Alpha Flight's return from space

[Technarch]

Is it accurate to say the return of Alpha Flight to Earth from the Plodex homeworld was never explained/mentioned? I get the impression New Avengers 16 was the only confirmation Alpha Flight returned to Earth to remain as an active team, with no explanation of how they got back from space after the end of Vol 3.

[SpaceGuardian]

That's because they're still on their way...the temporal copies were the ones to die!! (I can hope can't I?)

[rplass]

No, the temporal copies were not the ones killed by Bendis in New Avengers #16. Those killed in the snow were the Alphans returned from space. This was mentioned in the Alpha Flight entry in the OHOTMU A-Z Hardcover issue #1. Not good news, sorry to bear it. Also, I hate Bendis and he sucks.


Love,
rplass

[Technarch]

Until it's retconned. I have a way to make this all work out. All I need is lunch with Nick Lowe.

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=130127

Find out where he eats.

[Flightpath07]

No, the temporal copies were not the ones killed by Bendis in New Avengers #16. Those killed in the snow were the Alphans returned from space. This was mentioned in the Alpha Flight entry in the OHOTMU A-Z Hardcover issue #1. Not good news, sorry to bear it. Also, I hate Bendis and he sucks.


Love,
rplass

You're right, he sucks.

But...just because it was mentioned in the Handbook, doesn't mean it is canon forever, right? I mean, i am sure it would not be the first time something written in the Handbook was later changed.
As long as the story of their return to Earth has not been told, there is hope.

[Ahab]

I tried that argument before, Flightpath and was told by Loki that the Handbook is as much cannon as a regular comic. I don't think that is particularly fair to the average reader but that is what Marvel has decided.
That being said, Loki should just undo what Bendis did by coming up with some way that they survived and including it in the next Handbook update.

[Flightpath07]

As far as "regular comics" go, there really has been no mention of Alpha Flight having returned from space. The closest we get, that i know of, is Omega Flight limited series, where the kids at the school ask Walter if he is a clone, and he angrily says that he isn't.

How we get canon out of that, i really do not understand. Just because Bendis intends it to be that way, does not mean that somebody else can't write something that refutes it.

Maybe we should start being extra nice to some of the X-Men writers?

Really, the amount of different ways that Alpha Flight has been completely ignored, as if they did not matter and nobody cares about them or is asking any questions about them, is ridiculous. For instance, we still know nothing about the Hudson baby. There are too many unanswered questions, too many plots that need to be continued...surely somebody wants to write about Alpha Flight!

[Ahab]

As far as "regular comics" go, there really has been no mention of Alpha Flight having returned from space. The closest we get, that i know of, is Omega Flight limited series, where the kids at the school ask Walter if he is a clone, and he angrily says that he isn't.

How we get canon out of that, i really do not understand. Just because Bendis intends it to be that way, does not mean that somebody else can't write something that refutes it.

Maybe we should start being extra nice to some of the X-Men writers?

Really, the amount of different ways that Alpha Flight has been completely ignored, as if they did not matter and nobody cares about them or is asking any questions about them, is ridiculous. For instance, we still know nothing about the Hudson baby. There are too many unanswered questions, too many plots that need to be continued...surely somebody wants to write about Alpha Flight!

I love Marvel's answer when asked about this. "Some plans for Alpha Flight are in the works." I think this is now just the blanket answer for anyone that works there so that they can appease the Alpha Flight fans that still exist. (Loki excluded...)
I'm starting to believe that "plans for Alpha Flight" include ANY appearance by ANY member, even if it is a cameo. I work with too many attorneys, so I unfortunately am too aware of how answers can be given that technically are the truth, even though the answer really means something entirely different from what the person asking the question was really trying to find out. Frustrating...

[varo]

i originally posted this in the wrong topic, but here ya go:

the majority of writers have their own websites, and they are usually very open to answeing questions, as long as they don't border on fanboy rants.

anyways, the only reason i still hold out hope is because of this email i got back from a creator i would have loved to write a new alpha series. i'll respectfully hold back the creators name:

Quote:

Do I have a hook for AF that I think will work? I do, and Marvel knows my interest -- they do seem to have some current plans for AF that don't involve me, but if they fall through, I've made it clear I'd be more than happy to step in... Wink

[Le Messor]

I work with too many attorneys, so I unfortunately am too aware of how answers can be given that technically are the truth, even though the answer really means something entirely different from what the person asking the question was really trying to find out. Frustrating...

I call them G-stories (Actually, I usually use 'G's full name, but am withholding it here), after somebody I know who often tells stories that are technically true but leave out one or two details that completely change the flavour. For example, here's one of mine:
"In the middle of the night, I followed a woman halfway up her driveway. I really spooked her."
(The bit left out is that 'halfway up her driveway' is also halfway up *my* driveway. I come across as less creepy in that first version, hunh?)

I was watching the Daredevil Director's Cut (only watch the Director's Cut!) last night with somebody from church. He turned on one of the special features; it was interesting to watch people like Bendis and Quesada, and note their attitudes (while growling and scratching at them with my claws.)
One that got to me was (Kevin Smith?) saying 'Nobody cared about Karen Page, but when we killed her off, it was like we killed Christ'.

I could only imagine the frustration of die-hard, us-like Daredevil. "We've cared about her all this time, you just don't care about the people who care about her!" Is that the attitude, I wonder? 'Marvel doesn't care, therefore nobody does?'

- Le Messor
"First they stole the fourth amendment. I said nothing because I don't deal drugs. Then they took the sixth amendment. I was silent because I know I'm not guilty. When they came for the second amendment, I kept quiet because I don't own a gun. Now they've come for the first amendment, and I can't say anything at all."

[Flightpath07]

Do I have a hook for AF that I think will work? I do, and Marvel knows my interest -- they do seem to have some current plans for AF that don't involve me, but if they fall through, I've made it clear I'd be more than happy to step in... Wink

Interesting. Nice to know that some writers actually care about AF.

[Loki]

But...just because it was mentioned in the Handbook, doesn't mean it is canon forever, right? I mean, i am sure it would not be the first time something written in the Handbook was later changed.
As long as the story of their return to Earth has not been told, there is hope.

As Ahab mentioned, if it is in the Handbook then it is canon. However, like anything in comics, it can be retconned, so yes, while the story of the return remains untold, there is always hope.

[Flightpath07]

But...just because it was mentioned in the Handbook, doesn't mean it is canon forever, right? I mean, i am sure it would not be the first time something written in the Handbook was later changed.
As long as the story of their return to Earth has not been told, there is hope.

As Ahab mentioned, if it is in the Handbook then it is canon. However, like anything in comics, it can be retconned, so yes, while the story of the return remains untold, there is always hope.

Thank you, Loki. Good to get your insider's voice on this matter.

[Loki]

I tried that argument before, Flightpath and was told by Loki that the Handbook is as much cannon as a regular comic. I don't think that is particularly fair to the average reader but that is what Marvel has decided.
That being said, Loki should just undo what Bendis did by coming up with some way that they survived and including it in the next Handbook update.

We don't get to do that, I'm afraid. Handbooks generally get to clarify points, add in new info like names, places of birth, etc, and, where needed, we can bridge gaps - e.g. explaining how Humbug survived his encounter with Deadpool that appeared to end with his death in order to turn up in Daughters of the Dragon. Usually, if the last known status is uncertain, we leave it that way in the entry, so as not to limit the options of future writers handling a given character - hence with Alpha members in the Collective battle, we initially intended to leave it as uncertain whether they had been killed or badly injured, and whether it was them or the temporal copies. However, we got told from above that it was not the copies. Given that, we can't put something in the handbooks that contradicts it.

That said, there's plenty of ways a writer could easily bring any or all of them back. Heck, I can think of ways to easily resurrect the dead New Warriors, and we've seen autopsied corpses in that case!

[Tawmis]

As for being in the Handbook and it being canon... and that means Alpha Flight's dead (well most of the members)...

Let me just say many handbooks listed BUCKY as dead... forever.