Johnny canuck was created be leo bachle when he was only 15 years old. He first appeared in early political cartoons dating to 1869 where he was portrayed as a younger cousin of the united states uncle sam and britains john bull. In june of 1938, national allied publications began a new comicbook series, featuring several different heroes. Johnny is by no means a boring comic book, and for just 28 issues, there is a breadth of styles. Johnny canuck much like uncle sam evolved as a way for 19thcentury cartoonists to personify the united states, johnny canuck first appeared in canadian political cartoons in the 1860s, usually as a younger cousin or bullying victim to uncle sam or.
A few, in fact, dont really have costumes such as freelance, johnny canuck, sergeant canuck, and canada jack but their iconic stature, i feel, demands that they be set apart from the other regular weca crime fighters. In the series there are 7, and continuing characters throughout the book. It wasnt until late in that year that johnny canuck was slated to appear. This is a list of my top 100 comic book heroes from any comic book series.
Ty templeton and moonstone books are currently planning to resurrect the character in a comic originally called johnny canuck and the guardians of the northern lights and then retitled the northern guard which is scheduled for release in november 2010. Over the years canada has been home to an eclectic roster of cartooning talent from johnny canuck to nelvana, walter frise to lynn johnston. Publisher looking to revive johnny canuck wwii comic. Johnny canuck is linked to a tradition of stalwart, honest, upstanding canadian heroes. These canadian comic book heroes, in contrast to their american. On top of that, johnny canuck is one of the first of its kind to do story arcs.
Johnny canuck is a much older character and he appeared for the first time in the political material way back in. Johnny canuck s stories were always in the second half of the book while rex baxter led off every issue of dime comics. This page will deal with the most valuable of all, golden age comic books. He manages to sneak into hitlers office and punches the dictator but is subsequently subdued and arrested.
This includes antiheroes and villains that are now heroes. Top 100 most valuable comic books of the golden age 19381956 the 100 most valuable comic books from each age. Captain canuck is a superhero, one of comic books most popular canadianowned heroes. An exploration of the more prominent canadian comic book heroes as purveyors of the message of unity and call for support sheds some light not only on the origin of future canadian comic book heroes, but also indicates reasons beyond a fraught publishing industry that those later heroes struggled to find more than a niche audience. New listing vintage worlds greatest super knights black knight action mego action jackson bearded accessories navy football baseball etc lot.
Yet the character was clearly published as a patriotic icon canadas answer to captain america down to the costume which strongly resembles his. The second canadian national comic hero, johnny canuck, first appeared in the february 1942 issue of bells dime comics no. A toronto archivist and publisher has obtained rights to repring the adventures of johnny canuck, a second world war canadian comic book hero who in one. Resurrecting canadas greatest comic book hero, johnny canuck. Without the heroes that canadian children had come to know and love. However, in 1975, a new comic book character, captain canuck, emerged. Johnny canuck is back in reprint of 1940s comic books.
Adolph hitler synopsis johnny enters berlin to help the local spy ring. With the advent of the depression, however, significant changes occurred as publishers responded to the publics growing appetite for escapist entertainment. Johnny canuck kickstarter campaign comic book daily. A canadian comic book hero used as a morale booster during the second world war could soon return to print if he gets a boost of his own. A toronto archivist and publisher has obtained rights to repring the adventures of johnny canuck, a second world war canadian comic book hero who in one issue fought adolf hitler in handtohand. Comic book heroes westfield chermside, chermside, queensland 4032 rated 4.
A toronto archivist and publisher has obtained rights to repring the adventures of johnny canuck, a second world war canadian comic book. Outside of a few pages reprinted in the great canadian comic books anthology in the 1970s, these stories have been out of print since world war two, when they were at the frontline of the war against hitler and of a very young canadian pop culture. Origin johnny canuck was created as a lumberjack national personification of canada. Johnny canuck synonyms, johnny canuck pronunciation, johnny canuck translation, english dictionary definition of johnny canuck. This edit will also create new pages on comic vine for. Johnny canuck is linked to a tradition of stalwart, honest, upstanding canadian. Johnny canuck definition of johnny canuck by the free. We will say that the golden age begins in 1938 and ends in 1956, when the. The everyman hero in canadian wwii comics wow comics no. Its a good time to be a canadian comicbook hero especially if your exploits havent seen print for roughly 70 years. Canadian superheroes making a comic book comeback the star. Ezrin told him to dream up a new comic book character, and that night johnny canuck was born. A new character created by two young men from cleveland was featured on the cover.
Comic books in english canada the canadian encyclopedia. Reprinting johnnys adventures that captivated canada in the 1940s. Mego military and adventure action figures for sale ebay. The return of a lost golden age hero on kickstarter. In december of 1940, american luxury goods including comics were forced out of the canadian market. The golden age of comic books useful notes tv tropes. In quebec, no similar heroes appeared in the comic book field, which was dominated, instead, by religious comics. On the johnny canuck stamp, the hero is dressed for battle in a flight jacket, goggles, boots and a leather aviator helmet.
Canadian superhero johnny canuck coming back in reprint of. This period, which witnessed an explosion of englishcanadian comic book publishing, is now described as the canadian golden age of comics. By the 1920s comics were an established popular art form in north america. You may not have heard of brok windsor or johnny canuck, but back during the second world war they were part of canadas golden age of comic books. Johnny canuck childrens literature student exhibitions. Throughout 1941, canadian comic book readers experienced a boom in canadian produced comics. The play, based on a world war ii comic book series, fol lows canadian superhero johnny canuck and his supersquad as they save the world from hitler and.
Johnny canuck, canadian comic hero, hopes to continue. Canadian superhero johnny canuck is back in reprint of. Despite what our american friends tell us it wasnt them that ended the war, neither was it batman or superman it was johnny canuck who managed to take on adolf hitler one on one. Johnny canuck definition of johnny canuck by the free dictionary. A look at johnny canuck from the comic page to the. He was the canadian cousin of uncle sam and then exploded onto the comic book scene during the second world war. Canadian superhero johnny canuck is back in reprint of 1940s comic. Johnny canuck is depicted as he appeared in the comic books, dressed in flight jacket, goggles, leather headgear and boots. On todays date in 1940, the government of canada banned the import of comic books, paving the way for the development of homegrown wartime heroes like johnny canuck rather than rely on u. Holtz synopsis johnny encounters a german patrol and is knocked out, but they decide to let him go with their agent holtz posing as a russian. Years ago, during the golden age of comics, there was a group of colorful heroes who fought the good fight, stomped the bad criminals and wiped out the really evil nazis, far from the eyes of american comic fans, up in the frozen north of canada. Classic canadian comic heroes to be collected for first.
The comic book hero exists in a vacuum, there is no goodness but him and he has little evil in him, at all. In 1995, canada post issued a series of canadian postage stamps celebrating canadas comicbook superheroes. The series was the first successful canadian comic book since the collapse of the nations comic book industry following world war ii three characters have worn the maple leaf costume of captain canuck. The best canadian comic book characters talking comics. The original johnny canuck was a symbolic character from 19thcentury political cartoons, a canadian version of uncle sam. I would say, first and foremost, leo bachles story telling sets him apart. When cy bell released a set of six 15 cent compendium comics in 1945 bringing together stories in each issue of some of bells most popular characters, johnny was not included, though nelvana, speed savage, and the phantom rider were. Cbrs ten most important canadian comic book heroes. Gass not only uses the johnny canuck comics to help develop the content of the play, but also employs a comic book perfor. Mego 1st issue fighting yank 11 action figure,vintage. Created by richard comely who was unaware of the earlier johnny canuck character captain canuck was a superhero rather than just a hero, he wore red tights, and bore a red maple leaf emblazoned on his forehead. Most readers alive today likely dont know who brok windsor or johnny.
Captain canuck debuted in 1975, and thus hasnt been around as long as other uniquely canadinan heroes like johnny canuck or nelvana. Top rated lists for johnny canuck 26 items canadian characters 94 items. Canada post celebrated bachles johnny canuck in 1995, in a series of stamps showing canadian comic book heroes. Canada bans import of comic books canadian stamp news. The complete collection of the 1940s comicbook hero johnny canuck, returns for the first time since his final adventure in 1946. Fandom apps take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. The play, based on a world war ii comic book series, follows canadian superhero johnny canuck and his supersquad as they save the world from hitler and the nazis during the war.