National Post

Heroes Force, Canada’s answer to G.I. Joe
Shannon Thibodeau is a vintage toy collector, a father with two young sons and a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, with two tours of Afghanistan to his credit.

He is proud of everything he is and everything he has done. But the aircraft metal fabricator instructor at Canadian Forces Base Borden, near Barrie, was also deeply perplexed and mildly miffed by the fact that whenever he went shopping for military action figures for his boys he could never find a figure that resembled him.

Sure, there were G.I. Joes to be had, but no brave Canucks. Nothing to commemorate the Canadians Mr. Thibodeau served with and, in some cases, helped bury.

“Shannon wanted to make something that would represent his buddies and acknowledge our troops,” says John Alan Sperry, a civilian and longtime friend of Mr. Thibodeau’s from Truro, N.S.

The result was “Heroes Force,” a series of Canadian military action figures that has stormed the toy market and struck an unforeseen emotional chord among buyers. (Photo: Pte Dave McDonald/DND)