Alpha Flight #10

[suzene]

Title: Alpha Flight #10 back-up: Family Ties (Marvel, 1984, 6 pages of 22)
Creators: John Byrne (writing and art)
Availability: Out of Print

For the first year of Alpha Flight, the book frequently switched format from the usual 22-page adventure to a shorter main story followed by a six page back-up feature telling the origin of a member of Alpha Flight, usually a mix of how characters came to gain/discover their powers, and how they joined up with the team. Issues #2 and #3 show the genesis of the technology that would come to power James Hudson's Guardian suit, his budding relationship with Heather, and how he fell in with Department H; #5 and #6 follow Micheal Twoyoungmen on his path to becoming Shaman; #7 and #8 explore Snowbird's birth, Shaman's stewardship of the young demigod, and her introduction to Hudson; #9 presents the emergence of Jeanne-Marie's powers, the abuse that brought Aurora to the fore, and how Wolverine brought her into the fold over at Department H; #10 was Northstar and Aurora meeting for the first time and agreeing to join Alpha Flight; and #11 was Walter Langkowski performing the experiments that would turn him into Sasquatch. Marrina never got an origin story in this vein, but her background and origin were covered in the book itself. Puck, IMO, just got robbed -- how there could be no room put aside to explore the adventures and recruitment of a smart-mouthed, butt-kicking, cartwheeling achondroplastic adventurer is a puzzlement to me.

But let's take a brief glimpse at the first meeting of the Beaubier twins.

( Two pages total beneath the cut )

Suggested tags: creator: john byrne, title: alpha flight, char: northstar/jean-paul beaubier, char: aurora/jeanne-marie beaubier, char: guardian/james macdonald hudson

CHAOS WAR

[sherkahn]

Looks like the Heroic Age has begun it's climax already.

Word War Hulk
Secret Invasion
Dark Reign
Thanos Imperative

All of these events have led to this.


The Chaos War

Major Marvel Universe SPOILERS behind the cut. I kid you not!


( A call to arms )

I promise... I've given up games of murder

[stubbleupdate]

Fantastic Four #580 was like a little done in one that contains an entire story, the continuiation of another story, the beginning of another huge arc and a continuation of the Nu Earth stuff, which is just confusing to me.
CBR's buy pile puts it in the "meh" pile, but my thoughts on that chuckle-butty are well known.
IGN's review gives it an 8.5 (great) and says that Although it's been clear with each passing issue that Jonathan Hickman is hell bent on repositioning Fantastic Four as the boldest, most exciting and imaginative superhero comic on the stands, Fantastic Four #580 proves once again that the writer has not left the fun part out of the equation. This is one immensely amusing comic, one that utilizes the episodic format Hickman has utilized many times throughout his run on this title while also pushing his greater epic forward in important, and in this case profoundly powerful, directions.
CBR's actual review gives the issue 4 stars out of 5 and says Johnny Storm. Franklin Richards. Leech. Arcade. The Impossible Man. And last but not least, a toy store. If you're thinking, "This has the potential for greatness," then you're right. Jonathan Hickman is nearing the end of his first year on "Fantastic Four" and in many ways, I think this issue sums up everything that's worked so far...If you aren't reading "Fantastic Four" these days, now's a great time to check it out and see just what you've been missing.

( Getting away with murder* )

Tag it with creator: Jonathan Hickman, title: Fantastic Four, character: human torch/johnny storm, character: arcade,*

Morrison & Vallely: BIBLE JOHN: A Forensic Meditation (part 1-2)

[jlroberson]

Say, just how many comics has Morrison written for with the word "Crisis" in the title anyway?

( Skeletons haunt the waterfront )

Tags: creator: grant morrison, creator: daniel vallely, title: crisis, publisher: fleetway

Superman gets Grounded

[superboyprime]

With Superman #700, JMS's run on the title has begun. The extra-sized issue contains the prologue to his first arc: Grounded.

( Four pages )

tags
creator: j. michael straczynski, title: superman, publisher: dc comics

Superheroes: Down but never out

[arbre_rieur]

( Four pages... )

title: irredeemable, creator: mark waid, creator: diego baretto, publisher: boom!

In Dreams

[arbre_rieur]

The recent "Grounded" business over in the Superman comic brought this story to mind. It's from Astro City #1, the first issue (and one of the best) of that series.



Come follow a day in the life of Samaritan, one of Astro City's resident crimefighters.

( Eight pages from a 24-page issue )

title: astro city, creator: kurt busiek, creator: brent anderson