Ben's Bit - Alpha Flight #6 Review

[Ben]

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http://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/af3_6_review_1.jpg[/img:3f97184c68]



Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artist: Clayton Henry
Story: You Gotta Be Kiddin' Me! Part 6 of 6

OVERVIEW:
[img=left:3f97184c68]http://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/af3_6_review_2.jpg[/img:3f97184c68]

The story picks up with Nemesis in the catacombs of the Plodex ship. Having lost her sword in the last issue, she is all but crippled, and dying without her sword. It is then that a small Plodex child hands her sword to her. The child runs away, and Nemesis flies after him/her.

Catching up with the rest of the team, we pick up where the previous issue left us. The team is on a small island amid a sea of Plodex eggs. The eggs are hooked into the same machinery that holds the original Alpha Flight team. Sasquatch figures that the genetic imprinting process is taking place, and moves to destroy the eggs before it's too late. Major Mapleleaf grabs Sasquatch, saying that he won't allow him to "murder" the developing Plodex. Yukon Jack sides with Sasquatch in the argument. They stand firm on the fact that allowing the Plodex to live will spell the end of the human race. Yukon Jack ignore's the Major's arguments, and rushes to attack the eggs, only to have his knife taken from him by Zuzha. Both she and Centennial take sides with Mapleleaf in the debate.

[img=right:3f97184c68]http://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/af3_6_review_3.jpg[/img:3f97184c68]We find Nemesis who has caught up with the young Plodex child. She seems on the verge of killing it, when it pushes a button revealing a hanger full of small flying crafts.

The argument over destroying the Plodex eggs has now deteriorated to an all out brawl. Just at the new team's most disgraceful moment, they are found by the original Alphans, who have managed to escape from the Plodex machinery. The battle that had taken place with the Plodex doplegangers had damaged the machinery enough for the heroes to escape. We learn that while hooked into the machine, they shared in the "genetic memory" of the Plodex race. They learned the entire history of the race, and formed a bond with them. They also learned that the Plodex home world had repaired it's self over the past thousand years. They had now decided to take the unhatched Plodex eggs back to their home planet to give the race a second chance. Nemesis appears with the Plodex child at her heal. She gives Guardian the keys she found to one of the small Plodex space crafts, giving them the means to take the eggs home. "Uncanny Alpha Flight" takes off, leaving the young Plodex child behind, as he/she had been born on earth. They are not sure of the sex of the child yet. Rutherford show us he has heat vision, as he uses it to modify one of the Plodex crafts. Major Mapleleaf and the new Puck offer to leave the team, as they questioned his leadership in destroying the eggs. Walter refuses their offer, and asks the whole team to stay together. The team leaves in their new craft, Plodex child and all.

REVIEW:

[img=left:3f97184c68]http://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/af3_6_review_4.jpg[/img:3f97184c68]I had a bit of a mixed reaction to this issue. I was really hoping for some great action, and a really big bang mind blowing issue to end this first story arc. In that respect, the issue was rather anticlimactic. The only real action was in the team members fighting each other, and even that was pretty tame. Don't get me wrong, I'm not the kind of guy who likes pure action books, however I did expect a little more. I also anticipated coming out of this arc knowing what all the members' powers were...but that hardly got developed at all.

That being said there were some really great things that happened in this issue. We got to meet the mysterious little Plodex kid. I love this little guy/girl. Very cute, sweet and genuine. There has to be some connection to Marrina with this little one. At the same time we got to see a bit of a tender side to Nemesis. Having the kid latch on to her was very sweet.

I didn't mind what Lobdell did with the original team. It could make for some great adventures, and opened the way for some really great stories down the road. However it does put them out of use to appear on other books. It was kind of sad seeing Walter looking after them, as they took off. It would be like seeing you family leave.

[img=right:3f97184c68]http://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/af3_6_review_5.jpg[/img:3f97184c68]The debate over destroying the Plodex eggs accomplished a bit of characterization. We see that Major Mapleleaf is very strong willed, and stands by his convictions. We saw bits of Rutherford and Zuzha's personalities that we hadn't seen before.

The humour in this issue was mixed. The floating head joke was an eye roller for me. No laughing here, however there were some really good bits too. Yukon Jack's line "Doth not be an idiot, man!" was great. Walter's embarrassment over the behavior of his new team in front of the veterans was very good, and his line calling Earthmover "Kid whose name I keep forgetting" made me hoot laughing. The baby talk coming out of the Plodex kid had me laughing out loud.

As always Clayton's art was astounding. If this guy doesn't burn himself out, I can see him being a leader in the industry down the road.

All in all, a good issue, though I was hoping for something with more of a bang.

[img]http://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/redleaf.jpghttp://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/redleaf.jpghttp://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/redleaf.jpghttp://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/redleaf.jpghttp://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/redleaf.jpghttp://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/redleaf.jpghttp://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/redleaf.jpghttp://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/greyleaf.jpghttp://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/greyleaf.jpghttp://www.alphaflight.net/reviews/greyleaf.jpg

[Phil]

I just wanna call being right on the MMJ being involved in the Sophie's Choice bit, and on the Plodex child not definitely being male :P

[Major Mapleleaf Jr]

Poor Earthmover... boy never gets any respect. :lol:

[jay042]

Well, now that we have Plodex Kid in the mix, I wonder if maybe Namor might be making an appearance to find out if this child might be his.

[ladymako71]

I just wanna call being right on the MMJ being involved in the Sophie's Choice bit, and on the Plodex child not definitely being male :P

Yes dear, you were right, we were wrong so =p

Hmmmmm...interesting? I was gonna go today but it's Africa hot out and I'm not in the mood to get fried driving a town over. I will however stop off on the way to me mate's place and pick up me two copies then. =)

[Canucklehead]

So the old team takes off? Even Snowbird? Can her new body now leave the "northern boundary" that is Canada? Perhaps she cannot and it will effect her. She'll return to Earth where she will get her little makeover revamp? Who knows!

I can see why Scott let the team go to space. Can't be enough trouble in all of Canada for so many heros. I suspect something will happen durring "Uncanny"'s journey and maybe lose a member. Nice Plug for an "Uncanny AF" series.

Oh well, can't wait to read these issues for myself... if they ever get here! lol

[Sir John A.]

Is it just me or was there a bit of an anti-abortion message in this issue?

[jay042]

Eh, I guess it could be taken that way. Since we've seen all of the potential for the Plodex there's no real certainty that they would all turn into evil conquerors.

That would suggest that most of Walt's knowlege about the Plodex in issue three was rather biased, even though the only one he really knew about was Marrina.

[Canucklehead]

Did it ever say if Walter was connected to the machines at some point or explain why he didn't remember how he escaped? Maybe he got most of the history while attached to the machine, but not all since he escaped.

[varo]

i can't even begin to say how disapointed i am in this issue.

total letdown. first the plodex were st up for 4 issues as being this evil entity all consuming force of the universe, then ........nothing?

then the original team decides to bail on the country and heads to a planet lord knows were? o....but we have to pick up our child along the way?

why does every new writer feel the desire to change a team to fit their mold?

why was sam raimi so succesful with the spiderman films? because he "got" the character.

same with brian singer....he "got" the characters. as well as every other succesful book on the market, the writer understands the characters.

this........*sigh*

i have waited so long for a new alpha series to come along. last series was the whole conspiracy thing, this series is a totally new team. why does no one understand that the origianal series lasted 130 issues? not to bad considering most books these days are getting axed at 12 or 20. if a book like weapon x with its strong numbers is getting chopped, then i can't imagine alpha with it's golden chance to attract new readers in it's 1st arc lasting past #12 that it was extended to.


really sorry to vent here guys, but understand i have been reading since volume 1 #1 and i am sick of seeing new writers coming along trying to mold the team in their image instead of understanding and respecting the teams history and writing it that way. how many places on the net have you seen "i loved the 1st series, but am let down by not seeing the originals"

sorry again.

[Mokole]

My view:

Overall I liked it. "You Gotta Be Kiddin' Me?" was the name of the arc and the theme:

1) Me join AF?
2) Fight them with no training?
3) Find them by going all over the North?
4) Transdimensional defence?
5) They're not old AF?
6) You don't want to destroy the eggs and end this threat forever?
7) You want to go to the planet?

I liked the character development (MML has a backbone, Puck's decisiveness, Centenniel's point about the Bomb) and the overall plot. The idea that old AF has to reseed the Plodex homeworld is original. That they agree with MML, Puck and Centenniel about wiping out the Plodex race is poignant, wiping out an entire species is simply wrong.

My big problems are that we never get to find out Puck or Yukon Jack's powers (unless of course YJ is a fighter, can withstand natural forces, may be immortal, and can generate light, no more). 6 issues and nothing. How would X-Men have been received if after 6 issues you didn't know Nightcrawler could teleport, Storm could control weather, and Colossus could turn into metal? Hopefully by issue #8 we'll know who Zuzha is, which includes her superpowers.

Now who is watching AF go home and laughing? Is this a lead in to #7, #9, or beyond? Hmmmm....

More action would have been better and less silliness. Getting old AF off on their own mission was done very well. Plodex thing hanging around will largely be a humour point, nothing more.

It will be good to see Lobdell live up to his word more and put more action in this book. Plot and art are great, script and superpowers need to catch up.

A good issue but not as good as 4 or 5.

BTW I only got 1 copy, Regina was sold out. However, X-Force, JLA, Flash, etc were still on the shelves.

[Mokole]

Snowbird is not tied to anything anymore. She is a clone of sorts and has been to the United States (or was basically created there).

Anyone notive how much Centenniel is Superman? Strength, flight, now heat vision? If X-Ray vision and bulletproofness show up....

[Snowbird]

I was terribly disappointed with issue 6. I stuck with the first five (despite terrible online reviews, and blistering scorn from my friends) as the storyline seemed to be leading up to something huge. In the end? Nothing. What gives? :(

Some lame jokes, an aborted fight scene for action, and an out of nowhere conclusion. You gotta be kidding me, indeed.

And what's up with that breaking the fourth wall scene at the end of issue six?? Why? I can dig some playful Buff-esque humour here and there but that 'floating head' nonsense had me groaning out loud.

Guys, get it together. An Alpha Flight relaunch CAN work. Honest. But more of this stuff and there's no way we're going to see issue 12. I've been an Alpha fan since their first appearance but I have to admit I've been purchasing this latest volume out of loyalty to the characters not because the book was particularly good.

[varo]

the floating head thing made me almost rip up the issue.

[kozzi24]

This would be tough to buy a second copy to hook a new reader. Issues 2 and 4 were much much better.

Am I the only one who thinks it was negligent at best and disloyal at worse for Sasquatch to just let the originals go? They'd been hooked up to Plodex machines for so long, the possibility of mind control was too great. Rather irresponsible of him.

When I saw Clayton's Snowbird sketches when the series started, I figured she would be staying with the new team, so I was most disappointed there. I could see Puck, Heather and Mac leaving, but doesn't Shaman have responsibilities to his medical patients? His departure struck me as out of character.

I am also buying out of loyalty and agree with everything varo said. It's kind of a tease that there was knowledge from the first issue that the originals would appear by the end of the arc. Where's that hope now?

There is Sasquatch and it is great to have Nemesis developed. I like the Mapleleaf Junior character, even more after this issue. Scott is doing a great job of shaping him to be Canada's Captain America, morality wise. I like Centennial enough, but dislike both Puck 2 and strongly dislike Yukon Jack. Lost native tribe...that speaks old English. :(

I absolutely detest breaking the fourth wall. Scott's capable of outrageous stuff, but there hasn't been too much of that here. Too much forced humor for my liking. Way too much, often with prolonged set ups for a lame delivery.

Clayton's art does get better issue after issue. His figures stay on the inside border of cartoony, and he's really great at a lot of the tech stuff. As someone who has been called a nit-picker, I noticed his consistency this issue, particularly in the rips in Nemesis' mask.

[kozzi24]

So the old team takes off? Even Snowbird? Can her new body now leave the "northern boundary" that is Canada? Perhaps she cannot and it will effect her. She'll return to Earth where she will get her little makeover revamp?
Actually, Mantlo reduced that limitation that Shaman had accidentally placed on her. Remember "Snow-whale" in Atlantis? The mystery is why he bothered just to kill her in less than a year.

[varo]

the thing is, we as loyal af readers are going to buy the book because we are long time fans, if i was someone that wanted to give the series a shot and had this issue be the conclusion, i would drop it and those are the readers you need to make a succesful book.

heck, i already dropped excalibur because i don't like the characters.


*sigh*

[Mokole]

I can understand most of your sentiments. I like the charcters, art, and overall plot but as I said the writing needs improvement. I am no fan of old AF really, I always thought the original Hudson teams were set up to be weak knock-offs and escapees from the insane asylum.

I mean an engineer with zero experience outside a desk creates and runs the team in the field? His secretary wife then takes over? The experienced natural leader/fighter never gets to take over?? Aurora is insane but on the team anyway? Her brother is also odd in his fights with authority. A half-god character? Honestly I liked Puck and thought Shaman was useful, Sasquatch had potential (and to be fair Sasquatch finally reaches his potential only in version 3).

Heather always was a whiner, Puck always a 'quitter' (what leader has better ideas but always defers to the secretary put in charge? If Judd were a real person you'd think he must be going through the motions before retirement).

I always saw old Alpha Flight in battle like this:

Mac says go after the enemy full throttle, Heather disagrees and says they need a plan and goes her own way. Puck mutters what they really should be doing but follows orders (Heathers). Mac gets frustrated but follows Heather. Aurora changes personality and runs. Northstar says, "screw this" and goes after her. Sasquatch and Shaman try to salvage the victory with brute power. If they succeed the enemy dies. If they fail some of AF dies.

Ever notice how virtually every writer had Mac Hudson's (original or synthoid/clone) plan off attack fail? Puck have better ideas but defer to Heather? Sasquatch disappear half the time? Shaman as well? "I'm a scientist" "I'm a doctor"

I hope Lobdell cuts out the garbage humour soon and installs action in its place. If he doesn't I agree, Alpha Flight won't get past issue #12, and Zuzha and Major Mapleleaf will join 50 other Alphans in oblivion. Is that what you all want???

I want this AF to succeed and get up to at least issue 100. I could take these characters and write a few great stories easily (AF destroys Apocalypse's regeneration chamber, cheesing off SHIELD...)
I better stop there, my computer's acting up.

[crozack]

To be honest, I have to say that I am disappointed with this arc as well. But I know it's going to pick up from here. Lemme explain why:

I understand what Lobdell was trying to do. In order to get new readers to care about Alpha Flight, he needed to create a new team with a new feel. Plus, rehashing Alpha Flight's awful continuity would be way too much of a chore.

With this first arc, he needed to explain the need for a new team, while also getting rid of the old one. Lobdell knew it would be his head if he just handed over Canada to this new team, so that's where this out of taking the Plodex eggs comes in. Also, he needed to keep some mystery surrounding new characters, as to not spoil future arcs.

That's why we don't know the full extent of their powers or their histories. We know probably more about Major Mapleleaf than anyone else, so naturally he is the most popular of these new additions. With Nemesis' history with the book, it makes sense for her to be a close second.

Now that Lobdell has the baggage out of the way, and he's free to do what he pleases with these characters from here on out, I'm definitely looking forward to stronger issues out of him.

This post has been moderated

[Mokole]

Well bud, I can see that you don't read many of my posts. I said my kids and I like Alpha Flight and like the characters Lobdell created. I was echoing sentiments I've read here and all over the 'net about issue #6. Me and the boys like the 6 characters, like that old AF is gone, and like the plot/art. They want me to keep buying AF.

What is a fanboy, anyway? I suspect it's someone who buys a comic no matter what. Well, I have about 7 issues of version 1 Alpha Flight. I have 5 of version 2. And I have all of version 3. So what the heck is a 'fanboy'??

I want Alpha Flight to succeed. Not as a home for mental patients but as a superhero comic. I obviously KNOW that Lobdell writes character-driven books (after all, wasn't Generation X?). I like that the characters are different, that YJ pouts, that Zuzha is on top of things, that MML has a backbone.

I'd prefer it if everyone here had as high an opinion of what ANADAF will be as I do. Everyone has there opinion of what they want in AF, I personally want the Hudsons as far away as possible. I'm not getting Box or Feedback but am I complaining? No, I get Major Mapleleaf and Zuzha Yu.

To finish, I want to know Zuzha's abilities/powers that she talks about.

I know Batman is a guy who using tech and such to his advantage. Captain America has a supersoldier serum that gives him added strength, speed, toughness, durability, and longevity, plus that shield. Judd is a very experienced hand-to-hand fighter who lead his own supergroup once and was the only member of old Alpha Flight with ANY combat training or experience. No hero is just acrobatic and that's it, Zuzha isn't either.

Other Alpha Flight fans want to know that Scott takes AF seriously not like Hamtaro, so I voiced their complaints in my letter post. If Alpha Flight is to survive it needs people like varo, Phil, ladymako, and me. So why not??

[kozzi24]

Steven Seagle did his own thing in volume 2 but kept teasing with the originals. We finally saw the originals. It is unrealistic that the original team could be recaptured in its entirety. But I generally attach to new characters are they develop alongside one I already care about. I'm not a Byrne purist, and I actively liked Kara Killgrave, Feedback and (while maybe not liking his characterization)the real originality of the powers of Manikin. I was never that crazy about characters like Goblyn, Wyre or Talisman, but could abide them in a team book.
Of the 4 new characters, I like two of them. Two fo them I actively dislike, leaving me with no middle ground of a lukewarm, "maybe I'll like them as they develop.
The reality is that every new "ongoing series" from Marvel is really a limited series, with green light given for 4 to 6 issues at a time. If the originals are not being used, so there's less of what I loved to be loyal to. I want this book to succeed, but I want to be enjoying every penny of my recreational spending. Like almost everyone else here, I gather, there's other demands for my money. The great thing about collecting comics is that you generally can get deeper enjoyment from your hobby than seeing it in a plastic sleeve or on a shelf.
As far as the entire team being crazy, that was the charm of the original series, a top seller in its day.
John Byrne said he never understood the instant popularity of Alpha. When developing the characters consequently, he might of overcompensated. Aurora became an exploration of the inherent personality split of the hero in and out of costume. Northstar became the first gay character of a major publisher. Walt became a bully with control issues over his alter ego. Snowbird became a demigod who actively strove to explore being human. Shaman was the wisom of the team, and Puck was its heart.
And the Hudsons... I think Mokole is missing too many issues of the original run to know what Byrne, and later Mantlo, were saying with their roles. Both Hudsons were exactly of the same mold as Captain America: the average Joe who became their country's iconic symbol. I personally think that is why--despite the fact that she can be icy, whiny and "w"itchy, Heather was always the more popular Guardian. She wasn't a super-brain who created a technological marvel, she was a SECRETARY who moved up, Common Jane's success story.
This new Alpha and the old doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. One example is that Scott could bring in Aurora. Don't groan, "she's crazy" because by nature of her craziness, Scott can exhibit character-centric humor (he was very funny with her during his time on v1, and the best laugh in the series rooted from her under Scott's pen.) Aurora only seems crazy when the personalities change. Both Aurora and Jeanne-Marie can make and have made solid contributions in the past. If Scott buds a romance between Puck 2 and Sasquatch, Aurora's return could spell some wonderful character interaction. But more importantly, JEANNE-MARIE never considered Sas her boyfriend, and she would probably be quite attracted to Major Mapleleaf, physically and morally. One original, and she can deeply impact three of Scott's current cast. This would bridge new readers with old and just might be an original enough circumstance in comics to create buzz for the book and generate some sales. Northstar would follow on the team as a matter of course, especially as he's being wasted at the X-Mansion.
This book is ALPHA FLIGHT. I really want to love it, the way I have loved various Avengers stories despite different writers and teams.

[Major Mapleleaf Jr]

Couldn't have said it better myself, Kozzi. I feel pretty much exactly the same way. By chance were you a fan of Furman's run? I kinda liked the idea of Alpha Flight slowly becoming more and more "establishment" without them even realizing it fully until the situation with the Hardliners came to a head. I genuinely miss reading Furman's stories, because he worked well with what had gone before.

But I digress. I'm rather fond of ALL of the characters in ANADAF, veterans and rookies alike. They've each grown on me BECAUSE of their quirks and their off-beat flavor. Kinda like the original Alpha Flight did. Granted, this arc was much sillier, but honestly, I don't want to read a book that's just straight-up Avengers-style, because if I wanted that, I'd just read the Avengers. Well, not anymore, not with Wolverine, Spider-Man, and Jessica Drew (among a couple of others) comprising the upcoming line-up. :shock:

[kozzi24]

I was a HUGE fan of Furman's run. Second only to Byrne, and on point by point probably did better than Byrne in some areas. Post Mantlo, Hundall did OK, I was enthusiastic about Nicienza and found Lobdell funny enough. (The humor came from the characters back then.) Furman made the team and title come alive again for me, for the first time since the exodus in #50.

My advice: if you like Avengers, NEVER NEVER NEVER get upset about line-up changes. Since #16, that's what the team has been about!
I would have preferred the Julia Carpenter Spider-Woman, but then again, I would have preferred her on the team with Scott Lang, see a relationship develop and Rachel and Cassie become fast friends and eventually step sisters. Kids in the mansion may be dangerous, but they sure to bring out a very nice aspect of Jarvis. (And you'd be the right person to ask--do you think Jarvis is gay?)

Wolverine's not appropriate for Avengers and is way too overexposed, but Drew and Cage might make good members. Luke Cage needs a bit of respect and exposure anyway. The story may be a telling of defining what/who does work and does not work as Avengers, so some of the characters might be short lived on the team. It's one of those cases where I don't agree with everything the writer is doing, but the story should be good enough. I rate #500 at a 4 (of 5) and it lost points only because the deaths were gratuitous.

[Ottawa Renegade]

This new Alpha and the old doesn't have to be mutually exclusive.

Exactly. I think the best approach would be to play it like DC does JSA. The are an even mix of...

a) Original members.
b) New versions of older chacters with a direct connection (Hawgirl)
c) New versions of older characters with little connection (Dr. Midnite, Mr Terrific, Stargirl).

...and I think they play it to perfection.

Too much of Alpha is new and unconnected, at least that we know of. I keep thinking that there's a lot more to be told, but we're heading to issue 7 and this feels less and less likely now.

I know, I know..."all-new, all-different". I just think they've gone too far away. I think it seems pretty clear that people would rather have a well-done version of the original team.

Really, wasn't V2 all-new, all-different? It only had two original members when you think about it. Sasquatch and Guardian weren't their "real" selves and Jeffries was gone after one issue.

All-different's been done already and I don't think it's what people want. Rather than new with a little original, give us the originals with a little new.

Maybe Earthmover can be turned into a good character with good writing. Maybe Puck's daughter takes her dad's place on the team. Maybe Heather stays behind for the sake of their child and has issues with Mac being on the team, creating a little conflict there. Maybe Talisman is a member instead of Shaman. In fact, Talisman and Puck2 would be very JSA'ish in that so many of the JSA characters are sons and daughters of the originals and it doesn't feel like anything but the JSA anyway.

Two attempts in a row with a majority of totally new characters seems like squeezing square pegs in round holes. The Teen Titans failed when they tried this, the JLA failed when they tried it in the 80's, the New Warriors failed at it when they were about 50/50 new/old. It just doesn't seem to work.

Actually, I guess the X-Men have done okay with it... :oops: I guess that's why Lobdell was trying to duplicate with this story, since it's nearly identical to the introduction of the new X-Men.

[Nalyd Psycho]

I have this weird thing, after a while of not reading a comic I tend to question whether or not I need to still read it. So I didn't buy AF 6 the week it came out, had to trim more than a few titles that week to get the Deadpool action figure. So I got it this past week and was in no rush to read it. I was thinking, maybe the nay-sayers are right. Maybe I'm blinded by my desire for quality Alpha Flight.

So I guess you could say I went into the 6th issue with a clean and fresh perspective.

AND I LOVED IT! Best issue yet.

[Phil]

The Avengers discussion has been moved to here (http://forum.alphaflight.net/viewtopic.php?p=6825#6825).

Please try and keep conversation in this forum on topic.

[Le Messor]

This is more an overview of my feelings on the latest series than this issue...

A lot of people get annoyed at too much angst. That's the usual way to put it, at least. My problem isn't that, not quite. It's not enough joy. I watched a movie the other day, where I don't think one character ever smiled, they were all slow, and looked like the walking dead. (Of course, it was a vampire movie, so a few of them -were- walking dead, but that's beside the point).
It made the movie slow and painful.

Alpha Flight, this version has plenty of joy.
But it has no depth. And I don't feel like it has characters I know.
It's a bit of light fluff that goes straight to the bottom of my reading pile -
But don't take that harshly. I put the stuff I most want to read on the bottom of the pile, else it takes forever to get through it.
I love reading it. Unlike a certain v2 series I could name Weapon X v0, this -is- Alpha Flight. To me, at least.

It's not a great run - no Byrne or Hudnall here - but it's AF.

I just miss the depth.

- Le Messor
"As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in public schools"

[Ottawa Renegade]

It's not a great run - no Byrne or Hudnall here - but it's AF.

I just miss the depth.

There are enough hints of it, I think, to give the impression that there may be a payoff down the road. MML's background with his dad, for instance, and Nemesis and Centennial seemed to be developing something of a connection. Puck looked like she was starting to dig Sasquatch. I could see those things leading to a bit more depth.

Better get a move on though.

[Le Messor]

It's not a great run - no Byrne or Hudnall here - but it's AF.

I just miss the depth.

There are enough hints of it, I think, to give the impression that there may be a payoff down the road. MML's background with his dad, for instance, and Nemesis and Centennial seemed to be developing something of a connection. Puck looked like she was starting to dig Sasquatch. I could see those things leading to a bit more depth.

Better get a move on though.

I suspect it's there, and I'm just missing it. Whatever it is, it's subliminal, something I can't really name. What the French might call a certain 'I don't know what'. I mean, you can combine humour and depth well - Buffy, Young Justice are great examples.
But this doesn't have it for me... I feel no real connection to the characters; I like Rutherford, stereotype that he is, but I don't feel for any of them. Okay, Nemesis gets residuals from the original, but that's about it... Hmm... something more to add on her thread...

- Le Messor
"At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be “Clark Kent, Dentist,” because you could save money on tooth X-rays. But then I thought, if a patient said, “How’s my back tooth?” and you just looked at it with your X-ray vision and said, “Oh it’s okay,” then the patient would probably say, “Aren’t you going to take an X-ray, stupid?” and you’d say, “Aw **** you, get outta here,” and then he probably wouldn’t even pay his bill."
- Jack Handey