It’s Canada Day and to celebrate the land of maple syrup, beavers, and hockey the staff at Comix Asylum has assembled a top ten list of Canadian superheroes. Debate the list if you wish but remember to do so politely, eh? Happy Canada Day everyone!
10. Iron Man – This Iron Man bears no resemblance to Marvel’s Tony Stark is considered Canada’s first Superhero. The character first appeared in Better Comics #1 (1941) and fought Hitler and the Nazi’s in many of his adventures.
9. Le Protecteur/Northguard – a Canadian superhero created in the mid 80’s, Northguard and his sidekick Fleur de Lys battled political espionage in the province of Quebec. Their exploits garnered them a postage stamp as part of Canada Post’s “made in Canada” superhero series.
8. Cerebus – Dave Sims’ creation had a 300 issue run and is an endearing symbol of independent comic book publishing.
7. Alpha Flight – A spinoff of Marvel’s X-Men, Alpha Flight is Canada’s answer to the Avengers.
6. Brok Windsor – Another hero from the Canadian Whites era, Windsor debuted in a 1944 issue of Better Comics. The dashing hero gained his powers from a tribe of aboriginals after crash landing his canoe on their island.
5. Nelvana of the Northern Lights – Canada’s first female superhero and based on Inuit mythology, her comic book adventures preceded Wonder Woman’s publication debut south of the boarder. Nelvana Limited, an animation and entertainment company, takes its name from the Canadian superhero.
4. Johnny Canuck – A classic hero from the Canadian Whites era. Johhny Canuck is so iconic that his moniker is sometimes used to refer to typical Canadians and a version of the character is used on a patch on the Vancouver Canucks’ sweater.
3. Wolverine – The best at what he does, the diminutive X-Man is arguably one of the most popular characters in comic book history.
2. Captain Canuck – Canada’s version of Captain America debuted in the 70’s and is making a comeback with a new comic book series and season 2 of his web cartoon.
1. Wayne Gretzky – While the Great One may not be a superhero in the traditional sense, the Hall of Fame centre’s career is punctuated by numerous records and hi-lights that continue to resonate in the minds and hearts of millions of Canadians.
Honourable Mentions: Littlest Hobo, Captain Newfoundland, Sgt. Canuck, Dudley Do-Right
