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Writer: Fred Van Lente
Artist: Gurihiru
Date Published: May 2009
Alpha Appearance: Mac, Maddison Jeffries
Period in Alpha Flight's history: I keep this one second in my Alpha collection, after Alpha Flight #-1 and before Wolverine #-1.
OVERVIEW:
A free comic book day special, giving an early early Wolverine story.
Something has turned a Canadian town into machines; Mac takes Wolverine to the town to figure out what's going on.
REVIEW:
This is okay. It's not the best story, not the worst. There's a mystery set up, solvable if you know your Marvel history.
The overrrun town feels not unlike a zombie movie, which adds to the whole thing; a deserted place where everyone you see is not quite themselves; though they at first seem to be dead dead, not walking dead.
(It's not really a spoiler to say they're only mostly dead.)
One problem I have is that this is one of those issues that leads straight into Wolverine's battle with Huk and Wendigo - they keep retconning that. (And the lead-up to Xavier recruiting him.)
The artwork is cartoonish in both senses of the word - both stylised for Saturday Morning cartoons and very simplistic. It's got a certain charm, making Mac and Logan look very boyish, almost cute.
I don't like it.
Cartoonish art was never to my taste (even when I was a kid), and I think if they must use it, they should put it in a comic that suits it. This one calls for something more realistic.
I'm not saying it's badly done, just not to my taste and not the most appropriate choice for this issue (but it's far from the least appropriate use I've seen).
OTOH, whadday want for nothing? Rrrruber biscuit?
Da Juice :
This version of Maddison Jeffries is closer to the current, half-insane version in Uncanny than the down-to-Earth blue collar worker of Byrne's era. He's treated as a villain, but one more in need of the cure than imprisonment. Unfortunately, Robert Smith was unavailable.
The insanity was caused by PTSD from his (previously-established) war service.
Mac is there as Logan's friend and superior; fairly cool, but not an active participant.
It's a respectful enough treatment.
RATING:Something has turned a Canadian town into machines; Mac takes Wolverine to the town to figure out what's going on.
REVIEW:
This is okay. It's not the best story, not the worst. There's a mystery set up, solvable if you know your Marvel history.
The overrrun town feels not unlike a zombie movie, which adds to the whole thing; a deserted place where everyone you see is not quite themselves; though they at first seem to be dead dead, not walking dead.
(It's not really a spoiler to say they're only mostly dead.)
One problem I have is that this is one of those issues that leads straight into Wolverine's battle with Huk and Wendigo - they keep retconning that. (And the lead-up to Xavier recruiting him.)
I don't like it.
Cartoonish art was never to my taste (even when I was a kid), and I think if they must use it, they should put it in a comic that suits it. This one calls for something more realistic.
I'm not saying it's badly done, just not to my taste and not the most appropriate choice for this issue (but it's far from the least appropriate use I've seen).
OTOH, whadday want for nothing? Rrrruber biscuit?
Da Juice :
This version of Maddison Jeffries is closer to the current, half-insane version in Uncanny than the down-to-Earth blue collar worker of Byrne's era. He's treated as a villain, but one more in need of the cure than imprisonment. Unfortunately, Robert Smith was unavailable.
The insanity was caused by PTSD from his (previously-established) war service.
Mac is there as Logan's friend and superior; fairly cool, but not an active participant.
It's a respectful enough treatment.
[table]
[TR]
[TD]On its own: (4/10)
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]For Alpha Flightness: (7/10)
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Quality: (8/10)
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/table]
[TR]
[TD]On its own: (4/10)
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]For Alpha Flightness: (7/10)
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Quality: (8/10)
[/TR]
[/table]