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.

Review: Captain Britain and MI13 #10
See, told you it’d be good. What I didn’t know, however, was that it would be one of the best issues so far. This is a series that’s actually at its best when it’s dealing with the character stuff, and having spent nine issues carefully assembling and trimming the book’s cast, Cornell is now giving them a little time to breathe and interact with one another. And it’s terrifically engaging if you’ve been following these people up to this point, littered with the series’ textbook skill with moments. Meanwhile, Leonard Kirk – whose main attribute up to this point has been his ability to convey action – copes admirably with an issue composed almost entirely of conversations, with the pages featuring Jac and Blade in the pub and Faiza and Dane in a plane particularly lovely. This is a series that it’s just impossible to dislike on any conceivable level. [SP]

Review: DMZ #39
There was a danger that Obama’s entry into the White House would instantly suck the relevance out of a title so obviously born out of two terms of Bush’s disastrous presidency. Luckily, DMZ’s current focus is on analogising various elements of US foreign policy that started before Bush and will undoubtedly continue past Obama, so the contents are, luckily, more than timeless enough to stand alone. There’s more than enough intrigue in the book’s own mythology now that the series doesn’t need to focus on a congruous political mood to make its point – and hey, if the idea of a newly-elected, popular President starting to show some cracks in his facade don’t seem relevant now, well, give it a few months. [JHu]

Review: Green Lantern Corps #33 / Batman & The Outsiders Special #1 / Nightwing #153
Peter J. Tomasi’s really starting to creep up on me, you know. As I mentioned earlier in the week, The Mighty was a fairly intriguing first issue – and he follows it up this week with an impressive THREE titles that are all varying levels of “quite decent”. His work on GL Corps has been impressive for a while – although its last arc suffered somewhat from being dragged still further into the relentlessly rubbish “let’s have an entire spectrum of Lantern Corps” concept – but here, in a parallel with this week’s Captain Britain, he gets a between-storylines issue that basically allows him to take stock of the various characters. And he’s good with these characters – Guy Gardner in particular. I’m not sure what Kyle Rayner’s done to deserve getting off with most of the DCU’s hottest characters, mind (Jade, Donna Troy and now Soranik Natu), but the burgeoning relationship here is quite well-played. And his take on Mongul as being somewhat deranged and desperate is one that works well. His Batman and the Outsiders one-shot, meanwhile, mainly focuses on characters I don’t really care for – but in its really quite touching opening pages, does a better job of looking at the aftermath of Bruce’s death than either the Paul Dini or Denny O’Neil fill-ins on the main Batbooks managed (even if certain readers won’t be able to avoid thinking “Have a fantastic life, Rose”). As a bonus, the inconsistent Adam Kubert is actually on a good day. And finally, Tomasi does something similar – if a little overly schmaltzy – in the final issue of Nightwing, which also looks quite pretty courtesy of Don Kramer – although if I’m honest, the flashback to images of various DC characters who’ve died and returned, including yet another take on The Death of Superman, feels a little unnecessary. It’s strange that the schedules should have thrown up such a week, but all of a sudden Tomasi feels like one of those solid B-list writers that I’ll be wanting to look out for a bit more from now on. [SP]

Review: Incognito #2
Brubaker and Phillips’ dark and edgy supervillain-turned-accidental-vigilante slice of noir

steps up another notch with its second issue. This is a grim and nasty little series, but it’s quite beautifully wrought in both the measured writing and sumptuous visuals, and here relishes in playing with readers’ initial conceptions about what they’re seeing on the page – laying something of a twist on one of the supporting characters, before throwing another one into the “normal” side of Zack’s life. Oh, and there’s an utterly inspired use of telepathy. It’s not necessarily the most purely enjoyable read, but like all good noir, it’s an almost titillating peeling-back of the more wretched side of human nature, and already among the most classily-put-together titles on the racks. [SP]

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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.

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

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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.

Review: Captain Britain and MI13 #7
Another month, another essential purchase from Paul Cornell and Leonard Kirk. There’s a risk that the story might not be as much fun for readers not familiar with the recent treatment of the Mindless Ones in Nextwave, but the main thrust of the story is strong, with character relationships developing nicely. Although chunks of the plot are set in the cast’s heads, Cornell is careful not to allow the story to become too introspective, with amusingly direct examples of wish-fulfilment. Some inconsistent inking is the real criticism that can be made, with Kirk’s art looking surprising different on the sections not worked on by his regular co-worker. [JHa]

Review: Fantastic Four: True Story #4
The “other” Cornell book, however, has been a little weak by comparison. Clearly, he’s having a lot of fun with the literary characters, but the general fantasy underpinnings of the concept have left the series feeling a little poorly-suited to the scientific tone of the Fantastic Four. The characters do, at least, carry the comedic elements of the series well, and in that sense a group like the Fantastic Four is an appropriate choice, so it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Despite a fairly enjoyable cartoonish style, it’s really Dominigues’ artwork that forms the weak link in the chain, as he struggles to cram in some chaotic storytelling that relies on a studied depiction of cross-genre travel. It’s not been a bad series by any means, but compared to Cornell’s previous comics work, it hasn’t hit the high standards I’ve come to expect. [JHu]

Review: Wolverine #69
I’ve really got no idea how to approach this. There are a few angles I could take, such as “Let the Millar backlash begin” or “Grant Morrison did it better” but let’s be frank about this – Old Man Logan isn’t very entertaining. Beautifully drawn, yes, but as a story it’s reduced to little more than the scenic route across yet another post-apocalyptic Marvel future, and we’ve seen more than enough of those over the years. The winking irony of earlier chapters still hasn’t disappeared, and the pay off for the series is really now going to rely on whether Wolverine’s story of how they finally “broke” him contains any good twists or not. Right now, the plot doesn’t feel like it’s heading anywhere memorable. [JHu]

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!

Review: Amazing Spider-Man #573
The wait for the final part of “New ways to die” has seemed almost excruciatingly long, but the urgency of that wait only highlights how good this story is. While last issue’s “Venom-Scorpion” cliffhanger seemed incredibly stupid, the title does at least try to make a good show of it, but it’s the interaction between Harry and Norman Osborn that really grips the reader, and seemingly kicks off the second act of subplots that’ll roll throughout the series. The best the series has been since its Brand New Day relaunch, even if it does make you just wish Slott and Romita were the permanent creative team. [JHu]

Review: Captain Britain and MI13 #6
Paul Cornell divides his forces here, juggling a large number of plots as the team assault a Birmingham tower block. Forcing each figure to struggle in order to unravel the mystery certainly keeps the momentum going, and the pairings of figures allow for some nice character moments. The only slight quibble is that the Captain himself is still a little under defined, but this issue’s cliffhanger suggests that he’ll be taking a more central role in the next issue. [JHa]

Review: DC Universe Decisions #3 and Titans #6
I’ve already reviewed both of these titles at some point in their run, and there’s not a huge amount of ground worth retreading – suffice to say that they’re still both pretty poor. Decisions manages to become even more pointless by spending quite a few pages on the non-American Wonder Woman’s “endorsement” before continuing to show a staggering misunderstanding of the personalities of most of the DCU’s main characters. Titans, meanwhile, shows a slight improvement on the visual front now that Joe Benitez is gone, but is still pretty rotten. Actually, that’s unfair – it’s not as appalling as some of the earlier issues, it’s just pretty dumb and inconsequential, particularly with its incredibly blunt shoehorning of the Seven Deadly Sins into character form (so ill-thought-out that Winick can’t even think how to differentiate Greed from Gluttony, so doesn’t actually have the former do anything). But the reason I really wanted to spotlight these two books was because of – and I’ll be spoiling the end of these, so if God forbid you were going to read ‘em, stop now – an incredible, breathtakingly stupid oversight. Two books have come out in the same week, written by the same person, and they each feature an ending in which a character shows up having taken possession of someone’s body. In one, it’s an old team-mate pleading for help, and in the other, it’s the reveal of the storyline’s main villain. The problem? They’re the same person. Showing up as a hero in one book and a villain in another. Seriously. Don’t you have to take lessons to be that stupid? [SP]

Review: Ghost Rider #28
The most recent take on Ghost Rider has been a real break from the grim urban-supernatural settings the character has inhabited for the past decade, placing the character in the far more appropriate setting of a western. Aaron never plays things too straight, giving an over-the-top ride full of action and black comedy, but keeping readers hooked by expanding the mythos at every turn. The recent featuring of Dan Ketch can only bring older fans (like me) back to the property, and those checking the title out will be rewarded, as long as the fast read doesn’t turn them off. [JHu]

Review: Uncanny X-Men #503
Uncanny’s running hot and cold at the moment, and this is easily the weakest issue since the addition of Matt Fraction to the writing team. Pixie saving the day feels forced and unconvincing, with no explanation offered for how she managed to resist Empath’s powers. Greg Land’s art seriously damages the story, with a vast number of panels completely lacking backgrounds. There’s a surprising villain reveal at the end of the book, but given how tangled the character in question’s history is, hopefully the team will tread carefully. [JHa]

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Captain Britain continues to defy expectations. After its loose association of heroes managed to rise to the occasion and protect the country from the alien threat, most titles would take an issue or two to establish the status quo. Paul Cornell, however, is obvious intent on keeping the tempo up, with the expected character moments coming amidst an escalating feeling of panic as the next crisis starts to hit.

The Skrulls have been stopped, but Pete Wisdom finds himself in a race against time to ready M.I.13 for the threat he unleashed in the process. Unlike Mark Millar’s Ultimates, the book’s sheen of militarism is used to accentuate the humour in its more conventional super-hero elements. Wisdom’s “Go” button is wonderfully realised by Pat Olliffe, and the Black Knight’s cringe-inducing conversation with the Hussains is a highlight. That said, Cornell finds room for some more serious points here, particularly in the throwaway comment about the crusades. The writer never slips into soapbox territory, but does manage to show that he’s fully aware of the issues inherent in the situation. His latest creation initially looked in danger of being a box-ticking exercise, but the self-awareness Faiza shows here is endearing. The issue isn’t quite perfect, however. There’s an uncharacteristic stumble in the cliffhanger, as Blade swiftly gets to the point. The cover alone hints that the inherent conflict between the new arrival and Spitfire might easily spill over, and the last page is more a case of acknowledging the elephant in the room than the sudden shock Cornell clearly imagines it to be.

The feeling of freshness that has permeated the book continues here. One of the writer’s most inspired moves is refusing to give superfluous explanations for some of the lesser-known cast members. Everything you need to know about Union Jack to enjoy the issue is already present here, with Cornell wisely refusing to over-burden the reader with backstory. The overall impression is that the adventures of Marvel UK have been continuing for years, irrespective of where they were being dramatised in comic form. The book feels reminiscent of the Ultimate line in its heyday, as the reader constantly discovers new wonders and old friends. The same economy of exposition is demonstrated in respect of Captain Britain’s new powers, with only the bare bones of the mechanic laid out.

By keeping its initial momentum while expanding and retooling its cast, Captain Britain continues to be an essential purchase. Aside from Buffy’s Season Eight adventures, it’s difficult to think of an ongoing series of such consistent quality.

A small week because Seb’s still on holiday, but there’s still plenty inside, including Russian Sitcoms, Thunderbolts, Neil Gaimen on Batman, the Watchmen trailer AND a Paul Cornell interview!

How’s your Russian? Those crazy Russians who own Livejournal pointed their users in the direction of this Superhero Sitcom, entitled “ZH Men nick and norah s infinite playlist online ” (The pun becomes more apparent if you use the proper cyrillic -  Ж-Men!) It’s described as beig “a new comedy series about superheroes, inspired by the LJ communities dedicated to superheros, comics and cartoons.” They also say that “the title’s “Ж” comes from ЖЖ, the nickname for LiveJournal in Russia.” and that “Ж-Men’s script is written by a group of LJ enthusiasts who also happen to be television professionals.” There are 5 more episodes due to go online after this one! Don’t worry, it’s subtitled!

One of the nuggets of information revealed at SDCC is that Andy Diggle will be taking over the writing on Thunderbolts. Nothing huge to say about that, except that it’s good to see him having a stab at Marvel characters, doubly so because I’m the world’s biggest Thunderbolts fan!

Another piece of info from SDCC? How about Neil Gaiman writing Batman? “Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader” is set for January ‘09 and despite my deep lack of interest in the character, wild dogs couldn’t keep me from this release.

As you may know, Seb, Julian and I all write for geek/cult/nerd media site, Noise to Signal – and as the site relaunches, you can head over there to read an interview with Paul Cornell, writer on Captain Britain and Doctor Who’s TV series, that the three of us conducted at this year’s Bristol Expo.

And, while you’re there, check out Seb’s excellent Page to Screen: Watchmen Trailer article!

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Alright, forget the cautious optimism of my last review. Let’s have our cards right out on the table – Captain Britain and MI:13 is the successor to Ultimates 2 as Marvel’s best current ongoing superhero comic, Paul Cornell is absolutely brilliant, and in a world where All-Star Batman and Ultimates 3 top sales charts, it’s incredibly heartening to see comics readers with common sense making this thing a smash hit, sell-out success.

Cornell’s main achievement, really, has been in giving British readers, finally, a hero – in fact, a set of heroes – of which they can be proud, instead of faintly embarrassed. It’s only taken him three issues, but already the reestablishment of Captain Britain – of all people – as a genuine superheroic force to be reckoned with is firmly in place courtesy of an air-punchingly brilliant closing few pages that doesn’t want for bombast yet stops short of outright arrogance (“We just don’t like to make a fuss”).

Those disappointed by the lack of actual story in the last issue or so of Secret Invasion, meanwhile, might find rather more to engage with here in MI:13. Rather than being hamped by launching in the midst of a crossover, the series has made excellent use of the overarching plot, and has shown one of the front lines of the Skrull invasion in a far more immediate and tangible sense than its “parent” title.

It’s also been a showcase for Cornell’s entirely sure-footed knack for dialogue – and while this issue is lacking slightly on the wisecrack front compared to last month, there are choice speeches throughout, whether it’s Skrull John defiantly taking a stand against his own people, or the magical (er, quite literally) sequence that reveals the source of the voice in Pete Wisdom’s head. Strong character development has been a cornerstone not just of the early issues of this run, but going back to Wisdom as well – and even at this early stage the book’s a candidate for one of the best supporting casts out there (the disappointment at the non-appearance of Captain Midlands so far is surely tempered by the promise of the next arc’s title, “Hell Comes to Birmingham”).

Leonard Kirk’s vibrant and clear artwork is the icing on the cake, really – kudos to his Canadian pen for its grasp of UK-style backgrounds, streets and landmarks, though; are you watching, Greg Land? His triumph comes with the genuinely iconic imagery of the closing splash page, complete with a fantastic bit of new costume design. And if there’s a criticism, really, it’s simply that the cover is completely unrepresentative of the issue’s contents. A minor quibble, though, when you consider that the attention to detail present in the series is such that each issue has had a page at the end devoted to helping readers find out more about the character – here, yes, it’s true that it’s basically an advert for some trades, but it’s evidence of an inclusive approach to the series, and it’s pushing Alan Moore books, so who can complain?

If I’m honest, my opinion of the series is probably coloured slightly by the fact that it’s a British writer, writing proper British characters – upholding a longstanding Marvel tradition and kicking the arse of the likes of Secret Invasion in the process. But even if I were American, I can’t see myself not enjoying this – it’s entertaining, swift-paced, action-packed comics with a sharp edge, driven by great ideas. Aside from its use of mythology, it may not be the weightiest comic out there – but damned if it isn’t up among the most enjoyable.

Finding himself in the position of having to essentially show “the British front” of an editorially-dictated war with the Skrulls, Cornell’s priority is therefore to find a unique angle, rather than simply playing out the events of Secret Invasion in different costumes. This he does by having the Skrulls go after the strongest card that Marvel’s Britain holds – not superheroes, as in the States, but magic. What we get, therefore, is a twist on the usual trope of magic always being able to win out in a technological situation – bring technology into a magical world, and the unfamiliar technology will triumph. It’s a neat idea, and at the same time as this victory enhances the Skrull threat, we can already see from the world of Avalon that Cornell is building up (even the Green Knight gets in there at one point!) the sort of themes that are going to inform the series as a whole, the strengths of Marvel’s “British mythology” that it’s going to play to.

That aside, there’s little that’s hugely remarkable about Captain Britain (save for the fact that its titular character is afforded a significant impact without actually appearing in its pages, right from the excellent opening page that compares the difference between the British and American public’s “discovery” of the deaths of their champions – although, you know, if Braddock is actually dead

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, I’ll buy the trade paperback and EAT it). But as with the first issue, this is simply a finely-crafted, strongly-executed, terrifically entertaining slice of superhero comics. Cornell already brings no small measure of confidence to his storytelling, even this early in his comics career, and he litters the pages with sharp dialogue (choice examples including “Don’t call me ’sir’, it’s… weirdly horny” and “this voice… is half like Gandalf and half like Mr Kipling”) and great characters (it’s no small feat that Faiza is already so likeable and well-defined, given that she’s only had a few pages of each issue in which to be introduced).

The solid craftsmanship extends to the art, as well, with Leonard Kirk on career-best form – although there are certain action beats that could do with being a bit clearer, his character design is strong and there’s a great sense of energy. He’s clearly going for something of a Bryan Hitch style, and on the whole pulls it off rather well.

The overriding feeling about Captain Britain and MI13 – quite aside from the fact that getting Paul Cornell into the industry was an absolute masterstroke on Marvel’s part, and they need to take full advantage of his talent while they can – is that, from a UK-based reader’s perspective, it’s fantastic to have a proper, British superhero comic of which to be proud. The last one I can really think of was Miracleman, and before that… well, Moore’s Captain Britain, really. Cornell is carefully building up his own little corner of the Marvel Universe here, and packing it out with characters about whom I can’t wait to read and discover more. And that’s before Cap himself has even had a chance to come out fighting.