True. Again, not complaining about smiling heroes, so much as how their mouths are all too extra-wide.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan Maxwell
I would have told him to do it over again. (lol - or NOT!)
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True. Again, not complaining about smiling heroes, so much as how their mouths are all too extra-wide.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan Maxwell
I would have told him to do it over again. (lol - or NOT!)
He explained the only time Wolverine is in costume and not the "drugstore cowboy" look was in the pages reprinted from Uncanny X-Men 109 that appeared in Alpha Flight 17. That was the blue and yellow costume.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Eberly
Technically, he did do an in-house ad with Wolverine in the Byrne-designed brown costume but that's not he he appeared in the Alpha Flight book.
Another John Byrne AF commission, this time based on the battle in Uncanny X-Men 121. He's announced it's the last time he'll do the "shootout at the stampede" location.
http://www.byrnerobotics.com/forum/f...18&totPosts=28
It doesn't want me to see it; but it sounds kinda cool.
Interesting that he must've got enough requests to ban it now.
- Le Messor
"In New York City, it is a crime to have a deck of playing cards in an apartment located within a mile's radius of an armoury."
~ alleged actual law
Reprinting this question, and JB's answer, here, as it'll be of interest to everybody. Byrne handles this one with class. And yes, this is a brand new answer and up to date, on page two following the unveiling of The Last Stampede art.
---------------------------
It must have been fun for you to bring, not just one, but a group of Canadian heroes into the Marvel universe. Do you have any memories about their creation or the storyline you can share?
••
I'm not really much of a flag-waver, and when I was living in Canada I was even less so. Canadians tend to practice a much more low key form of patriotism than do Americans!
The idea for a Canadian superhero coming after Wolverine was actually Dave Cockrum's. When he was pencilling and co-plotting X-MEN, he reasoned that the Canadian government would probably be not at all thrilled at an agent they'd spent millions of dollars developing had skipped off to join an American team. Chris and Dave didn't get around to this story during their first tenure, but it was one of the first Chris mentioned to me when I came aboard.
After Guardian made his debut, and proved popular with the fans, it was only natural to start planning a "return engagement", and since Chris had tossed the "Alpha Flight" reference into the first story*, that was the obvious direction in which to go.
Developing the characters to be in that team became my job. Of course I brought back Guardian** and resurrected the name Snowbird, another fan character I'd introduced in a strip I did in my college newspaper. Then it was a case of coming up with some other characters who could go toe-to-toe with the X-Men. Sasquatch was created to counter Colossus, Shaman (originally called "Chinook", and strictly a weather-wizard) for Storm, and the super-fast twins to balance Nightcrawler's teleporting abilities. And I was stuck with both "Alpha Flight" and Chris' name for Guardian, Vindicator. (Easily one of the dumbest superhero names, like, ev-er. What the heck does Canada have to "vindcate"? It wasn't until Alpha got their own book that I was able to explain the name contextually, AND convince Marvel to let me restore his true name.)
To say that that the fan reception to Alpha Flight was positive would be like saying a man in the path of a tidal wave was in danger of becoming "moist". It was a torrent, an earthquake, a major volcanic eruption. In a nutshell, you guys seemed to like 'em. So there was immediate pressure from On High to give the team its own book. Since they were mostly ciphers to me -- Jean-Marie didn't have her MPD yet, Jean-Paul wasn't Gay, Snowbird did not have her mystical history, etc -- I wasn't really interested, but Marvel kept the pressure up, and eventually I caved.
That meant turning these two-dimensional punching bags into three-dimensional characters, and that's how the attributes mentioned above came into play. Marina and Puck were introduced at Shooter's suggestion. Always eager to spend Marvel's money, he told me that if I added some new characters when Alpha got their own title, I would be eligible for the "creator's cut" of the profits (such as it was). So, since the Canadian national motto is a mare usque ad mare ("From sea to sea") I came up with a water-based character, and Puck.... well. . . . . .
(Don Thompson, publisher of THE COMIC BUYER'S GUIDE, would write a review of ALPHA FLIGHT in which he scoffed at Puck. He decried it as a stupid name for a superhero, and said when he first heard it, he had assumed the character would have something to do with "Robin Goodfellow", Puck of "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Cuz, you know, that just SCREAMS "Canada".)†
The book was a success, and Marvel's biggest seller in several decades. But I wasn't really entirely happy there. The characters hadn't been created by Stan and Jack and Steve and the rest, so they weren't "real" to me. I did everything I could to boost my excitement and interest, but, alas, the fire never quite caught.
_______________
* First time I ever saw the name was when I read the published issue! Didn't like it then, still don't!
**His original name, as a fan character, and would have been his name right from the start but for the fact that Marvel was then publishing the Guardians of the Galaxy, and it was decided giving Mac that name would be "too confusing". The amount of effort put into worrying about what would "confuse" the readers back then was truly staggering. We could us a bit of it these days!
† Among the most amateurish "reviews" are those that take the for of "This is not what I thought it would be, and so it is WRONG!"
btw, that full scan of this piece shows how amazing it really is!
To further muddy the waters of "what is a John Byrne piece and what isn't"...
http://twitpic.com/aq0whm
Apparently, somebody on Twitter, going by the name NOTJB, regularly posts about new John Byrne pieces. The confusion, therefore, comes from the posters name going first in the posts, thus making people think that John Byrne is saying that the John Byrne piece is NOT a John Byrne piece.
Ow. My head hurts.
Thanks for posting the blurb from John Byrne... it was nice to hear a more detailed explanation from him.
To be quite honest, I had a tremendous dislike for him after he gave up Alpha Flight, especially after some of his earlier comments as to his own dislike for the group.
I thought, here is a talented artist, and a Canadian one as well, who had a very successful title, loved by a large group of dedicated and loyal followers (myself included), and suddenly walked away from it, stating how much he hated creating them in the first place. I always considered that as a giant "middle finger" to the Flight's fans, and never really forgave him for it. I started blaming him for having to see my favourite characters being written and drawn by lesser talents, to the point where they were starting to become a joke (ie. Volume 3).
After reading this however, I'm starting to get a new prospective of what he was going through at the time... and why the reasons for creating the team probably weren't the best motivators for wanting to continue.
I guess the old saying is true... just because you're good at something doesn't mean you enjoy doing it.
And so, after more years than I can calculate right now... Mr. Byrne, if you're reading this... I forgive you. :)
I think this post was meant for this thread:Quote:
Originally Posted by Flightpath07
http://alphaflight.net/showthread.ph...e-AF-Commision
- Le Messor
"The trouble with quotes on the internet is that it's difficult to determine whether or not they are genuine."
~ Abraham Lincoln
I wonder if we can archive all that somewhere? It seems like something we should keep around.
It's interesting to read, but doesn't make me like John Byrne as a person... much as I generally love his creative output.
He just comes across as so bitter and arrogant. That's my job.
- Le Messor
"In my experience, the worst thing you can do to an important problem is discuss it."
~ Simon Gray
Duly noted. I'd fire my secretary, but when she answered the ad and got the job I never realized she read "Take dictation" as "Be a dictator". I live for her days off, so i can wear the pants again.Quote:
Originally Posted by Le Messor
Somehow, it is W-A-Y more fun to type all that, rather than just say "oops".
You should fire her.
But not, you know, to her face, 'coz she sounds scary.
- Le Messor
"In nature there are no rewards or punishments; there are just consequences."
Mod Magic!
Hunh?Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil
Moderator Magic; as in, my comments now appear in the Thread you said they should be in.Quote:
Originally Posted by Le Messor
Thanx, Phil.
Attachment 2632
I ended up confused about what thread this is now.
- Le Messor
"In Rome, the emperor sat in a special part of the Colleseum known as the Ceasarian Section."
~ George Carlin
HAHA I love that. I would buy that.
That really is great.
Yup.Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil
And the posters on the JB Forum are correct - NOBODY would be able to walk by that comic cover without purchasing it!
Right, 2013 I'm going to have to seriously look at the cost of a Byrne Commission...
Maybe the best AF commission JB has ever done. I'm in love.
http://www.byrnerobotics.com/forum/f....asp?TID=43531
Wow that's great, Im confused though he just randomly draws some of those peices and whoever says they want it first gets it?
No, commissions are ordered by customers.
K, the whole dibs thing confused me and said he thought it was for you. All is right in the world
Such an awesome peice.
Man I never would have thought of requesting a piece like that but now I am soooooooo envious. That is an awesome, gutrenching trip down memory lane.
DIGGER
BTW the cost of his commissions are quite reasonable. Just email his site for a price list.
I love this, taken from the forum, as written by Vinnie (the guy who commissioned that piece) - "I'm still waiting for another writer to use this fact to prove that whoever is running around in Guardian's costume these days has to be an imposter."Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan Maxwell
Y'know...that'd be a GREAT reason to start another AF LS...and to bring Heather back into the fold afterward.
Would you REALLY want to further complicate the Mac legacy and have him alive-dead yet again?
If there was a Byrne AF-Forever, then sure; dead is dead as intended, but after everything done to him so far I'd rather just keep him as is, personally.
Let Mac stay alive dammit. As for a new AF LS, why not bring in the Dream Queen and say that she was the real reason for Heather killing her cousin and his wife and for running off with her daughter (admit it, we really need some more justification for her actions). Or better yet for all you die hard Alpha fans, have the Dream Queen go back to issue 13 and when Heather wakes up from her sleep she realizes that Mac's death was all just a bad dream (a la Dallas/J.R.).....jeez I think I just dated myself.
DIGGER
I think The Master's influence alone was enough justification for killing her cousin and running off, I just think that the line about her being cured was drastically out of place.
In my head she's still 4 toed and crazy.
Now THAT is a starting point for a new LS !!! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil
I agree, she can't be cured of the Master's rebuilding, she wasn't anywhere near the machine when it was activated (and I believe it was indicated that the altered person had to be brought close to it).Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil
Dana
I'd start off with a series about some of the C listers who could use some fleshing out or some closure... Have them form back into a sort of Omega Flight who's only interest is their own welfare. Dreamqueen would have unwittingly been given a path into the mortal realm due to a plot that brings some characters back from the dead. So you'd basically have utter chaos as this team tries to deal with what they unleashed, whilst straddling a line between heroics and villainy.
This would lead to them getting pulled into Alpha Flight business, of course. Unwilling to work with a state sanctioned team again after the hell they've all endured at some point, this Omega Flight sides with Heather and tries to keep her from Mac. Mac, of course, would only want what is best for all of them. They would simply disagree on what is best.
I envision this being resolved when Heather gets pardoned in return for joining Alpha Flight, a choice she makes for the welfare of her child. She takes on a non-combat den mother role, but is the leader who really watches out for the team, ever suspicious of Dep. H. Where as Mac will be the patriotic idealist who believes he can see Dep. H rebuilt and do this right this time, Heather will be the realist who never trusts that dream ever again. She'll have worked against Dep. H behind their backs to facilitate Omega Flight's escape from authorities.
The result would be two teams with different ways of doing things, sometimes aiding each other, but always being at odds with eachother.
Leaving out details because I actually really want to write this thing.
When you say C listers who do you mean though?
Because in the grand scale of Comic-dom, or even just in the MU, the only member of AF who's anywhere near C-list status would be Northstar at the moment.
Whatever happened to heroes being heroes because it's the right thing to do? You lost me at 'C-listers', but I kept reading. The whole Dept H mistrust, etc would keep me away for sure. I just want AF back without all the government intrigue background. Heroes that come together, or are brought together, to protect lives and their country.
I guess I meant C-list by AF standards. lol I'm sure you guessed I'd bring Lil back from the dead. I'm not sure what any of them rate on a scale of the entire Marvel universe. I think people really over complicate it, we really shouldn't need more than three or four 'levels' IMO.Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil
Mac and his team would be heroes being heroes because it's the right thing to do. Heather not trusting Dep.H is just realism. I wouldn't really build a big conspiracy. She'd just be making sure what happened last time does not happen again. Omega Flight would varry between chaotic good and chaotic neutral. They'll do 'the right thing' when they can, but won't really be playing by other's rules. What 'the right thing to do' even is, can also be subjective. Heather will let them get away because their goal will be benevolent at the time, and the reasons for wanting to aprehend them won't be fair to them. You know a military part of a government is going to want to force their will on others even if it is for the greater good. I mean, look at how Alpha debuted... Macwas trying to force Wolverine to work for Dep.H against his will. Well intentioned heros can still be ass holes sometimes, you know?Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan Maxwell
These are just some ideas I'm playing with, more likely to be a fanfic than a script on an editors desk. Though if I can get **** together, I would like to submit the first part. Which is why I'm so vague about that part. Lots of twists and surprises planned, and a dark horse playing a key role in the plot, someone I don't think anyone would guess.
Wow! I love it! Brilliant concept, brilliantly handled.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan Maxwell
Wish I had it.
~ Le Messor
Insert Mission Impossible Theme here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Le Messor