Article: First Look At Alpha Flight #2 *Spoilers* (UPDATED)

[suzene]

Preview here. (http://comics.cosmicbooknews.com/content/marvel-previe-first-look-alpha-flight-2-puck-returns) Possible spoilers at the link, click at your own risk.

Well...now I'm a little creeped out and unsure if this is a good thing or not. But hey, look...competently-written speedster powers!

[Legerd]

Oh yeah, Puck is a bit messed up by his time in Hell.

[SmurfInABlender]

I gotta say this is my FAVORITE puck. The other characters are "As good as the original drawings" but this puck is the best puck I've seen. Dale Eaglesham has done something that outdoes the source material. IMO

[Alpha Rider]

Like I siad before Puck's a bad little man.

[Garry/Al-Fan]

Finally managed to read the preview page with Judd. Wow. (ah, freckle-faced Heather is a "murderous villain"? I really hope that does get changed before publication) I hope that # 2 takes it up a notch and pulls together what happened in # 1, because Nerrkkod just leaving when Mac falls out of the sky and Mac more worried about what Cody's up to when he barely beat Nerrkkod...just doesn't seem right. To me.

Is somebody messin' with their minds?

And I hope Aurora is more than just a "messed-up chick." Northstar is regarded as a hero---rightfully so---Aurora should be seen as such, too. Without poaching on Mike Carey too much, it would be nice to touch on the X-Men Annual where Rogue and her team helped both of them on the Helicarrier.

[Phil]

Without poaching on Mike Carey too much, it would be nice to touch on the X-Men Annual where Rogue and her team helped both of them on the Helicarrier.

Norman Osborn undid all that over in Dark X-Men: The Beginning #3

[Sasquatch17]

Alpha Flight gets better and better!

I like the idea of Heather as a villain.

And if Puck is a little "messed up" so much the better!

[cmdrkoenig67]

Spoilers...

























While, I don't like the idea of Heather being a villain, I don't think everything is as it appears (nor do I really think she's a villain, she may have been coerced). I also don't think she's actually "murderous"...I think Mac is just embelishing a bit, since Heather attacked him so cold-bloodedly in issue 1 (she obviously didn't kill him).

Also, Puck certainly appears to be a bit off...Poor guy.

Dana

[varo]

that looks awesome!!!

[Canucklehead]

Can Mac's suit fire a shot without his helmet? It's nice to see him get a little face time. Don't get me wrong, I love the mask, but it can get a little bland when he wears it all the time.

[-K-M-]

Can Mac's suit fire a shot without his helmet? It's nice to see him get a little face time. Don't get me wrong, I love the mask, but it can get a little bland when he wears it all the time.

Yep.
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Now I'm impressed the Box bots actually could transform Sasquatch and Snowbird back into their base forms. No one has ever done that to them before.

[Ahab]

I never understood how Heather could wear the Guardian suit without a helmet in the first volume of AF, nor do I understand now how Guardian could fire off a blast without it. I thought the suit was controlled by the cybernetic helmet. Did something change?

[-K-M-]

I wonder why they switched Vindicator using her geothermal suit in the Chaos War one shot (and what she used right up till her death) back to her classic electromagnetic suit.

[Canucklehead]

I never understood how Heather could wear the Guardian suit without a helmet in the first volume of AF, nor do I understand now how Guardian could fire off a blast without it. I thought the suit was controlled by the cybernetic helmet. Did something change?

Exactly. The whole suit started out as the helmet Mac built and "stole". And why bother wearing it if it's not needed?


I wonder why they switched Vindicator using her geothermal suit in the Chaos War one shot (and what she used right up till her death) back to her classic electromagnetic suit.

The writers said they pretty much wanted to go with the early years (especially Byrne's) issues and they also said they never read the second series. Must be just their preference. At also gives Mac and Heather more of a "connection".

[suzene]

Oh yeah, Puck is a bit messed up by his time in Hell.

Word. I'm half-expecting the page after to show that puppy in his hands bursting into flame.

I do think it's actually going to be Puck, though...as firm as the last two creative teams have been on the "No more copies!" line, I don't see them bringing a fake out of Hell just to mess with team (or readers).

[Phil]

GAH!
Release date put back from 13th July to 27th :(
I'm impatient :(

I do love that slightly maniacal Puckster! Cannot wait for some interaction with him and the big shaggy carpet!

[Phil]

I have a sudden urge to re-dialogue that last page into something very stupid :-D

[DelBubs]

I haven't read of Pucks time in hell, what is this shiny soul cutter he talks off. Just curious as Alpha have a couple of mystical swords associated with them and Witchfire went up against Magik recently...

[Phil]

Rob gives a summary over at his site: http://alphaflightcollector.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/sacks-of-crap-bow-to-puck-in-wolverine-5/

[DelBubs]

Thanks. Now I have a better understanding. As long as Puck sticks around, that's all that really matters.

[rplass]

It looks as Dale Eaglesham lost control of his panel layouts on the preview page with Puck. I can tell he's trying to build a dramatic moment by zooming in on Puck with large panels that increase in size toward the bottom left so as to show NS and Mac's reaction at the lower right. Ok fine, it works, but what's with that little square panel of cracked roof tiles all by itself? My eye wants the third Puck panel to extend just a little more to the left so as to have symmetrical border with its right side, and be connected to the little square panel. We know he doesn't use hi-tech digital tools otherwise I'd accuse him of being too lazy to deselect the rectangle tool.

I'll still buy the issue even though it has that little panel of cracked roof tiles, of course ;)

[Phil]

I like the way the 4th panel is central. It makes the talk of hell and cutting souls more dramatic.
I hadn't even noticed the extra panel till you pointed it out, to be fair.

[DelBubs]

That small panel seems superfluous and there seems no reason for it. Maybe it is just there for filler as it could diminish the impact of the central panel if incorporated into that. Maybe that small panel has some significance, but I can't see what.

[Ahab]

What is happening on the first page of the previews? It appears that Guardian is exiting the side of a building and heading towards another (Parliament?) and then the next panel shows Vindicator towing an unconcsious Guardian to the same building. Is it to suggest that there is someone else now impersonating Guardian (in another Guardian suit) while he is imprisoned? Or am I just dense and not following the panels?

[DelBubs]

I took that as Guardian was already unconcious and Heather is taking him out of the building by controlling his suit cybernetically (or something) like that.)

[rplass]

That small panel seems superfluous and there seems no reason for it. Maybe it is just there for filler as it could diminish the impact of the central panel if incorporated into that. Maybe that small panel has some significance, but I can't see what.

Maybe it's one of the Great Beasts, cleverly disguised. Maybe a new one we haven't seen yet?
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Qigooq the Crusher!

It seem so cute, though. It could be a demon pet that followed Puck out of Hell into our world.
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Squiggles the Demon Pet

On the other hand it seems to radiate immense power, as if it were a mystical object from long ago.
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The Ancient Roof Tile of Agamotto

Wild guesses, of course. I do agree that it has some significance, but I think it's far more important than you suspect. The entire Alpha Flight series could hinge on its very existence!!!

[Garry/Al-Fan]

As you can probably tell, I'm not a completist and don't have Dark X-Men: The Beginning # 3. My main point, though, is Northstar's okay, but Aurora's just a crazy loon...that's not going to work very well. Sorry.

[DelBubs]

Maybe it's one of the Great Beasts, cleverly disguised. Maybe a new one we haven't seen yet?
1224
Qigooq the Crusher!

It seem so cute, though. It could be a demon pet that followed Puck out of Hell into our world.
1224
Squiggles the Demon Pet

On the other hand it seems to radiate immense power, as if it were a mystical object from long ago.
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The Ancient Roof Tile of Agamotto

Wild guesses, of course. I do agree that it has some significance, but I think it's far more important than you suspect. The entire Alpha Flight series could hinge on its very existence!!!

Is there a specific roof tile that is native to Canada? If so it could be Snowbird in disguise.

[Legerd]

I think it's a visual metaphor meaning: Puck's cracked up. Either that, or Dale has a roofing business on the side and he's slipping subconscious advertising into his artwork.

[Ahab]

They said that there would be other guests from the Marvel Universe in this series. Clearly it is an appearance by

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the Thing. I can't believe everyone missed this.

[suzene]

As you can probably tell, I'm not a completist and don't have Dark X-Men: The Beginning # 3. My main point, though, is Northstar's okay, but Aurora's just a crazy loon...that's not going to work very well. Sorry.

Works for me. Aurora's struggling not just with keeping her DID under control, but with the potential of having her only family -- no matter how well-intentioned -- infantalizing her and casting doubt on her ability to cope with living the life that has always offered her more freedom than any other. And the worst part is, he might be right. It may not be a punch-up, but I always have enjoyed that tension between the twins.

[Wolfie]

GAH!
Release date put back from 13th July to 27th :(
I'm impatient :(

I do love that slightly maniacal Puckster! Cannot wait for some interaction with him and the big shaggy carpet!

Whaaat?! I didn't even know that! I don't know why they keep changing the release dates... We're exactly on schedule as far as I know on our end. :( Maybe it has to do with the Fear Itself event, i.e. that we can't reveal something in AF before something else comes out...

[Garry/Al-Fan]

Alpha Flight volume 4, number 1 is the best that MARVEL can do.

[Phil]

Whaaat?! I didn't even know that! I don't know why they keep changing the release dates... We're exactly on schedule as far as I know on our end. :( Maybe it has to do with the Fear Itself event, i.e. that we can't reveal something in AF before something else comes out...

It might be a mistake, just seems unlikely if they're including it in the press release.

[Wolfie]

Oh, and I just asked Dale about the little tile panel, and he says it was just a design element, a visual continuation of the panel to the right. It's the kind of art deco thing he likes to put in once in a while.

And btw, it's pretty rare that you'll find something in his art that's accidental -- there's almost always a reason for everything.

Wolfie

[DelBubs]

Oh, and I just asked Dale about the little tile panel, and he says it was just a design element, a visual continuation of the panel to the right. It's the kind of art deco thing he likes to put in once in a while.

And btw, it's pretty rare that you'll find something in his art that's accidental -- there's almost always a reason for everything.

Wolfie
I had money on it being subliminal messaging :-( Art decor works though and it fits the page nicely.

[rplass]

Ah, so no chance of a commission piece of the Roof Tile? It's my new favorite Alpha Flight member! Or, Alpha Flight villain, not sure which one yet... I just know it's my favorite!

[Wolfie]

Ah, so no chance of a commission piece of the Roof Tile? It's my new favorite Alpha Flight member! Or, Alpha Flight villain, not sure which one yet... I just know it's my favorite!

ROFLMAO!! And I just laughed out loud when I saw DelBub's new avatar -- you guys rock!

[Wolfie]

P.S. This is how great inside jokes get started. When Dale was on Green Lantern way-back-when, he drew a character in a crowd scene that for some reason people latched on to. It was a rather rotund young man, dancing... He became known as The Blissful Dancing Fat Kid, and Dale started putting him in backgrounds whenever he could. I seem to remember he even drew an alien version of him when he was at CrossGen working on Sigil.

:D

[DelBubs]

I believe John Byrne does something similar with a bald bearded gent in his comics. Over here we have 'Viz' comic where the artists on various strips try to sneak in a depiction of a sports pundit called 'Jimmy Hill'. Readers get a monetary reward if they spot him.

[Ahab]

Well, the whole idea would be great if Dale started including "Rocksie" in more scenes, as I'm sure this character (whether hero or villain) would catch on - but there really is no point, as Marvel editrorial has made it clear that the majority of mutants have been depowered...

[DelBubs]

My understanding is that 'Rocksie' was just a normal group of tiles until he was zapped by gamma radiation from a wayward blast during a fight between 'Radioactive Man' and Thor. Ergo not a normal mutant, but...

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[Phil]

Are we gonna haveta split this thread & take it to the fanfic forum? :p

[DelBubs]

I'll stop now :-)

[rplass]

Well if #2 has been pushed out by another two weeks, we have more time to fawn over preview material, so it's no wonder we're beating this one to death until something substantial takes over. By the way, at the signing, Mark Paniccia mentioned to me that some more preview material is coming our way. No details. He said he loves it how we see a panel or an unlettered page taken out of context and speculate/devour it!

[Ahab]

My understanding is that 'Rocksie' was just a normal group of tiles until he was zapped by gamma radiation from a wayward blast during a fight between 'Radioactive Man' and Thor. Ergo not a normal mutant, but...

1262

I'm glad you got the gender right. So many readers mistakenly think 'Rocksie' is a girl because of the name...

And to comment on your theory regarding the Guardian/Vindicator images in the preview, the image shows a trail going to the building and THEN Vindicator towing Guardian to the building (with another trail). It would make sense if Cody initiated the use of an imposter, but maybe I'm just not getting the images. Anyone else have thoughts?

[DelBubs]

I'm glad you got the gender right. So may readers mistakely think 'Rocksie' is a girl because of the name...

And to comment on your theory regarding the Guardian/Vindicator images in the preview, the image shows a trail going to the building and THEN Vindicator towing Guardian to the building (with another trail). It would make sense if Cody initiated the use of an imposter, but maybe I'm just not getting the images. Anyone else have thoughts?

Wasn't sure about his gender until I saw this pic of his girlfriend. 1263

In regards to Guardian, although the pic could suggest the presence of a doppleganger, I can't figure the logic of it. I'm also having difficulty with Alpha Strike, are they government ot aniti government? Either way, there's a suggestion of brainwashing in all of this.

[DIGGER]

All in all it's just another brick in the wall (apologies to fans of the song). If the panel had been extended, Pucks forehead in the next would have been lopped off. Or maybe it is foreshadowing of the Thing making an appearance. Or maybe it is to show that Puck is unstable or cracked. Or maybe it was just left like that so there wasn't a blank space.

:?:

DIGGER

[bigbloo]

What is happening on the first page of the previews? It appears that Guardian is exiting the side of a building and heading towards another (Parliament?) and then the next panel shows Vindicator towing an unconcsious Guardian to the same building. Is it to suggest that there is someone else now impersonating Guardian (in another Guardian suit) while he is imprisoned? Or am I just dense and not following the panels?

Im reading the panels on the top as a flashback, Heather (in the middle panel, realtime) remembering a time when Gary Cody offered a deal with Mac and he stormed away in disgust. Then the bottom panel on the left is also realtime, with AF subdued by the Boxbots, and the next panel and the next page being a flashback again, showing how they were taken into custody.

[bigbloo]

I'm glad you got the gender right. So many readers mistakenly think 'Rocksie' is a girl because of the name...


I thought Rocksie was a girl! Isn't she Roger Boch's (Bochsie's) disgruntled girlfriend, Ellen Rocks, who - angry at the cavalier treatment of her one and only love- through experimenting on herself, acquired cracked-tile gamma-irradiated powers and has come to take revenge on all things Alpha, most particularly that thieving French Hussy and the traitorous mechanic turned X-scientist???

[Ahab]

I thought Rocksie was a girl! Isn't she Roger Boch's (Bochsie's) disgruntled girlfriend, Ellen Rocks, who - angry at the cavalier treatment of her one and only love- through experimenting on herself, acquired cracked-tile gamma-irradiated powers and has come to take revenge on all things Alpha, most particularly that thieving French Hussy and the traitorous mechanic turned X-scientist???

Like so-many-things Alpha, I think that was another retcon.
We'll have to wait for Loki to provide the definitive answer in the next run of the Marvel Universe Handbook.:D

[suzene]

There's an unlettered page of Puck in action at this Newsrama interview with Pak and Van Lente. (http://www.newsarama.com/comics/alpha-flight-pak-van-lente-110620.html)

Seems to directly proceed the conversation between Puck, Guardian, and Northstar we see here, and it looks great! Oh, nostalgia!

[DelBubs]

Added page to article, thanks Suzene.

[-K-M-]

Wow, thats an incredibly well drawn action sequence for Puck.

[bigbloo]

There's an unlettered page of Puck in action at this Newsrama interview with Pak and Van Lente. (http://www.newsarama.com/comics/alpha-flight-pak-van-lente-110620.html)

Seems to directly proceed the conversation between Puck, Guardian, and Northstar we see here, and it looks great! Oh, nostalgia!

Amazing to see Eugene in action again!

But taking down Heather... with their history... I can't wait to see the dialogue on this!

[rplass]

I love the thick sole on Puck's boot - holy cow look how thick it is! Dale Eaglesham really gave him a pair of (edited word that rhymes with my username)-kickers!!! I definitely do not want to get kicked in the face by those boots. Nice detail!

Also, Heather's bum has returned for another visit. I'm sure Flightpath07 will have fun with that one like he did with the review he posted of the 0.1 issue! (http://canadas-own-the-flight.blogspot.com/2011/06/flightpath-07s-review-of-af-vol4-issue.html)

[Phil]

Man, I love that new page!
Dale's artwork is a perfect fit for Puck's dynamics!

[DelBubs]

Interesting to see both Mac and Heather using the suit without the cybernetic helmet. Seems they are probably only HUDS now. Kinda sad to see the battle taking place in the nursery, but maybe it gives a hint to Heathers motivations.

[Ahab]

Interesting to see both Mac and Heather using the suit without the cybernetic helmet. Seems they are probably only HUDS now. Kinda sad to see the battle taking place in the nursery, but maybe it gives a hint to Heathers motivations.

I guess if the writers are treating Mac as still being a cyborg, the lack of the Guardian helmet can be explained now. I didn't think about that the last time that I posted about the topic.

[Phil]

I guess if the writers are treating Mac as still being a cyborg, the lack of the Guardian helmet can be explained now. I didn't think about that the last time that I posted about the topic.

Ugh. I honestly hope & pray they aren't touching the cyborg thing with a bargepole.
I'm sure technology has improved since the AmCam days and I'm pretty sure Mac & Heather have used the suits without helmets in various guest appearances since Volume 1.

[DelBubs]

I think when we discussed this a few years back the general view was that there was probably some kind of sensor in the neck of the suits that read impulses.

[Ahab]

I think when we discussed this a few years back the general view was that there was probably some kind of sensor in the neck of the suits that read impulses.

I like that idea.

[Mokole]

I seem to recall that they could use the suits without the helmets but lost functionality; I'd bet now Mac has improved things so his suit does have that access, though still limited (less so), without the helmet.

[bigbloo]

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Now I'm impressed the Box bots actually could transform Sasquatch and Snowbird back into their base forms. No one has ever done that to them before.

It's pretty chilling how much like Sentinels they are acting. Did the Boxbots in Weapon X (Neverland?) act like this? I hadn't read that series.

[Phil]

Oh they were even worse....

[Phil]

Whaaat?! I didn't even know that! I don't know why they keep changing the release dates... We're exactly on schedule as far as I know on our end. :( Maybe it has to do with the Fear Itself event, i.e. that we can't reveal something in AF before something else comes out...

Diamond (http://previewsworld.com/public/default.asp?t=2&m=1&c=6&s=574) and Marvel (http://marvel.com/comic_books/calendar/2011-06-01/2011-06-30) still have it listed for the 13th so maybe it's just a mistake in this one press release... we'll see...

[weaponAlpha]

what we didnt know until after the byrne run was that puck has always had demonic forces in his body since he's been in alpha flight. how talisman and shaman never sensed this evil inside him baffles me but i love this rendition of puck and i like that he's a bit twisted! his appearance in the new wolverine ( goes to hell)series was great also and ties directly to his condition in this issue. Does anyone know if puck is still has superpowers?

[Alpha Rider]

Does anyone know if puck is still has superpowers?
I never thought as Puck as having "Super Powers" persay. I always felt that he was like Captain America, just shorter, Hairer, and without the super soldier stuff. Or I thought that he was just very accrobatic. (I thought in the earlier issues that he used to be in the circus or something.)

[DelBubs]

When Puck got reshrunkified by the Master at the end of Building Blocks (?), all his flesh condensed into his 3'6" form. This meant that he had tough skin and I think I read somewhere that the process put him in the Spiderman Strength bracket. 10 ton +

[-K-M-]

When Puck got reshrunkified by the Master at the end of Building Blocks (?), all his flesh condensed into his 3'6" form. This meant that he had tough skin and I think I read somewhere that the process put him in the Spiderman Strength bracket. 10 ton +

Correct, in his recent handbook entry they said his powers were weakening but he still had superhuman abilities

http://www.alphaflight.net/alphanex/index.php?title=Puck_I

Years ago I added his listed superhuman stats to the alphanex. Can't make any edits for some odd reason to include his stats just before his death

[Phil]

Ben's aware of the edit problem.
It requires a complete software reload which will require some downtime of the site, and with the launch of Volume 4 we took a decision to wait rather than risk losing new visitors and the interviews etc. that we've had.
Rest assured, it'll be sorted out quite soon.