Marvel has announced an oversized Captain Britain 50th Anniversary Special, celebrating five decades of Brian and Betsy Braddock, with stories written by Chris Claremont, Alan Davis, and Dan Abnett, with art by Alan Davis, Paul Davidson and Kelsey Ramsay, with main cover by Alan Davis and a variant cover by David Mack.
This “Golden Jubilee” Special goes on sale in Local Comic Shops and as a digital edition from 14th October 2026. If you’re ordering this from your LCS, you need to do that by 14th September, at the latest.
Commemorating fifty years of Brian and Betsy Braddock, champions of the multiversal Captain Britain Corps, Chris Claremont and Paul Davidson weave a tale of Brian’s earliest days defending the realm, and Alan Davis shows what happens when you try to rein in a Braddock; And Dan Abnett and Kelsey Ramsay pit Betsy against the forces of Otherworld.
“Witness a can’t-miss glimpse at the past, present and future of these powerhouse twins!” say Marvel.
“It’s so much fun to return to this group of good friends,” says Chris Claremont, co-creator of Captain Britain back, who made his debut in Captain Britain Weekly in the UK in October 1976.
“Hard to believe 50 years have passed since Herb Trimpe and I first created these characters,” Claremont he told AIPT. “As a kid raised on British comics, I was thrilled to be asked to create Britain’s own superheroes. What fun to again put them through their paces! For everyone who loves Brian’s twin sister Betsy, this one’s for you!”
The (Potted) Captain Britain Story
Priced 10p, accompanied by reprints of Fantastic Four and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., the weekly Captain Britain, debuting in October 1976, was a brave move on the part of Marvel UK, telling the story of Brian Braddock, thrown into the superhero role. Sadly for fans, the title lasted just 39 issues, before merging with the company’s more popular Super Spider-Manand Captain Britain Weekly between #231 and #247 title.
But, as we’ve previously noted, Captain Britain himself has never disappeared – making an appearance across the pond in two issue of Marvel Team-Up, a story reprinted in Super Spider-Man with some new bridging art by John Byrne, not used in the US title. He then transitioned to Hulk Weekly comic, appearing, initially amnesiac, in “Black Knight”; followed by Marvel Superheroes, The Daredevils and, finally, a new monthly Captain Britain title.
Sadly, a further revival of Captain Britain in the 1990s by Marvel UK, written by Dan Abnett, pencilled by Andrew Currie and inked by Bryan Hitch, was victim to the company’s implosion.
From there, of course he would lead Excalibur, for Marvel US, and has made several other appearances, including in MUK’s Knights of Pendragon and the 2008 US series Captain Britain and MI:13, written by Paul Cornell.
Today, the mantle of “Captain Britain” of Earth 616 is held by Brian’s sister, Betsy, part of the growing, convoluted history of the character that also includes the character Lionheart, who assumed the mantle of Captain Britain, first appearing in The Avengers #77-81 (March–June 2004.
Of course that’s not to discount all those parallel Earth Captain Britain’s either, members of the Captain Britain Corps!
Head downthetubes for…
• Marvel Database: Captain Britain
• Understanding Captain Britain: The Basics by Mark Roberts (2008 Essay for It Came from Darkmoor)
• Captain Britain, various, filed under C in the Marvel Universe Appendix
• Will the Real Captain Britain Please Stand Up?
Back in 2000, comics publisher Dez Skinn uncovered an unusual piece of comics history – a design for Captain Britain by much-admired artist Tom Kerr. The design was intended for a Captain Britain comic Dez proposed to IPC Fleetway over two decades ago, prompting much speculation of “what might have been” had Marvel not firmly established their version of eponymous character…
• Check out the just-for-fun Avengers UK Facebook page, featuring an inventive team’s range of Captain Britain/Marvel UK fan fiction comics, and much more
Captain Britain © Marvel
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Comic Previews, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, US Comics
Related Articles
-
David Broughton’s Shaman Kane heads to your Local Comic Shop again!
-
Marvel Black & White: Barry Windsor-Smith’s Weapon X slices into stores in November
-
Tube Surfing: Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward heads to TV, new Star Wars kits released, Buffy comic news
-
Chris Weston Cover Story: The Flash Gordon 1995 Collection
Leave a Reply