Omega Flight #2 Reviews

[-K-M-]

I think we just just post all the reviews in one page. First up

Silver Bullet
http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.co...3843598320.htm

[varo]

thanks king, was looking for these. i'll start poking around for some as well.

[varo]

another positive review and to second a excellent quote by one of the reviewers i think this sums up my frustration:

But... and here’s my big problem, and it’s not Oeming’s fault, but Marvel’s; they’ve cancelled this as of issue #5, so all this potential is going to go to waste. Oeming is plotting this as if it’s the opening arc of an ongoing title (unavoidable, since it was supposed to be), so we’re two issues in and we have yet to meet the whole team, and there’s no real plot as yet. Again, it’s not Oeming’s fault, and he’s doing a good job, but it’s such a terrible waste.

[Barnacle13]

Frickin Work Firewall! Can you please cut and paste the review? If not I'll pull it up tonight at the house. It's just a shame when a big American company won't allow its employees to waste a few minutes reading reviews of American infused Canadian super teams.

[Legerd]

Overall a good review, but I am really tired of people pissing on AF, as if the bad writing in the past is the fault of the characters, and not the writers.

...I mean, this is an Alpha Flight comic with the Wrecking Crew as antagonists, and yet the end result reads far better than those elements may suggest.

I do agree with them that both MO and SK are doing a great job, despite getting hosed by Marvel. The only reason I'm reading this title is because it's well thought out and executed. If it had been anything less, I would have stopped with the first issue.

[Legerd]

Here ya go, Barnacle:

Keith Dallas: Let me assert right off the bat that I enjoyed this second issue more than the first issue. I felt this second issue offered a better “hook” to read the rest of the limited series than the debut issue did, primarily because a couple more members of the principal cast get introduced in this second issue, and I see the potential for some compelling character interaction. Essentially, I see the potential for some entertaining intra-group “squabbling” as USAgent’s gruff patriotism, Arache’s conscientious objection to the Registration Act, and Talisman’s defiant autonomy are sure to create dysfunctional team chemistry. I feel Oeming deftly revealed all the characters’ varied motivations without bludgeoning us with exposition. Indeed, it’s a credit to Oeming that there is NO exposition: no wordy caption boxes, no clumsily artificial declarations spoken by the characters to explain their histories. Quite the contrary, Oeming’s economical dialogue creates an enjoyable brisk pace, even though this issue presents several scene changes (seven, by my count).

I’m going to qualify my praise with a couple of caveats, but first I’d like to read your general assessment of the issue.

Kelvin Green: Crikey, that’s your opening statement? That’s more than I can manage for a full review sometimes. No wonder you’re in charge.

I’d agree with your summary, actually, and it’s not because you’re the boss! As you say, there’s a great deal of potential in the characters (there’s a big “but” coming...), especially in USAgent’s inclusion, as he seems to be in Canada as much because Iron Man wants him out of the way as anything else. Then there are the tensions between the U.S. and Canadian members of the team, the reluctance of the old Flight members to get involved again, and the surprise member introduced on the final page; there’s certainly going to be a lot to play with in terms of the cast (but...). You’re also right in pointing out how well Oeming conveys essential information in his script; there’s plenty of exposition here, but it’s almost invisible, and I have to wonder where he learned that skill, because he didn’t get it from his Powers collaborator.

But... and here’s my big problem, and it’s not Oeming’s fault, but Marvel’s; they’ve cancelled this as of issue #5, so all this potential is going to go to waste. Oeming is plotting this as if it’s the opening arc of an ongoing title (unavoidable, since it was supposed to be), so we’re two issues in and we have yet to meet the whole team, and there’s no real plot as yet. Again, it’s not Oeming’s fault, and he’s doing a good job, but it’s such a terrible waste.

Dallas: Well, it’s not so much that Omega Flight is getting “cancelled” at its fifth issue; it’s that Omega Flight was originally slated to be an on-going and then Marvel’s Sales Department reduced it to a limited series. That’s the way it was explained to me: the Sales Department stepped in and said Omega Flight couldn’t be an on-going. Now I was also told that because of its reduction in status, the series had to be restructured for a five issue limited series. In other words, the plot outline for the on-going got junked, and Oeming had to create a new story structure. Of course, that doesn’t mean that Oeming had to “start from scratch”; I’m sure many (and maybe, all) of the aspects presented in Omega Flight #1 and #2 were also intended for the on-going, but my point is that “Omega Flight the limited series” is not “Omega Flight the on-going” cut short at five issues.

Again, this is what I’ve been told by people “in the know” who have been straightforward with me in the past, but, of course, since I’m not in any way involved in the creative process of this book, I am providing hearsay, and it should be treated as such. Regardless, I don’t know if any of this information changes your opinion about these first two issues.

Green: Honestly, it doesn’t. The end product still reads like preamble to something longer, not the beginning of a self-contained plot. Now maybe that is Oeming’s fault, for not reworking his plot very well, but the situation isn’t ideal for him, so I can’t condemn him too much.

Dallas: Fair enough. I would agree with you that the series hasn’t exhibited the most imaginative of plots; I’ve never been particularly fascinated by the Wrecking Crew (no matter how many fans keep telling me that the Wrecking Crew has gone toe to toe with Thor and the Avengers on several occasions as well as nearly killing Hercules in another), and yes, here we are at the end of issue #2 and Beta Ray Bill is nowhere in sight (and from what I can tell from the advance solicitations, he won’t appear in issues #3 or #4 either). I’m not particularly bothered by Beta Ray Bill’s absence though. Yes, I understand that by the time BRB appears “on stage,” this limited series will already be winding down, but I have enough confidence in Oeming as a story-teller to believe that he’ll introduce BRB at an appropriate point in the story. No disrespect meant, but the idea that every principal cast member must be introduced by the end of the first or second issue of a limited series seems like an arbitrary stipulation to me.

Green: I do agree that it is an arbitrary structure, but given the limited space available here, I can’t help but feel that it would be more satisfying to get the team set up early and get them involved in the plot as soon as possible. That said, I’ve read a few Oeming-penned comics now, and I know his strengths as a writer, so I’m unwilling to dub this a lost cause just yet. But it just feels so compromised and less than it could be.

I’d agree about the Wrecking Crew too; they can be used well, but on the whole they’re third-rate mooks, and while they’d be fine antagonists for a “rounding up the team” opening storyline, their appearance here as the primary villains further highlights how this title has been undermined by its truncation.

Dallas: Moving on… as you mentioned, there is one principal cast member who does get introduced in the last page of this issue. Honestly though (and this is my only other complaint about this issue), this “cliffhanger reveal” just didn’t have much of an impact on me, mostly because Alpha Flight continuity is a headache-inducing mess that I would rather see avoided than acknowledged. Admittedly, it’s a bit unfair of me to make such a complaint because if Alpha Flight continuity isn’t in several ways addressed and incorporated into this Omega Flight limited series, then what’s the point of even naming this series Omega Flight? Still, when on the final page of this issue the character gets wheeled out before us in a Hannibal Lecter or Captain Christopher Pike-like fashion, I couldn’t help but scratch my head and shrug.

Green: To be fair, this character isn’t from Alpha Flight canon; he’s actually a fairly important figure in current Marvel Universe continuity, but you’d be forgiven for not knowing him as he’s the product of a horrendous period of editorial wrangling and second-guessing. I’m going to spoil things now...

SPOILER WARNING

He’s the being who killed Alpha Flight and fought the New Avengers during “The Collective”; you know, the Xorn/not-Xorn/who-the-heck-knows guy. Actually, you’re probably better off thinking he is a remnant of obscure AF continuity, as it certainly does no good to remember that plotline. So on one hand, I had to groan to see him brought back (particularly as it’s a retcon of a retcon of a retcon), but ignoring the haphazard continuity, his presence on the team should provide some interesting interpersonal tensions.

END OF SPOILERS

Moving on to the art, I know you’re perhaps expecting me to be most critical of Scott Kolins’ work, but I think he’s doing very well on this series. I have two general problems with his work: one is the tendency he has to make his art full of thick, equally-weighted lines, resulting in a very cluttered look. That’s definitely not an issue here, as there’s a softer, more muted look to the linework that still brings out the meticulous detail, but doesn’t overwhelm the pages in a mass of lines and scratches. The other aspect of Kolins’ work that often turns me off is the slightly elongated and grotesque look he gives to characters’ faces; the long pointy noses and flared nostrils his characters sport suggest that his version of homo sapiens evolved from horses rather than apes. Sadly, there is a tiny bit of that here, especially in some unflattering closeups of Talisman, but it’s rare enough that it doesn’t ruin the book for me. Otherwise, I think Kolins is a great storyteller and sorely underused at Marvel. He has a very dynamic approach to figure work, his character designs exude a sense of power, and his panel-to-panel storytelling is very strong; Talisman’s dream quest is particularly well done, and there’s a very neat bit of Eisner-esque layout with the Wrecking Crew chucking Sasquatch in a pit. Some minor wanderings into equinity aside, this is a great looking comic, and I have to ponder once again why Kolins isn’t on something more high-profile; he’d work well on something like Mighty Avengers, and Civil War would have looked much better (and been on time) under his pencil. It’s a waste of a strong, fast artist at a time when Marvel could do with more of those.

Dallas: You and I will never agree about Kolins’ linework, but I will echo your praise of his dynamic figures, clear story-telling and professional diligence (and I never considered Kolins on Mighty Avengers, but yeah, that’s definitely a keen suggestion! Do you need me to forward you Joe Quesada’s email address?).

Green: I suspect he already has mine. My computer seems to contract a virus shortly after I review a Marvel book...

Dallas: Seriously though, I’m glad you pointed out the page that shows the Wrecking Crew tossing Sasquatch into that pit. It’s a page that immediately struck me when I first saw it because of its very clever layout, and whether Oeming scripted it that way or Kolins designed it on his own (perhaps with input from editor Andy Schmidt?), someone deserves a tip of the hat for a imaginative piece of sequential story-telling.

Green: Yes, I think that all too often nowadays creators forget or ignore the unique storytelling tricks of this medium, and for me it's a joy to see them used again.

Dallas: I’ll end our discussion by again asserting that this second issue hooked me onto Omega Flight better than the first issue did, so I have no problem telling people that this series is worth their time and money. Et tu?

Green: What we’ve got here is a very strong comic from a pair of creators who are fast proving themselves to be A list talents; I mean, this is an Alpha Flight comic with the Wrecking Crew as antagonists, and yet the end result reads far better than those elements may suggest. For me, the fact that all this potential is going to be cut short sours the deal just slightly, but if this collaborative review shows anything, it’s that not everyone will find that a problem. So consider that recommendation seconded.

[Barnacle13]

Much thanks Legerd for helping me stick it to the man!

Overall a very positive review. They seem to like it much better than issue #1, which I thought was very solid. I share their concern about the abrupt ending at issue#5, but Marvel has time to fix that snafu. I also second the complaints about slams on Alpha Flight. Blame the past writers and not the characters! This team appears to have what it takes to put meaningful stories out there that folks will love, regardless of the cast of characters. Can't wait til tomorrow!

[-K-M-]

Newsarama:
http://forum.newsarama.com/showthrea...84#post3633884

[Reber]

You guys see this one. I can tell there was no personal bias in his review. I get the feeling from his other reviews he doesn't like Marvel in general. Not sure why he is reviewing their books. He must not read the covers as evident in his review of OF.

[DelBubs]

You guys see this one. I can tell there was no personal bias in his review. I get the feeling from his other reviews he doesn't like Marvel in general. Not sure why he is reviewing their books. He must not read the covers as evident in his review of OF.

Murky artwork? Still everyone is entitled to an opinion, even if it is the wrong one

[Reber]

I'm not opposed to other opinions. I just found this review a little annoying since the reviewer obviously has a distaste for current Marvel, but he feels inclined to review the books. He obviously hated the Civil War yet he reviews a series that was spun out of that event. It's printed right on the cover too. Anyway, no sweat off my back. Just thought some folks might find it interesting if they hadn't seen it.

[DelBubs]

Oh for the want of an irony smiley . I guess I was being to kind to him. To be truthful I found it strange that he should moan that he was hoping Omega would stay away from the 'Civil War' tie ins, when that was how it had been solicited all the way along. I should think his obvious anti-Marvel stance would stop people taking him to seriously.

[Mokole]

The art on this book is soooo much better than many other books (Wolverine, X-Men, even Initiative pale in comparison). Mr. Kolins pays attention to details, puts in accuracy, and his pics tell a story too. That's good art! The writing fits it too, I really, really liked #2. #1 was good but #2 was a page turner, and I re-read it several times for the art and story details I may have missed, now that's great! How this is moving along, with action, story, character development (Talisman just dominates as the issue moves along), the 'Canucks' and police saying and doing regular intelligent things. Congratulations to all of you on this one!

[cmdrkoenig67]

The art on this book is soooo much better than many other books (Wolverine, X-Men, even Initiative pale in comparison). Mr. Kolins pays attention to details, puts in accuracy, and his pics tell a story too. That's good art! The writing fits it too, I really, really liked #2. #1 was good but #2 was a page turner, and I re-read it several times for the art and story details I may have missed, now that's great! How this is moving along, with action, story, character development (Talisman just dominates as the issue moves along), the 'Canucks' and police saying and doing regular intelligent things. Congratulations to all of you on this one!

The Canadian characters are dominating the book...That's how it should be....Yay!

I agree about the art in Wolverine...Absolutely awful. Somebody on another board or somewhere mentioned Sasquatch's appearance at the end of #53, as looking like a wet dog.

Dana :P

[Garry/Al-Fan]

The Tate review didn't even try to pick out one thing that is good about OF, and there are lots of good things in both books that aren't in a lot of other comics. The attention to detail and the homages alone are worth mentioning.