Alpha Flight sitings

Hello!

Just confirming two new Alpha Flight sitings.

1) (digital copy of) Deadpool # 45

2) Wolverines # 13

Enjoy!

2 problems and an admittance‏

1. The problem with Guardians of the Galaxy (movie)

Now, don't get me wrong; I liked this movie. It is what I call a "very good movie". But it left me wanting more, so much more. And I don't mean that in a "I-demand-a-sequel-right-away" type of way.

Actually, I watched the movie in the theater, and kept waiting to see something NEW. I wanted to see, on the big screen, something exciting, whether action sequence or something comedic, something that I had not already seen in a preview or commercial.

And therein lies the problem for me. The movie was overhyped. In the end, they showed Every Single good part of the movie, in previews and clips and commercials, long before the movie came out. I left the theater, feeling underwhelmed, and a bit cheated. Deja Vu; like I had seen almost every portion of the movie, already. It wasn't hard to guess what came next while watching. After all, hadn't I already seen all of the good parts? Unfortunately, for me, the answer was a resounding "Yes".


2. The problem with Batman

I am actually looking forward to Ben Affleck as Batman. I don't have a problem with the choice of actors, per se. I liked Affleck as Daredevil, and thought the movie was pretty decent.

Here's my issue; Affleck is, what? In his, forties, now?

For me, a proper Batman should be about 25 years old. 

I see Bruce Wayne as having been affected by his parents' death as a child, harbouring ill feelings and making dark plans as a teenager while he worked on his physical status ( upping his compete level to Olympic proportions). As a young man of 18, with his parents' fortune now in his hands, he would have found the bat cave, and begun to remodel that, as well as using his funds to, well, 'fund' his marvelous bat-things. And, at 25, he should be now fairly-well-established in both roles, as a fledgling Caped Crusader, as well as the young debonair philanthropist playboy Wayne.

So, how come we never get a Batman actor who is the right age?

One thing I WILL say, however; good riddance to the last incarnation of Batman - the only good thing about that franchise, was the now-deceased Heath Ledger's seminal turn as The Joker.


3. I admit it; I am back purchasing a few Marvel comics monthly.

Recently, I picked up Nightcrawler # 8 and read it. The character was handled in a great way by Chris Claremont, a master of writing skill, enough so that I checked out the back catalogue of issues, and then contacted my LCS and requested Nightcrawler be added to my pull list. Marvel, THIS is the way ALL your comics should be written, like the writer actually cares about the character and wants to share him with us!

I also enjoyed Death of Wolverine: The Weapon X Program mini-series, enough so that I have decided to give the new series "The Wolverines" a trial run. Not sure who is writing it, or if I will enjoy it, but I did enjoy the Weapon X characters depicted in the mini; they reminded me, a bit, of Marvel's New Universe DP7 series.

Alright, that is all that I have to say for now! 

 

Marvel and DC Television Shows

Marvel and DC Television Shows:

Let’s talk about current television series by “The Big Two”.

I’ll stick to what I know, the only three television programs that I watch; Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, The Flash, and Arrow.

Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD is a…different…sort of show. Let’s be clear right off the bat; although it does deal with super-powers and super-beings at times, it is not really a superhero show. It is a super-spy show, set in a fictional universe where super-powered beings do run amok. I have a few issues with this show, not the least being that it has become too much of an X-Files rip-off (and, full disclosure, X-Files being a show that I have always detested). The fixation on aliens and alien technology has overpowered the good points that the show had. Season 1, I found the characters interesting, and I watched the show fairly intently, even though the series started very slowly and didn’t have very good writing until over half way through season 1. At the time I write this, Fitz is the only character I really care about anymore. I really WANTED to care about Bobbi Morse (an avid West Coast Avengers fan, adding Mockingbird to the show seemed like a wonderful idea), but find that so far, I hate her; not only does her character suck, but so does the acting job behind it. Actually, every character that Agents of SHIELD has added to their roster for season 2, I hate them all. And, since I never liked Skye (sp?), and the show has now forced me to hate Ward…not to mention that Simmons’ character has completely changed for the worse…there are many days when I ponder why I even bother to watch this program.

The Flash is a very interesting show. Still in its infancy, I see a show that is well written and well thought out. The actor who plays Barry Allen has done a very nice job, and has the guy who plays Barry’s foster-father. The real problem with this show is, the rest of the actors are TERRIBLE! Unbelievable in the roles, wooden acting, it almost feels like the producers just chose people off of the street with no acting creds. And that is a shame. The poor acting by some, is really dragging down what is, otherwise, a really great show. The plots, the villains, the fight scenes…all so well done. Plus, who cannot love the shadowy threat of finally seeing Gorilla Grodd on-screen one day!

Lastly, let’s talk Arrow. Now well into its third season, this is the cream-of-the-crop of super-shows, the one that all others want to be like. This is the show that made me actually LIKE Brandon Routh (sorry Brandon, but after Chuck, I HATED you!)! Hell, the sheer number of people on this show who have shown themselves to be great actors, continues to rise; it starts with Stephen Amell, and continues to such people as David Ramsey, Paul Blackthorne, Emily Bett Rickards, Colton Haynes, Manu Bennett, Colin Donnell, Caity Lotz, Colin Salmon, Kevin Alejandro, Byron Mann, Dylan Neal, Michael Rowe, Brandon Routh, Jessica de Gouw, Katrina Law, Seth Gabel, and probably a few more that I am missing. Even Willa Holland, who I had my doubts about at first, has really grown into her character. The weak acting point, as far as I am concerned, is still Katie Cassidy’s portrayal of Laurel Lance, which never quite rings true to me. Arrow consistently has great plot twists and cliff-hangers, constantly introduces and re-introduces great new characters, isn’t afraid to open up the Who’s Who of the DC Universe and pull out new characters, whether supporting characters or villains or heroes. This show has it all; action, romance, friendships, mysteries, super-powered good and bad guys, anger, revenge – you name it, this show has got it. I still think Roy Harper is my favourite character here, and I love how he has gone through the names Speedy and Arsenal already, without it feeling contrived or stupid – a nice homage to the comic books. Still, I wonder, will Roy lose an arm at some point, and become the true Arsenal? Only time will tell…

So, what is your take on any of these three shows, or any other super-based tv show that may not be listed here?

Amazing Legacy of Death-Men

So, there have been some recent Alpha Flight sitings in Amazing X-Men.

I am here to talk about the latest entry, Amazing X-Men # 11.

Warning: SPOILERS Ahead.

Written by Craig Kyle and Chris Yost, and Penciled by Carlo Barberi, issue 11 finds the X-Men and Alpha Flight knee-deep in Wendigos, with the battle taking place within Canada (and a little bit taking place right along the border with the US of A).

Overall, it is a good issue. I mean, there have been some surprises along the way in this story so far, such as Puck and Talisman having a sexual relationship, and Vindicator (Heather Hudson) being back on the Alpha Flight team (with absolutely no mention of how she came back). Plus, issue 10 saw Talisman brutally stabbed by "Wendolverine".

Okay, so, some things of note in this issue: First page, Thor makes some silly comment about the twins being from Alfheim. Although, to the casual reader, one may take his comments to be directed at the Wendigos that he is blasting with lightning at the time, it seems obvious that this is a jab (or, insider's joke) aimed squarely at Alpha Flight's often-murky past. Same page, Aurora calls Captain America an idiot in French, and he says he understands French.

Okay, I just have to ask - since when did Aurora and Northstar switch personalities? When did he become the compassionate one, and she the snarky person full of hatred?

A few pages later, in exhausting battle with Wendigo after Wendigo, somehow Sasquatch finds time to have a conversation with Rachel Grey, whom tells him that her last name is no longer Summers. Really? While fighting? I know this is comics, and we rely on people expounding upon what they are doing while they are doing it in order to move the plot along, but...REALLY?!?! Sorry, I just don' buy this one.

Now we see a conglomeration of Flight and X-Men in the Spirit Realm. Our first real glimpse of Guardian, from behind, has me thinkng the same thing i have been thinking for the last few issues of this comic; why is Guardian's younger clone on Alpha Flight? Does Barberi not realize that Guardian is, like, in his mid-to-late forties? The Guardian he draws looks to be in his early twenties!

Next up, the obligatory hospital scene, where Talisman is struggling to hold onto life. I have a few (minor?) issues here. First up, could somebody not "clean up" Talisman's costume? I appreciate her as a character and all, but she really needs a costume where more of her body (especially her upper body) is covered up properly. That costume is, and has always been, ridiculous. Next, Puck is breaking down - it becomes obvious by what he says, that he has fallen in love with Talisman. Say what?!?! Man, did THAT ever come out of left field! Sorry folks, there is no happy-go-lucky Puck that we all know and love in this issue! Nope, it is lovesick, worried, fearful, crying, morose Puck that appears here - Ugh! And lastly for this this scene, once again Aurora makes the totally inappropriate comments against Puck, ones that we would expect for her twin brother to be making and not her. What is going on with this, exactly?!

...And she goes on making such comments as the story goes on, getting worse instead of better. I don't like this side of Aurora, not at all. I want the flirting-with-Sasquatch-to-make-my-brother-mad Aurora!

Sasquatch smells Wendolverine just before he arrives. Since when does Sasquatch have a super sense of smell?!

And red eyes? Does anybody else remember Sasquatch having red eyes?

The full page spread, showing the Great Beasts plus the members of both teams within the Spirit Realm, is cool. Except, nobody has pupils, except for Storm. Why? And Snowbird could look more haughty and regal, instead of just brain-dead and drooling. And Mac - again, looks more like his clone than he does his own self.

So, that is all I have to say about this issue. As usual for a Marvel comic, we don't get to see character building, just massive fight scenes with a few conversations about different things thrown in. For Alpha Flight, we are left with far more unanswered questions than we did before they appeared in this title. Too many things are mentioned, but not explained, and I fear that as long as Alpha Flight does not have their own title, this will continue to be the way things are for them.

The art for this issue, is fair. Its not bad, it just isn't my style. I still prefer the larger, broader, John Byrne style of art.



Next up, lets' talk about Death of Wolverine: The Logan Legacy # 2.

This issue is not technically an Alpha Flight issue, but...it does prominently feature one Colin Ashworth Hume, he who used to be called Windshear before being depowered on M-Day. And it takes place in Canada.

So, X-23 gets ticked off by everybody else's reactions to the death of Wolverine, and takes off to Toronto (for the sake of expedience, I will pretend that Toronto is a part of Canada, when really most Canadians know it is a make-believe place), where she goes to some underground rave and a guy tries to buy her for sex. Um...really?! Okay, suspending disbelief and moving on...

Three guys with guns and goofy masks show up to rob the place and kill some young people, they call themselves The Happy Clams. X-23 gets shot, a lot. Then a red and white hero with a cape crashes in and helps her out. He calls himself The Chinook. X-23 makes an inappropriate comment about some guys panties? Te Chinook tells X-23 to come with him, before the police arrive, and he swings (like Spider-Man?) across the city with her on his back. Back at his "secret hideout", he reveals himself to be Colin Ashworth Hume, He tells X-23 these thugs were sent out by Pink Pearl, who has become "a fatter Canadian Kingpin, I suppose. Bit like Rob Ford in a muumu". Hume peals off his mask, he is bald now, from the chemo treatment he has been receiving. Cancer is killing him, he will be dead in a few months. He goes on to say some things that inspire X-23, make her again see Wolverine as a figure of pride to look up to, and they join forces to kick Pearl's big butt.

I really, really, really liked this issue. The reveal of Hume as Chinook was awesome! Only...the fact that he will soon be dead, was crushing. So, once again, Marvel kills off another member (past) of Alpha Flight.

And that is all that I have to say about that. But, nevertheless, if you love Alpha Flight, you have GOT to get this issue!

                                                        - Dredd Sweet

I Quit

Well, I'm not going to go all Hulk on this topic or anything, but I wanted to point out that, after over seven years as a member of alphaflight.net, I recently quit the site.

I was on the site almost every day, chatting with people, starting topics up, discussing my love of comic books. Alas, all good things must come to an end.

Over the last year, I saw several instances of favoritism there, where some people's comment were edited or deleted just because somebody with the power to do so, could - and often with no explanation given. As well, some other people were allowed to make outrageous claims and say the nastiest of things, without ever being silenced.

Now, I am not going to tell anybody to stay off of this site. This blog post is about ME and my reaction to what went on there, and shouldn't be taken by others as a reason to either check out the site, or decide against checking it out. I've been on worse forums; this just happened to be the only one that I have actually enjoyed (for the most part), and actually joined and been a part of.

At one point in the last few days, after being attacked again and again by one person in particular, I had enough. I don't need that sort of headache. For many years, I came on the forum at alphaflight.net to share my thoughts with others and have a good time; once I found I was no longer enjoying my time there, and once I found that a visit there could end up with me having a miserable rest of my day due to how one or two people there treated me, it was really a no-brainer to quit going there anymore.

I'll miss the people that I enjoyed chatting with, and there were a few good ones. Even some of those whom I didn't see eye to eye on ("hi Phil!"), I still enjoyed talking with them. It was just a few others that ruined my experience.

So, if nothing else, at least I may be more inclined to post things here at http://canadas-own-the-flight.blogspot.ca/ a little more often than I had been (sorry!).

So, despite my no longer being on the alphaflight.net site, I am still in love with comics, and with Alpha Flight. Here is to many more good years of reading comics!

                                                                                         - Dredd Sweet

I found some Alpha Flight!

So, I recently purchased the book "The Superhero Book" by Gina Misiroglu.

The copy I bought is a second edition printing, published in 2012.

Page 22 sees approximately 2 full pages devoted to Alpha Flight. No photos are included, unfortunately, but it is a nice write-up, heavily-covering the early years of Flight, and then touching on everything right up through Volume 4 (the Alpha Flight mini-series) with a broader-stroked brush.

I am going to attempt to include some (very poorly done - my apologies) scans below.

Hope you enjoyed this!

Cool Pic!

Not Exactly

Okay, this isn't exactly an Alpha Flight thing, but as a proud Canadian I am SO STOKED about the new Justice League United series being set in Canada!

And here is one of my special copies of issue 1, just to prove it!