Back Issues: WEAPON X # 1

[Garry/Al-Fan]

So the Weapon X folks made short work of the international crime cartel Zodiac. No mention was made of the Nth Projector, which the Zodiac successfully stole right from under Dept. H's and Alpha Flight's collective noses, nor did Scorpio use the Cosmic Key.

Since I'm new to this series (and admittedly don't know what's happened), if this is the same Zodiac from AFV2, someone please let me know.

By the way, I think the inclusion of Zodiac was one of the best things about AF, volume 2.

[cmdrkoenig67]

It was the same Zodiac group, Garry....Weapon X killed them and freed Madison Jeffries(then Gemini)...brain-washing him a bit more to use him for their own needs.

Dana

[Garry/Al-Fan]

Well, then, I'm glad ALPHA FLIGHT stories deal with clones and synthoids, because not showing The Zodiac as a formidable group doesn't enhance the Weapon X folks' victory. In fact, belittling an international crime organization that started in THE AVENGERS back in the late '60s/early '70s diminishes what was achieved.

ZODIAC is just sitting around, waiting to get their butt kicked, without the guidance of THE ECLIPTIC to warn them? I don't buy it; too hard to suspend disbelief, given what was presented in AFV2.

Scorpio would've defended the real Zodiac with the Cosmic Key.

[Canucklehead]

It's all about the new "Shock Value"-trigger happy trend happening the last few years. It's happening all over the place these days. Heroes and villians are being knocked off left and right for no particular reason, other then the fact that the writer does not care for these characters, or they have not been used in a while just to make the current situation seem more "deadly".

The problem is, if it's a crap character, ie "Oh no! You've killed the Gibbon!" Nobody cares and it doesn't live up to expectation (because the cover says "Somebody dies!!").

If it's a great character that just hasn't been used properly lately, there's a lot of anger from the fans, and actually gives said character some hype again, so they just bring em back 2 months later anyway, defeating the purpose of the death, and making a mockery of all deaths in the MU!

whew. K, now I need a beer.

D.

[kozzi24]

Tieri didn't show the Zodiac, but most of the deaths he depicted, especially the issue (#5?) when Maggot died were pretty decent. He killed Sienna Blaze, whose power adversely effected the earth..should have been a full story by her creators anyway, but got dropped.

A related question I've had about Weapon X that maybe someone can answer...did Mesmero die of the Legacy virus?

(And I missed the explanation of how Purple Man lives again too, if anyone can fill me in on that one.)

[Legerd]

(And I missed the explanation of how Purple Man lives again too, if anyone can fill me in on that one.)

It's lousy continuity.

[kozzi24]

What I know of Purple Man:
He died in the Emperor Doom Graphic novel.
His daughter appeared in Alpha Flight.
He literally returned from the grave, somewhat rotted, if I remember, in the Dreamqueen story.
In the later issues of Captain America, Mark Gruenwald created a new character named Dead Ringer. DR could assume the powers and abilities of dead folk BY TOUCHING THE BODY. He carried around fingers to access the powers.

Now Purple Man's back alive.
I would assume that the nature of his pheremone powers allowed Killgrave to fully take over the body of Dead Ringer, so the character that had been appearing in Alias, Daredevil, New Avengers and Thunderbolts is the mind and soul of Zeb Killgrave, reshaped in body from Dead Ringer.

As long as Dead Ringer doesn't appear again and no conflicting story has been published, it seems a good enough explanation.

[cmdrkoenig67]

A possible answer to your question, Koz....Mesmero never had the Legacy virus(that I know of). He was supposedly killed by the Dark Riders, but really...he revealed(In AF vol 2) that he "mesmerized" them into thinking they had. Were you thinking of Mastermind? He contracted the LV and ended up dying from it.

Dana