Canadian superhero Captain Canuck is having a comeback, and we have Trump to thank

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: Apr 09, 2025 12:21 PM EDT | Last Updated: 18 minutes ago

U.S. President Donald Trump's annexation threats and tariffs person breathed caller beingness into a superhero from the 1970s: Captain Canuck, a authorities cause with superhuman spot who defends Canada's sovereignty.

"All of a sudden, Canadians are looking to Captain Canuck arsenic a symbol. And it's basically, to them, Captain Canuck symbolizes independence," said Richard Comely, 74, the creator who co-created the comic publication character.

Captain Canuck, a.k.a. Tom Evans, is simply a Mountie who gained his peculiar powers aft an alien encounter. He wears a achromatic and reddish outfit emblazoned with maple leaves.

Comely said helium created the quality astatine a infinitesimal erstwhile helium thought Canadians wanted their ain icon, fixed that the United States had Captain America.

"I deliberation determination was an undercurrent, truthful to speak, successful Canada successful the '70s. So I deliberation Canadians were starting to consciousness like, you know, similar they should admit the information that we had our ain country, and we had our ain civilization and beryllium arrogant of the information that we were Canadians," Comely said.

WATCH | Creating Captain Canuck (from 2013): 

Since the archetypal work successful 1975, determination person been 4 cardinal Captain Canuck-themed comic books, books and graphic novels successful people worldwide, according to Comely.

Comely says his archetypal storyline envisioned Canada arsenic a satellite powerfulness that faces challenges from groups seeking to infiltrate, destabilize and instrumentality implicit the country.

Of course, ne'er successful immoderate of those stories was it America that was going to beryllium taking implicit Canada, Comely said.

'We've got to basal successful opposition'

For the screen of Captain Canuck's 50th day issue, Comely depicted the superhero wagging his digit astatine Trump, who has said helium wants Canada to go a U.S. state.

"It's got a batch of Canadians, you know, reasoning astir their individuality arsenic Canadians and feeling much agreed arsenic Canadians. We consciousness like, OK, we've got to basal successful absorption to these proposals," helium said.

WATCH | Captain Canuck stands up to Trump: 

Captain Canuck and Comely person had an on-again, off-again narration with the comic publication satellite since their commencement successful 1975, falling soundless erstwhile Comely stepped backmost to assistance rise his ample family, with a little instrumentality successful the '90s charting retired a antithetic storyline successful Captain Canuck Reborn.

Since 2012, erstwhile Comely entered into an exclusive licensing statement with Chapterhouse Comics, Captain Canuck has go a mainstay successful the comic publication scene, expanding his scope with an animated web bid and memorabilia.

Comely said helium has received much calls from Canadian companies that person expressed keen interest in the fictional quality owed to the governmental tensions betwixt the 2 neighbouring countries.

"So successful a sense, we person Mr. Trump to convey for a spot of resurgence," helium said.