In ye olden times, when a comic reached it's hundredth issue, that usually meant a double-sized extravaganza, and maybe a good time to check back with a book you hadn't read in a while. Maybe. From 1991, Alpha Flight #100, "The Final Option" Credits weren't in this issue, but per the GCD, written by Fabian Nicieza, pencils by Michael Bair, Tom Morgan, June Brigman, Dave Ross, and John Calimee; inks by Michael Bair, Chris Ivy, Danny Bulanadi, and Larry Mahlstedt.
A ton of plotlines come to a head here: the alien Consortium assaults Toronto; as another alien species, the Quwrlln, explain why they saved James Hudson, the original Guardian, from the explosion that apparently didn't kill him back in Alpha Flight #12: to get super-heroes to help them save their world from Galactus.
A brief aside: Hudson returns in AF #25, where he reveals the explosion actually threw him through a space warp to Ganymede, a moon of Jupiter. He nearly died, but aliens found and saved him, but put him and his suit together! This was revealed to be a lie the next issue, when Omega Flight trashes Alpha Flight and "Hudson" is revealed to be evil robot Delphine Courtney! Several years and several writers later, in AF #89, Hudson is found held prisoner in a Roxxon facility, and the alien story is revealed to have been true after all! Hudson is killed again this issue, and although he'd be back later, I don't think he and his wife Heather would wear their Canadian-flag costumes together again: they've had different outfits here and there, and offhand I don't recall which one was using Guardian and which one was Vindicator at the time, or if they've switched since.
The dimension the Quwrlln were stuck in played havoc with Galactus's "life functions," but not anyone else: apparently, whatever was wrong with the place was beyond mortal kin, but messed him up. The heroes mostly pummel the poor Big G, and Hudson sacrifices himself to move the Consortium's world-ship into the Quwrlln's place, and vice versa. Galactus eats the invaders, both Quwrlln and earth are safe, and everybody's happy. Everybody still alive that didn't know Mac, I guess.
The Avengers guest-star, with Hercules punching Galactus a bit, a very enthusiastic alien biting She-Hulk, Captain America and Black Widow helping Northstar and Puck infiltrate a Consortium ship, and writer Nicieza apparently forgetting Quasar was basically Green Lantern and could've been way more helpful. Cap does show Black Widow mad respect, when Northstar asks how she's going to get off the ship before it warps out, Cap just nonchalantly tells him not to worry about it.
I...I'm not sure that guy's trying to stop her, exactly.
2 comments:
Ha! No, I don;'t think he is. More like Mid-battle rape attempt.
I didn't know Guardian died so much after the first time. I know Bendis killed him and the rest of Alpha Flight off one last time, but then they got better?
And then to be brought back, but stuck in your suit as you main skin? Damn man, now that's harsh.
Darn, I miss Wendell!
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