Captain Britain and the growth of Marvel UK

[PhantomReporter]

This thread might only appeal to a niche, but what the hey - i am an unabashed geek with interests in many parts of the MU (and DCU) so i don't mind admitting that since my teens i've also been compiling lists, facts, annotations of many characters. Recently i purchased the fifth and final Captain Britain trade and decided to skim read again from the start and did so, checking against my list of foes, supporting cast etc as i did so.

First slightly related fact because i don't intend to talk about Marvel UK as a company/imprint - It became a distinct entity reprinting US Marvels from circa 1971.

Captain Britain was created in 1976 and represented the first 'British Marvel' original concept/material. Cover date October 1976 and published weekly (Psylocke in case you're interested first appeared in Captain Britain 8, December 1976).

Chris Claremont was the creator/writer but only stuck asround for approximately 10 weekly issues before Gary Freidrich took over (art by Herb Trimpe). He started as young university student/scientist Brian Braddock who was working at the Darkmoor Research Centre just south of the Scottish border. This was a summer sabbatical and Brian would return to London to start his new term and new superhero career by CB 3.

Darkmoor was attacked by a science criminal called The Reaver and while fleeing the Reaver's men Brian was confronted by two godly/ghostly images - a man and a woman, who told him to choose between a sword and an amulet. He chose correctly (the amulet of life and was imbued with the costume, staff and powers of Captain Britain). Interesingly enough it would take 30 issues for the 'gods' to return and be revealed as Merlin/Merlyn and Roma - this means that the concept either came from Gary Freidrich or Chris had left him notes to that effect. Does anyone know for sure?

The Reaver takes the sword, is empowered but defeated - he is to my knowledge never seen again except for origin flashbacks.

Brian is introduced as a serious type - when empowered he is incredulous and spends a few issues sort of disbelieving that he can do the things he can do. Back in London we see he likes Courtney Ross, a fellow student and she likes him too but just like Peter Parker and Flash, a bullying Jacko Tanner makes things difficult for Brian who is also quite shy.

We later find out he has a reason for his serious/shy/slightly unconfident behaviour - only a year or two before, Brian was a confident ladies man but one night he allowed himself to be convinced to stay out with a girl he met in the pub and was therefore not home when his parents suffered a fatal accident - in true Marvel fashion, Brian blames himself.

A lot happens in issue 3 - Brian foils a robbery by costumed minions of crimelord The Vixen (never seen until years later and suibsequently Claremont used her in Excalibur- if you imagine Margaret Thatcher as a crimelord slash dominatrix, thats Vixen) but comes across Chief Inspector Dai Thomas (long lasting important Marvel UK character) who is the J Jonah to his Spiderman (Dai was on a conference visit to NYC a few years earlier and his wife died during a superhuman battle - he thinks all heroes are menaces and now England has Captain Britain, he's furious and determined to bring him down) is interoduced as is a shadowy figure revealed to be ...

The Hurricane (British version) - later used elsewhere in the main MU as well as Marvel UK.

In issue 8 Brian's sister Betsy (Psylocke) shows up to tell Brian their older brother Jamie has had an accident. They go home and are attacked by a lunatic on horseback called Dr Synne. Interestingly although Claremont introduced Jamie, he wasn't made a powerful reality altering maniac until years later.

Freidrich takes over from issue 11 still in the middle of the Dr Synne story which is resolved in 13 when we find out Synne was just a pawn of the sentient computer Mastermind, created by (and who killed) Dr James Braddock. A cleaning woman temporarily unplugs the computer causing Synne to burn out and die of heart failure without the active power boost. Brian confronts and deactivates Mastermind and flashbacks to his parents deaths are revealed - no idea if this was Freidrich or him acting on notes from Claremont.

Suddenly it all goes crazy - as Brian helps the wounded cleaning lady from Braddock Manor he is confronted by Dai Thomas and the police who delay him returning to make sure the Mastermind computer is fully defunct - as this happens RED SKULL slips into the Manor to exploit the power of the computer but don't worry, Nick Fury has arrived in the UK bringing Steve Rogers with him! Lance Hunter head of S.T.R.I.K.E, the UK SHIELD equivilent is introduced and a loooooong storyline teaming the two Captains against the Red Skull begins.

Volume 2 picks up with issue 24 still in the Red Skull/CA storyline but now its black n white and Trimpe has been replaced by John Buscema. If i hadn't been bored and wanting to rush to the end of the storyline or if the JB art had been in colour i would have been more interested - but at least now Captain Britain has international validation and a confidence boost from Steve.

Finishing the Skull story in issue 27, we immediately are introduced to Lord Hawk - a mad old duffer who is against the 'modern world' who happens to be Brian's ex teacher - Brian built him a robot hawk to ease his lonliness and the grateful prof decides to use it to attack the pollutors of modern humanity AND kill Brian - Hank Pym/Ultron eat your heart out.

Wrapping up in issue 33 Freidrich brings back Merlin and Roma (naming them and flashing back to Camelot) who give Cap a power upgrade replacing his former staff with the star sceptre. Dai Thomas is still on Brian's case trying to find grounds to arrest him - at least J Jonah Jameson could only print slander against Spidey! Servicible Ron Wilson art had replaced Buscema by this stage.

By the end of issue 36 and the Merlin storyline, Brian has had his first hints of more cosmic stuff including being attacked by Merlin's foe Nykonn.

Then its literally back to earth in issue 37 with The Manipulator (deposed 'white' African dictator trying to regain his throne - ripe for a comeback) and his hirling The Highwayman. Manipulator controls hypnotic diamonds and first he hypnotises Brian into attacking the Queen and then later controls Elizabeth herself to declare that Britain's forces will restore Basil Crushstone (Manipulator) to the throne of Umbazi.

This is the cliffhanger in CB 39 and the story continues when Cap is transferred to SUPER SPIDERMAN AND CAPTAIN BRITAIN with issue 231 wrapping this story in 232. Gary Freidrich's last story was just before this with CB 36 and then there's one by Len Wein then Jim Lawrence to this point. The quality has dipped but the last story was sort of ok - not good but ok.

Then with issue 233 Larry Leiber takes over the writing and the rot sets in. A forgettable story about alien creatures is followed by one with a villain The Black Baron who interestingly enough is both a vampire AND a werewolf but the story itself is dull and there ends volume 2 with issue 238.

Larry Leiber and Jim Lawrence continue to serve up mediocrity in 239 when Cap accompanies a group to a mysterious island and faces the invalid genius ... Dr Claw. The one redeemable feature of this run comes next when Slaymaster is introduced - the story is not great and Slay has a full face cowl instead of his trademark long hair, but at least L & L served up one 'classic' Captain Britain foe, even if he only became that way later with revamps.

This run wraps up in issue 247 and would probably represent a low note for Brian's first incarnation but luckily his creator Chris Claremont used him in a beautifully drawn story by John Byrne in Marvel Team Up 65 and 66 (Jan/Feb 1978) where he meets Spidey (becomes his room-mate in fact), fights Arcade and is introduced to the 'main' US Marvel universe. (Reprinted at roughly the same time in Super Spidey 248-253 in the UK).

So in an existance that spans only 17 months Captain Britain has had a decent origin with mythological/cosmic overtones, a fair supporting cast, fought at least two big villains (Red Skull and Arcade) plus the starts of a rogue's gallery and teamed with Captain America, Nick Fury and Spiderman. Character-wise he's experienced a little growth and with that and a good costume design is ripe for a return ...

.... which he did a mere 12 months later in the Black Knight stories in Hulk Comic (Still UK title) but more on that later.

As i hope this will be a long form discussion, i'll ask if anyone reading this can confine their comments to the FIRST ERA OF CAPTAIN BRITAIN and stories and charaxcters therein (Oct 1976-Feb 1978) and i will add more posts covering more ground as we proceed - next up BLACK KNIGHT and CAPTAIN BRITAIN

[Rheged]

Do you know where these issues were collected? I have a few Captain Britain trades (still trying to get the Omnibus), and at some point would like to do a read thru. I guess I should ask, HAVE all the Captain Britain stories been collected?

[PhantomReporter]

Do you know where these issues were collected? I have a few Captain Britain trades (still trying to get the Omnibus), and at some point would like to do a read thru. I guess I should ask, HAVE all the Captain Britain stories been collected?

Yes - five trades collect everything from CB VOLUME ONE 1 to Captain Britain VOLUME TWO 14 which covers from 1976-1986. From then on you need to jump to Excalibur or collect guest appearances to get Brian's next appearances.

http://www.amazon.com/Captain-Britai.../dp/1905239300

Ok got you the right link now

[Rheged]

Yes - five trades collect everything from CB VOLUME ONE 1 to Captain Britain VOLUME TWO 14 which covers from 1976-1986. From then on you need to jump to Excalibur or collect guest appearances to get Brian's next appearances.

http://www.amazon.com/Captain-Britai.../dp/1905239300

Ok got you the right link now

Hmmm. Okay, I've got that in HC and Siege of Camelot in HC, so I'm hoping those two collect the five trades you mentioned. Thanks for the info!

[MollyBarton]

I'm currently reading the two hardcovers, and I'm really enjoying them. I especially love the Siege of Camelot, which is the beginning of the Captain Britain/Black Knight friendship. BFFs!

The writing did leave a lot to be desired.

[PhantomReporter]

All good stuff and interesting to see how Cap's Marvel connections were built. Dane was actually the 4th main Marvel (US) character that Brian met.

Edit - hero i mean, not villain or supporting cast.

[MollyBarton]

The writing may have been awful at times, but seeing Cap with Spidey was good fun.

[PhantomReporter]

The writing may have been awful at times, but seeing Cap with Spidey was good fun.

That was actually the high point - MTU was far superior to the CB stories that had come just before. In fact it was arguably the best CB story up to that point.

[MollyBarton]

I liked the young Cap, shy and reserved. Pre-psycho Jamie was nice, too.

I'm going to go back and re-read the first few stories tonight so I can add more to the discussion. This is a great idea for a thread, there's not enough love for Cap!

[PhantomReporter]

I liked the young Cap, shy and reserved. Pre-psycho Jamie was nice, too.

I'm going to go back and re-read the first few stories tonight so I can add more to the discussion. This is a great idea for a thread, there's not enough love for Cap!

As a writer myself, i'm also interested in the mechanics of a story - plot/characters etc and where other readers might see failed lame villains that haven't appeared in over 30 years i look at The Reaver, Manipulator, Highwayman and others and i think ... if i were writing a Captain Britain comic or even a UK-centric team group, how could i bring back these bad guys and make them good or even great. Same for supporting characters. Does anyone else ever look at an old story and think there might be potential in an old forgotten villian? One man's junk etc ..

[Loki]

but comes across Chief Inspector Dai Thomas (long lasting important Marvel UK character)

Worth noting that Dai did not originate in Marvel UK - he pre-dates Captain Britain, and was one of the supporting cast in a Chris Claremont Blade story.

Wrapping up in issue 33 Freidrich brings back Merlin and Roma (naming them and flashing back to Camelot)

Unless I badly misremember, Roma isn't named here. Merlin is, but Roma has to wait until Hulk Comic #32 to be identified by her given name.

[Loki]

Yes - five trades collect everything from CB VOLUME ONE 1 to Captain Britain VOLUME TWO 14 which covers from 1976-1986. From then on you need to jump to Excalibur or collect guest appearances to get Brian's next appearances.

http://www.amazon.com/Captain-Britai.../dp/1905239300

Ok got you the right link now

To be exact, those five trades collect ALMOST everything. Unfortunately they missed out the contents of several issues of Hulk Comic that they thought were just reprints of Captain Britain and Black Knight's origins - except that the stories therein were not straight reprints, but instead included some text and art modifications which, while relatively small, were also very relevant to both characters. Stuff like revealing the Nethergods of Otherworld had been behind empowering Hurricane in an early attempt to slay Merlyn's champion. To get those stories you need the Marvel US trades.

[PhantomReporter]

Worth noting that Dai did not originate in Marvel UK - he pre-dates Captain Britain, and was one of the supporting cast in a Chris Claremont Blade story.


Unless I badly misremember, Roma isn't named here. Merlin is, but Roma has to wait until Hulk Comic #32 to be identified by her given name.

I didn't know that about Dai.

Check CB 35 second page panel 3 'I have no power to stem such hatred! I shall return to my star-home, where awaits my daughter Roma!'

[Loki]

I didn't know that about Dai.

Check CB 35 second page panel 3 'I have no power to stem such hatred! I shall return to my star-home, where awaits my daughter Roma!'

I guess I did badly misremember. CB #35 rather than #33, but you are right, she's named a lot earlier than Hulk Comic #32.

[PhantomReporter]

I guess I did badly misremember. CB #35 rather than #33, but you are right, she's named a lot earlier than Hulk Comic #32.

Well to be fair i did reread this just last night and as i got to those issues i was looking out for first mentions.