Dylan McKay

Reviewer: Dylan McKay nalydpsycho@canada.com
Quick Review: Good
Story Title: Heart of Gold

A true hero, strong and free.

Writer: Riel Langlois
Artist: Drue Langlois
Colorist: Greg Waller
Letterer: Bryan Senka
Editor: Richard Comely
Special Thanks To: Nevin Arnold

Captain Canuck Created By: Richard Comely and Ron Leishman

One word immediately comes to mind when I review this comic, charm. The dialogue isn’t snappy and quick or rich and dynamic, but it just oozes character and can’t help but put a smile on your face. The story, like the classics of days gone back, doesn’t really expect you to take it seriously; it expects you to have fun. And in my book, it succeeds. One of the reasons for this is the conversation that happens at the start, right off the bat we get light hearted dialogue that struck me as a Tarrentino-esque inane conversation toned down for an all ages audience. The handling of the secret identity is a highlight in my opinion. There are missteps, but overall there is a very steady tone and character. The biggest problem is that there’s nothing elevating the story above good. For better and for worse, the story knows it’s place and just runs with it.

Before I even got the comic in my hand, I knew one side of this comic I’d have to analyze, how does it work as Canada’s superhero. This isn’t Captain America, Captain Canuck is hardly an iconic character and hero to the masses. But then again, isn’t that like the difference between Canada and America in a nutshell? Captain Canuck is polite, understated and has a straightforward and practical goal. His lack of patriotic spark is exactly what is likely to ignite national pride.

A neat feature in the book is the Re-Cap section where we get an overview of the first five issues of the 1970’s Captain Canuck series. It’s neat to read up on it and neat to see how certain characters transfer over from the original to this series, like Captain Canuck’s arch-enemy, Mr. Gold. One problem with this section is that it happens mid book, not that that is wrong, but it happens to mildly spoil what happens on the next page.

The art suffers from the same problem as the writing; it doesn’t have anything to take it to the next level. The action has a strong sense of movement and a there is a nice old school non-photo realism, it’s not that they look exactly like people, but they look like they easily could be people. There are a few awkward angles and poses, but not in any way that hurts the artwork. Seeing as this is the only comic taking place in my hometown, it would have been nice to see more discernable landmarks, there is Stanley Park, but that scene could have easily had Canada Place thrown in. That said, I am completely aware that that is a silly and inane complaint that has absolutely no barring on the quality of the comic. I’d also like to touch on the colouring; it has a very nice texture to it and compliments Drue Langlois’s action scenes with dynamic colours.

Overall, this comic lacks anything to elevate it above the pack, but it is fresh and fun and combines an old school superhero feel with a more modern down to earth conflict. Well-paced, enjoyable characters and an interesting conflict mark a comic that is a nice light read.

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