Why Not?! Read Alpha Flight with Chris & Tom

Welcome to Why Not?!, Episode 6: “The Full Mufasa”! In this episode we dig into our first solo adventures with the team members. And y’all officially meet one of our team members, Chris’s cat Athena.

In this episode, Chris:

• has issues with…hair
• really thinks oil companies need to rethink their Canadian projects
• compares Stan the Man to J Jonah…on an Alpha Flight podcast

and Tom:

• lays out the existential grounding of the narc
• thinks Byrne really borrowed from Tolkien in issue 6
• agrees that Snowbird is likely the least…complicated of the team
• and that Shaman could crush it in the Instagram/fitness influencer field

Issues covered:
Alpha Flight #5 - What Fools These Mortals Be - cover date December 1983
Written and drawn by John Byrne
Inked by John Byrne and Terry Austin
Colored by Andy Yanchus
Lettered by Tom Orzechowski
Edited by Denny O’Neil and Jim Shooter

Alpha Flight #6 - Snowlbind! - cover date January 1984
[all the same as issue 5 except!:
Lettered by Michael HIggins
Edited by Linda Grant]

Issue 5 is a focus story on Puck as he recovers from his unexpected surgery vis-a-vis Marrina’s claws and stumbles across…well, just listen to the episode. (NB: we totally miss making a point of the Shakespearean reference in both Puck’s name and the issue title: we’ll do better, promise.)

Issue 6 focuses on Snowbird and includes a very, very smart artistic choice.

The backup feature for both issues tells the origin story of everyone’s favorite Canadian doctor (eat it Langowski!-Tom): Michael Twoyoungmen aka Shaman! Who gets hit with a full Mufasa.

And we’re starting to include some outtakes! So please listen to the end for a peak behind the curtain.

Art Clips for today's episode are up on Imgur

We’ve had a lot of fun making this and we really do hope you enjoy it, too. And even if you don’t, a great rating and review costs you nothing. Literally nothing. Not even five seconds, right? Less time than it takes Guardian to cross Canada. (Still can’t believe they did the math that…wrong.)

Check us out at The Why Not Pod to leave us a comment; we love to (try to) answer your questions about Alpha Flight!

Special thanks to the Excelsior Embroidery Co. for helping make this project a reality.  Here's this episode's Featured Design: the Shaman face patch! You can see this and more at the GeekCraft Expo in St. Louis on July 27 and 28.  Mention the podcast and Chris will have something nice for you. 

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

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Welcome back to Why Not?! Read Alpha Flight with Chris & Tom, Episode 5: “Marrina Swims Into a Berlin Nightclub”, wherein we discuss the first multi-arc adventure of Alpha Flight!

In this episode, Chris:

• wonders how Shaman keeps his medical license what with all the superheroing
• AND what kind of admitting privileges they use in the Great North
• makes an unsettling claim re: who Snowbird kinda-sorta looks like\
• asks how everyone feels about Superman 3

and Tom:

• offers an…unfortunate nickname for Shaman
• discusses abnormally large avian speeds, ad nauseam
• discovers that this is, in fact, an audio format
• questions the quality of the Department H psych team

We get to see the Alpha Jet! For…a few frames. We also debut a few new sound effects. And we’re very proud of that.

And, Aurora! Shares pages with Jean-Marie! It’s a problem!

Issues covered:
Alpha Flight #2 - Shadows of the Past - cover date October 1983
Written and drawn by John Byrne
Inked by John byrne and Terry Austin
Colored by Andy Yanchus
Lettered by Tom Orzechowski
Edited by Denny O’Neil and Jim Shooter

Alpha Flight #3 - Yesterday Man - cover date October 1983
[all the same as issue 2]

Alpha Flight #4 - Resolutions - cover date November 1983
[all the same as issue 2 except!:
Lettered by Rick Parker]

And we’re starting to include some outtakes! So please listen to the end for a peak behind the curtain.

Art Clips are available on Imgur.

We’ve had a lot of fun making this and we really do hope you enjoy it, too. And even if you don’t, a great rating and review costs you nothing. Literally nothing. Not even five seconds, right? Less time than it takes Guardian to cross Canada. (Still can’t believe they did the math that…wrong.)

Check us out at The Why Not Pod to leave us a comment; we love to (try to) answer your questions about Alpha Flight!

Special thanks to the Excelsior Embroidery Co. for helping make this project a reality.  Here's this episode's Featured Design: the Alpha Flight logo and a headshot of Guardian!

Follow us on these platforms:
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Imgur

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

Follow us on these platforms:
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Welcome to Why Not?!, Episode 4: “Why Not Keep It Alpha Flight”, wherein we begin our dive into the solo series of Alpha Flight!

We made it! And so did you!

In this episode, Chris:

• asks that the listeners help a brother…find a good Issue 1 cover pre-1986
• spends a lot of time describing Aurora’s more schoolmarm-ish presentation
• just totally loves Puck. As one should. And you better.

and Tom:

• gives a brief history of Western art’s inability to draw children properly
• ponders the aftermarket renovation work superhero apartments must require
• tries out a *ahem* voice

In our continuing accounting of the ways folks react to Aurora, we discover Heather didn’t really know who her husband was working with and has…feelings about how Aurora looks at JMH. We’ll get to discussing Aurora. Promise.

Issue (just one this time!!!) covered:

Alpha Flight #1, titled TUNDRA!, cover date August 1983

Created by John Byrne

Lettered by Joe Rosen

Colored by Andy Yanchus

Edited by Denny O’Neil and Jim Shooter

Art Clips are available on Imgur

We’ve had a lot of fun making this and we really do hope you enjoy it, too. And even if you don’t, a great rating and review costs you nothing. Literally nothing. Not even five seconds, right? Less time than it takes Guardian to cross Canada. (Still can’t believe they did the math that…wrong.)

Check us out at The Why Not Pod to leave us a comment; we love to (try to) answer your questions about Alpha Flight!

Special thanks to the Excelsior Embroidery Co. for helping make this project a reality.  Here's this episode's Featured Design the Alpha Flight logo!

Follow us on these platforms:

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Imgur

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

Follow us on these platforms:
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Welcome to Why Not?!, Episode 3: "What If Why Not?! Talked About What We Need To Talk About In Order to Talk About Alpha Flight (Part 3)", wherein we wrap up our pre-history of Alpha Flight in preparation for Issue 1 of the solo series.

In this episode: Tom expresses yet more distaste re:

• everyone’s favorite Secret Agent Linebacker Superhero Dr. Walter Langoswki
• and Chris’ comparison of said hero to Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod (seriously, I don’t know how I’m still doing this podcast)

More importantly: Aurora may or may not have given a young boy a crippling fetish in under two seconds flat.

AND we have:

• A pretty wild bit of voice work (search “Shoresy” at your own risk)
• An evil shaman (not Shaman-shaman, but one of his predecessors…just read it!) who decides the world needs to be wiped clean because…we’re destroying it?! And he’s the evil one?
• Ben Grimm teaching Langowski a lesson or two
• A few of the questions from the trailer answered (did you catch them all?!)

Issues Covered:

Marvel Two-in-One #83-84

Incredible Hulk #272-273

Incredible Hulk #277-279

Roast of the Fantastic Four one-shot

Contest of Champions

Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe #1

If you’re interested in giving Tom’s other podcast a listen, check out Lost in Redonda!

Art Clips are available on Imgur

We’ve had a lot of fun making this and we really do hope you enjoy it, too. And even if you don’t, a great rating and review costs you nothing. Literally nothing. Not even five seconds, right? Less time than it takes Guardian to cross Canada. (Still can’t believe they did the math that…wrong.)

Check us out at The Why Not Pod to leave us a comment; we love to (try to) answer your questions about Alpha Flight!

Special thanks to the Excelsior Embroidery Co. for helping make this project a reality.  Here's this episode's Featured Design a Deadpool/Wolverine Best Friends pair of patches! 

Follow us on these platforms:

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

Follow us on these platforms:
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TikTok
Imgur
YouTube
Patreon

Welcome to Why Not?!, Episode 2: "What If Why Not?! Talked About What We Need To Talk About In Order to Talk About Alpha Flight (Part 2)". We thought this Memorial Day could use a bit of our voices in your ears talking about…a Canadian superhero team.

In this episode: Tom expresses some distaste re: everyone’s favorite Secret Agent Linebacker Superhero Dr. Walter Langoswki. And yet more about calling them…”Alphans”. (Chris has a phenomenal time with that part.)

More importantly: Wolverine is described as a sex snack (and sponsored by 4 Loko). We posit that Jean-Marie and Jean-Paul may have led directly to the closing of Studio 54 (how long until that reference is COMPLETELY meaningless?). 

AND we have:

• A bit of voice work
• Some discussion of how hippo- or giraffe-ish a Wendigo might sound
• Cabin life
• A LOT of beer can openings
• And some…Machine Man.

Issues Covered:

X-Men #139-140

Incredible Hulk annual # 8

Machine Man #18

Art Clips are available on Imgur

We’ve had a lot of fun making this and we really do hope you enjoy it, too. And even if you don’t, a great rating and review costs you nothing. Literally nothing. Not even five seconds, right? Less time than it takes Guardian to cross Canada.

Check us out at The Why Not Pod to leave us a comment; we love to (try to) answer your questions about Alpha Flight! 

Special thanks to the Excelsior Embroidery Co. for helping make this project a reality.  Here's this episode's Featured Design, a Stan “The Man” Lee face patch!

Follow us on these platforms:

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TikTok

Imgur

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

Follow us on these platforms:
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TikTok
Imgur
YouTube
Patreon

Welcome to Why Not?!, Episode 1: "What If Why Not?! Talked About What We Need To Talk About In Order to Talk About Alpha Flight (Part 1)" And if you recognize the reference, well, you’re our people AND you should let us know in the comments. Like, any comments. Comments totally separate from this podcast even. In fact! We prefer that.

So, if you’re still here, we hope you discover, well, a lot. Like:

• The beginnings of Canada’s dystopian superhero scene
• A feel for the workplace tragicomedy that is Alpha Flight
• How effective it can be to punch someone in the back of the head if you have super-speed
• How great the 616-Canada is at building super-teams; less so at information-gathering
• And a good bit of superhero fashion convo

Art Clips are available on Imgur

We’ve had a lot of fun making this and we really do hope you enjoy it, too. And even if you don’t, a great rating and review costs you nothing. Literally nothing. Not even five seconds, right? Less time than it takes Guardian to cross Canada.

Check us out at The Why Not Pod to leave us a comment; we love to (try to) answer your questions about Alpha Flight! 

Special thanks to the Excelsior Embroidery Co. for helping make this project a reality.  Here's this episode's Featured Design, an Excelsior Sound Effect kitchen towel.

And if you’re interested in learning more about Tom’s particular freakout this episode, well: The Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist

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Issues Covered:

The Incredible Hulk #181-182

Giant Size X-Men #1

X-Men #109

The Uncanny X-Men #120-121

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

Follow us on these platforms:
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In which we say hello and introduce you to the best podcast about Alpha Flight you'll ever hear!

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

Follow us on these platforms:
Instagram
TikTok
Imgur
YouTube
Patreon