He will be the central character in a series of colourful comic strips designed to teach middle-aged men about the danger of prostate cancer.
"Clearly, what we're trying to do is generate buzz," said Michael Power, vice-president of cancer services at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
The plan is for Prostateman to be featured on posters, Father's Day cards, television ads and billboards, where he will be shouting words of wisdom, such as, "Take it like a man."
The superhero is portrayed by Ron Hell, a 50-year-old marketer for Bearskin Airlines.
The Regional Cancer Centre approached Generator Strategy & Advertising about a new prostate cancer campaign, and the cartoon character idea was hatched.
Generator staff approached Hell, showed him some drawings and asked if he would play Prostateman. Generator's Barry Smith said they needed a flesh-and-blood character as well as a two-dimensional one.
Power said he's impressed by the campaign.
He said comic book characters were mass marketed in the 1950s and 1960s, and it's men from that era who are targeted for prostate cancer tests.