Diesel launches Only the Brave Captain America fragrance

By John Freeman on 21 July 2011

Well, Parliament has wound up for the summer and it’s time for the traditional ‘silly season’ of stories, as the news media scrabble for stories to fill both print and electronic pages.

We just didn’t think things would start here in comics world with the launch of a superhero fragrance.

Still, you’ve got to admire DIESEL, who have created this “new and utterly cool limited edition fragrance” Only The Brave: Captain America Edition. It’s a sign of great faith in the potential popularity of the upcoming Captain America: The First Avenger film, which was partly shot in the UK – and the enduring appeal of the good Captain himself, discussed here on USA Today.

Still, we have to say the PR hype for this new license is a bit OTT. Created to celebrate the release of Captain America: The First Avenger, we’re told this fragrance “signifies the ultimate encounter between the most iconic men’s fragrance and the most legendary superhero”.

Our astonishment aside, you can’t knock the product design – ace British comics artist Bryan Hitch designed the comic box the fragrance comes in and, in celebration of this momentous occasion, the Only The Brave fist will don Captain America’s iconic shield in a pop style: strong, fun, arty – heroic!

Yes, it’s gloriously daft. But hey, it’s clearly been done in style.

About the Author
Latest Posts

John Freeman

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.