Monday, August 15, 2011

Alpha Flight #3 (of 8)

I'm still on the fence with the new version of Alpha Flight.

One the one hand, I agree with almost everything the creative team has done.

They've restored the team's original line-up with relatively minor tinkering (Marrina looks and acts different and Puck and Vindicator are apparently crazy), but they've also turned the team into outlaws and most of Canada's leaders have apparently gone mad.

The story by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente is all over the map. There's a feeble attempt to link this mini-series with Fear Itself, but in this issue, the connection is almost non-existent. Alpha Flight is forced to go on the run - then they stop - and then they run again. Aurora is losing her mind - and then, after a disturbing incident, she's fine.

There just seem to be too many ideas (and characters) flying around here, and I suspect any new reader will be completely lost.

I like Dale Eaglesham's art a lot, although there's so much story here, he doesn't have much room to flex his artistic muscles - but the story is clean and clearly told.

Three issues in (and five to go) and I'm still not sure if I like this series. Apparently there are big events in the wind, so I'll hang on for now - but just barely.

Grade: B-

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