REVIEW: ‘Alpha Flight,’ Issue #1

Alpha Flight #1 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Ed Brisson, art by Scott Godlewski, colors by Matt Milla, and letters by Travis Lanham. After the X-Men retreated from Earth and Orchis began making all mutants seem like a threat to humanity, the Canadian Government reinstates the Alpha Flight program. But now the human members will be forced to hunt down mutants.

This issue is intelligent and interesting. Blending the old history of Alpha Flight and its adaptation into the space stations Captain Marvel manned with the present-day Fall of X storyline. By splitting the team, that friction is generated instantly. The whole book is uncomfortable and intense, with the distrust and hateful attitudes towards Mutants highlighting the negative atmosphere that surrounds every X-Men-related comic at the moment. But the mission is given, and the soldiers must be sent out.

The comic feels oppressive and negative due to the fact that you actually don’t want Alpha Flight to succeed in their mission, which is an extremely odd feeling in a superhero book such as this. The action is amazing, with a surprising influx of characters towards the end of the issue that energizes the pace. And the reveal ensures that the next chapter will be something completely different.

Alpha Flight #1 raises some interesting questions about the initial idea for this team and its place within modern comics. That is due to a change in overall mindset and public opinion about government operations’ connection with superheroes. Over the last few years, superhero teams have changed from being enforcement soldiers controlled by politicians of government agencies to fit a more peaceful remit of protection and saving lives instead.

This issue superbly lays out that quandary openly here, with the discomfort around the remit for the team present from the first page and still there at the last. The dialogue is awesome, not leaving any possible argument or witty piece of humor to waste. What does shine through is the distrust around mutants that has resurfaced with a vengeance since the Hellfire Gala. That forms the crux of the moral standpoint for the issue. 

What I did love about this book is how everything centers around Alpha Flight, not the X-Men. The characters involved are from their history as a team. This is even the case for some of the characters that are not part of the primary story yet, with a small aside happening alongside the team’s mission. It solidifies the identity of the team as an entity in its own right.

The art is immaculate. The lines by Godlewski are amazingly clean and crisp. The initial lineup for the Alpha Flight squad is only four; Guardian, Snowbird, Puck, and Shaman. All of them look phenomenal with practically unchanged costumes. Not altering anything helps manifest the nostalgia that Alpha Flight embodies. The fights are awesome, utilizing the sheer variety of powers that can be seen to evolve how the battle progresses. Whilst the tone of the comic is negative, I do not feel that is portrayed in the art at all. The fights are energetic and superbly choreographed.

The colors are stunning, having a terrific relationship with the line art. There are parts of the book where the page gets dark, but the vibrancy of the costumes and the superpowers lift it when it is necessary to do so. Most of the Alpha Flight uniforms are dual-colored, making them instantly recognizable alongside each other. The lettering is the same font as all X-Men-affiliated comics.

Alpha Flight #1 gives the Canadian superhero team a real chance to shine. The comic is individual to them, the friends they have lost, the battles they’ve faced together. What is happening in Fall of X carves opens the group and explores what Alpha Flight is supposed to mean. The name’s been plastered on satellites and not actually affixed to a team in a while, but this resurrects family, or part of it at least. This is a thoughtful, gorgeous book that also contains phenomenal action.

Alpha Flight #1 is available where comics are sold.