Red Leaf Releases Kung Fu Canuck!

Well this looks like fun!

Red Leaf Comics continues to produce innovative and diverse characters in their ever-expanding comic book universe. The company will showcase an Asian-Canadian hero named Kung Fu Canuck this fall in The Leaf #7.

“Canada is a diverse country and its heroes should reflect such a dynamic,” said publisher John Michael Helmer who is also the writer on the title. “Kung Fu Canuck will bring such themes to the forefront of the Red Leaf universe.”

Helmer described the character as a teen hero struggling to find his identity and maintain his complex relationships. The Leaf will encounter the teen and help him fight off what seems like a thousand ninjas. “Canada is too large for just one hero,” said Helmer. “And Kung Fu Canuck is just the kid for the job!”

The Leaf #7 is written by Helmer with help from Art Editor Brad Eastburn. The pencils are from Philippine sensation Carl Embalzado. The pages were colored by fellow Philippine artist Lancelot Catan.

There are several covers available, according the Helmer. Cover A is by Canadian artist Cesare Tartarelli and colored by Federico Sioc. Cover B is digitally drawn by Canadian Andre St-Amour. The story is lettered by T. Warren Montgomery.

The issue will retail for $3.99 and be available online through redleafcomics.com as well as select comic book stores. The Digital Deluxe Download (only 99 cents) has additional pages of pin-ups and extra material and will be available for download at www.drivethrucomics.com.

To view some additional art, click here and to visit Red Leaf's online store, click here.

So let's see...The cover above has to be the André St-Amour one.  It would fit right in with one of St-Amour's Frozen Light books.  As you'll note from viewing André's blog, there are plans for the Frozen Light characters to return later in the year, so there's something else to look forward to.

Cover A artist Cesare Tartarelli's name was somewhat familiar and I (eventually) figured out why; he drew the first issue of Unstoppable Comics' Stormchasers #1.  I previously wrote about that series because the team includes a Canadian character named Hightower.  You can have a look at a preview of that book, and therefore Cesare's art, here.

And lastly, I will admit that the diversity is welcomed in Kung Fu Canuck.  Truthfully, it didn't strike me until I wrote about Dynamo 5's Smasher last year that non-Caucasian Canadian characters are rather rare, but it's still good to see another join the cast.