The #0.1 Thread (Contains Spoilers)

[bigbloo]

Ben (Oliver)'s posted a few uncoloured pages over at his blog for anyone interested:

http://benoliverart.blogspot.com/201...flight-01.html
http://benoliverart.blogspot.com/201...g-post_20.html

Hm! I actually like his artwork better in black and white...

[bigbloo]

An interesting look; http://toobusythinkingboutcomics.blo...ociety-of.html

He does make a valid point. I LOVED #0.1, but then I'm a big Alpha fan. I'm not sure this would really wow/hook new readers. Now the first couple of pages of Alpha Flight #1, on the other hand, are a completely different kettle of fish. Ever since they started coming out with those mega disaster movies, I've always wondered how superheroes would be able to handle a full on natural disaster, like a tsunami, so this definitely had me interested, and I can imagine it pulling new readers in as well.

He, he. I just realized. Attuma. Marrina. Kettle of fish...

[Flightpath07]

http://canadas-own-the-flight.blogsp...ol4-issue.html

Here's my take on the whole issue.

[Flightpath07]

It should be ok. I remember reading over at Eaglesham's Alpha Club forum that his wife was a Quebecois and was proofreading the French parts/

Why was she proofreading his French pants? Oh wait, maybe i read that wrong...

[Pex]

A review of Issue #0.1 that I posted to my Local Comic Shop's Message Board...

At first, I was upset they were starting AF with a "Point One" issue, but then I did the math and discovered that they managed to turn an eight issue maxi-series into a nine issue maxi-series, so I'm good.

The story is pretty interesting. There's a bit of politics involved but not to the point that it detracts from the story. Politics and governmental bureaucracy have always been a part of Alpha's history, though, so it actually feels pretty much "business as usual" in the House That Mac Built. I actually like the choice of candidate for the Unity Party. It's a familiar face for long-time readers that again, seems like it belongs there.

The two villains of the piece were okay, I guess. I didn't know the one, he seemed a bit generic, but okay. The other villain(ess)...I question why she's there. Given the "origin" of the character, for her to fall into the same patterns as her father seems wrong, but then given the nature of her power, the temptation has always been there, even as far back as her first appearance. Still, she was one of my favorite Alphans from the middle period of the original series, so it kinda hurts to see her go bad. Hurts in a good way. She does seem to believe in her cause, which makes her a believable villain, if I think about it long enough, but I still miss seeing her as one of the good guys. Still, better turned bad than killed off-panel.

For the most part, I can't fault the writing on this book, this is a pretty good introduction to the characters and they all get a chance to shine at various moments. I wondered if Vindicator would be in a leadership role, but luckily everyone seems to defer to her, even the non-Alphans called in to respond. This was a nice touch, I thought for sure they'd go back to having Guardian in complete control. I did wonder where Marrina came from because she seemed to just suddenly appear, but she had a great moment near the end, so it's all good. I particularly like the creep-factor of Shaman doing auto-pilot surgery while fighting. Also, I like Kyle. To me, he's a new character, but he and Northstar make a great couple, so I look forward to seeing more of him. My only gripe, and it's a minor one, is what the villainess (aw heck, it's Persuasion a.k.a. Kara Killgrave, the Purple Girl, okay!?) does with her powers...I've never seen her able to do something like that, or if she has, I don't remember it. It does remind me of Madison Jeffries' late brother, though, which was kind of neat. I don't think it was intentional, but that's what it reminded me of, so that was cool.

The art is rather expressive, particularly Marrina's mugging for the camera crews at the end, but the whole issue looks slick and stylish and quite handsome, art-wise. If I had a gripe, it's that Sasquatch looks too slicked down, fur-wise. In some shots, it's forgivable because of wind blowing or other such natural effects, but I just don't really care for the way he's drawn by this artist, which is a shame because everything else looks great.

Overall, a good start and a good jumping-on place for newbies. Hopefully the series will do well.

[bigbloo]

I did wonder where Marrina came from because she seemed to just suddenly appear, but she had a great moment near the end, so it's all good.

You know, whenever Marrina appears suddenly on dry land, I just assume she did her waterspout trick. But I do miss seeing that. I hope they show it again sometime.

[kozzi24]

I don't remember, but was it ever mentioned in any of the Alpha Flight series that Mac and Heather were aware that Gary Cody was killed?
If so, I guess that is one thing that strikes me as a little strange in this first issue. I always assumed that they knew. If they did, why would they be so casual about him being back and running for office?

Because they've been dead too and probably realize that many people were restored from the dead in Chaos War I think going into Cody's resurrection would have bogged down the book with unnecessaruy history.

[kozzi24]

Better late than never. (OK, maybe not.)
I liked the issue, enough that I will be going on with the series. It's the last comic I am reading due to the difficulty in reading anything with my new status quo.

As other have said, I also found the characterization spot on. I like the idea of Mac being official leader but everyone acting as if Heather is leader. I happen to be totally in favor of Marrina's characterization changes. All that death and loss for someone so youing is bound to trigger anger issues, and an attitude that being nice got her nothing but victimized.

I liked the use of Kara but even after struggling to read through this thread and a few other things, I don't know why the name "Persuasion" was not used. It's a lot better than "Purple-something" as a name. I did get the feeling that the creative team just forgot about the name change. That happens...I still never read anything in the last ten years or so that convinced me that other creative teams did not forget that Purple Man DIED in the Emperor Doom GN. Hisd later pre-Bendis "resurrections" were the appearances of a metamorph Dead Ringer who was in possession of one of Killgrave's body parts from which Dead Ringer activated Killgrave's powers. My running theory is that the modern Purple Man IS Dead Ringer, taken over by the Purple Power, or willingly using it as a pretty useful power. But he should feel NO connection to Kara, except as a potential threat because her control and power seems stronger.

The other glaring thing that jumped out at me was the communication implants. My memory, which may be faulty is that Sasquatch, Aurora and Puck were the onkly ones who still had them implanted. Northstar had his removed, Marrina's was in her nechlace, and Shaman and Snowbird relied on mystical senses to know when they were needed. Mac and presumably Heather had equipment in the suit for notification. There's a lot of history that the creative team needed to wade through, so the mistakes are forgiven, as long as they are not repeated.

Hey, I for one cannot remember where Citadel came from...but as a "new" reader I did not find that not knowing the character's history detracted from the reading at all. And that was THE POINT of the issue. GREAT job by the creatiove team on that score. None of the characters seemed bogged down.

Shaman's anger at being cvalled an Indian did strike me as the only instance of things being out of character. It seems a little too "rebooted PC" to a character old enough to have grown up being called an Indian.

I did not find the issue "engrossing." But I did find it a worthwhile read and the first thing in ten or more years (since the Wolverine appearance where Aurora was kidnapped) that reminded me of why I loved these characters so much.

[Le Messor]

I liked the use of Kara but even after struggling to read through this thread and a few other things, I don't know why the name "Persuasion" was not used. It's a lot better than "Purple-something" as a name. I did get the feeling that the creative team just forgot about the name change.

I honestly got the same impression.

Shaman's anger at being cvalled an Indian did strike me as the only instance of things being out of character. It seems a little too "rebooted PC" to a character old enough to have grown up being called an Indian.

There was a lot of that in this issue.

Hey, I for one cannot remember where Citadel came from...

An issue of Wolverine: First Class that guest-starred Alpha Flight.

- Le Messor
That's right, I'm back.
Deal with it.

[rplass]

Giant person made up of people is back. Not so purple though:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...eview&id=21603

I'm surprised this idea was used again. It didn't make sense in the physical world to have a pile of people but apparently it's possible in Mega-City One as well.

[Le Messor]

I think Judge Dredd often goes over the top with its sci-fi elements.
But I don't know what I'm talking about, I'm not a reader.

~ LM

[Phil]

I swear I read another recent Marvel comic recently where this was used again, too...

[Phil]

Or maybe I was just thinking of the Bamf's making Nichtcrawler's new body in AXM #5...

[Le Messor]

I swear I read another recent Marvel comic recently where this was used again, too...
...Or maybe I was just thinking of the Bamfs making Nichtcrawler's new body in AXM #5...

Come to think of it, that is a similar idea. But if we get into that, we get into all the Transformers that combine into one (they're just lest organic).

~ Le Messor
"Modern art is what happens when a painter stops looking at girls and persuades himself he has a better idea."
~ John Ciardi