Ever since U.S. stamps first made the scene in 1847, it has taken a certain "something" to make it on to one. You have to be the biggest, brightest, best, most accomplished or some other superlative. You also have to be dead for at least 10 years (unless you were a president — then dead for just a year.)

Actors have been big on stamps in the past few decades: Gregory Peck, Ronald Reagan, Roy Rogers, Katherine Hepburn, Gary Cooper, Frank Sinatra and many others have made the cut. So have comedians Bob Hope, Lucille Ball and Jackie Gleason, and even cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse, the Simpsons and Buzz Lightyear. But, again, you pretty much had to be dead for the honor.

A few years ago, the hard-and-fast U.S. postal rules slackened a bit. People only needed to be dead for a year-ish. The criteria for who gets honored is still left up to a group of advisers that weeds through the myriad submissions to pick the few that are chosen.

Being alive or dead isn't as much of a concern in Canada. But you still have to be a luminary. Mike Myers ranked as a famous Canadian from his initial appearance on Saturday Night Live and the countless characters he created there and on film. Very much alive, that fame has catapulted him onto his own Canadian postage stamp.

In a country with stamps dominated by images of the queen, maple leaves or moose and beavers, the Mike Myers issue features him in his roles as Wayne Campbell (of "Wayne's World"), Austin Powers and Dr. Evil. Shrek didn't make the cut for this release.

In front of those three characters is a color picture of Myers sans costume. There is no printed denomination on the stamp (though the value is 85 cents in Canada), because it is the Canadian equivalent of the U.S. "Forever" issue.

Although clearly proud of his Canadian heritage, in the past, Myers hasn't been as broadly complimentary of his homeland. In fact, he is quoted saying: "Canada is the essence of not being. Not English, not American, it is the mathematic of not being. And a subtle flavor — we're more like celery as a flavor." With the issuance of this stamp, I'd say the celery flavor just got a lot tastier.

Contrary to popular belief, Canadian stamps have been anything but dull. In fact, based on the Myers announcement and several new issues, they are more compelling and even supernatural compared to other countries.

At the same time of the Myers stamp news, the Canada Post released a series entitled "Haunted Canada." Each of the stamps includes the image of a "true" haunting story from one of five Canadian locations.

One recounts the lore of a girl to be married in the 1920s at the Fairmont Banff Hotel. As she descended the stairs on her wedding day, she tripped on the train of her gown and fell to her death. To this day, residents and workers at the hotel claim to catch glimpses of an apparition of a woman from that period dancing the wedding waltz by herself, as if on her wedding day.

The image of that girl graces one of the five stamps as well as a 25-cent coin with a lenticular technology. Tilt the coin one way, and the girl opens her eyes and candles appear around her head. Tilt it the other way, and the eyes close and candles disappear. That is one very seriously cool set of stamps and coins.

For more information, check online under www.CanadaPost.ca. The "Haunted Canada" stamps and coin set is $29.95 — relatively modest to the effect, stories and impact they offer.

Editor's Note: A JPEG visual of the announced Mike Myers Canadian postage stamp has been sent with this column.

To find out more about Peter Rexford and features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.