Artist Alan Davis joined him, and they put Captain Britain as the leader of a team that consisted of popular mutants. Then, in 1987, he created a British spin-off of the X-Men with Excalibur. He took Brian’s sister Betsy Braddock, and gave her a mutant upgrade as the telepathic Psylocke. Writer Chris Claremont, who wrote Brian’s earliest adventures, was now the head honcho of the most popular franchise in comics. Flying Across the PondĬaptain Britain would get a big boost in popularity in the late ’80s, thanks to its association with the X-Men franchise. This designation, used by Marvel to this very day, came straight from Captain Britain comics. And the “main” Marvel Earth’s was Earth-616. They introduced the concept of the Captain Britain Corps, revealing every Earth in the Multiverse has its own Captain Britain. This era of Captain Britain stories played into the idea of extra-dimensional adventures, mostly in the realm called “ Otherworld.” A writer named David Thorpe expanded the mythos, and later, a young Alan Moore wrote many of these stories once taking over the titles. It was also a beacon of sorts, allowing him to channel the powers of the British Isles no matter where he was in the world. This costume incorporated the Amulet of Right into itself. So when Captain Britain became one of many features in Marvel Super-Heroes, artist Alan Davis gave him a new costume, one with the British flag displayed on the chest. And it didn’t really sell the character as “the British Captain America” the way Marvel probably wanted. A reference to the British Royal Family perhaps? In any event, that costume didn’t last very many years. The costume was almost solid red, and didn’t feature the British flag on the chest. In the early days, Captain Britain sported a very different costume. This story introduced Brian Braddock to American audiences, and boosted his profile in Marvel Comics overall. So of course, a Spidey-Cap team-up was called for. And his roommate was none other than Peter Parker. There, he became an exchange student at New York’s Empire State University. Brian would then appear for the first time in an American comic in 1978’s Marvel Team-Up #65. His initial series only lasted 39 issues. And much of the family drama would surround his older sibling Jamie, and his twin sister Betsy. Captain Britain’s power set was decidedly mystical in nature.Ĭaptain Britain would fight villains like Slaymaster and Red Skull. This already makes Captain Britain decidedly different from Captain America, whose powers came from super science. It grants him super strength, speed, endurance, and the ability to fly. Not seeing himself as the “knight” type, Brian chooses the amulet. Merlyn, along with his daughter Roma, offers Brian two choices to channel this power - the Amulet of Right or the Sword of Might. It’s then that the wizard Merlyn appears, and offers Brian the chance to become the United Kingdom’s mystical champion. But he’s injured badly in an accident, and nearly dies. When terrorists attack the lab, Brian rushes off on his motorcycle to get help. While attending university, Brian was working at a nuclear research facility. An Arthurian Origin StoryĬaptain Britain was Brian Braddock, the bookish son of an old aristocratic British family from Essex. And one of his throwaway contributions to the series would have a profound impact on the entire Marvel Universe. (This will matter a lot more later.) Another early writer was Alan Moore. And it was none other than Uncanny X-Men writer Chris Claremont. What we do know is who wrote the earliest Captain Britain stories. No one is sure who actually created Captain Britain, although some believe that John Romita Sr. Captain Britain was the first Marvel UK comic that was original content, and not just reprints of American comics. Since the States had Captain America, Marvel likely figured it was time to give the newly popular Marvel UK line its very own hero and mascot. This was a weekly series exclusively produced for the British market. His first appearance was in Captain Britain Weekly #1. But he first appeared, appropriately enough, only in Marvel UK comics. The Comic Book History of England’s ChampionĬaptain Britain has been a part of the Marvel Universe since 1976. With Captain Britain almost an inevitability in the MCU, here’s what you need to know about the UK’s greatest superhero. With Black Knight appearing in Eternals, it seems the MCU is opening its doors to their heroes based on British lore. The reluctance to call Peggy by that name suggests the actual Captain Britain might be around the corner in the MCU. It stands to reason that the MCU has plans for the true Captain Britain from the comics, and doesn’t want too much brand confusion.
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