Alpha Flight #2 (September 1983)

Back in July of 2019, I looked at the premiere issue of Alpha Flight, a team of superheroes based out of the Great White North, America's Hat: Canada. It gave us a further introduction to the team and its members, and in a twist, it showed that the team had already been disbanded by this point. But the group still vowed to continue protecting Canada despite this. After all, as it was shown, Canada still needed Alpha Flight. So, where did the group go from here? Let's find out in Alpha 

The story begins twenty miles southwest of Fort Albany, Ontario. this place has a secret area where the Canadian military tests their top-secret weaponry. However, the skies above the old trading post are not being graced by some new bullet or rocket, they're being graced by a man. In particular, James MacDonald Hudson, the Vindicator. He's just flying along, when he's attacked by the Beaubier twins: Aurora and Northstar. 

Page 46, Panel 2

"No fair! I wasn't ready!" 

The two managed to send Hudson on a crash course to the ground. He ends up getting caught and tossed by Walter Langkowski, the Sasquatch. He tosses the Vindicator away. There's...a bit of a problem, though. You see, the Beaubier twins' attack messed up the protective forcefield in Vindicator's suit. And considering that Walt is super-strong in his Sasquatch form, and he tossed James very hard...yeah. James is a dead man.

(uh oh)

Not quite! You see, Michael Twoyoungmen, aka Shaman, is able to save the scientist by magically sprouting a tree. You see, Alpha Flight is doing a bit of training. Sasquatch points out that considering what Alpha Flight does, people are going to get some bruises. He gets a bit of karma courtesy of Marrina, and presumably the Albany River.

Page 47, Panels 3-4

"Blast it, Marrina! I just showered last month!"

Eugene Milton Judd, aka Puck, is getting a good laugh out of this, which leads him to get chased by an angry Sasquatch. With this session over, Shaman and Vindicator do a bit of talking. James feels that he doesn't have what it takes to be leader of Alpha Flight, or even be a superhero in general. Not to mention that he's also still haunted by the events of X-Men #109. He does accept that Alpha Flight needs a leader, and that he must play that role. Shaman gives him...an attempt at a pep talk about it. The group get ready to take five. 

(break time)

Puck notices that something is up with Marrina. She seems to have a bit of a headache. But then she angrily roars for Puck to not touch her, slashing at his chest.

Page 50, Panel 2

Marrina flees, nightmares and strange images in her head. She feels a powerful urge to return home...wherever that is. She jumps into the river, swimming away at a ludicrous speed. The Beaubiers try to catch up with their own super-speed, but she had too much of a head start. She's still wearing her signal medallion, so she can be tracked. The priority is Puck right now. Marrina hurt him bad, and he needs a hospital.

(call a doctor)

Luckily, Shaman is also a legit medical doctor. The Alphans head to the hospital. Shaman's done all he can, but he's apparently stable for now. With that out of the way, James, the Beaubier twins, and Walt go to find Marrina. Over in Yellowknife, RCMP recordkeeper Anne McKenzie hears Shaman summon her. You see, the young lady is the civilian form of Alpha Flight member Snowbird. She transforms into her super form and leaves as her new boss, Chief Inspector Hamilton, arrives in the room. He's angry about her disappearances due to her activities as Snowbird, as he is unaware that McKenzie is Snowbird. 

Real subtle, John. Real subtle.

As she heads out, the other Alphans continue their search. Walt, Jean-Paul, and Jeanne-Marie want to know more about Marrina, and James tells them what he knows.

(story time)

18 years ago, a raging storm hit the seas near Newfoundland. This storm caused problems for a fishing boat known as the Mary D. The boat's captain, Tom Smallwood, tried to get the fishing boat's nets in, but ended up swept out to sea. He was a strong swimmer, but he was tangled in the nets, and the nets' sinkers were pulling him down. As he struggled, he found a glowing object on the sea floor.

Page 57, Panel 2 

"A golden egg! I'm RICH!" 

The egg ends up being rather buoyant, allowing Smallwood to get up to the surface. He's rescued and the ship returns to port. Tom took the egg home to his wife Gladys and grandson Daniel. Gladys thinks the egg is hatching, so she tries to help whatever it is in there. 

Page 58, Panel 3

"Do we...do we eat this?"

The strange child had an appearance as odd as its origins, but it didn't matter to the Smallwoods. They raised the little girl as their own, naming her Marrina. Her community was also welcoming to their new little arrival. Marrina was a born swimmer, often doing so with them. At the age of sixteen, she also had a moment like this. Her adopted brother Daniel called the Canadian Ministry of Defense, and she was brought to Department H, and put in Gamma Flight. You see, unlike the Avengers or many other American super-teams, Alpha Flight works on a tier system in levels of readiness for superhuman defense of Canada. Think a superhero version of a baseball system, going from the minor leagues to the majors. She was one of the first members of Gamma Flight. From there, she went to Beta Flight, and now she was in Alpha Flight. All in a matter of months.

(woo-hoo)

Walt worries that Marrina was put in too quickly, that she wasn't checked out enough. James assures she was and she passed with flying colors. Whatever has gotten into her isn't something you can find with a regular psyche exam. That is what worries James. So, where did Marrina swim off to?

Well, she's headed up north, to the freezing waters of the Arctic. There is something calling to her, a siren song that she not only hears, but cannot resist its call. She walks into a cavern, finding an advanced technological lair in the ice. Every step she takes further inward, she finds herself calmer, more at peace. It's like she belongs here. She then hears someone calling to her. It's a man in a black, white, and red armored suit. He claims he revealed to her what her true nature and purpose is...and to refer to him as the Master. Marrina feels an urge to destroy.

Backup tale time! We go back ten years. A decade ago, James Hudson was working for the Am-Can Petroleum Company, based out of Edmonton. Hudson is not a happy boy, as he learned this experimental new suit he has spent the last four years working on is being turned over to the military. The American military.

(jawdrop)

Yeah. You see, much of the funding that Am-Can has gotten for James's new invention was American, and they have made deals with the American army before. This was explained by future Alpha Flight villain Jerome "Jerry" Jaxon. Hudson is enraged by this as he created the suit for peaceful measures, for exploration, not for combat. As he storms out, he encounters the future Mrs. Hudson, Heather McNeil. 

Page 63, Panel 1

"I spent all my rainy day money on this suit!" 

That night, James heads to Am-Can, thinking about how he thought Jerry was a friend, someone he could trust. But that turned out to not be the case. Hudson uses the suit to break into the company's vault, and destroys the plans for the suit. He then flies off, the suit using the earth's natural electro-magnetic field. It also comes with a forcefield, which allows James to not only survive the crash landing of the suit in one piece, but ensure the suit itself remains undamaged. James is willing to accept that the suit is Am-Can's, but there is one part they can't have: the special helmet that allows the suit to be run with the wearer's mind. That is his, as he designed and built it before he came to Am-Can. He leaves the suit, taking the helmet with him. After all, the suit is basically a man-sized decoration without it.

Page 66, Panel 5  

"I'll make my own suit! With blackjack! And...aw forget it."

 If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2007 trade paperback Alpha Flight Classic Vol. 1. Thanks for reading this blog entry!

Alpha Flight #106 (March 1992)

This has been a comic that I have been wanting to talk about for some time. And since it's Pride Month, I thought this month would be the perfect time to talk about it. Appropriately enough, the comic we're talking about here focuses on a character who's graced this blog before. An ex-Olympian, superhero, and arguably the most hotheaded Canadian not named Logan in the Marvel Universe: Jean-Paul Beaubier, aka Northstar.

Back in June 2019, I looked at his first full appearance in Uncanny X-Men #121 (May 1979). I then went on to review Alpha Flight #7 (February 1984), which was the first comic to delve into his past. And now, with this comic, we're going to look at one of the most heartbreaking moments of his life. Not just as a superhero, but as a man. This is Alpha Flight #106!

The cover is a Mark Pacella and Bob McLeod piece, and...I'll be honest. This is arguably one of the ugliest comic covers I have ever seen. It depicts Northstar screaming in...rage? Frustration? Pain because he stepped on a Lego piece? Either way, it's not that greatly drawn. The mouth and jaw look really stretched to me, like the speedster suddenly gained Plastic Man's powers.

"The Walking Wounded"
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Pnciler: Mark Pacella
Inker: Dan Panosian
Colorist: Bob Sharen
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Editors: Bobbie Chase, Chris Cooper
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins with an old man watching a tape of a documentary about himself.

This man is no ordinary man. In his civilian life, he is Louis Sadler Sr. But back in World War II, he was known by other names. The Nazis called him "The Great White North" and "The Toronto Terminator". But to the freedom-loving world, he was Major Mapleleaf. Back in those days, he would occasionally join the WWII-era superhero team known as the Invaders to, well, do what they do best: Beat the tar out of Nazis.

After the war, Sadler continued to fight crime underground. But then he would retire and start a family. He pauses the documentary showing him cradling his newborn son Michael. Overwhelmed by grief, the elder superhero hugs his TV.

I know what you're thinking. This book is called "Alpha Flight", right? So, where are the titular team? Well, they're right here, fighting Mr. Hyde in Toronto. 

Alphans Sasquatch, Guardian (Heather Hudson), and Northstar are fighting long-time supervillain Mr. Hyde. The nightmare from Robert Louis Stevenson smacks Northstar into an alley. The super-fast mutant hears a noise. He turns garbage cans over until he manages to find the source.

A little baby girl, abandoned and malnourished. She's still alive, so the ex-skier rushes to the nearest hospital, leaving Sasquatch and Guardian to take care of Mr. Hyde. Three weeks later, the team are gathered at the hospital. The baby girl that Northstar had found has a fever, and the super-fast mutant wants to know why she's so sick. The doctor arrives and gives Northstar a grim announcement. 

It's presumed that the girl was infected with HIV in the womb. Jean-Paul Beaubier may be an impatient man. A temperamental man. But the man does have a heart, and he clearly is devastated by this announcement. Keep in mind, at this time, AIDS was basically a death sentence.

Time passes another three weeks. Louis Sadler is watching TV, when he sees a news report. The baby girl that Northstar found is a hit with the media. The girl's given the name "Joanne Beaubier", and she's been regarded as an unofficial member of Alpha Flight. Louis watches as the report talks about Guardian speaking up for increased awareness of the AIDS virus. This fills the former wartime hero with rage, and he smashes his TV.

Back at the hospital, Puck is trying to get Northstar to take a break. He's not going to do anyone any favors by never leaving the hospital. The speedster reluctantly agrees, as he just wants to spend as much time as he can with little Joanna before her inevitable passing. The two talk in the hallway, but their conversation is interrupted.

An enraged Major Mapleleaf attacks little Joanne's room, ranting that he's lost everything he's ever loved. He is about to attack Joanne, but Northstar saves her. The two end up having a brawl, where it's revealed why the old man is in a rage...his son Michael had died of AIDS. The Major did everything he could to save his beloved child, but in the end, could only watch as the virus claimed him. His son Michael was a gay man. The Major implies that because of this, people ignored Michael's suffering, whereas Joanne is being treated like a star. 

Louis points out that like Joanne, Michael Sadler did nothing to "deserve" getting sick. He was a good man, but due to his orientation, he "didn't rate". Northstar angrily retorts that Major Mapleleaf has no right to lecture on the hardships of being a gay man. The ex-skier knows that all too well, being a gay man himself. 

The two continue to brawl, Mapleleaf ranting that Northstar is just as responsible for Michael's death because he kept his sexual orientation hidden. That the ex-skier is no different from the politicians that refuse to address the AIDS crisis. Northstar takes down the former hero with a super-fast barrage of punches, saying that he was no more at fault for Michael's death than Michael himself was. Despite all of that, he does agree with the Major one one thing: It's past time that the crisis was addressed. Not just for the lives the virus claimed, but for those the lost leave behind.

Presumably, more time passes. The doctors tell Northstar and Major Mapleleaf that little Joanne Beaubier is dying. There's nothing more they can do for her. They let Northstar hold her, and her last moments of life are spent in his arms, him saying a little prayer for her. Louis Sadler comforts the younger man, assuring him that Michael will watch over her in the next world, like Jean-Paul did in this one. The story ends with a newspaper headline. Northstar is shown holding a press conference where he formally comes out as a gay man to the world.

I personally liked this story. One thing about the story did bother me, though. Where was Aurora during this? She's Northstar's twin sister, you'd think that she would have been involved more in this story. After all, Joanne was her adopted niece, and she was on the team at the time. It would have been nice to see her and Northstar talk about little Joanne. 

I admittedly also felt that the appearance of Major Mapleleaf here was a major (heh) missed opportunity. I would have maybe liked it if Louis joined Alpha Flight after this. If Alpha Flight is Canada's Avengers, then he could have become their Cap. The comic hinted that he and Puck knew each other, I would have loved to have seen that expanded on. Also, it would have been neat to see Louis and Northstar develop a father-son relationship. It was clear that Louis clearly cared about his son Michael, and maybe he could think of Northstar as another son. I think it would have been so wonderful to see Louis to walk Jean-Paul down the aisle in Astonishing X-Men #51 (August 2012). 

Louis Sadler, Sr. would not be the only Major Mapleleaf. In the first issue of the third Alpha Flight series (2004), his second son Louis Edmond Sadler Jr. was introduced. This Major Mapleleaf did not inherit his father's powers, faking having them with the help of a superpowered horse named Thunder. Stories with this character implied that Sadler Sr. was neglectful and abusive towards Sadler Jr, something Mapleleaf II vehemently denied. Sadler Jr. died in New Avengers #16 (April 2006). 

Its biggest weakness is obviously the art. It's...not great. Mark Parcella's art to me comes off like he's trying to imitate Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld. Which does make sense. Their art styles were popular in the early-90s.

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2020 trade paperback Marvel Comics: The World Outside Your Window. Thanks for reading this blog entry!

Alpha Flight #7 (February 1984)

Last June, in honor of Pride Month, I took a look at Uncanny X-Men #121 (May 1979). It was a notable issue because it the first full appearance of Marvel's first LGBT character: The Canadian super-fast former skier-turned-superhero Jean-Paul "Northstar" Beaubier. I would go on to review the first issue of Alpha Flight's first on-going series afterwards. And since Pride Month has come around again, I thought it would be neat to look at a comic that delved into the past of Northstar a little bit. As such, let's take a look at Alpha Flight #7!

The cover is pretty cool. A John Byrne piece, it depicts a smirking Aurora standing over a fallen man. Her pose and facial expression show menace, hinting she's the reason why the man is in the state he's in. It could also imply that she's not quite done yet, hence the captions. The only complaint is that the cover is misleading. An event like this happens in the actual comic, but it's not quite the big dea lthe cover portrays it as.

"The Importance of Being Deadly"
Writer: John Byrne
Penciler: John Byrne
Inker: John Byrne
Colorist: Andy Yanchus
Letterer: Michael Higgins
Editor: Denny O'Neil (RIP), Linda Grant

The story begins with Jean-Paul Beaubier watching his sister Jeanne-Marie emerge from a psychologist's office in Montreal.

Jean-Paul asks how it went, and Jeanne-Marie basically tells him "It's fine, I'm okay." However, the doc wants to talk to the skier-turned-mutant superhero in private. The doc hasn't been able to find anything mentally wrong with the schoolteacher, much to Jean-Paul's chagrin. Although to be fair, he's only had one meeting with her. Northstar knows Jeanne-Marie has a split personality, but fears he can't confess it unless he admits that they're members of Alpha Flight. Dude, you and your sister don't even wear masks! Also, Alpha Flight was created by the Canadian government. Wouldn't they have a psychologist on staff for stuff like this?

Anyway, with that a bit of a bust, Jean-Paul decides to treat his beloved sister to lunch. And he happens to know a great place to eat. There's a little restaurant owned by an old friend of Northstar: a monsieur Raymonde Belmonde.

Belmonde was a man who helped the superfast mutant through some...rough times in his life. A mugger snatches and tries to make off with Jeanne-Marie's purse, but Aurora manages to easily catch up with him.

Unlike the shy and timid Jeanne-Marie, the confident Aurora has no issue mouthing off the thief...and knocking out some of his teeth at super-speed. The two take the thief to the cop to get him incarcerated. However, it turns out someone had paid his bail. The thief works for a man known as Ernest St. Ives, aka "Deadly Ernest". Ernest is a known criminal mastermind in town, but they've never really been able to get any charges on him that stuck.

It's also believed that St. Ives has connection to the American Maggia, the Marvel Universe's version of the Mafia. You may know of them from my review of Avengers #31 (August 2000). Montreal in real-life does have some Mafia connections, so I can imagine that's what inspired Byrne here. It's here that we finally get to meet Northstar's old friend and mentor.

Northstar finds it odd that Belmonde's restaurant is so empty. After all, it's the lunch hour. It should be bustling with activity. Belmonde hints that St. Ives is responsible for this, but someone else reminds him its none of the Beaubier twins' concern.

Meet Danielle, Raymonde's daughter. Jean-Paul is shocked by this revelation. After all, he's known Raymonde for years...and the older man never told him he had any children. Well, that's because she only just returned to his life. Her mother had passed away a couple months ago, and she's been living with him ever since. She's a student at McGill University. Aurora is more interested in St. Ives. It turns out that St. Ives has been using local hoodlums to scare off anyone who wants to eat at Belmonde's restaurant. But why would a crimelord bother a restauranteur?

Well, we get to find out why. A pair of bodyguards enter the restaurant and grab Raymonde...and Aurora. They take the two to a waiting limousine. The presence of the vehicle seems to cause a chill in the street, like death was occupying it in a way. Raymonde tells Ernest that his café is not for sale.

Ernest takes off his glove, saying that he had offered Raymonde a gift. If Ernest owned the business, Raymonde could retire. Spend time with grandchildren. Enjoy his twilight years. But since Raymonde won't sell, Ernest has no choice. The crime boss reaches out...and touches the restauranteur's face.

Like the X-Men's Rogue, Ernest St. Ives has a toxic touch. Raymonde collapses dead in front of a horrified Northstar and Danielle. St. Ives takes Aurora hostage and drives off. Northstar is horrified. It can be interpreted here that not only was Raymonde the first person that Jean-Paul confided the fact he was a mutant to, he was also the first person that Jean-Paul came out as gay to. The story ends with the former skiing star vowing that the corpulent crimelord will die by his hand.

The scene shifts to the newly-constructed Southbrook Mall in Winnipeg. A man there is holding public chess matches against anyone who wants to play the Game of Kings. But, it's time for him to have some lunch.

This is Alec Thorne, aka Smart Alec. Once a member of Gamma Flight, he had created a special helmet that allowed him boosted intellect and increased perceptive abilities. But thanks to the Canadian government shutting down the Flight programs (As shown in Alpha Flight #1), Alec's been left to do mental stunts like the public chess game. And he hates it. He's smarter than everyone else in that mall put together, yet he's reduced to tricks like this. However, things may be looking up for him.

This woman, a Miss Delphine Courtney (with that haircut), has an offer for Alec. One that he finds too appealing to turn down. There's also a second story included with this issue.

"Origins of Alpha Flight: Let a Child Be Born"
Writer: John Byrne
Penciler: John Byrne
Inker: John Byrne
Colorist: Andy Yanchus
Letterer: Michael Higgins
Editors: Denny O'Neil (RIP), Linda Grant

We next travel to an archaeological dig above the Arctic Circle, 15 years in the past. One of the people working at the dig, a Richard Easton, finds a strange metal headband.

That night, Easton tries to sleep. However, he hears strange voices calling to him to put on the headband. When he does...

Easton gets visited by the gods of Inuit myth, particularly Nelvanna, goddess of the Northern Lights. As I said in my review of Alpha Flight #1, I don't think there was an actual goddess named Nelvanns in Inuit myth. She was likely inspired by a Golden Age Canadian heroine. Nelvanna is given the form of a beautiful blonde woman.

Why is she doing this? Well, there are great evils coming in the future, and humanity needs a champion to face them. Nelvanna and Easton can create the future champion by...hopping off the good foot and doing the bad thing, as Austin Powers would say.

After what seemed to be one night, Easton returns. He's a bit confused, but he's found by a couple of his fellow dig workers. Easton wonders what happened to the dig, as it's all covered up. It's been nine years since he took his little trip. Easton's mind then unravels, fleeing into the harsh Canadian wilderness. Yeah, remember the crazy guy that summoned Tundra in issue #1? That was Easton.

A year passes, and a certain Tsuut'ina shaman has arrived. Michael Twoyoungmen was attracted here by the strong mystical forces permeating the area. He conjures up Nelvanna, who is ready to birth the child she conceived with Easton. With his help, the birth is successful. The story ends with Michael holding a little blonde baby demi-goddess in his arms, the future Snowbird.

Remember when Nelvanna was given the form of a blonde woman earlier? I think this was meant to explain why despite Snowbird being the daughter of an Inuit goddess, she looked like a white woman.

This comic was pretty good. It was really cool that we got a bit of a window into the past of Northstar, a peek of the experiences he had that helped mold him into the man he is today. I would have loved to have learned more about him and Raymonde together. I can imagine that maybe Jean-Paul's first job was working at Raymonde's restaurant. The Marvel Appendix's entry on Raymonde interpreted their relationship as maybe they were lovers at one point. Personally, I found that rather...squicky. Northstar was presumably very young, likely in his early-to-mid teens when he and Raymonde met, and Raymonde is clearly two/three decades older than Jean-Paul. Yeah, you can imagine why that's...yeah. The story implies that maybe Raymonde himself was a member of the LGBTQ+ community as well, considering his dialogue.

I also enjoyed the backup tales, particularly the one depicting the origin of Snowbird. However, I realized something from this. The story was set fifteen years before "the present". Easton spent nine years in Nelvanna's company (although from his perspective, it was one night). A year later, Narya was born. Do the math. Snowbird would have been five years old in "the present". Demi-god genetics are weird.

John Byrne turns in some great artwork for this issue. One detail I thought was pretty clever was in the beginning. He showed the visual difference between Jeanne-Marie and Aurora with their clothing and hair. Jeanne-Marie's hair is slicked back and she looks proper and buttoned up. When she switches to Aurora, her hair is a bit wilder (eventually undone), and her shirt is unbuttoned, showing a bit of skin. A good visual way to show how different the two personalities are, character-wise.

If you want to read this for yourself, hunt down the 2007 trade paperback Alpha Flight Classic Vol. 1. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay home, stay healthy, wash your hands often, and please wear a mask. Join me next time, when we look at a most...unusual superteam...

Alpha Flight #1 (August 1983)

Last time, we looked at Uncanny X-Men # 121 (May 1979), which was the first full appearance of Canada's Mightiest Heroes, Alpha Flight! It was also the first brawl they had with another superhero team. The group was originally created to give some backstory to Wolverine (and Byrne designed the characters to equal the X-Men in power), but evidently they were pretty popular. Evidently, they either were popular with readers or someone in editorial really liked the characters (I have no idea). As such, in 1983, Marvel launched a spin-off title focusing on the Canadian heroes. This series would last from 1983 to 1994, with 130 issues, annuals, and mini-series. That is incredible.

John Byrne would be given the title as artist and writer. It did make sense as he co-created the team. Byrne was reluctant to do the series, but he would do the first 28 issues of the series before leaving the title. During Byrne's time on the book, he'd primarily focus on the team members' personal lives, storylines focusing on a couple characters at a time. On the plus side, all the team members were guaranteed to get spotlight and character development, but on the minus side, the team was rarely seen fighting all together.

1994 would not spell the end of Alpha Flight, though. The group would become Marvel's most famous non-America-based super team. The title would be relaunched in 1997 under the pen of Steven Seagle, with art by Scott Clark and Duncan Rouleau. This series, with new characters was a bit darker, focusing on conspiracies surrounding Department H, the bureau of the Canadian Ministry of Defense that housed the team. This series would last 20 issues, and it would get an annual.

2004 saw a third ongoing series, called the "All-New All-Different Alpha Flight". This series focused on a another new team formed by original Alpha Flight member Sasquatch. It lasted 12 issues, and saw them visiting the original team in the past, as well as temporal copies from the past. Confused? Don't worry, I am too.

In 2008, an eight-issue series was launched that tied into the crossover Fear Itself. This version was essentially a reunion of the "Classic" Alpha Flight roster. In more recent years, Alpha Flight has become a space program that is meant as the first line of defense against alien invasion led by Carol "Captain Marvel" Danvers. Alpha Flight mainstays Aurora, Puck, and Sasquatch are members of this version. Sasquatch has also been appearing in the Immortal Hulk title.

And that's a basic history of the team. They've been an important part of the Marvel Universe for over thirty years, and I doubt they'll be going away any time soon. But let's take a look at how the team got their major start, by looking at the first issue of their first series. This is Alpha Flight #1!

The cover is pretty neat, a John Byrne and Terry Austin piece. You got the Alpha Flight team rushing into action amongst a crowd of superheroes, saying this job is only one they can handle. I think it has become a bit of an iconic cover. It's certainly exciting, shows off the team, and gives off the "cocky new group on the block" vibe. But considering what they're going to face in this comic, maybe having all those superheroes around to help is not such a bad idea...

"Tundra!"
Writer: John Byrne
Penciler: John Byrne
Inker: John Byrne
Colorist: Andy Yachus
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Editors: Denny O'Neil, Linda Grant
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The story begins with James MacDonald Hudson, the Vindicator, standing around a room. A room that is empty, dark, and rundown. Like it was abandoned long ago, and time has had some fun with it.

So, it looks like Alpha Flight is already out of business, eh? Well, not to worry! Recap time! This room used to be Department H, a top secret bureau of Canada's Ministry of Defense. It was the home of Alpha Flight, Canada's Greatest Heroes. It was only a couple of weeks earlier that the team had joined forces with Nightcrawler and Wolverine of the X-Men to battle the murderous monster known as the Wendigo [In Uncanny X-Men #139-140 N(ovember-December 1980)]. The battle was hard, but the heroes were triumphant.

However, the Canadian government had suddenly decided "Yeah, you guys did save us from a monster that would have slaughtered people, but we're gonna disband you anyway. Have a good day, hosers!" Hudson is able to keep his security clearances and his status as an auxiliary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. And before you ask, as for as I know, he's never encountered any crossdressing lumberjacks.

James Hudson is now in a bit of a dilemma. He's poured his life into creating Alpha Flight, and with it gone...he doesn't have much outside of it. Despite this, he's not too worried. He's still got his marriage to Heather. And the rest of Alpha Flight have lives of their own...but there were other recruits.

You see, Department H is essentially a superhero training program with three levels: Gamma Flight, Beta Flight, and Alpha Flight. Gamma is for the raw recruits. Beta is for those at the intermediary level, needing a bit more refinement. But when they're truly ready to defend the Great White North, they go up to Alpha. It's actually a really clever idea, the "tiers" of superhero readiness. Something like that would make sense for a superhero team organized by a nation's government. It's also a great way to foreshadow future members of the team. Quite a few of those characters you see in those panels become future Alpha Flight members themselves.

With the power about to be shut off, Vindicator flies off. He worries about his now being unemployed. Heather Hudson is still employed, but her salary will only go so far in this economy. He asks himself if Captain America has problems like this. Heh.

The scene then shifts to the Northwest Territories. Summer is here, and the tough grasses are poking through the melting snow. There is a man camping there. He is cold. He is hungry. He's not a very good camper because he has no food or warm blanket. He also forgot to bring something to amuse himself. But none of that bothers him as he is quite insane.

Driven by his delirium, he decides to take a walk. While walking, he drags his foot in the ground. As time goes by, it's revealed that he's forming a pattern in the ground, a giant outline of a man-like shape. I've heard of making snow angels, but this is ridiculous. He heads back to his camp, and searches for something. He finds a metal headband. The band is making his fingers tingle with the ancient magic within it. It has waited many a eon to be unleashed again. The man puts the headband on his maddened brow, and it. Has. Begun.

Just outside Calgary, Alberta, Canada...

That's Lance Storm. He's a pro wrestler. I like pro wrestling. He was billed from Calgary. That's the joke. Outside of Calgary, there's a First Nations reservation, particularly one occupied by the Tsuut'ina Nation. The comic refers to them as the "Sarcee", as I think they may have been known as that at the time. You see, the term is derived from a word in the Blackfoot tongue meaning "stubborn". The two tribes often fought over territory, and as such, the term is considered offensive by members of the Tsuut'ina. I'm not quite certain if that is true (I got it from Wikipedia, after all), but I'm going to err on the safe side and refer to the tribe as the Tsuut'ina.

In the reservation, there's an office belonging to Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen, M.D. It's rather quiet day for the good doctor today, but that is not going to last. He has an odd feeling, like a subtle pressure on his mind. It's a signal. A magical signal from his late grandfather. A signal that only comes at a time of great peril. Dr. Twoyoungmen reaches up, and grabs a box from the top of a medicine cabinet. And what is in the box?

This just got real creepy real quick. Let's go somewhere that is hopefully less creepy. Let's go to La Valle, Quebec. Which I think may be a typo, and is actually supposed to be LaSalle, Quebec. It's a borough of Montreal. There, we go to Madame DuPont's School for Girls. One of those fancy private schools. One of the teachers, a Jeanne-Marie Beaubier, is being mobbed by a group of schoolgirls. They heard her famous brother is coming to visit, and they want some confirmation. She herself only learned of it an hour ago. News spreads fast. A white car drives up, and Jean-Paul himself arrives. He proves to be quite popular.

Ahh, the innocence of youth. The Beaubier twins do some catching up over tea and biscuits. It has been a couple weeks since Alpha Flight disbanded, and Jean-Paul has been wanting Jeanne-Marie to come and live with him. They are family, after all. Jeanne-Marie refuses, as she feels her place is at the school, with the nuns who raised her. Yeah, the Beaubier twins grew up separately, and Jeanne-Marie's upbringing would cause many more problems for her in the future.

Jean-Paul says the school is a prison, not a home. It makes her hide who she is. However, Jeanne-Marie sees Aurora as a blasphemy. Again, the nuns broke her brain. Jean-Paul believes that there is no shame in being a mutant. To him, a mutant using their powers is no different to a genius using their mind, or an athlete using their physical skills. It's part of who they are, so why should they hide that? I can imagine that for Northstar, hiding who he is is very repellent to him for another reason. Remember, Northstar is also gay. So, for him, I can imagine that may inform his thinking on the matter.

On another note, he also just admitted he did use his powers to be a champion skier. In Alpha Flight #41, Northstar is forced to use his powers to save someone's life in public, and it led to people accusing him of using his powers to cheat at skiing...which caused him to relinquish his skiing championships. Karma, Jean-Paul.

Back to the story. Jean-Paul tries to get his sister to see that she and Aurora are one and the same. This causes her to faint, unable to take the mental strain. Northstar puts her on her bed, cursing out Vindicator for reuniting the twins only for them to be in conflict again, and cursing out the Canadian government for shutting down Alpha Flight, which may have been Jeanne-Marie's only hope for a happy life. You know, because they have had a therapist on staff.

We next go to Ottawa, where we meet Heather McNeil Hudson, future Vindicator herself. She's happily watering her plants when Mac comes home.

The two have a little romantic moment, and Heather goes to make some tea. Hey, I'll have a cup too, Heather. I like a nice cup of tea. She gets a phone call. Mac needs to turn on the TV. There's a big story on CBC news. The broadcaster reports that there's a strange phenomenon erupting in Resolute Bay. Mac grabs his helmet and puts it on. Heather tells him to contact the rest of Alpha Flight, particularly Shaman and Snowbird. This seems right up their alley. Mac flies away, pointing out that there is no Alpha Flight anymore.

Heather heads to a hidden control center. It contains a computer used to contact the Alphas. She notices there are two extra contact cards there, likely for two Beta Flight members that managed to graduate to Alpha Flight. Heather figures that Mac could use their help, too. Alpha Flight, you are officially activated. So, let's meet those two new members, shall we?

First, we go to a seedier part of Toronto, to a tavern. Even though it's only noon, this tavern is already bustling with activity and business. Two drunks are bothering a waitress. The bartender asks one regular patron, a Mr. Eugene Milton Judd, to take care of it.

The term "pint-size powerhouse" does apply to this man. Mr. Judd asks the drunks to leave. They mock his height. He gives them pain, and literally throws one of them right out of the bar. He gets the Alpha Flight summons thanks to a special implant in his skull, and he cartwheels out in joy. Judd is awesome.

Next, Newfoundland. A teenage girl with a rather unusual appearance is gazing out at the ocean. Marrina Smallwood is given a brooch by her adopted brother Dan. The call is out. Alpha Flight is needed. She is needed. And so, she must go.

In the forests of British Columbia, one Walter Langkowski is enjoying a nice walk among the trees. Get some exercise in, reconnect with nature, that good stuff. He picks up the signal, and the ex-gridiron star-turned-scientist undergoes an incredible transformation.

There is one member of Alpha Flight already at the crisis zone: One Anne McKenzie, aka Narya, aka Snowbird. In the form of an arctic owl. She transforms into her human form, recognizing the mystic energies that are swirling around: A great monster known as Tundra. Tundra was an ancient enemy of Snowbird's mother Nelvanna, an Inuit goddess. I don't think that's an actual goddess of Inuit mythology, though. Funny enough, back during the Golden Age, there was a Canadian superheroine that went by a similar name. John Byrne had created Snowbird years before he started working in comics, so I would not be surprised if he was inspired by Nelvana of the Northern Lights (Byrne was British by birth, but grew up in Canada).

Anyway, Snowbird fears that she may not be able to stop the monster. After all, her mother was a full-blown goddess, and Tundra was the one who sealed her and the other Inuit gods away. Snowbird is half-human. What chance would she have? The body of the man that summoned Tundra twitches, raising a hand. A giant hand erupts from the ground...followed by the rest of him.

...forget Alpha Flight! Forget the Avengers! CALL IN GODZILLA!

A ship five miles away detects Marrina racing through the water, at 800 knots (around 920 mph, but I have no idea if I calculated that right). Basically, Marrina is fast when she is in the water. The crew of the ship witness her bursting out of the ocean in a giant waterspout. Northstar and Aurora speed through the air. Eugene Milton Judd, suited up in his Puck outfit, tries to get into an airbase, but can't get in thanks to a guard not recognizing him as an Alpha Flight member.

Back in the Northwest Territories, Snowbird engages Tundra. She gets a swarm of mosquitoes to the face. Vindicator arrives and rescues Snowbird. He gets rocks to the face. Shaman arrives, and tries to contact the soul of the man who summoned the monster. But it's gone and only Tundra remains. Vindicator is able to hurt Tundra with his suit's ability to fire electro-magnetic blasts, but there's a problem. The monster is connected to the lands of Canada, and Tundra's pained screams are making the land go nuts. Yup, we got a pickle here. Tundra can be hurt, but they might end up turning Canada into rubble. Lovely.

A helicopter flies by, and drops Sasquatch like a bomb. Tundra barely acknowledges the large orange-furred gamma-powered man-monster's impact. But then Sasquatch starts literally ripping chunks out of the soil and rock that compose the kaiju-sized Great Beast's body. The monster slaps Sasquatch away like he was a mere orange-furred flea. He is sent flying past Aurora and Northstar. Northstar's mentality towards catching Sasquatch?

Yeah, did I mention Northstar is a bit of a jerk? Because he's a bit of a jerk. The Beaubier twins race around and around Tundra's body, causing it to break up a bit. Vindicator notes that Tundra is so freakin' big that the Beaubiers can't wear him down like that. Shaman thinks they have the right idea. They need to use the natural force of erosion to stop Tundra. The doctor takes some powder from his hand and tosses it into the air. The powders create a mighty rainstorm, wearing further on Tundra's body.

It seems to be working, but Tundra is recovering from it, and there's not enough moisture in the air to create a second rainstorm. Hey Mike, you need water? Marrina's getting you some! Northstar and Aurora clap hands, creating a giant burst of light that blinds the Great Beast. Shaman takes the water and uses it to create a second deluge, which manages to finish Tundra off.

12 hours later, our heroes are hanging out at the MacDonalds' apartment. The group has decided that despite the government's disbanding, the group are going to stay together and continue as a team. However, they're considering changing the team's name. After all, with the "flight" system gone, there's no need to be called "Alpha Flight" anymore.

Puck finally arrives at the apartment. Hudson tells him they're thinking of changing the team name. Judd is like, "Screw that! I worked to join Alpha Flight, so I'm joining Alpha Flight!" Because Puck is awesome and James is not stupid, the issue is settled. The name "Alpha Flight" is sticking. Walter Langowski agrees the name is great, and Puck would also make a great mascot. Get it? Beause Puck is a dwarf.

The comic ends with an angry Puck brawling with Walter, and Heather Hudson thinking that maybe this isn't such a good idea...

This comic is awesome. It's a great first issue that does everything a first issue of a team is supposed to do. We meet the characters and learn a little bit about them. We also get seeds for future storylines: The team trying to work without government support, Aurora's mental issues, and I doubt that Tundra was the last giant monster the Alphas face off against. The fight with Tundra was exciting, and it allowed the Alphas to show off what they can do. And of course, it ends on a funny note. Poor Puck, he never got to help fight Tundra.

Byrne does some pretty good art, but it doesn't feel quite as clean as his X-Men art. I think it's because he's inking his own work and not Terry Austin. It's still good, though.

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend hunting down the 2007 trade paperback Alpha Flight Classic Vol. 1. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you enjoyed it, please spread it around! I also have to look into future funding options for the blog, so stay tuned! Next time, since July is the birthday of America, I'm going to look at a Captain America adventure. See you then!

Uncanny X-Men #121 (May 1979)

Since June is Pride Month, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss an early appearance of an LGBT character in a comic book. And who better to spotlight than an early appearance of one of Canada's greatest superheroes: Northstar?

Who is Northstar, you may ask? Well, Northstar is Jean-Paul Beaubier, super-fast skier. Born in Montreal, Quebec, his parents were killed in a car accident. This incident would cause him to be separated from his twin sister Jeanne-Marie, aka Aurora. The two twins would be raised separately, and it would have affects on both of the twins that still linger today: Northstar would have anger issues, and Aurora would develop dissociative identity disorder.

As a young man, Jean-Paul would discover that he was a mutant, with the power of super-speed. His sister Jeanne-Marie, aka Aurora, is also a speedster. He's faster, but she can run longer. Also, when the twins slap hands, they can create powerful flashes of light.

Northstar is primarily associated with the Canada-based superteam Alpha Flight, but he has also been a member of the X-Men in the past. He's a bit of a pioneer, too. He's one of the first gay characters in mainstream American comics. Also, his wedding to Kyle Jinadu in Astonishing X-Men #51 (June 2012), was the first depiction of a same-sex wedding in mainstream comics.

So yeah, Mr. Beaubier has had an interesting life, and has a lot to be proud of. He paved the way for a lot more LGBT+ characters to appear in comics (many of them in Marvel connected to the X-Men). As such, I thought it would be neat to show how he first appeared in comics. Technically, he appeared in issue #120, but that was just a cameo. In this issue, we get to see him in action! So let's take a look at Uncanny X-Men #121!

The cover is a Dave Cockrum, Terry Austin, and Gaspar Saladino piece. And it's a great one! It tells you exactly what you're going to get: A four-alarm brawl between the X-Men and Alpha Flight. I wonder if this was what those guys who wanted a Cold War in Canadian Bacon were hoping for.

"Shoot-Out at the Stampede!"
Writers: Christ Claremont and John Byrne
Penciler: John Byrne
Inker: Terry Austin
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Letterers: Diana Albers, John Costanza
Editor: Roger Stern
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Our story begins at the Canadian Stampede, a massive outdoor exhibition. Three of the X-Men (Colossus, Storm, and Cyclops) burst their way in as only they can.

The three race into the fairground, Storm scouting by air while Cyclops and Colossus search on foot. What is going on here? Well, the X-Men were returning home from an adventure in Japan when a freak storm (Storm could not dissipate it, as if it were guided by a will of its own) forced them to land in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. When they landed, they encountered a man called Vindicator. As Weapon Alpha, he attacked the X-Men in their own home, in an attempt to retrieve Wolverine for the Canadian government. The X-Men fought him off.

But now, the X-Men were on his turf, and he had some friends backing him up. One of those friends tossed the plane into the hangar. The X-Men made their escape by having Storm bring a blizzard down on their heads, heading into Calgary itself. Vindicator and his allies pursued the X-Men into town. Vindicator himself managed to corner Storm and Banshee in a mall, but got his butt handed to him. However, Nightcrawler and Wolverine weren't so lucky. The two vanished, likely captured.

Naturally, Cyclops vowed to find and rescue his missing teammates. But how? Well, when he flew off, Vindicator left an energy trail. One that Storm can follow. So, with the Windrider playing bloodhound, the group tracked him to the grounds of the Canadian Stampede. Ororo found the two missing X-Men, alone and unconscious on a field. The X-Men press on, fully aware it's likely a trap.

Storm points out that Wolverine is a wanted man. Cyclops reminds her that a) Wolverine isn't a criminal, and B) The Canucklehead resigned from Canadian government service. The X-Men find their missing comrades tied up on a field.

The lights go up, and...

"*trumpet noise* NOBODY expects the Canadian Inquisition!"

Everyone, say hello to Canada's Mightiest Heroes: Alpha Flight! Shaman! Sasquatch! Snowbird! Vindicator! Aurora! Northstar! Who looks real happy to be there! Vindicator tells them that they can take Nightcrawler, and they'll ensure the X-Men return safely to the US...but Wolverine is staying.

Meanwhile, Banshee arrives alongside the Daughters of the Dragon: Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. Due to injuries he suffered in X-Men #119 (March 1979), Banshee can't use his sonic powers. However, the man was a former Interpol agent and NYPD officer, so he got other skills. However, what appears to be a wall of solid invisible force has kept the three out.

Cyclops and Vindicator argue over Wolverine. The optic blaster points out that the last time Vindicator attempted to get Wolverine [In X-Men #109 (February 1978)], he almost got a friend of theirs killed. Also, Sasquatch wrecking their plane nearly got them and their pilots killed. Colossus notices that Northstar is moving towards Cyclops...

And with that, the fight begins. Sasquatch punches out Colossus, while Vindicator screamed he didn't want a brawl. But we get one anyway. Sucks to be Vindicator right now. Wolverine and Nightcrawler wake up, revealing they were playing possum. Storm takes to the air, Snowbird chasing after her. Shaman reaches into his magical satchel and pulls out some...wooden statues that come to life.

What are those? Cyclops blasts the wooden statues, which is kind of sad as I can imagine the craftsperson who made them worked very hard on them. Northstar takes him down with a super-fast Mighty Punch to the head. That'll hurt. Nightcrawler engages Aurora. Storm notices that Snowbird is trying to keep her away from the stadium. The weather around the area has become so unstable that she dares not use it as a weapon. Snowbird transforms into a large Arctic owl.

Wolverine notices that the X-Men are having some serious trouble against these guys, despite their recent string of victories against guys like Magneto and Moses Magnum. Shaman reminds him that Alpha Flight has something that the X-Men do not: Teamwork. He then uses his magic bag to summon a wind...but there is a problem. You know that freak storm I mentioned earlier? Well, Shaman used his magical powers to create it so that the X-Men would be forced to land in Calgary. Thing is, when you twist primal natural forces...it makes said forces angry. And when they get mad, it causes problems. Big problems...like the storm going out of control.

By the way, the guy in that panel? That's John Byrne himself. The brawl continues on, with Wolverine trying to engage Vindicator, while Colossus is having trouble against Sasquatch. Cyclops is also having trouble against Northstar, mainly because of his head still ringing thanks to that superfast punch he took from the skier. Colossus is able to get a head up on Sasquatch, thanks to some judo.

Aurora is searching for Nightcrawler, thinking about how she is different from her brother Jean-Paul. You see, Northstar is a fighter at heart. He's been one his entire life. In contrast, Jeanne-Marie is more of a lover...although future stories with her (mainly the first Alpha Flight series) would establish that Aurora's situation is much more complex. Nightcrawler teleports above her and gives her a kiss, which infuriates her.

Wolverine engages Vindicator, and their dialogue exchange hints at their past relationship. Evidently, Vindicator's name is Jimmy, and they were old friends. He and a woman named Heather evidently took him in at some point and helped him rediscover his humanity. This was one of the first major
hints about Wolverine's past.

The storm outside has reached insane levels of power...power enough that even the X-Men and Alpha Flight notice it, and their battle comes to a screeching halt. Storm is stuck in a aerial battle with Snowbird, until she gets a bolt of inspiration. The Kenyan windrider wraps up and captures the demi-goddess in her cape.

Storm has tried to shape a weather pattern like this once in the past. She failed...and nearly died in the process. She takes to the air, and reaches out to the rogue event with her mind and soul. The effort is great, the strain is massive. However, she is able to dissipate the super-storm. She lands on the ground, weakened...but alive. Northstar takes the opportunity and downs her with the same superspeed punch to the back of the head he gave Cyclops. A furious Scott Summers nails the speedster with an optic blast. He gets in the man's face, but Wolverine stops him from turning Northstar's face into hamburger.

Wolverine checked on Ororo. She's alright, just stunned. He decides to surrender, as he feels that this was his fight, and he shouldn't have drawn the X-Men into it. He admits he enjoyed the roughhousing, and things going out of control so fast did not help. Cyclops counters that the X-Men are a team. If Wolverine has a problem, then it's the team's problem. Wolverine appreciates it, but he has no desire to see his teammates take a beating on his behalf.

He agrees to go with Vindicator, on one condition: The X-Men are allowed to return home. Vindicator gives his word. An armored car arrives, and Wolverine is brought into the back of it.

Hours later, the X-Men's plane is heading back to the USA, accompanied by members of the Canadian Air Force. Cyclops weighs his options: Either continue on back to the US, or double back to rescue Wolverine. The X-Men all agree to turn back. Cyclops goes to order the pilot to turn around, but turns out she's got a friend with her in the cockpit.

Yup, our favorite Canucklehead managed to escape and sneak on the plane. But this leaves Cyclops worried. Alpha Flight are going to figure out he escaped. But Wolverine's not worried. He lives life one day at a time, taking it as it comes. Right now, he's in the mood for some drinking and celebrating. Finally, the X-Men are coming home!

This was a good comic. We got to learn a little bit about Canada's Mightiest here, their powers and a bit of personality in some cases. The comic was essentially one big fight scene, but I think it was done very well. I do wish that did get to learn a bit more about the personality of the characters. Maybe a scene of Alpha Flight mobilizing or something, give us a better idea of who they are. I would have liked that.

I did get a good laugh out of Wolverine's escape, though. I wonder how he pulled that off. Byrne's pencils and Terry Austin's inks are great together. The art looks so clean.

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend hunting down the 2016 trade paperback X-Men/Alpha Flight. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you enjoyed it, spread it around! And if you want to give this blog some additional support, please drop a tip in my Digital Tip Jar! See you next time, when we take a look at the debut of Alpha Flight's solo title...