DEPARTMENT H
Creator: John Byrne [Steve Seagle is responsible for the Department's current reorganization. -C]

      The federal government agency called Department H is now in its fourth, (and most troubling) incarnation.
      Department H was originally a top secret branch of the Ministry of Defence named after its top employee: James MacDonald Hudson. Using H's resources James Hudson refined the set of armor that he eventually came to wear, and also recruited the other super-human beings that came to form Alpha Flight.
      H was disbanded by the Federal gov't for financial reasons. [An eminently Canadian thing to do. Trust me. :) - Compiler] Following a fight between Alpha Flight and the Hulk in Vancouver the Department's funding was restored. H shut down again after Alpha Flight walked out due to repeated violations of a promised "hands off" policy.
      The Department was recreated once more following the Sorcerer affair, but it was shut down again after an investigation into the Joshua Lord matter.
      Department H started up for the fourth time in the wake of the Onslaught mess in the United States. This latest incarnation of the agency has been troubled. Although the situation seems to be clearing up, Department H started off using morally repugnant and illegal means to pursue its goals. These methods included brainwashing the members of Alpha Flight, experimenting upon test subjects without their consent, and forcible conscription of orphans into the super-powers program.



      We've seen several of the key personnel in the new Department H. They are:

• Director X: Nothing is known of this person. Who he is, (and how he rose to such a powerful position) is a mystery. We have yet to learn anything of his plans or ambitions.
  


• General Jeremy Clarke: Former Director, Super-Hero Development and Deployment.
        Until his death Jeremy Clarke had been involved with Alpha from the beginning in one way or another. He was a major player in getting H started for the fourth time. How he accomplished the rebirth is unknown.
        Clarke's time as Alpha Flight's main manager has come to symbolize the "dark" era of Department H. However, there were hints that change was coming to H even before Clarke's death.
        Clarke was apparently killed shutting down a bomb that was set in Department H's nuclear reactor.
  


• Mr. Gentry, Director, Super-Hero Deployment & Development
       Mr. Gentry is General Clarke's replacement. With the apparent full co-operation of Director X, he has set about "cleaning house" in Department H. Gentry has so far had a good amount of success, and has regained a bit of Alpha Flight's faith and trust.
  


• Heather Hudson, Alpha Flight liason officer.



• Coordinator Proctor: Chief Administrator, Super Hero Youth Acceleration Program. This is the program that was responsible for Flex, Radius, Murmer and Ghost Girl being recruited from Hull House into Alpha Flight. The fate of this program under Mr. Gentry's regime is not yet known.



• Dr. Horatio Huxley: Dr. Huxley was the brains behind most of Department H's black ops projects, including the Beta Flight, Helios and Weapon X projects.
        Huxley's wrong-doings were discovered by Alpha Flight, but he managed to escape. He was last seen attempting to get employment from S.H.I.E.L.D. One hopes he was unsuccessful.



• Chief Engineer Ko Bin Su: Dr. Su is responsible for design and maintenance of much of Alpha Flight's tech gear, including, supposedly, the "geothermal" battlesuit formerly used by Heather Hudson.



• Lt. Oculus: Head of Monitor Division, which spied on Alpha Flight 24 hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days per year. Given his occupation it is safe to say that "Oculus" is an alias. The fate of Monitor Division under Gentry's regime is unknown.



• Dr. Myra Haddock: Head of Prometheus Division, H's tech acquisition and adaptation arm. The Division was named after the Prometheus Pit, an inter- dimensional portal that Haddock eventually succeeded in mastering.
        Haddock doesn't trust others in H, and for a time deliberately hid her progress with the Prometheus Pit from her superiors. She was eventually found out, and Clarke used the knowledge to blackmail her into tricking Alpha Flight into the Pit.
        During an attack by the Zodiac on Department H headquarters Haddock was targeted for death. The attempt failed, and the reason that the Zodiac wanted her dead is not yet clear. Dr. Haddock has not appeared since she was injured.