We’ve just gone over the hump of a year that’s so far been slowly improving. I hope that the light will continue to grow as we head into Labour Day, Thanksgiving, and the Christmas holidays. I remind you again that…
Christmas is just a week away and the eye-of-the-storm peacefulness and sentiment of the coming Christmas eve and Christmas day, rather than its stressful bustle and rabid commerce, begin to rope me in. This holiday season, I’ve been wistfully thinking…
Chapterhouse is Canada’s newest comic book company (established in 2015) with its mainstay Captain Canuck. The company is still a mystery to many comic readers, so I felt it was important to get some correct information about them out. This…
Happy Sesqui-seventeen to everyone and may it turn out the best that it can for all of you. I’ve been trying to think about how our hobby and industry could make some sort of positive and relevant contribution to this…
Just like my last post, I am still mulling over ways to acknowledge and publicize 2016 as the 75th anniversary of the Canadian comic book (Better Comics V. 1 N. 1). I hope that my book on Bell Features artists (which should…
Orb #2, Punk Publications, July 1974 I tried to post this on Canada Day July 1st but alas the best made plans are often messed up by sorties into Quebec. Anyway rather than wait until next year I thought I’d post…
I’ve already discussed the work of Sid Barron, one of Educational Projects main artists, elsewhere and in this post I’d like to look at another, Joseph Hillenbrand, even though there is little information available about him apart from the comic book work he left behind.
Read MoreJoseph Hillenbrand
Canada has a new super hero, and he is pitiful... well technically he is the "Pitiful Human Lizard". Pitiful Human Lizard was created by Toronto area comic creator Jason Loo. Jason launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to help fund the production of the first issue of his comic. Not only did Jason reach his $4500 goal, he surpassed it and was able to meet his first "stretch goal" of $6000.
Read MoreReview | Pitiful Human Lizard #1
In doing my ongoing research into Canadian war time comics, I recently came across this Toronto Star article about a Whites artist named Michael (Bud) Riled who seems to have created a female jungle heroine called "Terena of the Jungle." It even has a quote from Peter Berkemoe, owner of The Beguiling about the period of The Whites.
Read MoreWhites Mystery Artist
Of all Canadian icons the Mountie is perhaps the best internationally known. The red serge, jodhpurs and boots combination probably holds higher world-wide currency and branding for Canada than the beaver, crossed-hockey sticks, and even the maple leaf.
Read MoreMen of the Mounted
Last Saturday our Canadian Whites Project Team had a meeting at Big B Comics in Hamilton to see where we were at and where we were going. Sure emails and online conferencing can accomplish a lot, but nothing beats a…
A couple of interesting original art pieces by Edmond came up on Heritage this week and this made me want to draw attention to his WECA work in this week’s post.
Read MoreEdmond Good
In the twilight of the WECA period during the spring of 1946 a new comic publisher in Toronto, Century Publications, began putting out a handful of comics with most of the copies targeting a British audience. The address of Century Publications was 2382 Dundas Street West, now a used car lot in the Junction about half-a-block away from the Dundas West Subway Station on Bloor Street.
Read MoreCentury Publications
On occasion these B-sides became hits in themselves and sometimes even outshone their original A-sides in popularity. In the same vein, I think that there are a few WECA book back covers that merit attention and offer lots of historical information to mine and I wanted to share some of them with you.
Read MoreMy Back Pages
Ivan celebrates Nelvana's crowd funding success, then discusses Canadian Whites and Overstreet.
Read MoreGet Re-Auroralized!!Saturday will be the first comic-themed con held in Hamilton in many a year. I hope we can make it a success and then an annual event that can be expanded to the whole weekend. My small contribution will be moderating a panel on Hamilton’s connection with comics and...
Read MoreHamilton’s Comic Past
If a comic book concept with a fairly slender thread connecting it to Canada (Joe Shuster the illustrator behind the creation of the character was born in Canada) can merit this ceremony, why can't a 75th anniversary of the birth of our own genuine and rock solidly Canadian comic books merit at least an equal value. I know we had that issue in 1995 that contained stamps of Johnny Canuck and Nelvana but this is different.
Read MoreStamp of Approval
The first happened during the WECA period itself when, in 1945, Bell Features decided to issue 6 compendiums of stories from earlier issues. These took features already published and brought them together in large (68 pg.) books that sold for 15 cents.
Read MoreBell Reprints and Covers
Let me then try to point to a few times in the WECA books that specifically locate the action on Canadian soil or at least, in some way, make it clear that the story is taking place in Canada or, finally, directly connect the story to Canada.
Read MoreHome Ice
The brief seventies awakening to and appreciation of the Canadian war-time comic industry began with Michael Hirsh and Patrick Loubert’s November, 1971 publication of the compendium of Bell Features material they called The Great Canadian Comic Books (Peter Martin).
Read MoreCasting Call