Alpha Flight #1 – Review

By: Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente (writers), Dale Eaglesham (pencils), Andrew Hennessy (inks), Sonia Oback (colors), Simon Bowland (letters), Jake Thomas (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)

The Story: Alpha Flight is called into action to save Vancouver from one of the hammer-wielding “Worthy” of Fear Itself.

What’s Good: This is a title that had a LOT to live up to.  When I was a kid, everyone read Uncanny X-Men and while we all loved those stories, the “cool comic kids” read Alpha Flight.  I was lucky enough to catch the first 25 issues of John Byrne’s initial series and thought it was outstanding.  Then I missed all the later stuff that I know some people have derided, so I really hoped that this issue wouldn’t do anything to damage my memory of those first 25 issues from the early 80’s.

This isn’t a perfect comic (more on that below), but it’s pretty darn good and worthy of the Alpha Flight name.  The basic set up for the issue flings us right into the action as Attuma and his fancy FEAR ITSELF hammer storm ashore in Vancouver and start smashing stuff.  Alpha Flight joins the fight and in the matter of a few pages, the creative team has introduced us to the entire team by name and shown us how their powers work.  The whole issue is mostly a big, fast-paced fight scene that works really well and is enjoyable to read.

Dale Eaglesham is just a really solid superhero artist.  There’s a lot of different stuff for him to draw in this issue: muscular guys like Guardian, attractive women like Vindicator & Aurora, hairy & hulking characters like Sasquatch, and the whole pile of Attuma’s Atlantean forces.  Eaglesham nails them all.  The issue is also nicely inked and colored.  It is a very attractive superhero comic.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

DS’ Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Warlord of Mars #7 – The best issue so far in this most excellent series. It took the weekly prize hands down. You must buy this series.

Most Anticipated: Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris #4 – Wow. Kirby Genesis stands to be awesome, but the Colossus of Mars 5-issue arc in Dynamite’s ongoing Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris series (#4 out this week) is still on the top of my pull list. Dynamite is bringing the feel and authenticity of Burroughs’ Barsoom to us.

Other Picks: Executive Assistant Iris #0, Kirby Genesis #1, Alpha Flight #1, Captain America Corps #1, X-Men #13

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Journey into Mystery #624 – Truly among the very best comics being put out by the big two today, Journey into Mystery, or JIM as I like to call it, is a unique comic with gorgeous visuals and an immersive and characterful narrative experience.  If you are not reading this book and are at all interested in Marvel Comics, you are wrong and in need of correction.

Most Anticipated: Invincible Iron Man #505 – I seriously only have two comics to pick up on Wednesday.  I think that happens around twice a year.  It was either Iron Man or Avengers, so I’m going with the former.  Avengers’ current talking heads approach is a fun read, but not something I’m jumping up and down to get my hands on.  On the other hand, I was really digging the haunting, petrified Paris locale that Matt Fraction is conjuring up right now and am interested to see where it’s all going.

Other Picks: Avengers #14