Leo Bachle

Leo Bachle a.k.a. Les Barker (1926 - 2003) was a Canadian comic book artist and comedian.

In late 1940, fourteen year-old Bachle was hired by John Ezrin, the manager of Bell Features in Toronto, Canada to come up with something exciting for the company's growing comic book line. Bachle's character, Johnny Canuck, debuted in the first issue of Bell's Dime Comics, dated February 1941. In the first Canuck story he confronts Adolf Hitler and propelled Dime Comics to become the best-selling comic in the Bell line. Leo became one of Bell’s key artists, drawing characters like Wild Bill, The Invisible Commando, Chip Pipher, Southpaw, Super Sub, and The Brain. Bachle's success led to the company hiring a number of new, young artists, including Ross Saakel and Jerry Lazare.

Bachle's character, Johnny Canuck, was considered invaluable to the war effort. Apparently, the Canadian government refused to grant Bachle a visa to move to the States until he’d completed a backlog of Johnny Canuck adventures for Bell Features.Fact|date=September 2007 Canuck remains his most enduring creation.

After the war, Bachle changed his name to Les Barker and gave up drawing comic books. He became a well-regarded comedian and toured the globe performing his unique comedy act.

Canada Post put Johnny Canuck on a postage stamp with other Canadian comic book heroes, such as Superman by Joe Shuster, Nelvana of the Northern Lights by Adrian Dingle, Captain Canuck by Richard Comely and Northguard by Mark Shainblum (but not Alpha Flight by John Byrne, often credited as a Canadian).

Leo Bachle died in May, 2003.

In April 2004, Leo Bachle was among the first batch of Canadian comic book artists inducted into the Joe Shuster Awards Canadian Comic Book Creator Hall of Fame.

ee also

* Canadian comics