• The Future Of Alpha Flight?

    *This article contains spoilers for today's Avengers #0 - Please don't read ahead unless you mind having Alpha Flight's involvement discussed*

    Last month it was revealed that Alpha Flight would be appearing in the pages of Captain Marvel, as part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel line-up.

    Captain Marvel, being Marvel's premier female superhero at the moment is quite rightly appearing in various books, as part of the team of A-Force and The Ultimates.

    The All-New, All-Different Marvel era begins today, and with it comes Avengers (2015) #0 - a 49 page $5.99 oneshot that gives 6 prelude stories to the forthcoming Avengers titles - Squadron Supreme, New Avengers, All-New, All-Different Avengers, A-Force, Uncanny Avengers, and The Ultimates.

    The A-Force story, by writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Victor Ibanez focuses on Captain Marvel and gives a glimpse into the setting for Danvers' solo book.

    In fact, the title is listed as 'Captain Marvel & Alpha Flight'


    The story opens at the 'Alpha Flight low orbit space station' and we get shown various background staff who are clearly shown as wearing AF patched jackets


    And that's pretty much it as far as AF are concerned; we don't get to see any existing characters or even get names for the background staff.

    However, the story is quite clearly a Captain Marvel one, leading to events in A-Force rather than her own solo title, and it's a brief prelude as part of an anthology book so it's not cause for distress.

    The story itself is definitely a well written, nice taster and sets the scene for Alpha Flight's adventures in space but fans expecting to see their favourite characters may be hesitant to spent $5.99 on it, especially with 4 covers.

    It's definitely a positive that Marvel are pushing the title into this part of it's universe, especially with a Captain Marvel film on the horizon.

    Captain Marvel #1 is currently scheduled for January 2016, with new details possibly revealed this weekend at NYCC.
    Comments 131 Comments
    1. Le Messor's Avatar
      Le Messor -
      I've been paranoid so far, but that 'the' makes me think... it was probably just a meaningless typo. I can picture going to type a team name and semi-automatically starting with 'the' (The Avengers, The X-Men, The Fantastic Four...)
      That's what it looks like to me, anyway.

      Quote Originally Posted by Legerd View Post
      EDIT: I just want to raise a question I've asked before: would you buy a team book that was Alpha Flight in all but name? Meaning that all the characters were Alphans, it's set in Canada, all the usual suspects (Dept. H, Weapon X, known villains, etc.) were in it, but it was called Avengers North or the Canadian Shield or anything else other than "Alpha Flight?"
      I buy it for the characters. So, yes, until the horrible writing drove me away.
      Of course, if it had good writing, I'd stick to it.
      (Though I care nothing about Dept. H or Weapon X.)

      ~ Le Messor
      "I don't know why I did it, I don't know why I enjoyed it, and I don't know why I'll do it again."
      ~ Bart Simpson
    1. maniac mike's Avatar
      maniac mike -
      Posted over at CBR's Axel-In-Charge...

      Then we'll wrap for now with Legend, who asks, "Hey Axel, could you please provide some details on what Alpha Flight is going to look like in the ANAD Marvel U?" To chime in, there're a big part of the January-debuting "Captain Marvel," correct?
      Alonso: You'll get your first glimpse of the Alpha Flight in "Captain Marvel" #1.
      http://www.comicbookresources.com/ar...-with-iron-man
    1. maniac mike's Avatar
      maniac mike -
      Quote Originally Posted by maniac mike View Post
      Posted over at CBR's Axel-In-Charge...



      http://www.comicbookresources.com/ar...-with-iron-man
      Opps, I see that Phil beat me to it...
    1. Mokole's Avatar
      Mokole -
      "the Alpha Flight" doesn't fill me with any confidence.
    1. Garry/Al-Fan's Avatar
      Garry/Al-Fan -
      Quote Originally Posted by Legerd View Post
      Marvel isn't getting one cent of my money unless the characters I knew as Alpha Flight exist in this ANAD Universe, and are written better than in the past. I'm not shelling out cash just to see a faux Alpha Flight, or to watch my favourite characters used as punching bags again so a headline character can look good.
      Where's the "like" button? Two thumbs up?
    1. Phil's Avatar
      Phil -
      The latest A-I-C Column at CBR gives me hope, especially in context with a previous one:

      http://www.comicbookresources.com/ar...y-awesome-hulk


      We'll take off for the long weekend with kaijudo, who has an observation and a question: "No word yet in the ANAD Marvel U about two of my favorites: Captain Britain and Alpha Flight. Any plans for either of those characters/titles?"
      Alonso: Stay tuned for good news, I think.

      http://www.comicbookresources.com/ar...raordinary-era


      Then we'll wrap with Gotham Thrasher, who wants to know the whereabouts of a couple of Marvel characters: "Any chance of Ghost Rider Johnny Blaze and Captain Britain showing in the All-New, All-Different Marvel Universe?"
      Alonso: There are no current plans for Captain Britain, and sketchy plans for Johnny Blaze. Unless. Wait. Sounds like a buddy book...
    1. Le Messor's Avatar
      Le Messor -
      I'm not seeing the AF connection there.
    1. Phil's Avatar
      Phil -
      Well in last months one someone asks about Captain Britain and Alpha Flight and he says stay tuned for good news, not saying as to which.

      This week he says no plans for Captain Britain, ergo the good news corresponded to Alpha Flight...
    1. Le Messor's Avatar
      Le Messor -
      Oh, I see how you worked that out. It makes sense, BUT:

      Between the fact that the OP asked 'characters/titles' (emphasis mine), and the way people talk when they have something to sell, to me that basically adds nothing to the question of whether Carol Danvers' Alpha Flight is our Alpha Flight. Alonso could simply have meant 'you'll be seeing those words in a regular title soon'. (Or, again, he could've meant 'The Alpha Flight you know and love will be back in the pages of Captain Marvel, but I can't tell you.' Don't take this as me denying the possibility!)

      ~ Le Messor
      "Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't."
      ~ Erica Jong
    1. Phil's Avatar
      Phil -
      Hmm... Do I see an redesigned Aurora Starburst costume?
      https://twitter.com/kristaferanka/st...88718129844225

      Attachment 4959
    1. Le Messor's Avatar
      Le Messor -
      Do you mean CM, or over her shoulder?
    1. Phil's Avatar
      Phil -
      The person over her shoulder.
    1. -K-M-'s Avatar
      -K-M- -
      Yeah it's possible. Them keeping it somewhat hidden is actually a positive thing.
    1. Canucklehead's Avatar
      Canucklehead -
      Isn't that just a Carol Corps starburst shoulder patch? Wasn't there a different one for AF?

      On second look, is that a (red) pointy ear or from a helmet/mask?

      Also, does she have a goiter on her neck? Someone should check her thyroid.
    1. Phil's Avatar
      Phil -
      Quote Originally Posted by Canucklehead View Post
      Isn't that just a Carol Corps starburst shoulder patch? Wasn't there a different one for AF?
      One on each shoulder?

      On second look, is that a (red) pointy ear or from a helmet/mask?
      Yeah, I thought base colour for a shadowed pointy ear...

      Stretching out of hope, I know...
    1. Le Messor's Avatar
      Le Messor -
      Quote Originally Posted by Phil View Post
      Yeah, I thought base colour for a shadowed pointy ear...
      Depends on if that's her hair around it.
    1. Canucklehead's Avatar
      Canucklehead -
      Quote Originally Posted by Phil View Post
      Hmm... Do I see an redesigned Aurora Starburst costume?
      Based on what little there was to go on and using CM's body proportions, this is what I came up with:

      http://s13.postimg.org/indqrlo7b/Aurora.jpg
    1. -K-M-'s Avatar
      -K-M- -
      Talent. Well done.
    1. Le Messor's Avatar
      Le Messor -
      Yes, well done!
    1. Canucklehead's Avatar
      Canucklehead -
      Well the ears do align... Does this change anyone's opinion?
      Aurora? Another Hero? Just a staff worker/pilot?
      What I thought was her neck ended up being what looks like fur collar from a pilots jacket.