Hoppy the Marvel Bunny is a fictional comic book superhero and funny animal originally published by Fawcett Comics as a spin-off of Captain Marvel. He was created by Chad Grothkopf, and debuted in Fawcett's Funny Animals #1 (December 1942). Hoppy is now owned by DC Comics, and has made periodic appearances in Captain Marvel-related stories. Whiz Comics #2, the first appearance of Captain Marvel, the companys most popular character. ... Big C logo, used from Sept. ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... In comic books, first appearance refers to first comic book to feature a character. ... The Marvel Family is a group of fictional characters, a team of superheroes in the Fawcett Comics and DC Comics universes. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... For the Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode, see Super Hero (Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode). ... Bugs Bunny, a typical funny animal character Funny animal is a cartooning term for the genre of comics and animated cartoons in which the main characters are humanoid or talking animals. ... Whiz Comics #2, the first appearance of Captain Marvel, the companys most popular character. ... For other uses, see Captain Marvel. ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ...

Publication history

Hoppy debuted in Fawcett's Funny Animals #1, and appears in nearly every issue of that comic's run. From December of 1945 to September 1947, Hoppy appeared in his own series, Hoppy the Marvel Bunny. This title ran for fifteen issues and features several Hoppy stories per issue, along with stories featuring his old co-stars from Fawcett's Funny Animal.

For a span of five issues (#49-54, May-October 1947), Hoppy made no appearances in Fawcett's Funny Animal; these issues featured Billy the Kid and Oscar as the lead feature. Beginning with #55, Hoppy returned as the main feature. In Fawcett's Funny Animals #69 (February 1951), the Captain Marvel Bunny stories were dropped, to be replaced by stories with just Hoppy. There was no further mention of his career as Captain Marvel Bunny. In issue #80 the word "Fawcett's" was dropped from the title, making the remaining issues simply Funny Animals. The final issue of Funny Animals was #83 (1953).

After Fawcett cancelled Funny Animals, the rights to many of its characters were purchased by Charlton Comics. Charlton resumed publication of "Funny Animals" with #84 and continued the series to #91 (February 1956). Hoppy also appeared in Charlton's Atomic Mouse, though these stories appear to be edited reprints from Fawcett's Funny Animals. For these reprints, Charlton removed the lightning bolt from Marvel Bunny's suit, changed his name to Magic Bunny, and changed his magic word to "Alizam!". He is alternately referred to in various Charlton books as "Hoppy", "Happy", and "Happy the Magic Bunny".

After the Fawcett characters were purchased from Charlton by DC Comics, Hoppy returned in DC Comics Presents #34 (June 1981). Hoppy has turned up sporadically at DC Comics a few times over the years since, most notably in the The Oz-Wonderland War #2, and in The Power of Shazam! #29.

Fictional character biography

Hoppy is a pink bunny rabbit who lives in the town of Funny Animalville, along with an assortment of other funny animal characters. As revealed in the origin story from Fawcett's Funny Animals #1, Hoppy is a fan of Captain Marvel. One day he decides to emulate his hero and speaks the magic word "Shazam!" Surprisingly, the magic word transforms Hoppy into Captain Marvel Bunny.

In "Fawcett's Funny Animals" #30 (July 1945), an explanation for Hoppy's powers is revealed. In the story "Hoppy Meets the Wizard Bunny", Hoppy is hit on the head and develops amnesia. The mysterious Wizard Bunny (or Bunny Wizard, both versions are used) is watching, and he flies down to help Hoppy regain his memory. A panel in this story states "Because it was he who bestowed the magic word and power upon Hoppy, the Bunny Wizard flies down to Earth to help Hoppy". Eventually the Wizard gets Hoppy to say "Shazam!" and his memory is restored, along with his abilities. This is the Bunny Wizard's only known appearance.

The word "Shazam!" has a slightly different meaning for Hoppy. According to the E. Nelson Bridwell scripted story, The Oz-Wonderland Wars #2, Captain Marvel Bunny has the wisdom of Salamander, the strength of Hogules, the stamina of Antlers, the power of Zebreus, the courage of Abalone, and the speed of Monkury. E. Nelson Bridwell was a writer for Mad magazine and for DC Comics. ...

Hoppy's stories occasionally feature his girlfriend Millie, who (like Lois Lane) despises the meek Hoppy but worships the heroic Captain Marvel Bunny. Millie has no idea that Hoppy could become the Marvel Bunny. For the Dutch girl group, see Loïs Lane. ...

Hoppy has very few recurring enemies, with one notable exception. In Fawcett's Funny Animals #22 (1944), Captain Marvel Bunny battles the villainous Storm King, a magical foe responsible for creating storms, who lives on a black storm cloud high in the sky. Hoppy never encounters the Storm King again, but eleven years later he returned to face Charlton Comics' Atomic Mouse in Atomic Mouse Vol. 1 #15 (1955) Big C logo, used from Sept. ...

Another noteworthy foe appeared in Fawcett's Funny Animals #32 (Oct-Nov 1945). In the lead story of that issue, Hoppy faces Captain Black Bunny, who is based on Captain Marvel's foe Black Adam. Captain Black Bunny wears a black costume similiar to Black Adam's, though the bad bunny wears a cape like Hoppy and instead of a lightning bolt he has a yellow flame on his chest. Captain Black Bunny comes from deep within the earth's core and is aided by a gang of imps. Black Adam is a fictional comic book character whose morally ambiguous nature has his character fall between the lines of heroism and villainy; as a result, he has associated himself with both superheroes and supervillains in the past. ...

In Hoppy's first appearance in DC Comics (in DC Comics Presents #34), Hoppy and Millie find themselves magically transported to Earth-S, the home of the Marvel Family in the Pre-Crisis DC Universe. He aids the Marvel Family and Superman against Mr. Mind, Mr. Mxyzptlk, and King Kull. In this story both Hoppy and Millie were depicted as white bunnies, instead of their usual pink. Crisis on Infinite Earths was a 12-issue comic book limited series (identified as a 12-part maxi-series) and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 in order to simplify their fifty-year-old continuity. ... Superman is a fictional character and comic book superhero , originally created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian artist Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics. ... Prominent members of the Monster Society Of Evil. ... Mr. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with King Kull. ...

Hoppy also appears in The Oz-Wonderland Wars #2, where he fights alongide Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew. Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew is a DC Comics comic book about a team of funny animal superheroes called the Zoo Crew. ...

Powers and abilities

Hoppy has powers roughly similar to those of Captain Marvel. He accesses his powers by yelling "SHAZAM!" but his pantheon differs. His patron deities are Salamander, Hogules, Antlers, Zebreus, Abalone and Monkury.

References

• Hoppy the Marvel Bunny at Don Markstein's Toonopedia

For other uses, see Captain Marvel. ... Clarence Charles Beck, (July 9, 1910_November 22, 1989), was an American cartoonist. ... Bill Parker was an American comic book writer. ... The Marvel Family is a group of fictional characters, a team of superheroes in the Fawcett Comics and DC Comics universes. ... For other uses, see Captain Marvel. ... Mary Marvel is a fictional character, a superhero derived from the DC Comics (formerly Fawcett Comics) character Captain Marvel. ... CM3 redirects here. ... Shazam is a comic book character created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. ... The Lieutenant Marvels were a group of fictional characters, a team of superheroes in the Fawcett Comics and DC Comics universes. ... Thunder is the name of three superheroes in the DC Comics Universe. ... The Marvel Family is a group of fictional characters, a team of superheroes in the Fawcett Comics and DC Comics universes. ... Black Adam is a fictional comic book character whose morally ambiguous nature has his character fall between the lines of heroism and villainy; as a result, he has associated himself with both superheroes and supervillains in the past. ... Isis is the name for a DC Comics superhero as well as a separate goddess also living in the DC Universe. ... Osiris is the name of three fictional characters in DC Comics. ... Sobek is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics series 52. ... Prominent members of the Monster Society of Evil, which at various times included many of Captain Marvel and the Marvel Familys enemies. ... Doctor Thaddeus Bodog Sivana is a fictional comic book supervillain. ... Black Adam is a fictional comic book character whose morally ambiguous nature has his character fall between the lines of heroism and villainy; as a result, he has associated himself with both superheroes and supervillains in the past. ... Mister Mind is a fictional supervillain created by Fawcett Comics, now owned and published by DC Comics. ... Captain Nazi is a Fawcett Comics and DC Comics supervillain, a rival of Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel, Jr. ... Although rarely called by its name, IBAC is the method of placing digital TV stations on channels in the existing analog TV bands. ... Mister Atom is a fictional comic book supervillian, a radioactive robot who is regularly seen as an enemy of Captain Marvel. ... Sabbac is the name of two comic book supervillains appearing in Fawcett Comics and/or DC Comics. ... Blaze and Satanus are demonic supervillain siblings in the DC Comics Universe. ... Whiz Comics #2, the first appearance of Captain Marvel, the companys most popular character. ... Fawcett Publications was an American publishing company founded in 1919 in Robbinsdale, Minnesota by Wilford Hamilton Captain Billy Fawcett (1883-1940). ... Whiz Comics was a monthly ongoing comic book anthology series, which was published by Fawcett Comics from February 1940 to June 1952. ... Master Comics was a monthly ongoing comic book anthology series, which was published by Fawcett Comics from March 1940 to April 1953. ... Wow Comics was a monthly ongoing comic book anthology series, which was published by Fawcett Comics from winter 1940 to March 1952. ... The covers of both the hardcover and the softcover versions of the Power of Shazam! graphic novel by Jerry Ordway. ... Fawcett City is a fictional city, and the home of DC Comics Captain Marvel. ... The Adventures of Captain Marvel is an acclaimed film serial directed by John English and William Witney for Republic Pictures in 1941. ... Jackson Bostwick as Captain Marvel in the Shazam! television show. ... The Kid Superpower Hour with Shazam! was a NBC Saturday morning cartoon produced by Filmation Studios in 1981. ... Isis is a DC Comics superhero, the main character of The Secrets of Isis, a live-action American Saturday Morning television program that served as the second half of The Shazam!/Isis Hour. ... Holdings Fawcett Publications Captain Marvel comic strips proven to have plagiarized those of National Comics Superman character. ...