NEGLECTED CANADIAN-MADE SUPERHEROES

This weekend’s escapist, light-hearted superhero post from Balladeer’s Blog looks at several neglected Canadian-made characters. FOR THEIR GOLDEN AGE HEROES (1941-1950) CLICK HERE.

WHITE THUNDER

Debut Year: 1982

Secret Identity: Scott Garvey

Origin: Bartender Scott Garvey was beaten nearly to death by street thugs. When his survival seemed hopeless, the hospital used experimental drugs on him. An unrelated electric shock interacted with the chemicals and healed Scott. It also granted him superpowers which he kept to himself so he could adopt the costumed identity White Thunder to get revenge on his attackers, then go on fighting crime.

Powers: This hero could fly, generate electricity and shoot electrical blasts from his hands.

CANADIANA

Debut Year: 2004

Secret Identity: Jennifer Neuwirth

Origin: Jennifer’s parents were flakey people who drifted to every cult that came along, taking their young daughter with them. The latest cult they became involved with was run by a charismatic but sinister man named Robertson. No first name was ever given.

      Robertson indulged in the grooming of the teenage daughters of his followers and Jennifer’s parents blithely let her become his latest victim. The cult leader tutored the young women, bringing out superpowers in them and using them as pawns in his villainous activities.

      Jennifer proved strong enough to rebel against Robertson and use her powers against him and against his other female acolytes. She adopted the costumed identity Canadiana.

Powers: Canadiana was strong enough to easily lift a standard 4-door car and carry it with her. She could also fly at 600 kph, generate an energy force field around herself, teleport and release energy through her hands to burn or disintegrate objects with her touch. Jennifer could transform from her street clothes into her Canadiana costume and back again at will. She calls herself “the spirit of Canada.” 

COSMIC DANCER

Debut Year: 1976

Secret Identity: Marc Bolan (I’m kidding!) None

Origin: Cosmic Dancer came to the Earth – or was sent to the Earth – from an unknown planet.

     The entity’s self-proclaimed mission was to “cull the herd” among us humans, weeding out the “predators” and protecting their “prey”.

     This character’s stories did not go on long enough to learn if its was a truly benevolent mission or if it was getting rid of predators and aggressors just to make our world more vulnerable to external conquest.

Powers: Cosmic Dancer could fly through space or in a planetary atmosphere. The being also floated and struck poses that sometimes resembled Shiva Nataraj. Cosmic Dancer controlled energies that protected itself from Earth weapons and destroyed its opponents. Sadly, this figure’s short run left many questions unanswered.

AEROBICA

Debut Year: 1995

Secret Identity: Sally Rogers

Origin: Sally Rogers was training to be a government agent when she volunteered to be a subject in a secret experiment. Scientists altered her hemoglobin, which granted her superpowers.

      Sally then became the costumed government operative code named Aerobica. Her archenemy is the supervillainess Infama. 

Powers: Aerobica has a superhuman physical constitution. This makes her virtually tireless, stronger, faster and more agile than ordinary human beings.

CATMAN

Debut Year: 1979

Secret Identity: Jason Corey

Origin: Adventurer Jason Corey was famed for mountain climbing and exploring. On an expedition to one of Canada’s northernmost provinces he came across a downed alien spaceship. The alien on board took him captive like he was doing with an actual sasquatch who stumbled across his vessel.

      Jason managed to steal one of the alien’s high-tech devices which could materialize a purple safety suit around one’s body.  The suit enabled our hero to return to civilization before the alien could recapture him. Once back home his policewoman sister told him their father had been framed for crimes. Jason Corey used the purple safety suit as his costume and called himself Catman to clear his father.

Powers: The purple suit which the alien device could materialize and dematerialize around Catman’s body protected him in all climates and increased his strength several times over. He used one of his mountain climbing grappling hooks in ways his new super-strength made possible in order to swing around town.

SINNAMON

Debut Year: 1995

Secret Identity: Cindy Canyon

Origin: Cindy Canyon was an apparent mutant who was born with her superpowers. She used them as the superheroine called Sinnamon and lived like a celebrity with no secret who she was.

Powers: This figure could fly, shoot energy beams from her hands and possessed superstrength plus a degree of invulnerability.

ELECTRIC WARRIOR

Debut Year: 1974

Secret Identity: Jeff Tanaka

Origin: Jeff Tanaka was a brilliant Japanese-Canadian college student. When his brother Steve was murdered he used an electricity-generating samurai sword he and the brother had invented and donned futuristic samurai armor to get revenge on his killers. Afterward, he continued to fight crime as the Electric Warrior.

Powers: This hero was skilled at martial arts including swordplay. His electric sword could cut through wood, metals, etc. like Marvel’s villain the Silver Samurai. The Electric Warrior’s armor was made from a high-tech alloy which was lightweight but very strong and provided incredible protection.   

FLEUR DE LYS

Debut Year: 1984

Secret Identity: Manon Deschamps

Origin: Former Canadian Taekwon-Do National Champion Manon Deschamps was recruited by the corporate-government organization called P.A.C.T. (Progressive Allied Canadian Technologies). Her job was to train agents at Taekwon-Do but she wound up wanting her own costumed identity. As Fleur de Lys, Manon took on world-saving missions for P.A.C.T.

Powers: In addition to her Taekwon-Do skills, Fleur de Lys wielded a high-tech metal Fleur de Lys which could be used like a taser and as a grappling hook since it held a very fine steel cord in the hilt.

NOTE: Fleur de Lys’ cultural impact in Canada was such that she appeared on her own postage stamp.

BRUISER

Debut Year: 1994

Secret Identity: Jeff Able

Origin: When unemployed Jeff Able was accidentally exposed to an experimental chemical due to a corporate accident it gave him superpowers. He donned a mask and costume and battled the forces of evil as Bruiser.

Powers: This hero possessed strength equivalent to the Thing from Marvel Comics and a souped-up healing power like Wolverine’s.

NOTE: “Death and Taxes” was the title of that issue’s story. Other titles like “Outta Control” also appeared on the covers as if they were on Bruiser’s shirt.

THE MATRIARCH

Debut Year: 2009

Secret Identity: Sherry Benning

Origin: Through a generational mystical fluke, advertising worker Sherry Benning gained permanent superpowers upon getting pregnant. She donned a costume and fought evil as the Matriarch in the 13 years since then with help from mystic handlers called Control. 

Powers: This heroine can fly and has massive superstrength as well as a large degree of invulnerability.

NOTE: Sherry’s husband died years ago. The Matriarch’s closest female friend is the vixenish superheroine Foxtrot, and her love interest is the Vietnamese superhero Technokill. 

KADAVER

Debut Year: 1974

Secret Identity: Jon Cole

Origin: Middle-aged ex-cop Jon Cole was despairing over his life. He came across an ancient mystic book which when read seemingly killed him but instead transported him to an alternate afterlife dimension ruled by dark forces. Those forces brought Cole back to life and sent him back to Earth in feral, monstrous form. This set him on a series of horrific adventures calling himself Kadaver.

Powers: Kadaver possessed greater than human strength and could not feel pain. His body would not only heal from the most extreme injuries, but he even recovered from destruction of his body. This figure was cursed to be reborn in his bestial form after any death he suffered.

NIGHTWORLD

Debut Year: 1981

Secret Identity: None

Origin: Nightworld is a cosmic entity of unknown age.

Powers: This heroine can fly in the real world and can enter people’s dreams and nightmares to protect them from other-dimensional menaces or to tutor them toward some particular bit of wisdom. 

GRYPHON

Debut Year: 1974

Secret Identity: Tom (no last name provided, but I’d guess Griffin)

Origin: Unassuming Tom ___ was really a costumed agent for an organization called Galaxy. They trained him, gave him his outfit and provided his futuristic weapons. They also sent him on his missions, especially against the android soldiers of the skull-faced man called Sardonicus.

Powers: Gryphon was in peak human condition and exceled at unarmed combat. He was also deadly accurate with the two energy blaster handguns he went into battle with. 

THE CANADIAN LEGION

Debut Year: 2012

Identity: Superteam

Origin: In Canada various super powered characters came together to deal with an ancient evil entity known to the First Nations – Yenaldooshi. After dealing with that menace the team stayed together as the Canadian Legion.

Team Members: Black Flag (Jesse Cash), Snowfall (Morgan Snowfall), Plasti-Girl (Faith Johnson), Ms. Maple (Inspector Melissa Maple), Arrow (unknown), and Horse (unknown).