ALPHA FLIGHT 21
a special, and a two issue-limited series, X-Men and Alpha Flight (1985). Th e fi rst
eight issues have been collected as Alpha Flight Classic, Vol. 1 , with additional volumes
expected, while the limited series can be found in Essential X-Men Vol. 5 (with Alpha
Flight’s earlier appearances in the previous volumes).
Th e second Alpha Flight series featured several members of the original team and ran
for 20 issues (1997–99). Steve Seagle and Duncan Rouleau were among the creators, and
during this period there was also a one-shot subtitled “In the Beginning” (numbered “-1”
as part of 1997’s Flashback Month) and the annual Alpha Flight/ Inhumans ’98. Th e third
Alpha Flight series, done by Scott Lobdell, Clayton Henry, and Mark Morales, only lasted
12 issues (2004–5), featured almost none of the original team, and has been entirely col-
lected. Following recent events, a new team, Omega Flight, was formed; they appeared in
a fi ve-issue limited series (2007) by Michael Avon Oeming and Scott Kolins, which has
been collected. A related story that year from Marvel Comics Presents by Rich Koslowski
and Andrea DiVito was also collected as Weapon Omega.
Originally, Alpha Flight worked for the Canadian Government’s Department H
and was started by James McDonald Hudson, who had developed a suit that allowed
him to fl y and shoot energy beams. He then developed the various “Flights,” Alpha
Flight (active group), Beta Flight (senior in-training group), and Gamma Flight ( junior
in-training group). Th ere were two people who were instrumental in helping him in
those early days—his wife Heather and the mutant known as Wolverine. However,
when Wolverine left to join the X-Men, Hudson, now draped in the Canadian Flag
and calling himself Weapon Alpha, was sent to bring him back ( X-Men #109, 1978).
Th e X-Men stopped him but soon he tried again and this time he had help.
In X-Men #120 (1979) the X-Men encounter Alpha Flight. Besides Hudson, now
calling himself Vindicator, the group includes Sasquatch (aka Dr. Walter Langkowski),
a scientist who can turn into a super strong Bigfoot-like creature; French-Canadian
siblings Jean-Paul and Jean Marie Beaubier who, as Northstar and Aurora, possess the
mutant power of super speed and fl ight; Shaman (aka Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen), a
member of Canada’s First Nations who possesses a mystical medicine bag; and Snow-
bird, the daughter of a goddess and a mortal man, who can change into various animals.
Th e group parts as friends and would work together again, but soon Department H is
shut down and Alpha Flight is left without a home.
When the giant mystical Great Beast known as Tundra threatens Canada (Vol. 1 #1
1983), the team reforms along with former Beta Flight members Puck (an acrobatic
dwarf ) and Marrina (an amphibious woman). In their next adventure, Vindicator
changes his name to Guardian, and the team fi ghts the villain known as the Master;
Marrina learns of her alien origins and leaves the team to be with, and later marry, Th e
Sub-Mariner.
Over the next 11 years the team underwent many changes. Th e Master returned,
as did the other Great Beasts. Th e team worked with other heroes and fought evil,
both solo and as a group. Members changed their names, left and returned, and others
joined. New members over the years have included Shaman’s daughter Talisman, who
