Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 Review

 

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 Review

Writer: Tini Howard

Artist: Vasco Georgiev

Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Letterer: VC’s Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: Erica d’Urso & Matthew Wilson; Peach Momoko; and Otto Schmidt

Publisher: Marvel

Price: 4.99

Release Date: February 22, 2023

 

Betsy Braddock now holds the mantle of Captain Britain. With her friend Rachel Summers by her side, she protects all the inhabited planets in the multiverse. Has she bitten off more than she can chew? Let's teleport into Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 and find out!

 

Story

Betsy and Rachel fly to the aid of tyrannosaurus Britannicus Rex on Earth 99476. Amid a devastating Impact Event, they battle a superhero-hunting Fury. Betsy's brother Brian—who formerly held the title Captain Britain—brings the girls up to speed on the Furies' development. Thus they visit the Fury homeworld, a mix of Dark Cybertron and the Harkonnen world Giedi Prime.

 

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 introduces characters like her brother Jamie Braddock, Brian's fairy wife Meggan, and shrinking mutant Scott Wright. British mythology comes to life with mentions of Arthur and Merlyn, the sword Excalibur, and the introduction of Lady Morgan LeFay. Forces such as STRIKE, the Coven Akkaba, and the Fury Kingdom assemble, maneuver, and clash. It's a lot to take in for a newcomer to Marvel's contemporary mutant books. Fact sheets on Brian and Betsy's history as Captain Britain, the Braddock family, and the mechanical cybiote Furies help. As we watch Betsy and Rachel's relationship develop, we also get insights into all the other Captain Britains defending the mighty Marvel multiverse.

 

As this series gears up for universe-threatening events, Tini Howard helps us understand the heroes and villains through dialogue and action. She doesn't address why Betsy carries the name Captain Britain but isn't the nation's protector, but she initiates that discussion. She weaves together opposing threads of magic versus science, history versus mythology, and organic versus machine intelligence into a long, absorbing read. While I'll admit to eye fatigue by the time I finished reading, I enjoyed getting to know the characters and following the plots in this vast tapestry of marvelous mutant mayhem.

 

Art

Vasco Georgiev brings Betsy, her friend Rachel, and the rest of the Braddock family to life in a fun and consistent manner. Transformers or old-school Cylon Warriors merge with Abe Sapien to imbue the Furies with a uniquely menacing appearance. Humans and dinosaurs are expressive, and body language conveys motion well. Uniforms and costumes are appealing, and upholstery and carpets show designs and wear. Detailed landscapes and interior spaces fill every page, and each panel commands your attention.  

 

Erick Arciniega fills each panel with a wide variety of soft complementary colors. Shadows and reflections enhance surfaces. Graduated colors merge across a spectrum to show sunsets and how windows glow from interior light. Betsy and Rachel dissolve in a swirl of sparkling white when they teleport. Scott Wright leaves after images of graduated bluish-white as he shrinks down to Micromax-size. Erick complements Vasco in creating captivating scenes in which compelling characters talk, embrace, and fight.

 

If I had one problem with this comic, it was with Ariana Maher’s lettering. How much of this is her fault is debatable, as Marvel’s mutant books all seem to use small upper-and-lower-case letters. The small font is more stylized than simple block lettering, and she shows intonation with bold or italicized words. Lowered voices get yet smaller lettering. Even reading this extra-long comic on my computer at 150%, my eyes felt strained long before I finished.

 

Ariana displays emotion and artistry with cloudy dialogue balloons accentuated with an X-pattern and linked to the character with a lightning bolt. Colored narrative boxes, sometimes with colored print, introduce characters and places. Colored sound effects enhance the soundtrack, and the Furies speak with black narrative boxes and white lettering. While pleasing to the eye, it's also quite taxing.

 

Final Thoughts

Betsy Braddock: Captain America #1 crams appealing characters, history and mythology, and lush, gorgeous art into a highly-enjoyable issue that feels more like a graphic novel. While you'll probably need a break after reading this beautiful and involving story, you'll have met lots of interesting characters and be itching to watch all the X-Men movies over again.

 

Rating 9/10 

To view the preview pages (and catch fearsome Britannicus Rex in action!) see my review at Comic Book Dispatch