main imageCLAIRE McNEIL

Real Name: Claire McNeil

Identity/Class: Normal human

Occupation: Retiree

Group Membership: None 

Affiliations: Box (Madison Jeffries), Mrs. Chenen, Simone Chenen, Father Lloyd, Ramsey McNeil, Shaman (Michael Twoyoungmen), Talisman (Elizabeth Twoyoungmen), Katheryn Twoyoungmen, Vindicator (Heather McNeil Hudson)

Enemies: Alien seed pods, James Hudson (he eloped with her daughter), Weapon X (James Howlett; threatened Ramsey & terrified Claire)

Known Relatives: Ramsey McNeil (husband), Heather McNeil Hudson (Vindicator, daughter), Becky (daughter), seven sons (names unrevealed), Claire MacNeil Hudson (granddaughter), James MacDonald Hudson (Guardian, son-in-law), James Howlett (Wolverine, cousin removed by marriage), David McNeil, Yvette McNeil (distant cousins)

Aliases: "Mommy"

Base of Operations: Haysboro, Calgary, Canada

First Appearance: Alpha Flight I#5 (December, 1983)

Powers/Abilities: Claire McNeil had no superhuman powers. She apparently was a skilled mother, as she had nine children altogether.

History: (Alpha Flight I#65 (fb) – BTS) – Claire and Ramsey befriended Father Lloyd, who became a friend of the whole McNeil family.

(Alpha Flight I#5/2 (fb) - BTS) - Claire McNeil told her daughter Heather about how her friend, Elizabeth Twoyoungmen's mother, was dying.

(Alpha Flight I#5/2) - When Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen, his daughter Elizabeth, Ramsey and Clare McNeil, and their daughter Heather visited Katheryn Twoyoungmen in the hospital, they found they had arrived just as Katheryn had passed away. After young Elizabeth stormed out of the room, angry at her doctor father for not healing her mother, Ramsey spoke with Michael and offered for he and Claire to take care of Elizabeth for a little while to allow Michael time to mourn his wife's passing.

(Alpha Flight I#47 (fb)) - After Heather McNeil fell in love with government worker James Hudson, Claire held Heather back while Ramsey told James to leave his property, refusing to allow James to expose his daughter to dangerous government work.

(Alpha Flight: In the Beginning#-1) – Ramsey and Claire confronted James and Heather as they arrived to have the justice of the peace marry them and overheard Heather’s misgivings about not having a proper wedding. When James mentioned that the ceremony wasn’t important so much as the vows, Claire responded that the ceremony might not matter to James but Heather was Catholic and, unless she was married in a Catholic Church, neither Claire nor Ramsey would consider the Hudsons married at all. Claire then angrily explained that if getting married by a justice of the peace was the best James Hudson could provide for Heather, then the McNeils would have nothing to do with him. Heather immediately asked about herself and Claire replied that once Heather had left the “insensitive brute,” then they would see her again. As they left, Heather confided to James that until they were married in a church, she couldn’t consider them officially married either.

(Alpha Flight I#47 (fb)) - Eventually, Heather ran away and eloped with James, but Ramsey and Claire followed and confronted them, leaving when Weapon X (later Wolverine) threatened Ramsey. As Ramsey and a terrified Claire left, Ramsey asked James what Heather was going to do with James' medals when he got himself killed.

(Alpha Flight I#47 (fb) - BTS) - Once their children had grown up and moved away, Claire and Ramsey McNeil retired, with Ramsey taking a little league baseball coaching job, mostly out of boredom.

(Alpha Flight I#47 (fb) - BTS) - Claire and Ramsey phoned Alpha Flight's Tamarind Island headquarters and asked that Heather, now Alpha Flight's Vindicator, return home.

(Alpha Flight I#47) - When Vindicator arrived at her childhood home, Claire and Ramsey came out to see her. They then went inside while Heather revisited her old home and Ramsey explained that they had called her back to her hometown due to disappearing children, many from Ramsey's little league team. Later, after Ramsey had been taken over by the alien seed pods that had transformed the missing children, Claire and Mrs. Chenen were speaking with Haysboro police when Claire heard Ramsey calling to her from outside. Going out back, Claire was terrified to see large tree-like humanoids coming towards the house. The police tried to fight them off until Vindicator returned and used plasma bursts to incinerate the alien plant shells covering the missing townsfolk. Rescuing the captured townspeople, Vindicator freed the children and Ramsey, not realizing that one alien seed pod remained intact.

(Alpha Flight I#64) – While Heather was visiting her parents in Haysboro, Madison Jeffries stopped by to visit Heather. Watching the newly-engaged Madison and Heather kiss outside, Ramsey commented to Claire about how Heather seemed to really be in love. Claire responded by agreeing that Heather seemed to be as much in love with Madison as she was with her first husband, James Hudson. She then commented to Ramsey that she hoped Heather’s impending marriage to Madison turned out better than Heather’s marriage to James.

(Alpha Flight I#65) – Soon after, Claire spoke with Heather over coffee, asking Heather if she and Madison had any plans for the day. When Heather replied that once Madison had finished helping Ramsey repair the McNeils’ car, she was going into town with Madison to look at bridal gowns, Claire expressed concern that Heather was marrying another super hero despite what had happened with James Hudson. Claire then expressed concern over Heather’s choice to continue wearing the battlesuit formerly worn by James, despite Alpha Flight’s seeming disbandment, thinking that perhaps the suit would hold unpleasant memories for Heather. Heather explained that she had her own reasons for continuing to wear the suit and that she could deal with life outside of Alpha Flight. Claire replied that she was simply worried with the recent political attacks on Alpha Flight and told Heather to give those responsible “heck.” Just then, as Madison returned from helping Ramsey, Claire invited him in for coffee. Later, when Heather and Madison returned from bridal gown shopping and a fire started by what appeared to be Madison’s Box robot, Claire and Ramsey watched as Heather phoned Montreal University seeking Elizabeth Twoyoungmen, hoping to gain Elizabeth’s help in interpreting Madison’s recent strange dreams. With Heather not having any luck contacting Elizabeth, Claire suggested they visit Father Lloyd, a man of the cloth and old family friend.

(Alpha Flight I#66) – Overhearing Heather’s cries from down the hall, Claire went up to check on Heather, asking what she had to weep about given that she was about to marry Madison Jeffries, the first man Heather had loved since James Hudson. Heather revealed that for the past few hours, she had been unable to remove her battlesuit, as if it were a sign that James did not approve of Heather’s impending marriage to Madison. Wracked with guilt, Heather blasted through the wall and flew off, shocking Claire. Ramsey rushed to her side as Madison Jeffries entered the Box robot and assured them he would bring Heather back.

Comments: Created by John Byrne (writer & art).

In the McNeils’ various appearances, their last names have been spelled “McNeil” and “MacNeil.” I chose to go with the “McNeil” spelling for the sake of these profiles.

While Claire McNeil’s hair started out red in her Alpha Flight I#5 & #47 appearances, by the time she appeared in Alpha Flight I#64-66, her hair had become gray.

Profile by Proto-Man.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Claire McNeil has no known connections to

Mrs. ChenenMrs. Chenen

Mrs. Chenen was a citizen of Haysboro whose daughter, Simone, was captured by the alien seed pods. When she visited Claire McNeil and spoke to the police, tree-like beings invaded Claire's backyard, using the voices of Simone and Claire's husband, Ramsey. Terrified that her daughter had become such a creature, Mrs. Chenen backed away as the police attempted to battle the creatures. Alpha Flight's Vindicator eventually arrived and used plasma bursts to incinerate the plant shell covering Simone and Ramsey, rescuing them.

 

 

 

--Alpha Flight I#47

Simone Chenen transformed Simone ChenenSimone mutated

Simone Chenen was the daughter of Mrs. Chenen, a citizen of Haysboro, and became a host of the alien seed pods, transforming her into a tree-like creature. When Mrs. Chenen visited Claire McNeil's home to speak with the police there, Simone, Claire's husband Ramsey, and many other transformed citizens attacked the McNeil home. The police tried to fight them off until Vindicator arrived and used plasma bursts to free the transformed townspeople from the alien plant shells.

 

 

 

--Alpha Flight I#47

images: (without ads)
Alpha Flight I#47, p9, pan2 (main image)
Alpha Flight I#65, p4, pan6 (headshot)
Alpha Flight I#47, p17, pan3 (Mrs. Chenen)
Alpha Flight I#47, p23, pan1 (Simone Chenen - normal)
Alpha Flight I#47, p17, pan5 (Simone Chenen - mutated)

Appearances:
Alpha Flight I#5 (December, 1983) – John Byrne (writer, art), Denny O’Neil (editor)
Alpha Flight I#47 (June, 1987) – Bill Mantlo (writer), Craig Brasfield, Mike Mignola, Steve Purcell (pencils), Whilce Portacio, Terry Austin (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Alpha Flight I#64 (November, 1988) – Bill Mantlo (writer), Jim Lee (breakdowns), Al Milgrom (finishes), Carl Potts (editor)
Alpha Flight I#65 (December, 1988) – Bill Mantlo (writer), Hugh Haynes (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Alpha Flight I#66 (January, 1989) – Bill Mantlo (writer), Hugh Haynes (pencils), Gerry Talaoc (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Alpha Flight: In the Beginning#-1 (July, 1997) – Steve Seagle (writer), Anthony Winn (pencils), Mario Alquiza, Matt Ryan, Kevin Conrad (inks), Jaye Gardner (editor)

Last updated: 10/22/14

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Back to Characters