Cry For Beloved Canada!

The ancient shaman known as Ranark has been accidentally unleashed by Shaman of Alpha Flight and having seen the state of the world since his centuries-long imprisonment, he is not impressed. Ranark arrives in Northeast Saskatchewan where he comes upon a couple who have gone out camping. Stopping in inspect the camper's gear he finds their advanced technology an affront to nature and begins trashing their campsite. When the man's wife tries to flee, Ranark strikes her down prompting her husband to come at the mystic is an ax. Unimpressed by this display, Ranark uses his mystical powers to make the man scream for hours after Ranark has left.

Meanwhile, in the Ottawa home of Alpha Flight's leader Vindicator, the Thing, Walter Langkowski, and the Shaman explain what happened when they were in the Alberta Rockies. After explaining that Shaman accidentally freed Ranark and how the Thing had come seeking Walter's aid to find a cure for the cancer ravaging Giant-Man's body. Langkowski expresses a desire to help Ben with his friend, but he has to deal with the threat of Ranark. The Thing understands and offers his aid to help Alpha Flight stop this new menace. Vindicator then goes to his files to send out summons to other members of the team. With Snowbird out on maneuvers, this leaves only the twin mutants known as Northstar and Aurora available to be called. As the call is being put in, Ranark is flying over Canada, attracting the attention of the Royal Canadian Air Force, who mobilize fighter jets to intercept the mystic. Their missiles prove ineffective against their foe, and Ranark easily destroys the fighter planes, sending the pilots parachuting to safety.

At that moment in Laval, Quebec, Northstar is uninterested in answering Alpha Flight's summons but his twin sister insists that they need to help their comrades. However, Jean-Paul is uninterested in helping Alpha Flight as he is still bitter about the Canadian government disbanding the team. Aurora will hear no more of her brother's lack of care and decides to go and aid Alpha Flight alone. At that moment Ranark arrives in the city of Winnipeg and disgusted by the sight he sees decides to raise the city to the ground and restore the nature that was once prevalent in the region during his time walking the Earth. Just as he begins to make vines sprout from the ground, Ranark is staggered by a blast fired from Vindicator as he, Shaman, Sasquatch and the Thing arrive on the scene. In response, Ranark causes an earthquake that threatens to topple a building. While the Sasquatch braces the building so it can be evacuated, the arriving Aurora is able to save a small child that falls out of the window. With the Thing helping to brace the building, Aurora uses her enhanced speed to help clear out the last of the people inside the building before it collapses.

Meanwhile at the New York headquarters of the Fantastic Four, Bill Foster is feeling weaker and weaker as the cancer continues to eat through his body. Trying to get up, Bill is too weak and he almost falls to the floor but is caught by Mister Fantastic who carries him back to bed. Noticing that Bill has removed his costume, Reed asks Foster not to despair, telling him that Ben should be back with Walter Langkowski soon.

While back in Winnipeg, the Thing and Sasquatch free themselves from the rubble of the collapsed building. Not far away Ranark flies over the West Mainland highway and gloats at the futility of the people trying to flee the city. He begins attacking the gridlocked cars when Shaman comes to their aid. When he is knocked aside, Shaman is saved by the arrival of Sasquatch and the Thing who begin piling on their foe. As Ranark summons a powerful storm, Jean-Paul watches the battle from his television and decides to head into battle after he sees a clip of his sister fighting against Ranark. Alpha Flight and the Thing continue to fight a losing battle due to the fact that Ranark has a magical counter for all of their attacks. However, the tide of battle turns when Northstar arrives on the scene. When he clasps his sisters’ hand their mutant powers trigger a blinding light that weakens their foe. With Ranark on the ropes, Ben and Sasquatch knock him down long enough for Shaman to shrink Ranark down and trap his essence in a mystical cocoon so that he can be contained away from the eyes of man.

With the battle over and Bill's life hanging in the balance, the Thing rushes Walter back to New York. After examining the Foster, Walter exits the lab and tells Ben the bad news -- the cancer has advanced too far and there is nothing that he can do...

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Thing, Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl), Alpha Flight (Vindicator, Shaman, Sasquatch, Northstar, Aurora), Giant-Man, Alicia Masters, Ranrak

Continuity Notes

• This issue makes many references to the fact that Giant-Man has contracted cancer. This happened thanks to radiation he was exposed to while battling Atom Smasher in Black Goliath #3. He is eventually cured in Marvel Two-In-One #85.

• Jean-Paul mentions how the Canadian government shut down Alpha Flight, this happened in X-Men #140, however, the group has been operating outside of government funding since Alpha Flight #1.