Addendum to the Previous Post on the Uncanny X-Men, Alpha Flight & Criminal Code of Canada

It's not very often that one can write a blog entry and only weeks later enjoy a conversation with one of the creators you wrote about. But this happened for me yesterday when I had a delightful conversation (and got a few autographs too) with legendary comics creator Chris Claremont at a comic shop here in Toronto.

Some of the autographed comics from Sunday's signing with Chris Claremont. 

I can’t tell you what a thrill it was to finally meet Mr. Claremont. I've been a fan for as long as I've been reading comics (1986?) and found him to be every bit as friendly as I could have hoped. In chatting I mentioned my previous blog entry about Section 16 of the Criminal Code of Canada and we had a nice discussion about it. He mentioned that the point of the story was not to imply that Georges Baptiste would be punished automatically. Rather, that it was to explain that the Canadian justice system would have to go to work and ensure Mr. Baptiste was treated fairly and received the help, punishment or a combination of both that justice required. This is exactly what Section 16 and the mental disorder defence is about.  

Anyways, it was a fantastic little Sunday vingette and I encourage anyone who has an opportunity to meet Chris Claremont to get out and do so. I'm sure he'll be as appreciative of the encounter has you'll be.

SuperSoundtracks #3: Siouxsie and the Banshees and Lady Deathstrike

WGTB has been working on this entry for a while. Usually, writing a SuperSoundtrack begins with a comic book character and then a search for a good song. This time we started with the album and had to narrow things down to a great song; only afterwards finding a matching comic book character.

The album is Siouxsie and the Banshees' 1979 debut The Scream and our eventual track is Metal Postcard. The search for the ideal comic book character was tough until it hit like a bolt of lightning: LADY DEATHSTRIKE!

Siouxsie and the Banshees were formed in 1976 by Siouxsie Sioux (Susan Janet Ballion) and bassist Steven Severin. They met at a Roxy Music show, and would eventually become part of the “Bromley Contingent” a group of fellow misfits and music fans who travelled the UK attending Sex Pistol gigs.

The Scream captures the angst of the punk movement perfectly, but also serves as a pioneering bridge into the Post-Punk movement. Post-Punk is a more introspective and experimental type of indie music that captured the energy of Punk while being more accessible to mainstream fans. The movement would also lead to a number of spin-off genres including Goth, Industrial and Synthpop.

Metal Postcard is a masterpiece. Its lyrics match the ferocity of our comic book character and, while WGTB is loath to use singles as SuperSoundtracks, ultimately we had to choose this GREAT song. That said, it wasn’t an easy decision. The album includes a brilliant cover of the Beatles' Helter Skelter and another great track, Nicotine Stain, which may yet appear in SuperSoundtracks.

So how does this SuperSoundtrack capture Lady Deathstrike so perfectly? Start by looking a sample of the lyrics. Of course, you'll be even more convinced when you hear the screaming guitars and haunting bass.

Metal is tough, metal will sheen
Metal won’t rust when oiled and cleaned
Metal is tough, metal will sheen
Metal will rule in my masterscheme

Lady Deathstrike is in so many ways a perfect foil for Wolverine, her principal antagonist. Born in Osaka to the inventor of the adamantium lacing process, she would later become a cyborg with the one motivation: to avenge the dishonourable death of her father and avenge the theft of his intellectual achievement.

She has a similar healing factor to Wolverine and her adamantium laced skeleton and razor-like fingernails are a near match for Canada’s fiercest superhero. Lady Deathstrike was invented by Denny O'Neil and Larry Hama and first appeared as Yuriko Oyama in Daredevil #197. Blog favourite Bill Mantlo and Chris Claremont would later refine her story in Alpha Flight #33 but WGTB will always remember her for her prominence in Wolverine (V.2) numbers 35, 36, 45 and 46 when we saw her in ACTION!

(From Wolverine Vol. 2 # 35 "Blood and Claws")

(From Wolverine Vol. 2 #45 "Claws Over Times Square")

SuperSoundtracks is proud to present the theme song for Lady Deathstrike: Metal Postcard by Siouxsie and the Banshees!