AF #29A - "RETCON 1" with apologies to Bill Mantlo
FULL-PAGE SPLASH: Hulk coming out of the Crossroads and slamming his fist into Box.
CAPTION (top): Vancouver, British Columbia...Canada!
Box's word balloon: "Wait! That's not Dr. Langkowski!"
Puck's word balloon: "It's---The Hulk!"
Hulk's word balloon: "Hulk smash metal man...for bringing Hulk here!"
CAPTION (bottom): The massive laboratory of Roger Bochs.
PAGE 2
Panel 1: Box's left fist hitting Hulk.
CAPTION: Instinctively, Box lashes out with his good arm, reacting reflexively...as if the spirit of Walter Langkowski still resided within!
Box's thought balloon: "Can't let The Hulk...wreck my lab!"
Panel 2: Close-up of distraught Heather.
Heather's word balloon: "Oh my---Walter! ROGER!"
Panel 3: Close-up of determined Puck.
Puck's word balloon: "Don't worry, Heather. I'll help Box."
Puck's thought balloon: " 'though goin' up against the Hulk ain't high on my list of things ta do."
Panel 4: Close-up of concerned Madison Jeffries.
Jeffries' word balloon: "Bochs, keep up the attack! Bochs! What's wrong with you?"
Panel 5: Close-up of Northstar.
Northstar's word balloon: "Box is seizing up...the damage done must be affecting him!"
Panel 6: Close-up of shocked Aurora.
Aurora's word balloon: "Please, someone---tell me what 'as 'appened? Is that...my cher Walter?"
Panel 6: Multi-image of Puck leaping into Hulk.
Puck's word balloon: "No, Aurora, that ain't Walt. And until proven otherwise...I'd have to say our big oaf...is dead!"
Hulk's word balloon: "Little man...leaping at Hulk?"
Panel 7: Hulk's fist narrowly missing a leaping Puck.
Hulk's word balloon: "Bah! Stand still, little man! Stand still...so Hulk can swat you!"
Puck's word balloon: "Sorry, Hulk, but I prefer to play this game...my way!"
Page 3
Panel 1: Close-up of Heather talking to depressed Shaman.
Heather's word balloon: "Michael, Box is down...the twins aren't reacting...and Puck doesn't stand a chance, alone! Michael!"
Shaman's word balloon: "I hear you, Heather, but---"
Panel 2: Close-up of Shaman.
Shaman's word balloon: "---what do you think I can do?"
Panel 3: Close-up of peeved Heather.
Heather's word balloon: "I think you can get yourself together---and help your teammates!"
Panel 4: Hulk tagging Puck, sending him flying; Shaman instinctively pushing Heather out of the way.
Hulk's word balloon: "Hah! Got you at last, little man!"
Puck's word balloon: " yeeowch! "
Shaman's word balloon: "Look out!"
Heather's word balloon: "The team needs you, Michael...you're the only one left!"
Panel 5: Northstar speeding up to enter the fray.
Northstar's word balloon: "Do not count me or my sister out, just yet...for we can act...in the blink of an eye!"
Panel 6: Northstar multi-punching Hulk.
Panel 7: Close-up of pleased Aurora.
Aurora's word balloon: "Frere! You are staggering the green monster! And if you can do that, alone...just think of what we can do when we combine our powers!"
Panel 8: Aurora, glowing, reaching out to Northstar.
Northstar's word balloon: "Oui. Oui! Let's do it, sister...like in the old days..."
Aurora's word balloon: "...when we were partners! Shield your eyes, mes amis!"
Page 4
Panel 1: Close-up of surprised Aurora.
Aurora's word balloon: "Oh!"
Panel 2: Close-up of equally-surprised Northstar.
Northstar's word balloon: "Aurora!"
Panel 3: Twins falling to the ground, hard.
Northstar's word balloon: "What have you done to us?"*
* words of Bill Mantlo.
Panel 4: Background - Hulk rubbing his eyes; Foreground - Shaman looking quizzically at Heather.
Shaman's word balloon: "What's wrong with them?"
Panel 5: Stern Heather.
Heather's word balloon: "Instant recap: the twins aren't twins in superpowers, anymore."
Heather's word balloon: "Look, are you in this fight or not? Alpha Flight needs your power...the power of Shaman!"
Panel 6: Apathetic Shaman.
Shaman's word balloon: "But my power is founded on my faith that I am worthy to wield the magic of my ancestors! Without faith...I have no more power than you.* Still, my friends are in trouble..."
* words of Bill Mantlo.
Panel 7: Shaman reaching into his medicine bag.
CAPTION (top): Michael Twoyoungmen reaches into his medicine pouch...
CAPTION (bottom): ...careful even in his despair not to look into it...
Panel 8: Shaman's hand emerging empty.
CAPTION (top): ...but the hand that seeks power to help Alpha Flight against the Hulk...*
* words of Bill Mantlo.
CAPTION (bottom): ....emerges---empty!"
Panel 9: Crouched over Box, Jeffries starting to fuse the nearly-ripped off robotic arm.
Jeffries' word balloon: "Geez, Bochs! Things are fallin' apart all around us! Looks like it's up to you an' me!"
Box's word balloon: "I...I can't! I told you! The Hulk smashed me up, good! I'll never be whole again! Never!"
Panel 10: Close-up of stunned Box.
Jeffies' word balloon (from off-panel): "Stop whinin', 'cause now ain't the time for it! I'm here...and as long as I am, I can repair whatever damage has been done!* But when I'm through, you need to get back out there...if yer man enough!"
* words of Bill Mantlo.
Instead of just griping and sniping...
...I thought it would be better to try to fix the problem, since it has been my contention that Alpha Flight went way off-track starting with # 29.
This story would incorporate elements of the Hulk/Alpha Flight fight, but would soon focus on a different series of events. It wouldn't prohibit the possibility of a RETCON 2, for someone who wanted to go in a different direction, since the Crossroads fits in with all the time-traveling stuff.
