Comics Official CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI:13 Discussion Thread

[Harlekin]

I hope that series is just ignored.

 

[The Englishman]

It sounds like Blade is actually joining the team and it's not a cameo, i hope the same can be said for Union Jack...

 

[OutcryX]

Blade on a team? i just cant wrap my mind around it. he is just such a singular character....well, except for the OTHER teams he has been on...but those were guys that exist in his corner of the Marvel U. He doesn't fit mainstream..but since there is a vamp on the book...i guess he fits.

 

[cerealkiller182]

Every team needs a designated loner, although Blade IS a strange choice

 

[The Englishman]

Every team needs a designated loner, although Blade IS a strange choice

Well we shall see how having this character on the book will work but im sure he's safe in Cornells hands.

 

[Specter313]

When it was said that he would be joining the team? Last I checked, popping up to try and kill one of the team members is not a good way to try and join.

 

[Specter313]

Anyway, another fantastic issue. You could see the twist coming at the end a mile away, but getting there was such a wonderfully written ride.

 

[squeekness]

Yeah, I am enjoying this book very much myself. I love Wisdom in it even if he get stuck doing what nobody wanted to. I am glad I decided to start reading this.

 

[The Englishman]

Yeah, I am enjoying this book very much myself. I love Wisdom in it even if he get stuck doing what nobody wanted to. I am glad I decided to start reading this.

Me too.......t:

 

[Specter313]

CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 #6
Written by PAUL CORNELL
Penciled by LEONARD KIRK
Cover by BRYAN HITCH
Zombie Variant by DAVID YARDIN
“Hell Comes To Birmingham”
As the team is rocked by confusion in their ranks, they're called into battle on their first official mission. All hell has broken loose in Birmingham and MI 13 agent Captain Midlands in the middle of it. It's super heroes vs. the supernatural, full on. What has Dr. Plokta offered the residents in return for their immortal souls? And why are the Mindless Ones starting their assualt from Birmingham? The team lost one member in their first adventure… can they all survive this? Part 1 (of 4)
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

 

[Specter313]

​

Captain Britain and MI: 13 #4 will arrive in stores on August 13 from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Paul Cornell, with art by Leonard Kirk and a cover by Bryan Hitch.

Here's how Marvel describes the book:

"It's the final battle for Britain as MI-13 makes its last stand against the Skrulls. But the door to the darkness has been opened, and evil is loose in the world, and that might make even the end of the Secret Invasion look like the beginning of something much worse. This is the moment a team is created, a hero returns and a new legacy is born."

Captain Britain and MI: 13 #4 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.99[cem

 

[The Englishman]

How cool does Captain Britain look??!!

 

[chris moore]

Very regal. Very powerful. Very cool!

 

[chris moore]

As good as this series has been, is it clear to anyone just what makes Brian so powerful now? He seems to be a superstrong flyer again and that's it. Excalibur seemed to be what it took to bring down the Magiskrull, but Brian embedded it in random debris afterwards claiming it should be with someone who hasnt taken a life (like that's the point of Excalibur - ya think Arthur never took a life with it in battle when he had it?)

 

[Specter313]

CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 #7
Written by PAUL CORNELL
Penciled by LEONARD KIRK
Cover by BRYAN HITCH
Brian Braddock has to make his hardest decision ever, in the room that grants your heart's desire. The power behind the Mindless Ones is revealed. Blade and Spitfire: at each other's throats? And our heroes have to fight their way out of: Hell Comes to Birmingham, part two.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

 

[Specter313]

A Skrull invasion force did it's best to conquer England, and it almost succeeded. The Skrulls killed one of England's premier champions, Captain Britain, and seized control of the island nation's most powerful natural resource, magic. But Britain's other heroes weren't about to give up hope. Through sacrifice and sheer determination, they brought Captain Britain back and rallied to kick the Skrull invaders out of their country.

Such was "The Guns of Avalon," the first story arc in writer Paul Cornell and artist Leonard Kirk's ongoing Marvel Comics series, "Captain Britain and MI:13." CBR News spoke with Cornell about the fallout from the story, as well as what future dangers await the team in the next arc, "Hell Comes to Birmingham."

When Captain Britain (also known as Brian Braddock) returned from the dead at the end of issue #3, the British people were surprised to see their champion had undergone some cosmetic changes: he was clad in a new costume and no longer wearing a face-concealing helmet. "I wanted Captain Britain to be a straightforward, front-facing hero, and not hide his features," Cornell told CBR News. "He doesn't have much of a secret identity now, so that's not an issue. Besides, Leonard draws such great expressions, and this story's all about character, it felt like we were muffling our voice by putting him in a mask."

Captain Britain's resurrection changed more than just his heroic togs. "As we reveal in issue five, the limits of Brian's powers are now tied in to his emotions. So if he's feeling very determined and confident, then he's very powerful, but if he's losing it then he'll really be losing it," Cornell explained. "He's as strong as he used to be, and he can fly, and that's all due to his magical nature, not to his costume. I've always seen him as something like the Shazam Captain Marvel, a hero formed through magic. Which means the subjective nature of what he can now do feels apt to me. As he himself says about great feats depending on whether or not he can gather all his courage together, he says: 'well, I am Captain Britain.'"

In "Captain Britain and MI:13" #3, Pete Wisdom opened the doors to what appeared to be a mystical prison in the dimension of Avalon and let loose all sorts of supernatural evil. But like Pandora before him, Wisdom also freed something else: hope, which came in the form of the being known as Merlin. "He's hope in that he gave us Brian back," Cornell stated. "And that's the last we'll see of him in the book for... a long time."

"The Guns of Avalon" arc also saw the character of Faiza Hussain undergo some changes as well. When the story began, Faiza was just a young doctor doing her best to help her country in its time of need, but a chance encounter with a Skrull device endowed her with super abilities that allow her to both heal and hurt. "She could do some terrifying harm if she wanted to," Cornell remarked. "She can safely pull apart bodies, leaving the person conscious, and make whatever changes she wants to, down to a quantum level. In the case of the Skrulls, she could stop them changing, but holding people in place is the least of it. She's gained an intuitive knowledge of how bodies work, also."

Super powers weren't the only extraordinary thing Faiza received in "The Guns of Avalon." On the final page of "Captain Britain and MI:14" #4, she pulled the fabled sword Excalibur from its latest resting place. "She was seen as worthy," Cornell said. "It's always the youngster who gets it and has to prove themselves. And she has one great big act of destiny to perform with it, way down the line. I like the fact the team have swords: Excalibur; the Black Knight's Ebony Blade; Blade's adamantium odachi."

Blade joins the cast of "Captain Britain and MI:13" in issue #5, in stores September 17. Initially, the vampire hunter also known as Eric Brooks receives a warm welcome from his new teammates. "They've deliberately invited Eric in, so there's no initial character conflict," Cornell said. "Only then things get a bit complicated and, well, a lot of people are at each other's throats. Ahem."

Blade joining MI:13 brings the team's core ranks back up to six members. One of the team's original members, John the Skrull, perished in the "Guns of Avalon" arc, something that's weighing heavily on the minds of certain team members when issue #5 begins. "At the start it looks like they've all been very professional and got past it," Cornell remarked. "But then we start tugging on those dangling threads a little bit. You know Pete Wisdom especially isn't one to just shrug something like this off. He lost one of his team."

The Skrulls were magically banished from England at the end of "The Guns of Avalon," but that doesn't mean the invading shapeshifters have forgotten about the UK. "We're in the Marvel Universe, and the Skrulls are going to keep on being mentioned, and we'll roll with all the big changes," Cornell said." For a start, the Skrulls nearly down the RAF transport that's racing across the Atlantic, trying to bring Blade to Britain."

Captain Britain, Blade, Pete Wisdom, Spitfire, the Black Knight and Faiza Hussain represent the core cast of "Captain Britain and MI:13," but there will be some degree of fluidity in the team's ranks going forward. "We're absolutely on for other British heroes popping in, and the team set up (as displayed in issue five, the epilogue to 'The Guns of Avalon') is designed to allow that," Cornell explained. "Union Jack cameos in that issue, and Captain Midlands appears in the arc that follows, 'Hell Comes to Birmingham.' News of which is going down very well with the guys at the Birmingham Comics Show, by the way."

"Hell Comes to Birmingham" kicks off in "Captain Britain and MI:13" #6 and follows up on the repercussions of Pete Wisdom letting loose the horde of supernatural evil in issue #3. "Something that Pete let out comes straight for Earth, and it's a full on fight as MI:13, with military back-up, scrambles to stop them," Cornell explained. "We've got hordes of Mindless Ones, military jet strikes, a terrible series of choices for Brian, and Pete trying to deal with his issues in a war zone crowded with civilians. This is another war movie against the supernatural, with a lot of that shaky modern camera work and explosions. And our guys are pushed to the brink, as always. That's what I aim to do with this title, see if these guys are still heroes if I push them this hard, then a bit harder, then a bit harder-- and they've always turned out to be. That's the joy of it."

MI:13's chief adversary in "Hell Come to Birmingham" is a sinister, infernal being named Plotka. "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."

The story of MI:13's struggle against Plotka's infernal machinations is a mixture of widescreen superhero action and supernatural horror. "British Marvel always used to be about whimsy. **** whimsy. We've got a sense of humor, but that comes out through character under pressure," Cornell remarked. "This is pow pow pow, character character character, pow pow pow. Our heroes have declared that they don't kill. That is, they don't kill people. They're not so worried about sending demons back where they came from with swords and bazookas. By which I mean, you know, actual bazookas. What kind of age rating do you think we have?"

If readers were amazed by "The Guns of Avalon," they should hold onto their hats while reading "Hell Comes to Birmingham," because Paul Cornell's enthusiasm and ideas get bigger and bigger with every issue of "Captain Britain and MI:13" he completes. "I'm still having this enormously great time with my editor Nick Lowe and Leonard. I'm grabbing this chance with both hands," Cornell said. "I just wrote pages and pages today, cackling to myself as I did it, because this beauty is getting all my creative energy. I'm glad that, from the sound of it, the readership is into it too."

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=18038

 

[Specter313]

​

Captain Britain and MI 13 #5 will arrive in stores on Sept. 17 from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Paul Cornett, with art by Leonard Kirk and covers by Bryan Hitch and David Yardin.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"Blade is back. And what is Lady Jacqueline Falsworth to him, except another dead vampire? Plus: Excalibur in the suburbs, the tears of a Skrull and tea with Union Jack."

Captain Britain and MI 13 #5 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.99

 

[Manic]

I had to look it up online. I knew the movies changed quite a few things, but I didn't know Blade was supposed to be English.

 

[chamber-music]

I had to look it up online. I knew the movies changed quite a few things, but I didn't know Blade was supposed to be English.

His comic origin is quite contridictory

 

[Specter313]

CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #8
Written by PAUL CORNELL
Penciled by LEONARD KIRK
Cover by BRYAN HITCH
Villain Variant by TBA
Pete Wisdom couldn't save John the Skrull. He couldn't save anyone he cared for. Being in his unit can be fatal. So now all else seems lost, now Plokta's engine for making Mindless Ones is threatening the world... what will he sacrifice to save the Black Knight? Widescreen horror action with passion, as only Marvel makes it.
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$2.99

 

[The Englishman]

CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 #7
Written by PAUL CORNELL
Penciled by LEONARD KIRK
Cover by BRYAN HITCH
Brian Braddock has to make his hardest decision ever, in the room that grants your heart's desire. The power behind the Mindless Ones is revealed. Blade and Spitfire: at each other's throats? And our heroes have to fight their way out of: Hell Comes to Birmingham, part two.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

Strider???

 

[Specter313]

SPOILER WARNING: The following contains spoilers for recent issues of “Captain Britain and MI:13.”

Can you imagine trying to write a Spider-Man comic if you’ve never been to New York? You might be able to do it, but to a true New Yorker, it would probably ring false. And how about writing “Alpha Flight” if you’ve never visited Canada?

There are things one can fake well or poorly when telling a tale, but there is no substitution for firsthand knowledge and experience. This is what writer Paul Cornell has brought to Marvel’s “Captain Britain and MI:13,” a book starring the British-born heroes of the Marvel Universe, dedicated to protecting the United Kingdom from supernatural threats -- which they also happened to set free. Whoops.

This is not to say that Paul Cornell has experience as a British spy, although the English writer has been immersed in sci-fi writing for most of his professional career. Cornell’s written several genre novels including “Something More” and “British Summertime,” was involved with the 2005 revival of “Doctor Who,” and he continues to keep busy with the “Robin Hood” BBC television series as well as the “Fantastic Four: True Stories” miniseries for Marvel.

Thankfully, Cornell was able to take some time out from his hectic schedule and join us for today’s X-POSITION to answer your many queries. Let’s get to it!

We start things off with a question sent in by several readers. I’ll allow RedRogue the honor of posing the query:

With Psylocke being Brian’s twin sister and rumored to be returning to the real 616 universe soon, is there any chance of her making a cameo in the title? What about Meggan? You’ve done a magnificent job with the cast of your title and I’d love to see your take on both characters.

Thanks very much, RedRogue. I'm a bit stymied by wanting to keep my surprises close to my chest, but let's just say that I love both characters (my wife loves to play Psylocke on that X-Men beat ‘em up game you find in arcades), and would love to write for either of them -- which doesn't mean they'll both be appearing!


On the topic of Psylocke, Jarrod had a thought, along with a few other questions.

1) The redefinition and clarification of Brian's power-set was much needed and appreciated, but I've always wondered about his (and Betsy's) hinted origins being more products of genetic engineering by their father and Merlyn. Any chance you'll ever delve into that? It does seem curious due to the sort of power fluctuations both have had over the years, especially since it was initially hinted that the twins might've been engineered to take Merlyn's place and rule together. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks very much, Jarrod. I think Merlin's plans change over time. He's not omniscient, though he'd often like us to think that. He's set up Brian now as he wants and needs him to be. I don't know if I'd like to get into the origin stuff, because I do like to move forward, though I can see the attraction. It rather feels like something for way down the line, after we've got lots of nice big story under our belts.


2) I love MI-13's cast but it does feel a little “mutant-lite” following Excalibur. Is there any chance we'll see a few more British mutants in the book, even if they’re not part of the permanent cast? Micromax was with MI-6 last I remember — how about him? Or Kylun, Alchemy, Shamrock, or possibly the return of Sage (who's half-Welsh, if you're wondering)?

We're going to try to include British heroes as we go, but naturally, as they'd come up. Micromax is, as you say, in a good position for that. All the others, possibly, unless they're thoroughly employed elsewhere. Sorry to be so vague, but I think perhaps the point of your question is to make sure these guys are on my shopping list, and yes, that's the case, but that doesn't mean we get there. Story first, as always.

Most importantly, could we see Tangerine finally introduced into the 616 proper? Mutants being in such short supply these days, it might make sense if the government started looking at the ones left as a resource, and there does seem to be a surprising amount in the UK who retained their abilities following M-Day.

I love Tangerine, and we did script a mention for a while, but then moved away from it just because of the shape of the page. I hope we'll be on for that soon. “Hell Comes to Birmingham” is a full-on combat situation, so let's get past that before we get into these waters.


3) The X-Books seem to be going “Hellfire-crazy” these days, so will the Hellfire Club figure at all into CB&MI-13? Two of your cast already have direct familial ties to the club, and there's a perfectly good unused London branch (which had strong occult ties, coincidentally) that seems to be going to waste.

I'm a huge fan of the Club, but as you say, they're being used (very well) elsewhere at the moment, so I may have to wait in line.


Next up, Kid Impulse wrote in with a couple of Brit-related musings. In addition, he sent me scrambling to the dictionary to look up “Mancunian.”

1) My first question is in regards to Union Jack, who, as you've said before, will be appearing in the next arc. As a Mancunian, I've always cringed when he's been written as a cockney by American writers who think we're all Dick Van Dyke circa Mary Poppins. As a British writer, will you be bringing a more realistic approach to my hometown hero, and what can we expect from him?

Mancunian speech habits, for a start, but also some new relationships within the group. That cameo isn't the last you'll see of him. I'm making sure he's called 'Joe' for a start, rather than 'Joey', because who in Britain calls themselves that?

2) Secondly, “MI:13” garnered a lot of interest from the British press for it's inclusion of Gordon Brown. I read the article on The Mail's site and it was full of BIFF's and POW's. The writer had seemingly not had any exposure to superheroes since Adam West. Why do you think comics aren't as well respected in Britain as they are abroad, and is there anything that can be done to improve their image in the eyes of the public?

I was quite pleased that some of the other pieces treated us with a lot of intelligence. I think we're getting there. Just printing the frames I think showed we weren't in the business of Biff! and Pow!
Except, you know, when we are.


3) I'm also really enjoying “Fantastic Four: True Story.” Who else in Marvel's stable of characters would you like to take a crack at?

Thanks very much. Actually, I have a huge list. The Defenders probably isn't on the table now, but I'm really up for basically anyone! I'd love to dive in with some more of the “A” list, although I regard Cap and company as the first item on that list.


If we’re staying with an English-theme for this week’s Q&A, one might say this next email from Tracy Jackman presents a bit of a “sticky wicket.”

1) You have Faiza Hussain's religious mom hinting happily that Black Knight and Faiza could eventually get married. Are you aware that it is against Islam for a Muslim woman to marry a non-Muslim man unless he converts first? (Muslim men can marry non-Muslim women without a problem, but the Shariah rules are different for women.)
Many secular Muslim women in Britain don't care about laws like that, but pretty much all headscarf-wearing ones do. I don’t believe her mom would ever talk like how you had her talking in #5. Do you have an explanation?

One of my Muslim advisor ladies suggested that angle. If you read the page, Dr. Hussain, who's the kind of arch-academic that no boy would like to be taken home to meet as the mother, was joking to wind Dane up, and then whispering to her daughter, also in a humorous way, neither of which mean that things wouldn't become more complicated if this actually became a possibility.


You seem to think that people all have to behave the same way; in effect, that they should conform to a stereotype and not be people. Do you have an explanation? (Do I sound a bit defensive? If so, sorry. You can imagine how much pressure there is on me about this stuff, from the audience and media.)



I'm determined that she and her family are going to stay in the comic, and stay being real people with a whole range of responses.


As an Anglican, theist, whatever I am, I'm aware myself that people expect me to behave in a certain way, and it irks me, and so I think it's important to keep it person first, belief system second. But I also emphasize that Faiza and her folk won't let anyone down. (So, you know, no pressure there.)

2) Will you have Faiza ever interact with fellow Muslim (and X-Man) Dust?

If we have a crossover, then sure.


Matt wrote in because he was curious about one of the major incidents from the series, and he managed to squeeze in a “Doctor Who” question at the same time.

I'd like to know the thought behind killing John the Skrull, as he was a very offbeat character with a lot to offer. He wasn't the guy I expected to be taken off the table so quickly.

And that's why. These guys are intelligence officers; they don't earn points towards staying alive by being good, charismatic or fun. More of that to come.

And — while I know this is off-topic — I’ve got to ask if you’re writing any of Series 5 of “Doctor Who.” You might dodge this question, but I have to ask. You’re one of my top two favorite writers of the new show, along with Moffat. Are you looking forward to Moffat's tenure as showrunner as well?

I'm hugely looking forward to it. It's far too early for me to know if I'm on the show.


Derek Metaltron has a dream — a dream that many Paul Cornell fans probably have. Any chance his dream will become a reality, Paul?

As a massive “Doctor Who” fan, is there any chance you could ever team up with IDW Publishing and do a Doctor Who/Captain Britain crossover? I'd love to see the results! The great vampire-hating Doctor meeting Spitfire and Blade? The Doctor meeting Alistaire Stuart and saying how he reminds him of a certain Brigadier? Martha Jones and Faiza Hussain? Or Jack Harkness and Black Knight? Anyway, thanks for listening — all us Brits are behind ye!

I'd love to see it as well, and thanks very much, but I don't think this is on the cards at the moment.


P.S. Robin Hood vs. Clint Barton vs. Kate Bishop in the ultimate archery contest! Who wins?

I really adore Kate, so if I'm writing it, her!

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=18183

 

[chamber-music]

I would love to see the return of the London branch of the Hellfire Club

 

[Specter313]

​

Captain Britain and MI13 #6 will arrive in stores on Oct. 15 from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Paul Cornell, with art by Leonard Kirk and covers by Bryan Hitch and David Yardin.

Here's how Marvel describes the book:

"'Hell Comes to Birmingham,' part 1 of 4. As the team is rocked by confusion in their ranks, they're called into battle on their first official mission. All hell has broken loose in Birmingham and MI 13 agent Captain Midlands in the middle of it. It's super heroes vs. the supernatural, full on. What has Dr. Plokta offered the residents in return for their immortal souls? And why are the Mindless Ones starting their assualt from Birmingham? The team lost one member in their first adventureŠ can they all survive this?"

Captain Britain and MI13 #6 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.99

 

[Specter313]

CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 #9
Written by PAUL CORNELL
Penciled by LEONARD KIRK
Cover by STUART IMMONEN
“Hell Comes to Birmingham”
Captain Britain is reunited with his wife, Meggan! But can they stay together and live through Dr. Plokta’s devastating attack? Also, the Black Knight gives into his darkest urges and comes to grips with the truth about the Ebony Blade. Can he ever turn back to the light? Part 4 (of 4)
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$2.99