If you’re a regular dweller within this particular dusty, dark, corner of
the comic blogosphere, you’ll no doubt have seen other celebratory posts this
weekend about Britain’s very own superhero.
Captain Britain No.
1 was released the week ending October 13 1976. I was 11 years old, and the
power of TV advertising (plus the lure of a free Captain Britain mask) worked
its magic. I plunked down my 10p and prepared myself to be thrilled by the full
colour exploits of the hero we’d all been demanding (apparently).
Well, not quite. Despite a personal message from Stan Lee
informing us that nearly a full year was spent ‘creating the characters, developing
the themes, and producing the greatest possible stories and illustrations!’ it
wasn’t particularly evident within the seven slim pages written by Chris Claremont and drawn by
Herb Trimpe (inked by Fred Kida).
Brian Braddock was a pipe smoking physicist working at the Darkmoor
Research Centre, a top secret nuclear complex, when it was attacked by Joshua
Stragg…THE REAVER! Fleeing the scene on a motor bike, Brian was startled by the
flashing lights of a passing hovercraft causing him to drive off a cliff. Still
somehow alive, but battered and broken, Brian is given an ultimatum by a couple
of floating heads. Choose either the sword or the amulet…life or death…and…
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK! THOU SHALT NOT MISS IT!
Well, we already knew what he choose, because the comic
opened with two pages of Brian Braddock, as Captain Britain (wearing the
amulet), fighting THE REAVER (brandishing a sword). Obviously it was decided
that the Special Origin Issue! should open with some senses-shattering action,
but it killed the cliff-hanger ending dead.
I wasn’t very impressed, and the lie was put to the claim
that a year was spent producing the greatest possible stories and illustrations,
by the two superior reprints included in the issue. A John Buscema drawn Fantastic
Four, and a Jim Steranko Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Beat that Cap!
Still, I gave Captain Britain a chance and bought his comic
for a few more weeks, but I was never that interested. It took a few more
years, and the talents of Alan Moore and Alan Davis, to make me finally like
Britain’s own superhero – and for that alone it is worth wishing Captain
Britain a very happy 36th birthday!
Buy Captain Britain No.1 at My Comic Shop
Buy Captain Britain No.1 at My Comic Shop
And doesn't he look good for his age? Must be all of...what? 28? Not bad for a 36 year-old. Ah, the magic of comics, eh?
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