CAPTAIN BABYLON

Real Name: Arthur Moldsley

Identity/Class: Extradimensional presumptive human (possible Otherworld contribution to bloodline)

Occupation: Protector of Earth-451

Group Membership: Captain (Britain) Corps

Affiliations: Captain Ethnic Stereotype, Captain Wales, Merlin, Roma

EnemiesFury, Mr. Overweight

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Earth-451

First Appearance: Scan#39 (1985)

Powers/Abilities: Captain Babylon possesses the power of flight and heightened strength proportionate to Brian Braddock, the Captain Britain of Earth-616. He presumably possesses some heightened sensory abilities, as displayed by most other members of the Corps, but they have not been documented.

History:

(Scan#39)- Moldsley was asked on a street corner whether he wanted to buy a tape deck, "a big deal from Pier 27." Suspecting a heist, he transformed into Captain Babylon to investigate. He easily defeated a trio of henchmen, who directed him to Mr. Overweight at the Green Reefer bar on Mandala Street.

(Scan#39)- Captain Babylon confronted Mr. Overweight, who turned out to be anemically thin (overweight "by two pounds at the moment," as he put it). When Captain Babylon demanded the villain surrender the stolen ghetto blasters, Mr. Overweight replied "Alright - after all, in this city, we need each other like pips in an apple - we're two sides of the same coin, we co-exist in our mutual respect for the sanctity of each other's morals ... " his monologue ended prematurely by a blow from Captain Babylon, offended by the narrative excess.

(Scan#39)- A pair of policemen entered, and arrested Captain Babylon for copyright infringement.

(Scan#41)- Captain Babylon received an invitation from The Captains Reunion Committee to their 12th Annual Reunion Dinner to be held at the Nexus of the Omniverse, Dawlish. After some initial reluctance, he decided to attend, particularly hoping to reunite with Captain Ethnic Stereotype and Captain Wales.

(Scan#41)- After mingling for some time, and unsuccessfully inquiring after Captain Wales, Captain Babylon and many others were discomfited by the appearance of an extremely inebriated Captain Whales, who fell on many Corps members, crushing them.

(Unpublished) - Captain Babylon and several other members of the Corps traveled to Earth-4191 to investigate the death of Captain Commissar. The Corpsmen discovered the planet had been taken over by this dimension's equivalent of Arcade; all fell prey to Arcade's deathtraps, save for Captain Babylon himself, who managed to escape and, with the assistance of a counterpart to Earth-616's Mastermind artificial intelligence, reprogrammed Arcade's attack and defense systems to trap the villain in a personal hell.

Comments: Created by John Freeman and Matthew Bingham.

A popular television series on Earth-451 is GANGA STREET.

The character appeared in two issues of a fanzine published by John Freemen entitled Scan, apparently with Alan Moore's blessing.

John Freeman provided an origin for the character as follows: Arthur Moldsley, residing at 7, The Braddocks, North Croydon, was a hack comics writer for the International Publishing Conglomerate, who gained his powers when he cut his finger on a staple from an irradiated Jamaican holiday magazine -- and became the hip man of power, Captain Babylon. Fighting street crime, Captain Babylon rarely came across any major menace.

This origin notably makes no mention of Merlin; presumably, he was arranging things behind the scenes.

Scan#39 presented an alternate possible conclusion to the story, in which Captain Babylon entered the Green Reefer bar only to encounter the Fury, passing through Earth-451 on its journey through the multiverse (presumably in its search for Captain UK, late of Earth- 238, then in hiding on Earth-616). Realising on the Captain's entrance that it was in the wrong universe, the Fury gave up.

Profile by Mikel Midnight.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Captain Babylon should not be confused with:


Appearances:
Scan#39, 41 (1985) - by John Freeman (script and editor), Matthew Bingham (art), R. Starkings (letters)
Unpublished - John Freeman and Michael Norwitz (script and editors)


First Posted: 01/29/2006
Last updated: 01/29/2006

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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