Krypton Radio Newswire
Captain Canuck (Almost Captain Canada)
Many American’s may think of Marvel‘s Wolverine from the X-Men when you mention Canadian Superhero, but Canada has it’s very own version of Captain America. No, not Captain Canada (you’re close though), but Captain Canuck. Created in 1971 by Richard Comely and art student Ron Leishman; the duo saw how American superheroes were dominating the comics industry, and at that time there was a strong sense of nationalism with Canada, so they came up with the idea of Captain Canuck.
The name similarity to Canada’s first superhero Johnny Canuck, was pure coincidence as Comely and Leishman oddly had never heard of him. Johnny Canuck was a political cartoon character revived and published during World War 2 as an action hero, featuring a meek teenage Canadian superhero who came close to beating Hitler. Much like Captain America was invented as a way to boost patriotism amongst the young, with his comic book adventures to defeat Nazis and Adolf Hitler himself.
Recently announced at the San Diego Comic Con and via press release, by Minds Eye Entertainment:
Canadian-born Hollywood-based screenwriter Arne Olsen (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, Cop And A Half, Repeaters) is on board to adapt Richard Comely’s iconic Canadian crusader for the big screen. Olsen will script the film adaptation based on the CAPTAIN CANUCK comic book series for Minds Eye Entertainment. “CAPTAIN CANUCK is not only a Canadian icon but an internationally recognized superhero,” said Minds Eye Entertainment CEO Kevin DeWalt. “Arne Olsen is the perfect choice to pen a stand-out action-packed script.” The first issue of CAPTAIN CANUCK hit newsstands in May 1975. Thirty-seven years later, the superhero franchise has endeared fans around the world.
To date, more than 2 million copies have been sold and 26 different editions have been printed. IDW Publishing recently published two hard cover collections of the original issues that have since sold out. The CAPTAIN CANUCK legacy is enduring. Canada Post issued a CAPTAIN CANUCK postage stamp in 1995. CAPTAIN CANUCK was also featured on the cover of TIME magazine. Creator Richard Comely, who will work closely with the screenwriter added: “With Arne Olsen on board we are set to deliver a movie that will delight CAPTAIN CANUCK followers and welcome new fans around the world.”
Arne Olsen who is an American Film Institute graduate and PRAXIS mentor, has had 12 movies produced including MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS:THE MOVIE for 20TH Century Fox, COP AND A HALF for Universal, ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN II for MGM and RED SCORPION for Shapiro/Glickenhaus. He sold the pitch RAPID FIRE to Universal and the spec horror-comedy DRAKE DIAMOND:EXORCIST FOR HIRE to Warners. He wrote and directed HERE’S TO LIFE, which was nominated for 9 Genies, winning one. He wrote the pilot ESCAPE FROM ATLANTIS for Starz/Encore as well as an episode of RELIC HUNTER. In 2011, he was nominated for a best screenplay LEO for the TIFF special presentation, REPEATERS, directed by Carl Bessai.
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