Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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| Image by Tumisu from Pixabay |
A man far wiser than I once said, "Happiness. Happiness. The greatest gift that I possess."
That's because it's the mind-melting return of the feature in which you - not I - must decide the topic for debate.
All I can assume is he didn't possess a Chopper bike.
Nothing could be a better gift than that.
However, there is something I do possess.
And that's ignorance.
For, if blessed are the ignorant, I have been amply gifted by the gods, as I don't have the slightest notion what we're going to be talking about tonight.
Therefore, make sure to suggest that topic in the comments section before. And soon we shall see just how tickled I am.
Posts
11 comments:
SPEAK YOUR BRAIN TOPIC:
WHO WERE YOUR FAVOURITE SUPER-HEROES/CHARACTERS (?)
Introduction
(Warning: self-indulgent!)
With Captain Britain, I was a latecomer! My first Captain Britain was his title's finale, in its original form ( Super Spider-man & Captain Britain # 247's Slaymaster showdown!) Nevertheless, I was hooked! Aged 8, I identified with Captain Britain. In infancy, my toy knights (Britains) had rampant lions on their shields. Captain Britain had a rampant lion on his chest. Plus, a knight's bascinet helmet seemed to be evoked by Captain Britain's mask line. Captain Britain's weapon was a staff/star sceptre – staffs being big in the 1970s ( In Robin Hood, Little John had a staff; on 'Kung Fu''s opening scenes, Caine & Master Po had staffs; so did Monkey!) My first Captain Britain story's inking was fantastic, too. Only when Wonder-man knocked out the Sub-mariner, in Spider-man Comic # 328 (& in subsequent Avengers) did I see that inking again!
But, unfortunately, my first Captain Britain tale was also the last ( MTU # 65/66 reprints notwithstanding! ) The bone thrown to me, however, was the UK 1978 Captain Britain Annual, for Christmas! Super Spidey # 247's back cover advertised 1978's UK Christmas Annuals. On a black background, the listed Annuals' titles, in white print, had a special “glow”, to my 8 year old eyes! According to C.S. Lewis, true joy lies in the anticipation, not possession, of something. Well boy, did I EVER anticipate that Captain Britain annual, knowing that, on Christmas morning, it would be under the Christmas tree! ( Along with 1977's Superhero card game! )
Adding to my Christmas anticipation, Captain Britain featured on December 1977's SSM # 255 and MWOM # 274 'Seasons Greetings!' double-page Christmas poster ( in a trio, with the Black Panther and Daredevil), on the right ( Spidey, Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, and...Santa (!) being on the poster's left! ) Then...Christmas Day 1977 finally arrived – it was the happiest day of my life! But, what did the 1978 Captain Britain Annual I unwrapped start with? Well, Captain Britain's origin story, of course...
Captain Britain – A Semi-Scottish Superhero?
Captain Britain's origin is powerful and evocative. A stone circle, in the Cheviot hills, hosts a fateful choice. Does Brian Braddock choose the sword, or the amulet? The Lady of the Northern Skies presides over Brian's decision, along with Merlin, their giant, god-like faces fixed in the heavens ( on opposing sides of the stone circle.) “The Lady of the Northern Skies” - what an evocative name! Was Claremont secretly a poet? ( Also notable is Stonehenge, in the south, isn't the setting. Instead, Claremont 'flips the script', with a remote northern location.)
To the reader, it's like a fairy tale or a medieval romance scene, its protagonist's ethics tested by two symbolic objects!
A somewhat similar decision happens in the appendix No.1( Fragment of a Romance which was to have been entitled Thomas the Rhymer), starting 'Waverley', by Sir Walter Scott (the famous Scottish historical novelist.)
In Scott's appendix, Thomas the Rhymer makes horse dealer Canobie Dick choose between a sword and a horn.
“Well,” I hear you say, “it's vaguely similar to Captain Britain – but not that much!”
My riposte is that, a couple of paragraphs above, Scott mentions “the Black Rider of Cheviot” - and let's remember Captain Britain's stone circle's in the Cheviot hills!
And Scott also describes Thomas the Ryhmer as “the Merlin of Scotland, and to whom some of the adventures which the British bards assigned to Merlin Caledonius, or the Wild”. Let's not forget Merlin's part in Captain Britain's origin, too! ( the English/Welsh Merlin culturally appropriated, as far as proud Scot/Scott is concerned!)
Chris Claremont's Scottish interest, starting with Moira McTaggart, pre-dated even the Byrne era (when Proteus really cut loose! ) But, I digress...
In the Scottish Merlin's test, Canobie Dick, by choosing the horn instead of the sword, decides wrongly. That shows cowardice. Claremont, however, subverts Scott's symbolism. In Captain Britain's origin, Brian correctly rejects the sword's violence, and chooses the amulet, winning the Lady of the Northern Skies' praises!
Becoming Captain Britain, Brian magically dons a red costume, with a yellow lion rampant emblazoned on his chest. Chris Claremont (or Herb Trimpe) subverts, once again, a traditional motif. The Royal Banner of Scotland has a red lion rampant, on a yellow background. Thus, in Captain Britain, the Royal Banner's colours are inverted, with the lion changed to yellow, and the background to red ( a comment on royal rule, “flipping the script” so to speak? )
Brian's pursuer, criminal Joshua Stragg, gladly choosing the sword, is transformed into a villain named “The Reaver” - a Knight in armour whose sword blasts deadly energy bolts. “Reaver” is a play on words. The lawless Scottish/English border being like the 'Wild West', the Rievers were its inhabitants (names like Robson, Armstrong, etc denoting Riever ancestry! )
Traditionally, knights in shining armour were “goodies”, in medieval romance. Claremont, however, also subverts that fallacy. After all, historically, a knight enforced a king's (or feudal lord's) top-down power. Being a tool of such power structures is something Brian must reject, to become Captain Britain!
Captain Britain's the UK's Captain America (supposedly). But, America's spirit embodied by George Washington - Claremont subverts that too! After all, Brian's surname is “Braddock”. So what? Well, as a young man, Washington soldiered for the British. But General Braddock's fall (in the 1750s), led to Washington's rise – propelling him on the path to “greatness”. Naming British Marvel's answer to Captain America “Braddock”, shows more than a little wry humour, on Chris Claremont's behalf (maybe ironic humour, in fact! ) Captain Britain's girlfriend is Courtney Ross. “Betsy Ross” isn't a million miles away - the female name associated most with USA patriotism! More wry humour?
( After 1978's Captain Britain Annual, two earlier Captain Britain stories fell into my hands, at a junior school sale – a diving bell/robot lake-monster tale ('Warlords of Atlantis'-style), and a werewolf battle. I also acquired MTU # 65 ( Spidey vs Captain Britain, with outstanding Perez cover!) in Malta - and, later, 2 Captain Britain Summer Specials. During the Marvel Revolution, however, I was horrified/ disgusted when Captain Britain was slain by 'Death's White Rider'. Adding insult to injury, that same foe got dispatched by the Black Knight's sword very easily, shortly afterwards - major disrespect to Captain Britain's prowess! )
My above thought experiment's for your interest, and entertainment (for Scots and semi-Scots, in SDC's membership particularly, and Captain Britain fans too, of course!) Our sister blogs may nick SDC's ideas, uncredited, but – to quote Danny Devito in 'LA Confidential' – you heard it here first! “Off the record, on the QT, and very hush-hush!”
So, as we've seen, Captain Britain started, under Claremont, with a very Northern feel ( before Friedrich's “stately Braddock manor” was unhealthily introduced! ) QUESTION: Captain Britain was my favourite superhero (the Black Panther came second!) Who was your favourite superhero? (And who came second?) Might any elements of my thought experiment hold water, as far as you're concerned? What do you think of your national character's origin story? Captain Britain, Captain America, Banshee (I didn't say Shamrock!), Dennis the Menace, Oor Wullie, the Broons, etc. ( For other national superheroes, see 'Contest of Champions' !) And, more than one version/ incarnation of that superhero existing, which is your favourite, and why? Or just vent your spleen!
Afterward
Concerning 'Waverley'...A Hull friend(35years ago)'s tutor nominated 'Waverley' for 'most boring book ever written'. I like Scott, so decided to form my own opinion! Reading 'Waverley' myself, I took a different view. After 35 years, I've forgotten the story, but remember finding the Thomas the Rhymer fragment interestingly similar to Captain Britain – I also remember Waverley's hero stopping off at Ferrybridge (!) on his way back! ( I posted Ferrybridge Power Station's tragic demolition on SDC, a few years ago! ) Incidentally, Waverly (spelled differently) is also The Man From U.N.C.L.E.'s boss (a fact 'The Footage Detectives' mentioned on Easter Sunday, in connection with a Blackpool boarding house (?)
Phillip
Oh boy, after they Magnum Opus, dare I mention that Alan OSMOND has passed? He was the driving force behind the Osmond Brothers, and wrote such cherished songs as “ONE BAD APPLE ” “CRAZY HORSES!”
Charlie - Could we all have a try at the topic first, and then go "off piste" afterwards? : )
Phillip
Of course! My apologies!
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