Alpha Flight Questionnaire

[Ben]

Welcome Ravenheart and Snowsquatch!

always great to have new members, not to mention brand new fans for Alpha Flight! Be careful in the cupboard, Del is threatening to moon you I think...

Ben

[DelBubs]

Welcome to the new members, nice to have you here. Take no notice about me mooning people, I have found it financially restrictive and the magistrate will not give you time to pay.

[Snowsquatch]

And I think that character ruined Northstar coming out issue.

I think it was a long time coming, since it's a Byrne idea to begin with, going all the way back to issue #1.

[Transmetropolitan]

1. How long have you been collecting Alpha Flight?

I don't, really...

2. What was your first memory of Alpha Flight? If recent, what was your first reaction?

An old Avengers issue...They, the Avengers, and the People's Protectorate fought some schmucks called the Combine. Actually, Alpha Flight didn't get to do too much, and my favorite character was the Crimson Dynamo, but hey, I was just a kid...

3. Who is you favorite Alpha Flight character?

Narya. Dear, dear Narya...

4. Who is you least favorite Alpha Flight character?

Marrina. I just never got interested enough in her.

5. Who is you favorite Alpha Flight villain?

See my avatar? That's who.

6. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight villain?

The Collective. Rassum-frassum wiping out the team...

7. What do you think is the best issue / story-arch from Alpha Flight?

An old Claremont yarn, wherein the best incarnation of the X-Men ever teams up with Alpha Flight to check out a mystery up north. They run afoul of Loki, and a good time is had by all.

8. What do you consider the Alpha Flight "Dream Team"?

Oh man, if I could pick?

Heather (Vindicator) as team leader
Puck (Eugene Judd)
Narya/Snowbird
Northstar
Sasquatch
Shaman
Logan/Wolverine/Weapon X (I always got a kick out of how he never really warmed up the the people who were almost his teammates... but still killed in Snowbird's defense)

9. If you were to be stuck on a desert island with one member of Alpha Flight, Who would it be (powers can not get you off the island)

Huh. Probably Heather. I wouldn't want to leave the island. In all seriousness? Walter Langowski. A brilliant physicist. Forget his powers, let's use his brain...

10. Who was/is/could be the best leader of Alpha Flight?

Heather Hudson. I especially liked her as leader before she got her suit, and had no powers. She was like Val Cooper, only, you know, good.

11. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight writer?

Chris Claremont. I can;t recall if he ever wrote Alpha Flight itself, but I always enjoyed how he handled the team.

12. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight writer?

Haven't got one.

13. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight artist?

Eh. Hard to say.

14. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight artist?

Whoever it was that manga-ed them up in the more recent stuff.

15. If you could undo one thing in Alpha Flight history, what would it be?

One thing? Howzabout the cancellations? No?

Then I would've had Narya go on living... Oh well.

[Von Allan]

1. How long have you been collecting Alpha Flight?

I'm horribly dating myself, but I bought issues from Byrne's run when they were new on the stands. So that's, what, 1983 or '84? Quite a while, anyway! Like a fan boy, I stuck with the post-Byrne issues for almost the entire series, finally giving up around issue 100 or so. Hopefully I won't be starting a fight, but that first series was pretty terrible post-Byrne. Your mileage may vary, of course!

2. What was your first memory of Alpha Flight? If recent, what was your first reaction?

First memory? Well, the earliest would probably be that shot of Mac standing in the empty Department H from issue 1 of the first series. But the most vivid memory is when Mac died in issue 12. That really got to me as a kid. I also knew I loved comics at that time, since I re-read that single issue to death.

3. Who is you favorite Alpha Flight character?

That's a toughie. I love Mac from the Byrne run but I feel he's been changed quite a bit since then. But I love Puck (again, the Byrne run - I'm sounding kinda repetitive here, aren't I?) so he'll get my vote.

4. Who is you least favorite Alpha Flight character?

How to put this? What Bill Mantlo did to Roger Bochs screwed the pooch on one of my favourites. Bochs went from being a character I loved to a character I hated almost overnight. I'm going by memory here, but man...that bugged the hell out of me.

5. Who is you favorite Alpha Flight villain?

Jerome Jaxon.

6. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight villain?

Dreamqueen. Hands down.

7. What do you think is the best issue / story-arch from Alpha Flight?

Issues 11-12 from the 1st series. Though I have a major soft-spot for both the Great Beast run from issues 22-24 and also Byrne's send-off with Delphine Courtney impersonating Mac in 25-28.

8. What do you consider the Alpha Flight "Dream Team"?

Guardian (Mac), Snowbird, Aurora, Northstar, Puck, Sasquatch, Marinna

9. If you were to be stuck on a desert island with one member of Alpha Flight, Who would it be (powers can not get you off the island)

Mac or Puck. I can't choose.

10. Who was/is/could be the best leader of Alpha Flight?

Heather Hudson. And I'm talking the non-powered version here, folks. She was awesome as the glue that held the team together both before and after Mac died in the 1st series.

11. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight writer?

John Byrne.

12. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight writer?

Bill Mantlo. Ick.

13. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight artist?

Byrne.

14. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight artist?

Sadly, Mike Mignola. I love Hellboy so don't get me wrong. But Mignola here was still finding his legs and did a crappy job with the team.

15. If you could undo one thing in Alpha Flight history, what would it be?

Linking Puck's dwarfism to some form of mystical jail (Razer, I think?). I thought that was horrible, mainly because Mantlo (I think it was Mantlo) just couldn't leave it alone. Puck was supposed to be a man who overcame a disability to excel as a hero. But nooooo...he had to explain why Puck was a dwarf in the first place. That said, the Aurora/Northstar elf thing is up there, too.

[Legerd]

Welcome to Alpha Waves Von Allan!

[syvalois]

be starting a fight, but that first series was pretty terrible post-Byrne. Your mileage may vary, of course!

Oh, don't worry, many agree with you. Byrne run was definitly the best.

4. Who is you least favorite Alpha Flight character?

How to put this? What Bill Mantlo did to Roger Bochs screwed the pooch on one of my favourites. Bochs went from being a character I loved to a character I hated almost overnight. I'm going by memory here, but man...that bugged the hell out of me.

totally agree there

Yes, I agree and what to think of bimbo Aurora? awful!

6. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight villain?

Dreamqueen. Hands down.

Funny, that's one of the only thing I liked about Mantlo

14. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight artist?

Sadly, Mike Mignola. I love Hellboy so don't get me wrong. But Mignola here was still finding his legs and did a crappy job with the team.

I agree with you but it's not only Mignola's fault, it's also the inkers fault. Talaoc(sp?) had a too strong inking, look at the covers they looked a lot better.

15. If you could undo one thing in Alpha Flight history, what would it be?

Linking Puck's dwarfism to some form of mystical jail (Razer, I think?).[...]. That said, the Aurora/Northstar elf thing is up there, too.

yes, I agree

[darc_light]

Transmetropolitan, Do you hate Val Cooper too?

[Transmetropolitan]

Transmetropolitan, Do you hate Val Cooper too?

With the burning passion of a thousand suns.

[Snowsquatch]

Time for some updates.

1. How long have you been collecting Alpha Flight?
Only recently. Within the last 2 months or so. It began as a conversation where I dismissed AF as "totally boring." In particular, I hated the costumes.

2. What was your first memory of Alpha Flight? If recent, what was your first reaction?
Really stupid costumes.

EDIT: My current opinion is: Most of the costumes have been poorly rendered at some point, making them seem dorkier than they could be. For instance, Snowbird's costume has undergone virtually no changes over the years, but sometimes she looks awful, and sometimes she looks great.

I find Heather's dorkiness is proportional to the size of her googles.

The "big P" costume is always dumb looking, though. Puck looked his best in vol 2. Loved that mustache!

3. Who is you favorite Alpha Flight character?
Heather.

EDIT: I still like Heather, but if there is ever a volume 4, she and Mac should go into semi-retirement, perhaps as directors of Department H. Time to let other AFers shine.

Sasquatch is my new favorite. Hard to imagine AF without Sassy.

4. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight character?
Major Mapleleaf.

EDIT: I recognize that AF vol 3 was just a lark, so MM is a natural fit for that kind of thing. But he remains a pretty bland character with a silly name. (If he doesn't have any powers, why would AF bring him along to fight the Collective? Duh!)

5. Who is you favorite Alpha Flight villain?
Nemesis.

EDIT: I would like to see Nemesis in a more villainous role in any AF vol 4. She was very menacing in vol 3, and I really believed she wanted to gut Sas in #2. I can imagine that if Rudy were to die before her, she would spend her remaining days being a royal pain to AF, especially if they contributed (in her mind) to his demise.

Overall, the greatest weakness of the AF series is a lack of decent villains. Job number one of vol 4's writer is developing good recurring villains. Is Aurora still screwed up from HoM? She could be a good villain. Is Jeffries still screwed up from Weapon X? Him too.

Having three former Alphans as villains could make for a great run. Just keep them separate, not in an "Omega Flight" type team. (Been there, done that.) No more sinister Dept H plots, either. (Been there, done that to death.)

6. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight villain?
I'll get back to you, but the fat Pearl probably.

EDIT: Pink Pearl remains the worst villain ever.

7. What do you think is the best issue / story-arch from Alpha Flight?
a) Death of Mac leading to Heather leading AF.
b) Snowbird killing Sasquatch, then Sasquatch coming back in Snowbird's body.

ADDED:

7.1. What do you think is the worst issue / story-arc from AF?
AF vol 3 issues 9-12. Time travel stories suck.

8. What do you consider the Alpha Flight "Dream Team"?
Heather, Shaman, Sasquatch. Maybe Puck. (I see Snowbird as having left for Goddesshood forever.)

EDIT: If I have to choose a new AF team for volume 4, it's be:
Northstar, returning from X-Men to lead AF (under Dept H's new civilian directors, Mac and Heather)
Sasquatch (of course)
Talisman
Zusha Yu

Thus, Northstar, Sas, Talisman, and Puck II would be the main spearhead of AF, with Mac, Heather, Shaman, Puck I, Snowbird, etc available to "backup" when required. They would also be mentors to the spearhead characters.

I see Northstar, Talisman, and Puck II as "being developed" over time by Mac, Shaman, and Puck I into a formidable force. Thus, Northstar begins as arrogant and irresponsible, but eventually a true leader emerges. (See more below.) Puck II and Talisman both grow to be the main brawler and mystic. Sas remains the stable core that the more evolving characters develop around.

I would like Talisman to return to AF, mostly because she's a cool classic AFer from the Byrne era. Also, I have this feeling of "unfinished business" between her and Shaman that needs to be concluded.

I recently finished reading Lobdell's AF vol 3. I really grew to like Yusha Yu, and would like to see more of her. This is another circumstance of "unfinished business" as well.

9. If you were to be stuck on a desert island with one member of Alpha Flight, Who would it be (powers can not get you off the island).
Heather. Every other gal has serious mental problems.

EDIT: Add Zusha to that list.

10. Who was/is/could be the best leader of Alpha Flight?
I prefer Heather. I think Mac was a good leader 'til he died.

EDIT: Obviously, I'd like to see Northstar given a chance. I just see this as natural character evolution: we saw him chafe under the leadership of Mac and Heather, so let's see him when the shoe is on the other foot.

Partly, this is motivated by a desire to see the Aurora story arc from HoM concluded. Seeing Northstar taking the lead to resolve her shift to the dark side just seems so natural and inevitable to me. The fact that Northstar has his own darkness to deal with makes it all the more interesting.

Of course, as the new leader, his costume will require a subtle alteration to the right-hand side:



11. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight writer?
John Byrne, hands down.

12. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight writer?
No opinion, but whoever brought Major Mapleleaf in should be tarred and feathered.

EDIT: My opinion of Lobdell is mixed. Reading vol 3 for what it is - a lark and a spoof - I can appreciate the self-referential humor. It was very funny at times. But that run has sooo many problems. Even after 12 issues, the powers of several characters remained unclear, and the timeline of AF was so horribly screwed I don't know what's what now. Who died in New Avengers 12 - the time-displaced AF? Is there still an AF in space en route to Plodexia? Are they coming back? [Head hurts]

Worst of all: where were the villains? Twelve issue, and the only fight sequences included a cloned AF, waxed Marvel heroes, Big Hero Six, and each other! (Ok, the alternate timeline Box looked great, but still...)

13. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight artist?
Another hard one. I'll get back to you.

EDIT: The artwork of Clayton Henry was just awesome. The action sequences were just so dynamic. I mean, I think Marrina is a boring character, but she just looked so great in issue 3 that I'd accept her back just because she looked so interesting and distinctive there! Sasquatch looks just amazing in those 10 issues, and all the other AFers just seem more alive than I've ever seen them before.

14. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight artist?
Cut it out already!

EDIT: Gotta say, whoever did vol 3 #7-8 really had a tough act to follow. (Ross, was it?) It was hard too look at.

But so far, my least favorite art ever was in "The Gift" X-Men/AF book. (Paul Smith and Bob Wiacek?) Everyone looked their worst in that book, Sassy especially.

15. If you could undo one thing in Alpha Flight history, what would it be?
Major Mapleleaf.

EDIT: Or, I would just erase AF vol 7-12.

[Ryan Maxwell]

1. How long have you been collecting Alpha Flight?

Since vol. 1, issue 11.

2. What was your first memory of Alpha Flight? If recent, what was your first reaction?

Seeing the back of Guardian with the unknown figures in the background, pulled from a spinner rack in my local Waldenbooks.

3. Who is you favorite Alpha Flight character?

Guardian, most definitely.

4. Who is you least favorite Alpha Flight character?

Anyone introduced after Byrne left.

5. Who is you favorite Alpha Flight villain?

Hmm...Delphine Courtney?

6. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight villain?

Gilded Lily

7. What do you think is the best issue / story-arch from Alpha Flight?

AF 11-12

8. What do you consider the Alpha Flight "Dream Team"?

Guardian, Shaman, Sasquatch, Snowbird, Aurora, Puck, Northstar, Talisman, Box

9. If you were to be stuck on a desert island with one member of Alpha Flight, Who would it be (powers can not get you off the island)

How could it possibly be anyone but Aurora? Not Jeanne-Marie. Aurora.

10. Who was/is/could be the best leader of Alpha Flight?

Guardian

11. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight writer?

Mr. Byrne

12. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight writer?

Dunno, I stopped collecting after issue 28

13. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight artist?

Again, John Byrne

14. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight artist?

See number 12

15. If you could undo one thing in Alpha Flight history, what would it be?

The Death of Guardian. While it cemented my love of the series, it also took away my newest favorite character. Tough stuff for a then 9 year old kid.

16. First Post. I'm the proud owner of the Guardian vs. Omega Flight commission that John Byrne did a little while back.

[Ryan Maxwell]

Whoops, double post. My clever way of bumping up my numbers so early in the game.

[Snowsquatch]

8. What do you consider the Alpha Flight "Dream Team"?

Guardian, Shaman, Sasquatch, Snowbird, Aurora, Puck, Northstar, Talisman, Box

Roger Bochs, I assume?

What about Jeffries? He's a Byrne character.

I'm the proud owner of the Guardian vs. Omega Flight commission that John Byrne did a little while back.

Damn cool. Can we see some pics showing how you mounted it?

[Ryan Maxwell]

Definitely Roger Bochs inside the robot/armor. Roger was a good soul. Heard he died, which is too bad.

I liked what I saw of Jeffries, he had a very useful power. I'm not sure he was the joining type, but who knows what John would have done with him.

I still haven't had the commission framed, sorry to say. I'm still trying to convince the wife to let me put it where I want it hanged. I'll probably do a basic black frame with UV glass.

[The Real McCoy]

1. How long have you been collecting Alpha Flight?
for a good 8 years since I was about 11

2. What was your first memory of Alpha Flight? If recent, what was your first reaction?
Marvel Universe Vol 2 I thought sasquatch was awesome I think I saw it in like 1991

3. Who is you favorite Alpha Flight character?
Roger Boch's Box with Sasquatch coming at second

4. Who is you least favorite Alpha Flight character?
tossup between windshear and Purple girl

5. Who is you favorite Alpha Flight villain?
Deadly Ernest he had alot of potential

6. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight villain?
Caliber yes from issue #23

7. What do you think is the best issue / story-arch from Alpha Flight?
Gilded Lily {20-21}, I also like 44-46 with Box fighting Sasquatch

8. What do you consider the Alpha Flight "Dream Team"?
Sasquatch as leader, Puck I, Shaman, Northstar, Aurora, Snowbird, Marrina, Roger Bochs with his helmut

9. If you were to be stuck on a desert island with one member of Alpha Flight, Who would it be (powers can not get you off the island)
Sasquatch II just cause he would be very intresting to be around and would find stuff to eat and to survive

10. Who was/is/could be the best leader of Alpha Flight?
Mac by a long shot

11. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight writer?
John Byrne

12. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight writer?
none really they all have their ways of representing the characters pretty well

13. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight artist?
John Byrne

14. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight artist?
Mike Mignola I hated his box

15. If you could undo one thing in Alpha Flight history, what would it be?
The Way Box I was killed total destruction of a great character