Review of OMEGA FLIGHT #1

Omega Flight #1As the Superhuman Registration Act comes into force in the U.S., those wishing to avoid its purview, like the Wrecking Crew this month, are flooding into Canada. With superhuman crime escalating, the time has come for a new Canadian super-team. But with much of Alpha Flight dead (slaughtered off-panel in New Avengers), who will rise to face the challenge?

This first issue begins the building of the newly-codenamed Omega Flight and concentrates on Walter Langkowski (Sasquatch) as, under governmental supervision, he takes the first steps towards the formation of the group. Fans of the John Byrne run of Alpha Flight will be pleased to see a heavy focus on Shaman’s daughter Talisman, whose reluctance to join up will no doubt be a temporary one.Comment:  Alas. This issue confirms that everyone in the original Alpha Flight died except Sasquatch. With Shaman and Snowbird dead and Yukon Jack described as half-crazed, Marvel's aboriginal heroes have been decimated.

Elizabeth "Talisman" Twoyoungmen has taken on the role of Shaman for her Sarcee tribe. She appears at a powwow or fair telling stories to visitors. The scene looks generic but not stereotypical.

She tells the tale of the tribe's first Shaman and describes "Shaman" as a hereditary title. Since the shaman concept originally came from Siberia and women rarely hold the position, this doesn't ring true. I don't see a young Westernized woman becoming a tribe's hereditary shaman.

A big white owl comes to Elizabeth in a dream, which suggests that Snowbird may have survived. I wouldn't be surprised if the entire Alpha Flight came back to life just like the entire Doom Patrol did. In fact, I'd say it's practically inevitable.

Other than that, I agree with the review above. The comic is a curious mix of elements with a certain amount of promise. We'll see how it plays out over the next four issues.