Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain Appreciation 2023

[LoganAlpha30X33]

Almost expect Marvel at some point now to say that it was Kwannon that Warren dated and not Betsy, despite the truth, again now though Betsy needs a clean slate and a fresh start.

[JB]

Almost expect Marvel at some point now to say that it was Kwannon that Warren dated and not Betsy, despite the truth, again now though Betsy needs a clean slate and a fresh start.

Nah, only because Betsy and Warren interacted in Disassembled and in Excalibur (though he was an alternate version). So they haven’t scrapped the history of that relationship.

If/when Betsy is no longer CB I think the way forward is the STRIKE angle. It seems to be well received by fans on both sides of the CB aisle, it will allow for stealth/spy work and still connects to her past. I even like the idea of her still having a public persona while secretly a spy.

[charliehustle415]

I really enjoy Howard, but her stories just weren't exciting and she dug into way too much into Tarot and Witchcraft stuff.

I mean I get that Howard was trying to pivot Betsy to be more magical, but she's also a mutant and I feel like she barely touched on Betsy interacting with the "real" world and her mutantdom

[LoganAlpha30X33]

Not sure that everyone loves the spy stuff and Howard really pushed mutant magic that I never cared for.

[CGAR]

You haven’t care for or about anything with Betsy in the last 10 years.

[LoganAlpha30X33]

I don't see a lot of people loving mutant magic either so I'm not alone. And if you love a character u have the right to love or hate what is going on with said character.

[JB]

I really enjoy Howard, but her stories just weren't exciting and she dug into way too much into Tarot and Witchcraft stuff.

I mean I get that Howard was trying to pivot Betsy to be more magical, but she's also a mutant and I feel like she barely touched on Betsy interacting with the "real" world and her mutantdom

Yeah the mutant magic concept was one where in theory it was interesting but the execution was wonky. I was hoping Betsy's Otherworld lineage would have been explored to maybe make it more personal.
I guess we'll see if Foxe will touch on the magic of it all seeing how he's currently writing a magical heroine.

[Knightmare]

I love Kwannon so I don't want to make this a vs situation but how is Kwannon more popular than Betsy? Hellions was the best thing for Kwannon but after it was cancelled at 18 that voice hasn't quite been captured since. Marauders was fine but she was part of a very large cast and it got axed at 12. I'm hoping Duggan does more with her than just killing Orchis agents but so far Uncanny Avengers is not giving and I'm not seeing a demand for more for her. I want her popularity to climb but Marvel seems content with keeping her in the old look and if fans don't demand more then she'll be pigeonholed. Betsy was the lead in 36 issues and X-Men Monday, the direct line to the X-office, keeps getting flooded with messages from fans. Whether we all agree or not on how she's been handled we keep showing up over and over for her. So much so that they had to reveal that Foxe is writing her next, making her one of the only characters confirmed to have a spot post Fall of X. Now Jordan confirmed she's showing up in two places, again because her fans keep demanding more of her.

Unfortunately it is a versus situation for the simple fact that Kwannon didn't become a new character she just took over Betsy old one. So now we can compare where Betsy would have been if she'd had stayed Psylocke. Kwannon is more popular because of the two, she's the only one still being published! When comparing what the both of them have done it's a case of quantity vs quality. Yes Betsy got 3 dedicated runs, but so what? No one was buying it. Marvel have pushed Kwannon all over the place, not just in the X-Verse. She's appeared in A.X.E a line wide event, Captain Marvel the feminist poster girl for Marvel and is currently on the Uncanny Avengers team. You can't the characters popularity based on who Betsy used to be, because Marvel clearly disagrees with your opinion.

I'm sorry, but these legion of Betsy fans you keep mentioning are probably not as large of a group as you think. Betsy fans are being thrown a bone, by having Betsy show up for a couple of issues in someone else's title. She'll soon disappear back into the ether. Get ready for the Betsy drought because it's coming! Despite my tone, I really do appreciate your passion for the Braddocks as do many of this forum. If I could provide another unsolicited suggestion, forget J. D. White, you should re-focus on to Tom Brevoort before his plans for the X-Franchise get solidified. Maybe there is a chance for Betsy to get some shine in the new era.

[LordAllMIghty]

Unfortunately it is a versus situation for the simple fact that Kwannon didn't become a new character she just took over Betsy old one. So now we can compare where Betsy would have been if she'd had stayed Psylocke. Kwannon is more popular because of the two, she's the only one still being published! When comparing what the both of them have done it's a case of quantity vs quality. Yes Betsy got 3 dedicated runs, but so what? No one was buying it. Marvel have pushed Kwannon all over the place, not just in the X-Verse. She's appeared in A.X.E a line wide event, Captain Marvel the feminist poster girl for Marvel and is currently on the Uncanny Avengers team. You can't the characters popularity based on who Betsy used to be, because Marvel clearly disagrees with your opinion.

I'm sorry, but these legion of Betsy fans you keep mentioning are probably not as large of a group as you think. Betsy fans are being thrown a bone, by having Betsy show up for a couple of issues in someone else's title. She'll soon disappear back into the ether. Get ready for the Betsy drought because it's coming! Despite my tone, I really do appreciate your passion for the Braddocks as do many of this forum. If I could provide another unsolicited suggestion, forget J. D. White, you should re-focus on to Tom Brevoort before his plans for the X-Franchise get solidified. Maybe there is a chance for Betsy to get some shine in the new era.

A lot of truth here. While I like Betsy, I find her time as Captain Britain very boring. Sadly if she goes into limbo, I wouldn't be that upset. Seeing as Kwannon is running around as the Psylocke I grow up with.

[JB]

Unfortunately it is a versus situation for the simple fact that Kwannon didn't become a new character she just took over Betsy old one. So now we can compare where Betsy would have been if she'd had stayed Psylocke. Kwannon is more popular because of the two, she's the only one still being published! When comparing what the both of them have done it's a case of quantity vs quality. Yes Betsy got 3 dedicated runs, but so what? No one was buying it. Marvel have pushed Kwannon all over the place, not just in the X-Verse. She's appeared in A.X.E a line wide event, Captain Marvel the feminist poster girl for Marvel and is currently on the Uncanny Avengers team. You can't the characters popularity based on who Betsy used to be, because Marvel clearly disagrees with your opinion.

I'm sorry, but these legion of Betsy fans you keep mentioning are probably not as large of a group as you think. Betsy fans are being thrown a bone, by having Betsy show up for a couple of issues in someone else's title. She'll soon disappear back into the ether. Get ready for the Betsy drought because it's coming! Despite my tone, I really do appreciate your passion for the Braddocks as do many of this forum. If I could provide another unsolicited suggestion, forget J. D. White, you should re-focus on to Tom Brevoort before his plans for the X-Franchise get solidified. Maybe there is a chance for Betsy to get some shine in the new era.

You’re right, it is quality vs quantity and that’s exactly what I’m talking about. Whether people liked the developments or not Betsy has been lead in her books for 4 years. And as I’ve said before KoX #1 sold out day one and went to second printing, getting the green light for a second arc. For whatever reasons they decided to pivot to a solo as they discussed the next arc, this is confirmed. Considering how many reboots and relaunches the line has made it’s not at all unusual even if I disagree with such a move. As for her solo, in a world where Scarlet Witch gets cancelled and rebooted at #10, it’s an achievement that it even existed.

Why are people ok with accepting crumbs when it comes to Kwannon? She was made a great captain of Krakoa but we all know that didn’t mean anything. I’ve seen several people say Thompson wrote her like Betsy and I agree. It doesn’t help that all her identifiers are famously attributed to another character. She hasn’t done anything in Uncanny Avengers but kill goons and pose provocatively. Do you see what I’m saying? It’s a half-assed attempt by Marvel to stick her in different places and bank on her physical appearance. That’s not enough for me. Why does the mutant cause mean so much to her now versus her early years as an assassin? Let’s explore that. Let’s explore her new friendships because in-universe she’s only been around a short time and most characters didn’t know her. We often complain that things happen off-panel and we’ve fast forwarded to her being friends with everyone. Maybe Duggan will right the ship when it comes to her (and Monet for that matter) and I’d actually like to see her on a legit Avengers roster. I wanna see Marvel be bold and take her out of the ninja suit, building her own unique character.

An entire world has been built around Betsy this era. Her past before the X-Men has fully come back around and the STRIKE psi division is active again. She’s living with her family again and that’s brought Brian and Meggan, and even Jamie!, back into the fold. Characters that have been ignored for years. She’s positioned to function both as part of the X-Men and outside of them. I’m not sure what you mean by drought when Steve Foxe has confirmed writing her. It’s possible it’s for an Unlimited story but that’s not the indication I get. He’s one of the fastest-rising writers in the x-office and if she’s in a proper book of his, which I believe she will be, it’ll either be in a main X-Men book or a book with her as focus and a team around her. If what I’m hearing is true it’s the latter. They didn’t have a backup plan for her for Fall of X and as annoying as that is it seems they’re wrapping her back in. And I honestly ain’t that mad or feel she’s missing out because the mutants are suffering af and I’m glad she’s being spared.

Besides, nothing compares to the drought that came after her death in X-Treme lol

[JB]

A lot of truth here. While I like Betsy, I find her time as Captain Britain very boring. Sadly if she goes into limbo, I wouldn't be that upset. Seeing as Kwannon is running around as the Psylocke I grow up with.

I’m honestly glad her “running around as Psylocke” is enough for you. I need more.

[JB]

How about a vibe shift, yeah? I viewed JDW’s interview as a bittersweet way of buttoning up Howard’s run so it’s behind us now. Closure, so to speak.

Based on where things stand with mutants now and the overall line’s story, what would you like to see Foxe do with Betsy? He’s writing a January book and a Spring book and it seems from interviews that she’s in one of them if not both. I believe he said there’s some more Unlimited stuff coming, although maybe that’s the Redroot story. He’s also writing Rachel but that will be separate from what he’s doing with Betsy, he’s confirmed twice. So what would y’all like to see?

[Wiccan]

Yeah, I think saying Excalibur was a failure in sales is a bit of retroactive history. I remember it being consistently around the top or middle of sales compared to other Krakoa era books, people were even complaining at the threads that it didn't deserve to rank higher than X or Z book.

[CGAR]

When it back into leading into X of Swords I believe you are correct but before that it was not.

I just hope people stop writing her like an unexperienced newbie that speaks like shes cosplaying a superhero. NO. She is a hero, she badass and pragmatic. She doesnt constantly flip flop.

They need to get her voice right and stop acting like she rebooted to the timid and meek Betsy. She has had TONS of experience dealing with her body. She know WTF she wants. Even as recent as MIM.

If it the higher ups mandate to keep her as Captain Britain they are stupid.

I feel like patriotic heroes dont sell and people arent into that.

So I hope with Foxe coming in that he either explores the STRIKE side or Betsy dealing with whatever happended in FoX. Actually both of those because if ORCHIS isnt completely done after FoX then we need Betsy and Rachel to go APESH*T on them. They can bring along Polaris too.


And another thing I want to say is although I like that we got her doing another stint as Captain Britain; I am concerned that she is now stuck with it because of the whole Captain Britain Corps being her now. And I also think that she did just go and take another person's hero identity IMO. You can say he was unpopular and rarely used but Brian was THE Captain Britain.

If they wanted to truly have her be her own person they wouldnt have put that on her as well. They should have gone with the STRIKE angle

So just reading everyones negative posts since after that Xmen Monday response; on here, twitter and Facebook has really bummed me out because it made me realize this writer and editor didnt execute at the level that they should have IMO

But then theres also the thought that they had no clue what to do with her after MIM going by TH "thats what we'll do with Betsy Braddock" HoxPOX proposals

They really had no plans and thats why she was in a long limbo post MIM.

They separated the two characters but then were like shit now what.

[JB]

I often think about what Hickman said during that Apocalypse podcast about how his X-Men series was originally going to launch all of the other books. He was going to write the opening to Excalibur and set it up: Betsy as CB, why Otherworld was experiencing chaos (because he killed the original Corps and Saturnyne locked herself in the Citadel), how/why Morgan took Avalon. But corporate changed their minds and decided to release the titles all at once so the original idea got scrapped. I think that's why Excalibur is very clunky in the beginning and it's hard to unpack what exactly is going on. I would love to read Hickman's set up if it existed in an alternate universe that we could access.

I agree with, "They separated the two characters but then were like shit now what." There wasn't a solid plan in place.

I'd love to see Polaris brought in! I don't know if it's true or not but someone told me there was a scene that got cut of Betsy and Lorna having a discussion about Malice's resurrection.