University of Dundee

Legion of British Superheroes Murray, Chris; Welsh, Gary ; Johnson, Nick; Vaughan, Phillip; Horner, Rebecca

DOI: 10.20933/100001203

Publication date: 2020

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Link to publication in Discovery Research Portal

Citation for published version (APA): Murray, C., Welsh, G., Johnson, N., Vaughan, P., & Horner, R. (2020, Sep). Legion of British Superheroes. UniVerse. https://doi.org/10.20933/100001203

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Download date: 10. Oct. 2021 Murray Welsh Johnson Legion of British Superheroes Edited by Chris Murray

There is a long tradition references to comics that have engaged with of British superheroes this history, from and ’s going back to the 1930s. and Moore and O’Neill’s The Many of these long League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, to Grant forgotten superheroes Morrison and Steve Yeowell’s , and Jack were created by largely Staff by . More recently Rebellion forgotten creators, and have been reprinting classic British superheroes published by small, and in their Treasury of British Comics series, now largely forgotten publishers. Much of my and offering contemporary reinterpretations research over the last several years has been through their mini series, The Vigilant. concerned with investigating these characters, comics, creators and publishers. The main The second half of the comic features Alpha, this research output from this project was my book, time in a story set in 1960s Dundee, and involves The British Superhero (2017), published by the another largely forgotten aspect of pop culture University Press of Mississippi, but I have also (groan), Pola Cola, a fizzy drink produced in attempted to shine a light on this dimly lit corner Dundee by Robertson’s Fruit Products Ltd. This of British comics history through various articles story was drawn by Nick Johnson. The comic and presentations at conferences, conventions, concludes with two public information style and other events. Part of the work has taken the advertisements, responding to the Covid-19 form of practice research - working with several pandemic, but influenced by health campaigns very talented comics artists to create stories seen in British comics in the 1980s, such as about British superheroes. One of the main the campaign against young people smoking, strategies has been the creation of a fictional which saw Superman battling Nick O’Teen! British superhero, Alpha, and a supporting cast that includes Alpha Girl and the villainous Doc I hope you enjoy the comic and perhaps learn Oculus! something about the wonderful world of British superheroes! If you would like to learn more The first half of this comic takes the form of a please consult the research project’s section on visual essay, with art by Gary Welsh. It presents a the Scottish Centre for Comics Studies website: handful of British superheroes (there are so many scottishcomicstudies.com/british-superheroes more!). The aim is to give a sense of the types of British superheroes that have emerged over the Be seeing you, years. It does not pretend to be comprehensive, but is intended to be indicative. There are also

Contents The Legion of British Superheroes 3 Guide to Abbreviations A comics essay by Chris Murray and Gary Welsh A Note on Publishers There are a couple of In this comic there are abbreviations used in this Superhero Who’s Who 11 references to some lesser comic. These typically known small publishers, follow the name of a Alpha – The Pola Cola Caper 12 such as Cardal, Scion, copyrighted character and by Chris Murray and Nick Johnson Cartoon Arts, and several are used to identify the others. These publishers publisher, as follows: Take it from Alpha 16 appeared for a time during by Phillip Vaughan World War Two and in the AP – , Covid Nine ‘Teen 17 years following. They often which became Fleetway. published British superhero These characters are by Phillip Vaughan stories, making up for the currently owned by Process 18 fact that the American Rebellion. comics coveted by British Contributor Bios 19 readers were hard to get DCT – DC Thomson. hold of at the time. Front cover by Gary Welsh. Intro image by Helen Robinson. Back cover by Gary Welsh and Phillip Vaughan. Production by Rebecca Horner.

Legion of British Superheroes, September 2020, published by UniVerse, University of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee, Scotland, UK. All Rights Reserved. All work created for Legion of British Superheroes is © University of Dundee. Characters represented in this visual essay are owned by their publishers and are presented here for academic purposes. 2 3 4 5 *Olivia Hicks is the first academic to write on Starr of Wonderland, who she discusses alongside Valda in her PhD, Of Gods and Girls: The Teen Superheroine in British and American Girls’ Comics from 1940-1984. I am indebted to her insightful work on British superheroines.

6 7 8 9

Superhero Who’s Who

4 1 2 3 5 6

10 8 9 7 16 17 11 13 15 14 12

1. Mr. Muscle 4. Ace Hart 6. Electroman 9. Masterman 12. Phantom Maid 15. Miracleman 2. Streamline 5. Thunderbolt 7. Powerman 10. Captain Universe 13. Dane Jerrus 16. Marvelman 3. The Jaxon 8. Wonderman 11. Electrogirl 14. Captain Might 17. Superstooge

2 3 9 11 8 4 6 1 5 10

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1. 4. Johnny Future 6. Valda 9. Billy the Cat 11. Leopard of Lime 12. Original Captain 2. Gimmick-Kid 5. Starr of 7. The Spider 10. Springheeled Street Britain 3. Gadgetman Wonderland 8. King Cobra Jackson 13. Captain Britain 11

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Front Cover Pencils by Gary Welsh Pola Cola Caper Cover Sketch by Nick Johnson

Pencils Pencils Ink Colour

Colour

by Gary Welsh

by Nick Johnson

18 Contributor Bios

Professor Chris University. He has been Phillip Vaughan Murray is Chair passionate about comics and has credits of Comics visual narrative all his life and is on published Studies and currently working on a number work such as Associate Dean of freelance comic projects. Braveheart, International, Knowledge Jim Henson’s Farscape, Star Exchange and Impact at the Nick Johnson Trek, Wallace and Gromit, School of Humanities, University was was born Teletubbies, Tom & Jerry, of Dundee. He is Director of and raised in Commando and Superman, as the Scottish Centre for Comics Calgary Alberta well various original IP’s. Studies and Dundee Comics and currently Creative Space. He teaches resides in Edinburgh Scotland several undergraduate courses as he finishes his Masters in Rebecca Horner on comics and the Comics & Comics and Graphic Novels is a cartoonist Graphic Novels MLitt/MDes. at the University of Dundee. and colourist He also supervises several PhD He has worked in e-learning, who is constantly students undertaking research children’s books, film, comic working on on comics. His research focuses books and as a writer/director several projects at once. She on British and American in animation. He has developed is Workshop Coordinator and Comics. and hosted interactive comic Production Lead at Dundee workshops for kids and adults, Comics Creative Space, and Gary Welsh is a acted as an artist-in-residence has done production on many freelance story in schools, and returned to his books, including this one! artist based undergrad school AUArts as rebeccahorner.com in Motherwell. an instructor for two years to In recent years teach narrative and conceptual he has completed an honours illustration. www.nickj.ca degree in Animation and masters degree in Comics and Graphic Novels at Dundee The Special Relationship Art by Elliot Balson

19 Back Cover