MI-13 (comics)

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team_name=MI-13
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Excalibur" vol. 1 #101 (1996)
"New Excalibur" #01 (2006, named)
creators=Warren Ellis
Chris Claremont
Michael Ryan
base=
members=Captain Britain
Pete Wisdom
John the Skrull
The Black Knight
Spitfire
Faiza Hussain
Blade
memberlist=
subcat=Marvel Comics
hero=y
sortkey=PAGENAME|

MI-13, sometimes written MI13 or MI: 13, is a fictional British intelligence agency in the Marvel Comics universe. It was introduced in "Excalibur" vol. 1 #101, by Warren Ellis, but it would go unnamed for ten years until "New Excalibur" #01.

The department is closely associated with Marvel characters Alistaire Stuart and Pete Wisdom, and, after being named MI-13, it would subsequently appear in "Wisdom", and most recently, the ongoing ""; both written by Paul Cornell.

History

MI-13 is the latest in a long line of fictional British intelligence agencies dealing with "weird happenings" within the United Kingdom. It followed the likes of S.T.R.I.K.E., Resource Control Executive (R.C.X.), Department of Unknown and Covert Knowledge (D.U.C.K.), and the Weird Happenings Organisation (W.H.O.). It evolved from the remnants of W.H.O. [http://fractalmatter.com/main/?p=475 Wisdom Issue One Commentary. by Paul Cornell. December 2006] ] when Alistaire Stuart was asked by the government in "Excalibur" #101 (September 1996) to take the old W.H.O., Black Air (a corrupt department that had usurped W.H.O.'s and others' mandate), and all other related paranormal organisations and rationalise them into a single department.

This department was next seen in "X-Force" #115 (June 2001) with Stuart standing alongside Pete Wisdom. However, it went unnamed until 2006 when Wisdom revealed himself to be an agent of MI-13 in "New Excalibur" #01 (January 2006). In the "New Excalibur" series, M-13 funded the reforming of Excalibur superhero team.

Later that year MI-13 were later explored in Paul Cornell's Marvel MAX limited series "Wisdom" in which the department became involved in a military operation against Otherworld before signing a peace treaty, which includes a mutual defense pact, and facing a invasion of other dimensional Martians. The series also highlighted the clashes MI-13 have with other intelligence agencies, including MI6 who wish to have jurisdiction over "weird happenings" and believe all the specialist groups like MI-13 are doomed to fail. MI6 had convinced Stuart leave MI-13 to work for them as scientific adviser, leaving Pete Wisdom as the only senior officer reporting directly to the Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee.

Most recently in the first story arc of Paul Cornell's "" (July 2008) series, Britain is attacked by a Skrull armada and a wave of empowered Super Skrulls during the "Secret Invasion" crossover event. The JIC Chair, Sir Mortimer Grimsdale, is revealed to be a Skrull, leaving Wisdom in command of MI-13, with the Prime Minister stating the all British superheroes are now members of the agency "like it or not". While other superheroes face the Skrull onslaught on London, Spitfire and Captain Britain are dispatched, along with John the Skrull (a turncoat loyal to MI-13) and Wisdom, to protect the Siege Perilous and Earth's magic from Skrull attack.Comic book reference | Writer = Paul Cornell | Penciller = Leonard Kirk | Inker = Jesse Delperdang | Story = The Guns Of Avalon | Title = | Issue = 1 | Date = July 2008 | Publisher = Marvel Comics | ] [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16432 Defense of the Realms: Cornell on "Captain Britain and MI:13"] , Comic Book Resources, May 15, 2008]

Members

All superheroes native to the British Isles are considered part of MI-13, meaning they can be called by the government at any time.

Heroes such as The Black Knight [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=12843 Super Spy Weekend: Black Knight] , Comic Book Resources, March 10, 2008] , Captain Britain [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=12826 Super Spy Weekend: Captain Britain] , Comic Book Resources, March 7, 2008] , Union Jack and Spitfire [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=12830 Super Spy Weekend: Spitfire] , Comic Book Resources, March 8, 2008] have been shown/stated to work on behalf of MI-13. When the superhero team (New) Excalibur was revived, it was also funded by MI-13 ["New Excalibur" #6] ; its members included Captain Britain and, MI-13 spy and field team leader [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=12837 Super Spy Weekend: Pete Wisdom] , Comic Book Resources, March 9, 2008] , Pete Wisdom along with Juggernaut, Sage, Dazzler, and Nocturne.

Vampire hunter Blade is set to join MI:13 in "Captain Britain and MI: 13" #5 [ [http://www.marvel.com/news/comicstories.3703.MyCup_o%7Eapos%7E_Joe_Week_10 MYCUP O’ JOE, WEEK 10: Quesada dishes on MARVELS 2, BLADE, and MARY JANE!] , Marvel.com (originally a MySpace Blog) May 27, 2008] , while Faiza Hussain, a new character first introduced in the series, is set to join during its Secret Invasion tie-in issues [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=12839 Super Spy Weekend: Faisa Hussain] , Comic Book Resources, March 9, 2008] .

Other shown members with official positions within the agency have included:

Notes

References

*comicbookdb|type=team|id=968|title=MI-13 (Marvel)

External links

* [http://en.marveldatabase.com/MI-13 MI-13] at the Marvel Database Project

Interviews

* [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=12587 Cornell & Lowe talk "Captain Britain and MI:13"] , Comic Book Resources, February 18, 2008
* [http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/120784245582350.htm The British Invasion: Paul Cornell on Captain Britain and MI: 13] , Comics Bulletin, April 10, 2008