In three days' time, I'm sure my American cousins will fill the blogosphere with patriotic comics covers and panels, but today is the 1st of July - Canada Day! It is a time to celebrate this great dominion of ours, and reflect on things that make our country great: the cultural quilt (now if only Quebec would stop fighting it), our commitment to peace (Harper, I told you not to touch that!), our great landscapes (HARPER! Now go to your room, young man!), and of course...
CANADIAN SUPERHEROES!!!
That's right, we have them. It's a long tradition actually. I mean, what do you think a Mountie is, anyway? Mounties are like the Green Lantern Corps, except red, and on horseback. Sam Steele is the Hal Jordan of Mounties.
Dudley Do-Right is the Guy Gardner.
And King, well, King will have to settle for being the Kyle Rayner.
Super-Mounties remained a tradition through WWII, when Sergeant Canuck came on the scene. Fighting the "Skull"? Remind you of someone?
These days though, Canadian superheroes sadly follow the more garish American trends. We might wear a lot of black, or be mutants, or even ninjas!
See, Canadian Ninja never took off because that's not what a Canadian Ninja would wear.
One thing our superheroes are disturbingly good at is getting killed. The trend started with Dollard des Ormeaux, a colonial-era hero who threw a powder keg at Indians and saw it bounce back into the camp courtesy of the flexible tree branch. It's our version of the Alamo, kids! Louis Riel took a turn. And then it was Alpha Flight's turn. Canada's first super-team was quite the revelation for a teenage Canadian boy growing up in the Mulroney 80s. Except did any of them have to die?
...and die?
...and die some more?
These days, they're known as Omega Flight. But look at this team. Beta Ray Bill isn't Canadian! Spider-Woman isn't Canadian! And the USAgent? The USAgent? Well, might as well call us the 51st state. Geez.
No, Marvel dropped the ball long ago with Alpha Flight. Our last best hope remains, as it ever was, Captain Canuck!
Fighting giant Inuit insurrectionists atop a sinking submarine in Hudson Bay... That has got to count as some kind of awesome!
Happy Canada Day everyone!
CANADIAN SUPERHEROES!!!
That's right, we have them. It's a long tradition actually. I mean, what do you think a Mountie is, anyway? Mounties are like the Green Lantern Corps, except red, and on horseback. Sam Steele is the Hal Jordan of Mounties.
Dudley Do-Right is the Guy Gardner.
And King, well, King will have to settle for being the Kyle Rayner.
Super-Mounties remained a tradition through WWII, when Sergeant Canuck came on the scene. Fighting the "Skull"? Remind you of someone?
These days though, Canadian superheroes sadly follow the more garish American trends. We might wear a lot of black, or be mutants, or even ninjas!
See, Canadian Ninja never took off because that's not what a Canadian Ninja would wear.One thing our superheroes are disturbingly good at is getting killed. The trend started with Dollard des Ormeaux, a colonial-era hero who threw a powder keg at Indians and saw it bounce back into the camp courtesy of the flexible tree branch. It's our version of the Alamo, kids! Louis Riel took a turn. And then it was Alpha Flight's turn. Canada's first super-team was quite the revelation for a teenage Canadian boy growing up in the Mulroney 80s. Except did any of them have to die?
...and die?
...and die some more?
These days, they're known as Omega Flight. But look at this team. Beta Ray Bill isn't Canadian! Spider-Woman isn't Canadian! And the USAgent? The USAgent? Well, might as well call us the 51st state. Geez.
No, Marvel dropped the ball long ago with Alpha Flight. Our last best hope remains, as it ever was, Captain Canuck!
Fighting giant Inuit insurrectionists atop a sinking submarine in Hudson Bay... That has got to count as some kind of awesome!Happy Canada Day everyone!
Comments
I never saw it in print except at his talk.