Captain Universe was a comic published by Arnold Book Company, which started in 1954 and lasted for two issues.[1] The main character, drawn by Mick Anglo, was a mild-mannered scientist named Jim Logan who became the superheroic Captain Universe when he said the word "GALAP".
Like Marvelman, another Anglo creation, Captain Universe owed a debt to the American character Captain Marvel. Wheras Captain Marvel's magic word SHAZAM contained the initials of the Biblical and mythical characters Solomon, Hercules, Achilles, Zeus, Atlas and Mercury, Captain Universe's GALAP honoured a group of historical figures: Galileo, Master of the Galaxies; Archimedes, Master of Physics; Leonardo da Vinci; Master of Invention; Aristotle, Master of Philosophy; and Pythagoras, Master of Geometry.[2]
Captain Universe, Vull the Invisible and Stardust the Space Wizard, as seen in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
The comic also included the adventures of detective Mike Miller and Western hero Rocky Colt.
This short-lived character was revived by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill for use in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen; he holds the distinction of being, to date, the only character in the series whose creator is formally acknowledged in the front matter. The League version of Captain Universe is typically metatextual: he is established as having been part of a superhero group called the Seven Stars, which also included Marsman, Zom of the Zodiac, Satin Astro, Captain Zenith, Electro Girl and Vull the Invisible; he mentions having a brother named Jet, which is presumably a reference to the unrelated character Jet-Ace Logan; and he is established as having been responsible for defeating Stardust the Space Wizard, a superhero character created by the American cartoonist Fletcher Hanks.