Newsarma's Obscure Stars

[Phil]

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/10-obscure-marvel-characters-own-series-1.html


#2 SASQUATCH
With Alpha Flight apparently no longer a going concern, judging by Puck's appearance in Uncanny X-Force, perhaps it's time to start looking for other breakout characters from the team.
Northstar, of course, has already decamped to the X-Men, but what about the gentle giant who takes the Hulk formula and makes it far less scary... and far more hairy? Dr. Walter Langowski has the gentle demeanor and amazing strength to head into the mainstream -- as well as the long-standing risk of losing control should he rely on his powers too much.
With that kind of ticking time-bomb set-up providing all manner of possibilities for classic Marvel "power/responsibility" riffs and the visuals of a giant monster saving the day as people run in terror, who says this couldn't be the monster book you've been waiting for in Mighty Marvel Manner?

[Flightpath07]

I completely agree in regards to both Sasquatch (with emphasis on the "apparently" in "with Alpha Flight apparently no longer a going concern"), and Nighthawk.

[Phil]

I always thought that a Sasquatch & Puck mini could be quite fun.

[Sypes]

I'd totally buy that! I'd like to explore more of his family... his ex-wife, Gilded Lilly, maybe see some Aurora aspects.

[-K-M-]

I always thought that a Sasquatch & Puck mini could be quite fun.

Haha definetly.

[rplass]

Langkowski.

[Le Messor]

Yeah, most people don't notice that 'k'!

~ LM
"NOPQRS"

[Legerd]

I've always wanted to see a story dealing with his (only once mentioned) son. Here's a kid who's got his dad's brains, and has an axe to grind for Walter having left him and his mom. A nice mini would be Walter and Mac, or Walter and Eugene if Puck is available, going after his son who is working for AIM to recreate his dad's experiment in controlled gamma-empowerment. Walter, for obvious reasons, wants to keep this under the official radar. His son, however, is working with AIM only so he can recreate his dad's experiment and turn himself into a Hulk so he can make his father pay for "abandoning" him as a boy. Hmm, now that I think about it, it might make a good team up to have Aurora there, the woman he ran away with. The story could fill in a lot of AF's background for new readers at the same time.

[Sypes]

I've always wanted to see a story dealing with his (only once mentioned) son. Here's a kid who's got his dad's brains, and has an axe to grind for Walter having left him and his mom. A nice mini would be Walter and Mac, or Walter and Eugene if Puck is available, going after his son who is working for AIM to recreate his dad's experiment in controlled gamma-empowerment. Walter, for obvious reasons, wants to keep this under the official radar. His son, however, is working with AIM only so he can recreate his dad's experiment and turn himself into a Hulk so he can make his father pay for "abandoning" him as a boy. Hmm, now that I think about it, it might make a good team up to have Aurora there, the woman he ran away with. The story could fill in a lot of AF's background for new readers at the same time.

I like it... minus the Hulk. Already to many Hulks out there.

[Phil]

I've always wanted to see a story dealing with his (only once mentioned) son.

Part of me hoped that he was the character in this thread (http://alphaflight.net/showthread.php?8442-A-new-evil).

[Le Messor]

I've always wanted to see a story dealing with his (only once mentioned) son.

For a long time, I thought it was going to turn out to be Wildchild.

~ Le Messor
"It is far better to be deceived than to be undeceived by those we love."

[Chris]

For a long time, I thought it was going to turn out to be Wildchild.

Are you referring to that unfinished comment Walter said to Wild Child way back in Alpha Flight 105? I can't remember exactly what Walter said.

[Sypes]

Are you referring to that unfinished comment Walter said to Wild Child way back in Alpha Flight 105? I can't remember exactly what Walter said.

Oh yeah! I just re-read it and Walter keeps referring to Wild Child as "kid".. interesting!

[Le Messor]

He also blamed himself for Wildchild.

~ Le Messor
"It is illegal to ridicule the public architecture in Star, Mississippi."

[Wildcard]

Ive felt for a long time that Sas was an under rated Marvel character. he is right up there with The Thing and Hulk and has fought both of them and held his own. I also agree that there are way too many hulk clones (Red Hulk...really?). Big Foot isnt just a Canadian legend as it is often "sighted" in many parts of the US so its not like many Americans wouldnt be able to associate with what the character is conceptually.

I think and have thought before about how cool it would be to see Walter make an appearace in The Avengers. I know Puck, Madison and Northstar are on X-teams but Walter isnt a mutant (I know Puck isnt either but meh).

As much as I would love to see the Flight as an on-going, I dont think its going to happen anymore (with the exception of the odd mini-series) so this may be our best chance to see some of our favourite characters.

[Wildcard]

...and I dont mean to derail the topic but I was curious about something. I havent read an X-book in a very long time. How did Wolverine react to Northstar joining the X-Men? Do they hang out? Talk old times? Does Logan push to have Aurora join? He was the one who found her and helped them reunite

[rplass]

Wildcard, Northstar and Aurora re-joined the X-Men in Secret Invasion: X-Men #2 ( Nov 2008 ) . No mention was made of this again until Wolverine re-recruited Northstar more formally into the X-Men in Uncanny X-Men #508. Their combined reaction was odd because they didn't address the fact that Logan had killed him in their previous encounter; additionally, Matt Fraction wrote a bizarre crack against Alpha Flight. Northstar accepted the invitation to join which was done right in Aurora's presence. They've not talked old times. While in the Uncanny title, Northstar was more aligned with Dazzler than Wolverine.

[Le Messor]

I think and have thought before about how cool it would be to see Walter make an appearace in The Avengers.

Well, he was a member of an alternate team in Avengers Forever. But only seen in a panel or two in the background.

~ Le Messor
"It is impossible to get anywhere without sinning against reason."
~ Einstein

[Phil]

Their combined reaction was odd because they didn't address the fact that Logan had killed him in their previous encounter
I thought one of the lines he used was "Plus, I feel bad about killing you that one time." (paraphrased from memory)

[Phil]

Well, he was a member of an alternate team in Avengers Forever. But only seen in a panel or two in the background.

As we found out in the comments to Rob's excellent (and missed) site (http://alphaflightcollector.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/marrinas-head-from-the-marvel-vault-1/#comments) that it was the artist (Carlos Pacheco) who chose which Alphans to use, but at least Busiek told him to add Alphans in which is exactly my point in the poll thread (http://alphaflight.net/showthread.php?8445-If-Alpha-Flight-gets-another-chance-what-type-of-series-format-would-you-like&p=89607&viewfull=1#post89607).

[rplass]

I thought one of the lines he used was "Plus, I feel bad about killing you that one time." (paraphrased from memory)

Yes, that was it. Now dig out your Millar issues of Wolverine from 2005, specifically the bar scene from issue #28. Now that's a reaction. It just doesn't compare. Fraction really screwed up that scene and missed out on 30+ years of character history, intensity between two intense characters and dumped a cavalier and flippant tone onto Northstar's 616 death, which other writers treated with solemnity.

[Phil]

Oh agree it was addressed inadequately, but it was addressed.

[Le Messor]

As we found out in the comments to Rob's excellent (and missed) site (http://alphaflightcollector.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/marrinas-head-from-the-marvel-vault-1/#comments) that it was the artist (Carlos Pacheco) who chose which Alphans to use, but at least Busiek told him to add Alphans in which is exactly my point in the poll thread (http://alphaflight.net/showthread.php?8445-If-Alpha-Flight-gets-another-chance-what-type-of-series-format-would-you-like&p=89607&viewfull=1#post89607).

That is cool!
Busiek is one of those people who I barely think have heard of Alpha... (Was it him or Waid who wrote Marvels? I sometimes wonder about Alex Ross, y'see, who I'm pretty sure has never painted an Alphan.)


Oh agree it was addressed inadequately, but it was addressed.

Like my mail!

~ Le Messor
"It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious."

[Ahab]

That is cool!
Busiek is one of those people who I barely think have heard of Alpha... (Was it him or Waid who wrote Marvels? I sometimes wonder about Alex Ross, y'see, who I'm pretty sure has never painted an Alphan.)


Except Busiek was the one that put Marrina in the Master storyline where Ms. marvel was fighting the Plodex and missed her body being in stasis in Avengers, continuing the "false death" storyline, wasn't he? That makes me think he was a fan.

[-K-M-]

Yeah the Master himself appearing and becoming a serious threat I thought was great for the character.

[Phil]

He respects characters and continuity. I'm a big fan of his.

Also, he wrote the What If Wolverine fought Weapon X issue that featured the First Flight team.
The man knows his stuff.

[-K-M-]

Oooooh I didn't even know he did that. Sucked that he killed all the chracters, but still was a decent read.

[Le Messor]

Oh, yeah, I like Busiek. Not saying otherwise. I just wonder about particular creators sometimes, and he's one.

~ Le Messor
"It is impossible to fully enjoy procrastination unless one has plenty of work to do."

[PWalk]

I've often wondered if one of the items holding back Langkowski from appearing in other books stems from the pain in the ass he can be to draw for artists. Lets face it, to do a real good Sasquatch takes a more effort and time than the normal figure.

[Le Messor]

I've often wondered if one of the items holding back Langkowski from appearing in other books stems from the pain in the ass he can be to draw for artists. Lets face it, to do a real good Sasquatch takes a more effort and time than the normal figure.

I'm pretty sure that's not much of a problem for most of them.

~ Le Messor
"He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends."
~ Oscar Wilde

[Flightpath07]

I'm pretty sure that's not much of a problem for most of them.

~ Le Messor

Well, that may be true, but apparently more than a number of the artists who did get a chance to draw Sasquatch, were the ones who DID have a problem drawing him well. I've seen many TERRIBLE renditions, some 'okay' ones, and too few great ones.

[Le Messor]

Lets face it, to do a real good Sasquatch takes a more effort and time than the normal figure.

I've seen many TERRIBLE renditions, some 'okay' ones, and too few great ones.

Now you know what I'm getting at.

~ Le Messor
"He is a self-made man and worships his creator."
~ John Bright

[Flightpath07]

Now you know what I'm getting at.

~ Le Messor
"He is a self-made man and worships his creator."
~ John Bright

Actually, I don't. Didn't we just say the opposite thing?

[Le Messor]

Nope.
I was trying to imply that very few artists make the effort to do a real good Sasquatch.

~ Le Messor
"You should never count your chickens before they hatch - but it's a lot easier."
~ P.K. Shaw

[Flightpath07]

Ah...your emphasis was on "effort", whilst I thought it was on...uh, well, I thought you meant, that for most artists, drawing a good Sasquatch wasn't a problem.

It was clearly a misunderepic of standing proportions.

[Le Messor]

I knew what you thinked I meant. :)

What we've got here is failure to communicate!

[Legerd]

That is cool!
I sometimes wonder about Alex Ross, y'see, who I'm pretty sure has never painted an Alphan.)


Actually Ross painted Aurora and Northstar in the depressing sequel(?) to Marvels called Ruins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruins_%28comics%29), and Guardian and Sasquatch in the Universe X (http://www.comicvine.com/universe-x-issue-6/37-69365/)series.

[Phil]

Ross didn't do Ruins, and only did the covers for Earth/Universe/Paradise X so we've only seen his Sas.

[Le Messor]

Ross didn't do Ruins, and only did the covers for Earth/Universe/Paradise X so we've only seen his Sas.

... and I don't remember Sas being on any of those covers... but; while I have Earth and Universe, I only have 1 of the 2 Paradise trades... and I only got that last week, and haven't read further than Heralds 1-3 and part of PX #0 yet. There could be tons of Sas covers in there, and I wouldn't know it.

(I do have Ruins.)

~ Le Messor
"It is much harder to find a job than to keep one."
~ Jules Becker

[Flightpath07]

Ross didn't do Ruins

Thanks Phil; as soon as I clicked on that first link from Legerd, first thing i noticed was that Ross didn't do any art on it.

You beat me to it!

[Phil]

... and I don't remember Sas being on any of those covers... but; while I have Earth and Universe, I only have 1 of the 2 Paradise trades... and I only got that last week, and haven't read further than Heralds 1-3 and part of PX #0 yet. There could be tons of Sas covers in there, and I wouldn't know it.

Universe X #6 (http://alphaflight.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=943&c=145)

[Le Messor]

Right! My trade ends at #5. :(


Ross ... we've only seen his Sas.

Isn't that Sas AND Guardian?

~ Le Messor
"It is not a simple life to be a single cell, although I have no right to say so, having been a single cell so long ago myself that I have no memory at all of that stage of my life."
~ Lewis Thomas

[Phil]

Well... mangled cyborg Guardian so to an extent... yeah...

[Flightpath07]

Right! My trade ends at #5.

That's a poor trade, no matter what you gave up to get it. ;)

[Flightpath07]

Well... mangled cyborg Guardian so to an extent... yeah...

Sounds like Delphine Courtney after her meeting with Madison.

[Le Messor]

That's a poor trade, no matter what you gave up to get it. ;)

Just a paperclip.


Sounds like Delphine Courtney after her meeting with Madison.

Well, there was precedent in Universe / Earth X for this version of Mac. This is more the return of the Mac.

~ Le Messor
"It is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well."
~ Descartes

[Le Messor]

Well... mangled cyborg Guardian so to an extent... yeah...

With that in mind, it turns out he's on the cover to #4, too.

[Phil]

Technically yeah, Paradise X #4 is sort of a cover appearance :lol:

[Legerd]

Ross didn't do Ruins, and only did the covers for Earth/Universe/Paradise X so we've only seen his Sas.

Whoops, my bad. I was sure it had been Ross that did it. I remembered his name being very prominent in the credits, and assumed he was the artist. ](*,)

[Le Messor]

I just checked my copies, and didn't see his name.
Maybe it was advertised as 'inspired by Alex Ross's Marvels' or something?

~ Le Messor
"Facts speak louder than statistics."
~ Sir Geoffrey Streatfield

[Legerd]

I just checked my copies, and didn't see his name.
Maybe it was advertised as 'inspired by Alex Ross's Marvels' or something?

I found a couple of my Paradise X issues, and Ross is listed for story, cover artist, and character design. I think that is the source of my confusion.

[Le Messor]

I found a couple of my Paradise X issues, and Ross is listed for story, cover artist, and character design. I think that is the source of my confusion.

I wondered if that was it.

Earth / Universe / Paradise X are completely unrelated to Ruins.
(Actually, I only just finished my second read of the first Paradise X trade last night. Only just got it.)

~ Le Messor
"It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances."

[Legerd]

I wondered if that was it.

Earth / Universe / Paradise X are completely unrelated to Ruins.
(Actually, I only just finished my second read of the first Paradise X trade last night. Only just got it.)


Yes, that was the source. The Ruins mistake was entirely me linking it to the Earth/Universe/Paradise X through faulty memory.

[Le Messor]

The Ruins mistake was entirely me linking it to the Earth/Universe/Paradise X through faulty memory.

Not to mention similar themes / styles, and that they both rode on the coattails of Marvels (and, I would imagine, Kingdom Come).
It's a very understandable mistake.

~ Le Messor
"It is the capacity to enjoy life that brings contentment."

[Flightpath07]

Faulty memory can sometimes be restored with a good Hard Drive scan, followed by the addition of more RAM.

I hope this helps.

[Legerd]

Faulty memory can sometimes be restored with a good Hard Drive scan, followed by the addition of more RAM.

I hope this helps.

I usually rely on a good, swift (re)boot to the head..

[Le Messor]

Yeah, sorry FP, but I've gotta go with Legerd on this one.

[Raja]

Oh yeah! I just re-read it and Walter keeps referring to Wild Child as "kid".. interesting!

I used to think the same thing about possibly being his son and wondered where Scott Lobdel was going with Walt's guilt toward WC. Furman's explanation was lacking, IIRC Walter altered Kyle's psych records so he could remain in the Flight Program. Would've preferred something different. These days I like to think Kyle is the son of Sabretooth. :)

[EccentricSage]

My pet theory is that Wildchild was altered using Sabretooth's DNA rather that Wyre's. A wrench was already thrown into the paternity theory when all mutants were depowered except for the ones who had a mutant parent, and one of the depowered guys was Wildchild, even if it didn't last long.

Personally I kind of like the idea that Walter forged those records to keep WC in the Flight Program, and that this is why he felt responsible. I mean, the Flight program actually could have helped Kyle if things had gone differently, where as we all know the result of them just turning him loose. I think it adds depth to Sas, that he did something so unethical because he thought the alternative would be worse. There is hubris in the fact that the forgery may have made it more of a surprise later when Wildchild lost his mind. It just paints the picture of an impossible situation, where the outcome was bad no matter what, but at least he cared about the troubled young victim of experimentation and did what he could.

I wish they'd focus on Walter in this light, more, because it really makes the character lovable but also flawed, which is crucial for a character to be relateable.

[Mokole]

Well, better than a wench being thrown into a paternity theory at least....

[Le Messor]

Ah, many a paternity suit begins with a wench...

[Flightpath07]

Ah, many a paternity suit begins with a wench...

If it weren`t for wenches, all Pirates would be gay.

[Mokole]

All people in Pittsburgh shake their fists at you!

[Flightpath07]

All people in Pittsburgh shake their fists at you!

Those are victory cries, not the rumblings of an angry mob! As a proud Penguins fan for 20 years, I wish the city of Pittsburgh nothing but health and much love.

Although, if the Penguins were to change their name to the Ninjas, and then play against the Pirates...