http://www.theplaidzebra.com/independent-comic-book-publishers-canadian-culture/
Brok Windsor was a relatively late comer to the WECA period. He debuted in
Canada’s West Coast Publisher’s (Maple Leaf’ Publications)
Better
Comics Vol. 3 NO. 3 from April/May 1944, just over half-way through this
Golden Age of Canadian Comics.
I don't usually support a lot of Kickstarter campaigns but I saw this one today. I have many issues of Nelvana and am kinda a student of Canadian superhero art. Most of it is very goofy and law enforcement heavy but for strange reason the heroes, more often than not, are shirtless or wear half a shirt. It doesn't make sense in Cananda. Why not a nice hockey sweater and curling cap? That would strike fear in the heart of any monster or wartime enemy no matter what time of year I was. Don't get me started on the action figure potential. The guy even has a magic canoe with a star on it. His girl is named Starra and she is dressed in rags. He doesn't even have to keep her in the finer things. Canadian fantasy?
Why is with all bare body? If you and an artist and you like the look just give him a shirt by coloring in the arms. Think how much more comfortable he will be when the temperatures drops.
Brok was an athletically built Canadian Medical Doctor who always spent a
month each summer vacationing shirtless at the Lake of the Woods which is a real
place tucked into the corner of Ontario that borders Manitoba and Minnesota,
with parts of the lake sticking out into both those places. One of these
summers, Brok encounters a strange, thick mist and, instead of avoiding it,
decides to explore and sail through it. After an arduous journey he comes
through it just before nightfall to encounter a large island where, tired from
his ordeal, he falls asleep on the shore.
When he wakes up the next morning he feels strangely energized and notices
that his pants are now Hulk-style shreds. When he picks up his medical kit, he
realizes that he’s grown to basketball centre size proportions of over seven
feet tall. Off he goes to explore the island and meets up with a native Indian
who is over 12 feet tall and carrying Brok’s canoe under one arm. Brok, being a
master of native languages, is able to converse with the Indian who, at the end
of the 17 page story, reveals that his name is Torgon and that his is the son of
the Great Chief of the place. This civilization turns out to be very Edgar Rice
Burroughsian and quite advanced because Torgon carries with him a ray gun and
the defense system encountered in the last few panels of the story seems
technologically advanced.
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9 comments:
Wow. I dunno about those spaghetti straps, but to each his own. ;P
Happy New Year Cal!
I dont' know why but for some reason Canadian heroes didn't like to wear a shirt during the 1940s.
I'd cover those 'ugly brown spots' on his chest.., ok those spaghetti straps have to go as well..
"Sheesh, where does one start..??"
Am not crazy about his costume.
Just color the arms any other color but flesh tone and it works. They took that 'circus strong man' look to literally.
I've got 3 complaints:
(1) Agreed -- that sissy top has got to go. Spaghetti straps????
(2) Just call him BROCK already since he's clearly meant to evoke the Hero of Queenston Heights. WTF is up with "Brok"?
(3) Why does he have an eagle on his sissy top? Too suck-up-to-America. Should be a beaver or, at the very least, a moose.
A beaver riding a moose....And if its too hot for your halter top it's too hot for your pants. He got swamp rot down there I know. I like the way his GF is in rags too. Like she doesn't want to look pretty too? Oh Brok, you so lame. His superpower is that he is a foot or so taller. Good one Canada.
Hey guys as the publisher I'd be happy to answer any questions!
I'm not sure on the origin of his halter top but as the real Brock Windsor was an amateur wrestler and canoe enthusiast, it's likely it originated from a sporting outfit he wore in either of these two activities.
As for his name 'Brok' the artist who created him named him for his friend Brock Windsor, but dropped the c as he viewed non-useful consonants with distaste (changing his own name from John to Jon, for example)
Good presentation, Calvin. But three paragraphs of text are cut from my column of a couple of years ago and pasted here without any acknowledgement or link. See: http://www.comicbookdaily.com/collecting-community/whites-tsunami-weca-splashes/brok-windsor/
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