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I worked in the warehouse of my local Boots The Chemist at the time, and I recall buying the 1st ish (and the next four, just before quitting my job) of Captain Britain on my way to work one morning. I've a vivid impression it was a weekday, as I think I only worked Monday to Friday, not the weekend. If my memory's correct, it's odd this title wasn't a Saturday comic, as, up until then, most (if not all) Marvel UK mags tended to come out on a Saturday.
I bought it in John Menzies (which became WH Smith years later, and, more recently, TG Jones) and whenever I look through my collection of CBs, 'tis JM and the Plaza Shopping Centre I mainly think of as they're indelibly linked with my teenage youth, being but a mere 17-years-old at the time. An interesting fact is I eventually reclaimed my original issues when my pal Joe passed away last year (Oct 21st), as I gave them to him sometime in the late '70s.
That means I now have two sets, as I acquired replacements for all of them around 1983 or '84 and I'm loath to part with either set, as they each have their own collection of memories and associations. So, 50 years gone by in a flash, but I take a measure of comfort from the fact Captain Britain reminds me of people and places that are no longer around, though they all live again as I browse through their pages and remind myself of halcyon days of yesteryear.
What about the rest of you Crivs? Any memories of this particular title? The comment section awaits your erudite, interesting, and entertaining observations. Don't let me down now.
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20 comments:
Kid - I absolutely loved Captain Britain, as a kid, him being my favourite Marvel superhero. Captain Britain Annual 1978, was where I first read that story. And Christmas day 1978, when I unwrapped it ( after weeks anticipating the event, based on SS&CB # 247's back cover ads) is my happiest memory ( Also getting the 1977 Superheroes card game, that X-mas! )
Reading that tale again, according to its Titans Edition, that first page saw Stan Lee teaching Claremont to start in the middle of action (in media res), then use a flashback ( a trick he repeatedly used afterwards), rather than just use a linear/chronological type plot.
When I first got a scanner, I scanned my Captain Britain Annual, but the only page that came out/I've got remaining in its original condition, is that one - i.e. the first!
Phillip
I've yet got that 1978 CB Annual, P, the very one I bought in Woolworth's in '77, and it's still in the same condition as when I got it. I may've published that first tale on the blog and, if so, you're welcome to 'save' it. Incidentally, when it was reprinted in Marvel Tales, it was re-arranged into a linear/chronological presentation.
Kid - Your having the 1978 CB Annual, in pristine condition, after all these years, it's like a fly trapped in amber! I'll search it out!
I've still got my annual, but its condition's deteriorated. Of course, it was Christmas 1977, not 78, when I got it!
Why on earth would Marvel Tales do such a daft thing, when that particular trick later became such a hallmark of Claremont's subsequent storytelling style? Bafflingly idiotic!
Phillip
I'm back in Woolies whenever I look at it, P. Happy memories, As to Marvel Tales, not sure, maybe they excised some panels too, which necessitated it being re-arranged. I'll dig it out one day and check. I may heve published it on the blog, but not sure.
Kid - With a search for 'Captain Britain Annual 1978', I've found the scan of your pristine cover, for the annual. I wrote a piece about CB, on SDC, a while back, highlighting the Scottish/borders connection, in CB's origin. Reading your post(ending on the annual)'s comments, it seems Paul anticipated me!
After my rambling piece, a video popped up, on my youtube feed ( posted after my piece), discussing the 'Reivers', in detail. Whereupon I noticed, in my piece, the i & e are the wrong way round. i before e, except after R! Had the lady responsible for the video read my piece on CB? Highly unlikely. I suppose an algorithm found that Reivers video for my feed, knowing I'd written about CB. Still, strange she posted it so shortly afterwards!
Phillip
I have no memory of where I bought my first issue of Captain Britain . I do remember the run up to its release and it being advertised but that's it. I think I was getting bored with Marvels UK output and most superhero comics at the time ( but was still picking some up) and was more focused on Conan, Kull etc. I was also 16 going on 17 so if I had been a couple of years younger I would have been so excited, as it was it was almost a non event for me. I did buy a few of the original series and enjoy the FF and Steranko reprints for a while. I did really liked the Moore/Davis relaunch but the old Captain never really interested me I'm afraid.
I'm now really trying to remember where I picked issue 1 up from its so frustrating when you forget
Kid, Marvel's final Saturday-dated weeklies were published in June 1976 so four months before CB #1.
Captain Britain had been teased in the weeklies for a couple of months before the first issue went on sale. At first he was shown in ads only in silhouette and we readers were told that the initials of his name were CB which I assumed probably meant Captain Britain so clever me. My weekly comics were ordered from a newsagent and my father picked them up on Thursdays so for me it's tomorrow (October 7th) which is the actual 50th anniversary of Captain Britain #1 and it was also the first time I'd acquired the first issue of any Marvel comic (having missed the first issues of POTA, SSOC and The Titans). I thought the Herb Trimpe art looked stunning and I still do and of course it was amazing to see a Marvel UK weekly featuring colour pages! The most memorable image from CB #1 remains Brian Braddock smoking a pipe which was rather odd to me as I associated pipe-smoking with old men and not the young alter-egos of superheroes!
I never got into Captain Britain in his initial Marvel incarnation. However, when the character was rebooted and Alan Moore and Alan Davis took the reins as the writer and artist team I was hooked.
And as you'll have now remembered, P, the word used was actually 'Reavers, so no ie/ei sequence involved. I'm sure some Crivs would like to see your YouTube piece, so feel free to post a link.
That always annoys the hell out of me, McS, as I used to be able to remember precisely which shop I'd bought just about every comic I owned; alas, no longer. IPC had intended to publish their own Captain Britain title, but it never happened for some reason. I've seen the dummy and it looks interesting.
Ta, CJ, that tells me my memory wasn't faulty in regard to it coming out on a weekday. As regards the pipe smoking, I assume that was simply down to an 'American' notion that all British academics, intellectuals, and scientists smoked pipes, it was a shorthand way of showing someone as 'brainy'.
I liked both incarnations, S, but I probably preferred the first one.
Kid - Sorry, I was a bit unclear there. In my piece, I develop the idea that Reaver is a play on 'Reiver' (which I spelled wrong! ) Here's a link to my
( rambling )piece, for insomniacs at Crivens ( Paul & Colin have read it, previously):
https://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/6263300365798803459/899221048916785247
Phillip
Was that the Cap Britain drawn by Tom Kerr, I didn't know there was a dummy just ideas.
Thanks for that, P, I'll take a wee look when I get back from the shops.
That's the one, McS. I seem to recall seeing a dummy, though maybe it was just of the strip rather than a full comic. My memory's not what it was, alas.
The cover of CB #1 was spoiled by the blurb for that stupid mask (mine went straight in the bin).
Just so long as you weren't wearing it at the time, CJ. From what mag did you get the mask you're wearing in your avatar photo?
Don't need a mask, Kid, as my stunning good looks are worthy of GQ magazine! Perhaps you could update YOUR avatar photo so we can see your Santa beard (assuming you've still got it of course).
Shaved the beard off a few weeks back, CJ, as I thought the world needed to be reminded of just how handsome I am. Women haven't stopped trying to chat me up since. (And who can blame 'em?!)
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