BRITAIN PREVAILS - Captain Britain & MI13 Appreciation PART II

[Loki]

Hahaha yep. I suppose on one hand though it does show how technologically brilliant Braddock is, I suppose you could assume that having some wierd arcane-tech knowledge as part of his power-set and the hawk was some of that bleeding through......especially as Brian had to go back and look at the blueprints to find a weakness....you'd think he'd know if anyone would.

Nah, he'd probably built so many robot death machines for his various professors that he'd lost track.

I suppose most of CB's great victories have been un-seen by the genral public. In fact in this volume he does take quite a few beatings.....but I think thats in keeping with the legendary Braddock arrogance and the fact that he didn't actually choose to be a super-hero.

A lot of people go on about him being arrogant, but I just don't see it, or at least, not anything like often enough for it to be considered a normal trait for him. Initially he's pretty self-effacing, full of doubts and muddling through. He didn't ask to be a hero, let alone one who is a representative of an entire nation, and he struggles along trying to act the way he thinks a hero should. When he gets his power upgrade he starts to be a bit more confident, and we see he can be a pushy so-and-so when he deals with people he doesn't like - basically, when annoyance overwhelms the doubting inner voice. And even then, it's mostly bluster and front, as we see him being both humble and incredibly introspective in stories like "Tea and Sympathy." Admittedly I'm going from memory here, but I think the first time you see what could be argued to be arrogant behaviour is when he deals with RCX, by which time he's become more confident (having survived both Jaspers and the Fury) and he's dealing with some really annoying individuals - they are pushing him and he's pushing back. I think a lot of the "Brian is arrogant" meme, like the "abusive to Meggan" and "alcoholic" memes, is a fallacy formed by fans whose first impressions of him were from early Excalibur, a time when he was coming up from an emotional low point like no other, and having to deal with being on a team with people who he barely knew and now was living with day in and day out, who kept judging him and telling him how to run his life. So you have stuff like him trying to tackle Juggernaut solo and ending up looking a prat (but realistically, against anyone less powerful than the Juggernaut Brian would have been fine, and which of his teammates should Brian have expected to try and stop Jugs? Meggan had never demonstrated that power level before), etc. But you also have him still showing that he's aware of his faults and able to reflect on his doubts, as we see when he talks to Courtney.

Jacko was bit of a knob wasn't he? He actually tried to murder CB to score points with a girl!

Oh yeah, Jacko is way more of a jerk than almost any antagonistic member of a hero's supporting cast I can think of. Maybe JJJ in his early days when at his worst was as bad.

And he didn't seem particularly bright.....what was he studying?

He must have been reasonably smart - he was presumably post grad, like Brian.

How did the search for Loch Ness feature in the ciriculum.....? But then I suppose in the MU there must be many courses that we don't have........Advanced Shi'ar.....Unstable Molecule Textiles........Robot Death Hawk Building..........

Eh, I figured it was some elective that most of them signed on to do for a lark.

But yeah I did kind of like that Brian just left him sprawled out on the tarmac after a car crash.

I presume Brian was hoping a car would run him over, and put Jacko out of Brian's misery.

That was absolutely mental. He could have restrained him without twatting him into next week.............or maybe talking to him??

Brian clearly had been reading up on the hero handbook and got to the bit that says "any time a team up may be imminent, first attack one another" and not yet reached the addendum "this does not include your non-powered friends and family."

It'd be hilarious if other heroes acted like that:
"Peter, dear, I'm just coming into your room to collect your laundry."
"Hah, take that Aunt May! This kick to the gut will teach you not to try and ensure I have clean underwear!"

Although it's brilliant that when Jamie wakes up he says that he had come to help....but now Brian can get stuffed.

You really can't blame him, can you?

It would be a lovely twist if this bash to the head is what pushed Jamie to the Dark Side....he does seem a bit different after it...

You may be on to something. Traumatic brain injury can cause changes in personality and emotional, social and behavioural problems. And hitting someone hard enough to knock them out could cause just such an injury. And severely p*** them off.

[Lord Moon]

As the comments note
http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/lrdhwk.htm
"Never build a robotic bird of prey for an old coot who's mad at the world!"

I was amused to see the text say that part of his extensive armoury were "stun pullets of some sort". It's good to see him take the bird theme so seriously.

[Willow616]

A lot of people go on about him being arrogant, but I just don't see it, or at least, not anything like often enough for it to be considered a normal trait for him. Initially he's pretty self-effacing, full of doubts and muddling through. He didn't ask to be a hero, let alone one who is a representative of an entire nation, and he struggles along trying to act the way he thinks a hero should. When he gets his power upgrade he starts to be a bit more confident, and we see he can be a pushy so-and-so when he deals with people he doesn't like - basically, when annoyance overwhelms the doubting inner voice. And even then, it's mostly bluster and front, as we see him being both humble and incredibly introspective in stories like "Tea and Sympathy." Admittedly I'm going from memory here, but I think the first time you see what could be argued to be arrogant behaviour is when he deals with RCX, by which time he's become more confident (having survived both Jaspers and the Fury) and he's dealing with some really annoying individuals - they are pushing him and he's pushing back. I think a lot of the "Brian is arrogant" meme, like the "abusive to Meggan" and "alcoholic" memes, is a fallacy formed by fans whose first impressions of him were from early Excalibur, a time when he was coming up from an emotional low point like no other, and having to deal with being on a team with people who he barely knew and now was living with day in and day out, who kept judging him and telling him how to run his life. So you have stuff like him trying to tackle Juggernaut solo and ending up looking a prat (but realistically, against anyone less powerful than the Juggernaut Brian would have been fine, and which of his teammates should Brian have expected to try and stop Jugs? Meggan had never demonstrated that power level before), etc. But you also have him still showing that he's aware of his faults and able to reflect on his doubts, as we see when he talks to Courtney.

Apologies Loki, I ungorgivably fell into a meme-trap there, of course Brian isn't needlessly arrogant. I think he's capable of being such just like anyone else (certainly not as much as say Hawkeye....but that never put anyone off him). We see that before his parents death Brian was probably a different chap, but after that (when we meet him) he is very introspective and doubtful of his place.

Even his (quite insulting at times) way of speaking to Steve Rogers when they first meet is bravado and bluster designed to make him look better to the local authorities. He is still a young man at this point and trying to find his place in the world....Odin knows I certainly could be a right little so-an-so when I was younger.

I personally like that when faced with constant annoyance, Brian does snap. Thats what makes him to me....the line in post-Moore days of ''But gentlemen this is England!'' I absolutely adore....it hilarious!

As for Excalibur............well, I spoken before about my disgust at the damage done to Braddock and Meggan by that series. I think Alan Davis brought the hero back I knew on his solo run but it was destroyed almost immediately after his departure. I left the series for a while after CB was humiliated by Claremont/the Juggernaught.

It'd be hilarious if other heroes acted like that:
"Peter, dear, I'm just coming into your room to collect your laundry."
"Hah, take that Aunt May! This kick to the gut will teach you not to try and ensure I have clean underwear!"

Hahahaha brilliant......but Petey would never act like that.....just like he'd never make a deal the devil

[Panic]

Lord Hawk is a very weak character and it's strange that CB's battle with him is one of Faiza's favourites.....considering that the aforementioned villain is defeated by the school bully pushing him over (where is Jacko Tanner these days?).

I think that the struggle between Lord Hawk and Jacko Tanner is very apt for this time of year - what sums up the spirit of a family Christmas more than an old man and a young man fighting over the use of the remote control?

As for Brian's arrogance,I think much of it comes simply from the poses and expressions that Alan Davis liked to give CB - when I think of Davis' Captain Britain, one of the defining poses for the character is that angry expression on his face while pointing his finger at someone. Davis was and is a master of expression, both facial and in body-language.

[Gryphon]

Thought this would be of interest to you all

http://www.amazon.ca/Hulk-UK-Vaults-...35734&sr=1-315

Hulk: From the UK Vaults [Paperback]

[Panic]

Thought this would be of interest to you all

http://www.amazon.ca/Hulk-UK-Vaults-...35734&sr=1-315

Hulk: From the UK Vaults [Paperback]

That does sound interesting. Did Marvel U.K. really produce that much home-grown Hulk? I used to buy the comic, but I can't remember if the Hulk strip itself was always original work.

On another subject, have we discussed this yet:

We’ve discussed already how new team member Captain Britain will be shaking things up as far as his relationships with Hawkeye and The Human Torch, but Valkyrie will prove another intriguing interaction for Brian Braddock.

“The relationship they develop will be different than you might think,” shares Remender. “Given that they have many similarities my first instinct was that they should butt heads. And I even wrote a scene where they did. But eventually I erased it because it felt strained; it felt like I was trying to lean into an instinct as opposed to writing the scene the way it naturally felt. Sometimes as a writer you’re drawn to create conflict and it’s not always the best instinct. In terms of these two characters it definitely wasn’t.

More on Marvel.com: http://marvel.com/news/story/17855/s...#ixzz1h1o0q0Vi

While I don't like the idea that Brian would cheat on Meggan, it would be cool to see a friendship form between those two characters.

[Loki]

That does sound interesting. Did Marvel U.K. really produce that much home-grown Hulk? I used to buy the comic, but I can't remember if the Hulk strip itself was always original work.

There were UK originated stories in Hulk Comic #1-6, 9-20, 26-28, but that's not the only original Hulk material published in the UK.

[Willow616]

Thought this would be of interest to you all

http://www.amazon.ca/Hulk-UK-Vaults-...35734&sr=1-315

Hulk: From the UK Vaults [Paperback]

Oooh that is.....there were some fantastic tales told in those issues. I didn't realise until years later that they were just for the UK audience's.

While I don't like the idea that Brian would cheat on Meggan, it would be cool to see a friendship form between those two characters.

It would be a foolish individual who would cheat on Meggan..........not just for the obvuious allurring reasons but also as she is a very powerful woman!

I don't think the quote refers to a romantic connection, Val is a favourite of mine and it's nice to see that these two would come together given they are both spawns of a magical/deity background. I wonder if we'll get to hear of any shared history we've never seen? An Asgard/Avalon War perphaps?

It's odd that to some of these Avengers CB is the new kid on the block....when if you take into account the sliding timescale of the MU - Brian has been knocking around since about 3 or 4 years or so after the FF debuted (Marvel Time).

There is some concerns as to how Brian will be treated in SA....I for one was a little dubious of the idea that he's been top dog for a while and would dispute Clint's leadership....that does seem a bit odd....but then if you've been Lord of another realm and then you're the rookie on a secret team that would be a bit strange...I dunno, we'll see.

I trust Remender to deliver on this....................I just hope the quiff has gone....somethings should stay buried.

There were UK originated stories in Hulk Comic #1-6, 9-20, 26-28, but that's not the only original Hulk material published in the UK.

Yes.....please Marvel reprint the Hulk vs Death's Head fight!!!

[Willow616]

Oh and reading the second volume of the hardback CB collection really makes me miss the Black Knight........why isn't he on the Avengers again yet?????

[Gryphon]

Thought this would be of interest to you all

http://www.amazon.ca/Hulk-UK-Vaults-...35734&sr=1-315

Hulk: From the UK Vaults [Paperback]

Product Description
In 1979, Marvel UK launched HULK COMIC, a weekly magazine published across the pond that featured ALL-NEW stories starring the green goliath, produced by a host of up-and-coming British talent! Bolstered by the popularity of the live-action TV show, the Hulk was a hot property on both shores, spawning original UK-created comic and text stories with regularity! Now, for the jade giant's 50th anniversary, Marvel UK's vaults are opened - and these classic tales, most never before seen on US shores, are collected into one massive volume!

COLLECTING: SMASH! 38; MARVEL STORYBOOK ANNUAL 1967; HULK COMIC 1-6, 9-20, 26-28; INCREDIBLE HULK ANNUAL: AUTHORISED EDITION 1979; HULK ANNUAL (UK) 1980-1984; SUPER-HEROES ANNUAL 1991; WICKID 5, 9, 11, 25, 43, 49; MARVEL RAMPAGE 1, 7, 9, 12-14, 17

[Basterdshark]

Uncanny X-Force #19 anyone?

[Whitster]

Uncanny X-Force #19 anyone?

Haven't brought it yet, was tempted to go digital on that series but it's getting to the point now that when I go to the comic shop on saturday I'm only buyng 2 or three singles that I can't get digitally and I feel bad about taking the money away from them.

[Willow616]

Uncanny X-Force #19 anyone?

Won't have it until the weekend.......but just read the spoilers online.......ooooooooh man....I'm am one excited X-Mas bunny....

[Aelle3]

Based on the spoilers it sounds crazy. Cant wait to read it.

[Whitster]

Ok, so I cracked and brought it digitally. Nice little issue, it's good to see more writers using the downtime/epilogue issues between arcs again (and without a forced .1 on the title)

spoilers:

Also I had to laugh at Captain Britape being in the Corps now!

end of spoilers