Minimate Women of ALPHA FLIGHT!

Canada's Most Powerful Ladies from Diamond Select / Art Asylum 2012

If you have never read the first few story arcs of Alpha Flight from the 80's, you seriously must put it on your bucket list.  Originally created as a team of government-funded Canadian super-heroes for Wolverine's backstories in Uncanny X-men (circa 1979), four years later they launched a solo title which lasted 11 glorious years.  The first thirty-or-so issues of that title are some of my favorite superhero comics of all time.  As an adult, one of my favorite things about it is how they didn't skimp on the powerful female characters.  In almost every incarnation of the team roster, you can find a 50/50 ratio between the sexes.. and that is exceedingly rare for superhero team books.  The title was also groundbreaking for featuring one of the first (maybe the first) gay superhero, Northstar.  I remember a huge deal being made about him coming out in the early nineties, but it was not a shock to anyone who had been reading the book awhile.  Diamond Select Toys has become a leading force in team completion in recent years.  If only Hasbro and Mattel could have their conviction, there would be a lot of happy nerds out there.


The impressive part about Diamond Select is the speed with which they follow-through with their plans.  The first we heard of them was at Toy Fair 2012, and here a little more than 8 months later and we have a completed team!  Well, almost completed.  I would love to see a Talisman figure.  Perhaps paired with a white Sasquatch!

The first set was a SDCC/Action Figure Xpress Exclusive 4-Pack from July 2012.

The second set was a NYCC/Action Figure Xpress Exclusive 4-Pack from October 2012.

The final set was a Toys'R'Us exclusive 2-Pack from October 2012.

I'm going to start with Marrina, the creepy, sweet, mysterious fish-girl.  I love her.  She had some surprising storylines and a shocking origin story.. like I said before, read the books!

Next up is Aurora, the disturbed, disassociative, twin of Northstar.  I'm not sure why she comes with an alternate white hair piece.  I don't remember her having white hair in the comics, but it must mean something.  Interestingly enough, her brother Northstar was also supposed to come with a white alternate hair piece, but mine came with two identical black ones.

Aurora also came with a cool hand-holding piece for her and her brother's patented "one million candella" energy burst

Next up is the hauntingly beautiful shape-shifting demi-goddess of the North, Snowbird.

It's a shame she didn't come with any little white animals.

Last up is Heather Hudson, the wife of Guardian (James Hudson), who stepped up to fill his shoes when he was believed dead.  In that time, she used the codename Guardian as well, but soon adopted her own codename of Vindicator (Which came in handy when James resurfaced).  Vindicator comes with a hairpiece for her maskless look, a mask with a red visor, and a mask with a blue visor.

Whew!  Okay time for an awesome group shot!

From Left to Right: Vindicator, Aurora, Sasquatch, Northstar, Marrina, Guardian, Snowbird, Box, Shaman, and Puck

Cheers!

And here's something I couldn't leave out.  Box came with a cool second look, I couldn't help snapping a pic..