Alpha Flight Villains

[syvalois]

How could I forget Captain Crozier.

Ah, Pestilence! Nice idea, wrong execution. And at the time I read that I had no clue it was link to a true story. Well, I would have never knew if Alphawaves never been in my life.

[mreeez]

1. Jaxon and Delphine Courtney (the villains that hooked me on AF)

2. Bedlam and the Derangers (too bad they were killed of quick)

3. The Master (like someone said, Alpha Flight's own Doctor Doom of sorts)

[SasqFan]

I thought Bedlam was great. I had hoped he would become part of the rogues gallery but was killed almost as soon as he appeared. He was great because he went back to Dept H and built upon that backstory which had proven problematic all along with gov't-sanctioned, gov't-independent, Wolverine going AWOL (to join the new X-Men in Giant Sized 1), Beta-Gamma recruits forming Omega Flight... to say Dept H was a troubled experiment is an understatement! It is/was a good source of back story / conflict.

The Master was good during the Byrne run (v. Doc Doom) but I did not like later appearances in v1. They were more traditional foes. Omega Flight, the first time around was fantastic. Later incarnations went back to that well far too often and without the intrinsic grudges of the original line up, the tension just wasn't there. With those characters dead (Box / Jaxon, Courtney) or turned heroes (Lil, Wild Child) or whatever... Smart Alec, Flashback, it's best to let that lay fallow. You're fortunate since the new book takes that title out of the proverbial quiver of Alpha Flight cliches.

Pestilence was great as well because, like the Great Beasts, the character tapped into the mysticism which went back to issue 1. Like the Master (target Marina), he was after a particular member of Alpha (Snowbird) for his purposes. Jaxon was after Mac. The Omega (Bochs-Lionel Jefferies) story works on that level but to a lesser degree. I thought Roger Bochs deserved better than that ending.

Though I own a Lee-Milgrom original art piece from that story arc I did not like the Dream Queen, China Force and all that perhaps because it didn't seem to be a natural fit for Canadian heroes. This wasn't like Korean-war vet Tony Stark having the Mandarin as an arch villain. It seemed out of left field. I was glad to see that gone and Llan too (maybe it was the art--poor John Calimee, never gets a break).

I stayed with v1 through 120 or so, read two issues of v2 and all of v3. The other villains didn't really register any passion except the Sentinels that came to Canada. You'd think the Canadian gov't would have wanted something like that given how much of Dept. H's subjects were problems.

What does not work for AF is any more attempts at reviving 'Mac' Hudson. He died in NYC, v1, issue 12. End of story for me. Heather was always the real leader, not Mac.

Aside: If/when Sasquatch returns, please get his look right. So many have drawn him as if he had horns and neglect his more ape-like proportions (shorter legs, how he moves--see the Byrne run).

Inter-personal conflict worked well with the book. They weren't just 'true believers' like Cap and your typical classic Avengers team or even the FF (which early had conflict with Johnny & Ben). Some adventure-types like Sasquatch and Puck, some more grudging heroes like Northstar and (in my view) Mac Hudson.

Byrne's run, as he described it recently, was more a series of individual books under the banner of Alpha Flight than a team book. You'd see what Puck is doing this month, sometimes references to off screen adventures (Brass Bishop Affair) and the book wound and rotated through and now and again the characters crossed paths but rarely together as a group. Despite conflicts they'd come together, a bit like a family, in times of great need e.g. battle Great Beasts, Omega Flight.

OK, I've said too much.

[Phil]

The Master instantly springs to mind... unclear as to whether he's dead or not after Busiek's Avengers run though...

Dreamqueen for sure.

I like Wendigo as a character, but would want to see something different involving him/it for once.

The Great Beasts, as above.

I liked the concept(if not the execution) of Loki messing with AF, and with BRB involved that could work in OF.

[Powersurge]

One of my major problems with AF was that none of the villains did it for me... with the exception of Jaxon and his associates.

I liked also liked vol.2's Epsilon troopers. And of course Department H, though I think that rather than being overtly immoral through and through, they should be more like any other aspect of governement... ambiguous, trying to be or at least appear benevolent, but with certain programs and sub-departments that are consciously and secretly engaging in immoral activities. You know, the good ol' "their right hand doesn't know what their left hand is doing" scenario.

I agree that we should also see some familiar Marvel villains. CW is just as likely to force villains across the border as it is heroes afterall... always a glimmering prospect even before CW. What, with the US concentration of heroes and hi-tech agencies, and Canada's seeming lack.

[Legerd]

The Master, for me, is (was) hands down Alpha's arch-nemesis. If you do bring him back make him more aggressive. He was always a big talker with lots of power and resources, but he never did anything much beyond expounding what his plans were.

The Wendigo has never been in an AF book and yet is a major threat that would involve Shaman.

Bring back Smart Alec! You can say he's been lost in the other dimensions within Shaman's pouch until his consciouness found a new body. He would be a great archenemy for Talisman.

A.I.M. and Modok were on a search for mystical characters when they attacked AF last time. Being that OF is all about the mystical would make A.I.M. a perfect opponent.

The same could be said about Llan the Sorceror, the Great Beasts and the Dream Queen.

Maybe Dormamu?

[DelBubs]

Bring back Smart Alec! You can say he's been lost in the other dimensions within Shaman's pouch until his consciouness found a new body. He would be a great archenemy for Talisman.

Problem with Alec is that his mind is totally gone, it went when he looked into Shamans pouch. I also believe his body was smashed when Pestilence Sas and Walter Box had their fight. I would love the idea of Shaman putting Alecs miniturised body back in his pouch after that incident and Pestilences wandering mind inhabiting it and repairing it over time. A miniturised Alec body controlled by Crozier would be a good foe for anyone

[Legerd]

Bring back Smart Alec! You can say he's been lost in the other dimensions within Shaman's pouch until his consciouness found a new body. He would be a great archenemy for Talisman.

Problem with Alec is that his mind is totally gone, it went when he looked into Shamans pouch. I also believe his body was smashed when Pestilence Sas and Walter Box had their fight. I would love the idea of Shaman putting Alecs miniturised body back in his pouch after that incident and Pestilences wandering mind inhabiting it and repairing it over time. A miniturised Alec body controlled by Crozier would be a good foe for anyone

And how many times has Mac died only to return? Smart Alec's mind being wiped could mean that it was lost within the pouch's many dimensions. It could then find a new body and return. I mean there has been weirder things in comics, right?

[DelBubs]

Now that would be a good villian, Alecs small body possessed by Alec and Pestilence. Two minds in one entity (Omega comes to mind). As you say weirder things do happen in comics

[MattSD]

Hmm, lets see...
1. Pestilence...that would work with a mystical-supernatural slant going
2. Dreamqueen...I'd play up her connection to Nightmare
3. Deadly Earnest...talk about a messed up power

[maniac mike]

I think Weapon P.R.I.M.E. would make a good villain team too.

And Witchfire needs to embrace her dark side, AF needs more female villainany.

MM

[syvalois]

[quote="Legerd"]

Bring back Smart Alec! You can say he's been lost in the other dimensions within Shaman's pouch until his consciouness found a new body. He would be a great archenemy for Talisman.

And how many times has Mac died only to return?

And did that made a good story?


Personnaly, I don't think so. I would just avoid making the same mistake.

[Legerd]

[quote="syvalois"]

Bring back Smart Alec! You can say he's been lost in the other dimensions within Shaman's pouch until his consciouness found a new body. He would be a great archenemy for Talisman.

And how many times has Mac died only to return?

And did that made a good story?


Personnaly, I don't think so. I would just avoid making the same mistake.

A good story comes from a good writer. Mac's returns were ridiculously farfetched even for comics, Smart Alec could return in a logical manner and he could be an excellent villain. It all depends on the writer, IMHO.

[syvalois]

A good story comes from a good writer. Mac's returns were ridiculously farfetched even for comics, Smart Alec could return in a logical manner and he could be an excellent villain. It all depends on the writer, IMHO.

I agree, but sometimes it,s harder to write something good, but yes, if done right it could be good, but usually I like dead characters to stay dead.

[Legerd]

A good story comes from a good writer. Mac's returns were ridiculously farfetched even for comics, Smart Alec could return in a logical manner and he could be an excellent villain. It all depends on the writer, IMHO.

I agree, but sometimes it,s harder to write something good, but yes, if done right it could be good, but usually I like dead characters to stay dead.

Yeah, I wish death was more of sure thing in comics also. It ruins a noble and dramatic death when the hero just comes back (usually through a lame plot twist) a few months later like nothing happened. I just want to see Smart Alec used again, because he was killed before we ever got to really know him or see him in action.