Viable property, disrespected team, target of industry hate, cash cow...

Tom Brevoort's assessment of ALPHA FLIGHT is oxymoronic - after saying that AF is hard to figure out, he goes on to say what he thinks AF is:

"Alpha Flight is a tough nut to crack, and in all honesty we haven't quite cracked it yet," writes Brevoort. "So at the moment, there isn't any active Alpha Flight series in development. The problem with Alpha Flight is that the two things that really drove interest in them in their earliest years were the fact that they were these exciting, mysterious new characters who mixed it up with the X-Men (and in some ways resembled them as regards the tenor of their team), and the fact that their series was being written and drawn by John Byrne at the height of his powers and popularity. But when you drill down, the core concept of the series is based on geography, which is very limiting -- they're like the Avengershttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/2.gif , but in Canada."

A reenvisioning of ALPHA FLIGHT is conceivable because Steve Seagle, Scott Lobdell, and Mike Oeming tried to do it. Everyone has an opinion on the level of success these three attempts achieved, but I don't think it is unfair to say that none of these versions were given a real chance to be any good.

It depends on what a villain-centric MARVEL wants to accomplish with ALPHA FLIGHT. If the people with decision-making authority feel that AF is more plausible as "villains" in the vein of X-MEN adversaries, then it should be feasible for someone to find a way to bring them back as "villains".

If MARVEL wants to go "retro" and reintroduce most of the original team, then someone should re-read the Hulk-Alpha Flight crossover and see if there was a plot-seed incorporated that could bring some of the "dead" characters back.

But if MARVEL just wants to capitalize on ALPHA FLIGHT's popularity, then it will continue to plant AF characters in various books and tease readers into thinking that a serious attempt is being made to treat this team better.

Tom Brevoort said: "But when you drill down, the core concept of the series is based on geography, which is very limiting -- they're like the Avengershttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/2.gif , but in Canada."

That is such baloney...Alpha Flight was about a group of people who didn't necessarily get along, had family ties to one another in varying degrees...A team who had lost their government's backing and were on their own...A team who were based all over the country, yet came together when they needed to...And who just happened to be Canadians.

Alpha is quite a bit more faceted than Mr Brevoort seems to believe (and the majority of those facets were added by John Byrne)..

Dana

BTW...It kind of saddens me to hear John Byrne (and Mr Brevoort) think so little of Alpha's worth. Sure, they were originally put together just to be adversaries for the X-Men, but Wolverine served the same purpose (against the Hulk) many years ago in his first appearance.

I think Wolverine's example shows that a character can be far more than they were ever meant to be...They just need to fleshed out, nurtured and grown...I feel Alpha got a good start with John Byrne in Volume 1, but after he left the book, abuse upon abuse (including terrible origin screw-ups, bad resurrections, bad continuity gaffes, etc...) was heaped upon them.

many of those mistakes are what hinder the team today.

Dana

They just don't want to do an Alpha Book.
I've seen nothing to change my mind that the core and unsaid reason is personal politics with John Byrne. I truly think we'll have to wait for a regime change at Marvel before any real effort into Alpha happens.

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Originally Posted by Garry/Al-Fan

If MARVEL wants to go "retro" and reintroduce most of the original team, then someone should re-read the Hulk-Alpha Flight crossover and see if there was a plot-seed incorporated that could bring some of the "dead" characters back.

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What Hulk-Alpha Flight crossover speak you of?
Back in v1 #28 / Hulk 313? That just seems like a slightly strange choice to look for resurrection potential in?
Or is there another, more recent one you mean?

- Le Messor
Willow: "Happy hunting."
Buffy: "Wish me monsters."

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Originally Posted by kozzi24

I've seen nothing to change my mind that the core and unsaid reason is personal politics with John Byrne.

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I wouldn't be surprised if this had something to do with it. When we can't even get an Essential Alpha Flight collection before we get one for Dazzler, I start to wonder. If we get Essential Power Pack first, then that'll be enough to confirm my suspicions. ;)

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Originally Posted by Le Messor

What Hulk-Alpha Flight crossover speak you of?
Back in v1 #28 / Hulk 313? That just seems like a slightly strange choice to look for resurrection potential in?
Or is there another, more recent one you mean?

- Le Messor
Willow: "Happy hunting."
Buffy: "Wish me monsters."

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It is the Hulk# 313/AF# 28-29 that I'm referring to. In the Hulk segment, the captions stated that being in the Nexus caused whoever's in it to end up right back at the point where they started from. If this applies to AF as well, Walter('s spirit) we know was stuck in the Nexus, and I believe that a few others traveled through it as well.

I just think Mantlo was brilliant, because he kept them fairly mysterious and "WEIRD". In my mind, Alpha Flight = superhero weirdness. In a cool way, don't get me wrong.

I think Mantlos material was great too ! I seriously thought I was the only one. These days Grant Morrison gets big bucks to come up with that kind of wackiness.

They should have the team of new caraters and have them not be tied to the Canadian goverment. Have them be a Canadian Super Power Vigilanti group, and not register with the Canadian Super Power Act.

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Originally Posted by Alpha Rider

They should have the team of new caraters and have them not be tied to the Canadian goverment. Have them be a Canadian Super Power Vigilanti group, and not register with the Canadian Super Power Act.

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Though I can, in some small way, see the point you may be making; regarding a fresh start and angle, that just wouldn't fly. What does AF have going for it? A loyal fan base, much of which is based on character and story history. Distinct and recognizable characters, a unique feel that draws people in.... I can't see that a clean slate approach will get very far, or even off the drawing table. We have seen how AF v.2, and v.3 have done both with a mix of new and old characters...and v.3 was essentially all new characters. That approach has not worked eh? A skilled writer needs to balance the old fans with the new readers. An AF book now can't bee full of retro stories and inside jokes for old fans, since we are not as numerous as we once were. It has to feel fresh, but be loyal to history. Old charactes have to be there, but not weighed down with old plots. I felt Oeming had that in hand.

I see your point, but sometime a clean slate is what you need. Look at what happened to Ghost Rider in the 90's (GR is the only other book I buy next to AF) I been collecting GR series from 1977, and felt somewhat disapointed that it was not Blaze being the new GR, but when I read the book and saw the art after a few issues it didn't bother me at all, and they did make reference to the original series, and Blaze did come back as well. The same thing happen to X-Men only Cyclops was around from the first series and the first line up left after they've been rescued by the new ones, but eventully they all went back together. The same thing can happen to AF.

Have a new group of charaters. Or maybe they are clones of the original team (i.e. Guardian from vol II.) If Guardian had a clone, then why not take samples of everyone who comes into the Flight program. After the Canadian goverment shut down Dept H they are not going to be spending money on keeping these things active. They shut thing down and store them all away until they are freed somehow and go underground. It's not a strong idea, but it's just off the top of my head.

The real problom that this book has that it's always been a novalty. Heros in Canada. After the novalty wore off so did the talant that came to the book and then the respect and treatment of the book went down the crapper. The charaters were all amazing as individuals and as a team, but during their hay day they never went toe to toe with any big Marvel US villan or hero/s. The book needs something big to happen to it, or maybe just a really good writer and artist to stick around for sevral years.

I just feel that the "clean slate" was tried with both Vol. 3 and with Omega Flight. I think the tone, fan reaction, and general approach of volume 3 has destroyed any chance of Marvel doing an "all new all different" Alpha Flight any time soon. Knowing the fan base, seeing how fans have reacted in every relaunch, I can safely say that most AF fans want to see a majority of classic characters.

Not really. Vol II had Puck Vindicator II, and Jeff Madison. Though I liked what they did to Sasquatch. Vol III Had Sasquatch, Nemisis, and still ties to the goverment. OF had too many Americans (out numbering the Canucks) Talisman and Sasquatch. A true clean slate would be no one from AF's past. But I understand where you are coming from. Vol III was to me an alternate reality and did not happen.

Marvel had kind of ruled out bring back the original team or anyone from the past. How many AF guys were de-powered? How many are still alive? The ones that are still alive and have powers are not all that interesting. Talisman, Sasquatch are the only two who are interesting. They'ed have to bring back North Star, Aurora, & Snowbird. (5) Maybe some of the members from Weapon Prime. Tiger Strike, Killspree, Double Trouble. Now you'd have 9 guys, from the past but the last four no one really knows about.

I don't know what else you can do? Bring back the past and try to get as many old readers back and hope for new ones. Or do you try and do something different and try to bring in readers, and knowing that it has the AF title it would attreact old readers too (like ourselves who'd buy any thing AF).

The difference with X-Men and (I believe) Ghost Rider is that the original series didn't sell well, especially compared to the relaunch. Both had been cancelled due to poor sales (well, the X-Men had been relegated to reprints-only); Original Alpha Flight was a top seller.

'Interesting' characters are likely to depend on the writer; a good writer can make any character interesting.

- Le Messor
"Have you seen Quasimodo? I had a hunch he was back."

You are preaching to the converted about a good writter. Did you ever read the original Squadern Superime?

AF was a top seller in the beging. So was the original GR back in the early 70's. Though what else can you do to AF right now? Byrne didn't think the chraters were intersting and 2 dimentional, and was forced to do the book. (was it Mike Magnolia, who took over after Byrne?) He didn't want to the series because he didn't grow up with these charaters. So how are you going to a good writter on this book, when you look at the first 2 artist on the first run didn't even want to do the book.

Marvel has already killed off most of the originalline up. What else can be done to AF? It was easy to give GR a revamp because he's only one guy. X-men had 4 new charaters, and 3 minnor one. I think that it took off because it was a culturly mixed team. Vol I & II were mostly all white. Vol III so many reasons why it didn't work, so let's not even talk about it. OF were established charaters that were castoffs from WCA.

I don't like the idea of ignorring the past 20-30 years of AF history, but if you keep holding on to past you are condemned to repeat it. Something has to be done to the book that will grab old and new readers, or the book will be in limbo for who knows how long.

I think maybe they should go back to what really worked about Byrne's run: having a team book that really isn't a team. Half the stories in the first year were solo adventures for individual characters. That really gave each character a chance to shine, and really allowed fans to connect with them. Nowadays you just can't really develop new characters that well, it's all lost in trying to build the team dynamic or building up the villains.

I agree that it's harder to develop new charaters these days, it's all about the bottom line. When Byrne did his run on AF He was at the top of his game at Marvel. I don't think that you'll get Marvel's top writter and artest to do AF. For the most part AF were relitivly new charaters back then, with only a handful of apperances. They somehow need that to get the non AF people on board a top writter and artest and not just some kid with caryons.

As for the Charaters themselfs, I believe I listed all the pottental people who would be still active and or interesting in the artical below, but who are you going to bring in? Marvel already killed off most of the original team. How many times does Guardian have to die only to come back. 4, 5, maybe 6 times? I know that as an AF fan, it tires me to see this happen. Plus I do agree with not to abandon the history of the book. But what else can be done? How are you going to explane to the fans of this book that the original line up is back? Was it just a dream? Were they clones that died? Or is the new team clones? What future I see for this book is a new line up of charaters. Sure I'd love to see the original team back, but Marvel has seem to have closed the door on that.

I don't want to sound like I'm down on the book or the old charaters. I'm just seeing things from my point. I would like to know how can we have our cake and eat it to? How can the original team come back, and not have the non AF peole say "Oh Guardian's back from the dead this week."

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Originally Posted by Alpha Rider

How can the original team come back, and not have the non AF peole say "Oh Guardian's back from the dead this week."

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No matter how lame it is, it's the nature of mainstream comics, sure people will roll their eyes, but they'll accept it. Just look at the New Mutants, they brought Cypher and Warlock back after YEARS just so the old team would be back together again and they already had plenty of characters to play with. There's a reason so few new characters stick around very long after their introductions, people don't like to read about them. At least not enough for them to get a chance to be properly established in today's "canceled in six issues" market.

But even the old charactes have had to star somewhere. I know that the market is not what it used to be, but if they give AF the royal treatment regardless of being old or new charaters. The fact that vol I failed after ten years was after Jim Lee came on board and they saw how good he is and moved him on to higher profile book, and put people who were not qualified to do a mainstream book. The book is still considered a novalty because it's a Canadian super team, and after vol III it has become a joke.

The only way this book will ever get off the ground is if it's treated like it's the king's ****. But that's not going to happen.

Look at Bucky Barnes. He came back after decades of being dead. Now, he is the current Captain America!

But this is first resurection. But look on how they brought him back. The story was amazing that he been used by the USSR for the past 50 years. I think the real question should be not if it's the original or new charaters but how the book is done. That's been the AF albatross for since Jim Lee left the book. They have to give it 150% to the book and not just a half ass job. The one thing that really pissed me off about the book was the later artest would draw the new AF HQ in Toronto sourounded by a think pine forest and mountains. They nevered even bother to get any refrence, and I can't believe the editors of the book had let that go. That just shows you that the book was being passed over until they were losing too much money, and the novelity had worne off about heroes in Canada.

I only sugested a new line up of charaters, not because I don't like the originals, but I don't like the idea of resurecting charaters and killing them off just for the sake of doing so. "Oh, people like the original Phantom Rider, let's bring him back!" even though he's been dead for more than 150 years in Marvel timeline. If comic books were ever to be taken seriously they should stop doing this kind of crap. To me Norman Osbourn is still dead. His death was the apex of the saga of Spider Man that still haunted him for years.

The trouble I have with new line-ups is that when I get a new Alpha Flight comic, I want it to actually have Alpha Flight in it. To me, those words and a Canadian setting is not enough - not even close - to make an AF comic.

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Originally Posted by Alpha Rider

If comic books were ever to be taken seriously they should stop doing this kind of crap.

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Depends on who's doing the serious-taking.

Non comics fans? I think there's far too much pandering in the comics market to people who by definition aren't the target audience. It might be easier for some of us old readers to hook new readers if comics don't rely on hokey resurrections and years of convoluted continuity - but how many old readers do comics lose when they ditch favourite characters and ignore the history of characters?

We as fans? We take them seriously enough, even with ridiculous numbers of resurrections, even when we roll our eyes at yet another one. (Jean
Grey, I'm talking to you!)

We grow attached to characters, invite them into our lives, spend time with them once a month, grow to love them, etc... Some of us don't like it when the company throws out all those years of building up and caring.
So, we want our old characters back as we know them.

- Le Messor
"Having read The Society of Mind in the smallest room in my house, I was quite happy to put it behind me."
~ Mikhail Zeleny, paraphrasing a famous book review

I see your point about having the old team in the book. But what got you into the book in the first place? AF only had a few apperances before they had their own book, there wasn't enough to go on to really to get to know them. Was it because they were Canadian? A new series where we could get on at the ground floor and not pick up somany back issues? Or something you'd pick up because it was another title, and grew to like the charaters? Did you like charaters like Purple Girl, Laura Dean, and Mankind when they joined the team?

I got into it because when I was a kid somebody let me read their copies of the issues. Then my school library had a few. I really, really enjoyed them.

I liked Purple Girl, Pathway, and Mannikin, but not as much as the originals. And I'm in a minority for liking them at all.

The things that made me enjoy it so much were focus on character, tone, depth, art-style, the iconic look...

I'm not saying it's unpossible to do an AF book I'd enjoy without the characters I grew to love (I liked Omega Flight, for one thing); just that I'd rather have the characters I loved, doing the things I loved them doing, acting how they did when I loved them.

Am I making sense?
If so, somebody stop me!

- Le Messor
"Having been erased,
The document you're seeking
Must now be retyped."
- 'Microsoft haikku'

The point I'm trying to make is that they had to start somewhere. All the charaters had to start from somewhere. You didn't care how old or new the charaters were, you just liked them. I'd like to see the original line up as well, but given the way comic book charaters seem to come back from the dead, it takes away from the inital impact of their demise, to only have someone say: "He'll be back sometime soon". Sure it would nice to see them in action, but it wouldn't be the same. Maybe these charaters have ran there course as far as developing them? A friend of mine would not watch Star Trek TNG because Captain Kirk and the others were not in it. He started to watch some of the show in reruns about 10 years ago, and it didn't take him too long before he really got into it and couldn't get enough of it. The same with DS9, and Voyager.

Of course I'm conpairing real live actors to drawn fictional charaters, but I believe the premise is still the same. How many times can you beat a dead horse? Mac didn't want the roll, but put himself into it. Heater wanted to pull her own on the team. Mac II was made for the roll and wasn't given a choice. Pointer was forced into it. There is a bit of a trend going on here, the Guardian suit was pushed on to everyone who wore it. Do something different. Make someone earn it.

Well, as I said before, they could do an Alpha book with all-new characters, and I'd enjoy it.
My sub-point, though, is that if they're going to do an Alpha Flight book, I want Alpha Flight to be in it. If they want to do a book with all-new characters, why not do an all-new book?

Sean Benard... No, come to think of it, they pushed it on him, too. (And then it was the Groundhog, not the Guardian.) That's a very good, very insightful point. I'd never thought of it.

- Le Messor
"He absorbed Latin in two hours yesterday! It took me a whole year just to learn the alphabet."
~ Brett Leonard & Gimel Everett, screenplay for The Lawnmower Man

If AF was an individual, then yes do a new book. AF is a team, a collective of individuals who come and go. Think of it like a hockey team. Players come and go and sometimes return. I'd would like to see Purple Girl come back (I'm also with you on this, that I do like the Charater) as part of the new team, but after the newbies have been given sometime to shine on their own. Avengers have there core, but even that didn't last for ever. Teams are always in a state of flux, so why not change it up. This is why I don't like the X-Men make me sick, they are all there. #94 saw the old guys go, and the new ones come in, they should have done it again in #194 and so forth. Change the team up, it's a school. They graduate and move on. To me Wolverine is a guy who just hangs out at the school even after he graduated years ago.

"I've thrown away my images, they're all so distant now. Whatever demons torture me, I love them like a friend. Nothing lasts forever but the certainty of change." Bruce Dickinson: Innerspace/ Skunkworks 1996

There are enough Alpha characters that they could relaunch the team. Not only Liz and Walt, but bring back Madison and JP from the X-Men, and you still have Jeanne-Marie, Kara, Kyle and possibly Flashback out there. New characters could be introduced too. Sad part is that Marvel doesn't want to create a place for them, instead now pumping out nearly as many Avenger books as X-books. Then again, Captain Britain & MI 13 flopped as well and they went with a more mystical avenue that Alpha always had.

From one newbie to another, I bid thy...welcome.

I though of that as well that there were the others that didn't go on that mission. But as they said in OF the others were underqualified, not interested or just moved on. Most of the remaining AFers were not very popular and I don't think they'd be very successful in starting up the series again. AF suffer the same symptons as Excalibur, they are a novelty, heros in Canada, heros in England, when the novelty wears off they axe it.

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Originally Posted by Alpha Rider

From one newbie to another, I bid thy...welcome.

I though of that as well that there were the others that didn't go on that mission. But as they said in OF the others were underqualified, not interested or just moved on. Most of the remaining AFers were not very popular and I don't think they'd be very successful in starting up the series again. AF suffer the same symptons as Excalibur, they are a novelty, heros in Canada, heros in England, when the novelty wears off they axe it.

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I'm reading the Winter Guard mini and the writer has stated there is a possibility of an ongoing. I would like to think there is more of a fanbase for Alpha than the Winter Guard but here were are with many of the WG characters that are derivatives of the originals.

But to inquire about your point, do you think CB & MI 13 failed because of the characters, writing, or basic premise? On paper, it sounded like a hot team with Captain Britain, Pete Wisdom and later, Blade but I found the writing too British, if that makes sense.

I understand. The British thing is very hard to understand if you are familare with the culture, the same can be said for the Japanese. But I do think that AF has a bigger fanbase than WG. The only reason I can think of for the team being mostly original charaters is that we never seen them in an ongoing series such as AF. AF have over 160 issue within all the incarnations of the team and we seen them evolve over the past over 30 years, so it would hard to keep the same team. The WG only were in sperattic apperances throughout their history so we never really got a good sence of who they were. BTW How many Red Guardians have there been so far? 6?

There have been quite a few Red Guardians, Darkstars and Crimson Dynamos. Wikipedia says there are 7 Red Guardians. The one thing I can say about WG is that the series references the past for the long time readers but seems easy to jump into for a new reader. Maybe Alpha is too bogged down with 30 years of baggage?

Well that's why I suggested a new team roster. I know that everyone loves the old guys and gals, but maybe it's time for a change. Someone wrote that they tried to do this in volIII, but lets face it. the new gus they brought in vol III were crap Major Maple leaf and Puck II could have been flushed out better, Centinial could have worked, Yukon Jack was the worst of the lot. Nemises was was done so poorly and Sasqustch was the main focal point due to his counterpart in Exiles being popular. They figuard lets make a new AF series around Sas.

As I see it, the team is quite viable. Most team books at Marvel now seem to be boringly centered on storylines of either a global nature that nobody on Marvel Earth notices but the characters, or character angst. A new person in the Guardian suit with a true heroic agenda to lead this team on jobs you'd think a team could do that don't make the news. Sasquatch as a part-time operative because he really is a scientist. Puck not dead. A new pro-active but team-oriented Nemesis. A team where costumes and secret identities are necessary. No revolving door. 5 members, all action-able. Guardian, Puck, Nemesis, and two more, maybe a new Killjoy and a truly new concept character, or a Windshear based suit. I know this team could work, not a violent team but an action team, smart but hit hard when hard hitting is necessary. Back to black and white issues, heroes and villains, not political.

Which Puck is not dead? and are you sure? Have you noticed something that we have missed? It would be hard to keep a team with the same roster. Even the FF had a few guys come and go, but they always retuned to the original line up. The only difference between the FF and other teams, is that they are a family, all the other teams are not.

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Originally Posted by marvelboy74

There have been quite a few Red Guardians, Darkstars and Crimson Dynamos. Wikipedia says there are 7 Red Guardians. The one thing I can say about WG is that the series references the past for the long time readers but seems easy to jump into for a new reader. Maybe Alpha is too bogged down with 30 years of baggage?

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Seems to me Winter Guard is just as burdened by "too much to take in" continuity. Along with the several Red Guardian/Steel Guardians, etc.., Several Darkstars and Crimson Dynamos...There's all the changes the team has had in line-ups and names (Soviet Super Soldiers, Exiles, People's Protectorate, now Winter Guard) and the fact that it's actually two different teams thrown together. They've had just as many different modus operendi, as well...State-serving team of mutants, mutant renegades, State-serving power-mixed team of lackies, etc, etc...

I'm rather disgusted to hear they may do an ongoing...Makes me even more peeved at Marvel. How the heck would Winter Guard have even half of the audience that Alpha Flight would? Alpha has members who are X-Men for Dog's sake (Northstar, Madison and even Wolverine).

Dana

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Originally Posted by Alpha Rider

Which Puck is not dead? and are you sure? Have you noticed something that we have missed? It would be hard to keep a team with the same roster. Even the FF had a few guys come and go, but they always retuned to the original line up. The only difference between the FF and other teams, is that they are a family, all the other teams are not.

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He's just saying Puck could be revealed to be a "survivor" and used on the team. We have no confirmation on the actual "deaths", besides Talisman stating that her father was dead and Snowbird claiming that Pointer killed her friends. There is still wiggle room.

Dana

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Originally Posted by Alpha Rider

Which Puck is not dead? and are you sure? Have you noticed something that we have missed? It would be hard to keep a team with the same roster. Even the FF had a few guys come and go, but they always retuned to the original line up. The only difference between the FF and other teams, is that they are a family, all the other teams are not.

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Most of Alpha Flight was related too...Heather and Mac, Heather and Talisman/Elizabeth, Elizabeth and Shaman/Michael, Michael and Snowbird...Walter and Jeanne-Marie (as a couple), Jeanne-Marie and Jean Paul...Many of them were connected in some familial way.

Dana

I have no problem with new members...What I do have a problem with is new members that are tacked on ...As much as I liked the characters...Persuasion, Manikin and Goblyn did not fit into Alpha Flight. They belonged on some X-Team.

I certainly don't want the entire original team back as Alpha Flight either...Mac's been killed off more than Jean Grey/Phoenix and I really don't want him back (not to mention, he's been handled quite badly every time he comes back), Puck's origin, his very being has been screwed up majorly and Marrina's fate has been dealt with quite brutally.

I'm being honest here and this will be old news...I LOVE Puck, but he's a flipping mess continuity-wise. As much as I love Bill Mantlo's writing on other series (The Micronauts, Rom, etc...), he destroyed the character. He totally went against what was already established by John Byrne for the character. Puck was and was always supposed to be an actual little person with near-crippling pain because of his condition....NOT because of a stupid demon sorcerer. What made him exception is not demon-possession or super powers, but that he was in pain, short and fought every day to be the best he could be...Mr Mantlo came along and screwed that all up.

I'd really rather Heather be revealed to have survived, as opposed to Puck...She could be the behind-the-scenes leader as she was meant to be, raising her daughter.

I totally disagree with Mokole on Sasquatch...Walter is not a sit on the sidelines guy...He's a former football player and turns into a giant, hulk-level strength super-being...Why relegate him to sitting in a lab somewhere?

I'm also not against a new person wearing the Guardian suit (and called Guardian, not Vindicator), just as long as Michael Pointer is never let near the suit again.

I also believe Northstar, Aurora and Madison would be a heck of a lot safer away from the "mutant massacre waiting-to-happen", that is the X-Men's Utopia. Canada doesn't lock it's mutants up, does it? No, they're just asked to join their superteams and be equal members-in-standing. Having all the mutants in one place is like painting a giant target on the area so it's visible even from orbit...It's a dumb, dumb idea.

I'd love for some older members to reappear, but not necessarily as full-time team members...Snowbird has a "divine" mission and could be a reserve member, Talisman is also on a different path and could be a reservist as well.

As for a whole new line-up...No...It's never going to work.

I don't read Alpha Flight for the name, but for the characters. If not for Heather and Puck, I would have dropped Volume 2 in an instant...Without Walter, there's no way I would have kept reading the steaming pile that was Volume 3...And if Sasquatch and Talisman were absent from Omega Flight...I would never have picked the book up.

Dana