I’m going to explain why Edmonton needs a Wolverine Statue, and in fact, needs a much bigger statue than that. In order to do that, I need to first introduce you to Alpha Flight, James Hudson and their role in Edmonton’s history, in the Marvel universe.
Back in the ’80s, Canadian superhero team, Alpha Flight, fought in numerous locations across Canada including Edmonton, inside Edmonton’s most recognisable landmark.
While this is cool, it’s only one of the locations that Alpha Flight battled super-villains. At that time, they also battled baddies in every other major Canadian city. However, in Alpha Flight 67-70, that all changed. One of comics worst, meaning most evil, super-villain took complete control of Edmonton. The Dreamqueen, for reasons unknown, came to Edmonton and took up residence at the top of one of Edmonton’s tallest buildings. It was from here that she took over the city.
Her powers were so devastating that in a 2012 article titled the Top Five Most Destroyed Canadian Cities in The Marvel Universe, Edmonton topped the list at number one for the following reason:
“Hudnall’s four-story arc Wrath of the Dreamqueen, running from issues 67 to 70, puts Edmonton through the wringer, and may be one of the most gruesome things I’ve ever read in an Alpha Flight comic. The Dreamqueen makes Edmonton her base of operations, uses her mind-control power to take over the city and send Edmontonians on a citywide killing spree.”
Yes, that’s right. The Dreamqueen is able to put everyone in the city into a waking dream state, and all, and I mean all, the residents in the city turned into savage killers.
And just when all seems lost, Alpha Flight gets the call.
And in a time of despair, some members of Alpha Flight transport to Edmonton. Jasper Avenue to be precise.
Meanwhile, the rest of the team flew and crashed into, surprise, West Edmonton Mall.
And then, the battle begins.
With the Dreemqueen finally falling.
And the Canadian military finally showing up.
Needless to say, Edmonton finally returned to normal. However, in the process of battling the Dreamqueen and numerous other reasons, Alpha Flight was now without a home base. This is significant, because, as a result of having no home base, the mayor of Edmonton thanks Alpha Flight by giving them a building located at #4 Sir Winston Churchhill Square to use as their new base.
Yes, that’s right; Edmonton became home base for a superhero team, and most of their stories then started out from this location. Like this,
and this,
and this,
and this,
and on, and on.
But wait! How does this relate to Wolverine? Well, in order to understand that, we need to go back to the beginning and meet James Hudson. James Hudson worked for an Edmonton based petroleum company, Am-Can Oil. His job, within research and development, was to develop a suit that could be used for underground oil exploration.
But when he found out his suit was going to be used by the Canadian military, he destroyed it. Then brooded in his apartment that overlooked the North Saskatchewan.
Unsure of what he wanted to do next, a knock at the door answered the question for him.
The Prime Minster of Canada, Pierre Trudeau, wanted James to head up a super hero team primarily made up of mutants. Yes, a Canadian X-Men. And so, James agreed. He began working with Canadian mutants and was one of the people involved in the creation of Wolverine.
Wolverine was intended to be the leader of Alpha Flight and for awhile, he did.
But shortly after, he grew dissatisfied with the Canadian government’s mandate to find mutants for government use. At the same time, he was asked by Professor Xavier to join the X-Men.
And so, he left.
This didn’t go over well, and the Canadian government sent James Hudson to bring Wolverine back.
And when James was unsuccessful, he tried again when Wolverine was in Canada.
Shortly after, the two agreed to disagree. Wolverine was allowed to remain a member of the X-Men, and James and the Canadian Government would stop trying to bring him home. But that didn’t stop Wolverine from returning home, to work with Alpha Flight, of his own accord. Like this,
and this,
and this,
and on, and on. But Wolverine would always go back to his other team, the X-Men.
But that is okay. Wolverine left Alpha Flight because he didn’t like the mandate of the Canadian government, but he returned because of his love for his former teammates, and his love of Canada.
We know that Wolverine was found in Northern Alberta, and we know that he is a standing member of Alpha Flight, and we know that Alpha Flight saved Edmonton and established a base there. So Edmonton needs a statue, an Alpha Flight statue, to acknowledge their contributions to the City, and a Wolverine statue to acknowledge his birth place, his ties to the team, and his undying love for Canada. If you agree, you simply have to sign this online petition to show your support. After all, who wouldn’t want an Alpha Flight/Wolverine statue in Edmonton?
Literary Dialogue 
