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Captain Britain and MI13

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Captain Britain and MI: 13
Cover art for Captain Britain & The M1-13 #1.
Art by Bryan Hitch.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
ScheduleMonthly
FormatOngoing series
Genre
Publication dateMay 2008 – July 2009
Main character(s)Captain Britain
Pete Wisdom
Black Knight
Blade
Spitfire
Faiza Hussain
Creative team
Created byPaul Cornell
Leonard Kirk
Written byPaul Cornell
Penciller(s)Leonard Kirk
Inker(s)Jesse Delperdang
Paul Neary
Michael Bair
Current:
Jay Leisten
Colorist(s)Brian Reber
Collected editions
Secret InvasionISBN 0-7851-3344-5
Hell Comes To BirminghamISBN 0-7851-3345-3
Vampire StateISBN 0-7851-3952-4

Captain Britain and MI: 13 is an American comic book series from Marvel Comics, written by Paul Cornell, with art by Leonard Kirk. The series centers on the fictional British government agency MI: 13, which is dedicated to protecting the United Kingdom from supernatural threats. The main strikeforce is led by the superhero Captain Britain (Brian Braddock), and consists of various Marvel Comics characters that are of British descent or have a connection to the country. The ongoing series launched as a tie-in to the Secret Invasion event in May 2008. The series will cease publication with issue #15.

Publication history

The idea for the series grew out of Cornell's first Marvel MAX limited series Wisdom, which is centered around Pete Wisdom and MI: 13. Editor Nick Lowe said, "I loved working with Paul on Wisdom and wanted to expose more readers to his writing."[1]

In August 2007 it was announced that Cornell was going to take over writing New Excalibur[2], another series with close links to MI: 13, but, over time, the project morphed into a new series. Cornell explained, "I think there have been so many Excaliburs lately that Nick [Lowe] just wanted to underline that this is a fresh start. And it shows that we have a purpose firmly in mind. And it spotlights Cap, which is fine by me."[3]

The New Excalibur team was wound up in the 2007 crossover mini-series X-Men: Die by the Sword and the major Marvel summer event of 2008, Secret Invasion, was used as a launchpad for the new Captain Britain and MI: 13 series, much like how the fallout of the 2005 summer event, House of M, was used to launch New Excalibur which after issue #4, separated from the event to become an ongoing series.

To help keep the series on schedule after the completion of the first story arc, Pat Olliffe and Paul Neary took over the art duties for issue #5 (the prologue to second storyline Hell Comes to Birmingham) from Leonard Kirk and inker Jesse Delperdang. Paul Cornell has stated that Kirk is with the series "for the duration".[4] Michael Bair, with Jay Leisten and Craig Yeung, took over from Delperdang in issues 7 and 8 before Jay Leisten, at first with Cam Smith, took on the inking duties.

Rumours that the title might had been cancelled, when sales dropped after the Secret Invasion tie-in ended, dropping from estimates of 36,805[5] to 22,185 by issue #7,[6] were denied by a Marvel spokesman who revealed plans for numerous upcoming storylines, including appearances by Doctor Doom, Dracula and the return of Meggan.[7]

Doom and Dracula feature in the third storyarc "Vampire State" which runs for six issues and an annual.[8]

Outside of the comic series, several members of the team make cameo appearances in Mighty Avengers #22-23[9], and Paul Cornell wrote an in canon Twitter micro-blog page as Captain Britain[10] for a while, where Captain Britain describes character interactions and missions that take place off-panel between storyarcs.

On May 19, 2009 Paul Cornell announced that issue #15 would be the last one saying:

while we didn’t know this would be the last arc until comparatively recently, I had it in mind that it was possible it would be from the time I started plotting it. Indeed, the end of this arc marks the end of what I had planned for the book when I started. One of the images right at the finish is what I always felt I was heading towards, and I’m very pleased I got there.[11]

Characters

The initial main cast of characters included superheroes with British backgrounds like Captain Britain, The Black Knight, and Spitfire working for MI: 13 alongside its field agents Pete Wisdom and John the Skrull. Dr. Faiza Hussain, a character first seen in this series[12], was introduced as a new agent of MI: 13. Former head of MI: 13, Alistaire Stuart, returns as the scientific adviser,[1] while Tink, a MI: 13 field agent from Wisdom, returns in issue #2[13], although not in an official agent role.

Other British superheroes made appearances in the title, including Captain Midlands and Union Jack, Cornell has intentions to further explore a variety of other British superheroes:

One of the great things about this title is that, because all British superheroes are de facto part of MI-13, we can visit disparate parts of the Marvel UK scene without it being a big deal[13]

When quizzed about if other British characters like some of the Knights of Pendragon, Elsa Bloodstone, Motormouth, and Killpower, Cornell stated an interest of looking at other British heroes as the series progresses.[14] Cornell had also stated a character would be appearing who was British, even if they were not commonly thought to be, and this was revealed to be Blade, who would join the cast in issue #5.[15] He later confirmed that the series will be featuring Motormouth and Killpower.[16]

In issue #3, readers saw the return of Merlin, a version of the Merlyn usually seen in stories with Captain Britain (who is the physical amalgamations of all his interdimensional counterparts), specifically an 'aspect' that appeared in Marvel UK's Doctor Who comics.[17] This fits with the mention of "Higher Evolutionaries" having imprisoned him, a group who appeared in Alan Moore's "Time War" storyline and who have Rassilon as a member. Cornell has a strong Dr Who connection and explained his choice of this 'aspect' of Merlyn:

I think we just all liked the look of Merlin with a metal skullcap, as seen in the film Excalibur.[18] The coolest thing about Merlin being that every version of him is him. Apart from those ones in the 1950s that weren't.[19]

One of the main cast is expected to die during the Vampire State arc.[20]

Plot

The Guns Of Avalon

See also: Secret Invasion

During the Skrull Invasion, Britain comes under heavy attack by Super Skrulls, which forces a loose coalition of British superheroes to come together to fight them off under the aegis of MI: 13. The Skrulls launch an assault on the Siege Perilous[13], preventing access into the Otherworld (Avalon) through its portal while breaking through into Otherworld via another portal located in one their ships. While in Avalon, the Skrulls gather together mystical items and convert them for their own use to make a magically empowered Super Skrull[21] to face the remaining British resistance in London. With all the magic gone from Avalon, Wisdom, in a last ditch effort, releases the dark and evil magics along with Merlin who resurrects Captain Britain to aid the resistance.[22]

Captain Britain uses Excalibur to defeat the magic empowered Super-Skrull while the dark magic beings lay claim to Great Britain and at the request of Wisdom exterminate the rest of the Skrull invaders. Standing in the devastation, Captain Britain and Wisdom announce that a team of superheroes should be brought together to face any new threat to the country including the dark magic beings while Faiza Hussain became the new wielder of Excalibur.[23]

Hell Comes to Birmingham

The evil released by Wisdom in "Guns of Avalon" starts to cause trouble, chiefly thanks to Plokta, a new character:

"He's a lovely new Leonard design, in a rather Steve Ditko vein. He's a Lord of Hell. He's not exactly humanoid," Cornell said. "He's got an important and so far unseen function in the mystical side of the Marvel Universe. And he's decided to conquer the world exponentially from a tower block in Birmingham. He's also so got our team's number, only they go in without knowing that."[24]

Using the tower block in Birmingham, Plokta captures many people within its rooms by giving them an illusion of their hearts desire. Using the collected magical energy of these people, Plokta creates an army of Mindless Ones. When challenged by Captain Britain, Plokta reveals he has something Brian may want; Meggan. Captain Midlands betrayed his remaining comrades, allowing them to be captured by Plotka briefly. When the team eventually defeated Plotka, Midlands was taken into custody.

Vampire State

Dracula, "the greatest general of his generation",[16] and his vampire minions leave their Moon sanctuary for a planned assault on the United Kingdom; with help from Doctor Doom. Cornell has said that it would be "a spy game, a clash of intellects, as Dracula tries to strategize and trick his way into a full on takeover of the British Isles".[8] Black Knight and Faiza Hussain head to the African nation of Wakanda to retrieve the true Ebony Blade from Wakanda's queen, Ororo T'Challa. The team members are each intercepted by enhanced vampires, while Dracula heads directly to Faiza Hussain's family home. Kidnapping and converting Faiza's father and other while using his powers over Spitfire to bring her into his inner circle, that includes Lilith and Captain Fate where Dracula uses magic to prepare for an invasion.

Using magical barriers to block off Britain from the rest of the world, Dracula's armies begin there invasion; seemingly disposing of most of the heroes of MI:13 and anyone else in their path. Dracula and his armies sweeps across the UK leaving only a pocket of resistance to fend off the invaders.

Reception

Reviews of the first issue were largely positive, noting Cornell's solid characterization and tight plotting[25] as well as the vein of black comedy that runs through proceedings[26] and the smooth transition from his Wisdom limited series, despite the differences in the scale of the action,[27] which may make the issue "a little new reader unfriendly."[28] Comic Book Resources called it "a splendid new series,"[25] Comics Bulletin conclude "I haven't read a stronger first issue than this in a long time"[27] and IGN agreed, stating "Captain Britain And MI: 13 #1 is as good a debut to a superhero story as I can remember."[26] Given the good reviews and the tie-in with Secret Invasion (the first issue of which sold an estimate quarter of a million copies)[29] the sales were high, with the first printing selling out immediately and being followed by a second printing with a variant cover based in Kirk's interior art[30] which, in turn, sold out requiring a third printing.[31]

The May 2008 direct sales estimates for the first issue were 47,527 making it the 51st top-selling comic title that month,[32] more than twice the 20,000 sales for the first issue of the Wisdom limited series.[33]. Estimates fell for the second issue to 37,968 (55th place)[34] then stayed fairly steady through issue #3 (36,934 sales estimate, 58th)[35] and #4 (36,805, 63rd).[36] Following the end of the Secret Invasion tie-in the sales dipped again to 32,989 (69th place) for issue #5, to 28,030 (96th) for #6 [37] and to 22,185 (95th) with #7.[38] Sales stabilised somewhat with issue #8 (21,233 sales and 130th ranking)[39] but dropped further with issue #9 (18,478 and 101st in ranking)[40] before recovering with issue #10 (20,626 and 98th in ranking).[41]

Comic Book Resources placed the series at #10 in their top 100 comics of 2008, describing it as the "best thing to come out of Secret Invasion" and that it is "the best new superhero title of 2008."[42] Newsarama named Cornell one of their "nine to watch in 2009," saying that he might be "the lead in the next British invasion of writers into American comics."[43]

The appearance of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown got considerable attention from the press,[44] contrasting the comic's heroic portrayal with the PM's current poor standing with the voting public.[45][46] Cornell said "I'm quite a fan of Gordon Brown. I'm pleased we've given him a PR boost on both sides of the Atlantic and around the world. I feel quite sorry for him, so I'm glad I've contributed a bit."[47]

Collected editions

The series is being collected into trade paperbacks:

  • Secret Invasion (collects Captain Britain and MI: 13 #1-4, 104 pages, Panini Comics, January 2009, ISBN 1846534070, Marvel Comics, March 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3344-5)
  • Hell Comes To Birmingham (collects Captain Britain and MI: 13 #5-9, 120 pages, Marvel Comics, July 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3345-3)
  • Vampire State (collects Captain Britain and MI: 13 #10-15, 184 pages, Marvel Comics, Oct 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3952-4)

Notes

  1. ^ a b Cornell & Lowe talk "Captain Britain and MI:13", Comic Book Resources, February 18, 2008.
  2. ^ WW: Chicago - Marvel X-Men Panel, Newsarama, August 10, 2007
  3. ^ Damn Bloody Skrulls: Captain Britain and MI: 13, Newsarama, April 29, 2008
  4. ^ Paul Cornell's House of Awkwardness (blog) - Captain Britain #5, SFX and Doctor Who Puppets
  5. ^ Sales Estimates for August, 2008, Comic Book Resources
  6. ^ Sales Estimates for November, 2008, Comic Book Resources
  7. ^ Rumorkiller: Captain Britain NOT Canceled, Newsarama, January 23, 2009
  8. ^ a b Bloody Hell: Cornell on Captain Britain, Comic Book Resources, January 21, 2009
  9. ^ Paul Cornell's House of Awkwardness (blog) - Cap Podcast Interview and Mighty Avengers News
  10. ^ Marvel's Captain Britain Twittering Daily Heroics By John Scott Lewinski, wired.com, February 18, 2009
  11. ^ Goodbye Captain Britain, May 19, 2009
  12. ^ Super Spy Weekend: Faisa Hussain, Comic Book Resources, March 9, 2008
  13. ^ a b c Defense of the Realms: Cornell on "Captain Britain and MI:13", Comic Book Resources, May 15, 2008
  14. ^ The British Invasion: Paul Cornell on Captain Britain and MI: 13, Comics Bulletin, April 10, 2008
  15. ^ MI:13 Agent Profile - Blade? Cornell talks "Captain Britain", Comic Book Resources, July 7, 2008
  16. ^ a b Newsarama 9: Paul Cornell, Newsarama, February 11, 2009
  17. ^ Doctor Who Monthly #60 (1982)
  18. ^ Played by actor Nicol Williamson
  19. ^ Mighty Week of Marvel #5, Broken Frontier, July 15, 2008}
  20. ^ Noted on Paul Cornell's Twitter. "just wrote the death of a major MI-13 cast member. Made myself cry. Always the test." 09:20 AM Feb 27th from web
  21. ^ Paul Cornell (w), Leonard Kirk (p), Jesse Delperdang (i). "The Guns Of Avalon" Captain Britain and MI: 13, no. 2 (August 2008). Marvel Comics.
  22. ^ Paul Cornell (w), Leonard Kirk (p), Jesse Delperdang, Scott Hanna (i). "The Guns Of Avalon" Captain Britain and MI: 13, no. 3 (September 2008). Marvel Comics.
  23. ^ Paul Cornell (w), Leonard Kirk (p), Jesse Delperdang (i). "The Guns Of Avalon" Captain Britain and MI: 13, no. 4 (October 2008). Marvel Comics.
  24. ^ And Hell Followed: Cornell talks Captain Britain & MI:13, Comic Book Resources, September 12, 2008
  25. ^ a b Review of issue #1, Comic Book Resources
  26. ^ a b Review of issue #1, IGN
  27. ^ a b Review of issue #1, Comics Bulletin
  28. ^ Review of issue #1, Broken Frontier
  29. ^ Sales Estimates for April, 2008 Books, Comic Book Resources, May 20, 2008
  30. ^ "Captain Britain," "Guardian of the Galaxy" sell out, variant cover second printings announced (press release), Comic Book Resources, May 20, 2008
  31. ^ Captain Britain & The MI-13 #1 Returns With A Third Printing!, Comics Bulletin, June 27, 2008
  32. ^ Sales Estimates for May, 2008, Comic Book Resources, June 17, 2008
  33. ^ Sales Estimates for November, 2006 Books, Comic Book Resources, December 19, 2006
  34. ^ Sales Estimates for June, 2008, Comic Book Resources, August 6, 2008
  35. ^ Sales Estimates for July, 2008, Comic Book Resources, August 26, 2008
  36. ^ Sales Estimates for August, 2008, Comic Book Resources, October 1, 2008
  37. ^ Sales Estimates for September, 2008, Comic Book Resources, October 21, 2008
  38. ^ Sales Estimates for November, 2008, Comic Book Resources, December 19, 2008
  39. ^ Sales Estimates for December, 2008, Comic Book Resources, January 29, 2009
  40. ^ Sales Estimates for January, 2009, Comic Book Resources, March 12, 2009
  41. ^ Sales Estimates for February, 2009, Comic Book Resources, April 1, 2009
  42. ^ Best 100 Comics of 2008, Part V, Comic Book Resources, January 2, 2009
  43. ^ 9 to Watch in 2009: The Creators, Newsarama, December 30, 2008
  44. ^ Captain Britain and MI:13 Blow Up UK Press, Comic Book Resources, June 4, 2008
  45. ^ Have no fear, SuperGordon is here to help save the world - but only in new comic book 'Captain Britain', The Daily Mail, June 2, 2008
  46. ^ Gordon Brown, superhero, Associated Press, June 3, 2008
  47. ^ Prime Minister turns comic book hero, The Sunday Mail June 1, 2008

References

Interviews

Reviews


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