Astonishing Tales: Snowbird one-shot

[rplass]

OMFG that's awesome news. It is likely to be published in book form eventually. If it's a one-shot that means we'll probably get just an 8pp story, not much going on there, I'm still thrilled...I was afraid it was completely scrapped out!

Love,
rplass

[birdygirl]

Thanks to Man Bot on the Alpha Flight message board, I've just learned that the Astonishing Tales one-shot starring Snowbird is going to come out next week! (Thank you, Man Bot!)

However, it is only available as a Marvel Comics digital download, which needs a subscription. I was expecting it to come out as a regular comic. Guess now I'll have to shell out money, (which I don't have a lot of), for a subscription to see it. Why does Marvel do this to us?

[rplass]

Ah, it looks as if this issue will be printed in Feb 2010:

Link for Marvel solicit (http://marvel.com/catalog/?id=14009)


MARVEL HEARTBREAKERS #1

WRITER: Karl Bollers
Kathryn Immonen
Jim McCann
Rick Spears
PENCILS: James Callahan
David Lopez
Harvey Tolibao
LARA WEST
THE STORY:
This Valentine’s Day, drop that box of chocolates and satisfy the inner romantic with an oversized helping of heartache! In these four spandex-ripping tales, the fabulous femmes of Marvel discover that there’s no such thing as love without tears…and that super powers won’t protect them from Cupid’s arrow! Will it be MJ Watson or Gwen Stacy that charges Peter Parker’s electrons? Can the girls of Nextwave survive a visit from the ghosts of boyfriends past? Is Snowbird in danger of letting her animal passions get the best of her? And must Dazzler choose between the stage and a certain fuzzy mutant hunk? Find out in this special filled with passion, power, and pain! Rated T …$3.99

PRICE: 3.99
IN STORES: February 3, 2010

FORMAT: Comic

That must be the digital comic, birdy.

Love,
rplass

[birdygirl]

Thank you; oh, thank you, rplass! I finally gave in, and paid for a subscription to Marvel Digital Comics. But, I have been completely unable to access the Snowbird story, which was supposed to come out yesterday.

The irony is, I have been able to read the other online comics with no trouble, but, with the newest "Astonishing Tales: Snowbird", all I get is, "Loading...loading...loading...loading...." Yesterday, I let it load for an hour, and still nothing. This morning, it was the same. I even fired off an e-mail to Marvel describing what happened, and got back a form reply to the effect that they would look into it. Has anyone else had any trouble trying to read this story?

Thank you for letting me know that there will be a print version of this story. I was beginning to think that I'd never get to see it!

[-K-M-]

Or is that a different story with Snowbird?

[cmdrkoenig67]

It's probably the same story...Or two different stories with the same solicit? :P
Dana

http://marvel.com/news/comicstories.10336.Exclusive_Digicomics~colon~_Sno wbird

[rplass]

I put up a preview so you can see the first four pages without having to deal with the interface at the Marvel site.

PREVIEW (http://alphaflightcollector.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/preview-of-astonishing-tales-one-shot-snowbird/)

Love,
rplass

[-K-M-]

It's probably the same story...Or two different stories with the same solicit? :P
Dana

http://marvel.com/news/comicstories.10336.Exclusive_Digicomics~colon~_Sno wbird

Oh didn't see the solicit for the digital coming out next week


I put up a preview so you can see the first four pages without having to deal with the interface at the Marvel site.

PREVIEW (http://alphaflightcollector.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/preview-of-astonishing-tales-one-shot-snowbird/)

Love,
rplass

That Kolomaq?


Thank you; oh, thank you, rplass! I finally gave in, and paid for a subscription to Marvel Digital Comics. But, I have been completely unable to access the Snowbird story, which was supposed to come out yesterday.

Gah! I read the first few pages on marvel.com but then tells me I have to subscribe.

[birdygirl]

Thanks again, rplass! I appreciate that you uploaded the first four pages of the Snowbird story.

And more good news! Marvel FINALLY managed to put up the story on its website, so the whole story is now available.

I think the "Marvel Heartbreakers" book in February will probably be a reprint of this story. Not everyone can afford to subscribe to Marvel Digital Comics. I only did it by deciding that this would be my only Christmas present this year. Well, it's worth it. Not only for the Birdie story, but I got to catch up on a lot of Marvel books I missed, ("X-Factor", for one).

What did everyone think of this Snowbird story? I liked it, but wished it could have been longer. I would have liked to see a bit more of Narya's back story. (What exactly happened with her and Yukon Jack, anyway?) Or maybe some scenes, even in the past, with some Alpha Flight members. But then, it's supposed to be a"short-short", anyway. And the story stands well on its own.

[-K-M-]

I only got to read 4 pages, but I liked it so far. Also was that Kolomaq that appeared?

[rplass]

I only read the preview pages. I'll have to wait until Feb 2010 for the rest.

SPOILER SPACE








...Alaska is not in Canada









But, from what I saw so far, excellent. So far we saw the Northern Gods, her origin story, her purpose on Earth, realistic highbrow dialogue, a transformation into a wolverine, her ability to compel others to assist (in this case other wolverines), her unique post-cognitive powers and beautiful art (with the exception of boobies too big in that kneeling position). I particularly liked how she had the heightened sensory power of the animal while taking its form, a nice touch. I'm looking forward to the other 4 pages!

Love,
rplass

EDIT: don't know if it's Kolomaq....good guess, though, I see two pairs of sinister eyes and two shadowy figures in the shadows to the left and right of Snowbird in the last panel of the 4th page, but it's hard to tell what that is.

[-K-M-]

EDIT: don't know if it's Kolomaq....good guess, though, I see two pairs of sinister eyes and two shadowy figures in the shadows to the left and right of Snowbird in the last panel of the 4th page, but it's hard to tell what that is.

Oh I was basing it off of this page:

http://marvel.com/i/content/10336new_storyimage-78559917%7C527.0092226614x800.jpg

EDIT: Turns out I was wrong, its not Kolomaq but [Spoiler]two new Great Beasts named Tiamaq and Herateq[End Spoiler]. Also rplass read your pms

[cmdrkoenig67]

I only read the preview pages. I'll have to wait until Feb 2010 for the rest.

SPOILER SPACE








...Alaska is not in Canada


It is in the North American Arctic, though...Perhaps Snowbird's range covers Alaska too? Even though Shaman originally bound her physical form to the Canadian North/Arctic...Perhaps it's in reality her actual physical distance from the true Arctic that affects her vitaility? I would think that human-created borders meant very little in magical world. However...We saw in Byrne's run, once Shaman transported Alpha Flight (including Narya) to New York City, her health began to fade (again...It could be the distance from the true Arctic that weakened her.made her vulnerable?).

Also...We don't know if she is still bound to Canada/the Arctic (after her resurrection by A.I.M.)...After all, She did go into space for a several months. I personally, like her old limitation to Canadian lands and the Arctic.

Dana

[birdygirl]

I agree with you about Snowbird's being limited to Canada, Dana. It was unique, and should have stayed that way, IMO.

[-K-M-]

It is in the North American Arctic, though...Perhaps Snowbird's range covers Alaska too? Even though Shaman originally bound her physical form to the Canadian North/Arctic...Perhaps it's in reality her actual physical distance from the true Arctic that affects her vitaility? I would think that human-created borders meant very little in magical world. However...We saw in Byrne's run, once Shaman transported Alpha Flight (including Narya) to New York City, her health began to fade (again...It could be the distance from the true Arctic that weakened her.made her vulnerable?).

Also...We don't know if she is still bound to Canada/the Arctic (after her resurrection by A.I.M.)...After all, She did go into space for a several months. I personally, like her old limitation to Canadian lands and the Arctic.

Dana

I think Marvel is scraping the Canadian border thing and going with the Northern domain as her territory now.

Shes still bound but as revealed in Incredible Hercules, the Gods of the Arctic can give her a temporary "leave"
-----
Anyways on topic: I got to read the whole issue and it was really good. The art was nice, the story was good....just short. I definetly suggest people to pick it up

[cmdrkoenig67]

I think Marvel is scraping the Canadian border thing and going with the Northern domain as her territory now.

Shes still bound but as revealed in Incredible Hercules, the Gods of the Arctic can give her a temporary "leave"
-----
Anyways on topic: I got to read the whole issue and it was really good. The art was nice, the story was good....just short. I definetly suggest people to pick it up

The Northern Gods must have given her leave to go into space then....Perhaps they really didn't want the Plodex around and felt it was okay that Narya accompany Alpha in taking them back to their homeworld?

Dana

[-K-M-]

The Northern Gods must have given her leave to go into space then....Perhaps they really didn't want the Plodex around and felt it was okay that Narya accompany Alpha in taking them back to their homeworld?

Dana

I suppose so, cant see what else would be the solution

[-K-M-]

Suprized there isn't more talk, anyone else read it?

[Ben]

I'm gonna have to wait for the print.

Ben

[rplass]

Thanks for the PM, Mungi or K-M what do I call you now? How did you get your name changed anyway?

I'll wait until the printed version comes out, too.

Love,
rplass

[-K-M-]

Just KM, Mungi was an old band I havn't listened to in years and really wanted to change it. Also I asked Ben....hopefully he wont get an influx now haha

[SNOWCHILD]

I thought she was no more bound to Canada because her new body - obtained through cellular regeneration.

Anyway, I'm glad they got all her powers right and also revisited her whole life (& origins) in this fantastic one-shot.

Where could I download it, by the way?

[Le Messor]

Just KM, Mungi was an old band I havn't listened to in years and really wanted to change it. Also I asked Ben....hopefully he wont get an influx now haha

Yeah, everybody write to Ben to change KM's name again!!!
:twisted:

Snowchild, I haven't read the oneshot yet, but I think you're right about the binding thing. But that's almost as hard to keep track of as whether James or Heather is calling themselves Vindicator or Guardian and whether Mac is alive...

- Le Messor
"Is Jean in?"
Charles: "I'm sorry, I guess you haven't heard. She's dead."
"That's okay, I'll wait."

[SNOWCHILD]

Would like to download it, even! 8)

[-K-M-]

Yeah, everybody write to Ben to change KM's name again!!!
:twisted:

:(


Would like to download it, even! 8)

Here you go, you can read a few pages for free but if you want to read all of the 8 pages you need to subscribe.

http://marvel.com/digitalcomics/titles/ASTONISHING_TALES~colon~_ONE_SHOTS_(SNOWBIRD).2009 .1
*copy and paste whole url*

[SNOWCHILD]

Here you go, you can read a few pages for free but if you want to read all of the 8 pages you need to subscribe.

http://marvel.com/digitalcomics/titles/ASTONISHING_TALES~colon~_ONE_SHOTS_(SNOWBIRD).2009 .1

I'll do that! NARYA FOREVER! 8)
Thanks, really.

[Le Messor]

Here you go, you can read a few pages for free but if you want to read all of the 8 pages you need to subscribe.

http://marvel.com/digitalcomics/titles/ASTONISHING_TALES~colon~_ONE_SHOTS_(SNOWBIRD).2009 .1
I'll do that! NARYA FOREVER! 8)
Thanks, really.

That implies it's me you have to thank, but it's K-M. Just for the record.

Also, buck up, KM! We're not really going to change your name! So, you can smile again, Reggie! :)

- LM
"Happiness is having a large, loving, caring close-knit family in another city."
- George Burns

[SNOWCHILD]

Here you go, you can read a few pages for free but if you want to read all of the 8 pages you need to subscribe.

http://marvel.com/digitalcomics/titles/ASTONISHING_TALES~colon~_ONE_SHOTS_(SNOWBIRD).2009 .1
I'll do that! NARYA FOREVER! 8)
Thanks, really.

That implies it's me you have to thank, but it's K-M. Just for the record.

Also, buck up, KM! We're not really going to change your name! So, you can smile again, Reggie! :)

- LM
"Happiness is having a large, loving, caring close-knit family in another city."
- George Burns

I thank everyone!

[Flightpath07]

So, you can smile again, Reggie!

:shock:

[-K-M-]

Now I want people to change my name :p

Also this is a board first I believe (me saying it), my real name is Andrew. Dun dun dunnn....

[Flightpath07]

Now I want people to change my name :p

Also this is a board first I believe (me saying it), my real name is Andrew. Dun dun dunnn....

That's cool, but I am still gonna think of you as Reggie from now on.

[-K-M-]

That's cool, but I am still gonna think of you as Reggie from now on.

Curse you LM!

[Le Messor]

Pleased to meet you, And---
Reggie. Hope you've guessed my name. :twisted:

[Flightpath07]

Pleased to meet you, And---
Reggie. Hope you've guessed my name. :twisted:

There just isn't an LOL big enough to express my enjoyment.

[Le Messor]

Pleased to meet you, And---
Reggie. Hope you've guessed my name. :twisted:
There just isn't an LOL big enough to express my enjoyment.

Thank you, thank you... I'm here through Thursday. Don't forget to tip your waitress!

Y'know, it occurred to me last night that the K in 'K-M' stands for 'King' and Reggie is from the Latin for 'king' (I picked it from a Weird Al song)...

- Le Messor
"The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience."
- Harper Lee

[Flightpath07]

I want a new duck, one that does what it should.

[Le Messor]

I think I'm gonna name him Bruce.

[Flightpath07]

I think I'm gonna name him Bruce.

As in King Bruce ? K - B ? Reggie Bruce ?

[Le Messor]

I think I'm gonna name him Bruce.
As in King Bruce ? K - B ? Reggie Bruce ?

As in Michael would have been confusing. :?

[-K-M-]

Well did anyone get the chance to read the comic now that it's avaliable on soft cover? (not the digitial comic)

[rplass]

I read the "soft cover" which is an odd thing to call a "hard copy" hard? soft? I know what you meant!

I posted a little thing about it on my site here (http://alphaflightcollector.wordpress.com/2010/02/06/snowbird-appears-in-marvel-heartbreakers1/).

Love,
rplass

[-K-M-]

Good review, oh and she didn't just turn into a regular polar bear she turned into Nanook the god of polar bears :P.

[rplass]

Thanks for the compliment and for the tip. I updated the text with your kindly provided info!

Love,
rplass

[-K-M-]

Thanks for the compliment and for the tip. I updated the text with your kindly provided info!

Love,
rplass

Oh you didn't have to that was more of a joke, but the comment about it being a good review was true :)

I do have a question about your New Mutants #9 entry, as you said "At the ending of X-Infernus, Witchfire is shown escaping Limbo, seemingly alive, so the notion of being “reconstituted” would make much more sense." Where did this happen?

[rplass]

Near the end of X-Infernus #4, after Magik and Pixie shatter the amulet, the Elder Gods recede back to where they came, and it appears that Witchfire goes with them. It sort of looks as if she's absorbed into the bricks. It didn't seem to me that she got herself killed.

Love,
rplass

[-K-M-]

Near the end of X-Infernus #4, after Magik and Pixie shatter the amulet, the Elder Gods recede back to where they came, and it appears that Witchfire goes with them. It sort of looks as if she's absorbed into the bricks. It didn't seem to me that she got herself killed.

Love,
rplass

Gotcha I thought you were saying she escaped the Elder God realm, but yeah I don't think she was killed there either.

[rplass]

Yeah, so if she weren't killed, it wouldn't make sense for Magik to say that she found Witchfire reincarnted. The rest of the statment was,


What she’s referring to by “reincarnated” is difficult to understand, unless it means “reconstituted” as opposed to “resurrected.” At the ending of X-Infernus, Witchfire is shown escaping Limbo, seemingly alive, so the notion of being “reconstituted” would make much more sense.

By the way, you can make comments on my other site for specific posts, which might be preferable for narrow topics such as this, whatever!

Love,
rplass

[-K-M-]

Well this will by my last post and then I'll direct my comments to your site.

Maybe she finds a loophole to escape the Elder God dimension, by transfering her soul into another. *shrugs*

[cmdrkoenig67]

Back to Snowbird...I really liked the short story (and it introduced two new Great Beasts).

Dana

[Flightpath07]

When we are talking about two "new" Great Beasts (since I have not read this issue yet), I have to imagine we are meaning that we have never seen them before, right? As opposed to "new", as in, just created or come into being?
Have these two never even been mentioned before? Seems like that'd be an odd thing, that they had been around, but never mentioned and never seen until now...

[-K-M-]

When we are talking about two "new" Great Beasts (since I have not read this issue yet), I have to imagine we are meaning that we have never seen them before, right? As opposed to "new", as in, just created or come into being?
Have these two never even been mentioned before? Seems like that'd be an odd thing, that they had been around, but never mentioned and never seen until now...

New as in never seen before or mentioned before, but are "old" Great Beasts.

We have been introduced to several "new" Great Beasts that we never knew before, such as the ones that appeared in Wolverine, Hercules and Over the Edge so its not a "new" concept.

Oh and one more thing..."new"...just had to say it one more time.

[Flightpath07]

Knew you'd say that...thanx Reggie!

[Le Messor]

I didn't even know it was out, and I've been looking. :(

We've had discussion recently over the numbers of Great Beasts. Secret Invasion: Home Invasion adds to the controversy by saying something like 'the eight Great Beasts'; which would imply only eight, which'd make new ones impossible.

But SIHI was written / drawn as if the creators had never read Alpha, so I'm not gonna take it too serious.

- Le Messor
"Humour is also a way of saying something serious."
- T.S. Eliot

[bigbloo]

I'm gonna have to look up my old Alpha issues, I think Somon said something about all the other Great Beasts killing each other off, leaving only the 8.

[Le Messor]

I'm gonna have to look up my old Alpha issues, I think Somon said something about all the other Great Beasts killing each other off, leaving only the 8.

I was getting the same kind of memory, so I've just now opened AF v1 #24, and we now have a definitive answer from the pen (or typewriter or...) of Byrne himself! And, letterer Rick Parker! Has he ever steered us wrong before?
Shaman: "Three of the beasts have been utterly destroyed... but three remain."
Which puts the number at six.

rplass: Thanks for mentioning the throne and the bit of AF #3... I wanted to mention them, but forgot.

- Le Messor
"Moderation is a virtue only in those who are thought to have an alternative."
- Kissinger

[SNOWCHILD]

Which puts the number at six.



Well, so the "8" number is correct, since two "new" old Beasts have been introduced. Right?

[Le Messor]

There have been more than two new old beasts; the writers have been treating them like there's an unknown number, and have been making them up all over the place. Which is what prompted the earlier discussion I mentioned.

- Le Messor
"Gentlemen, it appears to be unanimous that we cannot agree."

[DelBubs]

I shall stick with the seven that Byrne introduced. All the rest are whatever. :rolleyes:

[Le Messor]

I just remembered who that seventh was... Should look at my own avatar.

- Le Messor
George Foreman, when asked whether he worries about brain damage: "Anybody going into boxing already has brain damage."

[-K-M-]

In the alphanex I tried to seperate them as Great Beast of Antiquity which the bear demon was called, but their definetly implied to be Bryne's Great Beasts

[cmdrkoenig67]

Just because most of the Beasts were killed, doesn't mean they can't somehow be revived....Look at Somon and the original 6, they've been killed and revived a number of times now.

Snowbird killed Somon in AF Vol 1 #24 and he was back later in Vol 1, even Tanaraq/Sasquatch has been killed and returned. The rest of the ancient Great Beasts could also return (as we have seen).

I actually liked the two new Great Beasts, they were very much in line with what Byrne had established the Beasts would look and act like.

Dana

[-K-M-]

I took it only avatars of the Great Beasts were killed on Earth, while the "true" forms of them are in the Realm of the Beasts.

but yeah I liked the two new great beasts

[cmdrkoenig67]

Narya killed Somon in the realm of the Beasts, not on Earth.

Ranaq and Tanaraq/Sasquatech were destroyed on Earth, but they did not appear in issue #24 (When Alpha went to the realm of the Beasts), so Shaman stating that they were destroyed utterly would appear to be true (however, they appeared again later in Vol 1 of Alpha Flight).

Kolomaq was merely imprisoned by Narya (but he also didn't appear in issue 24).

Dana

[-K-M-]

Narya killed Somon in the realm of the Beasts, not on Earth.

Positive that was an avatar as he even showed he could make avatars in the issue he "died" in.


Ranaq and Tanaraq/Sasquatech were destroyed on Earth, but they did not appear in issue #24 (When Alpha went to the realm of the Beasts), so Shaman stating that they were destroyed utterly would appear to be true (however, they appeared again later in Vol 1 of Alpha Flight).[/b]

I don't think Ranaq truely died more banished, as he did appear again during the Pestlience arc. Also Tanaraq wasn't turely killed it was Sasquatch with Tanaraq's mind inside of him. Similar to what happened in Omega Flight.


Kolomaq was merely imprisoned by Narya (but he also didn't appear in issue 24).

He appeared in X-Man and they said he escaped from the Realm of the Beasts, but yeah Snowbird didn't kill him.

[Le Messor]

I actually liked the two new Great Beasts, they were very much in line with what Byrne had established the Beasts would look and act like.

I'd disagree with that, kind of.
They act like the GBs, but that just means 'evil, destructive, and careless', but that's a pretty general description.
They both have the design iconography of Kolomaq (and to a lesser extent, Somon); but very few of the Byrning Great Beasts look anything like each other, so by looking like them, they don't look like them.
It makes sense if you're me.

It's like Weird Al's song Ringtone. It's the first song I've ever heard that's meant to sound like Queen that doesn't just sound like Bohemian Rhapsody. Sure, that's a Queen song, but their style is so wide and varied that every other Queen style-parody should be called a BoRhap style parody.


I took it only avatars of the Great Beasts were killed on Earth, while the "true" forms of them are in the Realm of the Beasts.

The messages above are making me less certain, but I got from #24 that that only applied to Tundra.

- Le Messor
"Genius is the talent of a man who is dead."

[-K-M-]

The messages above are making me less certain, but I got from #24 that that only applied to Tundra. [/FONT]

It was because we never even saw the other Great Beasts until that issue. But as noted in the Marvel handbooks the Beasts can make spiritual manifestations of themselves and send them to Earth.

[SNOWCHILD]

So what's the final verdict? I'm a bit lost here, guys.

[Le Messor]

We may have to take a poll on that one.

- Le Messor
"Give me ambiguity or give me something else."

[rplass]

I would have liked to see a bit more of Narya's back story. (What exactly happened with her and Yukon Jack, anyway?)

This is mentioned in the new OHOTMU HC #13 entry for Yukon Jack. It says that she left Kemteron after their marriage ended under unrevealed circumstances, and Yukon Jack got sick from the time travel. From the way it's worded, it's amibiguous - his sickness might not have had anything to do with her leaving, or it was one of the causes. It's a poorly constructed sentence, anyway, I remembered you asked about this and was really hoping to see some new info on that!

Love,
rplass

[Le Messor]

It was because we never even saw the other Great Beasts until that issue. But as noted in the Marvel handbooks the Beasts can make spiritual manifestations of themselves and send them to Earth.

I never noticed this post before.
My answer would be, we saw some of the Great Beasts before that issue, but not the other ones who were in that issue. I'm not sure which you mean?

Tanaraq and Ranaq spring to mind, then they start eating my brains, and that explains a lot, doesn't it?

- Le Messor
"Good leaders are scarce, so I am following myself."