Canadians rejoyce! (Alpha Flight ongoing)

[Matthew Morris]

As reported Here.

Some things interest me, but I'll wait to see how the current arc plays out. I started reading 'The Flight' with Issue 48, then got back issues, so Heather, Madison, Kara, Walter/Wanda, Whitman, Larua Dean and Goblyn were 'my' Flight. Because of this, I don't like 'Kara as villian' I also don't like 'Evil Canadian Government' For Fear Itself, ok, but if this is to be the status quo, not so much.

Now if they'll bring back Lil, I'll be happy.

[GregH]

Matthew Morris wrote:

As reported Here.

Some things interest me, but I'll wait to see how the current arc plays out. I started reading 'The Flight' with Issue 48, then got back issues, so Heather, Madison, Kara, Walter/Wanda, Whitman, Larua Dean and Goblyn were 'my' Flight. Because of this, I don't like 'Kara as villian' I also don't like 'Evil Canadian Government' For Fear Itself, ok, but if this is to be the status quo, not so much.

Now if they'll bring back Lil, I'll be happy.

Unfortunately there are no Alpha Flight issues are on Mavel's iOS app. I've decided ever since I got my iPad that since I have a stack of old unread comics from many years ago, that I would stop buying the paper versions.

Alpha Flight #1 was the first comic I ever "collected". I endured the loss of Byrne and read it all the way up until the end of it's first run. I've heard it said that Byrne's run was one of the finest 28 issues of comics ever. I have no arguments with that.

I hope Marvel add its to their electronic line-up soon, cause I'm really interested to see what they are doing with AF these days.

Greg

edit: 2x12 is 24, not 28. duh.
editx2: dammit, I was right the first time (it was 28 issues)...

[Crimson Jester]

I had the first year or two of Alpha Flight. This may make me want to get new issues.

[Freehold DM]

Indeed, Alpha Flight is the shiznit. I always liked Puck, weird hell powers or no weird hell powers. Also liked Laura Dean and Goblyn.

[GregH]

Freehold DM wrote:

Indeed, Alpha Flight is the shiznit. I always liked Puck, weird hell powers or no weird hell powers.

I liked Puck infinitely more without weird hell powers than with. That's pretty much where the wheels started coming off the bus for me.

Greg

[Matthew Morris]

GregH wrote:

Freehold DM wrote:

Indeed, Alpha Flight is the shiznit. I always liked Puck, weird hell powers or no weird hell powers.

I liked Puck infinitely more without weird hell powers than with. That's pretty much where the wheels started coming off the bus for me.

Greg

I initially 'knew' Puck being the host for Raazor, so it wasn't until later I read more about him being a 'bad-assed normal'. I enjoyed the personality, and wonder what this 'slightly crazy' Puck forbodes.

Looking back, the constant whining bothered me more than anything.

"Heather will never look at me that way, because I'm a dwarf!"

"I'm stuck in a woman's body!" (Um, you're alive Walter, puts you a lot better than others)

"Am I ready to move on after Mac?" (Yes, yes you are.)

"Does she really love me?" (Yes, but Lil's hotter, Madison).

About the only whining I would have expected to see was "Should I be looking at Kara that way?" No Whit, you shouldn't. 20 somethings should not lust after 14 somethings, even if they are cute and purple*.

Aside, Madison Jeffries was always cool for me** (since I first read when he got Box) but when I got back issues, it ramped the Jeffries Awesome up to 11. (Come on, beating Omega Flight. By himself. With a VW Bug? That's new levels of cool).

*

Spoiler:

When I got the back issue with Kara's origin I really felt for her. That scene of her trying to 'scrub the purple out' in the tub, the way they drew this scared little girl... I just wanted to hold her and tell her it will be OK.

**

Spoiler:

He should have been taking names and kicking aft in the Sentinel attack on Utopia. He can control/shape/disassemle machines. At Range. I swear the current writers don't know how his power works.

[GregH]

Matthew Morris wrote:

Looking back, the constant whining bothered me more than anything.

"Heather will never look at me that way, because I'm a dwarf!"

"I'm stuck in a woman's body!" (Um, you're alive Walter, puts you a lot better than others)

"Am I ready to move on after Mac?" (Yes, yes you are.)

"Does she really love me?" (Yes, but Lil's hotter, Madison).

About the only whining I would have expected to see was "Should I be looking at Kara that way?" No Whit, you shouldn't. 20 somethings should not lust after 14 somethings, even if they are cute and purple*.

To be honest, I have such a strong connection with John Byrne's run that I almost completely scrubbed my mind of what occurred after issue 28, even though I read it to the end of the run.

Matthew Morris wrote:

Aside, Madison Jeffries was always cool for me** (since I first read when he got Box) but when I got back issues, it ramped the Jeffries Awesome up to 11. (Come on, beating Omega Flight. By himself. With a VW Bug? That's new levels of cool).

The look on "Guardian's" face when that bug started to morph is one of the high points of my comic book reading life. I went back and re-read the first 28 issues recently (they were available on-line as an html "library" until the site got shut down) and that one panel still is one of the coolest things I've ever read. I remember the first time I read it as a 16 year-old and it was such a "doh" moment. It didn't occur to me why Jeffries was never a part of Omega Flight in issue 12 and in that one panel it was instinctively clear. Just awesome.

Greg

[Freehold DM]

I always liked box, but to me he is an object lesson in terms of the power curve. And this is alpha flight we're talking about, the team is comprised of some of the most overpowered characters i've ever seen.

[thejeff]

Yes. Jeffries was great as he originally was. Cool character, unique concept.

Then they stuck him in Box and he was a just a shape-changing giant robot. Boring.

Edit: And yes, overpowered, but also vulnerable. Normal human physically and thus easy to neutralize.
Hard to write for and thus probably better as a guest star than as a full member.

[GregH]

Freehold DM wrote:

I always liked box, but to me he is an object lesson in terms of the power curve. And this is alpha flight we're talking about, the team is comprised of some of the most overpowered characters i've ever seen.

In a universe populated by the Hulk, Thor, the Thing, the Super Skrull... I dunno. Sure Sasquatch may have been at the top end of the curve (and maybe Box too) but I don't see them as "most overpowered" by any stretch. And Northstar and Aurora were just fast - very fast - but just fast.

Sure the density was a little high in the team - but this was Canada's "creme de la creme".

Greg

[Matthew Morris]

Freehold DM wrote:

I always liked box, but to me he is an object lesson in terms of the power curve. And this is alpha flight we're talking about, the team is comprised of some of the most overpowered characters i've ever seen.

Madison's original limitation (Which he still had for Box for a while) was that he could build stuff, but designing it was beyond him. That was the concept for the Boxbot II, IIRC: Roger had designged the bot, including the phasing ability, but couldn't put it together. I know it took both of them to turn 'Delphene Courtney' into the Vindicator suit. I assumed that his Box was hand waived away as designs he and Roger Bochs had gone over but never built.

When they did the "Return of Guardian" storyline, part of the problem was that Madison couldn't invent counters fast enough to get past the Roxxon defenses. Thus the need to get Forge involved. I suppose you could argue that the merge between the two allowed Madison to 'share' Forge's power.

Still, I liked his 'aw shucks' attitude towards things, and his clear love of Kara as if she was his own.

In a way it's the opposite of Claremont's New Mutants writing. Sam always going on about how he was invulnerable while blasting Bobby being strong doesn't make him invulnerable, etc. Madison could build things, he couldn't design them. Maybe he had to say that more often ;-)

Edit: Cleaned up some thoughts to make them clearer.

Myself I always wanted to see 90's flight vs Ultron.

Ultron: Now you puny humans, I'll.

Madison: Um, you're a robot.

Ultron: Yes I am fleshling, a superior -SQUAAAALLLLKKKKK

Madison: Hmm, anyone want an adamantantium barbeque grill?

[David Fryer]

I just saw a solicit for an upcoming issue that guest stars Wolverine. I have an issue with that for two reasons. One, even with Logan's history with the team I would like to have seen them stand on their own for a while before having him show up. Two, the solicit focuses on Wolverine's membership in the Avengers, which is an abomination that never should have happened.

[Crimson Jester]

Freehold DM wrote:

I always liked box, but to me he is an object lesson in terms of the power curve. And this is alpha flight we're talking about, the team is comprised of some of the most overpowered characters I've ever seen.

Over powered?

[Matthew Morris]

Crimson Jester wrote:

Freehold DM wrote:

I always liked box, but to me he is an object lesson in terms of the power curve. And this is alpha flight we're talking about, the team is comprised of some of the most overpowered characters I've ever seen.

Over powered?

I'm guessing he's thinking of Shaman (who could be Doctor Strange levels of power) and Sasquach (Hulk level strength with little loss of intellect) And maybe Box as the ultimate transformer.

Hmm, so they're (at their prime) Defenders level powerful :-)

[David Fryer]

WOW, just finished reading the first three issues and all I can say is Damn!If the writing keeps going like this, they will have me as a full time reader. I am not sure what to make of Puck, but everything else seems pretty cool.

[Crimson Jester]

Matthew Morris wrote:

Crimson Jester wrote:

Freehold DM wrote:

I always liked box, but to me he is an object lesson in terms of the power curve. And this is alpha flight we're talking about, the team is comprised of some of the most overpowered characters I've ever seen.

Over powered?

I'm guessing he's thinking of Shaman (who could be Doctor Strange levels of power) and Sasquach (Hulk level strength with little loss of intellect) And maybe Box as the ultimate transformer.

Hmm, so they're (at their prime) Defenders level powerful :-)

I thought Snowbird was pretty damn tough too.

[Freehold DM]

Matthew Morris wrote:

Crimson Jester wrote:

Freehold DM wrote:

I always liked box, but to me he is an object lesson in terms of the power curve. And this is alpha flight we're talking about, the team is comprised of some of the most overpowered characters I've ever seen.

Over powered?

I'm guessing he's thinking of Shaman (who could be Doctor Strange levels of power) and Sasquach (Hulk level strength with little loss of intellect) And maybe Box as the ultimate transformer.

Hmm, so they're (at their prime) Defenders level powerful :-)

essentially, this. And I'm a HUGE Defenders fan. ;-) Screw all these Avengers titles, I originally thought that Secret Defenders/Nouveau Avengers was gonna be called the Defenders. To me, that's essentially what they are- a chef's salad of considerably powerful superheroes that shouldn't be working together, but do.

[David Fryer]

Just read issue #4 and all I can say is oh crap!

Spoiler:

The part where Heather executes her cousin and his wife was the single best panel I have seen in a comic in a long time. Not to mention the return of the Master, which I predicted once I saw the alien ship, but still. If the scripting keeps up like this it will definitely stay on my must read list.

[Matthew Morris]

And like that... it's gone.

Back into limbo with you Canadians! :-(

[David Fryer]

Crap!

[Velcro Zipper]

Here's some more news on Marvel's reasoning behind the cancellation, sort of.

[Crimson Jester]

Velcro Zipper wrote:

Here's some more news on Marvel's reasoning behind the cancellation, sort of.

So "Uncle Walt" is cleaning house?

[Freehold DM]

That's a real loss...

[Matthew Morris]

Crimson Jester wrote:

Velcro Zipper wrote:

Here's some more news on Marvel's reasoning behind the cancellation, sort of.

So "Uncle Walt" is cleaning house?

Sounds like it. Though I don't think this bodes well for X-factor... :-(