What's the relation ?

8. Alpha Flight (1983)

I hope it's ok to come back and finish posting my choices. PM apologies to some folks coming when it lets me send them (to everyone including shaxper, but again keeping those offline as requested).

My choice today is Candian super-team Alpha Flight spinning out of the pages of Uncanny X-Men. As most probably know, John Byrne created this series at a time when he was really at the top of his game with not only the X-Men run with Claremont behind him but also an already tremendous run on FF underway.

It was a title that I think overall never lived up to its full potential, but it had a great start that seemed to take a punch to the gut with the death of Guardian not too far into it (though I recall liking some of the later material as well). Something about the composition of the team I just loved, the characters seemed really interesting to me and I liked it being set in Canada especially versus being another US team.

For the 2021 topic I had Ben and Alicia as my favorite romantic couple in comics (and they appeared on many others' lists too, I'm happy to say). And I'm glad that Ben's already gotten some love here from other CCFers for other series he's starred in, such as The Thing v. 1 (Rocky Grimm) as well as Marvel-Two-In-One. 

For me, my favorite Ben spin-off series is the 1960s Strange Tales Torch-Thing series; once he was added to the mix he really turned that series around 

I kid, I kid!  Actually my favorite Ben spin-off is his 8-issue 2006 series, which I first read a few years ago in the tpb "The Thing: Idol of Millions." 
Day 5/Selection #8: Spin-Off Series: The Thing v. 2, #1-8,  written by Dan Slott with art by Andrea DiVito (#1-5) and Kieron Dwyer (#6-8), 2006
First appearance: Ben Grimm aka the Thing in the Fantastic Four story in (of course) Fantastic Four #1 (1961)

There's plenty of superheroing packed into these 8 issues, but there's also a love story and that's the main attraction for me here. I like any story about Ben and Alicia and I loved that they get back together in this mini-series. So for me this series hits the spot.


Here's a page from issue #3, with Daredevil and Alicia




And a couple of pages from issue #5




 

8. Smax

In some ways, I liked this better than Top Ten, the series it was spun off from. Will explain further at a later date

Random thoughts on Day Five.  Randomly later than usual. 

Uncle Scrooge - I feel this was the first time we saw Scrooge.  It will not be the last.  In fact he may show up twice.  

Jack of Fables - I feel like I've talked about Jack before.  I'm fairly sure I have.  Getting old is hell, I tells ya.  

Whoa, Nellie! - I've tried to read Love and Rockets soooo many times.  And I just don't get it.  Maybe I'm reading the wrong ones.  But it just does absolutely nothing for me. 

Mysterymen Comics - This is one of those things I feel like I should read (Flaming Carrot too) but I've just never gotten around to it.  I also don't think it's super available...but again I could be wrong.  

Gotham Central - I have zero idea why I didn't think of this.  Sigh.  This was the last Batman related book I read regularly.  And it was definitely my introduction to Greg Rucka, if not Ed Brubaker.  Sigh.  I'm giving C&C another Slammie.  

Joker - I mentioned when Doom showed up that, by and large, villains don't work as funnybook leads.  That was particularly true when the Code still had some sway.  I loved that Joker book back in the late 70s.  But it is DIRE.  There's a reason we don't let kids make important decisions.  And at this point, I'd be happy for a moratorium on the use of The Joker for at least 25 years.  Or until he stops being an Edgelord role model.  

West Coast Avengers - I know I bought that first WCA mini-series.  I also know that I remember exactly nothing about it.  And it was shortly after that that I stopped buying anything from Marvel for over a decade.  So...yea.  

Eternal Warrior - I've never read a Valiant book.  I likely never will.  Does Michael Moorcock know about this? 

Alpha Flight - I read about the first half dozen or so issues of this.  But it didn't really move me.  And I abandoned Marvel shortly thereafter.  

Ms. Marvel - I only ever read a handful of issues of Ms. Marvel.  That was a handful too many.  

The Thing v. 2, #1-8 - I had to dig to figure out what Farrar was getting too here.  Once I did I discovered it meant nothing to me.  I've never read anything written by Dan Slott.  Not that I have anything against him...I just haven't really gotten around to late-stage superhero funnybooks.  

Supergirl - 

Catwoman - I actually read that book for a fair while.  I have absolutely NO memory of it.  I suspect that Catwoman would float though. 

I think we already covered everyone else.  If not...sigh.  

Oh crap.

On the one hand, my initial list had Supergirl on it twice. So I appreciate your willingness to make an exception for her.
On the other hand, that first appearance did have a Supergirl logo. So clearly she should not be eligible.
On the third hand, I really do like the character.
But the rules were clear.
But you made the rules.
Gotta think about this one.