Captain Britain Weekly (sometimes just referred to as Captain Britain) is an Anthology Comic published by the Marvel UK imprint of Marvel Comics. As well as reprints of older Marvel comics, it included their first new superhero series for the British market, the titular Captain Britain.
Initially written by Chris Claremont (and later by Gary Friedrich) and illustrated by Herb Trimpe, the series stars Brian Braddock, a physics student who’s blessed with the power (and name) of Captain Britain after he’s caught in the middle of a villain’s attack on a nuclear power station.
Despite the hero’s patriotic name, the series is far closer in tone to Spider-Man than Captain America. Brian maintains a secret identity, sometimes at the cost of his classmates’ mockery, and Captain Britain is distrusted by some of the British police.
The series is set in the same shared Marvel Universe as Marvel’s American titles, with guest appearances from Nick Fury and Captain America (and the Red Skull appearing as the villain of one arc).
It’s also notable for introducing Brian’s sister Betsy, who later went on to play a far more prominent role as the superhero Psylocke, one of the X-Men.
The first issue was released in October 1976.
The Captain Britain stories in Captain Britain Weekly provide examples of:
- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Braddock manor’s Mastermind computer.
- Alliterative Name: Brian Braddock. And Betsy Braddock as well, for that matter.
- Badass Cape: Dr. Synne wears one.
- Brainwashed and Crazy:
- Some of Dr. Synne’s victims, including an Ax-Crazy Betsy.
- Dr. Synne himself, an innocent man who’s under the control of the Mastermind computer.
- Bulungi: Umbazi, the former British colony once ruled by Basil Crushstone.
- The Bus Came Back: DI Kate Fraser, who previously appeared in some 1970s The Tomb of Dracula stories, is now part of Dai Thomas’s team.
- Captain Geographic: Captain Britain (and guest star Captain America as well, of course).
- Captain Superhero: Captain Britain definitely qualifies. Although he doesn’t choose the name himself.
- Chest Insignia: Captain Britain’s costume includes a golden lion rampant on his chest. Not normally associated with Britain as a whole, but it is the Royal Banner of Scotland.
- Circle of Standing Stones: A key part of the origin story. Brian crawls into one after his motorbike accident on Darkmoor. It is, of course, a Place of Power.
- Contrived Coincidence: Brian’s a perfectly normal physics student who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, so is transformed into Captain Britain. But his deceased father also built a supercomputer AI, which just happens to be central to the Red Skull’s plans. Later comics subvert this by explaining how Brian and his family are linked to Merlyn and Roma, but it’s played straight in this initial series.
- Conveniently an Orphan: Both of Brian’s parents were electrocuted while their children were away.
- Create Your Own Hero: If it wasn’t for Stragg’s minions chasing Brian across Darkmoor, he’d never have found the circle, chosen the amulet or become Captain Britain.
- Create Your Own Villain:
- Downplayed with Stragg, who's already a villain and already using the Reaver name. But if he hadn’t followed Brian into the circle that created Captain Britain, he wouldn’t have been able to grab the sword and been empowered himself.
- Played straight with Lord Hawk, as Brian built the mechanical falcon and gifted it to him, not realising he was becoming a bitter villain.
- Crusading Widow: Dai Thomas, who lost his wife in a New York superhero battle and hates the sudden appearance of costumed superhumans in the UK.
- Cut the Juice: The anticlimactic version. Emma, the Braddock manor housekeeper, unplugs the Mastermind computer for safety while mopping the floor. Which immediately cuts off Mastermind’s control of its puppet supervillain ”Dr. Synne”.
- Death by Origin Story: Downplayed. Brian’s parents aren't mentioned for the first few issues, but then it's revealed that they were electrocuted in a lab accident while he was out on a date before he gained his powers, and the guilt for not being there has followed him and significantly changed his view on life.
- Dying as Yourself: Dr. Synne, whose heart fails once Mastermind’s control is broken. His last words are a warning to Brian.
- Early Instalment Weirdness: Brian is smoking a pipe in the first issue. Chris Claremont is on record as saying that they had to rework the some of the art for other reasons, and he wishes they'd edited that out.
- The Ghost: Vixen. Her gang turns up more than once in early stories, but Vixen herself remains offstage (she does eventually appear in the comics, but much later, in the A Crooked World arc after the Captain Britain Weekly series had ended).
- Henshin Hero: Brian’s powers only exist when he’s Captain Britain. He has to hold the amulet and think of Darkmoor to transform.
- Historical Domain Character:
- Prime Minister Jim Callaghan is kidnapped by the Red Skull in one story arc.
- Elizabeth II appears in the Manipulator arc. First a Brainwashed and Crazy Captain Britain tries to attack her, then she's brainwashed into sending the British navy to support Crushstone's conquest of Umbazi.
- How Do I Shot Web?: Played with. It’s initially averted - as soon as Brian’s transformed, he acquires Captain Britain’s combat skills and instincts. But it’s not until much later that he starts to work out what the buttons on his quarterstaff actually do.
- In Medias Res: The first issue begins with Brian, costumed and empowered, facing the armoured Reaver and his minions. Then it flashes back to show his origin.
- Inspector Javert: Dai Thomas, whose wife was killed in a New York superhero battle. Not only is he determined to arrest Captain Britain, but he even tries to hold a visiting Captain America at gunpoint. Which does not work out well for Dai.
- Jerk Jock: Jacko Tanner plays the part well, harassing and insulting the "wimp" Brian Braddock. He goes full-on Jerkass when he grabs the controller that supervillain Lord Hawk uses to command his robot hawk and uses it to keep attacking Captain Britain. Dai Thomas, no fan of the Captain himself, almost arrests him for that one.
- Last Request: When Nick Fury’s about to be killed by one of the Red Skull’s agents he asks for a final cigar. Predictably, this goes badly for the Skull’s agent and it’s not Fury who dies.
- Mad Eye: Stragg, the Reaver. His left eye’s always closed, his right eye’s usually wide open and bulging.
- Make It Look Like an Accident:
- The Reaver’s plan for Darkmoor Research Centre. Nobody will be looking for the kidnapped nuclear scientists if they think a reactor accident has destroyed the whole site.
- The deaths of Brian’s parents. Supposedly electrocuted by a lab accident, they were actually murdered by Mastermind
- Master of Illusion: Dr. Synne specializes in this. Betsy crashes a plane while overwhelmed by illusionary monsters, Captain Britain finds himself falling into an illusionary hell.
- Mole in Charge: Tod Radcliffe, deputy director of S.T.R.I.K.E., is a traitor working for the Red Skull.
- Place of Power: the Circle of Standing Stones on Darkmoor, where Brian and Stragg are transformed.
- Projected Man: Mastermind, a humanoid projection of the Braddock manor computer. Complete with lasers.
- Secret Test: Brian is asked to choose between the sword and the amulet. The amulet is apparently the right choice.
- Starter Villain: The Reaver. He’s empowered by the same items as Brian, and Brian’s commentary states that they’re equally powerful. But despite that set-up, he doesn’t go on to become a recurring supervillain - he’s knocked out when Captain Britain triumphs in the second issue, and that’s the last we see of him.
- Tainted Tobacco: Nick Fury has a very special cigar. It’s poisoned, but in the form of a one-shot poison dart.
- What Happened to the Mouse?:
- Brian’s friend Sandy York doesn’t reappear after the first few issues
- DI Kate Fraser only appears in the Chris Claremont issues; Dai Thomas appears without her later in the run.
