Anyone affraid this is the end of it?

[jay042]

With the series ending on it's bizzare note, and it's complete dissregard for previous continuity I'm concerned that no other writer at Marvel wiill touch the characters. New Alpha has very few supporters in the fandom, and it's likely it will fade into obscurity and dissregard amoungst the writers at Marvel. Back in the days of Vol 2 Alpha had some guest appearances in various other series. That's not happened with the new team, I'm just concerned that the whole franchise might sink with this Vol.3 #12.

[HappyCanuck]

That's why, Jay, it's OUR job to let Marvel know that we won't standby while ALpha dissappears into the woodwork, and demand Alpha back - PROPERLY. This is not to say we aren't doing so already, but that we need to pick up the pace.

[Northcott]

Oh, hell no. I'm not concerned that this is it. I'm more concerned that someone will get their hands on the property and screw it up before I get a crack at it. :) (I know some folks don't like the way Lobdell ended it, but there's potential for a fresh start there)

I know of at least a couple writers (and one artist ;) ) who would jump at the chance to rework the Flight.

[varo]

you got to wonder though when marvel says enough is enough with a failed series.

i know power pack, cloak and dagger, senteniel, the new warriors, iron fist/power man, the defenders all have a cult following like alpha does yet i son't think any of those (maybe the defenders) got 4 cracks at being published.

that is why i'm concerned.

[Northcott]

Several of the series you mentioned lack the following that Alpha once had. What they've got on their hands with Alpha is a series that was once among their best-selling, and has been reduced to obscurity.

I'm sure the thought trickles in the back of corporate heads that someone, somewhere, screwed this up but good. At first glance it's obvioius that there's profit to be made here, and that people are obviously willing to buy into the property -- they just can't seem to figure out the "why" of it, relaunching the property in a manner similar to the way that Marvel used to do their movies.

[Ben]

you got to wonder though when marvel says enough is enough with a failed series.

i know power pack, cloak and dagger, senteniel, the new warriors, iron fist/power man, the defenders all have a cult following like alpha does yet i son't think any of those (maybe the defenders) got 4 cracks at being published.

that is why i'm concerned.

It's true that Alpha Fight isn't alone in havign a loyal following, yet if you compair the nature of the fan bases, I think you see Alpha Fans are:

a). More Plentiful
b). More vocal
c). more deidcated.

This is in no way a slight to any fans of the above mentioned books, I myself quite like New Warriors, and loved the PP when I was a wee lad, but the Alpha fan community seems a cut above, and those fans are what have to potential for a well done book to last. I do think however if it fails one more time, that will most likely be it.

Ben

[Mokole]

you got to wonder though when marvel says enough is enough with a failed series.

i know power pack, cloak and dagger, senteniel, the new warriors, iron fist/power man, the defenders all have a cult following like alpha does yet i son't think any of those (maybe the defenders) got 4 cracks at being published.

that is why i'm concerned.

Well, Power Pack would have to grow up so writing similar storis about 5 pre-teens stuck as kids would get tiring. Cloak and Dagger were never very popular, I doubt most people ever heard of them. I thought they were DC. Senteniel? Not sure what that is. New Warriors will come back but I think it keeps getting shoved aside by other similar books, like New Avengers now. Still it will come back again, as Power Man and Iron Fist have, and the Defenders did. BUt AF is kind of unique in content and direction, it ain't Teen Titans/X-Men/Avengers/FF/JLA....

[HappyCanuck]

Well, Power Pack would have to grow up so writing similar storis about 5 pre-teens stuck as kids would get tiring.

What would make you say that? Apparently, Power Pack has very little problem getting press, as shown here (http://marvel.com/catalog/showcomic.htm?id=1889&format=comic). This is the third known title to have these guys that I can think of. (And, if it wasn't suck cheesy Manga style, I'd prolly pick it up - still on the look out for the first two series, which I only have a small handful of issues). Btw, there's only 4 Power kids (the fifth was Franklin Richards, but he stopped with them in the VERY early nineties.)[/url]

[kozzi24]

you got to wonder though when marvel says enough is enough with a failed series.

i know power pack, cloak and dagger, senteniel, the new warriors, iron fist/power man, the defenders all have a cult following like alpha does yet i son't think any of those (maybe the defenders) got 4 cracks at being published.

that is why i'm concerned.


Mokole wrote: Cloak and Dagger were never very popular, I doubt most people ever heard of them. I thought they were DC.

Cloak and Dagger was quite popular, and actually did get 4 cracks at publication: The 4 issue limited, the 11 issue ongoing, Strange Tales split book, then the "Mutant Misadventures." They got their own title because initial fan reaction to the characters was almost as enthusiastic as was fan reaction to Alpha Flight when they first appeared.

Cloak and Dagger had some serious problems along the way.
They were creations of Bill Mantlo, who did some wonderful stuff outside of Alpha Flight, but maybe he was just losing his gift through use for writing comics. He created a "demon" in the cloak, and working from that, the characters were never the same. Add to that the fact that Mantlo himself gutted what had been a pretty good supporting cast, and without it, C&D themselves lost a lot of their dimension. And that Mantlo just HAD TO sink Father Delgado into a stereotypical pervert instead of a more archetypical or even iconic supporting character is just shameful.

Terry Austen's run as writer on "Mutant Misadventures" also stands to me as the greatest example of the absolute folly of assignments being given based on who-you-know...he did is research on quite a few things, but most of his run was dreadful. A great inker, not so great a writer; the result might have been better if he had been teamed up with a co-plotter or scripter.

Cloak & Dagger seem to essentially make better guest stars than carrying their own book as seeing other better known characters. I would support a new book about them, but I don't know that it would be commercially successful.

I did read on Newsrama sometime back that they were characters that Marvel was waiting for the write pitch for, but nothing sent ever seemed quite right, with implication that the concept of a "mixed" relationship was probably groundbreaking in comics in the 1980's, but just not noteworthy now...as if that had ever been explored enough to be an issue.

[varo]

i meant sentinel. the book about a boy and his robot :lol: that had a pretty strong fan base.

but i guess thinking about it she-hulk has had probally 4 if not more shots at being published.

i agree that alpha puts up strong numbers and that is what is probally going to get the series another shot, i read on all the other boards how people used to read the original series and loved it, but the last 2 have done nothing for them.

i think series 2 even put up strong numbers but that was at the time marvel was going through bankruptcy.


*fingers crossed*

[cmdrkoenig67]

Power Pack is back too...as little kids still...even though in New Warriors, they apparently had the oldest boy aged into his teen years. He looks like he's been reverted to about 11 or 12.

Dana

[Northcott]

Hoo-ah! Marvel Time strikes again! :)

[jay042]

Well, the new Power Pack series is part of the Marvel Age line, which means it's not part of 616 continuity.

As for the Power kids, Julie Power has aged a bit and is now being featured regularly in Runaways

[cmdrkoenig67]

Well, the new Power Pack series is part of the Marvel Age line, which means it's not part of 616 continuity.

As for the Power kids, Julie Power has aged a bit and is now being featured regularly in Runaways

Ah....more alternate versions of their characters to confuse the masses.

:roll:
Dana

[Ben]

Hoo-ah! Marvel Time strikes again! :)

Maybe Department H. got ahold of them and "de-aged" them ;)

Ben

[kozzi24]

Well, the new Power Pack series is part of the Marvel Age line, which means it's not part of 616 continuity.

As for the Power kids, Julie Power has aged a bit and is now being featured regularly in Runaways
She seems 18 or 19 in Runaways, OLDER than I figured she should be

[HappyCanuck]

Hoo-ah! Marvel Time strikes again! :)

Maybe Department H. got ahold of them and "de-aged" them ;)

Ben

Oh great, just what we need: Super-Powered Syntha-twerps... (ah well, I've always liked Power Pack.)

[HappyCanuck]

Well, the new Power Pack series is part of the Marvel Age line, which means it's not part of 616 continuity.

As for the Power kids, Julie Power has aged a bit and is now being featured regularly in Runaways
She seems 18 or 19 in Runaways, OLDER than I figured she should be

MUCH older! Considering that, in Marvel time, 1963 - 2001 equals about 10 years (according to Avengers vol3 #8; we'll round to 30 years even), and that Julie was intro'ed as 10 years old in 1988...

So if 30Ra = 10Ma (assuming Marvel time progresses steadily - which it's been shown not to, but just for arguement sake), and Lightspeed was introed 17 years ago at the age of 10, that would make her, roughly, 15 or 16, so about the right age in Runaways (as for SEEMING to be 18 or 19, Julie's always been the mother-hen type in the old PP series, basically grew up fast.)

[kozzi24]

So if 30Ra = 10Ma (assuming Marvel time progresses steadily - which it's been shown not to, but just for arguement sake), and Lightspeed was introed 17 years ago at the age of 10, that would make her, roughly, 15 or 16, so about the right age in Runaways (as for SEEMING to be 18 or 19, Julie's always been the mother-hen type in the old PP series, basically grew up fast.)

She comes across as college age, in mannerisms and dialogue. She is living, presumably without her family, in LA. I don't see her family allowing that if she was still underage.
However, her age is not specifically stated, so it is possible she herself is a runaway, though I doubt if that was the case, she's be seeing a therapist (as something other than a john).

[HappyCanuck]

:shock: Julie Power, super-powered prostitute. that's VERY out of character (but not implausible)...

[Northcott]

IIRC, Kitty Pryde was 15-16 at the time Power Pack were intro'ed. Have they had Kitty celebrate her 18th in the comics yet?

[jay042]

Kitty's now teaching at Xavier's. They probably haven't, she just jumped to 20-something in the interim.

[HappyCanuck]

IIRC, Kitty Pryde was 15-16 at the time Power Pack were intro'ed. Have they had Kitty celebrate her 18th in the comics yet?

I think it was alluded to that she was now ever 18. WHen she was still in Excalibur, she joined the team in a pub, and was ID'ed. Legal age for bar hopping in Britain is either 18 or 19 (have to ask the Brits on the forum for confirmation)

[Mokole]

http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0502/18/teamhandbook.htm

No AF people on the cover.

[Scarlettspiderg]

Legal age (for drinking) is 18, over here in the UK.

The team cover only shows Powerpack, Defenders and Thunderbolts - so Alpha Flight still have a shot (otherwise are Marvel going to leave the Avengers, FF and X-Men out too?)

[cmdrkoenig67]

Legal age (for drinking) is 18, over here in the UK.

The team cover only shows Powerpack, Defenders and Thunderbolts - so Alpha Flight still have a shot (otherwise are Marvel going to leave the Avengers, FF and X-Men out too?)

...Fraid so, Scarlet....it only features the three teams you named...LOL

Dana :wink:

[Scarlettspiderg]

Ok, I've finally got round to reading the blurb -

"Written by Written by Jeff Christiansen, Eric J. Moreels, Stuart Vandal, Mark O'English, Michael Hoskin, Richard Green, Ronald Byrd, Sean McQuaid and Anthony Flamini, cover by Tom Grummett and Morry Hollowell.

Heavy-hitting heroes unite! This Official Handbook contains in-depth bios on more than 30 of the Marvel Universe's most awesome assemblages Â* including the Defenders, Power Pack and the New Thunderbolts!

48 pages, $3.99, in stores on May 18."

So thats 30 teams? Heres my guess at the list:

Alpha Flight, Avengers (with West Coast), Defenders (with Secret and New), Fantastic Four, Fantastic Force, Power Pack, X-Men, X-Factor, X-Force (with X-Statix), Excalibur, Champions, Big Hero 6, Soviet Supersoliders, X-Corps, X-Corperation, Thunderbolts, Inhumans, SHIELD, New Warriors, Shiar Imperial Guard.

Add in some enemy teams - AIM, Hydra, Masters of Evil, Sinister Six (or 12), Marauders, Acolytes, Brotherhood, Serpent Society, Dark Riders.

Thats about 30. Cant wait to see who Marvel actually print - but AF better be in there!

[kozzi24]

I would assume they meant thirty heroes across the three teams, judging from the cover.
__________________________________________________ ________
In between her retirement from the X-Men, the Mechanix limited and joining Astonishing X-Men, Kitty seems to have gone through a year or two of college, so she would be about 19/20, which is reasonable slow-aging for Marvel Time. I give Claremont a lot of credit, because he did steadily age her when he was in total control of the character, about 1 year for every 3 to 4 publication years.

I would most hope that Julie Power in Runaways is 15/16, a runaway herself. Borrowing from Nova, she could thearetically be making good money in express deliver in LA.

[Ben]

the way it's worded sounds like 30 teams to me. That would make more sense than than have a book about 3 teams :?

I'd say there's a good be AF will be there, most likely ANADAF since the "core" team was featured in the wolvie handbook

Ben

[varo]

come to think of it dr. strange is probally on his 10th series.

[Le Messor]

Has the next Runaways series started? D'oh! I was supposed to get it on standing order.

Or, have you been reading previews again?

- Le Messor
"Confidence is the feeling you have before you understand the situation."

[kozzi24]

Has the next Runaways series started? D'oh! I was supposed to get it on standing order.

Or, have you been reading previews again?

- Le Messor
"Confidence is the feeling you have before you understand the situation."
came out Wednesday the 16th.

[SephirothsKiller]

Notice that the marvel universe page doesn't even include any alpha characters in it. If they do bring back alpha flight i hope its a combo of the two teams, because i thought both had feasable characters in them and both had baggage, sasquatch should get his own solo in the meantime. I always hated major mapleleaf, except for issue 12 when he just busted in all older and had the huge gun, i just thought, "Now this is a guy who could kick captain americas ass!!". Seriously though, have you seen the bull Marvel is pedling instead of Alpha Flight? They spend all these dollars advertising **** comics like "Arana: Heart of the spider." What the hell is that?

[Barnacle13]

And now they're doing a Great Lakes Avengers! Now if you wanted campy, there's your target, not Alpha Flight. So now comes the big question.....will GLA last longer than Alpha Flight V3? God I hope not!

[Ben]

Notice that the marvel universe page doesn't even include any alpha characters in it. If they do bring back alpha flight i hope its a combo of the two teams, because i thought both had feasable characters in them and both had baggage, sasquatch should get his own solo in the meantime. I always hated major mapleleaf, except for issue 12 when he just busted in all older and had the huge gun, i just thought, "Now this is a guy who could kick captain americas ass!!". Seriously though, have you seen the bull Marvel is pedling instead of Alpha Flight? They spend all these dollars advertising s**t comics like "Arana: Heart of the spider." What the hell is that?

It's really pretty sad how little Marvel put into this title. My guess is that they thought it wasn't going to last long from the get-go, but let Lobdell have a go at it anyway, just because they like him, and want to keep him happy. I'm supprized they even bothered featuring the new characters at all in the new Handbooks.

Anyway, welcome to Alpha Waves SephirothsKiller (interesting handle). Great place to hang out, feel free to carv your innitials in the cupboard.

Ben

[Le Messor]

Oh, yeah, I've checked and Runaways is in my standing order. I was worried, 'coz you talked about Julie Power, and I thought she didn't appear until well after #1.

Um... Alpha Flight rocks!
(Just trying to keep it on topic.) :twisted:

- Le Messor
"Confession is good for the soul, but bad for your career."