhero created by Fawcett Comics in the 1940s, who transforms into his superpowered alter ego by saying "Captain Marvel." Gifted with the power of Shazam to save his life, his character, which ran for 118 issues until 1953, later became part of DC Comics.
Captain Marvel Jr. might look familiar to Elvis fans. He sports black hair styled in a spit curl (Presley's was blonde, famously dyed black). He wears a cape that goes down just past his back. Meanwhile, the symbol on his chest is s stylized lightning bolt...
It's no wonder the teen hero appealed to a young, poverty-stricken Elvis. Freeman represents the working-class people of the WWII era, dealing with darker themes and living with poverty and disability until transforming into his superhero self.
Growing up in Tupelo, Elvis often lost himself in Captain Marvel Jr. comics, fueling his imagination. Facing poverty and feeling like an outsider, he found comfort in comics and empowerment through music.
Elvis Presley sporting one of his famous jumpsuits circa 1973 compared to a Shazam (aka Captain Marvel) cosplayer in 2019. (Photos by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Elvis' iconic TCB (Taking Care of Business) logo, incorporating the letters T, C, and B alongside a central lightning bolt, strikingly mirrors the lightning bolt symbol of Captain Marvel Jr. It's tough to believe this is all by chance.
Presley's iconic "TCB" logo was likely inspired by Captain Marvel Jr. (Photo by Sion Touhig/Getty Images)
Elvis Presley's Jumpsuit Comes Full Circle
The 2022 biopic Elvis, starring Austin Butler, pushes the rock legend's connection to the superhero even further. The Baz Luhrmann-directed film explicitly shows a young Presley reading an issue of Captain Marvel Jr.
At one point, he even dresses up as the character.
A young Presley shown reading Captain Marvel Jr in Baz Luhrmann's 2022 biopic "Elvis". (Image via YouTube / Warner Brothers)
Of course, the influence of Captain Marvel on Elvis, from his TCB logo to his jumpsuits, wasn't lost on comic book creators. The 1996 limited series Kingdom Come is set in a distant future of the DC universe. In it, artist Alex Ross transformed Freddie Freeman into King Marvel. The character wore a jumpsuit with a high collar and bell-bottom boots, designed as an homage to Elvis's iconic style.
@Ssnyder1835 How awesome is this Alex Ross sketch of King Marvel? pic.twitter.com/kaOeLHc5
— BYOB Kenobi Force Ghosted (@heathater) August 17, 2012
Taking it even further circle, Freddie Freeman in the modern comics is openly a fan of Elvis. Maybe it's just a matter of time before Captain Marvel Jr inspires the next music superstar.
