Alpha Flight: Ponderings from a relatively new fan of the series.

This is my say so from a new fan's perspective, right? I do know of newer fans then me. Actually newer fans to comics period! A reply I got on my first column got me thinking... One of the blokes over at Alpha Waves uses comic books as a way to teach one of his kids better reading skills. Face it, they're pictures, the kiddies will WANT to read them! I send copies over to my nephews in Michigan for the same thing. They're slowly inheriting my entire comic collection at this rate, now that I think about it. But back to the bloke who first got the gears grinding in me head.

Barnacle13 the bloke over at AW, mentioned that his two have a lot to say about their favourite reading medium. My nephews do too. I have sent them several copies of the new Alpha series along with the regular 'Aunty Jo is cleaning out her collection' stash they get. They both thank me for it too. Their mother might have a few words to say about the comics cluttering her place instead of mine now, but eh, that's what sisters do.

So after seeing Barnacle's response I got to thinking…what if I add an even newer, younger, fresher perspective every once in a while to this? I'm going to have it at the top of later issues of this column in the future, but this one is going to see their ideas scattered throughout. Some of them might seem a bit odd, others downright hilarious, but this is the opinion of kids we're talking about here. In short, they're blatantly honest opinions. The kids are ages 12 and down, and mostly boys, but with a girl's innate wisdom thrown in there too, every once in a while for good measure. ^^

Madeline and Caleb are Barnacle's two. Madeline loves comic books as a medium, with her particular favourite being Mary Jane. Good on ya Madeline! Nothing like being a girl and proud to be into comics! Who knows, she may get into them as a profession when she grows up? Caleb is being taught better reading skills with comic books and is apparently quite the Sasquatch fan. He likes the action figures too. Caleb's also going to be the main source of input of the two of them, seeing as he's the Alpha Flight fan.

Dylan and Derek are my nephews…the oldest and youngest of my cohorts in the grander picture of this scheme so far. Dylan is the good one, Derek isn't so good…he's downright rotten and can even throw his Aunt for a loop every once in a while. However both boys are comic addicts and they know what they like. For Derek it's Zuzha. "She's hot!" I swear those are his words, not mine! Dylan thinks Yukon Jack is cool because of the bone sword thing…actually…he has a point. They also both dig Walter turning into Sasquatch. Their deranged aunt agrees…albeit for different reasons…a-hem.

Anyway! The one thing my sister begrudgingly admits about the flood of comic books hitting her house, is that the boys will stop what they're destroying and read through each one meticulously. Dylan will help Derek with some of the bigger words, and the phone will ring here at the house, asking me what one of the comic words is or means. Face it…comic books do have their own language in a way. I mean the whole alien race thing popular in comics alone, is something the broader populace isn't going to have clue one about. And that's what I like about giving kids comic books to read! They'll stop what they're doing and read them! Cover to cover and usually more then once.

Another thing I like about giving kids comic books is the whole imagination thing! Yeah sure they know for the most part that it's all make believe, but kids also like it because a lot of comics, and Alpha Flight is one of them, are set in places they know that really do exist. My nephews live in Michigan and they especially like Alpha Flight because it takes place mostly in their back yard…well almost. They know that there is this really big country called 'Canada' just north of them. They also know there's this really big city in Canada called 'Toronto', a mere five hour drive from their place.

They've been there. And it makes Alpha Flight for them, that much sweeter. Especially Dylan, who reminded me that all the Alpha Flight characters are from the same place, Canada. Something he notices that no one else mentions in other comic books…about being from the same place, not Canada…he knows that Northstar and Wolverine over in X-Men are both Canadians. Dylan was surprised however to learn that Northstar and his sister Aurora first appeared in Alpha Flight! Erin, my sister and Dylan's mother, has gone to check out her local comic shops for back issues of Alpha Flight to appease the boys hunger. I'm getting some interesting feedback from her too. ^^ Judging from what I have managed to glean out of the boys, it looks like Dylan will be my story commentator and Derek the art critic…or Babe judge…I'm not sure yet. The kid is also in love with Paris Hilton and he's not quite seven yet…

So from now on, I'm going to *hopefully* have at least one kid's comments on the series, as the start of each column. If anything it means they're reading and working on improving that skill…and having a ball doing so too. So if you're reading this and pondering on whether or not to hand over a comic to your kid, niece/nephew, the kid next door. Do it! They will read it! And probably cherish it too.

Luv Jo, evil mentor to the impressionable.