Major Mapleleaf

Major Mapleleaf
Major Mapleleaf. Detail from the cover to Alpha Flight vol. 3 #5. Art by Clayton Henry.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Alpha Flight vol. 3 #1 (May 2004)
Created by	Scott Lobdell & Clayton Henry
In-story information
Alter ego	Louis "Lou" Sadler Jr.
Team affiliations	Alpha Flight

Major Mapleleaf is the name of two fictional superheroes appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, primarily in the series Alpha Flight, both of whom were created by writer Scott Lobdell.

Louis Sadler is the name of the first Major Mapleleaf. He first appeared in Alpha Flight vol. 1 #106.

Louis Sadler was a Canadian superhero during World War II and the occasional ally of the Invaders in their battles against Hitler and the Nazis. He gained his powers through an unrevealed process which appears to have affected his aging process. After the war, he went underground in his crimefighting and eventually revealed his public identity in 1963 to devote time to raising his son, Michael, his proudest achievement. After Michael's death from A.I.D.S. he sank into a depression. Later, when the news was making a cause celebre out of a baby with HIV, he went on a rampage, believing society did not care about Michael's fate due to his homosexuality. He was stopped by Northstar of Alpha Flight, who came out as gay himself during their battle.

Louis "Lou" Sadler, Jr., the younger son of the original Major Mapleleaf, assumed the mantle of Major Mapleleaf. Lou first appeared in Alpha Flight vol. 3 #1.

Louis "Lou" Sadler, Jr. is secretly a normal human with no superpowers who just rides a super-powered horse named Thunder.

Bearing the rank of Staff Sergeant in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Sadler took the code name of Major Mapleleaf out of respect for his father. Lou reportedly had an abusive relationship with his father, who beat him; blaming him for the death of his mother. Lou, who speaks very positively of his father, denies the abuse.

Sadler was recruited by Sasquatch as one of the new members of the Alpha Flight team when the original team was kidnapped by aliens.