What Have I missed?!?

Wow, have I been out of a loop! I stopped collecting comics about 15 years ago but the TV show HEROES renewed my interest in the genre.

I looked up Alpha Flight because this was mine and my brother's favorite comic book series. I found a decent Wikipedia entry and this site is excellent.

I can't believe some of the junk they've done with these characters! My brother and I always felt that Alpha Flight was an excellent series with so much potential but they never found a creative team with the passion to do it justice. From what I've read, it seems to have only gotten WORSE.

1) Beta Ray Bill? That seems sane compared to US Agent...it's a Canadian super-team.
2) Were they for real with Yukon Jack?
3) Puck and Heather married?
4) Why do they keep getting artists who make Sasquatch look like Chewbacca? Byrne did it best.
5) When and why did John Byrne say he hated Alpha Flight? It's the best thing he's ever created by himself. (His run w/ Claremont on X-Men is hands down one of the best creative teams in comic history).
6) What is all that stuff about different Shamans? Is Talisman still the same woman?
7) Speaking strictly from a creative standpoint, Alpha Flight should be the comic book equivalent of PG-13 or more mature. The orginal members (meaning anyone introduced in the first 50 issues) have so much potential. Can't any creative team get it right?

Ben, thanks for maintaining this great site!

Good to hear from you!

I don't think Puck ever married Heather. He wanted to, at one point.

I liked Clayton Henry and Scot Kolins as artists, too bad they had poor writing for Henry and wouldn't let Kolins use his best art style.

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Originally Posted by zephyr74

1) Beta Ray Bill? That seems sane compared to US Agent...it's a Canadian super-team.

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I couldn't agree more.

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2) Were they for real with Yukon Jack?

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In which regard? Generally speaking, alas, they VERY tried to be for real with him (or at least Lobdell was), much to our chagrin.

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3) Puck and Heather married?

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Ooookay, where did you get THAT from?

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4) Why do they keep getting artists who make Sasquatch look like Chewbacca? Byrne did it best.

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No question. But I am going to TOTALLY gag on this next statement when I say that Liefeld did a good rendition of him (*ugh* I can taste bile in my mouth) - see his version in the banner at the top of this... or any other... page)

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5) When and why did John Byrne say he hated Alpha Flight? It's the best thing he's ever created by himself. (His run w/ Claremont on X-Men is hands down one of the best creative teams in comic history).

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I can't remember the when, but the why was basically that he didn't 'connect' with the characters (bollox!) while working with them for, um, TWENTY-EIGHT issues. Some believe he was just distancing himself from the team because he was getting the book he REALLY wanted at the time (Incredible Hulk).

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6) What is all that stuff about different Shamans? Is Talisman still the same woman?

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Yes and no. Michael Twoyoungmen is and was the Shaman, tho he DID have an apprentice in the form of Chuck 'Earthmover' Moss (don't ask me, I didn't name him) until Michael died at the hands of the Collective in New Avengers. Recently, Talisman has been using Shaman's pouch, tho still going by Talisman. If you don't count the period in Alpha Flight volume #1 that Shaman was Talisman, then yes, Talisman is still the same woman, save for the fact that she's a tad more pissy now that her dad and most of the rest of Alpha are apparently dead. (As for the 'other Shamans' you're prolly seeing references to other reality versions of Shaman - such as John Proudstar as Shaman in Exiles a few years ago.)

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7) Speaking strictly from a creative standpoint, Alpha Flight should be the comic book equivalent of PG-13 or more mature. The orginal members (meaning anyone introduced in the first 50 issues) have so much potential. Can't any creative team get it right?

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Theoretically, yes, one can. So far, we haven't seen them. I'm still hopeful, tho not going to hold my breath (I'm a smoker, thus I have the lung capacity of a two-year-old)

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Originally Posted by HappyCanuck

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Originally Posted by zephyr74

4) Why do they keep getting artists who make Sasquatch look like Chewbacca? Byrne did it best.

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No question. But I am going to TOTALLY gag on this next statement when I say that Liefeld did a good rendition of him (*ugh* I can taste bile in my mouth) - see his version in the banner at the top of this... or any other... page)

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Actually, you might rest easy on that...I could swear that the drawing used in the banner was Whilce Portacio, done for the Civil War Aftermath thing.

Thanks for the feedback. How many times have they brought back James Hudson? It seems ridiculous.

Also, how was the team with Sasquatch as the leader? Heather was always numero uno in my book! For all the flack people give Bill Mantlo, I thought he did a great job with Heather, and later with Madison Jeffries.

I may be tempted to pick up the years of material that I've missed, the majority of fans still consider Byrne's run on the series as its Golden Age.

-Zef

I just read that interview with John Calimee. I hated his art back then, but it was a nice surprise to read how intelligent and humble he is. Also, I think people forget that his inker was Mike Manley. I didn't like his inks or pencils.

Also agree w/ Mystic because the art on the banner does look like Portacio's art. I liked some of his stuff back in the day but his line became too numerous and dense; sometimes less is more.

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Originally Posted by Mystic

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Originally Posted by HappyCanuck

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Originally Posted by zephyr74

4) Why do they keep getting artists who make Sasquatch look like Chewbacca? Byrne did it best.

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No question. But I am going to TOTALLY gag on this next statement when I say that Liefeld did a good rendition of him (*ugh* I can taste bile in my mouth) - see his version in the banner at the top of this... or any other... page)

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Actually, you might rest easy on that...I could swear that the drawing used in the banner was Whilce Portacio, done for the Civil War Aftermath thing.

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It was Mark Silvestri

Yup, Silvestri, and YOU could be the proud owner:

http://marcsilvestriart.com/shop/56.html

It started out at $3000... coulda had it on the cheap back then...

Love,
rplass

*takes deep sigh of relief* that's my bad. I saw the way that USAgent was drawn and it TOTALLY looks like Liefeld's style.

I agree. Silverstri's Sasquatch was awesome! He drew BRBill pretty well too, he really had a feel for making characters look imposing, intimidating, and menacing. Which, personally, is what i want in my heroes!

That does look like a Liefeld US Agent, but a Silvestri Sasquatch.

Jim Lee also got it right.
As did Paul Neary.

I wish the rest of the artists hired for Alpha Flight (or, in Neary's case, guest appearances) would look at pics of Sas before drawing him!

(Zephyr, welcome. You'll get used to me. That, or have a psychotic episode.)

- Le Messor
"Finagle’s First Law: If an experiment works, something has gone wrong."

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Originally Posted by Le Messor

(Zephyr, welcome. You'll get used to me. That, or have a psychotic episode.)

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I can vouch for this: I've known Mik for about ten years now, and I've been having psychotic episodes. That's all part and parcel of knowing him, I guess.

(hehe, love ya Mik!)

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Originally Posted by HappyCanuck

(hehe, love ya Mik!)

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Of course you do. Just goes to prove how great I am.

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Originally Posted by Le Messor

(Zephyr, welcome. You'll get used to me. That, or have a psychotic episode.)

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You now people that just blurt out random things, and may make sometimes no sense at all, sometimes his posts could even be questioned if they are following the rules...

Good thing i dont act like that...