The Braddock Family Appreciation 2022

[JB]

Their battle setting switches to the moon, then the ocean bed, then the surface of the sun. Yet the Fury adapts with each switch of reality until finally it identifies a path to victory. What good is a reality warper if they have no reality to warp?







Nice try.

[JB]

Having both endured the onslaught that was Jaspers and his powers, Brian and the Fury are near complete depletion.
Stay tuned...

[JB]

[JB]

Stay tuned...

There are few artists that I trust to tell a story with little to no words. Alan Davis is one of them.

[Uncanny X-Man]

Stay tuned...

There are few artists that I trust to tell a story with little to no words. Alan Davis is one of them.

100%. The tension building up as Linda feels her rage mounting... absolutely masterful.

[Panic]

This is coming to the end of my favourite version of Captain Britain. The Davis/Delano work is still good, but few people can equal Moore in his prime. Claremont's Excalibur I've already complained about.

I know Davis's relationship with Moore had deteriorated somewhat by this point, I think. I believe it was Dave Thorpe, who was the first writer for the rebooted CB, who said that Davis didn't like the way CB was basically just a punching bag by the end of the Jasper's Warp (though personally I think it works well to have Linda deliver the coup de grace - int's unexpected, yet it makes sense and gives a nice feeling of closure). I've heard Davis talk of Moore like he's fed up with him (though to be fair, Moore does fall out with people, just in this case the ire seems to be coming from Davis rather than Moore), but they worked together so well on several different strips they must have got on well at the beginning (it reminds me of Chris Claremont and John Byrne). Ah well.

As for the issue itself, it took me ages to spot that Captain UK is flashing back to her boyfriend being killed when she's seeing Brian getting strangled by the Fury. It should be obvious, seeing as how in that panel 'Brian' isn't wearing a mask, and the Fury suddenly has his gun-arm back, but I missed it the first time. It's also worth noting that Brian's power-augmenting costume is virtually destroyed but he's still displaying super-strength to some degree, making it one of the first examples of him being able to access his power without mechanical help. Linda is similarly able to use her strength without amplifier costume as we saw many issues back when she deforms the metal handrail in her bathroom whilst in the middle of an anxiety attack.

[JB]

100%. The tension building up as Linda feels her rage mounting... absolutely masterful.

From terrified and paralyzed to leaping into angered action. It's such a brilliant scene.

This is coming to the end of my favourite version of Captain Britain. The Davis/Delano work is still good, but few people can equal Moore in his prime. Claremont's Excalibur I've already complained about.

I know Davis's relationship with Moore had deteriorated somewhat by this point, I think. I believe it was Dave Thorpe, who was the first writer for the rebooted CB, who said that Davis didn't like the way CB was basically just a punching bag by the end of the Jasper's Warp (though personally I think it works well to have Linda deliver the coup de grace - int's unexpected, yet it makes sense and gives a nice feeling of closure). I've heard Davis talk of Moore like he's fed up with him (though to be fair, Moore does fall out with people, just in this case the ire seems to be coming from Davis rather than Moore), but they worked together so well on several different strips they must have got on well at the beginning (it reminds me of Chris Claremont and John Byrne). Ah well.

As for the issue itself, it took me ages to spot that Captain UK is flashing back to her boyfriend being killed when she's seeing Brian getting strangled by the Fury. It should be obvious, seeing as how in that panel 'Brian' isn't wearing a mask, and the Fury suddenly has his gun-arm back, but I missed it the first time. It's also worth noting that Brian's power-augmenting costume is virtually destroyed but he's still displaying super-strength to some degree, making it one of the first examples of him being able to access his power without mechanical help. Linda is similarly able to use her strength without amplifier costume as we saw many issues back when she deforms the metal handrail in her bathroom whilst in the middle of an anxiety attack.

I agree with you in that I think Brian taking such a beating works here as he's up against nearly impossible foes and he's still a newish superhero, showing us just how much he can endure. With Linda jumping in and saving his life it showed me how the Corps are meant to work together when dealing with threats to the multiverse. So I liked it a lot, and that Saturnyne pushed her to give rise to her anger. I didn't catch it either that she was flashing back to witnessing her love being murdered until you mentioned it a little while back. I wasn't quite sure what was going on with that panel but it makes perfect sense now.

Bummer to hear that Moore and Davis had a falling out. It's a phenomenal run and as I mentioned I wasn't planning on posting so many panels and page, but how could I not? I probably won't do the same with the upcoming runs but I'll definitely be highlighting the many great moments.

[JB]

[JB]

Stay tuned for the epilogue where things come to a close and we learn the fates of Earth-616 and our dear Betsy Braddock...

[JB]

Some B&W interior pages from BB:CB #1 have been revealed.





Looks like Britannica Rex and her reality, Earth-99476, are under attack.



Earth-99476, also known as Dino-World, first appeared in Excalibur #51 by Claremont and Davis. It was protected by the late Britanicus Rex.

[JB]

Britanicus Rex



Other residents of this reality included Arachnosaur (unfortunately later killed as part of Spider-UK's army) and Saur Fantastic of the Fantastic Five.

[JB]

Quite the contrast from the last time Brian was in Otherworld, when he fought to rescue Saturnyne from execution and escaped with the Special Executive. Now he's honored for his heroism along with Captain UK and Saturnyne, for all to witness. Black Knight is also in attendance.



Merlin's corpse is placed through the "portal perilous", sent to whatever rest awaits him.

[JB]

We get to see Captain England again which is always a treat.



As Captain England introduces Brian to the various Captain's, Roma wishes to speak with Brian alone.



It is noteworthy that Merlin has different appearances and different names.

Brian being the good brother he is inquires about Betsy first and foremost.

[JB]

Betsy and Alison are taken into the care of Victoria Bentley, originally a Dr. Strange character.

"Victoria also helped a young Betsy Braddock learn to control her telepathy. When the reality-warping mutant Mad Jim Jaspers was elected Prime Minister of Great Britain, he persecuted other mutants and superhumans, having them captured and put in internment camps. Victoria was one of those captured, and became close to both Betsy and her friend Alison Double, who had both been interned as well. When Jaspers had been defeated and the camp dismantled, Victoria invited the two women to recover from their ordeal at her castle."

We will soon learn that Victoria did indeed help Betsy with her telepathic skills. It won't be long before she and Alison return to Braddock Manor.

Captain UK asks Roma where Saturnyne went as she left the funeral early. Roma granted her the gift of going home and the gift of revenge. There's a brief scene of Saturnyne appearing in Mandragon's bedroom where she gives him an ultimatum. He is to resign as emperor and grant her a full pardon and reinstate her as Majestrix, or... remember that tissue sample she took from the dead Jaspers? If Mandragon does not obey she will unleash the Jaspers clone her supporters are currently building from the tissue sample, dooming Mandragon's world to the same fate as Earth-238. He obeys.
(Roma reveals to the Captain's that she killed the cell scrapings without Saturnyne knowing. Nonetheless, Saturnyne still gets her wish.)





Captain Britain and Captain UK part ways, thus ending Alan Moore's run.

Stay tuned for next week, when Alan Davis takes over and Meggan enters the spotlight...

[JB]

Fanart Friday! Creations, commissions, and craftsmanship.

Drawn by Brian Hitch, inked by Jose Martin Gomez.


Colored by Jose Martin Gomez.


Custom figure by Face Customs.



I love this color combination for her. It would make for a good stealth mission costume.