probally gonna get banned over at x-fan, but....

[varo]

i had to speak my mind.

http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=26471

[Ben]

Maybe flamed, rather than banned, but I backed you.

Ben

[HavokThePowerful]

I also backed you but I doubt you will get banned for it.

[Ahab]

I don't blame you fpr voicing your opinion. Someone else here may have already mentioned this, but I found out why we never got to read the last 2 Lobdell interviews about the new series at SilverBulletComics. Scott never sent the answers back - and he was the one that requested that the interview be done in the first place! It makes me wonder why the writer of the series didn't even make the effort to make sure that it got the publicity that it needs. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that something happened that prevented him from sending the final two parts of the interview - just seems strange to me.
In fact, Marvel (again) hasn't really done a whole lot to support this new series. Why make the effort to have it if you aren't going to support it?

[Ben]

It's really typical Marvel treatment of Alpha Flight :( I hope we are just seeing the worst case here, but Marvel does have a track record of not doing for Alpha What it could. I could be paranoid, but it is one of the only titles this month not to have a promo image. Scott emailed me, asked me a couple questions. I responded, asking him a few in return, asking for an interview for AlphaFlight.net However he did not respond. That was quite a while ago. I have heard that he's a very reclusive introverted man. Though a nice person, isn't outgoing, and isn't self promoting. I hope that's all it is.


I don't blame you fpr voicing your opinion. Someone else here may have already mentioned this, but I found out why we never got to read the last 2 Lobdell interviews about the new series at SilverBulletComics. Scott never sent the answers back - and he was the one that requested that the interview be done in the first place! It makes me wonder why the writer of the series didn't even make the effort to make sure that it got the publicity that it needs. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that something happened that prevented him from sending the final two parts of the interview - just seems strange to me.
In fact, Marvel (again) hasn't really done a whole lot to support this new series. Why make the effort to have it if you aren't going to support it?

[Legerd]

Varo, like everyone else, I'm right with you. =D> I wrote in about issue one and said that Alpha needed a more serious tone, something along the lines of what Scott did in UXM. He won a number of fan awards for two of his stories during that run, so why not try to duplicate it with AF?
Maybe if we all let Scott know what we want to see he'll change the book.

[Ben]

Is it possible that this first story arc is commedic, but the rest won't be....Think about it, this arc is called "you gotta be kiddin' me" maybe the rest will be more serious...

[Legerd]

Is it possible that this first story arc is commedic, but the rest won't be....Think about it, this arc is called "you gotta be kiddin' me" maybe the rest will be more serious...

I hope so. [-o<

[varo]

i hope so too.

[ComiX-Fan]

Hi guys,

Eric from ComiX-Fan here, just curious as to the nature of this topic. There's no way we'd ever ban someone for expressing an opinion, unless of course they were being abusive during said expression.

So long as you abide by our site's posting rules, all is good :)

[Nalyd Psycho]

I like the comedic tone of the book. Just needs to find it's niche and be regulated rather than overboard.

[Ben]

Well, not to put words in Varo's mouth, I would assume the title of this topic was said more tongue in cheek than anything else, as there were a few people on the ComiX-Fan forums coming down on Alpha. :shock:

BTW, Welocome over here Eric.


Hi guys,

Eric from ComiX-Fan here, just curious as to the nature of this topic. There's no way we'd ever ban someone for expressing an opinion, unless of course they were being abusive during said expression.

So long as you abide by our site's posting rules, all is good :)

[varo]

yep.


what he said.

[HappyCanuck]

It's really typical Marvel treatment of Alpha Flight...

(*NOTE*: all views and perspectives from this point farther are my opinions and mine only. I do not claim to speak for any individual person, establishment or culture.)

Actually, if anything, it's Marvel's treatment of anything international - especially Canadian. With the exception of possibly Excalibur (who's core members were either American or Americanised), I can't think of one non-American hero/team who wasn't a mockery. Even to some extent the Winter Guard - Marvel's sad attempt to ratify the Super Soviets - was completely stereotypical of how many Americans view post-Soviet Russians. Don't even get me started on the lame excuse that was Big Hero 6! But back to Canada, and Alpha, what Marvel is doing in it's 'hype' for the book is not only counterproductive - as they will NEVER sell the book if new readers think the team has only been filled with whiners and 'hosers' - but it's demeaning - at least to me - to Canadians in general. Right now, Canada gets enough flack from the US in the serious media, we DON'T need it carried on in the popular excapist media as well.

Some of you may be wondering 'what about Wolverine?', since he is currently ranked up there with Spider-Man as icons for Marvel, and he is reportably Canadian. To that, I'd say 'MRRP!!' Wrong! sure, his roots are Canadian, but he is the worse example of Canada, as, since his introduction in Incredible Hulk, waaay back in 1974, he was automatically Americanised. And rightfully so, since, at that period (if my research is correct, feel free to correct me), Marvel comics were primarily demographised towards young Americans. Very few non-American heroes were prevailent in that era. It wasn't until the early to mid '80's that internationalism was the key (to that, we have Giant Sized X-Men#1 [1975] to thank for that, IMO, as that was the first time that I can think of where international heroes were shown in a possitive light). Now we are back to a mainly stream-lined American status.

To that effect, yes, international heroes have been given good light as well, but very unoften. In the case of recent Canadian expatiots - such as Northstar, Aurora and Wild Child -, they too are not the exception. Northstar is with the X-Men, but since he joined full-time, can you think of ONE time where his accent or his bilingualism has been used? I can't. Hell, for the most part, Northstar isn't part of the team, he's furnature, only used when they need him to be. Even when he and Juggernaut went against the Flight, what did he contribute as part of his new team? He was a glorified ambulance! He didn't even aid Alpha! As for Aurora and Kyle, I don't follow Weapon X, as I don't get that title where I am, but from all I've seen between issue reviews and the reviews of fans, they are both horribly underused. Even when Kyle was with X-Factor, he was never used properly, and when he was, it wasn't him! It was some writer's poor version of Sabretooth!

Personally, in regards to Alpha Flight, I blame the American writers who took over on Alpha in Vol. 1, for it was they who turned a well-written, well-meaning piece of factual art representing Canada, and butchered it to a degree where, when and if another Canadian came to write the book, they had to spend too much time putting the pieces back on Canadian culture(s) instead of writing note-worthy stories. I'm not saying the American writers butchered AF intentionally, but that they didn't know enough about Canada as a culture to write about it authoritatively. Again, I blame American media, who seem to think that Canada is simply the US under a different name and flag.

Before I end off yet another lengthy post, I feel I may need to apologise to several groups of individuals - specifically Americans and American mediaist and any other who may have taken offence to my post: I do not mean to attack you PERSONALLY, but I need it said my views on the American persective of Canada. After too long of being the butt of American jokes, it's time that SOMEONE seriously stood up for Canada, "the True North Strong and Free".

[syvalois]

Well Allan, I think you expect to much of any writer. I mean, even if Byrne was Canadian, he did get most of Northstar and Aurora's origine in some way wrong. I could complained that when he drew Montreal, it was all well known English Canadian buildings (Queen Elisabeth hotel, sunbuilding)and not reflecting the Quebecers reality or point of view.

It's the same thing for American versus Canadian, and I'm sorry to say but most of the rest of the world thinks canada is more or less like the US. Like an Emglishman told me once : "Canadians are nice americans". And anyway our way of liking is north american and is not much differnet in apparence than any americans.

So, Allan, I think you're asking to much to any writers.

[HappyCanuck]

It's not that I am asking to much of the writers, and i don't neccessarily have problems with the stories themselves, my problem is how Canadians and other non-Americans are portrayed in American Media. Personally, I find it very degrading.

Also, along that note, I'd also like to take a couple of seconds to add to eternity an apology: I was VERY frusterated when I posted the two posts that obviously display that. I have a deep respect from my home country, as I'm sure all of you do yours, and I hate to see it constantly bashed and mocked. It's all nice to say 'oh, don't worry, it's just a joke', but when that joke is constantly being used, ppl start to believe it, and that's what royally screwing us in the world market.

[syvalois]

If you are refering AF vol3, I have not read it yet, but from the pages I've seen, I thought Lobdell, was more making fun of his (and in the same way, most americans) lack of knowledge of Canada. A little bit like due South was making it. I did not read the issue so I cannot really say if I'm right or wrong, and anyway, Lobdell never been a favorite of mine, but I liked that he admitted not knowing much about Canada. He could include more jokes about the feedback some readers will gave him, like an interactive comic book, non? :twisted: :roll: :wink:

[bigbloo]

This is what I think of the whole "can an American (or any other nationality for that matter) write a Canadian team comic" thing.

I'm willing to cut a writer some slack for not knowing absolutely everything about Canada. It is difficult to write like a Canadian when you aren't one. And by "writing like a Canadian" i mean being able to throw in up to date (as in current) events, turns of phrase, even attitudes of Canadians.

I do expect, however, that the writer (and the artist as well) do their research to make it at least LOOK LIKE they are trying to set the book in Canada, and trying to make the characters be believable as Canadian citizens living in Canada. If i were the writer, I'd be watching Canadian TV, reading Canadian magazines and newspapers, talking to friends living in Canada, and givinig the artist clips of locations in Canada. (Its amazing how gratifying the response you get from people is when they can actually recognize a building or lamp post or street sign).

So far, this comic isnt doing that, but then im not really expecting that at this point. I think the first thing Lobdell needs to do is get a big audience, and hes trying the light approach, let's see if it works.... :?

I wonder which writers the Canadians we have here on the list think at least made an effort to do good research...?

[HappyCanuck]

I wonder which writers the Canadians we have here on the list think at least made an effort to do good research...?

Oh, there are a couple whom either tried to do adequate research (don't ask me who, as I can't remember, and don't have my comics at hand), or got away with it by not having the team in Canada or on Earth for that matter.

[syvalois]

I wonder which writers the Canadians we have here on the list think at least made an effort to do good research...?

For my part, Hudnall the one with Llan the sorcerer. For Aurora in Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré, Byrne not for all but close enough, I don't know who, but near the end when Aurora had the healing powers, the reference to Toronto being too americanised. Seagle tried but failed most of the time and lastly, the world tour, the guest writer/artist when they made Aurora and Northstar swear like crazy, my ears where ringing at the end and the swearing word where mostly place at the right place, incredible!!![/quote]

[Major Mapleleaf Jr]

I thought that Lobdell didn't do too terribly the first time around. And Hudnall really made a good effort... better than Mantlo ever did, surely.

[DelBubs]

Hudnall didn't do to bad, but Llan was just a bad character, or a good one, but overused. At the time, and from what Hudnall has said, editorial didn't know what to do with AF and the book was left in a limbo wandering aimlessly, FabNic really put it back on course, but I think Huds intentions where good.