The Flight

For the 1970 Soviet film, see The Flight (film).
The Flight

The Flight team on the cover of Alpha Flight Special vol. 2, #1.
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Alpha Flight Special vol. 2 #1 (1992)
Created by Scott Lobdell
Pat Broderick
In-story information
Base(s) Flight Ranch
Member(s) Groundhog
Saint Elmo
Smart Alec
Snowbird
Stitch
Wolverine
Roster
See:List of Flight members

The Flight was a Canadian superhero team in the Marvel Comics universe. Their first (and, to date, only) appearance was in Alpha Flight Special vol. 2, #1 (1992).

The Flight was the designation for the Canadian superhero team first formed by Department H. Also founded by James Hudson, this team was inexperienced and taught Hudson the need for a tier system in Department H's use of superhumans. Thus Alpha Flight, Beta Flight, and Gamma Flight were created and developed.

Fictional team history

Inspired by the debut of the Fantastic Four, James MacDonald Hudson refined the purpose of Department H to find and/or develop Canada's superheroes.[1] New recruit Groundhog joins Snowbird, St. Elmo, Stitch, Wolverine (as Weapon X), and Smart Alec in training. Within a week, the Flight is pressed into their first battle with Egghead's Emissaries of Evil. Egghead threatens the United States from Canadian soil with a nuclear missile. Smart Alec disables the missile's guidance system, but Egghead triggers the detonation sequence. Smart Alec panics leading to St. Elmo transforming the missile and the bomb into light. St. Elmo succeeds, but loses himself in the process. Groundhog and Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen scold Hudson for sending the team into battle while so inexperienced, with a near psychotic leader (Weapon X) and someone who folds under pressure. Hudson thus makes plans for a tier team system; while Groundhog leaves Department H. Afterwards Alpha Flight was formed to act as a Canadian superhero team.[2]

Other versions

What If?

In an issue of What If? titled "What if... Wolverine had battled Weapon X?", the Flight members were in the middle of their training when Guy Desjardins (Weapon X) breaks free after the eponymous program left Desjardins in the hands of Department H.

References

  1. Byrne, John (w, a). "Origin of Alpha Flight: Purpose" Alpha Flight 3: 18–22 (October 1983), New York, New York: Marvel Comics
  2. Lobdell, Scott, Simon Furman (w), Broderick, Patrick (p), Patterson, Bruce (i). "First Flight" Alpha Flight Special v2, 1 (1992), New York, New York: Marvel Comics

External links