How does JB feel about his work on ALPHA FLIGHT?
I’ve heard you say more than once that you disliked your ALPHA FLIGHT run. Was it the art or the writing that you thought fell down? JB: Alpha Flight (the team) were never really meant to be anything more than a bunch of superheroes who could survive a fight with the X-Men. They had no real depth, and I resisted suggestions that they get their own book for a couple of years. Then, finally, realizing Marvel would probably get someone else to do it, if I didn’t, I relented and agreed. (Sidebar: ALPHA FLIGHT #1 was the biggest selling comic of its day — 500,000 copies!!) Down through the years, a number of Gay fans have approached me to say “thanks” for ALPHA FLIGHT and NorthStar, so I suppose it justifies its existence in that way — but as a whole, except for a couple of bright moments, the book just never gelled for me, art- or story-wise.
I’ve heard you say more than once that you disliked your ALPHA FLIGHT run. Was it the art or the writing that you thought fell down? JB: Alpha Flight (the team) were never really meant to be anything more than a bunch of superheroes who could survive a fight with the X-Men. They had no real depth, and I resisted suggestions that they get their own book for a couple of years. Then, finally, realizing Marvel would probably get someone else to do it, if I didn’t, I relented and agreed. (Sidebar: ALPHA FLIGHT #1 was the biggest selling comic of its day — 500,000 copies!!) Down through the years, a number of Gay fans have approached me to say “thanks” for ALPHA FLIGHT and NorthStar, so I suppose it justifies its existence in that way — but as a whole, except for a couple of bright moments, the book just never gelled for me, art- or story-wise.