Canada - More than just Wolverine

Primal · Jun 26, 2005

More Canadian content!
Alwaya thought Captain Canuck was part of Alpha Flight but it was James Hudson (Guadrian I).... interesting.

<hr color=navy>Jun. 26, 2005. 12:24 PM

Wolverine's sub-family of Canadian heroes
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While the good Captain Canuck can lay claim to being our most patriotic hero, mainstream comics fans of the past 25 years had another way to indulge in nationalism: Alpha Flight.

Born in 1978 as a part of Wolverine's back-story, this was Marvel Comics stab at an all-Canadian super team. In their first appearances in X-Men, they were a team created by Department H, a secret branch of the Canadian government that recruited superheroes to defend the country from threats (see, even our superheroes are bogged down by bureaucrats).

The team leader, James Hudson (who was also the hero Guardian in a costume pretty much ripped off from Captain Canuck), was a scientist who originally found Wolverine as a feral beast-man in the woods. He and his wife, Heather McNeil, managed to tame him, and eventually recruited him into Department H. Hudson's original plan was to have Wolverine lead Alpha Flight, but Wolvie refused, preferring to throw his lot in with the much more popular X-men.

Eventually, Alpha Flight earned its own series (and even had junior teams, Beta Flight and Gamma Flight, which recruited other super-powered Canadians who eventually "graduated" to Alpha), initially written and illustrated by John Byrne, an excellent Canadian artist (who had been drawing X-Men).

Byrne helmed the first 28 issues, and even though he was working in the classic superhero-group template, created an above-average series. However, other opportunities presented themselves, and he left the book abruptly in mid-story in issue No. 29. Subsequent creative teams never quite gelled, and several of the characters were changed, mutilated, killed and brought back, creating a pretty confusing mess. Plenty of fans became alienated by some of the creative decisions, and the series eventually ended due to poor sales.

In 2004, as part of a series that tied together several X-books, Alpha Flight returned in a miniseries, although purists were disappointed again by how the characters were handled. Several are still floating around making guest appearances in the X-titles.

Alpha Flight's team played on several Canadian stereotypes. A few character sketches:

Sasquatch: Originally, he was a scientist named Walter Langkowski who was trying to replicate the Hulk's transformation. His experiments weren't entirely a success. Instead of turning green, he became a large, furry Bigfoot-like creature. Over several convoluted stories, he eventually lost his powers, experienced a sex change, and may or may not be dead now. In the latest series, team members find a Sasquatch and think it's Langkowski, but really, it's a real one who soon gets recruited.

Shaman: His real name is Michael Twoyoungmen, and he's an aboriginal medicine man who has a mystical pouch that he can pull whatever he needs out of.

Snowbird: Considered a "godling" who Shaman bound to the land, she could transform herself into any Arctic creature. At one point, Langkowski took over her body.

Puck: A dwarf whose only real power was great agility and acrobatics. He said "eh" a lot.

Northstar: Jean Brebeuf was a world-class skier secretly using his power of super speed to win races. A reluctant hero, he's been making recent appearances in the X-books. Aurora, his twin sister with similar powers, was also an AF member. When the twins touched hands they could create a blinding light; hence their names.

For a full look at the AF team, check out the voluminous fan site http://www.alphaflight.net.

Raju Mudhar
Click to expand...

Source: The Toronto Star

Switchblade · Jun 26, 2005

Huh. Amusing to see that Alpha Flight vol. 3 has been retconned to a miniseries. I love it when Marvel does that. "Check out our brand new title, it's really cool... crap, it isn't selling... uh, it was just a miniseries!"

Wreckgar · Jun 26, 2005

Yea, Alpha Flight has had 3 incarnations. The first was good. The second sucked right along with it's counterpart, Heroes For Hire. Then came the 3rd incarnation which also sucked alongside Iron Fist.

The Spider · Jun 26, 2005

Primal said:

Alwaya thought Captain Canuck was part of Alpha Flight but it was James Hudson (Guadrian I).... interesting.
Click to expand...

I think John Byrne said that his design for Guardian was a design that he wanted to use for Captain Canuck, but I'm not sure. I'll have to check on that.

Gryph · Jun 27, 2005

They sure degrated Puck down alot. He's more than just an acrobat. During Byrne's run it was revealed that Puck's true power is that he can imprison magical entities within his body. The only reason he's a dwarf is due to a side afect of the evil spirit he trapped in himself.

Also, how could they not mention Box II. He was one of the coolest characters ever. He was a mutant with the power of "Mechanical Manipulation". He could mentally reshape any mechanical or electrical device into something else. He made his robot suit transform into all kinds of crazy stuff. He even took out two sentinels single handed. Took one apart and made it into a flight suit. Later, he turned the suit into a large jet-powered spear and shot it at another. He rocked.

artiepants · Jun 27, 2005

i LOOOOOOVED Box II ~ whatever ahppened to that character? Seems like he should show up in House of M or some other X-book...

Gryph · Jun 28, 2005

Last time I remember actually seeing him was in Age of Apocalypse. He was one of the badguys there though. I don't think they've really used him since.

Primal · Jun 28, 2005

If Box II was the one in AoA then he hasn't been seen since because according to the AlphaFlight.net site, Box II (Jerome Jaxon) is deceased; Box IV (Madison Jeffries) is the current one now. I haven't seen an image of Box II yet, but I like the look of Box IV best out of the 3 I've seen (Box I, III, IV).

artiepants · Jun 28, 2005

ah, yeah, Box IV is the one i remember...

The Spider · Jun 28, 2005

Gryph said:

They sure degrated Puck down alot. He's more than just an acrobat. During Byrne's run it was revealed that Puck's true power is that he can imprison magical entities within his body. The only reason he's a dwarf is due to a side afect of the evil spirit he trapped in himself.
Click to expand...

Actually, I think that was Bill Mantlo's run. Byrne wanted Puck to just be a short guy.

Gryph · Jul 4, 2005

Ah, I was wrong. Box IV is who I was refering too. I forgot there were others besides 1 & 4.

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Canada - More than just Wolverine

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artiepants Transformers '84!!!

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