UK EDITION
 By various (Panini Publishing UK)
ISBN13: 978-1-933160-68-9
The British Invasion was a term coined in the 1980s to describe the influx and influence of a band of creators (most with 2000AD or Warrior credentials) that began working in and revolutionising the American comic-book industry. In this context, however it’s simply a group of British creators selecting their personal favourite piece of Marvel work for collection in this book.
Writer Alan Grant chose ‘Blood on the Moors’, a Punisher tale he co-scripted with long-time collaborator John Wagner. Hauntingly illustrated by fellow Scot Cam Kennedy, it details in a great blend of action, mystery and humour the semi-supernatural exploits of another obsessive vengeance taker whose crusade intersects Franks Castle’s one man war on crime.
Alan Davis is famed as both artist and writer, and his selection is from Excalibur #61. ‘Truth and Consequence’ is a cosmic superhero romp featuring Rachel Summers in her incarnation of the celestial entity ‘The Phoenix’ battling with planet devouring Galactus only to discover the hideous truth of her own existence.
Warren Ellis is represented by one of his earliest tales for Marvel, from Hellstorm #15. ‘Cigarette Dawn’ sees the once ‘Son of Satan’ battle demons and expectations in an edgy, if perhaps dated tale illustrated by Leonardo Manco.
Peter Parker, Spider-Man volume 2, #35 provides the utterly charming ‘Heroes Don’t Cry’, written by Paul Jenkins and illustrated by Mark Buckingham & Wayne Faucher. If you already know the story you’ll understand why I refuse to say anything about this wonderful adventure other than you must read it if you haven’t. It really is that good.
Peter Milligan chose the moving and incisive character study ‘The Diaries of Edie Sawyer’ from X-Statix #10, illustrated by Philip Bond and Neil Gaiman picked the first issue of his miniseries 1602, which transposed key characters of the Marvel Universe to Elizabethan England, drawn by Andy Kubert and digitally painted by Richard Isanove.
Mark Millar selected ‘The Defenders’ from Ultimates 2, #6, a downbeat re-imagining of the Avengers, illustrated by Bryan Hitch, as his best moment, and the book concludes with the Punisher in a dark, brilliantly compelling look at Frank Castle’s childhood drawn by the legendary John Severin. ‘The Tyger’ is Garth Ennis at his absolute best, and this is a splendid conclusion to an interesting if somewhat inconsistent package, with the good heavily outweighing the not-so-hot.
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