Monday, July 24, 2006

Alpha Flight!

Todays entry is in part inspired by Jay Stephens' contribution to Project Rooftop! I love that Jay made the Shaman into more of an Indian totem than just a man in tights. Very cool!

I've been wanting to draw Alpha Flight in an animated-ey style for a few months now...in fact it's been on my "To Do" list since December of last year! That drawing of Jay's was just the kick in the seat of the pants that I needed to get something done. This is not a re-design in the vein of Project Rooftop...although I am thinking it'd be fun.

Naturally, I've been re-reading all of my Alpha Flights since I started drawing this...and it struck me as odd that John Byrne spent TEN whole issues establishing the individual character's in their own issues as well as back-up stories before he got them together as a team just to KILL one of them (I won't say who because there may yet be a "new reader" out there :)

Yes, they teamed up in the very first issue and were still sort of together by issue two...but the stories quickly turned into non-team comics. Not that I mind, actually. I think if I'd been a reader back when the issues had come out I'd have probably skipped the issues with Northstar and Aurora...too much talking! I LOVE the two issues with Sasquatch fighting the Super Skrull! I think Byrne must have loved that Super Skrull because he used him again to re-vive Iron Fist in the pages of Namor!

I'll sign off now before this becomes a comic book review blog!

best,
j.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice! Great animated take on these characters. It's been years since I read any Alpha Flight books. Must dig them out an relive them.

j. said...

Thanks Don!
As I said I've been reading them again...and that Super Skrull issue is still the killerest! Sure the death of so-and-so was shocking and heartbreaking but I like aliens fightin' with bigfoot!!

:)

I think I most definitely need to do a drawing of Omega Flight if only because Wild Child is wicked!

j.

Unknown said...

V COOOL!!

j. said...

Thanks, Alina! I always love when I see a comment from you on a blog...because the vampire ice cream is so cute!

j.

j. said...

Thanks, J.
I'd love to see a Justice Friends treatment given to an Alpha Flight cartoon, eh! They bickered enough like roommates!

My friend Steve pointed out to me one of Snowbird's best lines..."Teach me to be a woman!" Ooh, such soap opera dialogue!

j.

Chris Battle said...

Aw, man.... Alpha Flight really takes me back! The Saturday morning cartoon-watchin' kid I was would've loved this :)