Hulk - Mayan Rule

[Phil]

CBR have a Commentary Track with Jeff Parker for Hulk #53 at http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...ticle&id=39272

Alpha related bits are:

In this page we have another scene of what feels like character growth for Ross when Guardian says he contacted them before they undertook action on Canadian soil, and it seems Ross is even heeding Guardian's advice. Is that true? Would the old Ross behave like that? Was he an arrogant leader who expected his orders followed to the letter or was he more egalitarian? Further, what's your sense of the current dynamic between the Red Hulk and Alpha Flight?
Ross is all about protocol when there is any; he likes all that order and hierarchy. Ever since he became the Red Hulk he's been trying to sneak his military life back in even though he can't be a General again. I don't think he was actually arrogant, but yes, he did expect that his orders were The Word and a unit follows them all the way.He seems to respect Alpha Flight a little more than many of the US super groups because they are a national-based defense. That's the kind of thing he understands. Other groups just thrown together for vague reasons? He doesn't trust that!

In this scene the Mayan's reveal another ability. It looks like they can possess beings? Do they need to be beings of limited intellect like Sasquatch or can they possess other more intelligent beings as well?
They don't do it again, it's just something they could exploit with Sasquatch at his current state of clarity. He got knocked back a bit in recent stories -- Dr. Langowski would never have succumbed.

We also get a look Snowbird transforming and the Sasquatch shape she morphs into. I don't recall Snowbird's animals and transforming process ever looking this sort of ethereal. Is this a new effect or has it been used before? And who came up with it, you or Dale?
That's Dale! He started that in his ["Alpha Flight"] story with Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente. It's been great having him in here to keep Alpha Flight running smooth. He's also very clever with depictions and effects, that Eaglesham. He's been a joy to work with.

Here you reveal that the Mayans possessed Sasquatch to try and lure Red Hulk and Alpha Flight into their temple. This suggests the Mayans won't be doing a lot of fighting out in the open and that, at least at first, they'll rely on subterfuge. Is that correct? Or do they have forces or members that can go toe-to-toe with the Hulk outside of their temples and fortifications?
Exactly, they start off sneaky and subtle. And once they don't need to be so cagey, they go totally big. You'll see in the next issue, they have some real ancient bruisers who pack a wallop. They've had a lot of time to think about this plan…

[Flightpath07]

That's nice that AF got mentioned.

Not exactly any new news here, though, that's for sure; AF is a nation-based defense team, Sasquatch is stupid, Eaglesham is a good artist, and...that's it for the "Alpha" stuff.

Worth a mention for the dedicated (ie. on this site) fan, but not likely to cause the casual fan to give even a second more of thought towards our beloved Flight.

[cmdrkoenig67]

Going by that logic then, the Tanaraq connection is the retcon.
Sasquatch's origin as told in Volume 1 #11 is all Gamma related.
nowhere is the portal or Tanaraq mentioned in that issue.

Or at least that's how I read it.
Youre welcome to disagree

I certainly think John Byrne had it planned and even hinted at it in the origin.

Dana

Whoops...Sorry, I'm a little late to this conversation.

[-K-M-]

Hulk 54 and 55 are out and no discussion? I like the story and Dale's art alone is worth the purchase.


Alpha Flight specific spoilers


Hulk 54 - Alpha Flight is recovering in the hospital and Puck is yelling at Ross for answers. Aurora, Snowbird and Sasquatch are still trapped in the pyramid and drained dried like the two She Hulks in the previous issue. Each person they drain they can revive a Mayan God. Sasquatch is so strong he could revive two on his own, while everyone else one. Interesting as Snowbird was in Sasquatch form and she only brought one Mayan back.

Hulk 55 - All the people drained are basically dead except for Snowbird, this is due to the fact she is powered by the Inuit gods (Inua technically). So guess that means Sasquatch and the Great Beasts is either officially retconned or ignored. Also A-Bomb/Rick Jones says, "Alpha Flight, they're all mutants, aren't they? I mean, that's essentially what we are, but we're not....natural". Then Machine Man says Snowbird is not she is supernautral and doesnt mention the same for Sasquatch. So now Alpha Flight might be retconned to be mutants. Captain America phones team Rulk and mentions Puck has been constantly phoning him for updates. Aurora, Sasquatch and Snowbird are rescued and the rest of the team is going to be brought back to fight the Mayans

Decent story, definetly have a few issues but I am really enjoying it. The Avengers back-up team was pretty random and obscure characters...more so then Alpha Flight, but I pretty much knew them all. Not sure why Toro (not Golden-Age Toro a different one) was there, he is a Young Allies

[Flightpath07]

Ret-Cons suck!

I am hoping the mutants crack was meant to be a joke, perhaps suggested by Dale?

I haven't read the issues yet, won't be able to for a few weeks still. You said they were "rescued", so i am taking it that means they are not old dried up dead husks anymore?

[EccentricSage]

This sounds interesting. I hope I can get to a comic shop, soon.

Not all retcons are bad, Wolverine was originally supposed to be a super evolved actual Wolverine, for example. I think what matters is weather a retcon adds something of value to the character or takes it away or doesn't make sense. Loeb's retcon turns Wolvy back into a super evolved animal, but even makes less sense, and takes away a lot that has been established on the MU in regards to feral and lycanthropic mutants, and thus is terrible by comparison.

I prefer the idea of Sasquatch being of mystical origin better than Gamma ray induced mutation. The Gamma Ray thing has already been done to great effect to the point where it makes Sas seem like an imitation. People should correct the author on what Sas' origin status is. This sounds more like an error that could be written out of continuity easily than an intentional retcon. A retcon should involve some explanation for how the origin has been changed or was previously incorrect. The last thing Alpha needs is more continuity issues at this point.

[Flightpath07]

So, ES...are you in favour of this retcon (Sas is not connected to the Great Beasts and all of AF are mutants), or not? Your answer was a bit ambivalent the way it was written.

[Phil]

Hulk 54 and 55 are out and no discussion?

I thought it best not to add my thoughts to this thread!

[rplass]

I wont even be mentioning that I won't be adding my thoughts.

[Flightpath07]

That spectacular, was it? Oy.

[Phil]

No no, I just don't want to start another argument because my analysis differs to someone elses.

[Flightpath07]

No no, I just don't want to start another argument because my analysis differs to someone elses.

Oh. Is this about (or not about?) the Sasquatch thing?

I like Sasquatch. And cheese. And I'd buy a Sasquatch made of cheese for a dollar.

[Phil]

The cheese Sasquatch is ten dollars because it's a variant.

[Flightpath07]

The cheese Sasquatch is ten dollars because it's a variant.

Lol. Oh, that's a gouda one, Phil!

[Mokole]

You haverti read it, then? I hope they did good by Puck.

As far as the 'mutants' thing, I'd say Jones was just pointing out that all but Guardian isn't exactly a human standard, all are altered humans. Not exactly accurate, as to be a mutant means you have mutated (non-standard) genes. A Marvel mutant has a specific x-gene mutation, other 'mutants' have their original DNA altered. I don't think Puck falls into that category, Marrina certainly does, Guardian no, Sasquatch maybe.

Sasquatch because of the gamma experiment opened a portal to become attached to a Great Beast. Mutated genes?

Puck was squashed by magic, no gene mutating necessary.