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| Last Updated: Jul 5, 2008 - 8:12:15 PM |
Omega Flight #1 of 5
Marvel Comics
Writer: Michael Avon Oeming
Artist: Scott Kolins
Now that the civil war in the United States is over, and that the super hero community is organized, many villains are going up North to escape their control and continue to be villains. As Alpha Flight, the long time super hero team, was recently decimated after the House of M, there are no super heroes left to defend Canada. Can Alpha Flight reorganize itself and confronts the onslaught of villains invading the True North?
Marvel Comics has always had problems knowing what to do with its Canadian super heroes. Created as a mix between the Avengers and the X-Men, Alpha Flight was at first very appealing for all readers, not just Canadians. After John Byrne left, the publisher tried a series of things to keep the franchise afloat which includes revamping it every few years and trying several creative teams. It seems to have found a voice for this series, or perhaps, a temporary avenue worth trying. I don’t understand how things work at Marvel Comics these days, but it seems that this series was announced as open-ended but is now a five-part mini-series to test the waters.
This version of Marvel’s Canadian super heroes is very entertaining. I was slow to read this book. Very slow, because, as a Canadian, I resented how they had introduced so many American characters. But within the premise of the story, they managed to explain it convincingly and win me over.
Writer Oeming understands the characters and what motivates them. Here Sasquatch is the central figure, just like in the previous series. It makes sense to focus on Sasquatch as he is the most unique character from Alpha Flight. No one is quite like him in the Marvel universe. So again Sasquatch is the backbone of a new team. Here there isn’t much about his personality. All the geekyness is gone and he plays his part in a plot.
The character with the most development is Talisman who takes over her father and thanks to Oeming, shows that her Native roots run deep.
Oeming does something else quite well. He captures Canadian resentment toward Americans with just enough tact and not pushing it too far. I like how the Prime Minister comments that they’ve had super hero registration for years and did not go into a civil war over it. I also like the comment from the liaison agent Brown about how Tony Stark single handedly created the problem of the civil war causing others to clean up his act. This is precious Canadian humour and something people “up North” will relate quite well. This book is nevertheless quite appealing for non Canadians. It’s just good.
Kolins for me, has always reminded me of Larroca. But here, we see a lot of John Byrne influence from the design and the dynamism. The characters have real weight and you can feel their presence on a page. I especially like his Sasquatch which is one of the best interpretations since Byrne. Although a savage beast, he still has a nobility about his that inspire confidence.
10/10
Related Articles:
ALPHA FLIGHT #1
Alpha Flight: Vindicating Guardian
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