![]() ![]() This led to questions about the medium being asked in the House of Commons and Fleetway editor John Sanders being excoriated by host Frank Bough on the prime-time BBC One magazine show Nationwide. Fleetway's anarchic Action had rapidly grabbed British tabloid attention with its' violent content, and was soon on the radar of Mary Whitehouse, a self-appointed moral guardian of the British public. Marvel arranged a visit to the UK by Stan Lee to promote the title however, it was ill-timed as British comics were soon to be caught up in a moral panic. In common with another quirk of the British market, the first issue featured a free gift - a cut-out-and-wear paper version of the hero's mask. The strip was in full colour, and in keeping with the anthologies common on the British market featured only eight pages of Captain Britain, with the magazine being filled out by reprints of Fantastic Four and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. The title launched with some fanfare, even garnering reviews (albeit a negative ones) in The Financial Times and The Daily Record. Publishing history Initial run (1976-1977) Captain BritainĬaptain Britain #1 cover, art by Herb Trimpe Claremont would later note the set-up was deliberately reminiscent of Spider-Man, considering the format to be "intro to Marvel 101". After the first two issues covering Braddock's origin, Captain Britain #3 introduced the initial supporting cast - love interest Courtney Ross campus bully Jacko Tanner and Inspector Dai Thomas, a Scotland Yard CID officer with a deep hatred of superheroes who continually tried to expose Captain Britain as a menace and discover his secret identity, and who was often gently undermined by more reasonable subordinate Kate Fraser. The new character debuted in Captain Britain #1. The latter was inspired by Dartmoor, site of a fact-finding vacation for Claremont and Trimpe. The character's origin tied into British Arthurian myths, seeing 'Thames University' science student and part-time laboratory assistant Brian Braddock granted the powers and identity of Captain Britain by Merlyn and his daughter Roma after a motorcycle accident on Darkmoor. The designer of the character's patriotic costume, complete with Heraldic lion rampant, is unknown Trimpe has speculated it was John Romita. Art duties went to experienced Incredible Hulk artist Herb Trimpe, who lived in Cornwall at the time and would recall the 8-page strips typically only took him a couple of days to draw. ![]() ![]() He came up with the name, origin and cast for the new title, Captain Britain. London-born Chris Claremont - at the time a rising star in the company following his successful work on the revival of X-Men - was one of the few Anglophiles on staff, and was assigned to the title. As Marvel UK itself was effectively a packaging operation at the time with no experienced creative staff the character was devised at Marvel's American headquarters. In response, Marvel decided the line needed a British character as a flagship title. However, these failed to make a major impression on the market, which was dominated by titles of original British material from Fleetway Publications and DC Thomson. ![]() In order to fit in with the style of British weeklies, titles such as The Mighty World of Marvel consisted of reprinted Marvel material in an anthology magazine format, with much of the colour removed. ![]()
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