Tag Archives: erick arciniega

Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #1 is a fun debut issue that is part coming of age and part spy thriller

Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #1

As you grow up, you begin to form what will become your identity. As you learn about your family, you actually find out about yourself. This si where we understand how we are the way we are. That is why it is important, that you have people who can guide you.

As you search for answers, those who have been there can guide you.  That is why teachers are important and why family history is as well.  So what happens when you find something new bout yourself and you find out that there is a great burden that may come with it? In Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #1, Kamala is about to find out how her world is going to change as she becomes an X-Man.

Kamala has gone through a lot lately. She died. She was ressurected. She found out she was a mutant as well as being an Inhuman. This has caused her to to be unsettled and the comic reflects that with her fighting her nightmares as the comic opens up. She’s confronted by her identity and the important questions around them. But, that’s just a tease of the struggles to come as it’s the first day of a summer internship with Orchis! Having recently discovered that she is a mutant ,she joins the fight against the evil group and is tasked with investigating the corporation responsible for the Mutant Massacre. Something is going on by them within the campus, the question is what and it’s up to Kamala to discover it but she’s a hero at heart and what was supposed to be an undercover operation results in Kamala revealing Ms. Marvel has joined the X-Men as she saves some students resulting in a lot of backlash and raising flags for Orchis.

Overall, Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #1 is a fun debut issue that is part coming of age and part spy thriller. The story that Iman Vellani and Sabir Pirzada have crafted is an absolute joy. The art by the creative team is gorgeous. Altogether, it’s a story that will exceed fan’s expectations.

Story: Iman Vellani and Sabir Pirzada Art: Carlos Gómez, Adam Gorham
Color: Erick Arciniega Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Marvel launches two new X-Men comics on Marvel Unlimited

Launching today on Marvel Unlimited! See the Hellfire Gala from the perspective of this year’s X-Men Vote Candidates in a new 6-issue arc starting in X-Men Unlimited #100 and what happened before the catastrophic events in X-Men: Hellfire Gala Last Rites!

X-MEN UNLIMITED #100

Writers: Steve Foxe, Stephanie Williams 
Artist: Noemi Vettori 
Colorist: Pete Pantazis
New 6-issue Arc Launches on August 14 

Fallout from the FALL OF X! See the Hellfire Gala from the perspective of the candidates who lost the annual X-Men Vote. In the weeks leading up to the big event, Cannonball, Jubilee, Prodigy, Frenzy and more have no idea what’s coming…

X-MEN UNLIMITED #100

X-MEN: HELLFIRE GALA LAST RITES #1

Writer: Steve Foxe
Artist: Jim Towe 
Colorist: Erick Arciniega
One-shot Launches on August 14 

Ahead of the Hellfire Gala, the X-Men Vote candidates share why they should be members of mutantkind’s premier super-team!

X-MEN: HELLFIRE GALA LAST RITES #1

X-Men: The Hellfire Gala 2023 delivers shocks we’ve seen before

X-Men: Hellfire Gala 2023 #1

Warning Spoilers(?)

“Welcome to the X-Men. Hope you survive the experience.” That has been said quite a lot over the years. So much that it’s become a joke. It’s a joke based on a truth. The X-Men have a high body count among its members where massacres, genocide, mass killings, mass murder, are all regular events. So, it shouldn’t be surprising that this year’s X-Men: The Hellfire Gala treads that rather overused “shock” to the extreme.

Each years’ X-Men: The Hellfire Gala has been a flag planted in the ground. The one-shot not only introduces a new team of X-Men but also sets up the year to come. It has done that with over the top moments that take the X-Men on an even grander scale. One re-introduced them to the world. Another terraformed a planet. Now, in 2023 we get a new “mutant massacre.”

Written by Gerry Duggan, X-Men: The Hellfire Gala crumbles the excess and grand concepts that were started years ago in House of X/Powers of X. I had problems with those concepts. They took what were a minority group that any minority could see themselves in and instead had themselves declaring they’re the “new gods” with a sovereign nation, acting benevolent while manipulating history, and overall flirting with nationalism. The X-Men have been torn asunder, forced back to their roots, hated, hunted, and a fraction of their population.

And when I say fraction, I mean fraction. While what has happened is sure to be undone to some level in the future, the sprawling cast is now but a handful and that is part of the problem with the issue. We’ve seen this all before. Many times. So, the only way to go is bigger. WAY BIGGER. It’s been done before so much “mutant massacre” is used in the comic. That’s just a bit of the stilted and at times dodgy dialogue from Duggan.

The comic features an X-Men squad worth of artists (maybe two squads). Adam Kubert, Luciano Vecchio, Matteo Lolli, Russell Dauterman, Javier Pina, R.B. Silva, Joshua Cassara, Kris Anka, and Pepe Larraz all contribute. Rain Beredo, Ceci De La Cruz, Matthew Wilson, Erick Arciniega, and Marte Gracia all provide color. The art is pretty solid with some muddled moments and a few panels that don’t quite work (what’s up with Cyclops’ hair in the beginning). It delivers the shock the story sets up and visuals that almost have the impact intended. Maybe if I wasn’t so jaded in this direction, the art would feel grander. But the art in some ways feels reserved, eschewing too many multi page spreads for packed pages and panels.

X-Men: The Hellfire Gala is entertaining in its own ways, but its shock at this point has little emotional impact. It’s been there. Done that. X-Men: The Hellfire Gala sets up an intriguing new direction for the X-Men to come. The idea of Wilson Fisk aiding the X-Men is intriguing. Nightcrawler’s teased direction has potential. The direction for Ms. Marvel is far too clear (the comic isn’t subtle in its foreshadowing). It returns the X-Men to their roots shifting them away from the benevolent gods of the past few years. Like Orchis, the comic delivers a swift brutal attack on the status quo for the line, leaving it in shatters and leaving lots of potential.

Story: Gerry Duggan Art: Adam Kubert, Luciano Vecchio, Matteo Lolli, Russell Dauterman, Javier Pina, R.B. Silva, Joshua Cassara, Kris Anka, Pepe Larraz
Color: Rain Beredo, Ceci De La Cruz, Matthew Wilson, Erick Arciniega, Marte Gracia
Letterer: Virtual Calligraphy,Design: Tom Muller, Jay Bowen
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

SDCC 2023: New Marvel Unlimited Infinity Comics revealed!

This weekend at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Unlimited announced an exciting line-up of new Infinity Comics coming to the app!

MARVEL MEOW #13

Writer, Artist, and Colorist: Nao Fuji
Weekly Series Returns for a 6-issue Arc on July 28

The Marvel Universe’s most fearsome foes finally meet their match… cute cats! Black Cat’s cats foil Doctor Octopus’ plans.

MARVEL MEOW #13

LOVE UNLIMITED: GAMBIT & ROGUE #61

Writer: Preeti Chhibber
Artist: Carola Borelli
Colorist: Carlos Lopez
New 6-issue Arc Launches August 3

Gambit and Rogue are looking for a little excitement—and when the opportunity arises for the heist of a lifetime, who are they to turn it down?!

LOVE UNLIMITED: GAMBIT & ROGUE #61

AVENGERS UNLIMITED #58

Writer: Kalinda Vazquez
Artists: Alba Glez, Walden Wong
Colorist: Erick Arciniega
New 2-issue Arc Starring Kate Bishop and Thor Launches August 8

Kate Bishop is summoned to Asgard to solve a baffling mystery involving stolen hammers.

AVENGERS UNLIMITED #58

MARVEL’S VOICES: ECHO #64

Writer: Melissa Flores
Artist: Kyle Charles
Colorist: Carlos Lopez
New 6-issue Arc Launches August 16

In the wake of surrendering the Phoenix Force, Echo is called home to the reservation to help her friend and former love interest, River. But what started off as a simple rescue turns into a mind-bending journey that may claim them
both!

MARVEL'S VOICES: ECHO #64

X-MEN UNLIMITED #100

Writers: Steve Foxe and Stephanie Williams
Artist: Noemi Vettori
Colorist: Pete Pantazis
New 6-issue Arc Launches August 14

The aftermath to this year’s Hellfire Gala! Who won? Who lost? And who is even left standing? See the Hellfire Gala from the perspective of the candidates who lost the annual X-Men Vote. But trust us: those
aren’t the only losses of the night…

MARVEL’S VOICES: NIGHTSHADE #71

Writer: Stephanie Williams
Artist: Hector Barros
Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse
New Arc Launching Fall 2023

Another addition to the MARVEL’S VOICES anthology, this upcoming arc will feature Nightshade, AKA Tilda Johnson. Gifted with a knack for science, Nightshade has often used her intellect as an advantage in order to successfully commit crimes. But is she a super villain or just a super-genius?

Amazing Spider-Man #26 delivers a hollow sacrifice

Amazing Spider-Man #26

Now fully in the present, the Emissary has returned and his power is so far beyond Spider-Man’s abilities. The heroes may figure out a way to win, but the cost of victory will be so immense that you may hope they don’t… Amazing Spider-Man #26 delivers a finale to the story arc that ends with a thud and a clunk.

Spoiled for a week now, readers finally have a chance to see how things play out in Amazing Spider-Man #26 and none of it comes across well. Written by Zeb Wells, the sacrifice and death of a hero feels hollow for multiple reasons and when a little thought is put into it, makes little sense. The result is a comic that feels like it thinks its epic but comes off as rather shallow.

The Emissary is attempting to sacrifice MJ and has Spider-Man, Norman Osbron, and Ms. Marvel doing what they can to stop him… and a giant dragon nearby. This causes Norman to split off to stop the dragon with the help of the Fantastic Four. That part of the comic gets the short end as it feels like it’s wrapped up quickly to just wrap it up quickly. That’s almost laid out for the reader as Sue Storm tells Mr. Fantastic to shut up and just get on with his plan.

So, that leaves the real focus on Spider-Man, MJ, and Kamal and their battle. As has been spoiled for some time, Kamala sacrifices herself which somehow just makes the bad guy whither away but leaves Kamala presumably dead. Another hero who is sure to return when their television show or movie nears (hint, that’s later this year). Unfortunately the sacrifice makes absolutely no sense at all. While Kamala can shift to look like MJ, she’s unable to shift organs or her body to let the dagger just pass through her? It just feels like an abrupt way with a lack of imagination to stop the bad guy. And, the setup doesn’t help. Bad dialogue causes eye rolling throughout the comic that crescendos into this rather lazy way to end things. It’s been done far too many times and the emotional punch just isn’t there at all.

I stated when this latest volume began that I’m not a fan of John Romita Jr.‘s style. With ink by Scott Hanna, color by Marco Menyz and Erick Arciniega and lettering by Joe Caramagna, the art style especially falls short with this type of story. The blocky faces just lack an emotional aspect to them that’s needed to really drive home this sort of moment.

Overall, Amazing Spider-Man #26 might have had something had it not been spoiled but even then, the end comes off as cheap and short lived. We know Kamala will be back, it’s just a question as to when and how.

Story: Zeb Wells Art: John Romita Jr.
Ink: Scott Hanna Color: Marco Menyz, Erick Arciniega Lettere: Joe Caramagna
Story: 6.0 Art: 6.0 Overall: 6.0 Recommendation: Pass

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Fall of X, G.O.D.S., Ultimate Invasion, and more in Marvel’s Free Comic Book Day titles

This year’s Free Comic Book Day will be packed with new beginnings including a prelude to the X-Men’s next era, Fall ofF X; an introduction to Jonathan Hickman’s bold upcoming projects, G.O.D.S. with Valerio Schiti and Ultimate Invasion with Bryan Hitch; the debut of a new Venom villain, and so much more. In addition to these exciting lead-in stories for fans and newcomers alike, Marvel Comics will also spotlight creators and characters from different cultures and communities in a special installment of the Marvel’s Voices program, Free Comic Book Day: Marvel’s Voices, and deliver all-ages Spider-Man adventures in Free Comic Book Day 2023: Spidey & His Amazing Friends #1 so that even the youngest readers won’t go home empty handed!

It’s one of the biggest days for the comic book industry, and this year promises to be the greatest one yet! Here’s what fans can looking forward to:

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2023: AVENGERS/X-MEN #1

Be the first to arrive at this year’s game-changing Hellfire Gala in a story by the current X-Men creative team: writer Gerry Duggan and artist Joshua Cassara. This year’s HELLFIRE GALA will be more dramatic than ever, and the tragic events of the night will lead mutantkind directly into FALL OF X.

Then join Duggan and superstar artist Javier Garrón as they reassemble the Avengers Unity Squad to navigate the dangers of FALL OF X and solve the mystery of the new Captain Krakoa in a prelude story to their upcoming run of UNCANNY AVENGERS. This action-packed story will also feature the debut of the STARK SENTINELS, a new line of mutant hunters who cause major havoc on the night of the Gala and in the pages of Duggan’s INVINCIBLE IRON MAN.

And score a sneak peek at one of the most talked about launches of the year, Jonathan Hickman and Valerio Schiti’s G.O.D.S., an extraordinary epic at the crossroads of magic and science where Marvel’s cosmic pantheon will be boldly reimagined.

Written by GERRY DUGGAN & JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art by JOSHUA CASSARA, JAVIER GARRÓN & VALERIO SCHITI
Colors by MARTE GRACIA & MORRY HOLLOWELL
Cover by JAVIER GARRÓN & MORRY HOLLOWELL

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2023: AVENGERS/X-MEN #1

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2023: SPIDER-MAN/VENOM #1

Dive into the next story arc of Zeb Wells’ run of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN with a story that sees the return of two classic Spidey villains! Featuring incredible art by Patrick Gleason, this thrilling story also unleashes the full potential Spider-Man’s new suit!

Then, web-swing over to the symbiote side of things with current VENOM masterminds, Al Ewing and Cafu! The pair will pull back the curtain on a secret chapter in symbiote history where an experiment went horribly wrong…. Say hello to new Venom villain, FLEXO!

And get a glimpse into Jonathan Hickman and Bryan Hitch’s ULTIMATE INVASION, a saga that begins with a daring mission to revive the Ultimate Universe but ends with the promise of something all-new and vastly different than anything that’s come before…

Written by ZEB WELLS, AL EWING & JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art by PATRICK GLEASON, CAFU, BRYAN HITCH & ANDREW CURRIE
Colors by MARCIO MENYZ, FRANK D’ARMATA & ALEX SINCLAIR
Cover by PATRICK GLEASON & BRYAN VALENZA

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2023: SPIDER-MAN/VENOM #1

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2023: MARVEL’S VOICES #1

Spotlighting creators and characters across Marvel’s diverse and ever-evolving universe, this book will include a range of stories from previous Marvel’s Voices issues that star Ms. Marvel, Luke Cage, Wave, and more! Plus a brand-new Ironheart adventure by writer John Jennings and Paris Alleyne that debuts her deadly new nemesis, KHEM!

Written by JOHN JENNINGS, NYLA INNUKSUK, SABIR PIRZADA, ALYSSA WONG & CODY ZIGLAR
Art by PARIS ALLEYNE, NATASHA DONOVAN, ERIC KODA, STEPHEN BYRNE, DIÓGENES NEVES & EDER MESSIAS
Colors by ERICK ARCINIEGA, RACHELLE ROSENBERG, BRIAN REBER, FRANK WILLIAM & DIJJO LIMA
Cover by CHRIS ALLEN & PARIS ALLEYNE

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2023: MARVEL’S VOICES #1

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2023: SPIDEY & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS #1

Swing into adventure with Spidey, Ghost-Spider, and Miles as they face off against Green Goblin, Doc Ock and more in this spectacular special. Filled with easy-to-read comic stories based on the hit Disney Junior show, this book is perfect for the youngest readers aged 5-7. Young fans will even be able to test their wall-crawling skills with thrilling interactive activity pages! Kids will love this not-to-be-missed comic: the perfect primer for the newest generation of Spider-Fans!

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2023: SPIDEY & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS #1

Predator #1 is an action packed debut

Predator #1

Anyone who knows me, will tell you that I’m a huge movie fan. I  can remember growing up, how I was an avid viewer of Entertainment Tonight back when John Tesh and Mary hart were still hosting. This was also a time when print was still somewhat successful, and there were more than enough magazines to keep readers entertained and informed with the latest news. One of those magazines was Premiere magazine, which was exclusively about movies.

I remember reading an article in Premiere about them making a sequel to Predator, this time with Danny Glover. I had my doubts then, but when they movie came out a year later, it blew me away. There have been some comparable sequels since; including the excellent Prey, but Predator 2 is masterpiece. In the debut issue of Predator, we get an story added to the canon, one which upends everything we know about these extraterrestrial mercenaries.

We are taken to a remote planet, where a group of humans are being hunted by a group of Predators, who are eviscerating them one after another. As they find cover in a nearby cave, they soon find out about each other, that they may have been under hyper-sleep, waiting to be used as prey and each come from different times and places throughout history. They eventually look for supplies including ammo, when they see a supply drop. By the issue’s end, they discover they are in a alien gaming preserve and are just a few of the many prey there for the Predators and a familiar menace shows up to save them.

Overall, Predator #1 is an action packed debut that will leave fans of the franchise reinvigorated. The story by Brisson is amazing. The art by the creative team is beautiful. Altogether, another excellent addition to ever expanding Predator canon.

Story: Ed Brisson Art: Netho Diaz
Ink: Belardino Brabo, Victor Nava Color: Erick Arciniega Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 is a fun debut that shows off why the character is popular

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1

What happens to a hero whose country doesn’t want them? It sounds almost unfathomable to believe such a thing would happen to anyone who helped defend their nation. The thing is, that is exactly what happens to many Veterans when they come home. It is even worse for anyone of color who is a Veteran, as there are countless accounts of history which shows the deep rooted hate towards Black veterans who came home from wars, only to be reminded of how much worst it was back home.

I have had family members on both sides of my family who have told me about how they were treated as if they were not heroes. They told me how it made them question why they served in the first place. Which brings to question, how one defends someone or people who don’t even see you as a person, much less a revered warfighter?  In the debut issue of Betsy Braddock Captain Britain, we find Captain Britain coming back home to a nation who does not see her as a hero but a mutant menace.

We are taken to a tv show where Betsy is being interviewed , one which tries to besmirch her existence, but before they can make a mockery of her, she gets a psychic call from a member of the Captain Britain Corps .She gets called to Otherworld, with Askani, where they find a regiment of Furies, and demolish them, but something seems off, despite the victory. As her siblings try to figure out what happened, they realize that the Furies have been modified, as a new threat awaits. We soon find out that the recent rash of Mutant hate speak was riled by Morgan Le Fey, as she seeks to install a Captain Britain she can control. Betsy and Askani find out after a meeting with the Forgemaster of the Furies, that someone has manipulated the Furies into starting trouble with the Corps, which propels her to reach out to Pete Wisdom to find out exactly who it would be. By the issue’s end,  Betsy finally gets Morgan to reveal herself, but it may cost her more than she knows.

Overall, Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 is a fun story that shows why everyone loves Betsy Braddock. The story by Howard is wonderful. The art by the creative team is gorgeous. Altogether, a story that shows off a different side of the X-Men’s world that has endured for decades.

Story: Tini Howard Art: Vasco Georgiev 
Colors: Erick Arcienega Letters: Ariana Maher
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 is a love letter to the badass, queer psychic superhero that Tini Howard has nurtured for the past 3+ years

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1

Tini Howard has crafted a course-correcting (In the whole white woman in an Asian woman’s body situation), character defining arc for Betsy Braddock throughout Excalibur, X of Swords, and Knights of X so it’s fitting she gets her own multiverse-spanning solo title in Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1. This comic follows Braddock and her girlfriend Askani (Earth 811 Rachel Summers) as they protect the multiverse from the villainous Furies and also deal with the negative PR of a Krakoan mutant taking up the mantle of Captain Britain instead of the more John Bull-ish Brian Braddock. For the most part, Howard and artists Vasco Georgiev and Erick Arcienega balance the interpersonal shenanigans with the large scale fight scenes although the same can’t be said about Betsy Braddock, who is drawing up battle plans while making out in one particularly on-brand panel.

Although Excalibur and Knights of X were definitely Anglo-centric X-books with the latter featuring King Arthur, Mordred, and Merlin as supporting characters/antagonists, true to its title, Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 is almost completely UK-centric whether that’s Earth-616 or an alternative Earth where a T. Rex is Captain Britain. Pete Wisdom, STRIKE, and most importantly, Faiza Hussain make appearances and join the book’s extended supporting cast as Betsy needs allies in both protecting the multiverse, keeping Otherworld peaceful, and figuring why a cannon fodder baddie like the Furies. (That Alan Davis design is timeless though.) Hussain’s sense of humor, connection to Arthurian lore, and perspective as a Pakistani-British woman in a story that is definitely using things like Otherworld and the mutant metaphor to explore bigotry and xenophobia in the United Kingdom are a huge asset to the book, and I grinned every time the former codename Excalibur appeared on-panel. (Or was quoted in a data page.) She also is a character to root for in a narrative that is quite complex drawing on Howard’s previous two X-Books plus classic Captain Britain comics.

Visually, Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 is classic superhero dynamism with a pinch of bisexual lighting any time Betsy and Askani interact courtesy of colorist Arciniega. This softness goes away when Betsy and Askani visit the home realm of the Furies, which is lots of blacks and shadow in a soul-crushing, authoritarian way not a cool Goth or noir one. But Georgiev has solid action chops that he demonstrates in a pre-title fight scene where Betsy Braddock and Askani team-up with the aforementioned dinosaur Captain Britain, Britannic Rex. For example, his smaller inset panels showcase particularly cool moves or blows like when Askani uses her Phoenix powers to dispatch a Fury. The insets also come in handy for the flashes of humor in Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 like British soldiers’ reaction to the manner in which Jamie Braddock helps transport the Braddock ancestral dwelling to its original spot. (Hint: it’s not a Uhaul.) Vasco Georgiev is also fantastic at crowd scenes giving each face (Or lack of one in the Furies’ case) a moment to react to the on or off panel action, which is a necessary skill for a book with such a large cast.

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 is a love letter to the badass, queer psychic superhero that Tini Howard has nurtured for the past 3+ years while also shows the strain that taking on the role of Captain Britain, protecting the multiverse, and dealing with Otherworld has taken on her. The comic is a meditation on burnout and being spread too thin, but with killer robots, evil plans, and shrinking Tory-friendly podcasters. Captain Britain #1 is definitely a more rewarding reading if you’ve been following Betsy’s journey throughout Excalibur and Knights of X, but has enough widescreen action (Thanks to Georgiev and Arciniega), smooching, and prestige television style backstabbing for new fans who are curious about the only side of the Marvel Universe that the Original Writer had a hand in shaping, or what’s the deal with the UK’s answer to Captain America.

Story: Tini Howard Art: Vasco Georgiev 
Colors: Erick Arcienega Letters: Ariana Maher
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.3 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

Early Review: Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 is a love letter to the badass, queer psychic superhero that Tini Howard has nurtured for the past 3+ years

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1

Tini Howard has crafted a course-correcting (In the whole white woman in an Asian woman’s body situation), character defining arc for Betsy Braddock throughout Excalibur, X of Swords, and Knights of X so it’s fitting she gets her own multiverse-spanning solo title in Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1. This comic follows Braddock and her girlfriend Askani (Earth 811 Rachel Summers) as they protect the multiverse from the villainous Furies and also deal with the negative PR of a Krakoan mutant taking up the mantle of Captain Britain instead of the more John Bull-ish Brian Braddock. For the most part, Howard and artists Vasco Georgiev and Erick Arcienega balance the interpersonal shenanigans with the large scale fight scenes although the same can’t be said about Betsy Braddock, who is drawing up battle plans while making out in one particularly on-brand panel.

Although Excalibur and Knights of X were definitely Anglo-centric X-books with the latter featuring King Arthur, Mordred, and Merlin as supporting characters/antagonists, true to its title, Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 is almost completely UK-centric whether that’s Earth-616 or an alternative Earth where a T. Rex is Captain Britain. Pete Wisdom, STRIKE, and most importantly, Faiza Hussain make appearances and join the book’s extended supporting cast as Betsy needs allies in both protecting the multiverse, keeping Otherworld peaceful, and figuring why a cannon fodder baddie like the Furies. (That Alan Davis design is timeless though.) Hussain’s sense of humor, connection to Arthurian lore, and perspective as a Pakistani-British woman in a story that is definitely using things like Otherworld and the mutant metaphor to explore bigotry and xenophobia in the United Kingdom are a huge asset to the book, and I grinned every time the former codename Excalibur appeared on-panel. (Or was quoted in a data page.) She also is a character to root for in a narrative that is quite complex drawing on Howard’s previous two X-Books plus classic Captain Britain comics.

Visually, Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 is classic superhero dynamism with a pinch of bisexual lighting any time Betsy and Askani interact courtesy of colorist Arciniega. This softness goes away when Betsy and Askani visit the home realm of the Furies, which is lots of blacks and shadow in a soul-crushing, authoritarian way not a cool Goth or noir one. But Georgiev has solid action chops that he demonstrates in a pre-title fight scene where Betsy Braddock and Askani team-up with the aforementioned dinosaur Captain Britain, Britannic Rex. For example, his smaller inset panels showcase particularly cool moves or blows like when Askani uses her Phoenix powers to dispatch a Fury. The insets also come in handy for the flashes of humor in Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 like British soldiers’ reaction to the manner in which Jamie Braddock helps transport the Braddock ancestral dwelling to its original spot. (Hint: it’s not a Uhaul.) Vasco Georgiev is also fantastic at crowd scenes giving each face (Or lack of one in the Furies’ case) a moment to react to the on or off panel action, which is a necessary skill for a book with such a large cast.

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 is a love letter to the badass, queer psychic superhero that Tini Howard has nurtured for the past 3+ years while also shows the strain that taking on the role of Captain Britain, protecting the multiverse, and dealing with Otherworld has taken on her. The comic is a meditation on burnout and being spread too thin, but with killer robots, evil plans, and shrinking Tory-friendly podcasters. Captain Britain #1 is definitely a more rewarding reading if you’ve been following Betsy’s journey throughout Excalibur and Knights of X, but has enough widescreen action (Thanks to Georgiev and Arciniega), smooching, and prestige television style backstabbing for new fans who are curious about the only side of the Marvel Universe that the Original Writer had a hand in shaping, or what’s the deal with the UK’s answer to Captain America.

Story: Tini Howard Art: Vasco Georgiev 
Colors: Erick Arcienega Letters: Ariana Maher
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.3 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Pre-order: TFAW – Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

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