The first, and indeed, most probably last annual-sized outing for Captain Britain and MI-13 sees Cornell doing a rare and welcome thing with the format, following up a previous story while springboarding another one out of it. It’s always a welcome effort when the stories in annuals feel relevant – after all, they cost a lot, and there’s ample space for a story, so why not tell one that’s actually special? Cornell, at least, gets that, using this annual to deliver two memorable tales. The first re-introduces Meggan, Cap’s oft-absent wife, and the second doing a new spin on Claremont’s old X-Men baseball games as the Brits gather round for – of course – a spot of cricket.

Now, that aside, this is actually one of the weakest MI-13 stories to date. Re-introducing Meggan means giving us her life story, and the recap is tied-in with her current attempts to get out of Hell, where she’s been trapped following her encounter with Plotka. The flashback and present events don’t mesh particularly well, and the explanation of Meggan’s powers and personality don’t come across well – at least for some like me, who is almost entirely unfamiliar with the character. It’s hard to believe that her presence in Hell could be so effective, and nothing in the book convincingly explains why it should be. The story does end with an effective twist and an unlikely yet appropriate guest star, but the cliffhanger ending doesn’t feel particularly satisfying – Collins’ art is the only part of the strip that really delights.

The next story is a tad better, as the MI-13 crew indulge in a spot of cricket. It’s light and throaway, the characterisation comes through and Cornell even works in the phrase “weak lemon drink” in a move guaranteed to delight about 6 people worldwide, three of whom write for this website. The thing that prevents the story from being really good is Alphona’s artwork. Characters are misshapen and distended in a way that defies mere considerations of stylistics, becoming outright ugly. Worse yet, done up in cricket garb, it’s hard to even see who some characters are.

So, between two rather weak stories, we’ve actually ended up with the worst Captain Britain issue since the series restarted. A pity, given that it’s also the most expensive. The annual’s heart is in the right place, but sadly, it’s ultimately hard to recommend due to its technical failings.

This week’s capsule reviews are of Captain Britain #10, DMZ #39, Green Lantern Corps #33, Batman & The Outsiders Special #1, Nightwing #153 and Incognito #2.

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After coming sharply into focus last month, “Hell Comes to Birmingham” delivers a predictably compelling conclusion. Particularly impressive is the fact that this cast remain interesting even now that many of the teething troubles from their introductions are being overcome. With one notable exception, MI13 is starting to act as a coherent unit, while never sacrificing the individuality of its characters.

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There’s only one word that can be used to describe Pete Wisdom’s reaction to the betrayal of his team by Captain Midlands: miffed. Meanwhile, the solution to Captain Britain’s problems comes from an unexpected source, as Alistaire “Gordon Lethbridge” Stewart takes an unusually direct role in the action. There are a number of the standout moments that this book does so well, with Wisdom coming out slightly ahead in his monthly quote-ability contest with the title character. What makes the greatest impression this issue, however, is the return of the steeliness that sometimes comes through in Paul Cornell’s writing. Just was there was no forgiveness for the anti-Semitic Not-Us in Xtnct, Pete Wisdom’s angry condemnation of the cowardly towerbock residents blazes from the page. There’s just as much fury, although slightly more pity, in the treatment of Sid Riley, who will hopefully be allowed his shot at redemption before too long. Even more heartrending is the treatment of Megan, whose fate casts even more of a gloom over the conclusion of the arc.

This superficial character emphasis masks a cleverly structured title. Instead of artificially forcing a cliffhanger onto the end of this arc, Cornell has cleverly threaded the true nature of the Black Knight’s sword through the story as a whole, and it feels natural that it’ll be this plotline that propels the book forwards. On the artistic side, a mention is due to Mike Collins, who does a superb job of easing regular penciller Leonard Kirk’s workload in this issue. His work is far removed form his recent art for Doctor Who Magazine’s strip, with a subtly of expression and a steadiness of linework not found in his output on that title. It’s hard to say whether the artist has adapted his style for his return to a mainstream superhero book or has benefited from more sympathetic inking, but the end result is superb. Kirk also delivers his usual sterling work, never allowing the clarity of storytelling to fade despite handling an extremely challenging sequence where Wisdom encounters layer upon layer of illusion.

It’s comforting to see that Marvel’s support for the book isn’t waning, with Stuart Immonen taking over the role of “big-name cover artist”. Braddock and co deserve to be with us for quite some time.

This week, we’re handing out the First Annual Comics Daily awards – one per day – between Christmas and New Year. Each award has been written up by a member of the Comics Daily team after a consensus was reached, and highlights what we feel have been the best of superhero comics this year.

Best Moment : “We Just Don’t Like To Make A Fuss”, Captain Britain and MI:13

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#3

There have been so many incidents in comics this year that, in theory, should stick in the memory. DC alone has delivered arguably the definitive Batman story, together with the culmination of a plan for their universe three years in the making. Over in the Marvel side, we’ve seen Brian Bendis bring to fruition his carefully seeded magnum opus, while Jeph Loeb has torn apart the company’s second continuity with glee. Although many of these limited series-based “name” events have disappointed many readers, its hard to think of a single franchise which hasn’t had its moment in the sun, from the five-hundredth issue of Uncanny X-Men to the long awaited arrival of James Robinson on Superman. Strangely enough, though, this category proved the easiest to choose, with myself, James and Seb’s decision quickly becoming unanimous. But what makes the resurrection of one of the most niche characters in comics such a punch-in-the-air triumph?

At the climax of the third issue of Captain Britain and MI13, we see the entire ethos of one of the most unusual books on the market. For all the solidity of the story, that’s not the focus here, with the response of the cast to a sheer force of nature stealing the scene. British patriotism is an almost-impossible concept to write, with the very idea of acknowledging pride in the country almost instantly destroying it. With one moment of self-deprecation, however, Cornell succeeds spectacularly. Leonard Kirk also rises to the occasion, nailing Braddock’s new look so perfectly that the reader doesn’t initially realise that there’s been a redesign. You couldn’t ask for a more perfect combination of plot, mood and characterisation.

Runners Up: “And was that fear in his eyes?” [Batman #681, Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel]; “This is the one… this is going to change everything” [All-Star Superman #10, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely]; The “Machine-Signal” [Ex Machina #34, Brian K Vaughan and Tony Harris]; “Disappointed, Ms Frost?” “Astonished, Ms Pryde” [Giant Size Astonishing X-Men #1, Joss Whedon and John Cassaday]; “What if I just killed everyone first?” [Doktor Sleepless #8, Warren Ellis and Ivan Rodriguez]

It’s been a quiet week for comics while delayed and mis-timed event books empty the schedules, so this week we’ve only got a few capsule reviews: Captain Britain #7, Fantastic Four: True Story #4 and Wolverine #69, the latest chapter of Old Man Logan. Continue reading »

This week: the usual selection of capsule reviews, including Amazing Spider-Man #573, Captain Britain and MI:13 #6, DC Universe Decisions #3, Titans #6, Ghost Rider #28 and Uncanny X-Men #503. Enjoy!

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