Page Content

One of the most frequently-consulted special collections at Library and Archives Canada is the Bell Features Collection. Preserved as part of the Rare Book Collection, this resource consists of 382 comic books issued by Toronto-based publisher Bell Features between 1942 and 1946. Within these comics’ black and white pages is perhaps the greatest assembly of Canadian superheroes ever produced. In keeping with the patriotic spirit of the Second World War, many of Bell Features’ characters were involved with the war effort, whether they were defending Canada and the British Empire in battle as members of the Armed Forces or fighting on the home front as civilians – sometimes super powered civilians – taking on Axis spies and saboteurs.