TOD RADCLIFFE

Real Name: Tod Radcliffe

Identity/Class: Human technology user

Occupation: Deputy Director of S.T.R.I.K.E. (Special Tactical Reserve for International Key Emergencies)

Group Membership: In command of S.T.R.I.K.E., agent of the Red Skull

Affiliations: Lance Hunter, Nick Fury (but traitor and false ally in both cases)

Enemies: Captain America, Captain Britain, Nick Fury

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Strike One (call sign while flying raid on Braddock Manor)

Base of Operations: Great Britain

First Appearance: Captain Britain Weekly#17/1 (February 2nd 1977) 

Powers/Abilities:  Radcliffe was a skilled pilot, able to fly fighter jets. Given his position as head of a security agency, he probably had a variety of other skills, including combat skills -- however Nick Fury ended his life before we got to see any more.

History:  (CB I#17/1) - Tod Radcliffe, head of S.T.R.I.K.E., met with his S.H.I.E.L.D. counterpart Nick Fury, and took him to meet with the Prime Minister.

(CB I#18/1) - The British PM met with both men at No.10, Downing Street, and discussed a disturbing resurgence of Nazism in the U.K., which he believed might be connected to reports of a super-computer that Nick Fury had come to Britain to investigate. Radcliffe listened with interest, then requested to absent himself as he was receiving an urgent message which he did not wish to take in front of a stranger such as Fury. Seconds later in the adjoining office, Radcliffe spoke to his true commander -- the Red Skull. The Nazi villain informed him that both Captain America and Captain Britain were about to be killed, and that he must order the destruction of Braddock Manor by the forces of S.T.R.I.K.E. within the hour.

(CB I#17/1) - Radcliffe gloated over this information and the chance to kill Fury himself, even as the American spy rejoined him. Shortly afterwards the Skull contacted him again to confirm that things were going to plan. Radcliffe informed him that Fury was causing some problems, but nothing he couldn't handle.

(CB I#18/1) - Even as the Skull signed off, Fury entered the room, demanding to know what was holding things up. Radcliffe, unperturbed, finished getting ready in his own time. They went down into S.T.R.I.K.E.'s undersea air base, where Radcliffe continued to needle Fury, pointing out that S.T.R.I.K.E.'s planes were superior to their American counterparts. As Fury climbed into the cockpit behind Radcliffe, the WWII veteran's instincts told him not to trust the British agent.

As the S.T.R.I.K.E. planes flew over Braddock Manor, Radcliffe gave his men the order to arm missiles and prepare to fire. Fury shouted out a protest at this, pointing out that Radcliffe's orders from the Prime Minister had been that this was to be a recon mission, not an attack. Radcliffe activated hidden restraints in Fury's seat, trapping his passenger, and informed Fury that he followed another's orders. As Fury yelled to Radcliffe that he would never get away with this, the traitor ordered the planes to fire missiles. Braddock Manor with the two superheroes inside, was blown off the face of the Earth.

(CB I#19/1 (fb) ) - Radcliffe gloated as Braddock Manor was destroyed. Fury, thinking quickly, asked Radcliffe if he could have a last cigar before the Nazi killed him. Radcliffe obliged, agreeing that it was traditional and boasting that it would be Fury's last, unless there was a tobacconist in Hades. Fury's response was to shoot Radcliffe in the back of the head with a poison dart concealed within the stogie, killing the traitor.

Comments: Created by Gary Friedrich (writer), Herb Trimpe (penciller) and Fred Kida (inker).

Due to a misprint, several pages of the CB strip from #17 of his weekly title weren't published until a week later in the subsequent issue, and some of the pages of #18 were published a week early. So although the meeting between Radcliffe, Nick Fury and then PM Jim Callaghan is from #18, it actually belongs with the previous issue's story. Similarly the Skull's second conversation with Radcliffe was seen in #17, but belongs in #18.

Hmm. In CB Weekly#17, Nick Fury says to Radcliffe "So you're the head honcho of S.T.R.I.K.E.?", and Radcliffe confirms this. An issue later, a text box states that Radcliffe is the Deputy Director, something that would make sense when we see Lance Hunter, the Director of the Agency, a few issues later. Was Radcliffe just being full of himself when he affirmed Fury's belief of his control of S.T.R.I.K.E., or was he actually in charge? I'd say the former, except that sending a subordinate to meet Fury would have been the height of bad manners on Commander Hunter's part, never mind sending a subordinate to a meeting with the Prime Minister. I've theorised in Hunter's profile that he might have set the agency up, and then been moved on to other posts. This theory remains a possibility - Hunter could still be the nominal head of S.T.R.I.K.E. but Radcliffe could well be in day to day command of the agency.

As future CB stories would confirm, the S.T.R.I.K.E. planes didn't actually hit Braddock Manor, but actually got a holographic illusion projected by the Mastermind computer.

Profile by Loki

CLARIFICATIONS:  Not so much

Images:
Captain Britain Weekly#18/1, p.4, panel 5
Captain Britain Weekly#17/1, p.4, panel 5