Welcome to Why Not?!, Episode 20: “SASQUATCH FIGHT!!!”

This is a big one. Another Alphan bites it and boy does it make Tom happy (and then very, very angry). A lot of laughs in this one as we very much lose the wrong team member. Oh, and a conversation about Malört. That stuff is just everywhere now.

In this episode, Chris:

• gets to really stretch ye olde voice work chords
• adds “SASQUATCH FIGHT!!!” to his family lexicon
• is traumatized by panels of Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen smiling. It just feels…wrong

and Tom:

• goes through all of the stages of grief in a matter of a few comics pages
• seriously, they were so close to being free of Walt
• I WAS SO CLOSE TO BEING FREE

Issues covered:

Alpha Flight #23 - “Night of the Beast” - cover date June 1985
Story and pencils by John Byrne
Embellishing by Bob Wiacek
Inking Assist by Keith Williams
Colored by Andy Yanchus
Lettered by Rick Parker
Edited by Denny O’Neil
and Jim Shooter as Editor in Chief

Alpha Flight #24 - Final Conflict - cover date July 1986
Story & pencils by John Byrne
Embellishing by Bob Wiacek
Coloring by Andy Yanchus
Lettering by Rich Parker
Editing by Dennis O’Neil
Peacekeeper Jim Shooter

Why Not?! is brought to you by the Excelsior Embroidery Company! This week there’s some new Luigi Mario merch. See these and more at excelsiorembroidery.etsy.com.

Check us out at The Why Not Pod to leave us a comment or email us at whynotEHpod@gmail.com; we love to (try to) answer your questions about Alpha Flight!

Produced by Tom Flynn
Assisted by Chris Baker
Music:"Oh, Canada" by Five Iron Frenzy

Follow us on these platforms:
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Welcome to Why Not?!, Episode 19: “THE GIFT!”

A bit of a diversion this week as we discuss a two-issue special, “The X-Men and Alpha Flight”. Which has happened before, but this time, Loki’s involved. And no one is trying to steal Wolverine. Mostly.

This series was published well after certain…other events took place in the main Alpha Flight series (and in the X-Men for that matter) and is penned by Chris Claremont and not drawn by Byrne, so, yeah: this is kinda wild.

But it’s fun! And more than a bit appropriate for January 20, 2025. Anyways, have a great time listening and hold your people a bit closer.

In this episode, Chris:

• Discovers that his bete noire isn’t Mantlo, but…CLAREMONT?!?!
• Wonders if Coca-Cola is the key to world peace
• Talks comic book price inflation
• Reads a fantastic piece by Stan the Man to close us out

and Tom:

• Won’t call Walt his bete orange, but you can if you want to
• Spent a good bit of time trying to make some of these voices…different
• Gets to talk about Joyce and Le Guin and just appreciates how much straight literature there always seems to be in an Alpha Flight issue, written by Byrne or Claremont
• And very much hopes that’ll continue with Mantlo

Issues covered:
X-Men and Alpha Flight #1, cover date December 1985
Written by Chris Claremont
Art by Paul Smith & Bob Wiacek
Lettered by Tom Orzechowski
Colored by Glynis Oliver
Edited by Ann Nocenti and Denny O’Neil
with Jim Shooter as Editor in Chief
Based on a Premise by Jim Shooter, Ann Nocenti, and Denny O’Neil

X-Men and Alpha Flight #2, cover date January 1986
Written by Chris Claremont
Pencils by Paul Smith
Inks by Bob Wiacek & friends
Lettered by Tom Orzechowski
Edited by Ann Nocenti and Denny O’Neil
with Jim Shooter as Editor in Chief
Based on a Premise by Jim Shooter, Ann Nocenti, and Denny O’Neil

Why Not?! is brought to you by the Excelsior Embroidery Company! Get a jump on next-Christmas shopping in this post-Christmas period with a variety of classic and cheeky designs. See these and more at excelsiorembroidery.etsy.com.

Check us out at The Why Not Pod to leave us a comment or email us at whynotEHpod@gmail.com; we love to (try to) answer your questions about Alpha Flight!

Produced by Tom Flynn
Assisted by Chris Baker
Music:"Oh, Canada" by Five Iron Frenzy

Follow us on these platforms:
Instagram
TikTok
Imgur
YouTube
Patreon

Today’s episode gives a sampler of what’s behind the Patreon wall (kinda like the Source Wall, but that’s a DC reference and Chris might not like it…). The holidays ran rough-shod over our recording/production schedule, so we’ll have more of that Alpha Flight sweetness you crave in a couple weeks’ time. But for today…

Welcome to the Why Not?! Have A Drink Thanksgiving special. That's right, this is the only Thanksgiving special we will ever make because there can be only one. And that’s also right, we're pulling a Highlander, alternately titled "Swords Do Not Work That Way"!

A few notes to set the stage:

• We say we’re going to circle back to a number of items, which we don’t really. It’s just that kind of episode!
• But! There’s always another bite at that apple with…Highlander 2: The Quickening
• Chris really can do a Sean Connery. It’s impressive. Probably how he won over his wife
• Tom suggests that maybe some of the actors should’ve swapped places. Just saying
• Chris recounts his “sword period”: the pre-social media era was an interesting time to be alive
• Chris makes some very specific comics comparisons (X-Ternals; Ramirez-MacLeod / Xavier-Summers)
• One of those comparisons almost nails the weirdness of Highlander 2…

Produced by Tom Flynn
Assisted by Chris Baker
Music:"Oh, Canada" by Five Iron Frenzy

Follow us on these platforms:
Instagram
TikTok
Imgur
YouTube
Patreon