Sticky Step Twenty-Nine: Seven Lives Tacos - 69 Kensington Ave.

After knocking off balance one of the remaining Viking Beetles he's been fighting on the back of a delivery truck while passing several Spadina Avenue shopfronts, the Human-Lizard follows up with a well-placed karate kick to send one of the nefarious Norse nightmares flying off the speeding truck to the street below. Although it's never clear whether this particular mutant marauder made the final journey to insect Valhalla, it is fortunate enough to fall off the truck directly in front of Seven Lives Tacos y Mariscos.

The Human-Lizard evens the odds outside Seven Lives Tacos.

Seven Lives Tacos y Mariscos has been serving up Baja California-style fish tacos (like the house specialty, the Gobernador, served with smoked tuna and shrimp), first as a pop-up restaurant (as part of the Toronto Underground Market, a social food market which ran from 2011 to 2014 to promote local cooks, chefs and food entrepreneurs), before eventually settling into a permanent space at 69 Kensington Avenue in the heart of Kensington Market. A word to the wise, along with an appetite, bring cash and comfortable shoes to wear while standing, because there is almost always a lengthy lineup for these tasty tacos.

Seven Lives Tacos y Mariscos at 69 Kensington Avenue.

Next up: The Human-Lizard wraps up his vicious Viking Beetle battle in a dark alley next to Dr. Comics.

-DJ

Sticky Step Twenty-Seven: Guerilla Printing (now closed) - 413 Spadina Ave.

Having gotten a date on his way home while surfing a TTC bus past the Mr. Sub at 1181 Queen Street West, Lucas then calls it a night. The next day, during his lunch break at work, he calls his parents to tell them that the news story on Hugh's days as the Lizard-Man had inadvertently revealed Lucas' secret identity to his boss and co-workers. Lucas goes on to mention the date he had set up for that night and his mother warns him not to get serious too quickly.

The Human-Lizard battles Beetle Vikings while passing by the 267 College St. Burger King.

Later that evening, while killing time before his date with "RooBarb," Lucas goes out on patrol and ends up tangling with three Beetle Vikings on top of a cube van in Chinatown. Although their origins or motivations are never made clear, it's interesting to note that The Pitiful Human-Lizard creator, Jason Loo has confirmed the Beetle Vikings are directly related to the moon rock stolen from the R.O.M. that the Human-Lizard witnessed Mother Wonder recover the night before.

Lucas valiantly battles the two remaining Beetle Vikings in front of 413 Spadina Ave.

As the truck the Human-Lizard battles on top of speeds along southward, it passes by the Burger King located at 267 College St. (on the corner of Spadina Avenue), before Lucas judo flips one of the insect berserkers from the top of the truck, causing it to splat open on the street in front of Guerilla Printing, at 413 Spadina Ave.

Guerilla Printing's former address at 413 Spadina Ave.

A staunch supporter of the Human-Lizard from the very start, Guerilla Printing's house brand "Made In Chinatown" has been used by Jason Loo to self-publish mini-comics (along with prints and even custom action figures) featuring numerous characters from The Pitiful Human-Lizard between regular issues. Although Guerilla Printing have recently closed their doors in Toronto's Chinatown neighbourhood, they've since relocated and continue to operate in North York at 37 Kodiak Crescent #6, between Sheppard Ave. W. and Dufferin St.

Next up: The Human-Lizard hangs on for dear life as he battles beetles in front of several Spadina shops, including S&H T's Inc., Levetto Chinatown and Plaiter Place.

-DE

Sticky Step Twenty-Six: Hot Shawarma/Burger Fighter (formerly Mr. Sub) - 1181 Queen St. West

Passing by The Great Hall on his way back home to the secret Lizard Lair, Lucas's life feels a little less pitiful when he finally gets a positive response from "RooBarb" about an evening of board games and beers while checking his messages. To celebrate an evening of successful crime prevention and the prospect of social interaction in the near future, the Human-Lizard gives out a cheer as the TTC bus he's riding on top of passes by Mr. Sub at 1181 Queen Street West, directly across the street from the Gladstone Hotel.

The Human-Lizard on top of a TTC streetcar as it passes 1181 Queen St. W.

The Mr. Submarine located at 1181 Queen St. W. was a fixture of the West Queen West neighbourhood until 2013, when it was replaced by Hot Shawarma. In 2016, Hot Shawarma also began sharing space with Burger Fighter and have continued to offer both burgers and middle-eastern cuisine on their combined menu since then.

Burger Fighter/Hot Shawarma at 1181 Queen St. W.

Up next: Lucas gives his parents a call and then tangles with a gang of beetle vikings on the back of a truck while cruising past Guerilla Printing on Spadina Ave.

-DE

Special Sticky Step: Sticky Footprints gets the royal treatment in The Pitiful Human-Lizard #13!

I'm breaking off from the usual location to location journey through the Human-Lizard's Toronto in this post to give a shout out to The Pitiful Human-Lizard creator, Jason Loo. Ideally, once I'm right up to the minute following the Human-Lizard's adventures, that will be the idea anyway, to post news and updates between issues of PHL. Not only on the comic itself, but as Toronto constantly continues to undergo a Metroplex-like transformation, I also want to report on changes to the locations featured in the stories, as well. For today though, I just want to take a moment to open up my heart in response to an incredible gesture of friendship and kindness made by Jason, which I received in full this past weekend at the Toronto Reference Library during TCAF - The Toronto Comic Arts Festival.

I'd say that look says it all.

Back in late December of last year, at a time when many people try to cope with the pressures of the holidays and adjusting to the darkest season of the year, I was dealing with those very same issues, as well. Same as every year really, but this was a bad one. Social media was getting the better of me in the worst way and I can admit now that the muse that inspired Sticky Footprints as a pursuit had completely fled. In the moment, I rationalized by telling myself that it was just the winter season and trips to Toronto for photos were difficult enough to plan in the warm months, but the truth is that I'd been carrying around a lot of unresolved emotional baggage since the summer. A death in the family and a job lost in the same week was crushing and it happening just as this blog journey was beginning made for a powerful confusion of feelings on top of that. Add a prolonged period of estrangement from a friend going through momentous changes in their own life and I can tell you there was a veritable witches brew stewing away in my head. Let simmer until the most stressful time of year and then brace for impact.

Original art of page 19, issue 13 of The Pitiful Human-Lizard.

And then, unplugged from the rest of the world and feeling my absolute lowest on a Festivus morning after a premature online airing of grievances, Niki woke me up to tell me she'd gotten a message from Jason Loo. Then she showed me a photo on her phone of Jason's version of me sitting next to the Human-Lizard chatting him up. What can I say that Dr. Seuss hasn't already? My heart grew three sizes that day and that's how the Human-Lizard saved my entire holiday season. I resolved then and there to finish the remaining few Sticky Footprints posts for the first issue of PHL before the end of the year and then make use of the winter downtime to plan out the coverage of issue #2 first and foremost and then focus beyond that afterwards. You'd think I'd have learned by now that you've got to take things one step at a time, no matter how sticky it gets!

The Pitiful Human-Lizard #13 cover by Jason Loo.

Fast forward to TCAF this past weekend and a royal reception from Jason as he pulled out the original art page featuring that chat between the Human-Lizard and I and an advance copy of The Pitiful Human-Lizard #13 that it appears in. Finally, the whole story surrounding this amazing introduction to Toronto's most vulnerable superhero can be told, and the best part is, it's not even the whole story! As the second part of a crossover with the first issue of Captain Canuck's third volume (did you get all that?), there's still an epic battle featuring Chapterhouse Publishing's heaviest hitters to look forward to reading! And who knows? Maybe someday I'll be tapping one of them on the shoulder to tell them what they mean to me, too.

Captain Canuck (2017) #1 cover by John Gallagher.

Up next: Back on the hunt as the Human-Lizard heads home and finally gets a phone message while riding past The Great Hall, but after the events of the past evening will he have a date or not?

-DE

Sticky Step Twenty-Four: Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) - 317 Dundas St. West

This past week saw the milestone first anniversary of Sticky Footprints' first Sticky Step pass, so it feels like a good time pause for a moment and process that fact. It feels pretty good, to be honest. It's true I haven't posted as regularly as I'd would've liked at times (and as I start to devote time to a few other passions and projects, that's not likely to change on the short term), but I've kept up with this blog pretty well and after a year with a post every other week on average I can safely say that isn't nothing.

The hunter of Human-Lizards hanging out in front of the Art Gallery of Ontario.

The constant challenge of course, has been trying to keep pace with both the ever-changing landscape of the city and the astonishingly talented and prolific output from the creator of The Pitiful Human-Lizard, Jason Loo (who can churn out a whole comic in just a little more than a week!) while living in the Niagara Region and rarely having the chance to visit the Big Smoke. Hopefully that will change in the coming months, since the plan is to be closer to the city anyway. In the meantime, I want to thank Jason again for approving of this little blog idea of mine and encouraging me to pursue it. Of course, I especially want to thank everyone who's been following along so far, as well. There's so much more of the Human-Lizard's Toronto yet to share, so I hope you'll STICK around for it!

The Human-Lizard protects the AGO from Warshell.

Continuing his patrol after the incident with Mother Wonder and the ROM's moon rock thief about a half hour earlier, Lucas descends from the top of the Art Gallery of Ontario's Galleria Italia facade to finally mete out some lizard justice to a small-time villain named Warshell attempting to steal the Tom Thomson painting, Sunset in Algonquin Park inside.

The AGO is safe enough again for Lucas to check his messages.

Risking a blast to the face from Warshell's wrist rockets, the Human-Lizard bravely hurls himself at the would-be art thief and with a well-placed knee to Warshell's nether regions, the danger has passed and the AGO and it's art appreciating patrons are safe once more.

A certain school teacher and her "Don Juan" date exit the AGO.

At that moment, as Lucas checks his messages for the millionth time with no luck, two people exit the gallery (one the same grade school teacher who was not impressed with her students admiration for the Human-Lizard in the first issue) and seeing the commotion on the sidewalk, start heading in the opposite direction along the AGO's front promenade on Dundas Street West.

Taking a stroll along the Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Promenade.

"Don Juan" gets a little too familiar with his date and losing all patience with him, she shuts him down and heads for home. Clueless as ever though, he tells her to keep in touch.

After a bad first date with "Don Juan," best to just untangle yourself and run.

Meanwhile, as she stifles a retch at the thought of ever communicating with this guy in anyway ever again, the Human-Lizard attends to Warshell, still curled up in a fetal position on the sidewalk, completely immobilized by Lucas' attack.

Heading home fast while the Human-Lizard consoles a defeated Warshell.

Although the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) was founded in the year 1900 (as the Art Museum of Toronto), it didn't settle into it's permanent location at 317 Dundas Street West until 1910, when The Grange (a Georgian manor built in 1817) was bequeathed to the Ontario Society of Artists upon the passing of the British historian and journalist, Goldwin Smith. After previously being renamed the Art Gallery of Toronto in 1919, the art institution was renamed the Art Gallery of Ontario in 1966.

The AGO's Galleria Italia facade seen from the corner of Dundas and McCaul.

In 2004, world-renowned architect Frank Gehry began a $275 million redevelopment plan, titled "Transformation AGO" to revamp and expand the gallery. Reopening again in late 2008, the AGO now boasts a four-story glass and titanium south wing overlooking Grange Park, as well as the distinctive, 180 metre-long Galleria Italia facade along the gallery's north face on Dundas Street West.

Up next: RooBarb heads home and the Human-Lizard finally gets a phone message while riding past The Great Hall, but after the events of the past evening will he have a date or not?

-DE

Sticky Step Twenty-Two: Community Vehicle Reclamation Project/Bungalow/Comic Pile - 273 & 254 Augusta Ave.

A little over a half an hour after checking his messages on the marquee of the Royal Cinema, Lucas makes his way further east into Kensington Market. As he walks north towards College St., the Human-Lizard passes by the vintage furniture store, Bungalow, the (now-defunct) comic shop, The Comic Pile, and parked right at the curb of Augusta Avenue as Lucas walks past is the Community Vehicle Reclamation Project, commonly referred to as Kensington Market's "Garden Car."

The Human-Lizard makes his way along Augusta Ave.

First conceived in 2006 as an alternative to publicly destroying a car as part of an anti-car advocacy group protest, they decided instead to convert the car into a giant planter. For many years it served as both a promotional feature and fresh herb garden for the Kensington Market restaurant, La Palette, before it's relocation a few blocks south on Queen St. West, in the city's Fashion District. Since then, the Garden Car has persevered in one form or another, becoming one of the neighbourhood's most iconic landmarks.

Kensington Market's "Garden Car."

Directly across the street from the Garden Car, at 273 Augusta Ave, is Bungalow. One of Kensington Market's many vintage clothing shops, Bungalow stands apart from the rest of the pack by also dedicating equal focus to vintage Scandinavian-designed furniture and housewares.

Bungalow at 273 Augusta Avenue in Kensington Market.

The Comic Pile opened at 254 Augusta Ave in 2013, but relocated to Baldwin St. where it soon after closed up shop. Cafe Novo, which moved into the storefront space previously occupied by The Comic Pile on Augusta, relocated themselves after a dramatic rent increase at it's High Park location, before also shutting down operations. Currently, 254 Augusta Ave. is home to Livelihood Cafe.

Cafe Novo (now also closed) where The Comic Pile was first located at 254 Augusta Ave.

Next up: The Human-Lizard checks his messages yet again as Mother Wonder gives up spa night to dish out justice.

-DE

Sticky Step Twenty-One: The Royal Cinema - 608 College St.

Whizzing past the Gladstone Hotel on the top of a TTC streetcar (as the Human-Lizard), Lucas (as "LuBar") had boldly texted his prospective online romantic interest, known only as "RooBarb," to ask if she'd like to meet over beer and board games. Almost an hour and half later, while standing on top of the marquee of the Royal Cinema in Toronto's Little Italy district on College Street West, Lucas still has no new messages. Of course, he also hasn't encountered any criminal-types either, so the evening's sort of a win/lose so far. Lucky on patrol, unlucky in love.

The Human-Lizard checking his phone on the Royal's marquee.

First opening it's doors in 1939 as The Pylon, and later changed to the Golden Princess, the 390-seat  Art Moderne movie house has become one of Toronto's most-beloved historic landmarks. When faced with the threat of closure in 2007, Theatre D Digital stepped in to upgrade and renovate the theatre into a state of the art screening and live event venue. The cinema also performs double duty as a fully operational film and television post-production studio during daytime hours.

The Royal Cinema at 608 College Street.

To check what's currently playing and coming soon, or to book a private screening, corporate function or live event, visit the Royal's website.

Next up: The Human-Lizard takes a stroll past the Kensington Market Garden Car on Augusta Avenue!

-DE

Sticky Step Twenty: The Gladstone Hotel - 1214 Queen St. West

Winter is behind us, spring is here and Sticky Footprints is ready once again to pick up the trail of Jason Loo's forever down on his luck hero in The Pitiful Human-Lizard #2!

Last seen sticking to the wall of Lee's Palace, the second issue opens with Lucas Barrett who, following the TV news piece covering his father's heyday as the local celebrity known as the Lizard-Man, is now recognized around the office as Toronto's newest superhero, enduring the snide comments and condescending inquiries of his boss and co-workers as they try to figure out why Lucas does what he does and why he does it dressed as a lizard. He ignores them, in favour of updating his online dating profile (using the appropriately pitiful sounding online handle, "Lubar.") and while doing so, Lucas comes across the profile of "RooBarb." He strikes up a text conversation with her that goes on sporadically through the afternoon at work, his evening martial arts lesson and even bus ride home afterwards.

The Human-Lizard catches a ride downtown on a TTC streetcar passing by the Gladstone.

As Lucas is prepping for his nightly patrol of the city as the Human-Lizard, the conversation turns to what each of them do for a living and "RooBarb" reveals she's an elementary school teacher. Lucas embellishes his duties as an office drone to Tolkien-esque proportions and, as the eastbound 501 Queen Streetcar he's riding on top of passes by the Gladstone Hotel, he musters the courage to ask "RooBarb" out for a night of board games and beer.

The Gladstone Hotel at 1214 Queen Street West.

Built in 1889, the Gladstone Hotel is the oldest hotel in Toronto to remain operating continuously since it's doors first opened. An impressive feat considering the numerous changes of ownership throughout the hotel's first century and extensive renovations by the current owners in 2005. Thanks to those much needed renos, however, the Gladstone is now renowned not only as a Toronto landmark in it's own right, but also as the city's preeminent boutique art hotel, hosting regular art exhibitions and events celebrating local artists and designers.

For more on the hotel's history, current art exhibitions and events or to book a room, visit the Gladstone Hotel's website.

Up next: The Human-Lizard atop the Royal Cinema's marquee while on patrol in Toronto's Little Italy!

-DE

Sticky Step Nineteen: Lee's Palace, 529 Bloor St. W.

Just a few blocks to the north and west of Dragon City Mall in Chinatown, while literally hanging out on the back cover of The Pitiful Human-Lizard #1, Lucas disguises his presence in the Bloor Annex neighbourhood like a chameleon by using his sticky gloves and boots to cling to the colourful monster mural that adorns the wall of Lee's Palace, the legendary live music venue at 529 Bloor Street West.

The Human-Lizard blends in with the monster mural art of Alex "Al Runt" Currie.

The building began it's life as a venue in 1919 as Allen's Bloor Theatre and, as ownership changed hands through the years, it was renamed several times. In 1985, the building was purchased by Mr. Chong Su Lee and opened it's doors as Lee's Palace on September 5, 1985. Although Mr. Lee passed away in 2001 and the venue has again changed hands several times since, Lee's Palace continues to endure as one of Toronto's hottest venue's for alternative and local indie bands.

Lee's Palace at 529 Bloor Street West.

Looking a little like a cartoon version of The Garden Of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch, the entire front of the building was painted by renowned Toronto muralist Alex Currie, who paints under the pseudonym Al Runt, or simply "Runt." While Lee's Palace is perhaps Currie's best known mural work, other examples can be found all over Toronto's neighbourhoods, from Parkdale's Electric Mud BBQ to Kensington Market's Big Fat Burrito, and even as far away as the Niagara Region, where a Runt mural can be found along the side of Park's Furniture in St. Catharines.

Another example of Runt's mural art on the side of 316 St. Paul Street in St. Catharines, ON.

Next up: A new year and a new issue as the locations found in The Pitiful Human-Lizard #2 are explored, starting with the Gladstone Hotel!


-DE

Sticky Step Eighteen: Dragon City Mall/King Noodle/Saigon Pharmacy, 280/296/300b Spadina Ave.

Along with hanging out on the Honest Ed's sign, the first issue of The Pitiful Human-Lizard also features a second variant cover with Lucas enjoying the view of the CN Tower while relaxing above Spadina Ave. among the storefront signs of Chinatown.

The CN Tower seen from Chinatown along Spadina Ave., just north of Dundas St. W.

The Dragon City Mall sign, with the large LCD screen on top, is the tallest one shown. Whether you're looking for exotic tea, Asian market DVDs, Korean BBQ, official Hello Kitty merchadise or you're just craving plain old Orange Julius, Dragon City Mall has it all under one roof.

Dragon City Mall at 280 Spadina Ave.

Across Dundas Street West, and a few doors to the north is King's Noodle House. With a front window sporting more hanging meat than a butcher shop, King's Noodle is the place Torontonians go for Chinese comfort food. It's also the restaurant Jason Loo, creator of The Pitiful Human-Lizard, traditionally commemorates each Made in Chinatown mini-comic that he's completed by posting a photo on his Instagram account.

King Noodle at 296 Spadina Ave.

Next to King's Noodle House are a couple of the dozens of fruit markets found in Chinatown, and next to those is Saigon Pharmacy and the Yan Oi Chinese Acupuncture and Herbalist, whose storefront sign is the one Lucas has a seat on while taking in Toronto's skyline on the variant cover.

Saigon Pharmacy at 300b Spadina Ave.

Next up: The Human-Lizard sticks around Lee's Palace on the back cover of The Pitiful Human-Lizard #1!

-DE

Sticky Step Fourteen: Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), 100 Queens Park - Part 1: Rock vs. Rat

And now, the beginning of a Human-Lizard battle so huge, I had no choice but to break it up into three parts to fully cover it. While Lucas is enjoying dinner with his family at Golden Diamond Chinese Restaurant, Bodyrocks decides to show his girlfriend, Josie, that he can appreciate Toronto's culture as much as anyone.

The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) at 100 Queens Park.

Not surprisingly, Bodyrocks' idea of culture is looking at the dinosaur fossils on display at the Royal Ontario Museum, but as he makes clear to the ticket agent inside the front entrance, there's no way he's going to pay to see them. Things turn ugly fast, so one of Majestic Rat's emergency patrol rats seeks out Lucas to let him know the Human-Lizard is needed. Leading him through Queen's Park and past the monument to Edward VII, they make haste to reach the museum before disaster strikes.

The equestrian statue of King Edward VII in Queens Park.

The equestrian statue of Edward VII was originally created by the English sculptor, Thomas Brock, shortly after the king's death in 1910 for the Imperial Durbar in Delhi, India (a mass assembly meant to commemorate the succession of the Emperor and Empress of India, King George V and Queen Mary). Afterwards, in 1919, the statue was installed in Delhi's King Edward VII Park (since renamed Netaji Subhash Park), but was removed, sold and reinstalled in Toronto's Queen's Park between the years 1967-9 where it remains to this day, standing at the centre of the park's several radial footpaths.

Bodyrocks and Majestic Rat squaring off in front of dinosaur skulls in the ROM.

Back at the ROM, Majestic Rat (along with several patrol rats and Stieb the alligator) attempts to hold off Bodyrocks, but Johnny quickly overpowers Majestic and sends him hurtling through the glass windows of the now-iconic Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, which was added to the ROM's main building during a massive renovation of the museum and unveiled in 2007.

The Michael Lee-Chin Crystal.

Arriving at the ROM's entrance just as Majestic breaks his fall by landing on Gruber, his other alligator subject, the Human-Lizard quickly runs inside with Gruber as backup, unaware that he's about to face down an all too familiar foe, who's now enhanced by an all too familiar reptilian regenerative power . . .

Enter: The Human-Lizard!

Next up: The royal rumble at the ROM continues in Part 2: Rock vs. Lizard!

-DE

Sticky Step Thirteen: Golden Diamond Chinese Restaurant (formerly Bright Pearl Restaurant, now closed), 346 Spadina Ave.

Sometimes you get a goldmine of photos and sometimes you get nothing, or very nearly close to it. Sadly, that's the case with the next two locations I went on the hunt for. The first is the rooftop patio where the Human-Lizard briefly interacts with three young women (one of whom, Barb, will have a much more important role in the comic as it unfolds) while grappling with a giant worm monster.

Barb and friends on a rooftop patio barely tolerating the Human-Lizard's efforts to protect them.

I just couldn't for the life of me figure out where the rooftop patio in question is in Toronto. Jason Loo, creator of The Pitiful Human-Lizard, may have mentioned to me where the setting was, but if so, it was a part of town I'm less familiar with and I've completely forgotten since. Trying to locate it on my own has proven impossible because there are so many rooftop patios in the city, it could literally be anywhere. What's interesting is that this is a recurring theme with Barb's character, because as I've read through the series and studied each of Barb's appearances, I've discovered that she lives up to the self-appointed title of "street ninja" by nearly always being someplace I'm completely unable to identify.

Barb dismisses the Human-Lizard with a word, and the giant worm monster with a thought.

The second disappointment was discovering that the restaurant Lucas and his parents go to dinner at, Golden Diamond Chinese Restaurant (located in the centre of Toronto's Spadina Ave. Chinatown district), has since closed down. Hopefully it will reopen again in the near future and, if luck holds out, the interior will continue to be the same as it has been since the restaurant went by the name Bright Pearl.

The interior of the now-closed Golden Diamond restaurant at 346 Spadina Ave.

Until then, however, I've had to satisfy myself with just a shot of the sign which still hangs from the front of the building at 346 Spadina Ave. The exterior of the building known as the Hsin Kuang Centre does feature in a later chapter of The Pitiful Human-Lizard and I've taken a bunch of photos, but I'll save those for another day.

The "Gold Diamond" sign still hangs in front of the Hsin Kunag Centre at 346 Spadina Ave.

Next up: Things get crazy at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) when Bodyrocks tussles with Majestic Rat!

-DE

Sticky Step Twelve: Fairmont Royal York, 100 Front St. W.

While Lucas battles with a giant monster alongside Mother Wonder in front of The Dufferin Street Tunnel and Parkdale Amphitheatre, his parents, Hugh and Lauren Barrett, are at home across town watching a news story covering Hugh's early career as the Lizard-Man, Toronto's "first superhero."

The Fairmont Royal York at 100 Front St. West.

In truth, Hugh was really the founder and one-time head of a local glue manufacturer, Barrett Strong Adhesives, and the Lizard-Man was just a gimmick he'd come up with to sell more of his stock-in-trade. By applying his glue to the gloves and boots of the Lizard-Man suit, Hugh could then effortlessly scale the sides of various iconic Toronto buildings to draw attention and demonstrate the quality and strength of his product.

Hugh Barrett makes a deal with the manager of the Fairmont Royal York.

In an interview during the news story, Hugh recounts the publicity stunt that propelled him to local stardom. He'd made a wager with the manager of the Fairmont Royal York that he could climb the outside of the hotel all the way to the top. With 28 floors and over a thousand rooms, the historic hotel was the largest and tallest building in the city when it was first built in 1929, and the east wing expansion during the mid-'50s increased that room total to 1,600.

The Lizard-Man: triumpant!

So, before the construction of the CN Tower and the proliferation of skyscrapers to follow, it would still have been one of the most prominent edifices along the Toronto skyline in the late '60s and early '70s and would have presented the greatest challenge for Hugh's sticky gloves and boots.
 

The Fairmont Royal York seen from the observatory level of the CN Tower.

Of course, Hugh was more than up to that challenge and won himself and Lauren a week in the hotel's Royal Suite, traditionally reserved for Queen Elizabeth II and other members of "The Maple Crown" when visiting the city. They then enjoyed a period of celebrity status which included in-costume visits to kids in the hospital, partying with the stars of the day and continuing to scale the sides of famous Toronto buildings, like Honest Ed's during Ed Mirvish's famous thanksgiving turkey handouts.

Honest Ed signs from a bygone era.

Next up: The Human-Lizard takes on a worm monster and then meets up with his parents for dim sum at Golden Diamond Chinese Restaurant (formerly Bright Pearl Restaurant).

-DE

Sticky Step Eleven: Dufferin Street Tunnel & Parkdale Amphitheatre, 1258 Queen St. W.

Alerted to trouble as he walks past Alexandria Falafel and Motel Bar, Lucas Barrett continues down Queen St. West, only to discover the intersection at Dufferin St. completely destroyed by a huge spiky-skinned creature rising up from beneath the city.

The Pitiful Human-Lizard running for his life on the first cover of his own series.

Emerging from the street, the enormous monster actually reflects a city-planning oversight that had plagued Toronto motorists since the dawn of the automobile, and which had only recently been corrected. For over a century, traffic along Dufferin had been forced to detour around the CP Rail line that also intersects at Queen and Dufferin Sts, resulting in what had come to be known as the "Dufferin Street Jog."

Trouble rears it's ugly head at the corner of Queen St. West and Dufferin St.

The jog was first seen as a problem during the 1960s, when traffic picked up to such a degree that Dufferin St. became a much more heavily used artery into the city's core. In the end though, it took the city nearly fifty years to correct the traffic flow snag in 2010, by completing the 72-meter-long Dufferin Street Tunnel, running under the railway line and directly adjacent to the Queen Street underpass.

Phone booths are a rare thing nowadays, so Lucas resorts to changing in the bushes.

While Lucas is off getting changed behind some nearby shrubbery, Mother Wonder rockets down Queen St. West like a TTC streetcar, ready to tackle the titanic beast. The Human-Lizard quickly enters the fray, but no sooner does he leap up on the creature's shoulder than things take a turn for the horribly unexpected.

Mother Wonder's got this, while Lucas is still tucking in his shirt.

The sudden jolt from a Wonder punch causes one of the creature's spikes to slice through Human-Lizard's arm, cutting it clean off and sending the now critically maimed Lucas hurtling to the street. While he lays bleeding out, thinking his super-hero career is over before it's even really begun, Lucas is shocked to see his arm reattach itself and heal at incredible speed!

The Human-Lizard looks around for a helping hand next to Parkdale Amphitheatre.

Meanwhile, Mother Wonder makes short work of the rampaging menace and, checking in on the now-completely recovered Human-Lizard (minus the bloody sleeve of his uniform, of course), thanks him for the assist in taking the monster down before heading off to her next super-heroic feat: Taking care of the family back at home.

Mother Wonder giving the beast a taste of it's own medicine.

Before the Dufferin Street Tunnel was completed, the area where Mother Wonder and Human-Lizard tackle and overcome the giant, spiky monster was nothing more than a few unkempt trees and a large, unsightly billboard.

Parkdale Amphitheatre with, and without, giant spiky monsters.

Shortly after though, it was revitalized into a more neighbourhood friendly green space with wheelchair accessible terraced seating, surrounding the pocket park now known as Parkdale Amphitheatre.

Parkdale Amphitheatre at 1258 Queen St. West.

Next up: A trip down memory lane with Lizard-Man . . . on top of the Fairmont Royal York hotel!

-DE