Johnny Canuck was a Canadian cartoon hero and superhero who was created as a political cartoon in 1869 and then was re-invented in 1942 and 1975. A cartoon is a form of art with diverse origins and even more diverse modern meanings. ... A superhero is a fictional character who is noted for feats of courage and nobility and who usually has a colorful name and costume and abilities beyond those of normal human beings. ...

Canadians, while not noted for undue displays of patriotism, have nevertheless had national heros and superheroes. One such character, Johnny Canuck, personified Canada in early political cartoons. He first appeared in 1869 as a younger cousin of the United States' Uncle Sam and Britain's John Bull. Depicted as a wholesome, if simpleminded, fellow in the garb of a habitant, farmer, logger, rancher or soldier, he often resisted the bullying of John Bull or Uncle Sam. For thirty years, he was a staple of editorial cartoonists, then, in the early twentieth century, faded from view. The tallest (38 ft (11. ... World War 1 recruiting poster John Bull is a literary and cartoon character created to personify Britain by Dr. John Arbuthnot in 1712 and popularized first by British print makers and then overseas by illustrators such as American cartoonist Thomas Nast. ...

Johnny Canuck re-emerged during World War II in the February 1942 issue of Bell's Dime Comics No.1. Cartoonist Leo Bachle created the character as a teenager, apparently on a challenge from a Bell executive. Initially, Johnny Canuck had no superpowers. Bachle explained: Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ...

I drew Johnny Canuck and he had my face, and everybody at my school (Danforth Tech) read it, and I was popular. I drew the teachers, and all the kids read the books to see whose name I was going to mention.

Johnny Canuck's cartoon exploits helped Canada fight against Nazism. Like Captain America, he met Adolf Hitler and almost single-handedly ended the war. As Bachle was a strong Mormon the character was also a passionate Christian. The Nazi Party used a right-facing swastika as their symbol and the red and black colors were said to represent Blut und Boden (blood and soil). ... Captain America, the alter ego of Steve Rogers (in some accounts Steven Grant Rogers), is a Marvel Comics superhero. ... Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889–April 30, 1945) was the Führer und Reichskanzler (leader and chancellor) of Germany from 1933 to his death. ... The term Mormon is a colloquial name most often used to refer to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). ...

The use of such stock figures fell off after World War II. However, in 1975, a new comic book character, Captain Canuck, emerged. A superhero rather than just a hero, he wore red tights, "electro-thermic underwear" and had a red maple leaf emblazoned on his forehead. The Original Captain Canuck. ...

In 1995, Canada Post issued a series of Canadian postage stamps celebrating Canada’s comic-book superheroes.1 (http://members.tripod.com/~MitchellBrown/cancom/stamps.html) Johnny Canuck is depicted as he had appeared in the comic books, dressed in flight jacket, goggles, leather headgear and boots. Johnny Canuck is linked to a tradition of stalwart, honest, upstanding Canadian heroes. Lettermail Incentive Lettermail Addressed Admail Unaddressed Admail Catalogue Mail Publications Mail Business Reply Mail Regular Parcel XpressPost Priority Courier External link Canada Post Website Categories: Canada Post | Canadian federal departments and agencies | Communications in Canada ...

See also

• Marianne
• Uncle Sam
• John Bull
• Johnny Reb
• Jacobin
• Michel
• Columbia
• Britannia
• Finnish Maiden

Marianne busts with features of Brigitte Bardot - ? - ? - Catherine Deneuve - Mireille Mathieu For the Tori Amos song see Marianne (song). ... The tallest (38 ft (11. ... World War 1 recruiting poster John Bull is a literary and cartoon character created to personify Britain by Dr. John Arbuthnot in 1712 and popularized first by British print makers and then overseas by illustrators such as American cartoonist Thomas Nast. ... Johnny Rebel or Johnny Reb was the slang term for any Confederate soldier, or the Confederate army as a whole, during the American Civil War. ... In the context of the French Revolution, a Jacobin originally meant a member of the Jacobin Club (1789-1794). ... Deutscher Michel is a personification of the German nation, much as Uncle Sam is for Americans and Marianne for the French. ... Britannia, the British national emblem Britannia was originally the Roman Latin name that the Roman Empire gave to the island of Great Britain. ... The Maiden of Finland is the personification of Finland, much as Marianne in France, Deutscher Michel in Germany and Uncle Sam for the United States. ...

External links

• Canadian Encyclopedia "Johnny Canuck." (http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0004144)
• Canadian Heros in Fact and Fiction (http://www.collectionscanada.ca/2/6/h6-208-e.html)
• We Stand on Guard for Thee (http://members.tripod.com/~MitchellBrown/cancom/stamps.html)
• Johnny Canuck (http://www.skypoint.com/members/schutz19/jcanuck.htm)