Beta Flight

Beta Flight
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Alpha Flight #1
Created by	John Byrne
In-story information
Member(s)	none, Defunct
Roster
See: Beta Flight Members

Beta Flight is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Along with Gamma Flight, Beta Flight is one of the "minor leagues" of the Canadian team Alpha Flight. Originally, Beta Flight was the intermediate level team. Members are more experienced than the raw recruits of Gamma Flight but not yet ready to join Alpha Flight. When members of Beta Flight prove themselves worthy they are promoted to Alpha Flight.

Publication history

Beta Flight first appeared in Alpha Flight #1 and was created by John Byrne.

Fictional team history

Beta Flight was first mentioned as Department H's secondary team behind Alpha Flight. Department H was defunded in that issue, thus ending government support of the Flight teams. Two members of Beta Flight, Puck and Marrina, were already cleared to join Alpha Flight and were called up with the rest of Alpha Flight to assist Vindicator against the Great Beast Tundra, by Heather MacNeil Hudson. All other members were shown in a single panel. While Alpha Flight continued on their own, this Beta Flight was left to be disbanded along with Department H. ^[1] The other two members, Box and Flashback along with the members of Gamma Flight were recruited by Jerome Jaxon, an old enemy of Hudson, to join Omega Flight, a criminal organisation. Box planned to spy on Jaxon but was discovered and Jaxon used the Box system as a part of Omega Flight in attacking Guardian. ^[2]

Under the leadership of Heather Hudson as Vindicator, an independent Alpha Flight restarted the Beta Flight team as a trainee team starting with Purple Girl. ^[3] Beta Flight gains three additional members by issue 55. ^[4]

After the Canadian government restarts Department H, Beta gains new members from the former rival government sponsor team, Gamma Flight, and remains the raw recruit team, while Gamma Flight is instead used to refer to Department H's support sections. ^[5] Department H and all Flight sections are shut down soon after the Canadian Superhuman Registration Act is passed. ^[6]

After Department H and Alpha Flight are reformed with an almost new group of heroes and administrators, a classified Beta Flight wing of headquarters was established. It was later revealed to have held three young superhumans who were the subjects of secret experiments. When additional members of the earlier Alpha Flight return, several newer members are demoted to form a new Beta Flight. ^[7] With the loss of several members' powers due to Decimation, ^{[8] [9]} the death of most of Alpha Flight, ^[10] and the disbanding of Department H, ^[11] it is presumed that Beta Flight is no longer operational.

Members

Main article: List of Flight members

References

1. John Byrne  ( w ,  a )."Tundra!" Alpha Flight ,no. 1 1 (August 1983). New York, New York : Marvel Comics .
2. John Byrne ( w ,  a )."Set-Up" Alpha Flight ,no. 5 11 (August 1983).New York, New York:Marvel Comics.
3. Bill Mantlo  ( w ),Terry Shoemaker,Steve Leialoha ( p ),Hilary Barta ( i )."Madness" Alpha Flight ,no. 48 48 (July 1987). New York, New York : Marvel Comics .
4. Bill Mantlo ( w ),Jim Lee ( p ),Tony DeZuniga ( i )."Madness" Alpha Flight ,no. 55 55 (February 1988). New York, New York : Marvel Comics .
5. Fabian Nicieza  ( w ),Mike Bair ( p ),Mike Manley ( i )."Building Blocks Part 4: Strength" Alpha Flight ,no. 90 90 (November 1990). New York, New York : Marvel Comics .
6. Simon Furman  ( w ),Dario Carrasco, Jr. ( p ),Ian Akin,Frank Turner ( i )."No Future Part 3: The Hollow Man" Alpha Flight ,no. 130 90 (March 1994). New York, New York : Marvel Comics .
7. Erik Larsen ,Eric Stephenson ( w ),Leinil Francis Yu ( p ),Dexter Vines,Scott Koblish ( i )."Reunion" Wolverine ,vol. 2,no. 142 142 (September 1999). New York, New York : Marvel Comics .
8. Brian Michael Bendis  ( w ),Mike Deodato Jr. ( p ),Joe Pimentel ( i )."The Collective Part One" New Avengers ,no. 18-20(June 2006-August 2006). New York, New York : Marvel Comics .
9. All-New OHotMU A-Z Update #3
10. Brian Michael Bendis ( w ),Mike Deodato Jr. ( p ),Joe Pimentel ( i )."The Collective Part One" The New Avengers ,no. 17 17 (May 2006). New York, New York : Marvel Comics .
11. Michael Avon Oeming  ( w ),Scott Kolins ( p ),Scott Kolins ( i )."Alpha to Omega Part 1" Omega Flight ,no. 1 1 (May 2006). New York, New York : Marvel Comics .

External links

• Beta Flight at Marvel.com
• Beta Flight at Marvel Wiki
• AlphaFlight.net
• ComicVine.com's Beta Flight article
• The Appendix to the Handbook to the Marvel Universe: Beta Flight entry