Nelvana of the Northern Lights
Encyclopedia
Nelvana of the Northern Lights is a Canadian
comic book
character
and the first Canadian national superhero
, debuting in Hillborough Studio's Triumph-Adventure Comics #1 (Aug. 1941). She is also one of the first female superheroes, debuting before Wonder Woman
but after Fantomah
, the Golden Age Black Widow, Invisible Scarlet O'Neil
and others introduced in 1940. Nelvana of the Northern Lights is Canada’s first distinctly Canadian female superhero.
The character was created, written and illustrated by Adrian Dingle
, who was inspired by tales brought back from the Arctic
by Group of Seven
painter Franz Johnston. He converted tribal legends about the hideous witch-like daughter of Koliak, King of the Northern Lights to a story of a beautiful superheroine living among the Inuit
peoples. Nelvana's superpowers included turning invisible and traveling at the speed of light along a ray of the Northern Lights
. She visited lost kingdoms under the ice, journeyed to other dimensions and fought against the Axis Powers
during World War II
, eventually taking on the secret identity
of secret agent
Alana North. Her final appearance was in a May 1947 comic book.
On October 5, 1995, Canada Post
issued a stamp depicting her, as part of the "Comic Book Superheroes" series that also included Superman
, Johnny Canuck
, Captain Canuck
and Fleur de Lys.
Nelvana Limited
, a Canadian entertainment company founded in 1971, was named after Nelvana of the Northern Lights.
In Marvel Comics
the Canadian superheroine Snowbird
, member of Alpha Flight
created by John Byrne is a demi-goddess whose mother is Nelvanna of the Northern Lights, daughter of Hodiak.
Nelvanna and Hodiak were, very probably, intended as homages to Nelvana and Koliak made by Alpha Flight's writer, John Byrne.
Nelvana comes across Toroff’s plans but is soon captures. Toroff then orders his men tie her up hanging above a gaping digestor pit. Sensing his daughter’s peril, Koliak informs Tanero and in turn rescues Nelvana. The Devil Ship is eventually destroyed along with the Kablunet fleet.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
and the first Canadian national superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
, debuting in Hillborough Studio's Triumph-Adventure Comics #1 (Aug. 1941). She is also one of the first female superheroes, debuting before Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
but after Fantomah
Fantomah
Fantomah is a fictional character, best remembered as the first comic book superheroine. Created by Fletcher Hanks, the character first appeared in Jungle Comics #2 , published by Fiction House.-Publication history:...
, the Golden Age Black Widow, Invisible Scarlet O'Neil
Invisible Scarlet O'Neil
Invisible Scarlet O'Neil is an American comic strip written and drawn by Russell Stamm. Published by the Chicago Times, it ran from June 3, 1940 to 1956....
and others introduced in 1940. Nelvana of the Northern Lights is Canada’s first distinctly Canadian female superhero.
The character was created, written and illustrated by Adrian Dingle
Adrian Dingle (comic book artist)
Adrian Dingle was a painter whose career was based in Canada. He was also a creator of comic books during the 1940's.Born John Adrian Darley Dingle in Barmouth, Gwynedd, north Wales, he emigrated to Canada when he was three years old...
, who was inspired by tales brought back from the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
by Group of Seven
Group of Seven (artists)
The Group of Seven, sometimes known as the Algonquin school, were a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920-1933, originally consisting of Franklin Carmichael , Lawren Harris , A. Y. Jackson , Franz Johnston , Arthur Lismer , J. E. H. MacDonald , and Frederick Varley...
painter Franz Johnston. He converted tribal legends about the hideous witch-like daughter of Koliak, King of the Northern Lights to a story of a beautiful superheroine living among the Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
peoples. Nelvana's superpowers included turning invisible and traveling at the speed of light along a ray of the Northern Lights
Aurora (astronomy)
An aurora is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere...
. She visited lost kingdoms under the ice, journeyed to other dimensions and fought against the Axis Powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, eventually taking on the secret identity
Secret identity
A secret identity is an element of fiction wherein a character develops a separate persona , while keeping their true identity hidden. The character also may wear a disguise...
of secret agent
Secret Agent
Secret Agent is a British film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, loosely based on two stories in Ashenden: Or the British Agent by W. Somerset Maugham. The film starred John Gielgud, Peter Lorre, Madeleine Carroll, and Robert Young...
Alana North. Her final appearance was in a May 1947 comic book.
On October 5, 1995, Canada Post
Canada Post
Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post , is the Canadian crown corporation which functions as the country's primary postal operator...
issued a stamp depicting her, as part of the "Comic Book Superheroes" series that also included Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, Johnny Canuck
Johnny Canuck
Johnny Canuck was a Canadian cartoon hero and superhero who was created as a political cartoon in 1869 and was later re-invented, most notably as a Second World War action hero in 1942...
, Captain Canuck
Captain Canuck
Captain Canuck is a fictional Canadian comic book superhero. Created by writer Ron Leishman and artist/co-writer Richard Comely, the original Captain Canuck first appeared in Captain Canuck #1 ....
and Fleur de Lys.
Publication history
Created and illustrated by Adrian Dingle, Nelvana of Northern Lights, or Nelvana of the North for short, first debuted in Triumph-Adventure-Comics #1, published by Hillborough Studios in August 1941.Comic Book Character
Nelvana is a powerful Inuit mythological figure, protecting the people of the North with her superhuman abilities. She is the daughter of a mortal woman and Koliak the Mighty, King of the Northern Lights. The gods were outraged with Koliak and his marriage to a mortal woman, and therefore is no longer visible, although his spirit is manifested in the form of the Northern Lights. Nelvana draws on the powers of her father and the Northern Lights to fight super-powered Nazi agents in the North.Power and Abilities
Dressed in a fur-trimmed mini-skirt, knee-high boots, matching gloves and adorned in a headband and magical cape, Nelvana’s superhuman powers include the ability to fly at the speed of light on a giant ray of the Northern Lights. Also capable of calling on the powers of her father she can melt metal and disrupt radio communications. Nelvana is telepathic and can turn invisible, as well as change her physical form.Supporting cast
Nelvana is often found fighting crime with her brother Tanero with the help from their father Koliak, King of the Northern Lights. In 1942, Nelvana was joined by Johnny Canuck and together they fought evil Nazis in the North.Cultural Impact
As Canada’s first distinctly Canadian female superhero, Nelvana of the North fulfilled the lack of Canadian comic book heroes and had an impact on Canadian national identity as a whole. Canadians finally had a hero to call their own in an American dominated comic book industry.Nelvana Limited
Nelvana
Nelvana Limited is a Canadian entertainment company founded in 1971 known for its work in children's animation. It was named by founders Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith after a Canadian comic book superheroine created by Adrian Dingle in the 1940s...
, a Canadian entertainment company founded in 1971, was named after Nelvana of the Northern Lights.
In Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
the Canadian superheroine Snowbird
Snowbird (comics)
Snowbird is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 , and was created by John Byrne.-Fictional character biography:...
, member of Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
created by John Byrne is a demi-goddess whose mother is Nelvanna of the Northern Lights, daughter of Hodiak.
Nelvanna and Hodiak were, very probably, intended as homages to Nelvana and Koliak made by Alpha Flight's writer, John Byrne.
Kablunets (Triumph Comics Nos. 1-7)
Called upon to stop “evil white ones” (Kablunets) from using time bombs to destroy fish and other food stocks in the North, Nelvana and her brother Tanero are assisted by Koliak and use the Northern Lights as a gigantic magnet to magnetise the enemy bombs towards the sky by destroying them harmlessly. Commander Toroff, attacks Nelvana and her brother from his Devil Ship with killer boats. Nelvana and Tanero land on Toroff’s ship, and Nelvana instructs Tanero to destroy Toroff's fleet and killer boats. Meanwhile, Nelvana searches Toroff's quarters looking for his plans.Nelvana comes across Toroff’s plans but is soon captures. Toroff then orders his men tie her up hanging above a gaping digestor pit. Sensing his daughter’s peril, Koliak informs Tanero and in turn rescues Nelvana. The Devil Ship is eventually destroyed along with the Kablunet fleet.