• An Alpha Flight by John Byrne Omnibus Coming In February 2017?

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    Phil
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    Published on 06-13-2016 03:49 PM  Number of Views: 13701  
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    Bleeding Cool have noticed an Amazon listing for a 1248 page Alpha Flight Omnibus to be released in February 2017!

    The creators listed are John Byrne, Chris Claremont, Roger Stern, Tom Defalco, Sal Buscema, Steve Ditko, Ron Wilson and Mike Mignola which implies that the Omnibus includes the early Uncanny X-Men issues, Machine Man #18 , Marvel Two-In-One #83-84, Incredible Hulk Annual #8, and presumably Alpha Flight #29 to cap the Byrne run off. Bill Mantlo isn't listed, but this is an initial advanced Amazon listing rather than full details from Marvel.

    Panini Comics released a similar Omnibus in 2014 that featured most of the above plus extracts from Secret War II #4 and Marvel Age #2 which only came to 800 pages so hopefully they'll be included too (with the Machine Man and Marvel Two-In-One issues adding to the page count) along with Incredible Hulk #313 and possibly even his relevant Official Handbook Of The Marvel Universe entries and covers to Marvel Team-Up Annual #7 and Alpha Flight#81-82?
    Or the page count could simply be incorrect.

    Either way this is great news and something we've been demanding for a long time now!
    Especially with the Alpha Flight Classics Volume 1 being so hard to get hold of.

    If the listing turns out to be correct it could be in Comic Specialty stores earlier, possibly as early as January, meaning we may hear official word and details about it in October.

    Could this mean be a big push for the team in the future after Civil War II?
    Especially combined with the news of a softcover reprint of the Marvel Premier X-Men/Alpha Flight collection coming in November 2016:


    We here at AlphaFlight.net will endeavour to keep you posted with more news as soon as we can!

    (Please note: The article header image is taken from the Panini Comics edition and is not representative of an actual cover)


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    Comments 41 Comments
    1. Phil's Avatar
      Phil - 09-22-2016
      Oh yeah, totally.
      When I made my vague comment I'd forgotten there was a second story.
      I've only counted the pages of the AF story in my page count.
    1. Le Messor's Avatar
      Le Messor - 02-04-2017
      Comic Shop News #1545 has a section called 'FYI: Must-Have Additions to Your Reference Library' (a regular feature in CSN, as we all know).

      Quoted verbatim:
      "ALPHA FLIGHT BY JOHN BYRNE OMNIBUS HC
      (Marvel AUG160993 $100.00)
      John Byrne's fan-favorite run on Alpha Flight is collected in a single volume, along with the team's appearances from X-Men #s 109, 120-121, 139-140, and much more."

      The blurb also has a picture (not all of them do), of AF #1.

      ~ Le Messor
      "He that plants trees loves others beside himself."
      ~ English proverb
    1. Ryan Maxwell's Avatar
      Ryan Maxwell - 02-14-2017
      This is out now, did anybody else pick it up? It's a beast! Huge and very heavy. And absolutely gorgeous. I'm about 5 comics in. At roughly 1200 pages, it's going to take a while to read.
    1. Phil's Avatar
      Phil - 02-15-2017
      I own a copy, but it's not in my hands yet...

      I saw your photos Ryan, and cannot wait!

      And also taken from the JBF to answer my earlier question:

      . Besides the complete issues reprinted in the Omnibus, there are shorter excerpts from other issues. Vindicator's cameo appearance from Fantastic Four 220 is included. Dr. Langkowski's appearances in Fantastic Four are included. There are also some Marvel Age articles and covers, artwork by JB and others for posters, subscription ads, house ads, trade paperback covers, etc. JB's covers for Alpha Flight 81 and 82 are included. Official Marvel Handbook artwork is included.
      An awesome result there then! Cannot wait to go pick it up!
    1. Phil's Avatar
      Phil - 02-15-2017
      Also worth noting; if anyone in the US hasn't ordered it, it's pretty cheap here: http://www.instocktrades.com/TP/Marv...S-HC/AUG160992
    1. Le Messor's Avatar
      Le Messor - 02-15-2017
      Thanks, Phil. That's been bugging us for a while! Makes sense, too.

      ~ Le Messor
      "The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings."
      ~ Eric Hoffer
    1. rplass's Avatar
      rplass - 02-17-2017
      It is indeed a beast, Ryan. The TOC doesn't list most of the fun stuff. I like the order of the presentation; very well thought out. The origin stories are collected after AF#1, then the features of issues 2+ continue. It's just amazing. And so big. It will take me forever to type out all the contents, but I'll do it one of these days. I'm a bit busy with the wedding coming up and all but I'll get around to it.
    1. rplass's Avatar
      rplass - 02-17-2017
      OK here's the contents. I abbreviate (RM) for an image of a Red Mapleleaf used to occupy omitted page blocks or inserted as a full page to correct facing pages.


      Dust jacket front cover Ryan posted a nice pic
      Book front cover is the bare art (no trade dress) from Alpha Flight Classic v1 TPB cover
      Spine is the same as the dust jacket spine which Ryan already posted
      1 - Title page - back cover of Alpha Flight Classic #3 TPB (from Alpha Flight #23)
      2 - Indicia page - with Title block used on AF #1, et al
      3 - TOC with team promo (same as spine image)
      4 - TOC with Red Mapleleaf (RM)
      5 - UXM #109
      23 - UXM #120
      41 - UXM #121
      59 - Incredible Hulk Annual #8
      94 - FF #220 p17 and 18, with the top two panels of p17 replaced by RM
      96 - UXM #139
      119 - UXM #140
      142 - Machine Man #18
      165 - Marvel Two-in-One #83
      187 - Marvel Two-in-One #84
      211 - Incredible Hulk #272
      234 - Incredible Hulk #273 p1-4
      238 - AF #1
      277 - Alpha Waves from AF #1
      278 - 2nd story - AF #2
      283 - 2nd story - AF #3 incl. Guardian pin-up
      289 - 2nd story - AF #5
      294 - 2nd story - AF #6
      300 - 3rd story - AF #7
      307 - 2nd story - AF #8
      312 - 2nd story - AF #9
      320 - 2nd story - AF #10
      325 - 2nd story - AF #11
      334 - RM
      335 - 1st story - AF #2
      353 - FF #260 pp1-3, 20-21
      358 - 1st story - AF #3
      376 - AF #4 (with RM p388 )
      400 - FF #261 p1 and 2, with the bottom two panels of p2 replaced by RM
      402 - 1st story - AF #5
      420 - 1st story - AF #6
      437 - 1st and 2nd story - AF #7
      453 - 1st story - AF #8
      471 - FF #266 p2 and 22
      473 - FF #267 pp1-4, 20-22
      480 - FF #268 pp2-4
      483 - 1st story - AF #9
      498 - 1st story - AF #10
      516 - 1st story - AF #11
      529 - promo for issue #12
      530 - AF #12
      569 - AF #13
      592 - Marvel Team-up Annual #7
      627 - AF #14
      650 - AF #15
      673 - AF #16
      696 - promo for issue #17
      697 - AF #17
      720 - AF #18
      743 - AF #19
      766 - AF #20
      789 - AF #21
      812 - AF #22
      835 - RM
      836 - X-Men/Alpha Flight #1 (with RM p838 )
      887 - RM
      888 - X-Men/Alpha Flight #2 wraparound cover
      889 - X-Men/Alpha Flight #2 inside front cover
      890 - X-Men/Alpha Flight #2 contents
      939 - AF #23
      962 - AF #24 incl. Shaman pin-up
      1001 - AF #25
      1024 - AF #26
      1047 - RM
      1048 - AF #27
      1071 - Secret Wars II #4 pp15-17 with the bottom panel of p17 omitted
      1074 - AF #28
      1097 - Alpha Waves from AF #28
      1098 - Incredible Hulk #312 p26 with the editor's note omitted
      1099 - Incredible Hulk #313
      1122 - AF #29
      Starting here the pages are full bleed, without page numbers so I hope I counted right
      1145 - X-Men/Alpha Flight v2 #1
      1178 - X-Men/Alpha Flight v2 #2
      1211 - Marvel Age #2 cover
      1212 - Marvel Age #2 pp7-10
      1216 - 1st half of Byrne's Marvel Age #31 interview, without the illustrations, ending when the interview shifts to the Incredible Hulk title
      1217 - Marvel Age #32 cover
      1218 - Marvel Age #32 pp18-20 with Salicrup's Section replaced by RM
      1221 - Marvel Super Hero Portfolios: X-Men Set Two 1983 Portfolio pin-up (Mutants of Canada - Unite!)
      1222 - Amazing Heroes #22 cover
      1223 - September 1983 Bullpen Bulletins pin-up
      1224 - Comics Buyers' Guide #500 cover art (inked)
      1225 - 1984 AF poster art by John Byrne
      1226 - Alpha Waves from AF #6 (Lighthouse pin-up)
      1227 - 1984 Marvel Subscription Ad by John Byrne
      1228 - Guardian pin-up from Marvel Fanfare #23
      1229 - 1993 X-Men Portfolio pin-up by John Byrne
      1230 - Amazing Heroes #76 cover
      1231 - 1985 Hulk/Alpha Flight house ad by John Byrne & Mike Mignola
      1232 - AF #81 cover
      1233 - AF #82 cover
      1234 - Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (OHOTMU) Alpha Flight art including the floating head boxes from the team entry in issue #1 p7 and portraits from the individual members (Aurora, Guardian, Marrina, Puck, Northstar, Sasquatch, Shaman, Snowbird). Portraits continue to upper half of 1236
      1236 - bottom half - OHOTMU Deluxe Edition updated Alpha Flight art including the updated portrait of Aurora and floating head boxes for Heather, Talisman, Box and an updated Aurora.
      1237 - Four panels: UL- OHOTMUDE art for The Master from #8 p28, UR- sketch of Pink Pearl by John Byrne, LL- Alpha Flight #1 cover art (inked), LR- Guardian pin-up from AF #3(inked)
      1238 - Four panels of original art: UL- Alpha Flight #22 p1, UR- AF #22 p14, LL- AF #25 p1, LR- AF#27 cover
      1239 - Classic X-Men #16 cover
      1240 - Classic X-Men #26 cover
      1241 - Classic X-Men #27 cover
      1242 - Classic X-Men #45 cover
      1243 - X-Men Classic #46 cover
      1244 - X-Men/Alpha Flight TBP wraparound cover
      1246 - Asgardian Wars TPB cover (white/pink title used on 2nd and 3rd printings)
      1247 - Four panels of covers - UL- X-Men/Alpha Flight Premiere HC UR-Alpha Flight Classic v1 TPB, LL- Alpha Flight Classic v2 TPB back cover, LR- Alpha Flight Classic v2 TPB front cover
      1248 - Four panels of covers - UL- Alpha Flight Classic v3 TPB back cover, UR- Alpha Flight Classic v3 TPB front cover, LL- Asgardian Wars HC, LR- Marvel Universe by John Byrne Omnibus HC
      Book back cover is the bare art (no trade dress) from Alpha Flight Classic v2 TPB front cover
      Dust jacket back cover is an array of thumbnailed covers of the full issues listed above
    1. Le Messor's Avatar
      Le Messor - 02-17-2017
      Rob, that's a lot of work. Thank you!

      I'm so glad to hear they separated out the origins. I've always wanted to see a collection do that, and it only makes sense.

      Um... congratulations on the upcoming wedding? I don't think I knew about it before now?

      ~ Le Messor
      "If you really want to do something, you will find a way. If you don't, you will find an excuse."
      ~ Anonymous
    1. Phil's Avatar
      Phil - 02-17-2017
      Wow. Very suprised they got the Amazing Heroes stuff.
      So comprehensive. Very happy with all that!
      And glad to hear the nuptials are coming along nicely, Rob!
    1. Le Messor's Avatar
      Le Messor - 02-23-2017
      Ooh! Ooh! Question:
      The captions in Aurora's origin are different in the floppy vs the Alpha Flight Classic edition. Which version does the omnibus have?

      Also, does Tanaraq still say "Fool it now!"?

      ~ Le Messor
      "The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."
      ~ e.e. cummings
    1. rplass's Avatar
      rplass - 02-23-2017
      Gee, I had never noticed the difference in captions. Could you give the specific issue/page numbers and captions? I'll check it out.
    1. Phil's Avatar
      Phil - 02-23-2017
      Mine arrived today!

      It's a shame that the CBG #500 cover wasn't coloured, and that the artwork for the 90's toys wasn't included, but other than that this is as comprehensive as I could have dreamed of!
    1. Le Messor's Avatar
      Le Messor - 02-23-2017
      Phil, congrats! Enjoy.
      (Shakes fist) Enjoyyyy!!!

      Rob:
      Issue 9, page 17:
      "Madame DuPont's School for girls is one of the last of its kind in Canada -- perhaps the world..."
      "... staunchly clinging to the harsh, cruel ways of another century."

      The Alpha Flight Classic version then adds a line:
      "despite the reforms in the church and constant pleas for change from Rome."

      (Then both version go on to:
      "That the school might one day find its way into the twentieth century is of little solace to Jeanne-Marie, however.")

      ~ Le Messor
      "The most useful virtue is patience."
      ~ John Dewey
    1. Phil's Avatar
      Phil - 02-23-2017
      It has the 'Despite...' line.
    1. Phil's Avatar
      Phil - 02-23-2017
      Also; between flicking through & looking at Rob's list, I realise I don't have a copy of Incredible Hulk #312, which technically has an appearance of Walt!
    1. Garry/Al-Fan's Avatar
      Garry/Al-Fan - 02-24-2017
      I got the ALPHA FLIGHT Omnibus (through Amazon), yesterday. Now this is the compilation that truly shows why Alpha Flight was (and IMHO still is) a remarkable supergroup. As rplass points out, it presents the origin stories together, which is superb.

      If any tweaks can be made for any subsequent printings, putting the missing 'k' in Walter's last name on the dust jacket and clarifying whether Mike Mignola helped John Byrne with the art on AMAZING HEROES # 22 (or if that was done just by John himself) would be my suggestions.

      Again, this is excellent. If anyone really wants to know who these characters are, this is the book that shows it.
    1. Phil's Avatar
      Phil - 02-24-2017
      AH #22 was definitely just John.
      I believe they just duplicated the credits from the other AH cover.
    1. Le Messor's Avatar
      Le Messor - 02-24-2017
      Phil, thanks for letting me know. (I was just curious.)

      I don't have Hulk #312 either. 'Technically'? Does he just show up at the end or something?

      Garry:
      "If anyone really wants to know who these characters are, this is the book that shows it."
      I don't have it, but judging by what's inside it, I must agree!

      ~ Le Messor
      "Our thoughts are precious. They are our very own property and can't be taken from us."
      ~ P.K. Shaw
    1. rplass's Avatar
      rplass - 02-24-2017
      In Hulk #312, Walter is in the form of an energy bolt. If you have #313, then you know what it looks like. I have #312 and always considered it an appearance.
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