Contains Spoilers for X-Men (2024) #11!As the X-Men find themselves facing a new extraterrestrial threat, another problem closer to home has reared its head, with the return of Canada’s national superhero team. This team has a long history, and an at-times fierce rivalry with the X-Men, alternatively teaming up with and fighting against Marvel’s merry mutants. Where they fall this time, however, remains to be determined.
X-Men #11 – written by Jed MacKay, with art by Netho Diaz – introduces the newest roster of Canadian superheroes to come together under the name Alpha Flight, but how they feel about Marvel's current mutant status quo is anyone’s guess.
In the issue, Cyclops and his X-Men team intercept a downed spaceship headed straight for them across Canada, which triggers the new Alpha Flight lineup to jump into action when the X-Men cross the border; as the issue’s final page reveals, this new team consists of Guardian, Vindicator, Puck, Marrina and either Snowbird or Snowguard.
Alpha Flight Returns With A New Roster, Ready To Make An Impact On X-Men Lore Once More
X-Men #11 – Written By Jed MacKay; Art By Netho Diaz; Ink By Sean Parson; Color By Fernado Sifuentes; Lettering By Clayton Cowles
Alpha Flight have a long, contentious history with the X-Men, and have fought mutants almost as many times as the two groups have teamed up. First appearing in X-Men (vol 1) #120 – written by Chris Claremont and John Bryne, with art by Byrne – Alpha Flight debuted as antagonists, explaining that Wolverine used to be part of their team, and that he left without official permission from the Canadian government. Bryne then spun the team off into their own long-running book, where they had their own adventures, occasionally crossing back over with the X-Men, who became more rivals than straight-out foes.
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Alpha Flight’s modern books, however, are more sporadic than back in the day. In the mid-2010s, the team’s name was appropriated for a space agency led by Captain Marvel, and afterwards, several key became major ing characters in Immortal Hulk, as a more literal version of Alpha Flight B-Team Gamma Flight. Today, Alpha Flight are mostly relegated to miniseries and guest spots like this new X-Men appearance. Not that they don’t have their own devoted fanbase. There’s something out there for everyone, even if that something is Alpha Flight.
Alpha Flight's Role In "X-Men" Will Be Defined By How Their Government Feels About Mutantkind
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Before X-Men #11, Alpha Flight’s latest appearance was in Alpha Flight (2023), written by Ed Brisson, with art by Scott Godlewski and David Cutler, secretly funneling their ‘victims’ to the other team. However, in the year since, the socio-political climate for mutants has become unclear in X-Men books. The mandate of Alpha Flight could be anything, depending on how their government is feeling.
If Cyclops causes a diplomatic situation in Canada, then the US and Canadian governments might be having some terse conversations, and Alpha Flight might be in trouble with their bosses.
Alpha Flight’s loyalty might only be further complicated by the X-Men’s own nebulous legal status quo. As MacKay’s X-Men has established, Cyclops won a court case vs the United States in the aftermath of Fall of X, and was given his Alaskan base as a settlement. However, his team are under the surveillance of the Office of National Emergency, a mutant-focused government agency in a cold war-esque stand-off with them. If Cyclops causes a diplomatic situation in Canada, then the US and Canadian governments might be having some terse conversations, and Alpha Flight might be in trouble with their bosses.
Readers Are Excited To Find Out How Alpha Flight Will Factor Into The X-Franchise's New Era
Prognosticating The Team's Short-Term Appearances
Just because they might fight the X-Men it doesn’t mean that Alpha Flight are going to be pure government rubes. There’s nothing more Alpha Flight than the team feeling conflicted about what the government wants them to do and rebelling against their orders like during Fall of X. Maybe they’ll just half-heartedly chase the X-Men off Canadian soil. Or maybe they’ll use the excuse of the concurrent alien threat to team up with the X-Men for ‘the greater good,’ in a way that’ll also lead to the X-Men going free without incident.
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If Alpha Flight did end up in a Between Guardian and Vindicator, they’ve got 2 heroes with no superpowers, only powered suits, and they don’t even have their usual grasp of magic without someone like classic member Shaman. Meanwhile, the X-Men have Cyclops, Magik, Quentin Quire and the Juggernaut, among others. Good luck to Alpha Flight, but the X-Men are looking like the clear winners this time.
X-Men #11 is available now from Marvel Comics.
- Movie(s)
- X-Men (2000), X2, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), X-Men: First Class (2011), The Wolverine (2013), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Deadpool (2016), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Logan (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), Dark Phoenix (2019), The New Mutants, Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
- First Film
- X-Men (2000)
- TV Show(s)
- X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men, X-Men (1992), X-Men: Evolution (2000), Wolverine and the X-Men (2008), Marvel Anime: Wolverine, Marvel Anime: X-Men, Legion (2017), The Gifted (2017), X-Men '97 (2024)
- Video Game(s)
- X-Men: Children of the Atom (1994), Marvel Super Heroes (1995), X-Men vs. Street Fighter (1996), Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter (1997), Marvel vs. Capcom (1998), X-Men: Mutant Academy (2000), Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (2000), X-Men: Mutant Academy 2 (2001), X-Men: Next Dimension (2002), Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2011), Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2011), X-Men Legends (2005), X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse (2005), X2: Wolverine's Revenge (2003), X-Men (1993), X-Men 2: Clone Wars (1995), X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse (1994)
- Character(s)
- Professor X, Cyclops, Iceman, Beast, Angel, Phoenix, Wolverine, Gambit, Rogue, Storm, Jubilee, Morph, Nightcrawler, Havok, Banshee, Colossus, Magneto, Psylocke, Juggernaut, Cable, X-23
- Comic Release Date
- 213035,212968
