The Braddock Family Appreciation 2023

[Daedra]

@MentalMonarch
"Captain Britain has arrived at #TheBrits. #BetsyatTheBrits"



"When asked if the Captain had any response to her detractors claims that she doesn’t pay her taxes she deftly responded that they could “sod off.” #TheBrits #BetsyatTheBrits"

Jb I love your positive energy so very much, this made laugh …

[JB]

Jb I love your positive energy so very much, this made laugh …

So much purple! Thank you friend, I enjoy this hobby greatly and love to have fun with it. It brings me joy so that's what I hope to reflect out. I really like that purple dress Katy is wearing there. One of my biggest wishes for the new series is a revisit to Betsy's modeling days with some great fashion and hairstyles. That WIP image of her getting her dress zipped up gives me hope for this.

More from MentalMonarch and I believe they scored some of these images from the Like a Butterfly website.







I can't wait to see more of the Corps. I love the purple fox and I want to meet the very tall amazonian one with the sleek costume. Are they models in their realities? Do they have twin brothers?

[Daedra]

So much purple! Thank you friend, I enjoy this hobby greatly and love to have fun with it. It brings me joy so that's what I hope to reflect out. I really like that purple dress Katy is wearing there. One of my biggest wishes for the new series is a revisit to Betsy's modeling days with some great fashion and hairstyles. That WIP image of her getting her dress zipped up gives me hope for this.

More from MentalMonarch and I believe they scored some of these images from the Like a Butterfly website.


I can't wait to see more of the Corps. I love the purple fox and I want to meet the very tall amazonian one with the sleek costume. Are they models in their realities? Do they have twin brothers?

I’m worried, I’m loving all these alternate Captains and I wish I could follow all of them (very intrigued by the smith and the seer) I need to know more, because I have questions, so many questions but how will I ever get my answers? I’m thirsty and marvel is only giving me droplets ….it’s torture

By the way:

Happy Meggan’s Monday my friend!

[JB]

I’m worried, I’m loving all these alternate Captains and I wish I could follow all of them (very intrigued by the smith and the seer) I need to know more, because I have questions, so many questions but how will I ever get my answers? I’m thirsty and marvel is only giving me droplets ….it’s torture

It's true, we know so little about them with minor backgrounds for Elspeth and the Queen, and now a little of Britannica. I'm of course happy with our Betsy getting the bulk of the attention but little nuggets of info on them would be great with glimpses of their worlds. Elspeth especially I want to know how she came to become this great sorceress.

By the way:

Happy Meggan’s Monday my friend!

Ooh I should be getting that action figure delivered sometime this month, I can't wait. Kinda wish Rachel was in the three-pack over Kitty but that's me being greedy. Mondays are for Meggan, I love this! Mama of the Fae Meggan. Though blind, Alison always saw her potential.

[JB]

Rictor, with quite a few drinks in him, returns to the land surrounding the lighthouse and summons the druids. Deemed worthy, the staff of the druid king rises from deep within the earth and launches into his hand like Thor's hammer.





The land beneath the lighthouse is separated from the mainland. The lighthouse now stands on its own.

[JB]

The druids vow to guard it for Rictor. At the same time, Le Fay is able to use the Krakoa gate from Otherworld to the lighthouse thanks to the Coven's ritual spell/Wisdom's mutant blood. She emerges at the top of the lighthouse then disappears.



King Julio. Revisiting these pages I’m reminded of the very contentious arguments here on cbr when this issue released over the annexing of the land. But Rictor knew, just as well as the reader knew, how evil the Coven was as they destroyed the lighthouse once and attempted to do so again. He found a purpose in magic and Otherworld and reacted with passion. I truly hope we see him in Betsy’s book. Stay tuned…

[JB]

After being murdered by Coven Akkaba, Wisdom is resurrected on Krakoa much to his chagrin. He is greeted by Meggan who informs him of his murder. He demands pants and the nearest gate to return to Britain but Meggan stops him, trying to calm him. She tells him the bad news.



Betsy has no choice but to turn her full attention to Otherworld for now as the danger of Merlyn is growing.
Wisdom, not a fan of Krakoa, isn't doing so well. But then he's inspired by an idea.

[JB]

He stays up for several days researching, at times falling asleep at his makeshift desk. He submits his findings to the Five and waits. Finally, he is approached by Egg.





It's the return of four of the S.T.R.I.K.E. psi division members! If you're familiar with the Marvel UK Captain Britain stories, or followed along with last year's thread where we covered them, you know how important these people are to Betsy. They were on the run together as their division was being hunted by Slaymaster. Kevin and Vicky were brutally killed, Betsy having been psi-linked with Vicky at the time. The other two, Alison and Tom, became like family as they lived at Braddock Manor for a time. Tom was Betsy's lover and for a second time they were all on the run when Vixen's henchmen killed Tom. Betsy was psi-linked with him as well and spent a long time healing from the trauma. Alison was around for a long time, was thrown in a death camp with Betsy and later formed a bond with Meggan. She took Betsy in and cared for her in her Switzerland home after Betsy lost her eyes.
Now they're back.


Stay tuned...

[Daedra]

THE BRADDOCK isle: Aaah finally, these were some of my favorite issues, Julio is really growing into his new status, a true druid King! I have to commend his character not only because he embraced change when the events called for it but also for the way he connected to Apocalypse and the insight that he was offering, Rictor nowadays is far from that tragic boy figure that was used by Cameron Hodge to unleash a disastrous earthquake, this is not only a testament to his strength but also to the fact that the x-men over the years did change many lives for the better. I wanna see more if him, as of now I feel like we just barely scratched the surface, not an uncommon feelings considering the many threads waved into this Excalibur run, c’mon Tini I need some focus here!

The RETURN is s.t.r.i.k.e. : this was such an unexpected pleasure, a ray of sunshine on a cold winter’s day, I’m so very happy for our Betsy, I appreciated marvel and Tini attempt to rebuff the impoverished (over the years) British playground by bringing back some long lost key players, once again one cannot help by notice how the braddock twins represent a small but dedicated sister galaxy to the x-men universe: cosmic lore, interesting enemies, a returning supporting cast, rich potential for international and inter dimensional drama….what’s not to love?

Speaking of love
Happy Valentine’s day folks!

[JB]

THE BRADDOCK isle: Aaah finally, these were some of my favorite issues, Julio is really growing into his new status, a true druid King! I have to commend his character not only because he embraced change when the events called for it but also for the way he connected to Apocalypse and the insight that he was offering, Rictor nowadays is far from that tragic boy figure that was used by Cameron Hodge to unleash a disastrous earthquake, this is not only a testament to his strength but also to the fact that the x-men over the years did change many lives for the better. I wanna see more if him, as of now I feel like we just barely scratched the surface, not an uncommon feelings considering the many threads waved into this Excalibur run, c’mon Tini I need some focus here!

The RETURN is s.t.r.i.k.e. : this was such an unexpected pleasure, a ray of sunshine on a cold winter’s day, I’m so very happy for our Betsy, I appreciated marvel and Tini attempt to rebuff the impoverished (over the years) British playground by bringing back some long lost key players, once again one cannot help by notice how the braddock twins represent a small but dedicated sister galaxy to the x-men universe: cosmic lore, interesting enemies, a returning supporting cast, rich potential for international and inter dimensional drama….what’s not to love?

Speaking of love
Happy Valentine’s day folks!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I *love* what you wrote about Rictor and I absolutely agree. He's always been one of my favorites but watching his excitement as he explored magic and experienced new levels of his mutant powers made me really love him. He's made a lot of progress even within the pages of Excalibur where, at the beginning, his social anxiety over going to Krakoa manifested as his powers becoming out of control. I was so sad when he was sleeping in that box of dirt and rock. So to see him here leading the druids and making a very bold decision was a joy. He MUST show up in the new book, even if in just a few panels to show us he's still practicing his craft in Fort Krakoa, Mercator. Something!

S.T.R.I.K.E. returning was something that completely surprised me. To see Betsy sitting across from Tom Lennox was wild, especially after her long journey in Kwannon's body. Here she is in her body again and he's one of the people from her past that knew her this way. It had to be comforting to her to some degree. Wisdom is on the variant cover for issue #2 so I really hope we see him and these freshly reborn lovelies in some kind of action.

[JB]

Betsy cannot go with them though as things in Otherworld are spiraling out of control. Once that is handled she will see them again.

As Excalibur battles Merlyn's growing forces, things grow very tense in Britain.





Betsy emerges from Otherworld saying if they close the gate they are conceding to Britain's threats. Charles and Emma want Betsy to stay on earth to foster diplomacy but Otherworld is falling and Camelot is their last stand which is under heavy attack. Brousseau watches. Rachel privately tells her to go fight for Otherworld, that her decisions are her own to be made. Betsy returns to the fight.

[JB]

Excalibur and the Corps are pushed back towards castle Camelot which was the plan of the evil ones all along. We now know that Merlyn had been working and coordinating with Le Fay and the Coven.

[JB]

Betsy was able to keep the gate open with her Starlight Sword long enough for Excalibur and her family to escape back to earth. But the Corps were still fighting and losing their lives in Otherworld trying to protect Saturnyne. Betsy joins them, permanently sealing the gate.

After months of fighting she's able to get the help of the Knights of X through a deal with Roma. Betsy executes Merlyn and threatens Roma and Saturnyne who were scheming behind her back (thanks Shogo!) Not only was Merlyn defeated but Betsy is now in control of Otherworld, they solved for mutant deaths thanks to Rachel's multiversal abilities, and the Siege Perilous now serves as an open gate between Krakoa and the new Fort Krakoa in the province of Mercator, protected by the Omega-level mutant of the same name.

As far as relations and tensions with Britain, the following data page is the last update we received - Brousseau speaking to the British Parliament.



Betsy will now face Britain head-on as Captain Britain with Askani and her family by her side. They'll be living in Braddock Manor; Wisdom appears on a variant cover for issue #2 so he's likely back, perhaps with S.T.R.I.K.E.,; and Morgan Le Fay is running amok. We'll find out very soon how things may have worsened for mutants since Betsy's been away. We're less than a week away.

[JB]

The pain in the arse is back.



THE FURY OF DOCTOR DOOM!

Betsy Braddock thought she had enough fury to deal with as Morgan Le Fay brings the Forgemaster Federal and his armies to the UK. But when Britain remains unbowed, Morgan reaches for the big gun – in the form of Doom! Will Morgan’s ally of the past help her build the Avalon of her demented dreams? Or does Doctor Doom have a plan of his own up his iron sleeves?





Him teaming up with Le Fay really complicates things, giving Betsy and Rachel major foes to deal with.

[JB]

He's always been a bit handsy with Betsy. (reminder courtesy of @FifthDream)