SANDY YORK

Real Name: Sandy York

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: University student

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Brian Braddock, Courtney Ross, Jacko Tanner (all university friends) 

Enemies: None  

Known Relatives:  None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Thames University, London, England

First Appearance:  Captain Britain Weekly#3/1 (October 27th 1976)

Powers/Abilities:  None displayed. He might have been a reasonably good photographer, but even this is conjecture.

History:  (CB I#3/1) - Sandy York met his friends Jacko Tanner and Courtney Ross in the Flying Finish Pub, near Thames University. After Courtney told Jacko off for making disparaging remarks about their absent friend Brian Braddock, Sandy took the opportunity to poke fun at Jacko's intelligence. Courtney was not amused, and rebuffed him too. Following this exchange, the group went to the cinema.

(CB I#4/1 - BTS) - Sandy told Courtney Ross that Brian Braddock was using the University gym when she came looking to arrange an impromptu breakfast date. Later he was nearby, unseen, when Captain Britain and Hurricane fought on the Thames University campus. Thinking quickly, he used his instant-developing camera to take several photos of the battle, hoping to sell them to a newspaper afterwards.

(CB I#5/1) - Following the conflict, Sandy informed his friends that he had pictures of the fight and declared it the battle of the century. However when he looked at his pictures, he was dismayed to see that they were ruined, as Hurricane was a glowing blur in every shot. Disappointed, he showed the images to the nearby Brian Braddock.

Comments: Created by Chris Claremont (writer) and Herb Trimpe and Fred Kida (artists).

In CB Weekly#4, Sandy is able to tell Courtney Ross where Brian Braddock has gone, early one morning, prior even to sunrise. How did he know, and how did Courtney come to ask him? It is always possible he was out and about, and bumped into Brian going to the gym, then into Courtney going to Brian's flat, but this is meant to be pre-dawn, pre-breakfast, so everyone seems to be up awfully early, which isn't how I remember student life. Perhaps Sandy was Brian's university room-mate or neighbour in halls at this point. Hmm. Another white haired (okay, extremely blond) individual who is close to Brian Braddock, and then mysteriously drops out of his life after he became Captain Britain. And it was Sandy's photography that alerted the hero to a convenient method for tracking down the villain Hurricane, one of his first foes. Sandy, who though we never saw him during the fight, just happened to be nearby with an instant camera, ready to produce the pictures at an opportune moment. Pure speculation, but could Sandy be an alter-ego of master manipulator Merlyn? He favours white haired aliases. (see Dr.Travis for another of my suspects)  

Profile by Loki

CLARIFICATIONS: Not to be confused with

• Sandy, a.k.a. Sandra Pierce, @Namor II#1
• Sandy, MJ Watson-Parker's former hair stylist, @ Amazing Spider-Man#298
• Sandy, who befriended the Abomination, @Incredible Hulk II#408
• Sandy, an alien ally of Kip Holm, @Marvel Preview #11
• anyone else with Sandy or York as part of their name

Images:

Captain Britain Weekly#5/1, p.4, panel 4

Captain Britain Weekly#3/1, p.7, panel 7