Alpha Flight Equals Canada?

I read a really great book recently about the concept of certain superheros supposedly representing in both symbolical and literal form, their respective nations. This primarily focused on Captain America (duh) for the United States, alpha flight and captain Canuck for Canada (with a brief mention of Nelvanna of the northern lights) and captain Britain, the captain Britain corps, and Union Jack for the U.K. This got me to thinking of a few potential topic threads for this board:

1.For those of us on AFN that were either raised in Canada, or spent a long time living here but born and raised elsewhere (a year from now Illl have lived here a decade), how do or did certain characters or the team as a whole in AF strike you in a patriotic or nationally symbolic way? For those who have spent most of their lives outside of Canada, has AF impacted your overall view of the nation in general?
2. Does the fact that after John Byrne, the series was no longer in the hands of a Canadian, hollow or at least impact their representation of Canada, as you saw it?
3. Outside of Alpha Flight, what other national themed superheroes do you enjoy reading or intrigue you to want to begin reading them?( for some reason I just am very attracted to this concept as a whole, regardless (for the most part ) of the hero or teams nation of origins. Ps if anybody happens to have the five issue mini series Union Jack got a few years ago, or the one off( I think it was a one off not a mini series) that the Russian winter guard had, let me know!

What book is this? I'm intrigued by the topic. A
I'm from NYC so can't answer your Canadian q.

The specific book is Capatain America and the Nationalist Superhero. Another great book in a similar vein is Captain America: Masculinity, Violence, and the Evolution of a National Icon. The latter is better because the author analyzes the portrayal of cap through all his appearances in the comics, both in 616 and in the ultimates universe as well as the first two cap movies. The former covers a wider range of topics though, including exploding space vampires

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Originally Posted by Yankee

For those who have spent most of their lives outside of Canada, has AF impacted your overall view of the nation in general?

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Ooh! Ooh! Pick me!

I've been to Canada once in my life - and that was about a year ago (or two? I s'rsly lose track of time). And I spent just under a week there (in Vancouver, and on Victoria Island - is that the correct name?)

Most of the time, I spend my life on literally the other side of the planet.

So, for me, AF puts the country in my mind. It's largely the reason I insisted on going there at all.

AF gives me an affection for the country I wouldn't have otherwise. A connection, even if it's with a fictionalised version.

~ Le Messor
"How do we not rue the many unchosen paths in life? A blessed lack of imagination. There are enough real glories along any path to swamp our meager ability to picture alternatives."
~ quoted or originated by Terry Rossio

In addition to Alpha, I've been a fan of The Winter Guard for many years. I've always had a fondness for Ursa Major, Darkstar and Vanguard mostly. I also loved the original Excalibur team and collected that series for quite a while.

Dana

1. Aside from Guardian & Vindicator's flag costumes I've never thought of AF as being patriotic, and, to be honest, the symbolism of the characters was lost on me when I first discovered the team. Mac/Heather are the leaders who come from the capital of Canada, Ottawa; Walter is from BC which is where Sasquatch sightings are most frequent; Marrina is from Newfoundland which is a coastal province where the main industry is fishing; the twins represent the duality of the Quebecois, Nationalists and Separatists; Michael represents the First Nations Peoples while Narya represents the Inuit. I'm not sure how Eugene is representative of Saskatchewan unless it's his rugged, down-to-earth personality.

2. I've always liked the Soviet Super Soldiers/Winter Guard as well. I love when they are written not as villains, but as heroes whose agenda merely doesn't align with Western heroes.

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Originally Posted by Legerd

the twins represent the duality of the Quebecois,

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Oh, wow. I'd never realised that before!

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Originally Posted by Legerd

I'm not sure how Eugene is representative of Saskatchewan unless it's his rugged, down-to-earth personality.

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Something to do with hockey? Is Sasktchewan a hockey place? Why not make it Sasquatchewan?

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Originally Posted by Legerd

2. I've always liked the Soviet Super Soldiers/Winter Guard as well. I love when they are written not as villains, but as heroes whose agenda merely doesn't align with Western heroes.

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Which is technically kind of how Alpha were introduced! :)

~ Le Messor
"History is a story written by the finger of God."
~ C. S. Lewis

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Originally Posted by Le Messor

Something to do with hockey? Is Sasktchewan a hockey place? Why not make it Sasquatchewan?

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HAHAHAHAHAHA! That was brilliant! But, no, Saskatchewan has no NHL team. They do have a Canadian Football League team which makes me wonder now how close Eugene came to being the superhero, Pigskin.

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Originally Posted by Le Messor

Which is technically kind of how Alpha were introduced! :)

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Which may well be why I like the Russian team.

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Originally Posted by Legerd

Which may well be why I like the Russian team.

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Of course! :)

I really wonder what Union Jacks take on Brexit is

I remember that on my trip to Toronto I tried to visit as many of the locations from the pages of Alpha Flight as I could.

Next year, out tribal association is having out conference in Niagara Falls, NY. So my plan, if I am allowed to attend, is jump over to Canada and see what related AF places I can get to. I also want to attend a CFL game in Hamiliton and try to get up to Toronto. I need a map of AF places!. lol

Click the link in my reply right above yours! :lol: