Tom Brevoort-Alpha Flight news (or lack there of)

[DelBubs]

But did it sell those numbers because it was a limited series and casual fans knew they'd only be committed for 5 issues and not a long expensive slog?

I don't buy individual issues anymore, I buy TPB's of comics that interest me. I wonder what the figures where for the TPB and if figures may have been higher without TPB's being a factor?

[DMK]

I'm a little late to the discussion, but I thought this was interesting:

44. DARK X-MEN
11/09 Dark X-Men #1 of 5 - 50,167
12/09 Dark X-Men #2 of 5 - 42,207 (-15.9%)
01/10 Dark X-Men #3 of 5 - 37,873 (-10.3%)
02/10 Dark X-Men #4 of 5 - 35,007 ( -7.6%)
Considering that X-Men spin-offs don’t sell the way they used to, and
that Dark Reign tie-ins are all over the place, this is doing well.
It’s outselling X-FACTOR and NEW MUTANTS, for example.

53. OMEGA FLIGHT
04/07 Omega Flight #1 of 5 - 71,205
05/07 Omega Flight #2 of 5 - 57,239 (-19.6%)
06/07 Omega Flight #3 of 5 - 55,695 ( -2.7%)
07/07 Omega Flight #4 of 5 - 52,271 ( -6.1%)
08/07 Omega Flight #5 of 5 - 48,886 ( -6.5%)
Certainly good enough numbers to justify another series. But having said that, if these were the first five issues of an ongoing title, I’d be a little worried about the drops in the last two months.

And, for some perspective on that big Issue 1- Issue 2 drop:

42. OMEGA FLIGHT
05/04 Alpha Flight #3 - 32,684
=====
04/07 Omega Flight #1 of 5 - 71,205
05/07 Omega Flight #2 of 5 - 57,239 (-19.6%)
3 year (+75.1%) A second printing of issue #1 hits the shelves with a variant cover, and adds 13,052 to the total. Without those re-orders, the second issue drop would have been miniscule. This book is doing unexpectedly well, and at this stage, the signs look promising for it to become an ongoing title after all.

I picked Dark X-Men for several reasons. 1. No a-listers. 2. 5 issue mini-series. 3. Tied into big event.



It's pretty plain that Omega Flight out-performed Dark X-Men on every level. Yet, Dark X-Men is still looked upon as successful by someone whose opinion I truly respect in these matters (namely, comparing sales performances between titles.) Omega could have dropped a fair bit further before stabilizing and still be considered a successful Marvel ongoing.

[Flightpath07]

"I may be off in my assessment on this but I think a major reason for the 10k drop by the end was the re-write to make it a mini."

I agree with mreeez. The sudden re-write (due to it being made a mini at the last possible moment) took a good creative team on a book they cared about, and caused them to have to put out something that was disjointed, with large holes in the plot. Any reader worth their salt could see that it wasn't coming together smoothly like it should have, and thus they gradually stopped buying it.

Hard to blame the creative team for that. Hard to blame the comic buyers for that, either. So, where exactly does the blame lie, then? (Note: Rhetorical question)

DMK - great explanation fo the sales numbers. Thank you. Just more proof that Marvel hates AF and its fans! Even if we outsold every comic in comicbook history, they would still find an excuse not to give us what we want!

[Powersurge]

I guess I'll be the one to play Devil's Advocate, as I've long enjoyed a love-hate relationship with AF, and I have to say that Tom B is right. In AF's early appearances in UXN, the Incredible Hulk and Marvel Two-in-One, they SHINED. THAT was AF's Golden Age. And while there were some good stories in the Byrne run, his blueprint for the progression of the title was too expermental and so completely out of whack that it is amazing that the vol.1 lasted for as long as it did.

The Omega Flight arc was the ONLY reason I, a 13/14 year old, hero-worshipping Canadian boy, who was about as stoked as stoked could be for AF's very own title, ever made it passed issue 12.

And the sad thing is is that issue 12 planted the very seed of convulted lameness that ultimately came to define the title. It's seems to me that any attempt to bring AF back at this point would simply continue the same trend of lameness that began with Mac's death and resurrection/s, and pretty much defined vol.3 through-and-through.

While I really liked Oeming's mini, I think that it also missed the mark. I mean, vol.1 opened with the Great Beast. YaaWWWnnn. Oeming's Great Beast opener beat the hell out of Byrn'es mind you ... at least a hardcore AF fan was well-acquanited wit hteh Great Beasts by that point, and he didn't introduce and resolve all in the space of a single (albeit) giant sized issue, but, well, here's what I might have done ... off the top of my head ...

Canada's is NOT getting along with the States on the issue of the SHRA. As a couintry that has long had an SHRA of it's own in place, they see only too well that how the U.S. is going about it is wrong. Perhaps they even challenge the U.S. on the issue at the U.N. assembly?

The U.S. is not happy with Canada. Because not only are we refusing to support them, and even challenging them on moral grounds, but we are also a safehaven for anti-reg'ers. What is it that makes these Canucks think they can harbour American fugitives??? What's stopping "US" from just walking in, pie-facing the Canucks out of the way, and taking care of business???

What indeed!

So, Department H gets the go ahead to begin assembling a new team.

Not necesarily all that original in this area. There will be some new faces, there will be some old faces. There will be no miraculous resurrections or returns. And there will be no Yank wearing the Mapleleaf, Mr.Oeming :P But someone's got to. And it will be the actual Weapon Alpha battle-suit, not just it's skin. It might be someone convenient like a soldier or mountie, maybe even a idealistic politician, or it could be something more along the lines of Canada's best an brightest, as judge via academic and extra-ciricular records and portfolio ... scholar, athlete, patriot, social activist, etc.

But whatever the precise composition of AF, the stage is set for them to not only benefit from the guest appearance of the certain prolific anti-reg'ers, who would be central to the opening arc, as well as the pro-reg enforcers, but also to establish some cred in battle against established, recognizeable, and respected superpowered individuals.

I mean, come on, Canada and it's heores standing in opposition to pro-SHRA America, and in support of anti-SHRA America? When Iron Man was at the helm? And with all that has transpired since? IF AF and Canada survived ...

[Le Messor]

Is Oeming to blame for the yank in the suit thing, or Marvel editorial? Do we have a definitive answer?

Canada had super- registration long before the US. It'd be nice to see a country with a different approach, but it can't be Canada.

I liked the experimental, out-of-whack approach that opened V1. It's part of why Byrne's AF is still my favourite series after all these years.

- Le Messor
"There is only one barren spot on our whole island. Unfortunately, it's Mrs. Ho."
- Governor Ho, explaining why they're adopting North.

[Powersurge]

Well, each to their own, Le Messor. They certainly weren't bad stories in and of themselves. But I would for one, have made the opening, ahem, "story" a story ARC, covering a number of issues, that built up Tundra, made sure that the threat of Tundra was felt, before finally have AF win. As it was we got, "Here's Tundra! Tremble at his awesome might as he walks around in the middle of nowhere! Oh, and now here come's is Alpha Flight ... behold the defeat of Tundra." End of story. End of story. lol

And then of course, I would have taken my time, spaced the spotlights on individual members, and actually given the fans what the book promised .... TEAM stories, not a string of individual spotlights. And of course I wouldn't have killed off Mac ... wouldn't have used Diablo .... or a fat lady in pink ... or ... lol

Anyway, it's just an opinion. And considering that the first volume ran some 100+ issues perhaps there's more to yours than there is to mine, but I tell ya, no other team comic has ever spent it's first year as a non-team. One would think there is a reason why.

[Le Messor]

Power,
I see what you're saying; and while I don't think there's anything wrong with it, I do think there's a few things you're not taking into account.
1) This was the 80's. Arc stories weren't such a big thing back then. I think it was Babylon 5 that popularised them for genre fiction, but I don't know for sure, so don't quote me on that.

I think it was Babylon 5 that popularised them for genre fiction...

D'oh!

2) Byrne did do an arc story over the first dozen issues; the Omega Flight / Death of Guardian storyline (please tell me I don't need spoiler space for that!).

3) Issue 1 was set 'several months in the past', in order to explain why Alpha was disbanded by the government in Uncanny X-Men #140, then together (but not a government team) in Marvel Two-In One #83. Whatever story he told had to be 'big' enough to be issue 1, but still self-contained. (Which doesn't mean it couldn't start an arc, of course, but see my 2).)

In your defence, the Alpha Flight I'm talking about lasted 28 issues, not 130.

- Le Messor
"Had I known I'd live this long, I would've taken better care of myself."

[cmdrkoenig67]

Well, each to their own, Le Messor. They certainly weren't bad stories in and of themselves. But I would for one, have made the opening, ahem, "story" a story ARC, covering a number of issues, that built up Tundra, made sure that the threat of Tundra was felt, before finally have AF win. As it was we got, "Here's Tundra! Tremble at his awesome might as he walks around in the middle of nowhere! Oh, and now here come's is Alpha Flight ... behold the defeat of Tundra." End of story. End of story. lol

Series that began with a several-issue story arc were a rarity back then (whoops! Ninja'ed by Mik), it was a double-sized issue and it was meant to catch one up on what state the team was in, give more background on the characters and to get them back together.

And then of course, I would have taken my time, spaced the spotlights on individual members, and actually given the fans what the book promised .... TEAM stories, not a string of individual spotlights. And of course I wouldn't have killed off Mac ... wouldn't have used Diablo .... or a fat lady in pink ... or ... lol

Anyway, it's just an opinion. And considering that the first volume ran some 100+ issues perhaps there's more to yours than there is to mine, but I tell ya, no other team comic has ever spent it's first year as a non-team. One would think there is a reason why.

Powersurge, John Byrne did have a point to having the team scattered, you know?

I personally, feel the team being not always together gave the book a really unique feel, something we hardly ever see, even today. After Byrne left the book and the team became based in one spot (via Bill Mantlo and following writers)...To me, they became more like every other super group and a bit more uninteresting/predictable.

Dana

[cmdrkoenig67]

Power,
I see what you're saying; and while I don't think there's anything wrong with it, I do think there's a few things you're not taking into account.
1) This was the 80's. Arc stories weren't such a big thing back then. I think it was Babylon 5 that popularised them for genre fiction, but I don't know for sure, so don't quote me on that.

D'oh!

2) Byrne did do an arc story over the first dozen issues; the Omega Flight / Death of Guardian storyline (please tell me I don't need spoiler space for that!).

3) Issue 1 was set 'several months in the past', in order to explain why Alpha was disbanded by the government in Uncanny X-Men #140, then together (but not a government team) in Marvel Two-In One #83. Whatever story he told had to be 'big' enough to be issue 1, but still self-contained. (Which doesn't mean it couldn't start an arc, of course, but see my 2).)

In your defence, the Alpha Flight I'm talking about lasted 28 issues, not 130.

- Le Messor
"Had I known I'd live this long, I would've taken better care of myself."

Technically, one could say John Byrne began his later "Great Beast" story arc with the very first issue ( with the intro of Tundra, the first Great Beast we see (or second, actually...If one counts Sasquatch).

Dana

[Le Messor]

Technically, one could say John Byrne began his later "Great Beast" story arc with the very first issue ( with the intro of Tundra, the first Great Beast we see (or second, actually...If one counts Sasquatch).
Dana

True that.