Omega Flight Review from ComixFan
They give it a 4 out of 5.
Here's the full review.
OMEGA FLIGHT #1 REVIEW
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Reviewer: Jason Grasso, Desperad07@aol.com
Story Title: Alpha to Omega, Part 1
“Damn, I love Canada.”
Writer: Michael Avon Oeming
Artist: Scott Kolins
Colorist: Brian Reber
Letterer: VC's Cory Petit
Assistant Editor: Daniel Ketchum
Editor: Andy Schmidt
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Published by: Marvel
My only experience with Alpha Flight was the excellent and underappreciated reboot in the late 1990s with Steven Seagle and Scott Clark. When I initially become interested in the Marvel Universe, the original Alpha Flight just wasn’t in vogue nor was I ambitious enough to look at much beyond the X-Men and Spider-Man. The second volume was one of the first instances where I started realizing the wealth of interesting characters out there and how given the right setting (and a good writer), even the most unappealing characters or teams could become incredibly intriguing.
Of those titles/reboots that I got into on the ground floor, Daredevil took off and never looked back, the Thunderbolts prospered and even survived cancellation to fight again, and the brothers in arms that led Heroes for Hire (Luke Cage and Iron Fist) went on to become integral parts in Daredevil and various Avengers titles. Sadly, Alpha Flight was cancelled only a couple of years later and that was the last I saw of the Canadian superhero team.
The Alpha Flight team had the unfortunate pleasure of being in The Collective’s warpath during a post-House of M arc in New Avengers. With the Civil War over and the Registration Act in full force, many super-villains have fled to Canada to renew their lives of crime in a country that’s lacking a definitive response team. Enter Omega Flight.
The first issue of this limited series focuses on the formation of the Omega Flight team. (Some holes, specifically the recruitment of U.S.Agent and the new Guardian, were already filled in by a couple of supplemental stories from Civil War one-shots.) The government recognizes the increase in criminal activity and seeks S.H.I.E.L.D.’s help with cleaning it up. Their first recruit is Dr. Walter Langkowski, who we first see trying to help teach some students about science but failing in the face of the fame his alter ego Sasquatch has wrought upon him. He’s asked to lead the new Omega Flight (which brings an appropriate initial response from Langkowksi, proving that Oeming has done his homework). Clearly, there had been previous chatter about starting a new Flight, which Langkowski was not ready for. He finally gives in and agrees to lead a team that has already started assembling. S.H.I.E.L.D., under Tony Stark’s direction, has agreed to lend the services of three Americans (U.S.Agent, Arachne and an unidentified member that we can presume is Michael Pointer, the man behind The Collective).
The title takes a bit of a surreal turn when Talisman is introduced. She’s amidst a rather spiritually-abstract (and visually intensive) storytelling session at a festival. Before long, her vision is broken up by inquiring minds and she’s startled to see Sasquatch awaiting her. She turns down his offer to join the team, citing her father’s wishes and her own responsibilities. Unfortunately, the drama behind her refusal is a little weak given her placement on the front cover!
The story ends with a battle between a brazen Wrecking Crew and a severely ticked-off Sasquatch, going at it alone. Dr. Langkowski is still racking his brain over heading up the new Omega Flight when he gets a call about the Wrecking Crew’s entry into his country. The ending of the battle is a bit harried and confusing but it looks like Sasquatch is going to need Omega Flight to save him.
The artwork in this issue really intrigued me. It’s not heavy on ink nor is the color too bold and bright, instead going with a more muted look. Kolins does a great job giving the action a unique and almost quirky look to it. His take on the ending battle is action-packed and fun, giving a traditionally-illustrated Sasquatch a lot of moments to shine. (Langkowski in general spotlights the entire issue.) Also notable is the sequence with Talisman as well as the rather attractive cover.
There’s a rather newsworthy movement to make Omega Flight an ongoing series. It’s rather ironic then that it would arrive the same week as Avengers: The Initiative, a title that itself was supposed to be a limited run but was given ongoing status before its first issue. I won’t spend time comparing the two since one of my colleagues is reviewing that title but suffice it to say that I think Marvel gave the wrong title an indefinite run. Here you have characters with rich history in a relevant setting while that other title focuses on silly unknowns with retread powers and awful codenames (Emo Boy? C’mon!) being trained by a badly-stereotyped guy with a gigantic glove.
Hopefully Omega Flight doesn’t depart on us too soon. Oeming has crafted a compelling intro to the series, with enough reverence of Alpha Flight and Canada to show respect to its history, but also enough allusion to the current state of the Marvel Universe to keep things fresh and relevant. It’s odd that a limited series about a team would kick off without appearances by most of its members (really my only complaint), but Oeming could be setting up Omega Flight to be a new player in the Marvel Universe, with or without its own title. It remains to be seen how the team dynamic will play out, with such a varied group of characters yet to interact. Or what the ultimate climax of the series will be. But right now, it is worth anticipating.
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Re: Omega Flight Review from ComixFan
Quote:
Originally Posted by mreeez
but suffice it to say that I think Marvel gave the wrong title an indefinite run. Here you have characters with rich history in a relevant setting while that other title focuses on silly unknowns with retread powers and awful codenames (Emo Boy? C’mon!) being trained by a badly-stereotyped guy with a gigantic glove.
Hopefully Omega Flight doesn’t depart on us too soon. Oeming has crafted a compelling intro to the series, with enough reverence of Alpha Flight and Canada to show respect to its history, but also enough allusion to the current state of the Marvel Universe to keep things fresh and relevant.
Well, Its good to see a non-alpha-fan statign it should become an ongoing.. Though I will say I don't agree that Initiative is completely worthless, I rather enjoied it, more than Mighty Avengers even. (And His name is Trauma..not Emo Boy.. emo boy was a derogatory nickname used by Gauntlet)
Eitherway I still believe that Omega Flight had no reason what so ever to NOT become an ongoing and I bet the executives are meeting on that very thing right now... unless they have already met on it, decided Omega will go ongoing and don't want to tell us because they want us to keep pushign it like crazy to get sales really high before they anounce it as ongoign so that people fall in lvoe and jsut cna't give it up.. cause when you fall in love with a comic, it takes alot to want to drop it....
Unless its Legion of Superheroes and you add Supergirl to it and completely ruin it... then I'll stop buyign them and then set the issues I have on fire... idiots!
Re: Omega Flight Review from ComixFan
Quote:
Originally Posted by mreeez
There’s a rather newsworthy movement to make Omega Flight an ongoing series. It’s rather ironic then that it would arrive the same week as Avengers: The Initiative, a title that itself was supposed to be a limited run but was given ongoing status before its first issue. I won’t spend time comparing the two since one of my colleagues is reviewing that title but suffice it to say that I think Marvel gave the wrong title an indefinite run. Here you have characters with rich history in a relevant setting while that other title focuses on silly unknowns with retread powers and awful codenames (Emo Boy? C’mon!) being trained by a badly-stereotyped guy with a gigantic glove.
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/index.html
I honestly did not appreciate The Initiative at all, and thought it was weird that Marvel would green light something that had little "creative" hype. Glove guy seems like some weird combination of Luke Cage and Bishop, maybe with a little Sam L. Jackson thrown in. The overall storyline was derivative (OMG! an evil conspiracy in a government? When has that been done before? Only everywhere.) Not that Government conspiracies can't be entertaining, but I find the one in the initiative too derivative. I'm expecting better in the NA. I'm really hoping that its sales go away. Sorry for those who like it, but I can totally see Marvel tying it into a cross over, and I'd rather not murder my wallet over these characters.
I think its time to ask Joe Q how he feels about how the two books compare review wise. I won't ask this, I can't use Newsarama... But someone else should.
Andy Oliver's review on Broken Frontier...
...is a pretty objective and accurate assessment of Omega Flight# 1.
Hopefully, he will post his observations on # 2 (and # 3), soon.
Man, I hope # 3 knocks it out of the park!
