Alpha Flight Questionnaire

[Alphan East]

Calimee was probably my least-favourite artist on the book.

He was without a doubt my least favourite in the entire run.
His artwork was... just awful.

[Phil]

John is the first person to admit that.

[Tawmis]

John is the first person to admit that.

You know the whole - he didn't have the dark side to him - certainly would explain a lot. (But still - who was to blame for Sorcerer's original design? Because... seriously...)

[Human Fly]

I echo Northcotts memory of riding my bike around to all the little towns trying to find the latest issue of Alpha Flight and X-Men. I finally got smart and begged my parents to get me a monthly subscription. looking back its one of my fondest memories....everywhere I went or got dragged to I would always check out those spinning racks.

[Human Fly]

I also hated the name Major Maple Leaf but looking back I liked the concept of a retired Canadian Superhero who could still go up against Northstar. Didn't like that that they turned him into a child abuser. I think it was the fact that they hinted at a past with Puck that I found intriguing. It would be cool to read a back story with those 2 set before all the rest of the AlphaFlight characters.

[zephyr74]

1. How long have you been collecting Alpha Flight?
I only collected vol. 1 religiously.
2. What was your first memory of Alpha Flight? If recent, what was your first reaction?
I believe the first Great Beasts story. Byrne's art was just fantastic and his gift for writing team books is a special talent.
3. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight character?
Heather.
4. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight character?
Maybe the Auctioneer. LOL
5. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight villain?
Tie between the Master and Dream Queen.
6. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight villain?
The Auctioneer.
7. What do you think is the best issue / story-arch from Alpha Flight?
Heather taking over as leader and eventually becoming Guardian.
8. What do you consider the Alpha Flight "Dream Team"?
Heather, Puck, Sasquatch, Northstar, Aurora, Snowbird, Shaman, Talisman, Madison Jeffries.
Also a big fan of having a Beta Flight junior team.
9. If you were to be stuck on a desert island with one member of Alpha Flight, Who would it be (powers can not get you off the island)
Heather.
10. Who was/is/could be the best leader of Alpha Flight?
Heather, by far.
11. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight writer?
John Byrne.
12. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight writer?
James Hudnall.
13. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight artist?
John Byrne.
14. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight artist?
Probably Tom Morgan as I'm not a fan of cartoonish art on superhero books.
I know most fans loathe John Calimee because of the spare unfinished look of his art (and I did, too) , but, his draftsmanship and storytelling were actually quite good. I've gone back to his run and if another artist worked from his layouts, they would've been dynamic.
15. If you could undo one thing in Alpha Flight history, what would it be?
Oof, how do I limit this to ONE thing. Honestly...any and all returns of James Hudson. I actually believed and trusted that John Byrne made the right choice for the series.

[Le Messor]

Well, Zephyr, I agree with pretty much everything you said. Including about Calimee's layouts.

[zephyr74]

Well, Zephyr, I agree with pretty much everything you said. Including about Calimee's layouts.

Thanks, Le Messor.

[Le Messor]

Welcome.

[zephyr74]

Le Messor, I just realized that I already did this questionnaire once seven years ago! At least I'm fairly consistent in my feelings about AF.

1. How long have you been collecting Alpha Flight?
From the beginning up until almost the end of Vol. 1.
2. What was your first memory of Alpha Flight? If recent, what was your first reaction?
My cousin was a fan and I bought the first Bill Mantlo scribed issue.
3. Who is you favorite Alpha Flight character?
Heather Hudson/ (Vindicator).
4. Who is you least favorite Alpha Flight character?
Probably Feedback or some other obsolete newer character.
5. Who is you favorite Alpha Flight villain?
Dreamqueen.
6. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight villain?
That strange Arabian genie person/creature associated with Puck's past.
7. What do you think is the best issue / story-arch from Alpha Flight?
Death of original Guardian--->Heather becoming leader.
8. What do you consider the Alpha Flight "Dream Team"?
Heather, Puck, Sasquatch, Northstar, Aurora, Snowbird, Madison Jeffries, and Talisman.
9. If you were to be stuck on a desert island with one member of Alpha Flight, Who would it be (powers can not get you off the island)
Heather.
10. Who was/is/could be the best leader of Alpha Flight?
Heather. She proved she was a good leader with or without powers.
11. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight writer?
John Byrne.
12. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight writer?
Simon Furman.
13. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight artist?
John Byrne. (Dave Ross is a close second.)
14. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight artist?
Pat Broderick aka "The one who drew Aurora with really big hair".
15. If you could undo one thing in Alpha Flight history, what would it be?
Every single ressurection of James Hudson, except for Delphine Courtney.

P.S. I thought June Brigman also did a good job on AF, even though her run was brief.

[Le Messor]

Nice to see the consistency!

[Yankee]

Note, this was not sent to me when I joined so I figured I'll fill it out here:

1. How long have you been collecting Alpha Flight?

I've never technically collected it, but I read through all the trades beginning about two months ago from Alpha Flight 1 1983 to Issue 8 of the Unity storyline which I finished about two weeks ago.

2. What was your first memory of Alpha Flight? If recent, what was your first reaction?

My first memory is from reading The trade Uncanny XMen Volume 1 when I was in middle school and seeing Weapon Alpha attack Wolverine.

3. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight character?

Puck (Eugene Judd). Just I love characters that can crack jokes yet know the exact moments to be serious and just in general be a kind hearted soul that can kick ass. Plus he's an Edmonton Eskies fan!

4. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight character?

I hate saying this as she started off with so much potential but I have to say Vindicator, especially after their tamarind island base got destroyed. She became extremely selfish prone to temper tantrums see her entire early "where's the rat poison" demenor with Goblyn, constantly picking apart her teammates (other than Madison when they were lovers) flaws while rarely giving them confidence boosts and praising their strengths. After she and Madison broke up I was starting to get into her again( I thought her relationship with Diamond Lil at this point was excellent, particularly for her being the one to convince Lil to get her cancer treated). . .until she cold-blooded murdered her cousin and stole her daughter back with out any comeuppance or remorse. Yes she never got the unity process undone, but the way it was written, it seemed implied it was for the best that she didn't get it reversed, which is ludicrous. She is a brainwashed potential threat raising an innocent child.

5. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight villain?

Jaxxon. Simple revenge motivation works best.

6. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight villain?

The Sorceror. Just another in a really long line of mystical alpha flight villains, a trait in their villains I thought was wayyyyy too utilized , and he was the worst of the bunch.

7. What do you think is the best issue / story-arc from Alpha Flight?

Best Story arc is issues 1-15 of volume one, specifically the long reveal of Jaxxon, the way Mac died, and Heather's reaction to the man she loved being vaporized in front of her, potentially because she accidently distracted him. That was just epic storytelling

8. What do you consider the Alpha Flight "Dream Team"?

Guardian, Vindicator, Puck, Sasquatch, North Star, Aurora,

9. If you were to be stuck on a desert island with one member of Alpha Flight, Who would it be (powers can not get you off the island)?

Either Diamond Lil or Female Puck.

10. Who was/is/could be the best leader of Alpha Flight?

tie between Puck and Sasquatch.

11. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight writer?

John Byrne

12. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight writer?

Whoever penned Volume 3. So much potential story wasted. i like to believe it was Daniel way working under a pseudonym, as virtually every problem I had with his run on deadpool( my favorite comics character) was repeated in volume 3.

13. Who is your favorite Alpha Flight artist?

John Byrne

14. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight artist?

whoever drew the vast majority of Volume 2. Again I'm sorry I don't remember the name.

15. If you could undo one thing in Alpha Flight history, what would it be?

The Collective killing them off in New Avengers. yes the majority came back to life eventually but a.) two of the newest characters Mapleleaf and female Puck remained dead, without the latters relationship with her heavily implied biological father The Male Puck ever being explored. Judd has a grandson he will likely never know is his nor does he know he had a daughter and a son in law. Also I wanted to see how Maple leaf and Female puck were handled under a serious writer. I imagine they would be comic equivalents of Wash and Zoe from Firefly. B.) there was no purpose to the team's death other than shock value. It showed immense disrespect to the characters and their fanbase.

[Yankee]

I do want to clarify I do not hate Heather McNeil. far from it. I loved her before Macs first death, I loved her as the leader before she became vindicator, I even loved her when she became vindicator. II loved her ithroughout the rest of volume 1 following her and Madison's split. What I hated were the two periods of a.) her entire romance with Madison Jefferies ( I didn't hate the romance, but I hated how on many occasions she put the safety of her lover ahead of the safety of the entire team, and would chew out others at the slightest error ( with Puck topping the frequency) and b.) the ending to the unity storyline. The problem is those two periods i hated soured me so much that i can't honestly say I hate any other character more

[Le Messor]

I've never technically collected it, but I read through all the trades beginning about two months ago...
I hate saying this as she started off with so much potential but I have to say Vindicator, especially after their tamarind island base got destroyed...
The Sorceror. Just another in a really long line of mystical alpha flight villains, a trait in their villains I thought was wayyyyy too utilized , and he was the worst of the bunch.

You've read quite a bit more than the trades! How did you get your hands on those?

12. Who is your least favorite Alpha Flight writer?
Whoever penned Volume 3.

That would be Scott Lobdell. He also had a brief run on volume 1.

15. If you could undo one thing in Alpha Flight history, what would it be?
The Collective killing them off in New Avengers... It showed immense disrespect to the characters and their fanbase.

I agree with all you wrote for this answer. That was a terrible story.

~ Le Messor
"Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark."
~ Rabindranath Tagore

[Yankee]

I found them online digitally