In True North, out July 1, writer and Alpha Flight superfan Daryl Lawrence has written the definitive issue-by-issue accounting of the first volume of everyone’s favorite Canadian super team. As a fellow devotee of the “one issue at a time” approach to comic book analysis, I reached out to Daryl to ask him about the genesis of the book, his Alpha Flight fandom and whether it counts as an X-book.
The following interview has been lightly edited for content and clarity.
Austin Gorton: To kick things off, give me the elevator pitch of the book — what it is, what it’s about, where we can buy it, etc.
Daryl Lawrence: True North: A Complete Reference Guide and Analysis of Alpha Flight’s First Volume is a handy guide and analysis of the first volume of Alpha Flight — 130 issues and two annuals.
But wait, there’s more! It also includes issues that lead up to the first issue of Alpha Flight, as well as stories that happen within that space. So you’re getting the team’s first appearance, plus them appearing in other books from ROM to Marvel Comics Presents. It can be found on the Barnes & Noble website; in the future, I’m looking for more international distribution options. For now, folks in Canada can order it from bn.com and it will ship directly to their door.
Austin: Of all the self-publishing options out there, what made you settle on Barnes & Noble?
Daryl: I decided to go with Barnes & Noble after I vetted various options because they are not only a trusted bookseller that has a great on-demand product, but they ship to Canada and a few other international destinations (plus, if folks prefer, they can go to their local store and order a copy from customer service). I have previously utilized Amazon for self-publishing, but I have no interest in funding a billionaire’s Venice wedding. I realize that Amazon has a more robust international distribution system, but, in good conscience, I can’t direct Alpha Flight fans to a company that is a thousand times worse than Roxxon.
For those international fans out there — I encourage you to find a way to import a copy from Barnes & Noble to your country. I have had to do the same thing when buying books from abroad and I realize it’s an additional step, but I hope you can understand not wanting to line the pockets of an oligarch with both your and my own money.
Austin: What kind of challenges did you encounter in getting the book published, both in the writing of it and the actual publication of it?
Daryl: I’m self-publishing the book, so there was no challenge in that regard! However, there are lots of things to consider when putting out a book like this. My biggest challenge is always editing — I simply hate going back through what I’ve already written, especially when it ends up being several hundred pages. Luckily, I have a wonderful friend named Laura who is an editor and can really give me honest feedback to strengthen what I write. Laura is a wonderful editor who can ask questions that provoke thought and action. Due to her being new to both comics and Alpha Flight, she was able to make me see the manuscript through a different lens and make it accessible to any level of fan, from brand new to those who read Alpha Flight as it came out. Between Laura and I, we went through the book many times to tighten things up and make it a tome worthy of reading.
Austin: Why Alpha Flight? What draws you to Alpha Flight and to the creation of a book focusing on that comic?
Daryl: I started getting into comics almost exactly a decade ago; I didn’t grow up reading them. At the time, my local comic store was First Aid Comics in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. Like any good comic store, they had 50 cent bins, and if anyone knows me, you know I love bargains. I started picking up Alpha Flight and reading it — the covers for the Byrne run are iconic and drew me to them. I eventually assembled a full run of the first volume, and they have moved with me several times since then. For me, the characterization and stories are what drew me in and held me until the end of the series.
But why write a whole book about it? Well, I hosted a presentation about characters from the series at The Uncanny Experience last fall and there were so many good conversations before, during and after that compelled me to think about writing something. The simple fact is this: When you look at the series, it can be intimidating to read it all. A hundred and 30 issues is no small reading feat. I wanted to make the series more accessible for fans to compel them to read it all. So many people familiar with the series stopped reading when John Byrne leaves as writer — which is a mistake (and is only 28 issues into a 130-issue series). I don’t think we should be beholden to any one creator that, should they leave a book, means we stop reading it. Of course things will be different — but different doesn’t mean bad!
Austin: What’s the unifying theme that stretches across the various creators and stories that makes Alpha Flight, Alpha Flight?
Daryl: It’s a focus on the characters. At its best, Alpha Flight is character, rather than plot, driven. All the creators who contributed to the first volume dip into character-driven plots, rather than plots with characters to move it forward. However, some did more so than others — and those, in my opinion, are the more successful and memorable parts of the series. Other comics series, for example, will propel their characters into space for a space story. Alpha Flight goes to space, too! But the difference is that the story still centers on the characters and their development in that environment.
Austin: Let’s do some quick hits: Who is your favorite Alpha Flight creator, character and issue/story?
Daryl: For my favorite creator, it’s a tie between Fabian Nicieza and Bill Mantlo. Of course, I respect John Byrne for creating the team and giving it one of the strongest starts in comics history. I just really love what both Mantlo and Nicieza did with the characters. You can read some of what went on behind the scenes of Mantlo’s run in my book — some of the stuff fans hold against him wasn’t his doing at all. Mantlo also introduced new characters to the book and gave it new life. Without him at the helm, it wouldn’t have lasted nearly as long. Nicieza brought the title back to its original characters but gave them a new spin. His time on the book is far too short, but he did so much to revive the title that it lasted almost three more years after his departure. Both writers saved the title, in some capacity, and we fans owe them a lot for what they did.
In terms of characters, I have a few. This one is really hard because through the course of writing the book, I feel I know them really well. Maybe too well? Northstar has always been a favorite, and digging into research and writing only underscored that for me. I really appreciate the combo of Purple Girl/Goblyn/Laura Dean — the humanity they bring to the book helps ground it more in reality, even though they each have powers that none of us ever will. Talisman is also a great character — Elizabeth Twoyoungmen was written pretty well throughout the series but was underutilized for most of the run.
As far as my favorite issue, it’s Alpha Flight #21 — Gilded Lily’s backstory. I’m a big fan of classic films, and her whole flashback is very Universal horror. For my favorite story, it’s Diamond Lil’s cancer storyline as written by Fabian Nicieza. You can read about his inspiration for the storyline in the book — it’s really touching, and I’m so happy he shared it with me so I could share it with readers.
Austin: Is Alpha Flight an X-book or a series starring a group of characters who happened to debut in the pages of X-Men? Show your work.
Daryl: It is the latter. I understand why the title continues to sit within the X-office at Marvel, but it’s a different beast. Throughout the first volume, you have mutant representation on the team — but the same can be said of the Avengers. In fact, The Avengers and Alpha Flight crossover with one another more than X-Men and Alpha Flight do. Yes, some of the team did debut in X-Men, but not all! Puck, Marrina and Heather are all not present as members of the team in the Claremont run. The notion that it is an X-book goes back to how Byrne and Claremont introduced the team and that editorial asked Byrne to write Alpha Flight due to fan demand as a result of those issues. Alpha Flight owes its existence to X-Men but is not an X-book itself.
Austin: Which is the best James Hudson codename: Weapon Alpha, Major Maple Leaf, Guardian or Vindicator?
Daryl: It’s easiest to call him Guardian, I feel. Major Mapleleaf was never a serious contender. Byrne himself gave some insight into the name, and I included that quote in the book to give some folks an understanding of how complicated a codename can really be behind the scenes.
Austin: Do you prefer Heather Hudson as a normal gal who still leads Alpha Flight or as a superhero wearing a power suit?
Daryl: Heather is best when she is trying to balance the various personalities on the team, regardless of whether she has a power suit or not. She really grew a lot throughout the first volume, and I like her when she’s leading the team. When you think of it, it was innovative for its time; there were rarely women who lead a team for any substantial length of time in the 1980s (the one exception that springs to mind is Wasp leading the Avengers). When you add the suit into the mix, it amplifies her desire to lead, but I like her best when she’s vulnerable and just trying to figure things out in the immediate aftermath of Mac’s apparent death in Alpha Flight #12.
Austin: You can drop any character in comics onto an Alpha Flight roster; who do you choose?
Daryl: I’ll tackle this from the perspective of the first volume and characters available then. I think it would have been a master stroke if Marvel had gotten the rights to Captain Canuck and inserted him into Alpha Flight, possibly as a branch of Department H the team would have interacted with some of the time. He could have gone off and done his own solo stuff, but a collaboration with the team when called for might have grounded them more into what was going on with the country at the time.
Austin: Any final thoughts on the book or anything you’d like our readers to know?
Daryl: Reading Alpha Flight can seem intimidating, but it’s actually a really fun, wild journey you can take! It’s also becoming a more realistic thing, as I know not everyone has access to back issues. For the first time ever, Bill Mantlo’s entire run is being reprinted early next year. If you’re not game for the omnibus, no worries — that means it will be uploaded to Marvel Unlimited, too. I hope people pick up my book and find a new favorite character, issue or arc and gain wider insight into the title via the past material I pulled from as well as the interviews I conducted with Simon Furman, Marcus McLaurin, Keith Williams, Janice Chiang, Carl Potts and Fabian Nicieza.
True North is available from Barnes & Noble starting July 1 and can be pre-ordered here.
Austin Gorton also reviews older issues of X-Men at the Real Gentlemen of Leisure website, co-hosts the A Very Special episode podcast, and likes Star Wars. He lives outside Minneapolis, where sometimes, it is not cold. Follow him @austingorton.bsky.social.
