Crackity Jones' Discovery Of Alpha Flight

[Phil]

She's actually written quite well there.

I actually thought she was written pretty badly.
After everything Heather has been through she'd be stronger than that. She seems to be a 'woe is me, my husband left me' stereotype.
She was never that, even pre-Mantlo/suit/leadership she was the strong, assertive type and the behind-the-scenes glue that held the team together.

[Tawmis]

And yet, I've often heard that she was always a better leader than Mac. I have no idea where that perception came from though gratned there are gaps in my collection too.

Well, I think some of it has to do with how Mac added when they first found Wolverine. Heather was the gentle soul who was able to tame the beast.

The issue with Mac's leadership is the dubious decisions that were retconned into his past; Bedlam, Wild Child, Wolverine, burying Aurora's condition...

This is true.

It's not like she shot and killed Snowbird to stop Pestilence from taking over her body...

Oh wait.

[Phil]

It's not like she shot and killed Snowbird to stop Pestilence from taking over her body...

Oh wait.

That makes her a good leader in my book; having to do whatever was necessary to stop Pestilence. She did it rather than expecting a member of her team to do it; leading by example in wartime.

[Tawmis]

I actually thought she was written pretty badly. After everything Heather has been through she'd be stronger than that. She seems to be a 'woe is me, my husband left me' stereotype. She was never that, even pre-Mantlo/suit/leadership she was the strong, assertive type and the behind-the-scenes glue that held the team together.

Well, I took into consideration that apparently she and Mac had some kind of very bad fight and that Mac might not come back from this one, even if he was able. I can see some woe-as-me being warranted there. As I said in my review, I would like to hopefully hear exactly WHAT the fight was. Considering the "bad year" she mentions - I suspect, that this has something to do with her being brain washed (from the previous volume) and "fixed", and perhaps, finally addressing their (unnamed) daughter's fate. From what I am reading into it - that her woe-is-me attitude is warranted - and an upset Mac may have been a little too careless with the Wendigo situation, because he was still upset at Heather over whatever it is they fought about... I suspect that it will all be brought up and cleared up.

But that's me having faith in the writing, which so far, as been pretty solid in Amazing X-Men. Especially with Yost at the helm, who has been knocking it out the part with New Warriors.

[Phil]

finally addressing their (unnamed) daughter's fate.

Volume 4 #2 named her as Claire.

But that's me having faith in the writing, which so far, as been pretty solid in Amazing X-Men. Especially with Yost at the helm, who has been knocking it out the part with New Warriors.

#8 was Kyle & Yost's first issue of Amazing X-Men though.
I've tended to enjoy Yost's solo work more than his co-written work, strangely.

[TSOG]

That makes her a good leader in my book; having to do whatever was necessary to stop Pestilence. She did it rather than expecting a member of her team to do it; leading by example in wartime.

Yeah, the same way she couldn't wait to kill Marrina when it appeared Marrina was about to give birth to hundreds of aliens. Turns out that killing her was unnecessary after all, but how do you make omelettes, right?

[Crackity Jones]

Yeah, the same way she couldn't wait to kill Marrina when it appeared Marrina was about to give birth to hundreds of aliens. Turns out that killing her was unnecessary after all, but how do you make omelettes, right?

Yay for PUSTULE BABBIES!

[Garry/Al-Fan]

...

I missed the man/woman thing...

...

On p. 11 of # 53, Bedlam claims to be James' "only begotten son" ('though this is probably more figuratively than literally), and then on p. 21 Bedlam is shown to be a woman (but that could've been an illusion).

The concensus seems to be that the ending to the 1st Pestilence story...well, not too many people seem to have liked it.

[Chris]

I've always like Heather's geothermal suit and I'm glad she is wearing it again. She should have been able to incinerate at least a couple of Wendigos before they defeated her. Heather's very good at incinerating things (and people). The green suit also helps to distinguish her from Mac. She doesn't look like a Mac clone.

Tawmis, since I brought up clones now, have you read this article on how Jay Faerber considered putting Mac clone in New Warriors vol 2?

[Tawmis]

That makes her a good leader in my book; having to do whatever was necessary to stop Pestilence. She did it rather than expecting a member of her team to do it; leading by example in wartime.

See, I would have had some faith in Snowbird, since she's half-goddess, half-mortal. Given Snowbird a chance to fight for her soul. Rather than go, "Oh, I see what you're about to do - I am going to make this really difficult choice, that's going to take two seconds - and put a hole through one of my teammates and kill her! Bwhahaha! I showed you, Pestilence!"

But, as we have established, people have different views of what makes a good and bad story. I thought Heather, who was the warm heart, who calmed the Savage Wolverine, had by this point, become entirely too blood thirsty and entirely too willing to sacrifice her own teammates, no matter the costs and consequences. (And the fact that it was Snowbird, was a very big, personal blow to me, as she and Shaman are probably my favorites on the team!)

Volume 4 #2 named her as Claire.
#8 was Kyle & Yost's first issue of Amazing X-Men though.
I've tended to enjoy Yost's solo work more than his co-written work, strangely.

Cool, I didn't know she appeared again!

And I don't fault you for Yost when he teams up with writing duties - I understand he was teamed up with someone when he put an end to Diamond Lil (which is annoying, as I really enjoyed her character and thought she had potential - the story about the surgery she has to go through later, was a great, great story! Didn't want to say too much for Crackity's sake!)

Yeah, the same way she couldn't wait to kill Marrina when it appeared Marrina was about to give birth to hundreds of aliens. Turns out that killing her was unnecessary after all, but how do you make omelettes, right?

Okay, the omelets thing was freaking hilarious...

On p. 11 of # 53, Bedlam claims to be James' "only begotten son" ('though this is probably more figuratively than literally), and then on p. 21 Bedlam is shown to be a woman (but that could've been an illusion).
The concensus seems to be that the ending to the 1st Pestilence story...well, not too many people seem to have liked it.

I need to look at that issue again..! I can't believe I missed that!

I've always like Heather's geothermal suit and I'm glad she is wearing it again. She should have been able to incinerate at least a couple of Wendigos before they defeated her. Heather's very good at incinerating things (and people). The green suit also helps to distinguish her from Mac. She doesn't look like a Mac clone. Tawmis, since I brought up clones now, have you read this article on how Jay Faerber considered putting Mac clone in New Warriors vol 2?

Yeah, I don't know why if Heather is in costume, I want it to be V2, even though Northstar and Aurora have the same costume (I hated her later golden costume and the cutting of her hair... I cried real tears!)

And I think I remember reading about Jay's plan, but it turned out to be false... I would have been all right with it, actually. He would have seemed out of place, and New Warriors would have probably felt like Alpha Warriors or New Flight...

[Garry/Al-Fan]

...

Y'know, I've never had a problem with her being in the suit, though. I don't think it makes any difference to how she leads.

I think it does: Roger and Mr. Jeffries used remnants of Delphine Courtney to build Heather's suit.

What does make a difference is what happened at the same time - the book changed writers. Sorry to harp on the old thing here, but I think she'd have been just as bad, made all the same decisions with or without the suit under Mantlo.

Only if the writer were deliberately trying to do something totally opposite/out-of-character to what had been established. Originally, Heather helped Mac create the team; the Mantlo era repeatedly states that she was just a housewife and had nothing to do with it.

Granted, she wouldn't have killed Snowbird herself (she cannae do it, she doesnae have the power!), but she probably would have made one of the team do it for her.

Please! Vindicator killing Snowbird was bad enough. Having somebody else do it...

[Flightpath07]

Judging by Amazing X-Men #8 she clearly hasn't.

Yup, that was the point I was trying to make.

[TSOG]

See, I would have had some faith in Snowbird, since she's half-goddess, half-mortal. Given Snowbird a chance to fight for her soul. Rather than go, "Oh, I see what you're about to do - I am going to make this really difficult choice, that's going to take two seconds - and put a hole through one of my teammates and kill her! Bwhahaha! I showed you, Pestilence!"

But, as we have established, people have different views of what makes a good and bad story. I thought Heather, who was the warm heart, who calmed the Savage Wolverine, had by this point, become entirely too blood thirsty and entirely too willing to sacrifice her own teammates, no matter the costs and consequences. (And the fact that it was Snowbird, was a very big, personal blow to me, as she and Shaman are probably my favorites on the team!)

Exactly how I feel. I acknowledge that it's the by-product of terrible writing, but no matter how often Heather said she felt she was making an impossible decision, it always came off as though she could hardly wait.

At least Mac only got HIMSELF killed repeatedly. Faint praise, I understand, but still...

[Flightpath07]

I've seen plenty of black squirrels, yes. I have never seen a white squirrel, but that doesn't mean they don't exist; maybe an albino?

[Garry/Al-Fan]

Exactly how I feel. I acknowledge that it's the by-product of terrible writing, but no matter how often Heather said she felt she was making an impossible decision, it always came off as though she could hardly wait.

At least Mac only got HIMSELF killed repeatedly. Faint praise, I understand, but still...

Jaxon beat the crap out of Mac/Mac's suit, which was the major reason why he died.

But Heather (1) KILLED Snowbird [shot her in the back], (2) caused Michael/Shaman/Talisman/whoever to quit the group, and (3) left Judd and Aurora [probably because they didn't have any more mystics to deal with the likes of Loki]. This is not an example of good leadership.