Why Not?! Read Alpha Flight with Chris & Tom

We’re back to our regularly scheduled episodes and in this one we cover three issues, including one of our least favorite to date, Marvel Fanfare #28. Just a very odd, unnecessary story. But! We also meet Purple Girl AND witness the return of Beta Flight! Mantlo’s really starting to put his stamp on this book and it is absolutely motoring along.

In this episode, Chris:

• really doesn’t want to waste time talking about Marvel Fanfare #28
• …and makes some good points as to why we shouldn’t
• offers some honest-to-God science facts by way of The Far Side

and Tom:

• gives a brief Canadian history lesson
• gets in some quality work on Walt while the getting is good
• pulls in a ringer for some voice work

Issues discussed:
Marvel Fanfare #28 - “Murder By Numbers” - cover date September 1986
Written by Bill Mantlo
Everything else (pencils, inks, letters, colors) by Ken Steacy
Edited by Al Milgrom
Editor in Chief is Jim Shooter

Alpha Flight #41 - “It’s Not Easy Being Purple” - cover date December 1986
Written by Bill Manto
Pencilled by David Ross
Inked by Wilce Portacio
Lettered by Jim Novak
Colored by Bob Sharen
Edited by Carl Potts
Editor in Chief is Jim Shooter

Alpha Flight #42 - “Auction” - cover date January 1987
same creative team as #41

Why Not?! Read Alpha Flight with Chris and Tom is brought to you by the Excelsior Embroidery Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Roxxon Energy Corporation. Listeners of Why Not?! can go to https://excelsiorembroidery.etsy.com and use the code WHYNOT20 to get 20% off any 2 items. When Company Is Coming Over, Bring Out the Good Towels!  Excelsior!

Written, produced, and edited by Chris Baker and Tom Flynn
Music:"Oh, Canada" by Five Iron Frenzy

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Happy summer, folks! We pulled together something akin to a double-sized issue: we dig into Alpha Flight Annual #1 (which might be both of our favorite single issue) and have a conversation with Professor Joseph A. Stramondo on disability, ableism, and the word “cripple”. It’s a fascinating conversation and one we’re sure you’re going to enjoy.

In this episode, Chris:

• creates the AI that will kill us all
• makes an unexpected musical reference
• wonders who even designed Mansion Alpha

and Tom:

• pulls off a perfect terrible Skeletor
• invokes the rule of cool
• finds himself, sort of?, missing Walt; at least as a foil to Puck

Issue discussed:
Alpha Flight Annual #1 - “Homebody” - cover date May 1986
Script by Bill Mantlo
Layouts by Larry Stroman
Finished by Gerry Talaoc
Letters by Janice Chiang
Colors by Bob Sharen
Editing by Carl Potts
Editor in Chiefing by Jim Shooter

Why Not Read Alpha Flight is brought to you by the Excelsior Embroidery Company, part of the Roxxon Energy Corporation family.   Listeners of Why Not?! can go to excelsiorembroidery.etsy.com and use the code WHYNOT20 to get 20% off any 2 items in the Etsy store and a free Alpha Flight patch.  When company’s coming over, bring out the good towels. Excelsior!

Written, produced, and edited by Chris Baker and Tom Flynn
Music:"Oh, Canada" by Five Iron Frenzy

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This summer has been busy, y'all, and with our presentation at The Uncanny Experience right around the corner we thought we'd drop another tasty treat from behind ye olde Patreon wall into the feed this week: our true to the movie's runtime conversation about Thunderbolts*. Which we both really liked! A lot! Plus, it's now available for digital rental or purchase (that simulacrum of actual ownership) and out on DVD end of the month (that's the good stuff!), so the timing makes sense...right?!

In two weeks we have our Slammin' Summer Special and it's going to be a doozy. Which also means you have to wait just a bit longer to hear how Tom feels about Northstar...fighting an alligator?!?!

Stay cool folks, hope you enjoy the listen, and make sure you start playing the episode right as the credits go black so our audio syncs with the movie Dark Side of the Moon-style.

Written, produced, and edited by Chris Baker and Tom Flynn
Music:"Oh, Canada" by Five Iron Frenzy

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In this episode we finally catch up with everyone’s favorite fish lady from Newfoundland, MARRINA! And, really, we do. Not messing with you. Which also means we have to spend time with no one’s favorite Atlantean…Namor. He brought some friends with, though, in the form of the 1986 Avengers! It’s a team-up!

In this episode, Chris:

• does a pretty good Namor
• wants more realistic sea floor battles, which is an interesting request
• says “Mr. Jeffries” waaaay too much

and Tom:

• absolutely crushes his Northstar
• makes a Simpsons reference Chris totally misses
• is seeing innuendos everywhere these days…

Issues discussed:
Alpha Flight #39 - “The Invasion of Atlantis!” cover date Oct 1986
Writer is Bill Mantlo
Penciler is David Ross
Inkter is Wilce Portacio
Letterer is Jim Novak
Colorer is Bob Sharen
Editor is Carl Potts
Editor in Chief is Jim Shooter

Avengers #272 - “Assault on Atlantis” - cover date October 1986.  
Writer is Roger Stern
Breakdowns by John Buscema
Finished Art by Tom Palmer
Letterer is Jim Novak
Colorist is Paul Becton
Editor is Mark Gruenwald
Editor in Chief is Jim Shooter

Alpha Flight #40 - “Love” - cover date November 1986
same team as #39

Excelsior Embroidery Company continues to celebrate Pride month by rolling out even more variations on the classic X-Men icon, one of which came from a listener who asked “Can you take the bisexual flag colors and make it less flag like and also have it reflect my love of Gambit?” To which I replied: Say less, fam, I gotchu.

Check out this design and more at excelsiorembroidery.etsy.com.  Listeners of Why Not can use the code WHYNOT20 to get 20% off any 2 items in the Etsy store and a free Alpha Flight patch.  When company’s coming over, bring out the good towels. Excelsior!

Written, produced, and edited by Chris Baker and Tom Flynn
Music:"Oh, Canada" by Five Iron Frenzy

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Episode 29: “What Color Is Your Sasquatch?”

Welcome to Episode 29, in which we wrap up Snowbird’s magical mystery pregnancy, encounter a real-life tale of Arctic exploration gone wrong (redundant, really, that “gone wrong”) made mystical(?!), and run into Talisman again. And, y’know what? Chris may have had a point about her. But maybe don’t mention that to him such that it goes to his head.

Very much not in this episode? Marrina! But probably next time. Maybe.

In this episode, Chris:

• gives some solid advice re: best practices when one’s partner is giving birth (short version: do what you’re told)
• acknowledges that there’s nothing subtle about Aurora’s…depiction here
• makes some choice selections vis-a-vis audio gags (try and figure out which ones are his!)

and Tom:

• tries something new to memorialize le morte de Waltair
• takes us on quite the diversion re: The Terror and Dan Simmons
• gets why The Doug is so upset, just can’t give him too much credit since he’s way too much of a dick about it

Issues covered:

Alpha Flight #37 - “Death Birth” - cover date August 1986
Writer is Bill Mantlo
Penciler is David Ross
Letter is Jim Novak
Colorist is Bob Sharen
Editor is Carl Potts 
Editor in Chief is Jim Shooter

Alpha Flight #38 “Pestilence!” - cover date September 1986
Writer is Bill Mantlo
Penciler is David Ross
Letter is Jim Novak
Colorist is Bob Sharen
Editor is Carl Potts 
Editor in Chief is Jim Shooter

Roxxon also wishes all the listeners of Why Not?! A happy Pride Month with Excelsior’s X-Men icon with a transflag background on a color appropriate trucker hat, perfect for keeping the hot sun off your dome at the scaled-down Pride fest in your city that Roxxon refused to sponsor this year.  Check out this design and more at excelsiorembroidery.etsy.com.  Listeners of Why Not can use the code WHYNOT20 to get 20% off any 2 items in the Etsy store.

Written, produced, and edited by Chris Baker and Tom Flynn
Music:"Oh, Canada" by Five Iron Frenzy

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Welcome to Why Not?! Episode 28: “The Doug…Undone!”

It’s a surprise-entirely-unnatural-pregnancy episode, everyone’s favorite scifi/fantasy trope! And The Doug Thompson handles it…poorly. Little less of the Puck/Bochs self-loathing (though not none of that nonsense), but the issues covered this episode represent a real corner being turned as we put the…rocky start to Mantlo’s time behind us. Overly optimistic? Probably!

In this episode, Chris:

• proves Tom very wrong on a bit of character backstory, which shouldn’t be surprising, but here we are
• wrote a script that goes pretty hard at Canada, our beloved neighbor and (future?) home
• adores Shaman’s new outfit!

and Tom:

• leaves in Chris proving him wrong because he’s a real one
• thinks “Mansion Alpha” sounds like an influencer house
• posits that we were all deprived of some righteous Mignola-mystical art

Issues covered:

Alpha Flight #35 - cover date June 1986 - “The Child is Father to the Man”
Writer is Bill Mantlo
Introducing Canada’s own David Ross and penciler
Inker is Gerry Talaoc
Letterer is Jim Novak
Colorist is Bob Sharen
Editor is Carl Potts
Editor in Chief is Jim Shooter

Alpha Flight #36 - cover date July 1986 - “Labor Pains”
Writer is Bill Mantlo
Penciler is David Ross
Inker is Gerry Talaoc
Letter is Joe Rosen
Colorist is Bob Sharen
Editor is Carl Potts
Editor in Chief is Jim Shooter

Why Not?! Read Alpha Flight is brought to you by the Excelsior Embroidery Company, part of the Roxxon family of companies. Roxxon is proud to celebrate Pride month with a series of pride themed comic book patches like the Deadpool icon with a pan flag in the background and an X-Men icon with a trans flag theme. But my favorite has to be the Alpha Flight combined logo with a full pride flag of colors throughout: it’s really something special. You can see all these and hundreds more by going to excelsiorembroidery.etsy.com.

Airhorn sound effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

Written, produced, and edited by Chris Baker and Tom Flynn
Music:"Oh, Canada" by Five Iron Frenzy

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Welcome to Why Not?! Episode 27: “Big Throuble in Westchester County”

We’ll be at The Uncanny Experience in July, giving a talk on the history of Department H, which sounds boring, but it’s us, so we’ll find a way to spice it up (I mean, a full-scale assault on civil rights tends to make for spicy conversation)! But in today’s episode, we cover the last(?) two especially rough issues in the Mantlo run (Tom hopes), featuring Wolverine and the first appearance of Lady Deathstrike (if you’re listening to us, you know what that is).

Oh, and inexplicably, as is their wont, a member of Power Pack makes an appearance. They’re literally everywhere.

In this episode, Chris:

• makes a Secret Wars joke that there’s no way in hell Tom could’ve possibly understood
• comments on the corner box art and how it’s a lost art in modern comics (shakes fist at sky)
• makes a frankly INSANE suggestion for a THUNDERBOLTS* post-credit scene
• lays out the rules for Power Pack/X-Men team-ups

and Tom:

• is running out of ideas re: celebrating Walt’s…absence
• successfully argues that we all need to show “The Doug” some ‘spect
• feels Teeny really pulled her weight this episode
• absolutely does NOT nail a Rogue voice
• goes on another literary tangent

Alpha Flight #33 - “A Friend in Need” - cover date April 1986
Writer is Bill Mantlo
Penciler is Sal Buscema
Inker is Gerry Talaoc
Letterer is Jim Novak
Colorist is Bob Sharen
Editor is Carl Potts
and Jim Shooter as Editor in Chief

Alpha Flight #34 - “Honor” - cover date May 1986
Writer is Bill Mantlo
Storyteller is Sal Buscema
Finisher is Gerry Talaoc
Letterer is Janice Chiang
Colorer is Bob Sharen
Editor is Carl Potts
Editor in Chiefer is Jim Shooter

This week our sponsor, the Excelsior Embroidery Company, is featuring the iconic X-Men logo with a variety of Pride flags in the background.  Available as a patch, towel, or hat, this is a great addition to your summer wardrobe. See this patch and hundreds more designs by going to excelsiorembroidery.etsy.com.  When company is coming over, bring out the good towels. Excelsior!

Airhorn sound effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

Written, produced, and edited by Chris Baker and Tom Flynn
Music:"Oh, Canada" by Five Iron Frenzy

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Welcome to Why Not?! Episode 26: “Tall Tale”

Do you ever feel like you’re just talking to yourself most of the time? Just Tom? Because he spends swaths of this episode doing voices? Ok. Just Tom.

It’s time for that episode folks. THAT episode. Wherein we learn how Puck came to be…Puck…according to Bill Mantlo. But! We make the most of it. We think.

In this episode, Chris:

• brings back an oldie, but a goodie, sound effect
• really wants to see Harrison Ford take out Puck
• tries out a new sign off?

and Tom:

• is more than a touch flummoxed by the…necromancy?...committed to give Heather her suit
• kinda struggles w/ Northstar & Aurora’s accents: he’ll do better next time
• says “immensely black storm cloud” and wonders what language even is anymore

Alpha Flight #32 - “Tall Tales” - cover date March 1986
Writer is Bill Mantlo
Penciler is John Bogdanove
Inker is Gerry Talaoc
Letterer is Jim Novak 
Colorist is Bob Sharen
Editor is Carl Potts
and Jim Shooter as Editor In Chief

Why Not Read Alpha Flight is brought to you by the Excelsior Embroidery Company, specializing in comic themed patches, towels, and more.  This week we are featuring our delightfully cheeky Rogue towels, now 100% lead free in the state of California. See what everyone at C2E2 was talking about by going to excelsiorembroidery.etsy.com.  When company is coming over, bring out the good towels. Excelsior!

Airhorn sound effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

Written, produced, and edited by Chris Baker and Tom Flynn
Music:"Oh, Canada" by Five Iron Frenzy

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Welcome to Why Not?! Episode 25: “Pucking Around and Finding Out”

Well we’re back from C2E2 and boy howdy was that a good time. Great meeting folks and finding out just how many folks can recognize Puck in the wild (and were incredibly excited to see the costume!). We’re back in your ears today with a deep dive on issue 31 and the return of Deadly Ernest.

In this episode, Chris:

• does an incredible amount of Puck voicework. Really think he’s only going to speak as Puck in the very near future
• recounts the worst job he ever had, which does connect to this issue. Sort of

and Tom:

• theorizes John Byrne may have held his characters and their lives hostage
• gets a basic Canada fact wrong, which is very much not his role on this podcast

Alpha Flight #31 - “The Grateful Dead” - cover date February 1986
Writer is Bill Mantlo
Pencils by Mike Mignola
Inks by Gerry Talaoc
Letters by Jim Novak 
Colors by Bob Sharen
Editor is Carl Potts
and Jim Shooter as Editor in Chief

Why Not?! Read Alpha Flight is brought to you by the Excelsior Embroidery Company which is happy to mail you a nerdy iron on patch, kitchen towel, tote bag, or anything else embroiderable! This week we’re featuring a new design, it’s a mini Alpha Flight icon patch that’ll fit on anything you could imagine and listeners can get one for free! For a limited time, go to excelsiorembroidery.etsy.com to make any purchase and use the code ALPHAN to get this little guy tossed in your order for free.

Airhorn sound effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

Written, produced, and edited by Chris Baker and Tom Flynn
Music:"Oh, Canada" by Five Iron Frenzy

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What the title says! We'll be at C2E2 Friday, April 11, 2025 and Saturday, April 12, 2025, just hanging out and taking it all in. And we'll be in costume. Alphan costumes.

So if you're nearby and have the time, you should come. Not just because of us. But mostly because of us. And if you're not nearby, you can engage vicariously through our socials.

Tom never thought he'd dress up for a con. The things we do...

Written, produced, and edited by Chris Baker and Tom Flynn
Music:"Oh, Canada" by Five Iron Frenzy

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