Mighty World of Marvel (Vol. 2) #12

"Endgame"
Published May 1984
Writer: Alan Moore
Penciler: Alan Davis
Inker: Alan Davis

What's Going On?
The battle between The Fury and Mad Jim Jaspers continues, and they seem evenly matched.  Finally, The Fury realizes that Jaspers warps reality around him; if he is in a void, like what was left of The Fury's original dimension, there would be nothing to warp.  The Fury transports them both there and executes Jim Jaspers with extreme prejudice. 

Seeing that The Fury has been weakened, Captain Britain attacks, but either The Fury is too strong still, or CapBrit is too weak from the Jaspers-and-Fury beating he recently took.  Watching Cap falling to The Fury triggers some repressed rage in Captain UK, who takes up the battle and beats The Fury into a purple puddle.  The Fury is finally dead.

Sub-Plots, oh the Sub-Plots!
- The Crazy Gang, created by Jaspers last issue, escapes to parts unknown after the Jaspers/Fury battle ends.

- Saturnyne takes a blood sample of the dead Jim Jaspers for unstated, but probably not altruistic, reasons.

- After The Fury is defeated, Captain Britain, Captain UK and Saturnyne find themselves teleported to Otherworld for Merlin's funeral.

Writing!
It's another issue mainly devoted to fight scenes, but I have to admit it's well done.  Moore has been building up to this battle for so long that it is cathartic to see the finale of the Jaspers/Fury fight AND the Captain Britain/UK fight vs. The Fury.  I had wondered after previous issues how CapBrit could stand up to either Jaspers or The Fury, given their power, but Moore did a fantastic job making the final conflict plausible; the ending was not obvious (to me, anyway), but still felt true to the known limits of these characters.  One of my favorite bits was how we followed The Fury's logic during the battle with Jaspers, as it prepared for the coup de grace. 

Art!
More great work from the "other" Alan on this title.  While there could be some improvement in the coloring department (a common complaint for this era), Davis' action scenes are consistently great.  Even the challenging design of Captain Britain's torn mask/flowing hair combo looked good here, to say nothing of the very cool Jaspers/Fury fight and the dismembering of The Fury. 

I've been a fan of Davis' graceful action scenes for many years, but this is a great example of how well he can do "savage."

Retrospectively Amusing:
- The scene that triggers Captain UK into action is a panel similar to --- but not an exact copy of --- the scene back in Daredevils #7 where Captain UK's lover is murdered by the Fury.  It's interesting that Alan Davis chose not to just photocopy the old art for this scene.  Maybe that wasn't a thing back in '84?

Here's the original scene, from Daredevils #7.  They are certainly similar, but definitely different.

Worth Noting:
- The Fury and Jim Jaspers both die in this issue.

Mighty World of Marvel (Vol. 2) #11

"Foolsmate"
Published April 1984
Writer: Alan Moore
Penciler: Alan Davis
Inker: Alan Davis


What's Going On?
The Fury finally catches up with Captain Britain and starts attacking him.  Cap doesn't have much fight left in him after the whooping he took from Jim Jaspers last issue, so he essentially plays the part of a rag doll here.  In the process of beating the life out of the good Captain, The Fury accidentally runs into Jaspers.  Jaspers doesn't like The Fury because he didn't create it, and The Fury doesn't like Jaspers because it struggled against its original programming (which kept it from killing the Jim Jaspers of Earth 238). 

The two near-omnipotent villains begin to battle.

Sub-Plots, oh the Sub-Plots!
- Jim Jaspers, playing the part of a bored godling, decides to create life from dirt.  The end result is the Crazy Gang.

- Saturnyne and Captain UK arrive on the scene, just in time to witness the Jaspers/Fury fight and take cover.

- Meanwhile, while overseeing the battle, Roma despairs, thinking that the multiverse is doomed.  When she tries to get her father to explain things to her, Merlin falls dead.

Writing!
This is essentially an extended fight scene, so there isn't a whole lot of "writing" to look at in this issue.  That's not a knock; Moore has clearly been building to this since he started his run, and it's pretty satisfying to see it come to fruition.  I am starting to realize that we won't be seeing the traditional heroic ending to this story.  Captain Britain seems almost incidental to the overarching plot of Jaspers v. Fury, and it seems unlikely that he will be the deciding factor in a story that is ostensibly about him.

Art!
Alan Davis clearly enjoys the reality-defying possibilities of the Jaspers/Fury fight, and that is fun to see on the page.

Retrospectively Amusing:
- Here's an evocative and bizarre set of captions that would never get past the editor nowadays:

Worth Noting:
- This is the first appearance of the Earth 616 version of the Crazy Gang.  Since my only exposure to them had been through Davis' Excalibur runs, I never realized what a batshit crazy origin they actually have.  I mean, they're Alice in Wonderland-themed villains, so I didn't think their origin would be "forced into a life of crime" or anything like that, but geez...

- Saturnyne uses the name of Mitras as a blasphemous expletive.  So what?  Well, Mitras is one of the various gods mentioned in old Conan comics, set in the Hyborean Age.  I'm pretty sure that Conan (being a licensed character and all) was not set in the Earth 616 Marvel Universe, so the existence of one of the Hyborean gods on an alternate Earth (Saturnyne is from Earth 9) is a cool little Easter egg for an alternate reality that Alan Moore (and no one else, really) ever chose to explain fully.

Mighty World of Marvel (Vol. 2) #10

"Anarchy in the UK"
Published March 1984
Writer: Alan Moore
Penciler: Alan Davis
Inker: Alan Davis

What's Going On?
It is finally time to confront Jim Jaspers, and it turns out that Captain Britain is sorely outmatched.  It seems as though his only strategy is to punch things, and (being the reality warper that he is) Jaspers does not sit still for him.  Instead, Jaspers plays with reality, making the Captain question where and who he is, until he leaves a battered Captain for dead.

Sub-Plots, oh the Sub-Plots!
- Continuing her effort to prepare Captain UK to do something worthwhile in the upcoming battle, Saturnyne has Captain UK take off her civilian clothes and don her Captain Britain Corps uniform.

- The Fury has finally caught up with Captain Britain again in the last panel of this issue

Writing!
Moore's entire run has been leading this, the resolution of the Jim Jaspers and Fury plots.  Now that we're here, I find myself wondering what the hell is Captain Britain doing in this fight.   This seems like a horrible mismatch, and not in a "the hero is the underdog" sort of way; this feels closer to Spider-Man vs. Galactus.  I mean, come on...CapBrit is just trying to punch Jim Jaspers to death?  That is as far as his planning got?  Well, whatever.  I am very curious to see if the resolution feels like forced bullshit or if it is satisfying.  This issue did make me wonder exactly what made Merlin choose Captain Britain as his champion in this battle.  Is the difference between CapBrit here and in the beginning of Moore's run just that he's going to try harder? 

Art!
I liked the idea of the Captain tearing away Jasper's reality like paper.  I think it would work better if Jaspers was an illusionist rather than a reality warper, but it's still a cool visual.

Retrospectively Amusing:
- The last time Courtney Ross made an appearance was in 1978 (Marvel Team-Up #65-66), and she was a plain-looking brunette at the time.  It is interesting to see Alan Davis drawing her both off-model here and obviously not similar to Saturnyne.  I'm assuming that she is supposed to be older in this scene --- that would explain the white hair --- but Brian does not look older, which is odd.  As for Saturnyne, Alan Davis and Chris Claremont eventually reveal (in the pages of Excalibur) that Ross and Saturnyne are alternate reality doppelgangers; Davis is clearly not modeling Ross after Saturnyne here, so it's going to be interesting to see just when that plot started.

Worth Noting:
- Captain Britain has no qualms about killing Jim Jaspers.  Unusual for a superhero at the time, and (as far as I can recall) not terribly typical of his character.

Mighty World of Marvel (Vol. 2) #8

"The Twisted World (Reprise)"
Published January 1984
Writer: Alan Moore
Penciller: Alan Davis
Inker: Alan Davis

What's Going On?
Captain Britain and his friends have managed to stay out of the superhero concentration camps, but the Captain and Saturnyne agree that their current situation mirrors that of Mad Jim Jaspers' reality, just before it went completely off the rails.  CapBrit does not have much faith in his supporting cast (especially Saturnyne), but he steels himself for battle anyway.

Sub-Plots, oh the Sub-Plots!
- It was unclear how much time had passed between Daredevils #11 and Mighty World of Marvel (Vol. 2) #7, but that (sort of) gets resolved in this issue.  Multiple characters note how difficult it has been to track time since Jim Jaspers came to power.  Jaspers' reality warping powers allowed him to alter reality to suit his fancy, and it is implied that very little time has passed, rather than the several months that a normal despot would have needed to gain absolute power in England.

- The last we saw of Jim Jaspers in this reality, he was changing things in relatively small ways (like changing white wine into red).  He is now basically living in a Salvador Dali painting now, with change constantly swirling around him.  He appears to have achieved the same level of power/madness as his alternate reality version.

- The Fury has predictably survived the beatdown it received in Daredevils #11, and has survived thus far in Jim Jaspers' new twisted reality.  I'm not 100% sure about this, but it looks like The Fury may have absorbed part of the living computer in the caves beneath Braddock Manor.

- Vixen tries to assassinate Jim Jaspers, but he is already too powerful for her to handle.  He transforms her into a fox.

Writing!
Alan Moore manages to fit a lot into these eight pages - the Fury returns, Jaspers neutralizes Vixen, and Captain Britain and pals talk about the need to stop Jaspers.  Any one of those plots could have easily taken eight pages in a regular comic, but Moore continues to keep things moving swiftly.  Last issue was a bit dull, but it set the stage well for this story, and it looks like we are going to have the big Jaspers battle at long last.

Art!
It has been a while since Alan Davis has had a chance to let loose with Jim Jaspers (Marvel Super Heroes #388), and he has grown quite a bit in the meantime --- his inks are much, much cleaner here.  One of the things I like about how he draws Jaspers is the fact that his hats change in every panel.  It's not really subtle, but I still like it.  I also like that plaid + polka dots = crazy.  

Retrospectively Amusing:
- So is Braddock Manor in ruins or not?  It was seen whole as recently as Daredevils #10, and Captain UK did not have any problem knocking on its door, so it seemed as though the hologram that made the manor appear ruined to passersby was no longer working.  However, this issue opens with STRIKE Beetles walking through the rubble of the mansion.  Maybe this is due to Jaspers warping reality?  I guess?

- Alison Double, one of the few STRIKE psychics that Slaymaster did not get around to killing, has developed a serious fever and requires medical attention.  I don't think we've seen her since a crowd scene in Daredevils #4, but I guess the implication is that she's been living in Braddock Manor with everybody, ever since Slaymaster was defeated.  She must be a pretty worthless psychic, because she was not included in the battle against the Fury and the Special Executive did not mention her as a possible threat.

Worth Noting:
- The STRIKE Beetles mention the capture of a Lady Farnsworth.  That is the civilian identity of Spitfire, a member of the Invaders, a World War II superhero team.

Daredevils #11

"But They Never Really Die"
Published November 1983
Writer: Alan Moore
Penciller: Alan Davis
Inker: Alan Davis

What's Going On?
Captain Britain and the Special Executive fight The Fury.  It does not go well at first; Cap and Fascination only give it pause, while Special Executive member Oxo was casually killed by The Fury.  When Zeitgeist finally joins the fight (against his better judgement), the tables turn, and the good guys are able to bury The Fury under tons of rocks beneath Braddock Manor...for now.

Sub-Plots, oh the Sub-Plots!

- The issue ends with CapBrit, Betsy, Tom, Saturnyne, and a traumatized Captain UK deciding to investigate Jim Jaspers, presumably because The Fury came from the reality that Mad Jim Jaspers had ruined.

- Zeitgeist's issues with Wardog's leadership come to a head.  The team has battled The Fury, with Oxo and (eventually) Legion dying, and they were not even paid.  With this battle over (at least temporarily), the Special Executive decides to cut their losses and retreat.  They will not be joining the fight against Jaspers.

Writing!
I am always a fan of when a writer surprises me with a fight scene.  While Moore has shown several instances of each character doing their thing and showing off their powers already, I did not expect Zeitgeist to pose such a credible threat to The Fury.  Well done.

Art!
I thought Davis did a great job showing The Fury's mind being impacted by Fascination, and its subsequent recovery.  There are a lot of ways to indicate disorientation, but I thought this was a cool and creative way to show it visually.

Worth Noting:
- Special Executive member Oxo is killed by The Fury.  Is that worth noting?  Did Oxo ever have any lines?

Daredevils #10

"The Sound and the Fury"
Published October 1983
Writer: Alan Moore
Penciller: Alan Davis
Inker: Alan Davis


What's Going On?
Picking up at last issue's cliffhanger ending, The Fury attacks Captain UK.  After some intervention from Merlin (see the Sub-Plots), Captain Britain comes joins in the fray, along with members of the Special Executive.  They don't stack up well against The Fury.  Wardog is immediately crippled; The Fury tears off his cybernetic arm. 

Legion, whose ability is to summon future versions of himself from his own timeline, has one of his future selves murdered.  Captain Britain survives a beating, but only because The Fury directed its attention to the others.  Things don't look good; Cobweb announces that the future of the multiverse has been cancelled.

Sub-Plots, oh the Sub-Plots!
- Merlin and Roma continue their game of chess.  The appearance of The Fury on the game board takes them by surprise and, when he senses The Fury's imminent attack, Merlin protects Captain UK's real body by shielding her chess piece with his hands.  She survived a deadly blast unscathed, and Merlin's hands were badly burned as a result.

- Cobweb, the precognitive member of the Special Executive, starts seizing and foaming at the mouth as The Fury begins to attack.  She repeats "I didn't see it coming," over and over again.

- Zeitgeist refuses to join the battle because he was not hired to fight.

Writing!
The Merlin/Roma metafictional subplot is interesting, but I'm not really getting much enjoyment out of it.  I get it, Merlin is playing chess with human lives; making it a literal game for him is clever, but I don't think it really adds much to the story. Aside from that, Moore does a great job cranking up the tension.  One of the hardest things for a comic writer to do is to make the hero look hopelessly outmatched, and Moore makes it look like CapBrit ans co. are about to die.

Art!
Alan Davis keeps getting better, month after month.  Here, he gets to flex his experimental muscles a bit with Cobweb's monologue and it is pretty great.  

 (Note: two-page spreads are hard to scan properly)  Not only is the recurring Fury face repeating across this scene interesting, the 90-degree rotation of Cobweb's head along with the action of the scene was very cool.

Retrospectively Amusing:
- The revelation that Legion and Cobweb are lovers seemed a little out of left field.  Since neither character made the transition to Excalibur as part of the Executive Elite, I wonder if this is ever mentioned again.

Worth Noting:
- This is the first time we see Merlin and Roma's chess game directly impacting reality.

- The future version of Legion was killed by The Fury, but the current version lived.  The implication of this is that one day soon, current Legion will become future Legion and blink out of existence, which is a cool idea, right?

Daredevils #9

"Waiting For the End of the World"
Published September 1983
Writer: Alan Moore
Penciller: Alan Davis
Inker: Alan Davis


What's Going On?
Jim Jaspers makes a televised speech that portrays super-heroes as dangers to the world at large; Linda (Captain UK of Earth 238) explains that he made the exact same speech on her world as a precursor to the wholesale slaughter of all superhumans.  Captain Britain tries to console her and convince her that this world will not suffer the same fate, but she doesn't believe him (in part, perhaps, because Betsy Braddock has a premonition of the impending slaughter) and leaves Braddock Manor...only to come face-to-face with the Fury.

Sub-Plots, oh the Sub-Plots!
- Merlin and Roma are playing a chess game, with the major characters in this story acting as the chess pieces.  It turns out that the Fury is not on the game board, though, so events may not turn out as Merlin has planned...

- Jim Jaspers takes a moment to change his white wine to red, indicating that he has the same reality-altering powers as his Earth 238 counterpart.

- There are tensions brewing within the Special Executive.  While Wardog is concerned with a possible superhero holocaust, Zeitgeist is only interested in getting a paycheck.

- Betsy Braddock's boyfriend, Tom, is still urging her to abandon her brother and go somewhere less violent.  Since we know that Betsy eventually joins the X-Men as Psylocke and I've never heard of Tom in any X-title, I'm going to make a wild guess and say Tom won't have a happy ending here.

Writing!
This is yet another issue where Alan Moore manages to do a lot with only a little space.  I thought that the Merlin chess scenes were trying to be a little too clever, but Moore balanced that out by having the Fury throw a monkey wrench in that game.  Other than that, we see progression with Linda, the growing conflict within the Special Executive, the growing danger from Jaspers, and a cliffhanger with the Fury.  That's a lot for one half-issue!

Art!
I liked how Alan Davis chose to handle Jim Jasper's reality manipulation with the wine.  It's simple, but it's just another example of how well he works with subtle facials expressions.  And that last page...considering that neither character is exactly iconic, it's a damn nice panel.  I think the best example of Davis' work on this issue, though, is Betsy's premonition.  It's nothing huge or splashy, but showing her premonition within the silhouette of her profile is a very nice touch.

Retrospectively Amusing:
- It looks like Merlin and Roma are hanging out in a cosmic jacuzzi during the chess game.  I guess you can play chess wherever you want to, but it does look strange that the father (Merlin) is at least partially unclothed and the daughter (Roma) appears to be jacuzzi-ing with her normal outfit on, right?

Worth Noting:
- Jim Jaspers specifically mentions the Presidential pardon from Incredible Hulk #278, and Henry Peter Gyrich and Sebastian Shaw both make cameos.  This is the first evidence that A) ties Captain Britain to the X-Men titles and B) Marvel UK/Earth 616 is still the same as the prime Marvel universe; yes, CapBrit had made some appearances in the Marvel Universe before (Contest of Champions, Marvel Team Up) and his original self-titled comic did have a few American heroes guest-star, but Alan Moore could have easily changed what reality Marvel UK inhabited when Merlin brought CapBrit back from the dead and returned him home.  So, now we have proof that these stories can impact the Marvel Universe as a whole, and an indication that Alan Moore liked Chris Claremont's Uncanny X-Men run.

- While she has been mentioned earlier, this is the first appearance of Vixen.  It turns out that she's a woman, which will surprise Captain Britain and his friends, who somehow concluded that someone named "Vixen" had to be male.

Daredevils #8

"Arrivals"
Published August 1983
Writer: Alan Moore
Penciller: Alan Davis
Inker: Alan Davis

What's Going On?
The big fight from last issue continues for a bit before the Special Executive decide to escape with Captain Britain and Saturnyne.  They return to Braddock Manor just in time for Captain UK (the cowardly Linda from last issue) to arrive and imply that the fate of Earth 238 --- the reality where all the superheroes have been hunted down and murdered --- is impending for this  reality, too.

Sub-Plots, oh the Sub-Plots!
- The Fury has reached Earth 616 (barely) and has tracked down Captain UK.  Luckily for her, she has the good sense to follow her own instincts and go to Braddock Manor for help.  Meanwhile, the Fury is repairing itself until it is strong enough to continue its mission to kill Captain Britain (and, presumably, all the other super heroes).

- Lord Mandragon is not at all upset that Saturnyne has escaped.  In fact, her escape makes him the default successor to her title of Omniversal Somethingorother.  His plan to secure his position is to determine what reality she has escaped to and then destroy that entire universe.

- Tom, Betsy Braddock's boyfriend, doesn't want to live in Braddock Manor any more.  It's just too weird and dangerous for him.

- Captain Britain seems to be getting tired of his hectic and dangerous lifestyle.  I don't know if this will come up again later, but it's an interesting plot seed.

Writing!
Like last issue, Alan Moore distracts from the (relatively) slow pace by punching up the humor.  The Wardog joke was okay:

...and the Cobweb gag was a little better:

...but I genuinely enjoyed this moment of clarity by Captain Britain:

Aside from the humor, I think it is worth mentioning that Alan Moore has established three very credible imminent threats in this issue.  There is the impending doom that may be set into motion by the Jim Jaspers of Earth 616, the dimension-destroying ambition of Lord Mandragon, and the viciousness of the Fury.  This is all building to a head quite nicely.

Art!
Most of the issue shows off Alan Davis' talent for capturing humor, which is an uncommon talent in the industry.  In what is quickly becoming typical for this run, he balances that character-based work with a good dose of action. 

Retrospectively Amusing:

- Remember that sophisticated hologram to convince people that Braddock Manor is rubble?  Apparently, that didn't give Captain UK a problem when she came to visit.  I also like that the doorbell ringing didn't surprise anyone, despite the whole hologram thing.  I wonder if that detail is going to be dropped now?

Daredevils #7

"Rough Justice"
Published July 1983
Writer: Alan Moore
Penciller: Alan Davis
Inker: Alan Davis

What's Going On?
At her trial, Saturnyne explains what happened on Jim Jaspers' world (Earth 238), and justifies her abandonment of Captain Britain in that warped reality; she saw that the Fury was indestructible, so she retreated and saved as many lives as she could.  This explanation is not good enough for the judge, Mandragon, though.  Unfortunately for Saturnyne, he has prevented her Avant Guard underlings from testifying.  That leaves only Captain Britain to corroborate her story; Mandragon discredits him by suggesting that Saturnyne and CapBrit are lovers and that he will lie to save her life.  Predictably, this leads to Captain Britain punching things, and the trial gets out of hand from there; Mandragon sentences Saturnyne to death, while the Special Executive decide to help Captain Britain brawl with the bailiffs.

Sub-Plots, oh the Sub-Plots!
- We are finally treated to the story behind the mysterious woman from issue #2.  Her name is Linda, and she is from Earth 238, like Jim Jaspers and the Fury; she was that world's version of Captain Britain.  During a nightmare/flashback sequence, we see the Fury massacre her world's superheroes in quick succession.  Linda was spared at the last moment by her boyfriend, who managed to transport her to our reality.  I suppose watching one Captain Britain escape him at the last moment might help explain why the Fury has such a boner for hunting and killing our CapBrit.

- Captain Britain's reality (Earth 616) has a Jim Jaspers in it, and he is calling for superhero legislation, just like his counterpart did on Earth 238.  Uh-oh.

Writing!
The further I get into this run, the more I find myself enjoying it.  This is another issue that could have felt like the plot was only inching along, but it is just varied (and fun) enough for that not to matter.  At a glance, the intentionally one-sided trial of Sautrnyne is not very interesting, but balancing that obviousness with a massive brawl and the reluctance of Wardog to participate was a nice choice. 

Even better was the wholesale slaughter of the superheroes of Earth 238.  These throwaway characters could have just been analogues to more famous characters (and, okay, some of them definitely were), but they were colorful and odd.  Something about those characters --- particularly the robot, Andy --- just makes me smile and piques my interest.  Too bad they're all dead now.


Art!
Given how good Alan Moore is with facial expressions and comedic moments, I sometimes forget how effective his action scenes can be.  The Fury's attack really gives him an opportunity to flex his violent creativity.  Here we have three different deaths on a single page, all different from each other:

  

I like Davis' choice to keep the figure of the Fury ill-defined in this sequence.  The character has been seen clearly a number of times by now, but shrouding it in these panels places the focus more on the horror of the deaths than the empowerment of the killer.  It may seem like a small choice, but I think it pays huge dividends.

Retrospectively Amusing:
- In case you were wondering, the trial announcer was a reference to British television host Terry Wogan.  I don't know much about him, but let's just assume he's analogous to Dick Clark or Ryan Seacrest, which makes him being squished by a giant robot foot far more amusing.

- I love how cowardly Linda is as her dimension's Captain Britain.  I imagine that this is to give her a redemption character arc, but she is hilariously useless and whiny in this issue's flashback.

Worth Noting:
- This issue slyly references Marvelman (which Alan Moore was writing at the time, and which Alan Davis was drawing around this period), which was under legal dispute with Marvel Comics at the time, regarding the character's name.  This is the first time the character was referred to as "Miracleman."

And while he is not specifically named, Linda's boyfriend, Rick, is definitely wearing Kid Miracleman's costume. 

- This is the first reference to the Marvel Universe as "Earth 616."  It's not a huge deal, since it is primarily used online to differentiate between alternate reality versions of characters and in comics where the characters visit multiple realities, but I've always liked the term.  I just think it's clever to give the "prime" reality a number that implies that it is inconsequential in the larger scheme of things.  I suppose it was originally just intended for the Marvel UK Universe, but when that started being assimilated into American comics (mostly by Chris Claremont), I guess it was broadened to mean all of Marvel comics.

Daredevils #6

"Judgement Day"
Published June 1983
Writer: Alan Moore
Penciller: Alan Davis
Inker: Alan Davis

What's Going On?
After being kidnapped by the Special Executive last issue, Captain Britain resigns himself to the fact that he has been taken to an alternate dimension to testify on behalf of Saturnyne.  And by "resigns," I of course mean "punches people until he gets tired."

When he arrives at the Supreme Omniversal Tribunal, Cap is surprised to meet Captain England (of that Earth) and Captain Albion (of the "Earth next door"), both with themed costumes like his own.  Exhausted, Cap agrees to speak with Saturnyne, and is shocked to find her filthy and in shackles; she is on trial for the ruin of the alternate Earth that Mad Jim Jaspers warped.  While he doesn't like her, CapBrit won't let her be punished for something she is innocent of.  Unfortunately, the head of the tribunal is Saturnyne's replacement, Lord Mandragon, who has a vested interest in keeping Saturnyne from resuming her post.  Before the trial begins, Mandragon chooses to destroy the entire universe containing Mad Jim Jaspers' Earth; he argues that it is to keep Jasper's reality warp from affecting other alternate Earths, but it also serves to eliminate any evidence that the defense might have been counting on.

Sub-Plots, oh the Sub-Plots!
- The Fury, the last sane creature on its alternate Earth, has come to the conclusion that its most recent prey, Captain Britain, may have escaped to another dimension.  It naturally concludes that it must visit alternate dimensions to track him down and kill him. 

Thanks to this decision, it is able to alter itself enough to survive the destruction of its universe.

- The alternate Earth where Mad Jim Jaspers reigned supreme has apparently become entirely enveloped in a reality warp, driving all the inhabitants insane.  This isn't terribly important to the main story, but it does establish the destructive scope of Mad Jim Jaspers' powers.

Writing!
The more I read of this run, the more impressed I am with how much Alan Moore fits into such a compact space.  This is, essentially, a pretty dull issue --- it is a lead-in to a trial --- but there are so many ideas being thrown around that it's easy to overlook the lack of action.  In this issue, we have Saturnyne partially de-villainized,  the introduction of the Captain Britain role as a constant throughout multiple dimensions, and a governing body that has the power and right to destroy entire universes with the flick of a switch.  That's some heavy stuff!  And yet, Moore keeps things pretty light, making small jokes here and there and using the Special Executive as light comedy relief.
Honestly, I'm surprised at how funny this series is turning out to be.  It's not "bwa-ha-ha" funny, but it is getting a little funnier each issue.  I especially liked the concept of "universe lag" for trans-dimensional travelers.  I wasn't so sure about Moore's choice to return to the multiverse after effectively rebooting the character, but I'm really liking where the series is going right now.

Art!
This is not the juiciest script Alan Davis has had to draw in this series, but he makes the most of his opportunities.  The all-out brawl between Captain Britain and the Special Executive was fun, but brief.  He clearly had fun creating the cast of thousands in attendance at Saturnyne's trial.  I think his most impressive work, though, was in designing the alternate Captain Britain characters.  Little is explained about them, but Davis does a great job conveying the variations on a theme that was required for the characters.

Retrospectively Amusing:
- The unifying theme of Captain Britain uniforms is apparently thigh-high boots.

Worth Noting:
- This issue marks the debut of the concept of the Captain Britain Corps, which becomes a large part of the Captain Britain mythos.