Confusing News from Joe Fridays

[Captain Primate]

I hasn't seen a post concerning the Omega related news in the new Joe Fridays column...there is a lot of it...its frustrating...not particularly enlightening...and, of course, enticing. Here are his answers to the Omega related questions (many of which I think were posed by fellow forum members):


Now the sales reports are out, and Omega Flight doing so well, and I assume more stories written by Oeming waiting to be used, is it likely we'll be seeing more from Canada's primary superteam?

I think it’s very likely we’ll be seeing more of Omega Flight. Can’t talk about specifics at the moment—but I have a nice, warm feeling that this won’t be the last we see of that team.

One thing I can talk about is that starting in issue 1 of Marvel Comics Presents—and running through issue 12—is a new serial called Weapon Omega, starring the new Guardian, Michael Pointer. The story is by Rich Kolslowski, the cartoonist behind Three Fingers and The King for Top Shelf, and his series from Image (and self-publishing) The 3 Geeks. The art is by World War Hulk: X-Men’s Andrea Devito. It’s going to be pretty amazing.

Rich and I were planning for him to do a story in MCP, but while his story was really great, the logistics of what made the story cool just weren’t fitting into the Marvel Universe. There’s more to it than that, but basically we were afraid that “fixing” the story to fit into continuity would take away what made it work, so I suggested that he hold on to that idea and maybe do it later. And I’d just inherited editing Omega Flight—both MCP and Omega I took over editing when Andy Schmidt left—so I thought, why not see if Rich was into doing a Guardian story?

And Rich nailed a great idea. Michael Pointer—he’s the guy who was possessed by the Collective in New Avengers and who killed Alpha Flight—is a great tortured hero, ripe for exploitation by those that would want to control him. And Rich ran with that idea—it’s some cool stuff.

In the story, Michael is still Guardian, but he’s operating as Weapon Omega, a sort-of one-man secondary Omega Flight team, under the auspices of forces within the Canadian government. Kind of like when he first appeared, Wolverine was Wolverine but he operating as Weapon X when they sent him against the Hulk.

But anyway—Rich’s story goes deep into the turmoil that is Michael Pointer’s life. If you dug Omega Flight, this story picks up about a month after the last issue of the OF limited series. And USAgent and some of the other Flight members play a big role, as well.


Any plans for a Omega Flight spin-off book? Perhaps a USAgent or Vindicator story.

Hi, Jon Malin!

Well, like I said above—look no further than Weapon Omega in MCP—co-starring USAgent and spotlighting Guardian (and it’s Guardian right now, not Vindicator!).


Any hints on the future of Omega Flight? New team members maybe?

There might be some old faces returning. You never know.


Maybe it's been said before, but what is the function of MCP? Will it re-introduce forgotten about fourth-stringers for today's audience? Tell lost tales? Keep copyrights with the company? Or are you just trying to make a fun comic book anthology with little or no consequence to larger continuity?

The last one, more or less. There’s definitely consequence to larger continuity, though. The status quo for many characters will be changed in this—like Guardian in Weapon Omega. He comes out in a very different place than he went in. And this will be where he is in any Omega Flight series that might be going on concurrently. There’s new stuff for Blade, too, somewhere in the book.

But there’s no concerted effort to have fourth-stringers—though some fairly obscure characters do appear! Some are “lost tales,” but most of the book is in the current Marvel landscape. There aren’t any characters that we’re putting in to renew trademarks.


I am loving Omega Flight, any chance it will become an ongoing?

There’s a chance!


I have enjoyed Omega Flight as well, I don't see any need to rush into giving any of those characters solo books again, but I think the team dynamic as it stands and writing are working really well. Not that giving them solo books would ruin it, but I'm just fine with this right now.

Well, like I’ve mentioned, Weapon Omega is a Guardian story, but it’s got a fair amount of USAgent and Agent Brown, so there’s still some of the team dynamic there.


IF Omega Flight was continued and IF the team was open for membership changes/additions, are there any Alpha-related characters that the current creative team would automatically nix as being options for appearances? If so, why? How strong does death factor into this decision, considering that hardly any character in the Marvel Universe stays dead permanently?

Which Alpha Flight characters did we actually see confirmed as dead…?


Will you still be Omega Flight's editor when the ongoing starts? Will the line-up in the team change or are plans to keep it the same? Will Oeming, Kolins and Reber still be on board, notably the first two? Thanks.

Where’d you hear there was going to be an ongoing?


It's great to see both Beta Ray Bill and Thor back in the mainstream Marvel Universe, so I was wondering if Bill does survive the final issue of OF any chance of JMS including him in the new "Thor" series or Oeming having these two greats cross paths once again if OF does continue?

I can’t give away the ending! But I love BRB. The Simonson Thor comics—I actually only read them not too long ago, I’m embarrassed to admit. They are amazing. I encourage you to go get the Thor Visionaries: Walt Simonson books. Really incredible stuff, and BRB is a great character. It’d suck if he died at the end of Omega Flight, wouldn’t it?

Let the discussion begin!

[Mokole]

Well, they usually like to announce ongoings in the summer at the Cons, so I'm still guessing that the Flight ongoing will be announced in San Diego or thereafter in Toronro.

After all, Scot has hinted at an ongoing, and Michael hasn't been around to say yae or nae.

Great art again from Kolins on #5.

Wonder what comes next! :D

[SmurfInABlender]

well, a pointer series could be interesting, and Agent brown will always be a good thing.

I still question the "Big plans for sasquatch"

As long as I have something Alpha to read i'll be good and committing to a year of that after Omega flight..thats nice!

[Corvus]

An ongoing Michael Pointer-Guardian serial in MCP?

That is certainly something I wouldn't have expected.

Its awesome that so many Omega related questions were put in the article.

[Phil]

Well... we know who isn't dying then :lol:

[DelBubs]

Maybe it's been said before, but what is the function of MCP? Will it re-introduce forgotten about fourth-stringers for today's audience? Tell lost tales? Keep copyrights with the company? Or are you just trying to make a fun comic book anthology with little or no consequence to larger continuity?

The last one, more or less. There’s definitely consequence to larger continuity, though. The status quo for many characters will be changed in this—like Guardian in Weapon Omega. He comes out in a very different place than he went in. And this will be where he is in any Omega Flight series that might be going on concurrently.

I found this bit interesting. I think there are plans, but nothing concrete yet. A Guardian/Pointer twelve part story sounds good to me and it's something AF/OF related to talk about for the next year, which is better than nothing. Oh and the bit about Which Alpha Flight characters did we actually see confirmed as dead…? That sounds promising. Good read and plenty of Omega stuff to speculate on.

[Canucklehead]

Jeez, confusing is right! Haha I'm sure some people aren't going to be happy. At least it gets the word out and focuses a whole story on a Flight member(or 3). He may be the most hated right now but I think it's good for the character to get fleshed out a bit in a solo title. Get new readers to know him and reel them on into a new Flight book. I hope he's wearing the Guardian suit in MCP!

Who was the last Flight member to get a solo gig? Northstar? I never thought I'd see the day again.

I'm definitly going to pick it up. Though it is a bit strange and out of the blue. I guess we'll have to see how things turn out. If a new ongoing starts, Oeming, Kolins and Reber better be there!

[varo]

you guys forgot to give credit to the asker of this question:


Q: varo 07-10-2007 10:31 AM

I am loving Omega Flight, any chance it will become an ongoing?

There’s a chance!


:lol:


anyways, i think its par for the course with marvel, not really giving any answers. but we all know that the sales justify a ongoing.

plus, now we get another years worth of story's highlighting michael pointer and guardian, which i think is great. i would love to see this character focused on, plus usagent and agent brown will be hanging around. great news!!

the only thing i am pulling for is mike/scott/reber being involved in a possible ongoing. it just won't be the same without them!

[Adam]

There's some strategy here I think we're missing.

Barber edits both MCP and Omega. Let's assume that there will be a Flight ongoing and that he will be the editor. If so, he has a vested interest in keeping the book alive once it returns. What's a good way to do that? Green light what will amount to a 12 part Omega advertisement in MCP. What better way to introduce the Flight universe to new readers than to have an ongoing story slotted into a book that, depending on the characters featured month in and month out, is going to reach a wide cross section of the readership.

All in all these are very good signs. They won't make an announcement for the ongoing outside of a con so we'll have to wait a few weeks for that bit.

[DelBubs]

I like the fact that there's no break in OF stuff. OF finishes up in August and MCP begins September.

Nice piece here (http://www.richkoslowski.com/blog/index.cfm/2007/6/29/WELL-IM-A-MARVEL-WRITER-NOW).

[SephirothsKiller]

Sounds like some other Alphans might come back to the fold...

I'm just assuming from now on that we'll get an ongoing. People are digging USAgent and wouldn't keep him tied down to just MCP if he wasn't able to appear in another book.

I wanna see more of Brown's skills.

[firestar]

well... good signs for everyone, I think... I hope Marvel will say somenthing in few weeks...
by the way...divito? he is italian like me... more italian artist at MArvel!

[Beta_Ray_Bill]

Varo, good job on asking the straightforward, to-the-point question :)

Anyways, even though this is all speculation, and nothing is for sure...I am so excited to hear this news! It seems to me that Omega may have a place in the MU for a while...

Good job to everyone who pushed this series! I hope someday in a few weeks we can all celebrate for real.

[Captain Primate]

I like the fact that there's no break in OF stuff. OF finishes up in August and MCP begins September.

Nice piece here (http://www.richkoslowski.com/blog/index.cfm/2007/6/29/WELL-IM-A-MARVEL-WRITER-NOW).

Nice little tidbit in his blog post:


"...Possessed by Xorn he obliterated Alpha Flight, killing all but Sasquatch (maybe)."

more hints that not all of the original alphans are gone.

[SmurfInABlender]

hints? or just making sure they have the ability to brign back a character later if they so wish?

Alpha flight has more death-reincarnations than a day time soap opera

[Le Messor]

Well... we know who isn't dying then :lol:

Dude, it's Guardian.

[JayCanuck]

Well... we know who isn't dying then :lol:

Dude, it's Guardian.

Darn, and here I was hoping Pointer would die and Agent Brown would be the new Guardian, lol

[SmurfInABlender]

..lol i like how agent brown has more fans than pointer

[JayCanuck]

..lol i like how agent brown has more fans than pointer
and I like your avatar :P

Update: added a Pointer-Agent Brown poll at http://forum.alphaflight.net/viewtopic.php?t=2202

[rplass]

Michael Pointer is one of the most important characters in the Marvel Universe. He's got all that mutant power inside of him. He's the key to restoring the pre-House of M universe and possibly one of the most powerful beings to exist.

Trusting Oeming with him for 5 issues was a huge mark of respect. His new caretaker, Koslowski, carries the same burden. I hope he decides to repower the former Alpha Flight mutants!

Love,
rplass

[Corvus]

I thought most of the power that was in him when he was possessed by Xorn/The Collective/Reverse Vampires was gone?

[-K-M-]

I thought most of the power that was in him when he was possessed by Xorn/The Collective/Reverse Vampires was gone?

It was, he just has some resdiual power from that encounter but not all of it's power.

[Canucklehead]

It was, he just has some resdiual power from that encounter but not all of it's power.

I wish he'd have enough power left to throw the Sentry into the sun. 8)

[Dfense75]

It was, he just has some resdiual power from that encounter but not all of it's power.

I wish he'd have enough power left to throw the Sentry into the sun. 8)

I concur. Im not a very big Sentry fan.

[firestar]

It was, he just has some resdiual power from that encounter but not all of it's power.

I wish he'd have enough power left to throw the Sentry into the sun. 8)

I concur. Im not a very big Sentry fan.
me too! lot of people don't like Sentry, for what i see.

by the way... in OF #4 we saw Sasquatch possesed by the Great Beast... somewhere i red thet the only way to "turn off" the possession was killing him... Did i remember right or wrong?

[Rook]

Awesome tidbits in that Q&A to drool over...

Reading between the lines, I'd say that they know an OF ongoing would be a good idea, they want to put a good team on it - they are waiting for the right people to come available before they make an announcement.

...and furthermore, Sentry Roolz!!!!!!!!

[cmdrkoenig67]

Michael Pointer solo stories...I'll pass...Thanks anyway, Marvel.

Dana :x

[Dfense75]

Michael Pointer solo stories...I'll pass...Thanks anyway, Marvel.

Dana :x

Cmon...give him a chance :D

[cmdrkoenig67]

Michael Pointer solo stories...I'll pass...Thanks anyway, Marvel.

Dana :x

Cmon...give him a chance :D

Sorry, D...He's a whiney, wussy, American patsy in a Canadian uniform, who has been shoe-horned into the realm of characters I love(d)...As far as I'm concerned, he's unwelcome (just as I feel U.S. Agent is...I don't mind Arachne so much as the others).

I've found nothing appealing about Mr. Pointer...I don't believe I ever will.

Dana

[Dfense75]

Michael Pointer solo stories...I'll pass...Thanks anyway, Marvel.

Dana :x

Cmon...give him a chance :D

Sorry, D...He's a whiney, wussy, American patsy in a Canadian uniform, who has been shoe-horned into the realm of characters I love(d)...As far as I'm concerned, he's unwelcome (just as I feel U.S. Agent is...I don't mind Arachne so much as the others).

I've found nothing appealing about Mr. Pointer...I don't believe I ever will.

Dana

Nothing appealing? From what I understand his record as a postal worker was A+. I dont know about you. But there have been multiple mistakes by my postman. If Mailman Mike delivered the mail on time. Than hes aces in my book :wink:

[SmurfInABlender]

to be fair he was a postman in freaking Alaska, its not like the place is filled with alot of people to make mistakes on

[DelBubs]

Yea, but think of the size of his round, he could be gone for months just delivering one sack load :?

[SmurfInABlender]

I guess it all depends on the area in which he covered, I think before we dig into the life of Michael Pointer and his qualifications as Guardian, we first need a detailed map of his round, how long it took, the speed in which he did ti in and atleats seven testimonies from neighbors establishoing him as a "Grade A" postman. You see until we decifer how good he is at mail dilivery it is completely redundent how superior his super powers are. If you fail with a small gift how can you ever succeed with a large gift. Therefor if he did bad as a postman we can't expect him to excel in saving the world. but if he went above the call of duty with his mail carrying business then perhaps it shows not only his potential as a superheroe but as a leader.

[DaVeO]

Well, I was originally going to get MCP for the Hellcat story. But if the first four segments are good I'll stay for the Guardian story. It'd be nice if MCP was every two or three weeks though.
I have to say this was a much better Joe Friday then when Joe actually does it. He beats around the bush and gives snide remarks to often. This was more straight forward and to the point.

[Flightpath07]

Michael Pointer solo stories...I'll pass...Thanks anyway, Marvel.
I've found nothing appealing about Mr. Pointer...I don't believe I ever will.

Dana,

Although I agree with you in priniciple, I am going ahead and ordering the first 12 issues of Marvel Comics Presents.
Why?
Simple.
The way I see it, Mailman Mike may be drab, boring, a murderer of decent characters, but...I am going to read every stinking story about him. And the reason for that is that as long as there is a stinking imposter in the Guardian suit, and as long as the option of bringing back James Hudson is left open, then there is always the chance that one day I will see the panel I really want to see. The one where Mike poops his pants when confronted by the real Guardian, and made to pay for his crimes.
That is the pivotal moment of Mailman Mike's life that I am looking forward to one day seeing.
If it weren't for that hope, he and his stupid solo series can rot for all I care.
Dear Marvel, Bring us back some real heroes, not these fakers you are forcing on us. Shame on you. A disgruntled fan of real action heroes.

[cmdrkoenig67]

Michael Pointer solo stories...I'll pass...Thanks anyway, Marvel.
I've found nothing appealing about Mr. Pointer...I don't believe I ever will.

Dana,

Although I agree with you in priniciple, I am going ahead and ordering the first 12 issues of Marvel Comics Presents.
Why?
Simple.
The way I see it, Mailman Mike may be drab, boring, a murderer of decent characters, but...I am going to read every stinking story about him. And the reason for that is that as long as there is a stinking imposter in the Guardian suit, and as long as the option of bringing back James Hudson is left open, then there is always the chance that one day I will see the panel I really want to see. The one where Mike poops his pants when confronted by the real Guardian, and made to pay for his crimes.
That is the pivotal moment of Mailman Mike's life that I am looking forward to one day seeing.
If it weren't for that hope, he and his stupid solo series can rot for all I care.
Dear Marvel, Bring us back some real heroes, not these fakers you are forcing on us. Shame on you. A disgruntled fan of real action heroes.

You can buy it, if you're comfortable doing that...I'll pass. I'm not buying/supporting something I don't care for.

Dana

[Flightpath07]

Michael Pointer solo stories...I'll pass...Thanks anyway, Marvel.
I've found nothing appealing about Mr. Pointer...I don't believe I ever will.

Dana,

Although I agree with you in priniciple, I am going ahead and ordering the first 12 issues of Marvel Comics Presents.
Why?
Simple.
The way I see it, Mailman Mike may be drab, boring, a murderer of decent characters, but...I am going to read every stinking story about him. And the reason for that is that as long as there is a stinking imposter in the Guardian suit, and as long as the option of bringing back James Hudson is left open, then there is always the chance that one day I will see the panel I really want to see. The one where Mike poops his pants when confronted by the real Guardian, and made to pay for his crimes.
That is the pivotal moment of Mailman Mike's life that I am looking forward to one day seeing.
If it weren't for that hope, he and his stupid solo series can rot for all I care.
Dear Marvel, Bring us back some real heroes, not these fakers you are forcing on us. Shame on you. A disgruntled fan of real action heroes.

You can buy it, if you're comfortable doing that...I'll pass. I'm not buying/supporting something I don't care for.

Dana

Fair 'Nuff. We'll let you know if you miss anything interesting.

[Garry/Al-Fan]

Michael Pointer is one of the most important characters in the Marvel Universe. He's got all that mutant power inside of him. He's the key to restoring the pre-House of M universe and possibly one of the most powerful beings to exist.

Trusting Oeming with him for 5 issues was a huge mark of respect. His new caretaker, Koslowski, carries the same burden. I hope he decides to repower the former Alpha Flight mutants!

Love,
rplass

I didn't think about it this way, but it makes a lot of sense. I guess Marvel figures that Michael Pointer is the type of hero for this generation of comic book fans.

I don't feel that OF# 3 did enough to bring out the three-dimensionality of Pointer's character and it should have. With 23 pages, the extra one with Talisman confronting Pointer had lots of space for character development...which it didn't capitalize on. This seems like the issue where the team is supposed to kick it in to high gear, but it just did not happen. And since someone decided not to show Talisman or Agent Brown as proficient in what they do (should've shown Talisman taking down whoever tried to steal Shaman's medicine pouch; should've shown why Canadians turned down Agent Brown's invitation to defend Canada), this makes taking Pointer as "Guardian" that much harder. Without Snowbird (The Great Beasts' nemesis) or Shaman's Ghost in either # 3 or # 4, I don't see how Omega Flight is going to prevail.

I'm going to buy OF# 5 because I want to see how this pans out. My expectations are lowered, though, knowing that Pointer is going to survive to appear in MCP. I will check out MCP# 1, but if it is not my cup of tea, I will not keep on with it.

[cmdrkoenig67]

Fair 'Nuff. We'll let you know if you miss anything interesting.

I have no worries about that.

Dana

[cmdrkoenig67]

Michael Pointer is one of the most important characters in the Marvel Universe. He's got all that mutant power inside of him. He's the key to restoring the pre-House of M universe and possibly one of the most powerful beings to exist.

Trusting Oeming with him for 5 issues was a huge mark of respect. His new caretaker, Koslowski, carries the same burden. I hope he decides to repower the former Alpha Flight mutants!

Love,
rplass

He apparently lost all the mutant powers in New Avengers, when the New Avs defeated him...He no longer has access to those powers, only some residual energies. Sentry tossed the powers (along with the Xorn consciousness) into the sun and dim-bulb Bendis apparently doesn't realize that energy can't be destroyed.

However, he does have his own mutant powers...We just haven't learned the nature and extent of them.

Dana

[Mokole]

Well, energy can be destroyed (in a nuclear reaction) and converted to mass, the law of conservation of energy applies to Newtonian physics and chemistry but not Einsteinian physics.

[cmdrkoenig67]

Well, energy can be destroyed (in a nuclear reaction) and converted to mass, the law of conservation of energy applies to Newtonian physics and chemistry but not Einsteinian physics.

Uh...Not so, Energy can't be destroyed or created according to the very law you mention (the law of conservation of energy)...It is merely changed from one form to another.

According to Einstein...Energy is constant throughout the universe.

Dana