Omega Flight #3

Background

Super villains are flooding into Canada after the Registration Act was passed in the U.S. and the Canadian government decides to create a new Flight team. Attempting to stop the Wrecking Crew on his own, Sasquatch is captured leaving Talisman, USAgent, Arachne, and the new Guardian, Michael Pointer to rescue him. However, Talisman has decided she'd rather kill Pointer to avenge the death of her father instead of working with him. Meanwhile, the Wrecking Crew head towards the Royal Ontario Museum (or ROM) at the call of an unknown being. Not only that, but another mysterious man has also been called there, carrying sketches of snow owls and a giant creature that looks like Sasquatch. Things are off to a bit of a rocky start for the new Omega Flight.

Story 'Alpha to Omega'

Things kick off with a bang as the Wrecking Crew burst into the ROM. Apparently too absorbed in his own thoughts, the mysterious sketch artist from the previous issue doesn't hear this. However, we do find out a bit about this man during his internal monologue. His name is Simon Walters, which should be familiar to those who can think back to the previous issue, and even more familiar to those who have been following Beta Ray Bill*. We also get a look at the demons from Talisman's vision from the last issue as well. Apparently these are the same demons who had hunted Beta Ray Bill's people. Judging by the similarity between those visions and the sketches, it looks like Bill has the same enemy as Talisman. With all those threads tied together, we finally know how and why Bill is in Canada and how he'll be fitting into this title. Amazing how much a two page spread can do sometimes. Simon gets his head out of his thoughts in time to see the Wrecking Crew are near him looking at something on display.

Back at C.S.I.S., Talisman continues to scream at Pointer. USAgent tries to calm her down and gets zapped which automatically gives Talisman some bonus points. Talisman asks Agent Brown what he's done to the legacy of her father and he explains how Pointer was a pawn of the Collective**. Unfortunately, his body is having trouble containing that residual power of the Collective, so the Guardian suit is being used to contain it. I'm not sure why it had to be the Guardian suit specifically as Reed Richards could probably whip up a suit like that on his lunch break, but Agent Brown considers it providence. Pointer takes this chance to explain his lack of control to Talisman and when she goes to finish him off, he tearfully begs her to do it. This expression of remorse is enough to stop Elizabeth in her tracks.

Talisman turns back to Agent Brown and asks why an American is wearing the Canadian flag, comparing it to Manifest Destiny. Agent Brown explains Alpha Flight was about serving Canada, not being Canadian, and the suit will serve as an icon. I suppose that explains why Marrina was on the original team being an alien and all. USAgent makes a crack about Pointer crying and Spider-Woman calls him an @$$, which is bonus points for her as well. Oh, and her daughter too. In spite of the remorseful display, Talisman still refuses to fight alongside Pointer and decides to go after Sasquatch on her own. Just as she says that, Agent Brown finds out that the Wrecking Crew are in Toronto and they've got Sasquatch with them. Arachne and USAgent head to the scene and when Agent Brown insists the new Guardian join them, USAgent replies "Maybe when he's through crying." OK, I'll admit this much, that was pretty darn funny, so bonus points for USAgent. Everyone leaves and Pointer is left alone looking very sad.

Wrecker uses his mystical crowbar to open a portal in the museum. Simon watches them enter some kind of dimensional portal, according to Thunderball that is. Piledriver remarks that the magic doesn't feel quite like the magic that gave them their powers. They approach a giant creature that bears a slight resemblance to Sasquatch, probably the same figure from the sketches drawn by Walters. As they approach the creature, it fires some kind of energy from its eyes as it declares that they will be its hands for its destructive return. The monster transforms into the demons seen earlier and the Wrecking Crew get excited about the power they're about to receive. Having watched the exchange, Simon Walters decides to slams his hand on the ground and transform into Beta Ray Bill.

A fight ensues with Beta Ray Bill swinging his hammer towards Wrecker. In spite of what looked like a terrible blow, the Wrecker turns with a smile as his eyes glowing with whatever new power he's just attained. The Wrecking Crew decide to listen to their new boss and head outside to start tearing things up. They return to the city in a huge explosion that decimates the ROM and begin wrecking the rest of the city. Wrecker and Bill continue their fight as the Wrecker's new power seems to have put them on an even playing field. The demons the Wrecker has freed begin to swarm around Bill and overwhelm him, but he calls some lightning bolts from his hammer to wipe them all out in a very Thor-esque move. Just as he does this, Wrecker decides to go for the cheap shot and nails him from behind with his crowbar. The Wrecker continues to pummel him as he mentions how "Thor knockoffs have a short shelf life nowadays". So, even Wrecker gets some bonus points for a jab at "Clor".

General Comments

In spire of all the bonus points I handed out, it's hard to really be as positive about this issue as the last two. It was certainly a lot of fun, but the overall package just feels a bit sloppy. The missing back-story (supplied in the footnotes) made it tough to follow. I suppose there's still two more issues to sort all that out, but it took three issues to even find out who Walters was so I don't know how lenient I can be for such an oversight. I was also hoping to see some Omega Flight action in this issue, but it was once again a solo fight. Kolins and Reber continue to produce some great visuals and the script in general is good. The book has a good Alpha Flight vibe going through it, the only thing missing is to have an actual Flight team in action. I am glad this issue ended with the majority of the main characters headed towards the scene which is probably the best promise we've gotten for the team to finally pull it together. I'd also like to say that it was great to see Beta Ray Bill in the book as he was one character I was really interested in seeing how he fit into the team. Putting him in the body of a dead Canadian is probably the most logical means of getting him on the team. I'd like to see how they'll get him to stay if this becomes an ongoing.

Also one extra note, due to an unfortunate placement of an ad for Annihilation: Conquest (which admittedly looks awesome), the spread in the middle of the page was cut in half. Just mentioning it as it has been happening way too often in Marvel books.

Overall Rating

Largely due to the promise of a better fourth issue, and for actually making me smile at something USAgent said.

Footnote

*The short version is that to save the souls of the Korbinites, Beta Ray Bill fought a demonic version of himself called Omega Ray. He used some lightning to take both himself and Omega down, but a white robed figure informed him he wasn't to die just yet. He was put in the body of the deceased, and apparently Canadian, Simon Walters.

**For those who haven't read the Collective arc, the Collective is basically the cumulative powers of the mutant race that flew off into space after House of M driven by the consciousness of everyone's favourite star faced mutant, Xorn. Michael Pointer's ability is to absorb energy which made him a good host for all that power.