To celebrate the release of the today's ALPHA FLIGHT: TRUE NORTH oneshot, the first new Alpha Flight issue on shelves since January 25th 2012, AlphaFlight.net is proud to present an EXCLUSIVE Q&A with Ed Brisson, Max Dunbar and Jim Zub; some of the amazing all-Canadian creative team for the issue!
What was your first exposure to Alpha Flight, and do you have any standout favourite stories/moments?
EB: ALPHA FLIGHT Vol 1, #17. If I'm remembering correctly, I picked it up for about a quarter from a used book store in Oshawa when I was about 11. The cover has Guardian knocking out Wolverine. I was still pretty young and still discovering the Marvel Universe. The X-Men were a favourite, especially Wolverine, but Alpha Flight were new to me. Seeing the Canadian flag on a costume was pretty incredible and I was incredibly curious about who this Canadian flag draped character was. I mean, who could cold cock Logan like that? So I grabbed it and devoured it. Since it was mostly a flashback issue, it was a great primer for the series and even though I knew from reading it that Guardian was dead, it didn't make #12 (the issue he dies) hit any less. Probably one of my favourite issues.
MD: I think my first exposure to Alpha Flight was actually in a Wizard Magazine Wolverine Special that I read as a kid . I remember several of the members were listed as friends of Wolverine in a friend or foe segment, and being excited there was this Canadian super hero team with a strong connection to Wolverine and his past.
JZ: I think the first time I saw any characters from Alpha Flight was reading back issues issues of Uncanny X-Men. My brother was obsessed with X-Men and I really enjoyed digging through his collection. In issue #109, "Weapon Alpha" (who I remember Banshee insultingly calls "Major Maple Leaf" at one point) shows up and causes trouble for Wolverine and the team.
Seeing that Canadian flag on a Marvel character was really cool to me as a kid, even if he was sort of a villain in that issue.
I'd go on to read the Alpha Flight series and loved that iconic John Byrne artwork.
Who are your favourite Alpha characters? Are your favourites to write / draw different to your favourites to read about?
EB: Puck is always a ton of fun, but I'm always drawn back to Guardian and Vindicator -- their relationship and struggles ground the team for me.
MD: I think Puck is my favourite, I love agile characters, and underpowered characters that rely on skill and training. Combined with the fact that he was so unique looking, Puck really stood out to me. The story I worked on focuses on Talisman and Snowbird, who were incredibly fun to draw, so I was very happy to be able to work on them, and contribute to their story
JZ: Snowbird is a big one. I love the supernatural-otherworldly nature to her origin and powers. Puck is also a favourite. I love his attitude and the way he fights. Both of them are unique and visually engaging.
It's been noted that one of Alpha Flight's hidden strengths as a team is how it normalized otherwise marginalized spaces in the Marvel Universe - characters had physical disabilities, mental health problems, or were from under-represented minorities and the book didn't make a big deal out of that. What was your approach to handling those areas?
MD: I think it's fantastic to have characters that in some way reflect the diversity of Canada as a nation. Snowbird and Talisman are two complex, interesting characters, and Jim wrote them as such. In drawing them, I tried to do those qualities justice.
JZ: Showing that a super hero story can happen in a remote community, not just a big city, and that all of our characters are worth digging into and exploring, no matter their background.
The team's costumes haven't really changed for 40 years. What do you think it is that makes them so iconic?
EB: I honestly think it's the simplicity of the costumes. They're straight and to the point. You get a sense of who these characters are just from looking at them and so there's no sense in messing with that. Anytime they've gotten make-overs it's not been great.
MD: Like the best classic super hero costumes, the majority of the Alpha Flight costumes are simple, yet distinctive and original. Any time you can use two colours, and make something original and instantly recognizable, you're going to have a great design. There are quite a few characters on Alpha Flight who have achieved that.
JZ: Good design sticks. It's as simple as that. Some of the cast have seen iterative changes, but the core of those designs stick around because they're really solid, in terms of linear design and also the bold and clear colours.
As we're in a renaissance of superhero exposure on the big screen; if Alpha Flight was ever made into a movie, who would your dream cast members be?
EB: I'm gonna keep my cast 100% Canadian:
Ryan Gosling as Guardian
Rachel McAdams as Vindicator
Callum Keith Rennie as Walter/Sasquatch
Shay Mitchell as Aurora
Xavier Dolan as North Star
Seth Rogan (with the aid of CGI) as Puck
A.J. Cook as Snowbird
Devery Jacobs as Talisman
Adam Beach as Shaman
MD: I'll stick to the casting Canadians theme, and cast the characters in the story I worked on.
Talisman - Cara Gee
Snowbird - Katheryn Winnick
JZ: I'm terrible at the TV-movie casting game. Other people who obsess over this stuff will have way better suggestions than anyone I could come up with off the top of my head. In my mind and when I write, they're comic characters and that's enough for me
ALPHA FLIGHT:TRUE NORTH is in stores today, with two covers.
Digital versions can be purchased through Comixology at https://www.comixology.com/Alpha-Fli...l-comic/786253
If you like the issue please let Marvel know - officex@marvel.com - and mark your e-mail 'Okay to print'!
Many thanks to Ed, Max & Jim, and to Editor Chris Robinson at Marvel.
Questions compiled by Phil Thomas, Andrew Monkman, Rob Plass, Mik Bennett and Gareth Hopkins
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