Captain Britain & MI:13 #14 – Review

By Paul Cornell (Writer), Leonard Kirk w/Adrian Syaf (Pencils), Jay Leisten w/Craig Yeung (Inks), Brian Reber (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: With only two issues of Captain Britain left, I hope Cornell and his team really make them count… The under-appreciated series deserves to go out with a bang.

The Story: Unfortunately, I really can’t go into much detail about the issue without wading into heavy spoiler territory.

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: Since I really can’t say a whole lot about Captain Britain and MI:13 #14 without ruining things, I will keep things short. Paul Cornell overcomes what is initially a disappointing opening with some great character work, awesome dry humor, and clever use of a past arc to bring make the latest chapter of “Vampire State” a very good read. As for the art, it’s absolutely solid all around as Leonard Kirk and his team do a fine job of delivering action that could easily come across as muddled or confusing.  While some of the artwork looks a bit rushed, there’s enough good stuff to make up for it.

Conclusion: You can rest assure that the creative team behind Captain Britain is in no way half-assing the final issues of a tragically canceled series.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Captain Britain & MI:13 #13 – Review

By Paul Cornell (Writer), Ardian Syaf w/Leonard Kirk (Pencils), Craig Yeung w/Jay Leisten (Inks), and Brian Reber (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Paul Cornell’s Captain Britain and MI:13 series is crazy; crazy in a way that’s entertaining, fun, and downright satisfying. It’s easily one of the most underappreciated books Marvel puts out.

The Story: With the skull of Quincy Harker destroyed, Captain Britain and MI:13 scramble to figure out a way to counter Dracula’s plan. The stakes are high and, magically cut off from the rest of the world, Britain looks to be in serious trouble. Will it fall?

What’s Good: Paul Cornell definitely knows how to make the shit hit the fan! Dead heroes, nonstop action, vampire violence, a sense of hopelessness, and a scene of wooden vampire battleships flying through space… Yep, Captain Britain and MI:13 #13 jacks the insanity of the series up a few notches. And you know what? It makes for a fantastic, intense read that pulls no punches and really takes advantage of the fact that no “A” (or even “B”) list heroes star in the book.

It’s a creative success almost all around as Paul Cornell masterfully builds a sense of dread throughout the issue while the art team crafts some truly unforgettable scenes that simply couldn’t work in one of the bigger Marvel titles. I wish I could go into specifics more, but I don’t want to spoil the fun. So let me just say that, long story short, the latest Captain Britain is a must read in every way.

What’s Not So Good: I can’t help but wonder what a little more detail and polish might have done for the artwork in Captain Britain #13. The art team does a good job handling the challenging story and action, but a few scenes fall a little flat because of the lack of detail. It’s not a huge complaint, but, if anything, it definitely lessens the impact of the rather chilling final page.

Conclusion: “Vampire State” is quickly turning into one of my favorite arcs of all time. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Grade: A-

-Kyle Posluszny