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Final Cap Day and Worldcon News
What do you think of the new look? It's designed by Tara O'Shea, and I love it.
Today (or Thursday in the UK), Captain Britain and MI-13 #15 arrives in your local comic shop. As I'm sure you all know, it's the final issue. I'm very proud of how we wrapped it all up, and I hope you'll enjoy it. This blog will, as always, serve as letters page. I hear that Dark X-Men: The Beginning #1 has sold out and has gone to a second printing, so getting your hands on the first edition of that, if you can find one, might be an idea.
I now have an extra panel at Anticipation in Montreal. It's about the sexuality of the Doctor, and how the portayal of that's changed. Again, an excellent idea for a panel, and a Doctor Who one that I can usefully be on without being asked to offer critique of my colleagues. I'm really looking forward to all these panels now.
And Cheryl Morgan kindly asked me to be a part of a mashup she's organising for Montreal, which will then go on to cover other conventions. Basically, this one site will put together loads of volunteer bloggers, tweeters, audiobooers and flickrers, so you get vast coverage of the event from loads of points of view. Check it out:
I hope to see some of you in Dublin on Saturday. Until then, Cheerio.
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A review by myself and Mr Dave Wallace is up here, and sorry about the spoilerific preview. We can only post what Marvel gives us, unfortunately.
Nice! Well done Tara :)
Great final issue, Paul. I look forward to rereading the series and enjoying it all over again.
On the downside, it is indeed a sad event to witness the ending of such a significant series. And I am humbled by the wonderful comments about Captain Britain.
On the upside, I finally figured out how to post on this freakin' blog.
I'm heading out to pick up the final issue of Captain Britain later on today, but I'm sad it's ending. Thanks for the fun ride, Paul. It was really nice to see Captain Britain and some other C/D listers done right and in an interesting light.
As an aside of sorts, would you ever consider posting a script of an earlier issue of Capt Brit so those interested in that sort of thing can peruse it? I always find the scripting process pretty interesting.
I will be off to acquire the final issue tomorrow afternoon. Greatly looking forward to it.
And may I offer a sizeable round of applause not Mr Kirk.
Not for managing to post a comment, mind. More for the great work he's done on this series. It's taken years to break away from the image of Brian Braddock with 80s hair. Leonard Kirk very much made the character his own. A mix of modern hero, with a little bit of style of British war comics. Great work.
Paul and Leonard,
Just read issue #15 (no spoilers here). In early interviews, Paul you stated you wanted to give this series an epic movie feel. You succeeded! Thanks to both of you for using the Black Knight.
I really am going to miss "Cap Wednesdays".
LA
Mr. Cornell, a question, since this didn't come up during the series: what is Spitfire now? Is she a full vampire, some kind of hybrid? Does she have a soul?
Great final issue. I admit I got into the series only at the start of the "Vampire Nation" story arc, but I liked it so much I started buying the back issues.
I think all things considered the last issue tied up the different plot points real well.
One thing I am wondering though that I did find a bit odd in the final issue. As Dracula pointed out the Black Knight is one of the greatest swordsmen alive, but he could not come close to beating Dracula who has more experience and is faster ans stronger. So, Faiza's sudden victory over the vampire lord came as a bit of a surprise. Did the canceling of the series change this or any other aspect of the ending at all?
Also, I was left with the impression that Doom deliberately sabotaged Dracula's invasion by giving him Meggan. Was this the intent you was going for?
Again, a great series and I am sad to see it end. You were able to balance the different characters and threats that might seem goofy in the hands of another writer very well.
Kudos to Leonard Kirk on the art as well.
Add me to the chorus of fans filled with bittersweet appreciation for the final ::sob:: issue of Captain Britain and MI13. I truly hate to see it go, but if it must, it went on a satisfying and hopeful note.
So many wonderful moments in this issue, but it's the quiet conversation between Brian and Dr. Hussain that resonates most for me.
A big THANK YOU to the whole creative team! I loved what you did with this book and will miss it very much. ::sniff::
Thanks, all. Thanks, Kelvin, and that was just my own fault for not asking Marvel not to. Hey, Leonard, well done! About the art, as well as learning how to post here. Anon: yes, I will plonk up a PDF of a Cap script at some point. Already got the okay from my editor to do that. Island: I think she's a mixture, because of the various different things that have happened to her body chemistry. Anon: no, apart from the last page, and maybe not having all the guest appearances in one go, that's pretty much the issue I'd have written if we were continuing. And yes, Doom never liked Dracula, and like the idea of a gypsy making things awkward for him. Kind of thought I communicated that, but I always prefer to err on the side of gentle plotting. And thank you, Sandra. Leonard and I will return!
Anon: Regarding Faiza's triumph over Dracula when the Black Knight failed - I assumed that Excalibur had something to do with it.
Dave - I agree.
It is after all Excalibur. And Faiza had a reason to want to defeat, rather then stop, Dracula in the fight.
FWIW - it's a crying shame it's all done.
P.S. Does anyone else hear Freema "Martha Jones" Agyeman when reading Faiza's lines?
Pete has the wonderful "Ray Winston as Rebus" feel to his him IMO.
Brian IMO sounds like Patrick Macnee. The quintesstial British gentleman.
Cheers for an excellent comic. The "SAS" page gave me a kick like no movie this year has yet. Sorry to see the series go. Were the appearances on that page a nod to the stories you never got around to doing, thanks to the cancellation, or just a thank you to the fans?
Good luck to you and Leonard. Look forward to seeing what you do next.
Great ending, Paul! The "YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING..." finale was very classy and fun. 'Are You Being Served?' but with Blade.
Hi Paul (And Leonard if he's around),
What can I say? What a great finale issue.
As the shameless Marvel UK fan I am, I was blown away by the reinforcement cameos. Characters who've not been seen in 15 years. And love Mr Kirk's redesigns to. A great shame we couldn't see a little more of those.
Very glad to see that things have been left open ended. It would be great to see some more, some day. Marvel permitting.
Don't want to say too much in case I spoil things for those yet to read it. So I'll just leave it by saying that I loved the issue, and the whole damn series, too.
And that final page was a really nice touch.
Cheers for everything, guys!
Anonymous, as Dave says, I think Faiza's skill with the sword has a great deal to do with the fact that her sword is better than the Knight's. It is Excalibur, after all.
Just finished reading Cap #15. Excellent stuff and great writing about the British Compromise at the end.
I could read at least another 50 issues of this.
sob.
I just finished reading the new Captain Britain and I absolutely loved it. The cameos, the plotting, the double crossing, all of it. Magnificent work.
Thank you (personally and team-at-large) so much for this Captain Britain run. It has been wonderful and honestly inspiring.
Lovely stuff, as always. A shame that it had to be so compressed -- Meggan's part of the story suffered for it, in particular, and in general things would have worked better if there'd been more room to let it breathe. But it was a pleasure to see how well some very tight writing can compensate for lack of space.
Striking how the way Faiza and Dane dressed reflected the changes in their relationship, and how their new status as fellow knights did as well, particularly given Dane's wise refusal to try to cheat by simply stipulating that they were equals. As further evidenced by the way she can now tell him to shut up ... And it was interesting how something that absolutely shouldn't have worked -- oh, look, for some reason you don't have a heart of stone any longer -- actually did, because of the way it called back to a similar scene at the very beginning.
Not to mention the way that Faiza's father sums up the whole series by saying he could murder a cup of tea. I hate to think of this coming to an end, and really hope you'll be able to do more with these characters. But there's a lot to say for stories that have a shape to them, rather than being endlessly serialized the way comics typically are, and this couldn't have been the story it was if it hadn't reached an ending.
As for why Dracula beat Dane, look at Dane's stance before the fight begins. To begin with, no one with his knee that far out of alignment ever had a chance. Since he's one of the greatest swordsmen in the world, I assume this was deliberate and that he threw the fight to give Faiza her chance. I'll never tell, though.
(Goodness, the blog's gone posh!)
Oh, it's Messrs Kirk and Perkins, nice to see you both here.
My bletherings:
snipurl.com/braddock15
The sword Excalibur was feared by the vampires throughout the story. Dracula did not want to face it and offered Faiza safe passage. She proved worthy by doing what had to be done. I hope we see more of Faiza and Dane soon.
Thanks, all. Cer: more a thank you. Geoff: I think Are You Being Served with Blade would be great. 'I was just telling that nice young Mr. Blade about the trouble I'm having with my pussy.' Most things would be improved by adding Blade. Thanks for the review, Mart. Brian: I like to think the lack of heart of stone works purely on a metaphorical level. I must say though: there's no rushing because this was the last issue. It was always going to run this long, and that (apart from the last page and the cameos) is how I'd have played it if there was another arc.
I confess I put off reading the final issue for as long as possible, since I didn't want the book to end. Thanks to all involved for a truly amazing book. I've been reading comics for over 3 decades now, and this is the first book in years to recapture the sense of wonder I experienced way back when. Is there any chance, Paul, that you can return to MI:13 in a miniseries -- the team alone or a MI:13/Avengers team-up? Is there anyone readers can contact at Marvel to encourage this possibility? In the meantime, thanks again for the thrill-packed ride!
Loved this series, really sad to see it go. Paul, any chance you could give us an insight into where you would of taken the good Captain and MI 13 next? You also hint that you and Leonard will work together again, is there a possibillty of a reprieve for the series?
Thank you Paul Cornell even if for only two pages bringing back Death's Head II!
Man I've missed that character, I absolutely loved that series!!!
Love the new look-very modern and professional.
Sounds like significant changes are ahead. Congrats to your wife on her chosen path. It's wonderful to be able work in the profession of one's choosing. Does this mean you'll live at a vicarage? Will your friends still be able to crack "vicar and a bishop" jokes?
Enjoy the Con, thought you might show up at ComicCon.
Thanks, all. Dean and Anon, that's it as far as I know, Leonard and I are already working together again on the Dark X-Men anthologies, and I don't know where these characters will appear again! And that's very kind of you, Heather. I will do San Diego next year, promise!
Great last issue, and I too enjoyed the page of Marvel UK cameos. I'm still hoping to see you guys come back whenever Marvel decide to bring some variation of the concept back as New Dark Young Excalibur or whatever.
Come to think of it... Marvelman and Excalibur, anyone?
Oh and while I like the new design of the site, any chance of being able to click on the header to get 'home'?
Thanks very much, Mark. Sorry, me being dim here, what do you seek? (Email me, it's easier!)
Just wanted to say thank you for 15 issues of the greatest super team I have ever seen. Cracking to see some of those old UK heroes (and the quip by Death's Head made me finally believe that the charcater had come back full circle). The beautiful 'You Have Been Watching' last page made me feel like a kid again. Heres hoping you get a chance to work on these characters again soon and that they do not drift back in obscurity.
Its been a blast and thanks again.
Darren Wilson
PS Looking forward to the Black Widow and Dark X-men minis!
Thanks very much, Darren.
A big thanks to Paul, Kirk and everyone else who worked on giving us this fun series.
It has been quite like a puzzle for me. Realising that I have loved Marvel UK for a long time. Connecting the excaliburs comics with the old Death's Head II comics in this wonderful comic. And of course Peter Wisdom. One must never forget to mention him =)
So once again: thank you.
Loved the final issue. Thanks for your contribution to the series, the Marvel universe, and the fantastic character Faiza Hussein! I look forward to your future writings.
Thanks, you two. Oscar: that's always been part of the joy of comics, working out where it all fits!
I guess there’s a reason they call it “fiction,” and why so much of it ends up forgotten like a daydream -- it responds to our mood but isn’t
rooted in our character. The Captain Britain & MI 13 finale was a new standard text on emotional closure and compelling storytelling, but it was much more -- a reminder that mere fiction is how we *want* life to be, while true myth is what life *should* be. The indomitable virtue, not through passive “goodness” but tenacious, self-sacrificing
compassion and imagination, of these characters, who will have to live a life on the line between the promise of their best instincts and the consequences of their baser impulses and sometimes brutal obligations, was a primer on responsibility and worthy survival. Paul Cornell and the planet have been blessed and cursed with interesting times in which grand heroism, great evil and ordinary existence play out side-by-side (and sometimes overlap), so the moment lent itself to larger-than-life characters I cared about like my most familiar friends. But not every writer could make such representative archetypes be such real people. I’m glad it took me a week to get to this issue -- and not just because it forestalled the end of one of my all-time favorite comics. It gave me the chance to, in the same span, see the finale of one of my all-time favorite TV shows, Kings -- but where that ambitious and ingenious novel-for-television fell apart in its last two-and-a-half hours, Cornell & Kirk’s novel-for-comics stayed a masterful epic and a humane psychological portrait of a people and an era to the end. A Fourth World-level accomplishment, and unlike with Kirby, they let the creators accomplish it. God save the new kings.
Adam McGovern
Wow, that's great, thanks very much, Adam. I'm entirely unworthy of that. Much appreciated.
Holy crap! IT'S DEATHS HEAD! AND DIGITEK! AND DARK ANGEL! I LOVE YOU CORNELL!
Ahem, well, thank you!
Bravo, sir! A fine conclusion indeed to the best series I've read in many a moon. My would-be jaded soul is made more noble and righteous by Captain Britain and company, via Paul Cornell!
Thanks very much!
Got my copy of the last issue slightly late; let me add myself to the list of people praising the whole series. It's really quite excellent in a long list of ways - cunning plotting, humor, etc - but particularly outstanding for two things. First, the whole theme about Britain and what makes it different from, say, the US. ("You have no idea what this flag means. It isn't popular. It's not a symbol.") I'm curious what sales and reactions were like in the UK... Second, character relationships - not just the obvious ones like Dane and Fazia, but also the changes between Cap and Pete - the fist-bump in #14 is perhaps my favorite bit in the whole comic. Anyway, pretty much my favorite series and it'll be missed.
Thanks very much. We always did well in the UK, and the Panini collections always get reprinted. Cheers.
I did not see the twist with Harker's skull coming, and that big splash page of cameos (especially Death's Head talking to us) made me grin from ear to ear!
Nice to see it go on a high note, though a bit of a pisser to see it go - where else is there a big-scale superhero comic mixed with war and spy story iconography & plot beats? God, now I find myself wishing there'd been more event crossovers forced on it. :(
(Well, maybe not ":(" if it was Marvel Zombies, that'd be a laugh.)
- Charles RB
Thanks very much, Charles. I'd love to have done Marvel Zombies!