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Merlyn
Merlyn

Merlyn

77 appearances Β· Bronze Age Β· 1976–2025 Β· 3 key issues
Who is Merlyn?

An ancient and immensely powerful sorcerer dwelling in the mystical realm of Otherworld, Merlyn serves as guardian of the Omniverse, wielding near-omnipotent magic and precognition across countless dimensions. He personally oversaw the empowering of Brian Braddock as Captain Britain and founded the Captain Britain Corps to protect the Multiverse.

Few figures in Marvel's British corner carry the air of ancient authority that Merlyn does β€” a Bronze Age creation who stepped onto the page in the very first issue of Captain Britain back in 1976, conjured by Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe. Over nearly five decades, this enigmatic presence has woven through Captain Britain, Hulk Comic, and X-Men Archives Featuring Captain Britain, keeping rarefied company with the likes of Brian Braddock, Betsy Braddock, Roma, Opal Luna Saturnyne, and The Black Knight. Three of his appearances rank as collector-significant key issues β€” a testament to the weight he carries in Marvel UK's mythology. For fans who love the stranger, more mystical corridors of the Marvel universe, Merlyn is an essential figure: a character whose longevity across 77 catalogued appearances speaks to an enduring pull that has outlasted trends and decades alike.

Identity

Real name. Merlyn

Powers. Vast magic/sorcery, near-omnipotent reality and dimensional manipulation, immortality, precognition; Omniversal Guardian/protector of the Multiverse operating from Otherworld.

Affiliations. Otherworld; Captain Britain Corps (founder/patron); father of Roma; oversaw creation of Captain Britain (Brian Braddock).

Captain Britain
#1
β˜… First appearance
Captain Britain #1
Oct 1976

Top series

Covers through the years β€” 1977–2022

Captain Britain Annual #1978 β˜… 1977
Captain Britain Annual #1978
Captain America #306 1985
Captain America #306
Excalibur #52 1992
Excalibur #52
Excalibur #1 2001
Excalibur #1
X-Men: Die by the Sword #1 2007
X-Men: Die by the Sword #1
X-Men: Die by the Sword #3 2008
X-Men: Die by the Sword #3
Journey into Mystery: Fear Itself Fallout #[nn] 2012
Journey into Mystery: Fear Itself Fallout #[nn]
Batman #94 2020
Batman #94
Excalibur #25 2022
Excalibur #25

Appearances

Captain Britain Annual (1977)
Marvel Team-Up (1972)
#65
Captain Britain Summer Special (1980)
Incredible Hulk Weekly (1979)
The Incredible Hulk (1980)
#63
Marvel Superheroes [Marvel Super-Heroes] (1979)
Super Spider-Man TV Comic (1981)
The Daredevils (1982)
The Mighty World of Marvel (1982)
Captain America (1968)
Excalibur (1988)
X-Men Archives Featuring Captain Britain (1995)
X-Men: Die by the Sword (2007)
X-Men: Sword of the Braddocks (2009)
#1
Journey into Mystery (2011)
Journey into Mystery: Fear Itself Fallout (2012)
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Batman (2016)
#94
Captain Britain Omnibus (2021)
Excalibur by Tini Howard (2021)
#1
Knights of X (2022)
Trials of X (2022)
Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion (2025)
#1