Article: Alpha Flight Becomes Ongoing! *UPDATED with video*

[patrick_j_clarke]

That's awesome news! I've been re-reading the whole run of AF while I continue to flesh out past the mini-series I wrote for BOX, and hopefully this new run will be longer and better! And hopefully Marvel wants a cool tale to re-introduce BOX!

[DaVeO]

I worked security that whole weekend at the event. My SV let me off for the last 1/2 hour on the final day so I got to hit the show floor. I was luckily enough to see Fred there and shake his hand to tell him how happy I was that Alpha was back. It was from him that I heard Alpha Flight was now ongoing, what a great way to cap off the weekend. Working 10 hr shifts then taking 40 min TTC ride home pretty much nixed my internet time so I missed the original announcement.

Also REALLY happy that the whole creative team will stay and that MI:13 (like I hoped they would) will be guesting in the series. Happy, happy days.

[Donovan]

Wasn't online all weekend, so made two good discoveries today - #1 AF is ONGOING, and #2 I discovered this great site!

[Phil]

Welcome to the site Donovan!
Feel free to jump in and contribute anywhere, but for ease of access we've got the AF Questionnaire here and an Introduction thread here.
How'd you find us if you don't mind me asking?

[Donovan]

Welcome to site Donovan!
Feel free to jump in and contribute anywhere, bur for ease of access we've got the AF Questionnaire here and an Introduction thread here.
How'd you find us if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks!!! I'll participate later in the day!

I just found out about Citadel's first appearance by accident by finding Wolverine: First Class #5 (in a DOLLAR BIN of all places!) over the weekend. Noticing it was by Van Lente, I googled "Alpha Flight Appearances" to see if there were any other books I'd missed!

[Phil]

Well you've come to the right place!
We've got the appearances forum here and the gallery here.

[Banshee]

Go h-an mhaith ar fád! Fabulous!

[Flightpath07]

Go h-an mhaith ar fád!

yeah, that one's well beyond my rudimentary gaelic skills!

[marvelboy74]

I'd love to see even Whitman Knapp (perhaps depowered), working as a Doctor be a supporting character, maybe Heather's parents, and her hundreds of siblings (she probably has a ton of nieces and nephews now too)?...Alpha needs a bigger supporting cast, regardless (just having Kyle around doesn't cut it).

We've never seen Walt's son (who Byrne mentioned, and he is probably a teenager now), I'd also like to see Marrina's "family", the Smallwoods again. I'm hoping Freg will have Talisman as a cast member too at some point (she's a Byrne character too, Fred and Greg)...Elizabeth is such a great character (IMHO).

Dana

EDITED to add a bit more.

I think some things do need to be added to sustain the series. Talisman is a must eventually. I've thought the same about Whitman being added at some point as maybe a support member. They could have even brought a throw-away like Ouija in and put him on Heather's team. Now that they've been extended for probably another 12 issues, it will give the creative team some more leeway with subplots.

[DaVeO]

@Le Messor re: "90's style"

Let's wait for the context and give them the benefit of the doubt eh?

The cover with guns I'm sure is more symbolic then actual. Maybe they are just robbing Bank of Canada for unpaid wages (Lord knows we get robbed by them for service fees).

I personally love the current direction as it puts the team on unfamiliar footing which will have them start to question their motivations and challenge their patriotism. This kind of self-examinations will give us rich character development. The current storyline should have ramifications in the greater Marvel U and editors would be wise to remind writers of other books of this. The promise of international teams showing up is something we don't see a lot from Marvel and when we do it's short-lived (Excalibur being the exception).

[cmdrkoenig67]

I'm guessing the Canadian Govt puts a freeze on the team members' assets and they have no choice but to take money.

Dana

[Le Messor]

@Le Messor re: "90's style"
Let's wait for the context and give them the benefit of the doubt eh?

Gotta say - I love that "90's style" = opposite of benefit of the doubt.
(As a 90s hater.)

The cover with guns I'm sure is more symbolic than actual. Maybe they are just robbing Bank of Canada for unpaid wages (Lord knows we get robbed by them for service fees).

But as I pointed out in my post, while robbing a bank is illegal for an ordinary citizen, it's perfectly legal for banks to rob us.
On a different thread, I gave a couple of possible explanations:
It isn't them, it's the government (or somebody) setting them up.
It's a one-off bank heist, to find the power of the ancient evil, the one thing in all creation that can possibly stop the Ultimate Evil and thereby save the world!!!
You know, that old chestnut.
(Hm... seen lately in Harry Potter 8. or 7b.)

I personally love the current direction as it puts the team on unfamiliar footing which will have them start to question their motivations and challenge their patriotism.

I find, for pacing sake, I need to spend time with the characters as people (which I've said ad nauseum). As a reader, I want characters I can identify with - and heroics I can invest in - and a world I can enjoy visiting.
'On the run constant fight nothing but survival' is not conducive to that.

- Le Messor
"I'd love to, but I'm sandblasting my oven."

[Flightpath07]

I find, for pacing sake, I need to spend time with the characters as people (which I've said ad nauseum). As a reader, I want characters I can identify with - and heroics I can invest in - and a world I can enjoy visiting.
'On the run constant fight nothing but survival' is not conducive to that.

I agree with this. Still fondly remembering the camaraderie of the West Coast Avengers at the beginning of its run.

That said, we have got what we have got; might as well enjoy it. Which i am sure that you do, Mik. Not saying you don't. Understanding your wanting for more, agreeing with it, but still happy about what we have got.

Curious...were we all this happy (or not) about what we had, when the first couple of issues of Volume 2 came out? How about the first issues of Volume 3? How about the first issues of Omega Flight? Anybody remember?

I was pretty happy with the first two issues of Omega. I was quite happy with the fact that Oeming cared deeply about the (mainly dead) heroes that I loved, and treated them with respect. But...as time went on...my feelings changed. I wanted more, and became more and more unhappy with the directiuon that things were going (and the characters forced upon me, as well as the characters ignored or passed over).

So...I think that there is a euphoria when Alpha first comes out. As it dies down a little, we begin to realize that, although it may be nice to have them back, we don't have EXACTLY what we want.

And likely never will.

Still, it is a d&$n site better than being dead. And Fred and Dale and Greg really ARE doing a wonderful job. They are telling the stories that they want to tell, using the characters that they want to use. They aren't you, they aren't me, so they do things their way.

And that is enough about that. I am happy. Alpha Flight is back!

But, as a 'fan', I reserve the right to b*&ch.

[Speedy92286]

Heh I was enjoying the new series so much I remembered about this site. And now I find out through this site that Alpha Flight is getting turned into an ongoing? Very nice!

It's good to see you guys again and even better to have an AF ongoing!

[Centurymanstillsucks]

What great news