George Menendez Rae, front cover, Canadian Heroes Vol. 1, No. 5, March 1943 Copyright/Source

CANADA JACK

Canadian Heroes Vol. 1, No. 5 – Vol. 5, No. 6 (Educational Projects, 26 issues, March 1943 – Oct. 1945). Some adventures reprinted in a one–shot comic book, Thrilling Adventures of Canada Jack (Educational Projects, 1945).

George Menendez Rae (Rae, Geo, Dez)

Freelance artist George Rae, who was working for the Montreal comic book publisher Educational Projects, approached the editor and publisher of Canadian Heroes, Harry J. Halperin, and suggested that the comic depart from its focus on true stories and feature one "fiction" item: Canada Jack, a Canadian superhero, a "symbol of those who unite to defeat the forces of ruthlessness and cruelty in the world." Halperin agreed, but emphasized the need to adopt a realist approach to the comic series, so as not to detract from Educational's wholesome instructional image (reinforced by the regular publication of laudatory letters from Canadian cabinet ministers). Canada Jack is depicted as a kind of commando of the home front. Halperin soon organized a very successful Canada Jack Club focussing on the character.

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Tight slacks, tank top with maple leaf on chest

Extra strong and athletic; gymnast, ju-jitsu expert, expert horseman

Canadian home front – only one adventure abroad (South America)

George Menendez Rae (script and art), Canadian Heroes Vol. 3, No. 1, p. 50, March 1943 Copyright/Source

Members of the fictional Canada Jack Club

1. FIREBUG SABOTEURS (Canadian Heroes Vol. 1, No. 5) While organizing a salvage drive, Jack finds a gelatin capsule at the warehouse where the salvaged material is being collected. The capsule catches fire, but Jack quickly extinguishes the flames. With the assistance of some boys, Jack follows a saboteur, who leads him to the house used by a gang of Nazi agents to plan their arson activities. Jack sneaks into the house and creates a diversion, which enables him to seize the remaining gelatin capsules. Confronted by the gang, he throws a capsule against a wall and threatens to burn down the house, forcing the gang to surrender. The saboteurs are turned over to the fire department.

2. SNYDER AND RUMOUR MONGERS (Canadian Heroes Vol. 1, No. 6) Jack uses the Canada Jack Club (CJC) to trace the source of morale-damaging rumours. A printer named Snyder seems to be at the centre of the campaign, so Jack visits Snyder's print shop disguised as a customer. Snyder turns him away, but Jack notices that someone is spying on him, so he returns to the shop that night and sneaks into the building. Peering through a transom, he finds enemy agents planning a rumour campaign. The Nazis discover Jack, and he is pursued. Confronted by the Nazis, Jack alternately attacks and eludes his pursuers, eventually leading them to the roof of the building, where they are captured.

3. BLACK MARKETEEERS (Canadian Heroes Vol. 2, No. 1) Jack is approached by a CJC member named Billy, whose bike has been stolen. Jack sets a trap for the thieves, and then he and Billy follow the bad guys on a motorcycle. The thieves lead them to a warehouse. While Billy waits outside, Jack sneaks in. Just as Billy is caught and taken to the boss of the black marketeers, Jack attacks and uses ju-jitsu to subdue the bad guys. However, the boss escapes in a truck. Jack gives pursuit on a motorcycle, and with Billy's assistance, leaps from the bike to the truck and captures the evil boss!

George Menendez Rae (script and art), Canadian Heroes Vol. 3, No. 1, p. 62, March 1943 Copyright/Source

4. SHIPYARD SABOTEURS (Canadian Heroes Vol. 2, No. 2) Jack joins the workers in a shipyard to investigate sabotage activities. Not long after Jack starts working, an iron plate falls and injures a worker. Jack picks up a broken link from the chain that had held the plate and gives it to Joey of the CJC to deliver to an RCMP chemist for analysis. The RCMP confirms that the chain had been weakened with acid, whereas the shipyard company's chemist reports that there was no evidence of tampering.

Jack decides to investigate the chemist's lab and witnesses the delivery of acid to a saboteur. Jack follows the saboteur and catches him in the act of applying acid to the propeller of a vessel. Jack then turns his attention to the chemist, who tries to flee by hijacking a train. Jack jumps on the train, but just before he can nab the chemist, the villain leaps off the train. However, Joey tackles the chemist and Jack is able to capture him.

George Menendez Rae, Canadian Heroes Vol. 2, No. 2, p. 62, June 1943 Copyright/Source

5. CIRCUS (Canadian Heroes Vol. 2, No. 3) As CJC members prepare to put on a circus to raise money to buy War Savings Stamps, enemy agents plan to disrupt their fund-raising activities. First, they try to kill Jack with a runaway truck during the circus parade. Jack, who is riding a horse, jumps onto the truck and manages to stop it. During the circus performance, a clown on stilts spies the skulking agents and is able to alert Jack, who nabs the bad guys.

6. GERMAN SUB (Canadian Heroes Vol. 2, No. 4) Off the east coast, Jack is dispatched to find a mysterious fishing smack that was involved in an incident with a convoy. Jack locates a vessel and pulls alongside in a naval patrol boat in order to investigate. Everything appears to be "kosher," but Jack remains suspicious, so he follows the boat and eventually sneaks on board. As a convoy approaches, the schooner releases a fog-like mist and prepares to dive – the schooner is actually part of a Nazi submarine! But the resourceful Jack captures the enemy.

[7. Canadian Heroes Vol. 2, No. 5, – not available for summary.]

8. GERMAN KIDNAPPERS (Canadian Heroes Vol. 2, No. 6 – Vol. 3, Nos. 1-2) After Jack and Prof. Whitby witness a demonstration of a new high explosive, they are shot at by German agents intent on kidnapping them. The kidnappers endeavour to flee but are pursued by Jack, who shoots out the tires of their car. The two agents, Joe and Gruber, claim that they were forced against their will to work for the Germans. The would-be kidnappers take Jack to their rendezvous, from which Jack allows them to escape so they will lead him to their headquarters, a nearby farmhouse.

Jack enters the house and captures the Germans, just as a message is coming in on the Germans' secret radio. Jack finds the Germans' code book and uses it to prepare a trap for the German leaders. Jack lets the agent Joe redeem himself and pretends to be Joe's captive. Joe takes Jack to a remote log house. Once inside the house as an apparent prisoner of Joe, Jack sneaks outside to attack the unwitting Germans. While Joe is discovered to be a turncoat, Jack wrestles outside with a Nazi gunman. The outnumbered Jack manages to defeat the Germans.

9. [Canadian Heroes Vol. 3, Nos. 3-5 – not available for summary.]

10. SUBMARINE (Canadian Heroes Vol. 3, No. 6) As the Nazis lay a trap for Jack, he speeds on a motorboat out to a German submarine. He jumps on to the sub, tying his sweater to the sub's periscope. When the sub surfaces to clear the obstruction, Jack tricks the Nazis into thinking that he is part of a large boarding party and he captures the sub and its crew.

[11. Canadian Heroes Vol. 4, No. 1 – not available for summary.]

George Menendez Rae (script and art), Canadian Heroes Vol. 4, No. 2, p. 22, July 1944 Copyright/Source

12. POW ESCAPEES (Canadian Heroes Vol. 4, Nos. 2-3) While at the CJC Boy's Camp, where he is working to rehabilitate juvenile delinquents, Canada Jack learns that two Nazis have escaped from a nearby internment camp. Jack discovers the Nazis submerged in a river, but they manage to elude him and knock him unconscious. Jack is rescued by Walter, a boy who has been causing trouble at the camp. Together, Walter and Jack capture the Nazis who are hiding in a haystack.

13. THE JUNGLE (Canadian Heroes Vol. 4, No. 4) Sammy, a runaway CJC member, drifts into "the jungle," the underworld of the hobos and bums. Jack rescues Sammy from a group of hobos that have forced the boy to steal for them.

George Menendez Rae, back cover, Canadian Heroes Vol. 5, No. 6, October 1945 Copyright/Source

14. ROCKET PLANES/SOUTH AMERICAN NAZIS (Canadian Heroes Vol. 4, No. 5) Jack flies a new rocket plane to South America, where he learns that Nazis are probably hiding on a nearby estate. Jack sneaks onto the grounds and manages to trick the sentries into believing that he has left the estate. Even so, he is captured and taken to the master Nazi. Jack manages to grab the leader and use him as a shield, forcing the Nazis to surrender!

15. RAILWAY SABOTEURS (Canadian Heroes Vol. 5, No. 1) With the assistance of a troop of scouts, who rescue him on the ski slopes, Jack is able to stop a gang of saboteurs from blowing up a railway bridge.

[16. Canadian Heroes Vol. 5, Nos. 2-3 – not available for summary.]

George Menendez Rae (script and art), Canadian Heroes Vol. 5, No. 6, p. 62, October 1945 Copyright/Source

17. PHONY FORTUNE-TELLERS/FRAUD ARTISTS (Canadian Heroes Vol. 5, No. 4) Jack exposes a gang of phony fortune-tellers.

[18. Canadian Heroes Vol. 5, No.5 – not available for summary.]

19. STOLEN COINS (Canadian Heroes Vol. 5, No. 6) Jack comes to the aid of a CJC member whose coin collection is being pilfered. Jack eventually uncovers the culprit – a neighbourhood blue jay!