Welcome back, folks, to our recurring segment in which I take a good hard look at the first ten issues of a comic book series to see how it began. Did it start off with a bang, or did it drag its way to cancellation?
My first article in this series was about the Captain Britain-led superteam book Excalibur from during the ’80s, so I figured I'd do my spiritual sequel this time around and cover the Captain Britain-led superteam book Captain Britain and MI-13 from during the 2000s. This 15-issue series ran from August 2008 to September 2009. Sadly, it wasn’t a financial success, but it was a huge critical darling and widely beloved. I believe it followed up on some of the ideas from the Wisdom series, which I haven’t read, but I'm sure I’ll have no trouble catching up.
So let's take a good, hard, British look at some comics.
Source: marvel.wikia.com
1. The Guns of Avalon, Part One
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artist: Leonard Kirk
Holy crap. That was one pedal-to-the-metal asskicker of an issue. I"¦I am blown away.
I mean, Page One, Panel One has Skrull John Lennon, and he’s about to be executed. Hard to sell a book any harder than that. It seems that Skrull John Lennon was held over from Wisdom, and I love him. He's about to be executed because this story is a Secret Invasion tie-in. Folks, we’re committing that cardinal sin of comic books! The First issue is a crossover! This one is great, though. Honestly, most of the Secret Invasion tie-ins were.
This issue is just page after page of British superheroes beating down Super Skrulls, and we start meeting our crew immediately. I've always loved Captain Britain, but this is my introduction to Pete Wisdom, and he's really super fun. I love his bromance with Cap. Black Knight and Spitfire are both fun and charming, but each clearly has some darkness in them. And Faiza Hussain is introduced here. I know what she goes on to and I'm pumped to see it.
Oh, and the issue ends as if Cap'n B is gonna die, but we all know that's not happening.
Source: Marvel.wikia.com
2. The Guns of Avalon, Part Two
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artist: Leonard Kirk
Well, we’re not slowing and we're not stopping. So the plot is simple: The Skrulls attack London in order to raid Avalon, the source of all magic. Captain Britain has died (suuuuuuuure), and the team’s been split apart.
Black Knight and Dr. Faiza Hussain are still fighting Skrulls on Earth as Pete, John, and Spitfire are en route to Avalon to help them. While there, they discover Earth's last hope, Excalibur. The sword, not the superteam; I know that could be confusing. The Skrulls waging full-on war with Avalon is fantastic. They’re ready to play, and they’re stomping the competition.
My favorite scene in the comic is the one in which the Skrulls catalogue all the magic BS they've locked down. Both charming AND scary! Faiza and the Knight have great chemistry, and I really love this version of Dane Whitman. He's fun and dashing, and he doesn't even try to cover up the deep s**t he has going on under the surface.
How long will they keep trying to make us believe that Brian is dead? Because his name is in the title, dudes.
Source: marvel.com
3. The Guns of Avalon, Part Three
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artist: Leonard Kirk
This comic should be impossible. It's so British and reserved, but it’s also so rock and roll.
The Skrulls have taken Avalon, destroying magic as we know it. They’re now advancing on London with the goal of achieving a decisive ideological victory by claiming the capital as their own. Wisdom, Spitfire, and John are still unable to draw Excalibur, although magic is mostly gone. So Wisdom does the last thing possible: He releases the evil, magical creatures to fight back. Seems like an idea that couldn't possibly backfire. Then Merlin’s released, and he immediately brings back Captain Britain. Told you. Although I was not expecting him to literally form out of Union Jack flags. That's hilarious, and I really love it.
The Dr. Strange Skrull is about to murder Faiza and Black Knight, when – oh s**t – Captain Britain shows up with Excalibur in hand. This moment is badass and awesome, and"¦I have to ruin it; I'm sorry. I love everything about this comic, but I hate this new Captain Britain costume. I know it sticks around, so I'll learn to live with it, but I just really wish I didn't have to. I totally adore the classic outfit we saw in the first issue. I don't know why Brian winds up with a new costume every time he gets a big role in a team book, they have to give him a new costume. The Excalibur replacement was okay, but this one is just too simple to be fun. I love that helmet-mask. It just looks like all the design choices that bothered me about "realistic" costumes common in books like the Ultimates.
Ah, well, the art is gorgeous. At least it's drawn well.
Source: marvel.wikia.com
4. The Guns of Avalon, Conclusion
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artist: Leonard Kirk
A great end to a great opening arc. And the costume is growing on me a bit.
First, I'm super sad about John the Skrull. I liked him. But Faiza is now a member of the team and has a new identity as the bearer of Excalibur. Really glad they ultimately gave it to her rather than Brian. He's already enough of a superhero. Also, the "no kill" policy is refreshing, to say the least. And I do love this version of Captain Britain.
Brian is charming and funny, and he just seems like a good dude. His jokes really struck at me. In addition, there were some real emotional moments that got to me. His reaction when he learned how John died? I got chills. Also, Wisdom’s agony over the one favor the magical monsters grant him really had an impact. It’s a good tribute to the character’s history.
Here we go with a new era of British superheroes. I can't wait to see what the next arc brings.
Source: marvel.com
5. Hell Comes to Birmingham, Prologue
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artist: Pat Olliffe
Now we're out of the Secret Invasion tie-ins. So it’s on to MI-13's official missions.
Most of this issue is…well, a prologue. It establishes plot aspects that I'm sure will play out throughout the arc. Faiza and Dane (Black Knight) continue to exhibit some fun character interaction, especially with Faiza's parents’ reactions to everything. We also learn more about Brian's new power set and how it works. The concept is interesting (it ties in with his self-confidence) and I'm sure it'll get used in fun ways in the later issues.
But let's talk about that new team member. Blade is the British superhero everyone forgets is British, and adding him to the lineup makes for some real drama. Don't think so? Well, this issue ends as he stakes Spitfire through the heart, which is a more intense sort of personal disagreement than I've ever had on a project. Honestly, Jac was being a bit careless there. I mean, she knows she's a vampire (as the readers have since the first issue), so maybe she shouldn't be all smiles when Blade the Vampire Hunter shows up to hang out. Read the room, Spitfire.
We also get a Union Jack cameo in this issue, which made me happy. Love that dude.
Source: marvel.com
6. Hell Comes to Birmingham, Part One
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artist: Leonard Kirk
I've given a lot of (well-deserved) props to Cornell's writing, but Kirk's art is just as awesome. Spitfire and Blade’s fight is really great here; it’s especially well-choreographed. Also, I just really love the way he draws Spitfire, in both regular and Vampire forms.
The crisis at hand is a building that’s enveloped in magical fire and ruled by Plokta, who masters the Mindless Ones and can pacify your greatest desire. Brian is pretty much the only one who deals with this for most of the issue. And he's only dealing with it by being given a house tour.
Meanwhile, Blade stalks and tries to kill Spitfire. And it's kinda hard to know who to root for. I started out firmly on Spitfire's side, because Blade was being a huge jerk about everything. But the longer the fight lasts, the more it looks as though Jackie really doesn’t have much control over her vampirism. And right at the end, we have Meggan's return!!!!! I wasn’t in love with Meggan in Excalibur, but it’s nice to see her make a comeback. I hope this book makes me love her.
Source: marvel.wikia.com
7. Hell Comes to Birmingham, Part Two
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artist: Leonard Kirk
Everything's going to hell, folks. This is actually a really good Part Two. It raises all the stakes, and still doesn't act as a climax or anything. But it continues the story in several ways.
So, where are our characters? Brian is lost in the fantasy dimension with Meggan and returning Excalibur character Jaime Braddock. Dane, Faiza, and Pete fight through the building as Dane tries to resist being corrupted by the Ebony Blade. Or IS it the Ebony Blade? Ooooooh!
We also have my favorite part of the issue: Spitfire and Blade! I love their camaraderie, and Spitfire seems to be in control of herself. Blade’s ability to prioritize makes him far more likable than he was in the last two issues. Pete's fantasy sequence is affecting, as well. I was unfamiliar with him before I read this series, but this issue gives me a very good sense of him as a character.
Source: marvel.wikia.com
8. Hell Comes to Birmingham, Part Three
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artist: Leonard Kirk
I like this series, and this is a decent issue, but I feel that this second arc is a bit of a slump compared to the first.
And I think most of that is related to the way comics started to exist around this time. Writing for the trade became a thing, and comics began to decompress to fit five or six-issue arcs. Honestly, I think this would've worked better as a two or even three-part article.
Like the previous issue, most of this one has our team wandering around the house while Brian bounces around in his own brain. Blade and Spitfire meet up with the others just in time for everyone to find out that Captain Midlands, the MI-13 member who brought them there, is a traitor who betrayed them all to Plotka in order to bring back his dead wife. I haven’t mentioned Midlands yet because barely factors into the main plot. But he had a good design.
Hopefully, the next issue brings this thing home in a big way.
Source: marvel.com
9. Hell Comes to Birmingham, Conclusion
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artists: Leonard Kirk and Mike Collins
We’ll get to this issue and everything soon, but first, I have to say SCREW YOU, UNIVERSE!!! Really? The slow, drawn-out Mindless Ones arc took place in the first ten issues, but I don't get to talk about Dracula in his castle on the Moon??????
The last page of this issue is better than the three issues that came before.
Anyway, this issue isn't bad. It's actually good! But it’s very bleak. Wisdom is a lot tougher and more vicious than I expected, especially when he's betrayed. Like, look what he does to Captain Midlands in this issue alone. He destroys his ghost-wife, drags him out in front of his entire community, and, while in jail, hands him a gun to kill himself to avoid a public trial. Like, holy crap.
But yeah, Dracula has a moon castle. He’s asking that Doctor Doom be brought to him, and that's possibly the greatest page in history.
Source: marvel.wikia.com
10. Vampire State, Prologue
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artist: Leonard Kirk
This is absolutely the best issue of the series so far, hands down. Dracula shoots Vampire Missiles at Earth from his Moon castle. He also makes racist comments to Doctor Doom in front of the Moon Lander. How dare this comic be this incredibly good?
So Dracula is back, and he wants to take back control of the Vampires. He's also a very old man who’s really racist, and that’s a great premise for a joke. Meanwhile on Earth, sexual tension is building between Faiza and Dane, as well as Blade and Spitfire. Honestly, this is the first time in a long time that Blade has felt like an actual character and not a plot prop. I really like it.
In the cameo department, we have some good, good Doctor Doom and Storm!! This was back when Storm was queen of Wakanda, so she's here to hand over the real Ebony Blade to Black Knight. This fantastic issue is a kick-off to a great story arc.
All things considered, this was a great comic, and a real high point of late 2000s Marvel comics. Cornell can really write these characters, and Kirk draws some damn fine superhero comics. This might be my second-favorite work that I've covered for this column, with Mister Miracle in the top spot. But yeah, it’s well worth your time if you can find it collected. Happy reading, Anglophiles!!
And I have come around on the costume. Still not my fave, but not the worst.
