Brian Braddock: Captain Britain Appreciation 2021

[Panic]

What with the talk of a new film featuring an African-American Superman, I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't hear Cavill being rumoured for James Bond either. I'll take it all with a grain of salt until an official announcement happens (though it is nice to hear Brian Braddock's Captain Britain mentioned like it's a possibility for a film role).

[Raffi Ol D'Arcy]

What with the talk of a new film featuring an African-American Superman, I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't hear Cavill being rumoured for James Bond either. I'll take it all with a grain of salt until an official announcement happens (though it is nice to hear Brian Braddock's Captain Britain mentioned like it's a possibility for a film role).

Yes, I thought the same regarding the Bond role. It's possible that Cavill will get snapped up for that. I do think that any publicity surrounding Brian Braddock Captain Britain is great as people who are not in the know will become aware of the fact that the original "legacy" Captain Britain is in fact Brian Braddock and not Betsy.

[Adam-X]

I am out of the loop - if Betsy is the new Captain Britain - what's Brian these days?

[Panic]

Captain Avalon

[Raffi Ol D'Arcy]

Alan Davis's original art for the cover to 1985's Captain Britain #6:

[Raffi Ol D'Arcy]

Captain Britain by Des Hegarty:

[Panic]

Alan Davis's original art for the cover to 1985's Captain Britain #6:

This was one of only two issues of Captain Britain I managed to pick up when it was out on the stands. It's a great wrap-around cover, and makes me yearn for what could have been. Sadly, I don't think the other British strips in the issue were as good as the CB one. Abslom Daak had some really nice art, but like the reprinted Night Raven strip, was just too short for something that came out only once a month; Space Thieves was a Hitchhiker's inspired romp that lacked Douglas Adams' genius imagination and sense of humour, and the lack of Alan Moore's articles and stories that made The Daredevils such a great read was sorely felt. I felt Captain Britain Monthly was trying to be 2000AD, and I would have rather it focused on super-heroes instead of general sci-fi.

[Raffi Ol D'Arcy]

Captain Britain by Lyndon Webb:

[Raffi Ol D'Arcy]

Excalibur (2019) #1 Variant cover by Alan Davis & Paul Neary:

[Raffi Ol D'Arcy]

Captain Britain sketch by Mike Collins:

[Raffi Ol D'Arcy]

Captain Britain by Marshall@marshinson:

[Raffi Ol D'Arcy]

Captain Britain by Daniel Mainé:

[Panic]

Which combination of powerset/paraphernalia do you prefer for CB? Not costume necessarily, but the other stuff.

Basic strength/flight/resistance to injury? Controllable/sculptable forcefield? Amulet with transformation spell? Confidence-based strength/resistance? Original staff? Star Sceptre? The staff/sceptre from the Black Knight strip that had no powers of its own? Excalibur? The Sword of Power?

He's had a lot of variations, but I like the powerset from the early days of the Thorpe/Davis reboot, with the strength and flight and controllable forcefield, though I'd like the powers to innate and not dependant on wearing the costume. I wouldn't mind the amulet still being there to change into the costume, though.

I thought the forcefield thing was nice and different from the usual flying brick powerset.

[Nomads1]

Honestly, in my private version of Captain Britain, he'd have top -tier super-human strength (on a par with the likes of Wonder Man), of mystical origin, and he'd build a sceptre that would tap into the mystic energy that fuels his strength, giving him force-fields, flight and energy emission (all through the sceptre). Making him dipped in magic and cloaked in science. I always loved that line.

Peace

[Raffi Ol D'Arcy]

I would also go with the "basic" Thorpe/Davis powerset. I feel having a staff or sceptre is just too clunky and kind of gets in the way unless it can be summoned at will but would there be any point? I'm also not a fan of the powers coming soley from wearing the costume. I think having the amulet is a nice touch in honour of his origin and the original costume.