New Excalibur #18: Review and Spoilers

**Novaya Havoc** · 04-04-2007, 10:00 AM

NEX 18!!!!

Wow. I can't believe that this cost $3. Put the backstory of the Captain Britain Corps up on Wikipedia and save the world money, Claremont.

NEX shows up for a page to be like "WHAT ABOUT ALBION?!"

Albion is training Lionheart. She asks if he knows Mr. Boring aka Brian Braddock.

We learn that Albion comes from a WAR-TORN WORLD where he got the SWORD from MERLIN and ROMA doesn't like him. He goes around killing random people and some fat genie looking things.

OMG WE FIND OUT ALBION IS BRIAN BRADDOCK! OMGZ DOPPLEGANGER.

And then we flashout of the flashback and Lionheart and Albion have teamed up with BLACK AIR and the DARK X-MEN!!! OH NOES!

Seriously. Boring as all get out. Dopplegangers. Merlin. Roma. Cross-time. Some Genie things. Literally 2 pages of New Excalibur themselves, and no -- no Nocturne.

Weeeeeak.

GRADE: F. This series really hit the seal of bad. It's not even Sanjaya Malakar bad. It's just bad.

EDIT: To show how open I am to discussion on the issue, I now embed Beast's LONG SUMMARY of this very brief read in the first post!

Originally Posted by Beast

Since the other thread has turned into the typical 8 pages of bullcrap... and growing.

The issue serves as a prologue. Reintroducing the concept of Roma, Merlyn, and the Captain Britain Corps to new readers. While nearly all the focus of the issue is on Albion and his motivation, it serves as an effective set-up issues for the 6 parts that follow. The Excalibur team, minus Nocturne, are only seen in a 3-page opening prologue before the scene shifts to Albion's estate and his sparring with Lionheart. Most of the questions that the Excalibur team ponder in regard to Albion is answered in the issue. That allows this to be gotten out of the way so that the next issues don't have to be dragged down with tons of backstory. Which is a good thing.

After their spar, Lionheart asks Albion about his history. And about how he recieved his powers. Albion then recounts how he came to weild the sword. On the world he's from, World War 1 didn't end in 1918. The war continued, soon drawing the entire world into the conflict. It's still raging 100 years later. Albion served as a Ranger Captain of one side of the conflict. Due to the conflict his troops are tired and starving and dressed in rags, and having to scrouge weapons from the bodies of the dead. An explosion goes off next to him, but to his surprise he doesn't die. Instead he's met by Roma and Merlyn, who offer him a challenge.

Merlyn offers Albion the choice between the Amulet of Right and the Sword of Might. Albion chooses the sword, much to Roma's surprise. Albion screams as the transformation overtakes him, outfitting him with the costume and powers of a Captain Britian. Albion with his new abilities believes he destroy his enemies and build a bright and shining new future. Roma however tells him that they seek only those who choose the amulet, and must strip him of his powers. Albion vows that the only way they'll take the sword, is when he drives it into Roma's heart. Merlyn steps in and decides that this world may indeed need this particular type of Captain and allows Albion to keep his powers. However he warns him to hold onto what reason he has, as he may need it. Roma says for the moment she'll comply with her father's wishes. But warns that the sword is grounded in destruction, the amulet in reason. He will use his gift to take lives, and is warned that it may cost him his very soul.

As Roma and Merlyn depart, Albion is attacked by squad of soldiers. They mock his costume but soon pay with their lives. Afterwards he vows that whatever it takes, he'll find Roma and claim full vengence against her. Since he's angry that she wanted to take away the very power that is going to save his world. But also because of all the others who have chosen the sword and then had to relinquish their powers. Albion returns to base, where the other men mock him for his new costume and the sword. Until they see him in battle. Soon Albion is moving up the ranks, leading men into battle and after many many years and many many deaths the war is over.

Unfortunatly the world is in ruins. All the cities have been destroyed by the conflict. Due to the global conflict there's mass starvation and disease, thanks to the lack of farmland and the polluted and empty oceans. Even with the victory the cost is high, as the medical corps can't handle the disease. They've put most of their work into treating battlefield injuries, so now that the war was over starvation and disease began taking their tolls. Something that with all of Albion's great power, he was useless to fight.

Meanwhile at the estate of the chief warlord of the opposing forces, we find that they were being supplied with weapons by the Slavers (the same species that Tullamore Voge is a member of), who are preparing to close up shop and move onto another reality when Albion bursts in for Revenge. The Slavers quickly slip out the back, while Albion deals with the Warlord's bodyguards and then turns his focus on the Warlord himself.

Before the slavers can escape through their dimensional portal, it activates and a member of the Captain Britain Corps comes through to arrest them for their multi-dimensional crimes. He catches sight of Albion as he's preparing to kill the Warlord who's now yielding and begging for mercy. He orders him to stop, but Albion will not heed. He lops the head off of the Warlord, which leads to a fight with the Corps member. During the fight, he knocks off Albion's mask and is stunned to find Brian Braddock beneath it. This gives Albion his chance, and swiftly defeats him and discovers the amulet beneath his torn costume. Albion demands to know where he got it.

Lord Albion's men join him, as he moves to question the slavers. The chief slaver tells him that the Captains are a group of despotic warriors who terrorize the decent people of the Omniverse. Knowing that he's lying, Albion kills him and then turns his questions to the next one. Who spills his guts about them being the Defenders of all the dimensions of Crosstime. Albion questions them all night, and then leads his men through the dimensional portal back to Otherworld. Or at least that's what it appears to be since we only see it from a distance in one panel. Here Albion murders the Captain who he brought with him him in cold blood. He vows to take the world for his own, and to strip Roma of her precious Captains. And finally to destroy her champion, Brian Braddock.

With the story ended, Lionheart asks what they do now. Albion tells her that they fight and then they win. All they're doing is claiming what is rightfully theirs. And now is the time where Albion will face Roma's Champion and fulfill the destiny that he has proclaimed for himself. One of Albion's servents interrupt them, and informs them that the guests they were expecting have arrived. Scicluna from Black Air is there and offers their assistance and that of the Shadow X-Men to destroy captain Britain and Excalibur.

**jarrod** · 04-04-2007, 10:09 AM

Wow, Brian Braddock, crosstime, Otherworld, the Corps, Roma/Merlyn, Black Air... gee, sounds like an Excalibur comic. Finally. :D

**Novaya Havoc** · 04-04-2007, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by jarrod

Wow, Brian Braddock, crosstime, Otherworld, the Corps, Roma/Merlyn, Black Air... gee, sounds like an Excalibur comic. Finally. :D

It's boring as tears. It's just one giiiiiiant flashback involving none of our protagonists. Blargh.

**The Sword Is Drawn** · 04-04-2007, 10:11 AM

What you really mean is 'Dazzler is inconsequential in this issue, and I don't frankly give a wet slap about Captain Britain, Britain and Excalibur'.

Actual fans of Captain Britain and Excalibur are going to find this issue very interesting.

**Novaya Havoc** · 04-04-2007, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by The Sword Is Drawn

What you really mean is 'Dazzler is inconsequential in this issue, and I don't frankly give a wet slap about Captain Britain, Britain and Excalibur'.

Actual fans of Captain Britain and Excalibur are going to find this issue very interesting.

Fans of New Excalibur will find it boring as it involves none of our cast. Not one member. Roma gets more panel time.

**Beast** · 04-04-2007, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by The Sword Is Drawn

What you really mean is 'Dazzler is inconsequential in this issue, and I don't frankly give a wet slap about Captain Britain, Britain and Excalibur'.

Actual fans of Captain Britain and Excalibur are going to find this issue very interesting.

Nail + Head. Sounds like a great set-up issue. Can't wait for my comics to get here.

**Nachturne** · 04-04-2007, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Novaya Havoc

Seriously. Boring as all get out. Dopplegangers. Merlin. Roma. Cross-time. Some Genie things. Literally 2 pages of New Excalibur themselves, and no -- no Nocturne.

At all?? Not even a panel? Or Ali going "Where's TJ and her delicious slice of blueberry pie?" Nothing at all???

Well, I guess the good news is I don't have to buy this issue...

**The Sword Is Drawn** · 04-04-2007, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Novaya Havoc

Fans of New Excalibur will find it boring as it involves none of our cast. Not one member. Roma gets more panel time.

As the setup to the biggest storyline of the book so far I think that is to be expected. You have to to the recap for all of those who never read the original series - like yourself.

What about Cain and Dazzler training?

**Beast** · 04-04-2007, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by The Sword Is Drawn

What about Cain and Dazzler training?

That's in Issue #19. Those 3 preview pages are for the issue coming out April 25th.

**Pach!** · 04-04-2007, 10:23 AM

I thought it was boring but necessary. It's like a buildup for something bigger, so hopefully it will pick up next issue.

**Nachturne** · 04-04-2007, 10:24 AM

I wouldn't say we.

There's a definate division in readers. People who read this for Excalibur and it's lore, and people who read it for characters. And in there are people who read it for Claremont. It sounds like for those who read it for the characters, this issue will fall flat. Doesn't mean Excalibur/Claremont fans won't like it.

Personally, I read this for Nocturne. I've gotten to the point where I don't even have the desire to pick it up if she's not in it at all, only because I really don't care much about this story. But, that's just me. Not saying it's good or bad. Just not my cup of tea.

**jarrod** · 04-04-2007, 10:28 AM

Funny, I thought Brian Braddock was a fairly central character in the title? ;)

**Beast** · 04-04-2007, 10:28 AM

Those people reading it simply for one character need to understand, it's not a solo book for that character. It's a team book. Where the focus is on the team as a whole, with an occassional story aspect or plot that effects just the one character more than others. Everyone gets their moment in the spotlight and their time to shine. But the book is called Excalibur. It's not a vehicle for the focus on just the character you like.

**Novaya Havoc** · 04-04-2007, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Beast

Those people reading it simply for one character need to understand, it's not a solo book for that character. It's a team book. Where the focus is on the team as a whole, with an occassional story aspect or plot that effects just the one character more than others. Everyone gets their moment in the spotlight and their time to shine. But the book is called Excalibur.

This doesn't focus on a single one of the team members. The issue is bad. It's one giant flashback. 3 pages, plz.

And Claremont fans whine about "decompressed" storytelling. This was an issue all about nothing.