Classic Comic of the Week: Captain Britain & MI-13 – Volume 1 - Secret Invasion
By d. emerson eddy — It started with the Beatles.
Or rather a Beatle. John.
Okay, he was a Skrull. Still counts. Totally. Because John the Skrull opens up the conspiracy at the heart of the Skrull invasion of British Parliament in the opening pages, largely serving as the central thread that ties the characters to the larger Secret Invasion event, giving us an emotional viewpoint and a counter to all of the other Skrulls causing havoc. You can also read all of his dialogue in a terrible Liverpudlian accent and crack yourself up endlessly. It's bigger than Jesus. All in Captain Britain & MI-13 – Volume 1: Secret Invasion from Paul Cornell, Leonard Kirk, Jesse Delperdang, Brian Reber, and Joe Caramagna.
On paper, the opening arc to Captain Britain & MI-13 has an uphill battle. Though Marvel seems to do it regularly, it can be hard to launch any kind of lasting title on the back of a major crossover event. In theory, you get a boost in sales. In practice, many people have sworn off tie-ins and won't pick them up regardless of whether or not they “count” or are promoted as being an ongoing series. This series, though, had an ace up its sleeve, effectively acting as a sequel to the brash, often hilarious, and critically-acclaimed Wisdom mini-series from Paul Cornell, Trevor Hairsine, and Manuel Garcia. Even if Cornell wasn't allowed to bring all of the sex and cussing over from that MAX series.
But he does bring John the Skrull along for the ride on this magical mystery tour. And the humor. The book is just packed with some biting dark humor. The story dives into bits of Captain Britain lore, broader Marvel magic, many of the British superheroes, spooky British intelligence agencies, and continues the exploration of the Faeries that began in Wisdom, rather interestingly posing at first a question of science (the Skrulls) vs. magic (with Otherworld as the crux). It kind of skirts around the religious element of the Skrull pantheon (though, to be fair, despite it being a central element of the entire event, it's only largely covered and explained in the Incredible Hercules tie-ins), but it's still captivating to see the magic heroes falter, their source cut off, and the Skrulls take over. Though it definitely serves as a gathering of the team, with individual spotlights on Pete Wisdom, Captain Britain, and the Black Knight, it also sets up new operating procedures for magic in Britain (and beyond) and a remit for the series going forward.
Leonard Kirk's style fits within the evolution of style from Alan Davis to Bryan Hitch to Trevor Hairsine. There's a wonderful sense of scope and detail to Kirk's work, equally adept at the more fanciful characters and landscapes of magic and the war torn rubble of a Britain under siege. Jesse Delperdang's inks preserve a grit in the shading that helps enhance the embattled aspects of the story. That grit is echoed in Brian Reber's colors, choosing a darker color palette for much of the arc, reminding us that the stakes are dire and situation grim.
Joe Caramagna gives us a very nice variety to approaches to word balloons, giving many of the characters unique styles, helping differentiate humans from Skrulls and fairies. It becomes particularly useful and humorous, working with Cornell's dialogue, in the voice in Wisdom's head telling him what to do.
Whether or not you read the wider Secret Invasion event, Captain Britain & MI-13 – Volume 1 from Cornell, Kirk, Delperdang, Reber, and Caramagna delivers an entertaining, funny, and exciting chapter that fits well in the framework of the larger story, while also providing a start to a new series that works independently. The humour and characters are infectious and the exploration of British heroes and myth compelling.
And John the Skrull. Who would remind you that all you need is love. He loves you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Captain Britain & MI-13 - Volume 1 - Secret Invasion
Captain Britain & MI-13 – Volume 1: Secret Invasion
Writer: Paul Cornell
Penciller: Leonard Kirk
Inker: Jesse Delperdang
Colorist: Brian Reber
Letterer: VC's Joe Caramagna
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: February 18, 2009
Price: $6.99
Buy It Here: Captain Britain & MI-13 – Volume 1 - Secret Invasion
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d. emerson eddy is a student and writer of things. He fell in love with comics during Moore, Bissette, & Totleben's run on Swamp Thing and it has been a torrid affair ever since. His madness typically manifests itself on Twitter @93418.
