Word around the campfire....

[bhissong]

O.k., now this is just what I heard at my local comic shop...maybe someone can respond if they've heard something similar. But some of the guys were talking about the new titles that will come out of "Civil War." "Heros for Hire" was mentioned, and someone said, "Oh, did you hear what they're gonna do with Alpha Flight?" Well, of course I was curious, so I listened on. Again, this is just what I heard, but...

There's a rumor that after "Civil War," a frustrated and disgruntled Captain America will gather a group of heros north of the border to form a "new" Alpha Flight.

O.k. So, don't shoot the messenger. That's just what I heard as of this past Wednesday. Has anyone heard anything similar?

BTH

[Barnacle13]

All I can say is I hope that's not true. Captain America should never lead a Canadian Superhero team. Now if he's organizing them under Avengers jurisdiction or something of that nature, fine. But leading would be bad! May as well try and annex Onatario while they're at it.

[-K-M-]

Yeah it's true

Alpha Flight news, from http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/?column=13 [/b]

"Alpha Flight" is Marvel's on-again-off-again super hero series created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, and originally launched in their own series by Byrne. That series was probably my favourite Byrne work of all time, and it's one I can regularly return to with much fondness. Marvel, time for an Essential Volume, no?

Anyway, since then, Marvel have regularly disbanded the team, banded them again, killed them, brought them back to life, and put them through all sorts of creative and commercial loops before recently killing them all off again. It's part of strategy that will see a relaunch, the new team and status quo being set up in "Civil War" by Mark Millar. So, what's the new twist that will give Alpha Flight that all important edge?

The new Alpha Flight series will be manned by American heroes who have moved to Canada as a result of the government legislation enacted in the 'Civil War' megacrossover. It plays off the history of Americans escaping the draft during the Vietnam War, as well as recent declarations by certain people that they'd move to Canada if Bush was re elected (and then not). It's politically observant, satirical, colonialist and intentionally controversial. And leading the team? Captain America, obviously.

You've got to hand it to Millar. That'll set the message boards buzzing.

[Ben]

K, all I gotta say here is that not everything you hear/read is necesarily the whole thruth. Wait until you hear something more officially before going ape, for that matter, even that which you hear officially will most likely be partial thruthes for a while. Keep positive.

Ben

[Phil]

I hear from a friend of a friend whose neighbours dog drinks at the same pub as God who is good friends with an editor at Marvel that the team is gonna consist of Captain America, 3 Wolverines, Osama Bin Laden, Batman, Spawn, Mickey Mouse and a new character called Byrne John. But you didn't hear it from me, okay?

[Transmetropolitan]

Hrrrrrm.

Already have a thread on this, no?

Anyway.

I doubt we've got the whole story on this- if nothing else, it's hard for me to see Captain America staying out of the U.S. permanently...

[birdygirl]

This story has been turning up repeatedly in the past week or so. I certainly hope it isn't true! Curiously, there are enough elements in it that almost make it seem plausible, i.e. the idea of a group of other heroes than the originals making up a team called "Alpha Flight". Never mind that this has been shown repeatedly not to work.

If this IS true, then I'm going to echo the sentiments of some of the other folks around here: Will Marvel never learn?

[maniac mike]

With all this hearsay going on about that rumor, our best bet is to wait until Monday when Newsarama has an exclusive interview with Mark Millar.

Hopefully he can clear up all the gossip.

mm

[Mokole]

Well, Joe Q. didn't help this week

”Tiger47”: In Steve McNiven's original promo art for Civil War, Sasquatch, Puck, and Guardian all appear. Yet, as you may or may not know, in New Avengers #16 they looked pretty dead. Was this an unintentional mistake? Did all of Alpha Flight just get bloody noses and decide to take naps in the Canadian Wilderness? What's up?

JQ: Tiger47, we’ll have to discuss this after Civil War.

[mos_def]

hopefully it isnt completely true but Captain America should not lead a Canadian team

[cmdrkoenig67]

It's still just a rumor....But I have to wonder if this is the "High profile" team, Miller was referring to(lead by Captain America)...if it is...I want no part of it.

It would just be another book with the title Alpha Flight, but filled mostly with posers/pretenders and it'll be cancelled quicker than the last series.

Dana

[Snowsquatch]

I don't mind the concept of Amercan heroes coming to Canada and joining AF. But:
1. Captain America cannot lead. That's just blasphemy.
2. At least half the team needs to be classic AF members.

Ok, let's assume this rumor is true. What would be the best you could hope for? For me, something like this:



Did this ever happen, with Wolverine in the flag suit? Which issue?

Of course, everyone else in that pic looks ridiculous. Northstar looks like "lightning-bolt" Superman.

I went looking for suitable American members.

I think a new AF with Shaman, Sasquatch, Snowbird, and Puck joined by Wolverine and maybe Iron Man and Nightcrawler would be ok.

But it seems any choice could be better covered by a former member of AF. Why have Dr Strange, for instance, when AF already has a magic using hero? Why have the Hulk, when we have Sasquatch? Why have Iron Man when they could just stick Jeffries back in the armour? Why have Nightclawler when they could have Nemesis?

I can understand Marvel wanting to shake things up. But I suspect they will just screw it up instead.

(Speaking of Nightclawler, I'd love to see Nemesis and Nightclawer fight. That would so rock!)

[Mokole]

Nemesis would gut Nightcrawler.

I have been sending out emials and messages for any news about all this, nothing yet. Not like I expected much. But Captain America leads Alpha Flight, an AF full of American deserters?? Will Reed Richards take a bunch of other deserters to Japan to lead Big Hero Six?

Hopefully Mark Millar will shed some light on this, Monday or to Ben somehow.

Speculation and rumours are killing us.

An Alpha Flight with a few deserters I can stand, but it needs Canucks!

[Canucklehead]

Hell if the worst case scenerio is Captain America leading a team located in Canada(but not called "alpha flight" cause they already had their "final battle"), I'm all for it. Create interest in MU's Canada again. Start some ****. Cause we all know Captain American wouldn't stay more then a storyline (but if bendis is the writer that could be a year... anyway). Then have Alpha member come back to clean up the previously mentioned **** with all that high profile interest. Do you think an AF series could have lasted after V3 without all the hype from the last few months and out of that of course, high profile Mark Millar saying he's a huge fan? Forget it!

There's no such thing as bad publicity and there's no such thing as a bad cameo with rumors circulating so fast, far and wide. When was the last time you read the words "Alpha Flight" in so many other comic message boards? Never as far as I remember. Go ahead, look for yourself! I'll wait right here.

[cmdrkoenig67]

Hell if the worst case scenerio is Captain America leading a team located in Canada(but not called "alpha flight" cause they already had their "final battle"), I'm all for it. Create interest in MU's Canada again. Start some s**t. Cause we all know Captain American wouldn't stay more then a storyline (but if bendis is the writer that could be a year... anyway). Then have Alpha member come back to clean up the previously mentioned s**t with all that high profile interest. Do you think an AF series could have lasted after V3 without all the hype from the last few months

If done right, why the heck not? Volume three could have been a success, if it wasn't written as poorly-conceived, not-very-funny "stand-up". Who knows?...Maybe if it goes down as you say it might, a great AF series may come from it...Let's hope Marvel doesn't screw them up more(like they've done to so many of their heroes lately).

and out of that of course, high profile Mark Millar saying he's a huge fan? Forget it!

There's no such thing as bad publicity and there's no such thing as a bad cameo with rumors circulating so fast, far and wide. When was the last time you read the words "Alpha Flight" in so many other comic message boards? Never as far as I remember. Go ahead, look for yourself! I'll wait right here.

I don't need to...."Been there and done that" applies and I agree.

Dana