Peter Hsu, front cover, New Triumph Featuring Northguard No. 1, 1984 Copyright/Source

NORTHGUARD

New Triumph Featuring Northguard Nos. 1-5 (Matrix Graphic Series, 1984–1986); Northguard Nos. 1-3 (Caliber Press, 1989–90). The Northguard stories from New Triumph were subsequently collected in Northguard: Book One (Caliber Press, 1989).

Mark Shainblum – all issues. Geof Isherwood – No. 1 (plot assistance). Pierre Fournier – Northguard Nos. 1-3 (editor). John Bell – Northguard: Book One (foreword).

Mark Shainblum (script) and Gabriel Morrissette (art), New Triumph Featuring Northguard No.1, p. 19, September 1984 Copyright/Source

Gabriel Morrissette – all issues, covers on New Triumph Nos. 1, 3-4, and Northguard compilation. Geof Isherwood – some assistance on New Triumph No. 1 and some inking on No. 4. Bernie Mireault – New Triumph Nos. 2, 4 (inks). Jacques Boivin – New Triumph No. 3 (inks). Jan Harpes – New Triumph No. 4 (some inking). Thierry Labrose – New Triumph No. 4 and cover; No. 5 (inks). Ken Steacy – New Triumph No. 4 (inks, one panel); Northguard Nos. 1-3 covers). Steve Leialoha – New Triumph No. 4 (inks, one panel). Pierre Fournier – Northguard Nos. 1-3 (cover design).

Mark Shainblum (script) and Gabriel Morrissette (art), New Triumph Featuring Northguard No. 1, p. 27, 1984 Copyright/Source

Following the demise of Captain Canuck, Mark Shainblum, who had been in contact with Richard Comely and had actually submitted several Captain Canuck scripts to the publisher CKR, began to work on the concept of a Canadian superhero, creating first the character Warrior and then the character Northguard. Initially, Northguard was designed by Geof Isherwood and was conceived very much in the standard superhero mode. Following Isherwood's departure from Matrix (Shainblum's publishing imprint) to Marvel, Mark met up with Montreal artist Gabriel Morrissette. Together, they completely reworked the national superhero concept (partly in response to John Byrne's Alpha Flight), jettisoning many of the clichés of the genre and injecting it with a high degree of realism.

The Vaudreuil-based multinational Progressive Allied Canadian Technologies (PACT) has developed a revolutionary cybernetic personal-weapons system called the Uniband, which gives an individual the firepower of an army battalion. The Uniband is to be operated by a PACT agent named Karl Manning, but before the weapon can be fully tested, Manning is killed in an airplane explosion engineered by the ominous right-wing evangelical organization ManDes. PACT searches through Montreal-area medical records looking for brainwave-pattern records that are similar to those of Manning. They find a close match in those belonging to a young man named Phillip Wise. Wise is taken to PACT headquarters in Vaudreuil and is told about the Uniband and about imminent threats to the Canadian nation from the mysterious ManDes organization. Wise, a comic book fan (and aware of the Canadian national superhero tradition), decides to work with PACT, but only on the condition that he can operate the Uniband as a superhero – Northguard. PACT's leadership is divided on Wise's request but finally relents, and Northguard is born.

Phillip Wise; Le Protecteur

Red, white, and purple tights with white maple leaf emblazoned on chest and upper part of facemask

When connected to the Uniband through an implant, Northguard is capable of firing powerful bolts of energy through his arm. He can also use the energy to blind his opponents and to create a protective forcefield.

Montreal

Gabriel Morrissette, front cover, New Triumph Featuring Northguard No. 3, 1985 Copyright/Source

PACT scientists Ron Cape, Leila Alexander and Marilyn Hébert, PACT agent Ed Holman (a.k.a. the Steel Chameleon), martial arts expert Manon Deschamps (a.k.a. Fleur de Lys).

1. MANDES (New Triumph Featuring Northguard Nos. 1-5, Northguard Nos. 1-3) Progressive Allied Canadian Technologies (PACT), a Canadian multinational, has established a special unit within the corporation to monitor the activities of other multinationals in an effort to encourage ethical behaviour in the third world, and vis-à-vis the environment, etc. It has just uncovered evidence of a conspiracy, involving a dangerous right-wing organization called ManDes (Manifest Destiny), to overthrow the Canadian government. For this reason, PACT is keen to find someone to operate a new revolutionary weapons system that they have developed – the Uniband. Following the death of their agent Karl Manning, who was to have operated the weapon, PACT scours computerized medical records in the Montreal area, looking for brain patterns that resemble those of Manning. Those of a young man named Phillip Wise are found to be a close match, so Wise is abducted and taken to PACT headquarters in Vaudreuil, where he is introduced to PACT and told about the Uniband and the mysterious organization ManDes.

Gabriel Morrissette, front cover, Northguard; Book One: Manifest Destiny (Westland, MI: Caliber Press, 1989) Copyright/Source

Wise, a comic book fan, decides that he is willing to work with PACT, but only if he can operate the Uniband in costume as a superhero. Meanwhile, a ManDes agent kidnaps and rapes the scientist Leila Alexander, who has been working with Phillip. Phillip pursues the kidnapper (Dugan), and, transforming himself into the national superhero Northguard, incapacitates the villain. Phillip then learns that another ManDes agent is about to assassinate Quebec premier René Lévesque. Wise races to the Montreal Forum, where, as Le Protecteur, he rescues Lévesque.

Completely traumatized by her ordeal, Leila Alexander, who is recuperating in the PACT Medicentre, quits PACT and warns Ron Cape that he is in over his head. Meanwhile, Dugan escapes from the room where he is being held by PACT and takes Leila hostage, demanding that Cape come to see him alone. Philip, as Northguard, goes in Cape's place. Dugan easily overpowers Phillip and tries to remove the Uniband. He underestimates Leila, however, and she stabs him in the heart with her intravenous needle.

Following the incident with Dugan, PACT considers taking the Uniband from Phillip. Not willing to give up his new-found identity, Phillip leaves PACT headquarters with the Uniband and roams Montreal looking for someone to talk to about his dilemma. He meets a beautiful martial arts expert named Manon Deschamps and tells her all about his adventures. Meanwhile, PACT recruits a new agent, Ed Holman (a.k.a. the Steel Chameleon), who is provided with new PACT holographic technology that permits him to change his identity with the push of a button (he wears the device like a watch). As Holman makes his way to Montreal, U.S. and Russian (U.S.S.R.) agents descend on the city to steal the Uniband. American agents, led by the psychotic Valerie White (code name "Eagle"), attack Phillip and Manon at the latter's Taekwan-Do studio, but Phillip's Northguard powers and Manon's expertise in the martial arts allow them to escape from Eagle. Once in Montreal, Holman discovers that Eagle and the Russian agent Andrei Bocharoff (code name "Redstorm") are in town.

Ken Steacy, front cover, Northguard No. 1, 1990 Copyright/Source

Phillip and Manon are next confronted at Manon's apartment by the Russians, who are more subtle in their approach. The couple escape on a motorcycle and find themselves pursued by both the American and Soviet agents. Fleeing to the Cavendish Mall, they are confronted by the U.S. agents, who seize Manon. Phillip rescues her, but he and she are then surrounded by both groups of hostile agents. Phillip (as Northguard) endeavours to take on both parties, but he is defeated by Redstorm as Eagle subdues Manon. At the last moment, however, Holman rescuses Manon and Phillip. Redstorm grabs Phillip and then finds himself in a fight with Eagle. Holman kills Redstorm.

As Phillip prepares to leave PACT, Manon convinces him to remain, offering to help him hone his combat skills. While the crisis is placing more and more strain on the relationships of those involved with PACT, Northguard trains with Holman and Manon, who has designed her own superhero costume, assuming the identity of Fleur de Lys. During the PACT war-game session, Phillip is shown up and then almost seriously injures Manon, learning that being a hero is extremely complicated – and dangerous.

Phillip then investigates ManDes in Indiana, where he is captured and imprisoned by the organization's leader, the megalomaniac Rev. Clayton Tyler. Meanwhile, back at PACT headquarters, Manon develops her Fleur de Lys identity and receives a new PACT-designed Fleur de Lys weapon. Manon also takes the opportunity to give some heartfelt advice to Ron Cape, who, in turn, speaks to Manon about her relationship with Phillip.

At ManDes headquarters, Phillip is soon joined by a new prisoner: Tyler's admirer, the widowed and lovesick Monica Steele. As the two prisoners discuss Tyler's real motives, Mrs. Steele realizes that the Reverend is a false prophet. Tyler then intervenes, releasing Phillip and using threats against Mrs. Steele to force Phillip to demonstrate the powers of the Uniband.

Ken Steacy, front cover, Northguard No. 3, 1990 Copyright/Source

Armed with the knowledge of the Uniband's power, ManDes attacks PACT. Fleur de Lys is able to escape the attackers, retreating with Ron and Marilyn, another PACT scientist, into a PACT security room. Holman, who is alerted to the attack, assumes the identity of a ManDes goon and infiltrates the attacking forces. Ron puts aside his idealism and fights fire with fire, using PACT defences to kill the ManDes intruders. He is soon blackmailed, however, into surrendering. Before he and Marilyn turn themselves over to Rev. Tyler, Manon escapes through the ventilation system.

As he surrenders, Ron realizes that Holman is among his captors. Ron and Holman attempt to escape, but fail in their efforts. Tyler forces Ron to remove the safety devices on the Uniband, so that by traumatizing Phillip, they can trigger a nuclear explosion. Tyler kills Ron and then locks Holman and Marilyn in the PACT Laserdome with Northguard. Manon enters the room and frees Holman and Marilyn, but they are unable to rescue Phillip. Out of desperation, Holman tries to kill Phillip, but he cannot penetrate the force field that surrounds the young man.

At the last minute, however, Phillip finds a balance within himself – a balance that will enable him to control the power unleashed by Tyler. Phillip then breaks his shackles and relentlessly stalks Tyler. Just before Phillip can kill Tyler, though, Holman intervenes and shoots the reverend, so that Phillip's hands can remain untainted. Holman then helps Phillip remove the Uniband, which explodes, just as Holman, Manon, and Phillip reach safety. At Cape's funeral, CSIS tries to recruit Phillip, but he spurns their advances for the time being.