Rise Up and Hear the Bells

 
Happy Thirty-Sixth birthday to the Lion of London, Captain Britain! You may be aware that, despite the grim and gritty work of Alans Moore and Davis (which fused Orwell with Sydney Jordan) I prefer the original 1976 Cap to the buffoonish horse guard.

I know, of course, that the Claremont/Trimpe Captain was a derivative, uninspired strip. The hero himself was a mash-up of Spider-Man and Daredevil with a touch of Celtic magic. His opponents-  the Hurricane, Lord Hawk and the Red Skull's Neo-Nazis- were hardly memorable. The surrealism and slapstick that Davis brought to the strip have doubtlessly kept the character alive. But I love our home-grown hero as he was first conceived. 

 The abortive, pre-Marvel CB. Very Mick Anglo.

However, I am not blind to how much he owes to other, longer-serving Marvel heroes. What interests me most is why he was created at all. Four months previously, a costumed British hero had been retroactively introduced in World War Two.

Union Jack made his début in The Invaders  in June 1976. Lord Montgomery Falsworth was a former government agent who had first served during The Great War. He returned to duty to thwart his vampiric brother, Baron Blood, but was crippled in the struggle.

Falsworth's own son Brian - formerly the super-soldier known as the Mighty Destroyer- subsequently replaced him as a member of the Invaders, alongside his sister Spitfire. (See next month's "Mystery Men of November" on the 'optikon for further details).

There were fairly subtle hints that Brian Falsworth was gay so who's to say if he had an heir who could have taken on the UJ role in 1976. It certainly seems a waste to squander a heroic legacy and a simple yet striking visual. Especially since Commando Books and the weekly Warlord comic from DC Thomson were such a significant part of the publishing landscape.

Well, he'd have to go for a start...

Let's consider another cultural event in October 1976. The New Avengers, the updated version of Brian Clemens' legendary fantasy spy-adventure series, was launched on ITV. Joanna Lumley was the break-out star but leggy posh Purdey was partnered by suave Mike Gambit.

Gareth Hunt's Gambit was a smartly tailored ladies' man with a thuggish streak. Ex-Services with a racing driver career, Gambit was boys doll...sorry, action figure Mark Strong brought to the Small Screen.

Rare toy tie-in strip from Look-In

So, in my What If scenario, Marvel UK launches Union Jack Weekly in 1976: with all-new colour material but also reprinting Steranko's SHIELD and Lee and Kirby's Howling Commandos. The creative team for the new strip is Doug Moench and Paul Gulacy.

UK secret agency STRIKE recruits racing driver Brian Braddock to work for his namesake, flamboyant MP Lord Brian Falsworth ( based on tv's Patrick MacNee).  In the first story arc, Quincy Harker has uncovered a plot to revive Baron Blood. The story climaxes in Big Ben and sees Dane Whitman, the Black Knight, freed from his petrified condition. Think The Professionals meets Satanic Rites of Dracula! ( My inspiration was that the first BBC2 Masters of Terror season ended in September 1976. So the Dracula Lives/POTA weekly might end up merging with CB.)

Union Jack doesn't have any super-powers, just some of Harker's vampire-hunting gimmicks. The second story-arc might feature the mutant Warlock (aka the Maha Yogi) brainwashing chopper bike kids at pop concerts.

And the concluding chapter of the Red Skull/Captain America saga (guest-starring the Savage Sub-Mariner) would be entitled :" The Man with Two Brians"

Sorry.

If we could survive cancellation and merger until 1979 and the launch of Doctor Who Weekly, both titles could cross-over and feature this team-up ( and a new look UJ?) :

That's my retroactive pitch for Marvel UK's first original creation. It's  just occurred to me that this may possibly have been the same thought process that led to Paul Grist's creation Jack Staff!  I hope Brian Braddock woudn't be too offended. Many happy returns, old bean.

 Redesign by (another ) Matt Smith

All images are presumed copyright of their respective owners