The Proposal

[Phil]

Let's take out characters that have their countries name in their title though. Guardian's doesn't. He's not the 'Canadian Guardian' he's not 'Captain Canada' he's not the 'Red & White Guardian' - his title is simply 'Guardian' because for the reasons FP said above; he wears the flag and represents the nation. There's nothing to say an American couldn't do that.

Guardian isn't an iconic character to the mass market.

And if you were to ask half the world's comic readers what nationality Puck was, I imagine there would be a significant amount that would probably say American.
Apart from the stereotypical "Eh" Puck doesn't scream Canada.
(And there'd probably be a signficant amount that would say 'Puck who?')

But again, all my opinion and maybe I'm the only one in the world who feels this way.

[Flightpath07]

Some characters are just iconic. A Canadian as Guardian, a Canadian as Puck. If it doesn't matter, then as people say let's have a French Captain Britain, a Saudi Captain America, make Silver Sable Congolese even. Some characters are tied to nationality, and that's not a bad thing. Who wants a WWII Hitler pastiche to be American, for instance?

I couldn't have said it better! (I know, cuz i tried and failed)

There's nothing to say an American couldn't do that.

Again, going to disagree with you. Are you suggesting that Canada's Prime Minister should stand up one day in parliament and tell Canadians that they should look up to, and emulate, somebody who isn't Canadian? While i understand that there are good people all over, wouldn't it make much more sense , for the sake of national pride, to want the person who represents the 'spirit of Canada' to actually BE A Canadian? If somebody told me that my country's protector was somebody from another country, I'd feel like a second-class citizen in my own nation; I'd wonder why one of our own people weren't good enough to be the protector of our great nation! It wouldn't make me feel warm and cozy, it'd be like sand stuck in my shorts; the longer it sat there without being fixed, the worse it would feel.

As for Puck, you may be right in that people wouldn't know he was Canadian. Canadians, however, would know right away.

[Phil]

Again, going to disagree with you. Are you suggesting that Canada's Prime Minister should stand up one day in parliament and tell Canadians that they should look up to, and emulate, somebody who isn't Canadian? While i understand that there are good people all over, wouldn't it make much more sense , for the sake of national pride, to want the person who represents the 'spirit of Canada' to actually BE A Canadian? If somebody told me that my country's protector was somebody from another country, I'd feel like a second-class citizen in my own nation; I'd wonder why one of our own people weren't good enough to be the protector of our great nation! It wouldn't make me feel warm and cozy, it'd be like sand stuck in my shorts; the longer it sat there without being fixed, the worse it would feel.

So you're saying that as a Canadian you can only look up to, admire and aspire to like other Canadians?
And that if World War Three broke out now Canada shouldn't ally themselves with any other nation and wouldn't want to be helped/protected by another?

But this is allllllllllllllll getting off-course....

[Phil]

As an afterword;

All of this is just my opinion.
I enjoyed the Pointer story as a tale of redemption, and didn't find it offensive for all the reasons I've outlined above.
I can fully see, and respect why others would be offended.
On Bizarro World where John Byrne never left England at 8 and Alpha Flight are the 'English Avengers' I'm still on this board explaining why I don't care that an American is wrapped in the English flag. (And why I don't care that Dr Who, Sherlock Holmes and James Bond are played by Americans.)

I also don't care that Psylocke was made Asian.

My views are very different to most peoples and I don't intend for anyone to agree with me.
In fact, I very much like being the minority and giving responses that provoke endless discussion.
I don't intend to 'win' or to change any single person's view. And I certainly don't mean a smidgen of offence with any of my leaps of logic.

And with that, I'm back to joyous nuptials and no-more.

[Le Messor]

So you're saying that as a Canadian you can only look up to, admire and aspire to like other Canadians?
And that if World War Three broke out now Canada shouldn't ally themselves with any other nation and wouldn't want to be helped/protected by another?

No, but none of those other allies should be wearing the Canadian Flag costume.
I agree with you on Puck - he's not a nationalist / patriotic character, it doesn't matter to me where he's from. But the one who drapes themselves in the flag and leads the team - or bears the mantle of team leader - should have been to the country at some point in their lives. And be a citizen of the country whose flag they're wearing.

It's, sorry, made worse for me by the fact this story was written by an American saying an American should be the patriotic hero of a different country. There's a certain blindness I've noticed that Americans have for other countries - I speak from having been to the US many times in my life.

I also don't care that Psylocke was made Asian.

Me either.

And with that, I'm back to joyous nuptials and no-more.

Congratulations. What are you doing here?

- Le Messor
"If you require someone to change, you require that person to lie to you."

[DIGGER]

Hate to bring this up but in issue 11 vol 1 Byrne almost made Guardian into a working visa American. How do you think the people of N.Y. would have reacted to a hero wearing a Canadian flag in the U.S.or would Jimmy have had to change his colours? I guess what I am trying to say is that he made the suit but it was his Country that put the flag on it. You will not find a bigger fan of Guardian (James Macdonald Hudson) than me but realistically (at least in the comic book world) anyone could put on the flag and be Canada's representative. Perhaps the problem with Pointer wearing the suit was that if there ever was a reason to be called Vindicator that should have been it. I think the big problem is that we are so protective of the "Alpha Flight concept and its characters" that we want, no, NEED them to have a major role in the comics and for it to have strong Canadian content to enforce their relevance in the Marvel world.

DIGGER

[Flightpath07]

I think the big problem is that we are so protective of the "Alpha Flight concept and its characters" that we want, no, NEED them to have a major role in the comics and for it to have strong Canadian content to enforce their relevance in the Marvel world.

Well, that is true of course, but it isn't the whole story. IMHO.

My views are very different to most peoples and I don't intend for anyone to agree with me.

Fair 'nuff.

In fact, I very much like being the minority and giving responses that provoke endless discussion.

In that case, i think from now on we should all agree with you (but not tell you).

I also don't care that Psylocke was made Asian.

Never was a fan of the character, but i cared when i found out about it; mainly because it was stupid.

[Legerd]

Why is it that posts I intend to merely be a funny/interesting tidbit of info tends to derail everything and cause chaos?

[Flightpath07]

Why is it that posts I intend to merely be a funny/interesting tidbit of info tends to derail everything and cause chaos?

We rely on you for that! lol

[Legerd]

Well, when I was younger, my nickname was "Satan".

[Flightpath07]

Stan is a nice name.

[Phil]

I take full responsibility for the derailment...

[Flightpath07]

I take full responsibility for the derailment...

Nonsense! It's clearly all Marvel's fault.

However, if you are taking responsibility for the derailment, then I am taking responsibility for the Titanic sinking, the Hindenburg disaster, and I admit to being the gunman on the grassy knoll (Really, how could you miss me! I was the one wearing the Canadian flag, holding a bazooka, and reading Captain Canuck comics!). I also was Yoko Ono's vocal coach.

[Le Messor]

Why is it that posts I intend to merely be a funny/interesting tidbit of info tends to derail everything and cause chaos?

Funny, I said the same thing about that coin on the railway track...

[-K-M-]

Im curious how they will do this wedding issue, as it seems like there will be so much going on in that issue as Kyle has to change his mind, they need to defeat the big bad and then have the wedding?