Issue(s): Alpha Flight #127
Cover Date: Dec 93
Title: "Faith! / Blind fury"
Credits:
Simon Furman - Writer
Dario Carrasco / Keith Pollard - Penciler
Bruce D. Patterson / Mark McKenna - Inker
Paula Foye - Assistant Editor
Rob Tokar - Editor

Review/plot:
The last two Alpha Flight issues were (unofficial) Infinity Crusade tie-ins, but the story was pretty tangential to Infinity Crusade. This issue is a more traditional tie-in, taking place mostly during the hero vs. hero fighting in Infinity Crusade #5. It's largely from the perspective of Shaman. We learned in the previous two issues that Shaman is really faking his loyalty to the Goddess. In this issue it's said that he's been playing along so that he can find a spell that will break the Godddess' control of the other heroes. But in effect that means he's doing the work of the Goddess in the meantime (to the point where no other book has given us any hint that he's not really working for the Goddess). Note his concern about breaking Talisman's faith.

Of course, whatever Shaman's plans, they can't have any effect on the main plot, since the Goddess will be defeated without any input from him. So basically Shaman goes around and observes the various strengths of his teammates, which in a different plot might have given him the resolve to break his daughter's faith, but instead it's all interrupted by the Goddess trying to blow up the universe, so it all goes nowhere.

Shaman does reconcile with his daughter after everything is over, though.

There's a weird bit where it's suggested that Windshear has broken free of the Goddess' control, but he uses his freedom to sacrifice himself.

A separate thread is covered in a back-up story. It shows Wolverine and Wild Child (Wildheart now) getting into a fight during the same battle.

Wolverine and Wildwhatever are both on the anti-Goddess side, but Wolverine came across what seemed to be a gutted Storm (who is on the Goddess' side), and Wolverine assumes that Wild Child was responsible. As they fight, we get a flashback to a different time that Wolverine assumed the worst. It's a reference to Alpha Flight Special #1, showing Wolverine attacking Wild Child after Stitch's face was scratched.

Very cheesy dialogue from Wild Child at the end of that flashback (alternatively: kind of Shakespearean), which seems to suggest that Wild Child has only been a villain because of Wolverine's assumption that he would become one.

In the present, it turns out that Moondragon created the illusion of Storm. When Wolverine realizes that, he ends the fight.

Quality Rating: D

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: This takes place mostly during Infinity Crusade #5 but the main story does end after the destruction of the universe turns out to have been faked, which is revealed at the beginning of Infinity Crusade #6.

References:

• The fighting between heroes occurs in Infinity Crusade #5. The Goddess' plan to blow up the universe is foiled in Infinity Crusade #6.
  
• We saw that Stitch's face was scarred in Alpha Flight Special #1, her only appearance beyond the flashback here.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A