I first encountered the lion of Britain was on the back cover of Super Spider-man and the Titans #203 in a Merry Marvel Christmas pin up by George Mina in 1976. I was intrigued by this new hero standing front and centre. As a six year old I hadn't begun my comic collecting life and would have to wait 'till I was older to collect his first weekly exploits as back issues.
No the first time I passed over my pocket money for any patriotic comic goodies was for the Captain Britain Summer Special from 1980, enticed by its stunning cover with the central image of our hero flying into action by Pablo Marcos, a college of contents by the knife and glue of Dez Skinn and Paul Neary. The back cover also left an impression on me, I probably learned to draw from that poster of Captain's Britain and America by The King, Jack Kirby. Inside was filled with reprints of Captain Britain from his weekly and British produced Black Knight stories that guest star the captain from Hulk Comic. New articles about the Knight and CB lit the bonfire of my interest, these can be found in the Omnibus.
Lets start at the beginning of the Omnibus, the original weekly comic proclaimed that it was in full colour, this wasn't completely true, only the Captain Britain strip was,(the Fantastic Four strip had to settle for black and white while the end Nick Fury strip gained colour) although due to an editorial mistake the last page of CB strip was in black and white with a text line offering the reader to colour it in as a bonus feature! Chris Claremont wrote and Herb Trimpe drew this tale which kind of felt rush and out of order in some ways, but completely intriguing in other ways because of how it starts with the action and goes back to his origin. The early tale where re-edited and fully coloured with new splash pages for the US comic Marvel Tales (131-133) in 1981. These stories are also printed in the Omnibus and give another insight into the Captains origin. Claremont lasted 10 issues, but they weren't earth shattering. Just enough to set out Brian Braddocks background and make the first appearance of his sister Betsy, the future X-Man Psylock. Gary Friedrich took over the writing chores and Trimpe continued to give a fair account of an action hero strip.
Things really improved when John Buscema and Tom Palmer took over as artists with issue 24, but at the price of colour. Buscema's artwork shines in monochrome with subtle shading giving more character to the strip, although I wonder if coloured version might have been a nice touch with this Omnibus? Possibly not as I really can't fail these strips. Writers and artists come and go, Larry Lieber, Len Wein and Jim Lawrence took up the typewriter with Ron Wilson and Pablo Marcos on art duties. Stories raise and fall in quality but still there are some gem moments.
Dez Skinn ramps up the Marvel Revolution with the Black Knight strip that appears in the heavily packed British created content of Hulk Comic, were a mysterious stranger turns out to be Brian Braddock. Steve Parkhouse writes an Arthurian tale that firmly embeds the Captains history in an Otherworld, beautifully drawn by John Stokes and Paul Neary. Here we get to see Captain Britain die for the first time! Again I wonder if these tales should be re-coloured for this edition but once again the detailed beauty of the black and white artwork might get lost so I'm happy they kept the originals.
With issue 387 of Marvel Super-heroes a new writer picked up the typewriter and changed the comic world as I knew it. You won't find his name in the credits of this Omnibus or many of his other works. Mostly credited as the original writer, or complete deleted from any credits due to his personal request. But his name is Alan Moore. And he is the greatest writer of comic fiction ever! Well possibly, well maybe, well...well I really love his stuff! Within two issues he has twisted reality to breaking point while laying clues for the future and finally killing off our hero in a Fury. But Alan Moore is like an insane angry child who kicks over his toys and puzzles in a play room, then calmly sits down and rebuilds them to make them better. I've always known what Alan Moore was and how he wrote but I could never but it into a simple word or phrase, however while listening to the never iron anything podcast I heard Tony Esmond call him "The Great Adaptor!" That perfectly sums up the man. I'm stealing that! Moore does the work, he really looks into the character past and works him out. He takes all the small parts of the characters backstory and creates a bigger and better picture. You don't realise he's doing it until the climax has been reached. In issue 388, the last issue to feature a Captain Britain strip before it continued in The Daredevils #1, Moore wrote an article titled "A short history of Britain." in which he waxed lyrical about Captain Britain's history though the Marvel comics. It was insightful and would have made a smashing inclusion in this Omnibus, but I guess he wouldn't allow them to reprint it, which is a shame but fair enough. I'm just glad I've read it in that mag.
Moore cherry picked from every previous version of Captain Britain. Merlin and Lady Roma from the very beginning, Mastermind, Betsy and Jamie from those early issues. After seeing her gang we finally got to meet Vixen. We got more of S.T.R.I.K.E. and the Slaymaster. He reintroduced the Special Executive from old Doctor Who weekly back up stories. The Crazy Gang, Mad Jim Jaspers and the crooked worlds Captain UK made an important return. All old but new and engaging. Magic is science in the Marvel Universe was Moores idea, numbering earths was Moores too, everyday normal becomes nightmares that's all thanks to Moore. He adapts tales and characters while others just copy.
All good things come to an end and so Alan Moore finish his time with the Captain. It's not a sad time 'cause all the while another Alan has been taking notes as he delivers the amazing artwork. Alan Davis steps up and in truth you don't see the joint. Taught by the master "Bad moon rising" and "Tea and sympathy" are seamless as what came before. The strip had gone from Marvel Super-Heroes to The Daredevils and onto The Mighty World of Marvel (Vol 2), now it was time for Captain Britain to get his own comic again. With the help of Jamie DeLano, Alan Davis produces 14 issues of the new monthly. All strong, interesting and enjoyably mature tales. The character had completely grown up and the Moore/Davis version really got it right. Later American writers never fully understood him. If you really love the character don't look anywhere else, this is as good as it gets and this edition has got it all.
The Omnibus also includes a spin off back up strip "The Cherubin", a text story by a young fellow by the name of Grant Morrison and two Mastermind specification scans (fact files to me and you) from the monthly. From Marvel USA the previously mentioned New Mutant and X-Men annuals stories, the first two of many Chris Claremont/Alan Davis/Captain Britain collaborations. Finally the compilation ends with various edits of stories, behind the scene artwork, posters and covers.
It's complete, it's wonderful, it's an Omni-verse-al Omnibus, it's a must have for a true red, white and blue Captain Britain fan. It just looks so god damn cool sitting on my bookcase, in it's trendy jacket. And my copy is mine all mine! And no I'm not going Mad as Old Jim Jaspers, it's money well spent and I absolutely love it!
Make Mine Marvel!
