Revisionism and the British Invasion (1981–1993)

This chapter examines the development of the revisionist trend in British comics as well as the so-called British Invasion of American comics and its afermath during the period 1981–1993. It argues that revisionism was a continuation and refocusing of the satirical reaction to the superhero genre that has been in evidence in British comics for decades. The chapter first considers Captain Britain, written by Alan Moore for Marvel UK, before discussing Marvelman and V for Vendetta, also created by Moore, this time for Warrior. It then turns to Watchmen (1986) by Moore and Dave Gibbons, one of the most influential superhero comics of all time; Paradax, a character introduced in 1985 by Eclipse Comics in Strange Days #3; Zenith (1987); and the satire Marshal Law (1987). It also analyzes publications that parody the superhero genre, including How to Be a Superhero (1990) and 1963 (1993).

From Marvelmen to Pop Art (1950–1961)

This chapter examines major developments in British comics during the period 1950–1961. It first considers comics as one of the cornerstones of children's entertainment in the 1950s before discussing the means by which American comics came to Britain as well as the objections to American comics in the country. It then describes the rise of girl's comics in the early 1950s, the appearance of parodies of the superhero, and the (continued) rise of the small superhero publishers. It also explores British publications that were viewed as doppelgangers of Captain Marvel, including Electroman, the production of Marvelman stories by the Gower Studio, and the resurrection of DC Thomson superheroes and the creation of new ones. Finally, it looks at the publications of Fleetway and the Independent Publishing Corporation (IPC) and suggests that the late 1950s and early 1960s were very interesting times for British adventure comics.

False Starts and Minor Triumphs (1936–1949)

This chapter examines the struggles and minor successes of British comics during the period 1936–1949. In 1936, Disney set up a studio in Britain and launched Mickey Mouse Weekly, the first British comic to use the expensive, full-color photogravure printing process. A year later, DC Thomson launched The Dandy, followed by The Beano in 1938. The success of The Dandy and The Beano marked the end of the era of the boy's weeklies and the beginning of the dominance of comics. The chapter considers the very first appearance of Superman in Britain in Amalgamated Press's The Triumph in 1939 and how British and American comics fared during the war years. It also discusses comics publishing by Gerald G. Swan, A. Soloway, Denis Gifford and Bob Monkhouse, Cartoon Art Productions, Scion, Paget, and Modern Fiction Ltd. The publication of The Amazing Mr X, Britain's first homegrown superhero, is also explored.

Introduction

This book examines the history of the British superhero. It shows that the British subversion of the superhero genre goes back to the 1930s, even as the best-known and most often cited examples of this appeared in the early to mid-1980s, when British writers and artists exerted a significant influence on American superhero comics, forming the first wave of the so-called British Invasion. The book also explores the relationship between British and American comics and the treatment of the superhero in Britain, as well as the various precursors to the superhero in British popular culture. It suggests that the British superhero is a parody of a parody, or at least, often parodies or reinscribes a genre and characters that are themselves decipherable as parody or reinscriptions of previous models. This introduction explains what a superhero is and highlights the key differences between American and British comics.

Contemporary British Superheroes (1994– Present)

This chapter examines contemporary British superheroes created since 1994. In the aftermath of the phenomenal international success of Watchmen, Arkham Asylum, and The Sandman, British creators and artists became some of the most influential and in demand in the field of comics. Grant Morrison produced his magnum opus, The Invisibles, and Flex Mentallo. The chapter first discusses The Invisibles and Flex Mentallo before considering a number of DC Thomson superheroes. It also analyzes various publications such as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Promethea, along with other series that revived some classic British superheroes and villains of the past. Examples are Brit Force, Jack Staff, and Albion. The chapter concludes with an overview of the second wave of the British Invasion and the resurgence of British comics in the city of Dundee.

Mergers and Marvels (1962–1980)

This chapter focuses on the reinvention of the Marvel superhero and the mergers among some of the major comics publishers in Britain during the period 1962–1980. The challenge of reinventing the superhero in the 1960s was taken on by Stan Lee, who was asked by Martin Goodman, the publisher of Marvel Comics, to put together a superhero team. The result was The Fantastic Four (1961). The Marvel revolution changed superhero comics profoundly. The chapter first considers the merger between Odhams and Fleetway Publications Ltd (formerly Amalgamated Press) that led to the formation of the Independent Publishing Corporation (IPC) before discussing Fleetway/IPC's adventure comics of the 1960s, along with the publications by Odhams, the Power Comics, and Marvel UK. It also examines the creations by Dave Gibbons at DC Thomson and the emergence of independent comics scene in the 1970s and 1980s.

Penny Dreadfuls, Story Papers, and Protosuperheroes (1825–1935)

This chapter examines the tradition of periodical adventure stories that existed in Britain during the period 1825–1935, focusing on “story papers” and “penny bloods,” also known as “penny dreadfuls.” It first provides a historical background on the emergence of British comics before discussing “story papers” and “penny dreadfuls,” and especially their relationship with similar publications in America and the characters who, in retrospect, can be seen as protosuperheroes and villains. It also shows how these publications established the market and audience for adventure comics in Britain and influenced the rise of a similar market in America, where dime novels and pulp magazines, along with newspaper strips, would later influence the rise of superhero comics. The chapter concludes with an analysis of three of the early treatments of the superhuman from science-fiction literature: Edward Bulwer-Lytton's The Coming Race (1871), Philip Wylie's The Gladiator (1930), and Olaf Stapledon's Odd John (1935).

Conclusion

This book has explored the British superhero's long and complex history, even though many have now faded into obscurity. It has also highlighted the ever-shifting balance between parody and satire in British comics and comics produced for international markets by British creators such as Alan Moore and Grant Morrison. Furthermore, it has analyzed the changing industrial and social context of British publishing and the market forces that have shaped British comics. Finally, it has discussed the complex relationship between British and American comics not only in terms of the British Invasion of American comics in the 1980s and its aftermath that is still being felt, but also in the context of the transnational nature of comics and, in particular, the close connections between the American and British markets. In conclusion, the book describes changes in the mainstream British comics industry over the years.