Amazing Heroes Issue #117 Representative Page

Amazing Heroes Issue #117 Representative Page

Periodical
Comic Strips

In the first page of “Alpha Flight: Grounded: Why Marvel’s Canadian Super-Team Never Worked,” by Garry R. Jones, Jones discusses a number of reasons why Alpha Flight never worked in an extremely blunt manner. As a whole, Jones notes how the Alpha Flight writers did not give this comic proper care and attention. It could have been a success and Alpha Flight could have become the super team of the 1980s. However, the writers lack of motivation was clearly seen throughout the comics. Jones describes a number of issues throughout his article that occurred in Alpha Flight including frequent typographical errors and a lack of understandable storytelling with unexplained motivation of the characters. The characters also lacked characterization. Jones goes on to describe different instances in the comics in which these issues exist. He also includes five panels from the first Alpha Flight comic book in the top right of this publication. He uses this issue as evidence to back up his stance on the downfall of Alpha Flight. In these panels there is a clear misspelling of “Marrina,” one of the characters in the comic. Luckily, this typo was corrected by the time it was published unlike other errors found within the comic.
Alpha Flight is a team of Canadian superheroes that appeared in American comic books. It was published by Marvel comics and created by writer/artist John Byrne. These characters premiered for the first time in The Uncanny X-Men #120 in April 1979 prior to receiving their own comic book series from 1983 through 1994. It is also important to note that they are the first non-American super team that have their own title in Marvel comics. Alpha Flight includes Aurora, Guardian, Marrina, Northstar, Puck, Sasquatch, Shaman, Snowbird, Talisman, and Vindicator. These characters have distinct Canadian attributes, such as having Inuit or First Nations heritage. There was a bit of controversy regarding the writers of Alpha Flight. It has been noted that Canada has a great creative community. Even Superman’s Joe Shuster was born in Toronto. However, very few Canadian writers have written for Alpha Flight. Alpha Flight creator, John Byrne grew up in Canada, but he was not born there, nor does he live there now. He also does not claim Canadian nationality. It has been determined that only one Canadian has been a lead creator for Alpha Flight over the years. This is incredibly problematic because it is more likely that someone who was born and raised in Canada will portray this Canadian superhero team correctly. Despite this and despite Jones’s opinion about Alpha Flight in the Amazing Heroes article, Alpha Flight was successful for many years and was printed in various sources of media up until 2011. Additionally, it is crucial to point out that Jones’s opinion article was written in 1987 and he would not know that Alpha Flight would continue to be sold for many years. It is even possible that Alpha Flight will appear in film in the future.

Editor: Kim Thompson
Art Directors: Dale Crain, Peppy White, and Doug Erb
News Correspondent: J. Collier
Production Assistant: Teresa Moore
Typesetting: L.M. Gorell & Arlene Easter
Circulation: Rachel Enger

MSU Special Collection Comic Art, PN6725.A47

Fantagraphics, Inc.

May 15th, 1987

Madeline Alpert

Rights Restriction Apply

Cover
http://chambl91.msu.domains/CriticalFanscape/items/show/13

Table of Contents
http://chambl91.msu.domains/CriticalFanscape/items/show/49

Comic, 6 and 5/8 x 10 and 1/4 inches, black & white

English

Periodical

1981-1992