Cap in the UK: 1980s Weeklies

Marvel UK had been doing the weekly comics format since the 1970s with the pattern of black and white interiors, a magazine format, and breaking up the story over two issues with back up stories from other American comics. By 1981, Captain America finally got his own title in the same format. Dazzler, the Defenders, and Iron Man were the back up features in the beginning.

Like with other weeklies, new cover art and splash pages would have to be drawn to cover two issues like the one above.

John Byrne and Roger Stern's great Cap runs finally gets reprinted but it is lacking without the nicer glossy covers. Still, for art lovers who sometimes think the color distracts from enjoying the inking, these books are great to look at until the Essential line catches up.

Confusing matters was the introduction of "Marvel Action" to the title. I think this was done to showcase more than just the Cap issue on the cover.

Finally, glossy covers were used with color interiors as we see below. And that just might be some very early Alan Davis art below.

It looks like Cap had to start sharing his covers with the back up stories from this cover below.

I believe the weekly Cap issues only lasted to issue #58 (below). It seems like a decent run but, in the scope of 52 issues a year, that is a run just over a year from 1981 to 1982.

Cap also did some double duty in some other titles like  a guest appearance in MARVEL SUPER ADVENTURE.