Mark Millar Discusses Alpha Flight Relaunch [Archive] - AlphaFlight.net

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Ben

02-20-2006, 11:17 AM

I recently had an oportunity to disicuss the buzz around Alpha Flight with Mark Millar. Which him writing Civil War, and having an interest already in Alpha Flight characters, I was curious how he might be involved in future AF events.

AlphaFlight.net: Hello Mark. Because of the news Joe Quesada just gave regarding the possibility of a new Alpha Flight series in the works, I'm curious if you might be involved. I know in your last interview with me you mentioned a possibility of you using the Alpha Flight characters down the road. Otherwise if you aren't connected to it, I'm curious if you've heard any buzz about it in the Marvel grapevine.

Mark Millar: Nice to hear from you again, mate. Yes, I'm really using Marvel Civil War as a means of re-establishing some of the greatest, sadly missing characters from the MU. I'm very old school, despite being only thirty-six, and put this down to reading Marvel UK reprints as a kid instead of the books you guys were reading in the 80s and 90s. Thus, the period I have the biggest affection for really runs from Stan and Jack up to classic John Byrne. I'm reading all the Byrne FFs right now and loving them to pieces. I just love the Alpha Flight stuff I'm reading too and plan to end MCW with the possibility of a very good, very high profile Alpha Flight book spinning out of the series. These are great characters and it's a great concept and I want it to be treated seriously or not at all. It's in Marvel's hands what happens after MCW, but they're very keen to bring back some of the old school magic we've been missing for a while and AF is right there on my list with several other characters.

AlphaFlight.net: Is doing an AF series something that you are hoping to do yourself, or do you just want to set them up to be available for someone else?

Mark Millar: Like all the other things I'm setting up in this book, there's just not enough hours in the day for me to write it myself, Ben. I've been finishing Civil War in my six months off and then, after that, I'm jumping into my new creator-owned books for a while.

AlphaFlight.net: I'm curious if you had anything to do with the events in New Avengers #16?

Mark Millar: No, but me, Brian, JMS and all the other writers have been in touch to make sure we're all marching in the same direction. All these events are very important to Civil War.

Ben

Shaman Of The Whills

02-20-2006, 12:42 PM

Yes, I'm really using Marvel Civil War as a means of re-establishing some of the greatest, sadly missing characters from the MU. I just love the Alpha Flight stuff I'm reading too and plan to end MCW with the possibility of a very good, very high profile Alpha Flight book spinning out of the series. These are great characters and it's a great concept and I want it to be treated seriously or not at all. It's in Marvel's hands what happens after MCW, but they're very keen to bring back some of the old school magic we've been missing for a while and AF is right there on my list with several other characters.
:cry: So beautiful it makes me cry! Mark Millar is my new hero..."very good, very high profile"... oh it makes my heart leap with joy."treatead seriosuly or not at all"... darn straight (but I'm praying for the seriously one)...

By the way, did you get to ask any other questions regarding civil war or anything like that?

-K-M-

02-20-2006, 01:16 PM

Wow that's great news, great job Ben.

NA #16 has turned out for the better for AF fans.

Ben

02-20-2006, 02:16 PM

:cry: So beautiful it makes me cry! Mark Millar is my new hero..."very good, very high profile"... oh it makes my heart leap with joy."treatead seriosuly or not at all"... darn straight (but I'm praying for the seriously one)...

By the way, did you get to ask any other questions regarding civil war or anything like that?

No, I didn't get into too much with him. It was really just a couple emails we traided that he gave me the ok to pass onto the fans. He's crazy busy getting geared into the CW thing, once we see AF's role I may do a more formal Interview with him.

Ben

varo

02-20-2006, 03:12 PM

wow. great work ben.

something tells me the wheels are already rolling on a team for the series.

Legerd

02-20-2006, 04:58 PM

Thanks Ben, you've given me hope once again! And thank you Mark Millar wherever you are. =D>

DelBubs

02-20-2006, 05:03 PM

'1985' sounds a lot more intriquing after this. Nice going Ben.

Spyridona

02-20-2006, 06:10 PM

As long as he's not writing it, I think I'll be okay with it... :?

PWalk

02-20-2006, 06:18 PM

It's a great read. I'm glad to see a response at least.

Le Messor

02-20-2006, 08:50 PM

I'm glad somebody that high profile likes AF. But I can't stand his writing. It's so sleazy.

I'd love to see Marvel do a serious AF series. As long as it is an AF series, and not just some new bunch of characters I've never heard of and don't care about, with some new concept / style / direction, that happens to be set in Canada and has 'Alpha Flight' on the cover every month.

At some point, I might get sick of saying this. 8)

BTW, PWalk, is that Grasshopper in your avatar? :lol:

- Le Messor
"Drugs may lead to nowhere, but at least it's the scenic route."

suzene

02-20-2006, 09:17 PM

As long as he's not writing it, I think I'll be okay with it... :?

Seconded.

maniac mike

02-20-2006, 10:21 PM

All I can say is.... ABOUT @&$!%* TIME!!! Marvel gave AF the respect it deserves!

MM :!:

Mokole

02-20-2006, 11:51 PM

I hope his Alpha Flight use comes off well. It'll be like how Excalibur spun out of HoM I guess, though it didn't really have to (except getting Captain Britain back).

Plus, I figure Psylocke's new surroundings will be Excalibur, maybe they'll drop Dazzler or something.

MistressMerr

02-21-2006, 01:31 AM

Oh, Mark Maillar., I NEW there was a reason I liked you. Other than Ultimates, Wolverine, and Ultimate Fantastic Four, I mean.

shaman

02-21-2006, 02:02 AM

BTW, PWalk, is that Grasshopper in your avatar? :lol:

- Le Messor
"Drugs may lead to nowhere, but at least it's the scenic route."

It looks like the thing on the front of the Dave Matthews Band Album cover, I can't remember which one

PWalk

02-21-2006, 09:00 AM

BTW, PWalk, is that Grasshopper in your avatar? :lol:

Nope, it's actually the design of a buddy of mine. He used it in a flash game on his site. Go ahead and fly my avatar:
http://www.helfet.com/gameDisplay.php?Game=xbotGame

Can anyone suggest a Millar work to read? I'll be honest and say I haven't read any of his stuff yet.

shaman

02-21-2006, 03:02 PM

the Ultimates 2 and he also does Ultimate FF

DelBubs

02-21-2006, 04:27 PM

cmdrkoenig67

02-21-2006, 11:08 PM

MistressMerr

02-21-2006, 11:38 PM

I'm pretty sure he explicitly stated he wasn't going to be tackling them.

shaman

02-22-2006, 03:03 AM

Even though he isn't going to be doing AF, I think it would great to re-envent them a little so and look to Byrne's run for major elements, that way more people, includeing younger readers can become interested in them and I think it would be kinda cool to be able to look at it from the begining again and say" OOH! I remember that!". But, thats just me.

cmdrkoenig67

02-22-2006, 10:59 AM

No more reinventions, please....unless it's in an "Ultimate" book(which I won't buy, anyway). There's been enough of that already in various AF series. Some examples...Mantlo's reinvention of Puck from normal human dwarf to demon-sorcerer possessed shrinky-dink...Mac's multiple deaths and resurrections...I swear he comes back a different person each time(emotionless cyborg/clone-like replicant/Dept H-dumped popcicle/non-cyborg human)...Ick! No thank you.

Dana

JackFrostUK

02-22-2006, 03:40 PM

Millar's a solid writer.

Wonder what new direction Alpha will take. Hopefully they won't become the mutant police force.

Also, Ben, Lying In The Gutters mention your Millar interview here:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/?column=13

Ben

02-22-2006, 05:07 PM

Thanks Jack. I saw that yesterday. As always a link from there makes traffic go crazy. That's 2 weeks in a row :shock: Funny because a lot of people just read what was written there and not the whole thing, and now there are people saying on message boards all over that Millar said he's relaunching AF :roll:

Ben

Canucklehead

02-22-2006, 08:25 PM

Spyridona

02-23-2006, 01:20 AM

:roll: Great...Now the writer of the "Ultimates" is going to tackle AF? I'm thrilled.

Seriously, I find it hard to believe Millar has any "old school" in him after reading any of his "Ultimate" books.

Dana

I find his DC stuff more readable. UXM made me cringe oh so many times. Ultimates is okay because I don't know the Avengers all that well. I've declared my undying hatred of him with his recent UF4 stuff.

kozzi24

02-23-2006, 10:54 AM

Not that I was a fan of Dissassembled, but if Alpha can do the same thing, lesser members dying then go from tragedy to assembling the most powerful / fan favorite members, I'm all for it. Even if it had been Millar.
Why kill off former members, especially those who have not been seen forever and are probably keeping a low profile? Seems of a waste of characters to me.

MrGranger

02-23-2006, 02:13 PM

I would like someone to take over the reigns and just forget all about the crap stuff that has happened. For years they've been trying to recreate a new Alpha Flight that Marvel let die when what most people want is to get the old one back, more or less. This Marvel / DC period where they are all killing off characters left and right is dumb...I'm tired of these poor excuses for sensational stories which go no where. Is it really so hard to write good stories again?

Weapon Omega

02-25-2006, 12:26 AM

Is it really so hard to write good stories again?

MrGranger-I ask that question all the time.

First, Ben Great Interview. Second, isn't it funny that after the fiasco that was Volume 3 Marvel is starting to talk about making Alpha Flight a top team book again?

I can't tell everyone how excited I am with this news! Having a creative team taking Alpha seriously for a change with the respect the characters deserve, it's a great time to be an Alpha fan going into 2006.

-K-M-

02-25-2006, 01:33 AM

Yesh! just looked at the various wikipedia links on Alpha Flight [and members] and they all say they are dead.

EDIT: Alright I edited the wikipedia entry for Guardian's powers/abilities...any good?
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guardian_%28Marvel_Comics%29#Powers_and_abilities

Ahab

02-25-2006, 01:55 PM

Funny because a lot of people just read what was written there and not the whole thing, and now there are people saying on message boards all over that Millar said he's relaunching AF :roll:

Ben

that Joey Q is stating in an interview at the NY Comicon (on Newsarama)that Mark is going to be writing it - even though he seemed to be joking...

JackFrostUK

02-25-2006, 08:00 PM

Civil War info from NYCC
http://www.newsarama.com/NYCC/Marvel/CivilWar/report.htm

"And isn't Mark Millar doing something with Alpha Flight?" Bendis asked.

"I think he's writing Alpha Flight," Quesada replied.

Is Joe Q messing with us?

Mokole

02-25-2006, 10:36 PM

Hard to say anymore. Ben, you know anything? I figure Millar wouldn't have lied to you but then things may have changed since he emailed you.

JackFrostUK

02-26-2006, 09:27 AM

How many Alphans are still alive/active in MU?

Could any of these make a comeback?

With Purple Man being used so much it would be good to see Kara on the new AF team.

varo

02-26-2006, 09:50 AM

i think quesada was being sarcastic, and he and bendis were playing around with the interview posted here.

syvalois

02-26-2006, 11:19 AM

Are we sure and certain AF is going to gave an ungoing serie? Maybe it's something else, a mini-serie maybe, maybe something else, no?

Powersurge

02-26-2006, 12:21 PM

i think quesada was being sarcastic, and he and bendis were playing around with the interview posted here.

Yeah. They certaily don't seem at all definite about the matter. If Millar has been the one pushing the idea at Marvel, and he is a writer, this might just be a natural assumption, and we might simply know better ... having got the word from the proverbial horses mouth.

Spyridona

02-26-2006, 04:55 PM

Well, Millar is not the most honest of folks...

Though, if Millar writes certian characters well, I may forgive him for his UF4 fiasco.

Mokole

02-26-2006, 05:49 PM

How many Alphans are still alive/active in MU?

Could any of these make a comeback?

With Purple Man being used so much it would be good to see Kara on the new AF team.

Hmmm. I guess that would be Puck, Shaman, Zuzha, Sasquatch, Aurora, Northstar, Box, Diamond Lil, Guardian, Vindicator, Major Mapleleaf, Box, Snowbird; but 'alive' is unknown for 8 of them.

Nemesis and Yukon Jack, Centenniel, 2 may be dead.

Then there's Talisman, Persuasion, Pathway, Goblyn, Manikin, Wyre, Feedback, Witchfire; alive but active?

Windshear still have his powers? Wild Child doesn't. I'm probably forgetting some.

kozzi24

02-27-2006, 07:27 AM

Marrina's inert form was seen in the Master's possession as of the Kang War arc. That doesn't make her active, but makes her return usable.

Dalandow

02-27-2006, 05:50 PM

:roll: Great...Now the writer of the "Ultimates" is going to tackle AF? I'm thrilled.

Seriously, I find it hard to believe Millar has any "old school" in him after reading any of his "Ultimate" books.

Dana

Weather its Millar or someone else, I'm just glad to see that Alpha Flight is making a come back after getting owned by the Collective.

MistressMerr

02-27-2006, 07:14 PM

From this week's Mondays With Marts:

'Also—please know that all of Alpha Flight haven’t actually died.'

Nothing new, but it's something.

Shaman Of The Whills

02-27-2006, 08:17 PM

Well, the 'all' now confirms (pretty much) that some of them died, so we have to start giving up a little hope... Shaman looks awfully bloodsplattered and blue, no? *tear* And speaking of which, poor Mac crying at me... aww...

Mokole

02-28-2006, 12:52 AM

Well Tom Brevoort seems to be out of the loop about Northstar and Alpha Flight. He was asked about AF and gave a "huh?" response, then went on to say he knew nothing about there being anything with Alpha Flight in it. Don't know if he meant Civil War too. No idea about Northstar, either.

Marts has always been behind having AF on the schedule, so maybe he's still in there pushing for it now. We all sort of knew that some AF members would be dead, but who is now the issue.

Also, speculation still exists that some AF members will join a new Avengers team, while other speculation I found hints that only Northstar of anyone associated with AF will appear in a comic in 2006. With lines, that is.

I still think either AF or an Avengers title with AF members is on the way. The former makes much more sense but then again this is Marvel (She-Hulk, Xavier Exaclibur, Jemas, Austen....)

beetleblack

02-28-2006, 03:51 AM

I'm sure I've read elsewhere that Marvel still had plans for Northstar so maybe he'll be involved in the reforming of a New Alpha Flight? And with Marvels penchant for using the word NEW in all their titles at the moment maybe that will be the title!

Phil

02-28-2006, 06:56 PM

*reads thread and chuckles*

DelBubs

02-28-2006, 07:00 PM

Chuckles, because he...?

Phil

03-01-2006, 12:39 PM

...can.

DelBubs

03-01-2006, 04:03 PM

...can.
You've always been a contrary (insert your own expletive here *******************). :-)

MrGranger

03-02-2006, 08:11 PM

What would be interesting would be a Spider-Man like re-telling of the Alpha Flight saga. Start from the origins and move forward...if I could get them to let me tackle AF that's what I'd do. Maybe I'll try to mention that at the SDCC. Think anyone would listen to me?

Dalandow

03-02-2006, 08:59 PM