Alpha Flight Fans: Gather

[Sutekh]

Another "From the beginning" summary, courtesy of David R on the old CBR:
Alpha Flight #28

And that's the only remotely tolerable use of a deus ex machine character like the Beyonder, to fix 'wrote myself into a corner' stuff like this and then go away and never be mentioned again.

[Nevets]

I JUST finished Mantlo's run, so it is quite fresh.
And I can tell you that, yes, it was THAT bad.

I totally understand! I haven't read it recently, but I've read the whole series many times through, I just don't hate it as much as you and a lot of others. It's not the best, but to me it's not the worse nor all that terrible (barring a few very bad decisions and terrible stories) in general.

[Cold Water]

I totally understand! I haven't read it recently, but I've read the whole series many times through, I just don't hate it as much as you and a lot of others. It's not the best, but to me it's not the worse nor all that terrible (barring a few very bad decisions and terrible stories) in general.

I dislike it most, I think, because of what he did with Heather. That is my forever sore spot with Mantlo's run. Whether or not that mess of a character ever gets cleaned up, I'll have to keep reading to find out for myself.
I also dislike it for Purple Girl's intro. But what she did to Northstar was done for, what, two issues, max? But what happened to Heather was done throughout his entire run. But, yeah, I'll never like Purple Girl.

[Shadowcat]

Where is your outrage over today's travesty? Let the know we will not take this lying down!

[Adam-X]

RE: Infernus (or whatever it was called)
I loath that series. It took the idea of her character, and without explanation had her go against everything she had ever tried to be. It would have taken a panel or two at most to at acknowledge her history as a hero, and her fall or whatever thanks to her dad. But nothing, just full on villain for no reason. LOATH.

Heh. Perhaps, this is one of those instances, I was grateful to see her used and acknowledged. I think as us (wee Alpha Flight fans!), would have done better if we got some acknowledgement of her origin (as it was related in Alpha Flight) - even if it was just a villain's typical monologue of how great I am, and where I came from moment. But, it was an X-Men series - so they probably didn't feel the need to acknowledge it. (Kind of like how Magneto goes from good to bad, on a somewhat weekly basis, and the X-Men just keep accepting it - when there's never really explanation given as to why). A similar situation happened (where a character I love) appeared, but was absolutely HORRIBLY written - none other than Adam-X (whose name I use for my handle and avatar here) - he fell off the face of the planet for almost 20 years - and appears again during the Fear Itself storyline - written so "Bro'tasticly" - that I cringed. But I was so happy to see him be remembered and acknowledged, I overlooked the horrible dialogue they gave him.

Another "From the beginning" summary, courtesy of David R on the old CBR:
Alpha Flight #30

"Enter...Scramble!"
1st appearance: Scramble (Lionel Jeffries)

See, again, this is where I was hopeful that the Alpha Flight series was now, still in good hands. I actually enjoyed this story - and the contrast of how one brother controls flesh and the other controls metal. I saw David's note about it being a gross power, like he summons up zombies; I think what he does is actually merge living people into one thing, the same way his brother merges metal into one functioning thing. That whole idea, I thought was pretty good. I remember the art being iffy - but then, next to 2 years of Byrne, nothing's going to compare.

Another "From the beginning" summary, courtesy of David R on the old CBR:
Alpha Flight #31

"The Grateful Dead"

And another good issue; because we got to see Scramble in the previous issue; and I thought it was a nice tie in that Scramble's powers would unknowingly bring back Deadly Ernest! That was such a nice treat!

And that's the only remotely tolerable use of a deus ex machine character like the Beyonder, to fix 'wrote myself into a corner' stuff like this and then go away and never be mentioned again.

Over all, I disliked the entire Secret Wars II limited series and all the tie ins. Which is amazing, considering how much I absolutely love the original Secret Wars 12 issue limited series.

Where is your outrage over today's travesty? Let the know we will not take this lying down!

I have not yet got the Amazing X-Men issue that came out ... So I am waiting to see what happens.

[Cold Water]

Where is your outrage over today's travesty? Let the know we will not take this lying down!

I haven't read AXM yet.
I do know of what happens, but I want to read it for myself before I begin my temper tantrum.

[anthony_lynch15]

Have you read other volumes of Alpha Flight? Got any favorites of volume 2?

I always remember the Mesmero issue of Volume 2 because it was the first issue I read of Alpha Flight.
I then tracked down the earlier issues of the Volume and read it until it's conclusion.
Pretty sure I've read most of the Alpha Flight (Omega and Beta too) appearances since then.
But I've never gone back to read the older issues

I thought Flex was interesting, because he has such an "vicious" power; because he's got these massive claw things; and yet he was extremely passive.
I liked Radius because he was this cocky guy, who came off sort of like Gambit; but the truth is, no woman could touch him and he could never touch woman.

Yeah, not only could Radius not touch peiple, but he couldn't touch any of the world around him.
Which made him act like an @$$, but the fact that he had a justifiable reason to behave that way meant you accept it of him.

I might fish my Volume 2 issues out and have another read through soon.
Now that we're talking about them I wouldn't mind a re-read.
Hopefully they're still a good read when I'm older and wiser.

[Nevets]

Where is your outrage over today's travesty? Let the know we will not take this lying down!

These are the writers that killed Diamond Lil. I never had any hope for this story. Sorry to be a downer everyone.

Heh. Perhaps, this is one of those instances, I was grateful to see her used and acknowledged. I think as us (wee Alpha Flight fans!), would have done better if we got some acknowledgement of her origin (as it was related in Alpha Flight) - even if it was just a villain's typical monologue of how great I am, and where I came from moment. But, it was an X-Men series - so they probably didn't feel the need to acknowledge it. (Kind of like how Magneto goes from good to bad, on a somewhat weekly basis, and the X-Men just keep accepting it - when there's never really explanation given as to why). A similar situation happened (where a character I love) appeared, but was absolutely HORRIBLY written - none other than Adam-X (whose name I use for my handle and avatar here) - he fell off the face of the planet for almost 20 years - and appears again during the Fear Itself storyline - written so "Bro'tasticly" - that I cringed. But I was so happy to see him be remembered and acknowledged, I overlooked the horrible dialogue they gave him.

I really do get where you're coming from.. BTW, I really liked Adam-X back in the day (and Neurotap!)...and I was also happy to see him again, even though...wow. He was written as a total joke, which is sad. Least he didn't die!

See, again, this is where I was hopeful that the Alpha Flight series was now, still in good hands. I actually enjoyed this story - and the contrast of how one brother controls flesh and the other controls metal. I saw David's note about it being a gross power, like he summons up zombies; I think what he does is actually merge living people into one thing, the same way his brother merges metal into one functioning thing. That whole idea, I thought was pretty good. I remember the art being iffy - but then, next to 2 years of Byrne, nothing's going to compare.

I liked the story (hated the art), but the art never really had a chance because we were coming off Byrne.

I have not yet got the Amazing X-Men issue that came out ... So I am waiting to see what happens.

Let us know when you read that travesty. Sorry to cloud your opinion before you read it though!

[Nevets]

Another "From the beginning" summary, courtesy of David R on the old CBR:

Alpha Flight #32



"Short Story"

1st appearance: Black Razer

In this issue, Heather Hudson dons her husband's costume!! She has become Guardian! Puck is not at all happy with this news. Heather has felt inadequate leading Alpha Flight, without any super-powers. Mac's power suit can now change that, and Heather wishes for Judd to help train her. "Make me a warrior!" she proclaims! The suit has been reworked by Roger Bochs & Madison Jeffries. The Canadian team have their own Danger Room, patterned after the X-Men's New York facility. The new Vindicator (Heather) and Puck go through the paces in this specially designed room. Heather loses her glasses in the fight. There is a mishap, and Judd saves Heather from getting fried. (Puck secretly loves her.) They have a spat, as Heather wants to be trained by the best,but Puck isn't interested. Bochs & Jeffries now enter and give Heather a new, unbreakable set of goggles which are tied into her power-suit. Puck says he doesn't want to help Heather, for she might get maimed. He is rather hard on Roger, saying what kind of help a cripple could give another cripple?

Judd leaves the proceedings, but is soon racked with excruciating pain. He realizes what he did in their last battle, in #31, is releasing "him". Soon, an evil sorcerer named the Black Razer escapes from within Puck. The Black Razer was imprisoned inside of him! Once this occurs, Judd returns to his original, very tall size. We are told here that Puck is not actually a dwarf, but shrunken down by magic. The Black Razer now attacks Alpha Flight! Box and Northstar are both shrunken down in size. Puck tells Jeffries of how he first met the Black Razer, in 1939. It concerns the Black Blade of Baghdad. Judd goes to steal the Blade, thus releasing the evil magician hidden inside of it. The blade slices into the man-sized Judd, but instead of killing him, it shrinks him down to dwarf size, and steals some of his life essence. But that doesn't stop Judd, who attacks the Razer. Judd absorbs the Black Razer inside himself, making him a prisoner. But it shrinks Judd even further. And thus, we learn the secret of Puck!

Puck is now completely free of physical pain, but knows the Black Razer cannot be allowed to stay free. The tall Puck confronts Razer and uses the blade to again, imprison the sorceror inside him. At that instant, the life forces are returned to Box and Northstar, and they regain their regular height. Puck returns to his dwarf size, and his bad pain levels. However, the magical spell has given him an extended life--the only benefit. Puck collapses to the ground, with Alpha Flight standing around him.

[Nevets]

Alpha 32 causes me conflicting opinions.

1. I am a full supporter of Heather as Vindicator. Love it.

2. One of the two worst decisions ever...the secret of Puck. Terrible.

Unfortunately, I didn't get the David R opinions for this issue, and I believe this may have been his last summary (give or take a couple). We're about to start the summaries by Limerick.

[Cold Water]

Mantlo's Heather was where it all started to go wrong. But it didn't take long for the f*@ery of Puck ' s origins to swoop in and ruin things even more.

[Nomads1]

These guys were my introduction to Alpha Flight.



Really enjoyed that short lived series.
It's a pity that Radius and Flex were never really used again.

That cover really got me excited. Some of my favorite Alphans (Mac, Jeffries, Puck, Sasquatch, etc...), a distinctive look for Heather, different from Mac's, and I had really enjoyed Scott Clark's art in Stormwatch. The reality, not so much. Teen Mac, Jeffries out of the picture right from the bat (plus, he was really acting kind of off the whole time...), not Walt, etc... And I really hated Clark's art there and ever since. Seemed kind of phoned in, which a blunt economy of backgrounds. I really didn't dig the changes he made to his style. Prefered the old one better. And the New members were, IMHO, really lame. I did dig Seagle's full of secrets and intrigue Department H, though. But, all in all, far from my favorite take on Alpha.

Don't get me started on Earthmover...

Yeah, I only remember seeing Earthmover in that awful Chuck Austen's Uncanny X-Men appearences (armoured Alpha, with an armoured Sasquatch? Seriously?). Did he ever appear, or was ever mentioned, anywhere else ever again?

Peace

[Nomads1]

Gezz, this thread is now moving too fast for me. I'm way late on my review reading....

Peace

[danelway]

A new (old) Alpha Flight by Byrne would be the best.

[danelway]

How many of you Alpha Flight fans are actual Canadians?