Guardian (DC Comics)

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Guardian
Private H.I.V.E.

(Clone):
Golden Guardian
Abilities(Original)
  • Master martial artist, athlete, and gymnast
  • Skilled strategist and tactician
  • Utilizes golden armor and shield
  • Use of customized motorcycle and a set of video-cameras

(Clone)

  • Enhanced strength, speed, stamina, and reflexes
  • Accelerated healing factor
  • Access to the Whiz Wagon

Guardian (James Jacob "Jim" Harper and Mal Duncan) are DC Comics superheroes introduced in April 1942 by writer/artist Joe Simon and artist Jack Kirby.

Guardian resembles the earlier Kirby and Simon character

Project Cadmus
.

In the Arrowverse series Supergirl, James Olsen, portrayed by Mehcad Brooks, became the superhero Guardian. Additionally, James Harper appeared in the first season as a marine colonel portrayed by Eddie McClintock. In the sixth season, Olsen’s sister Kelly Olsen (portrayed by Azie Tesfai) became known as the Golden Guardian.

Publication history

He first appeared in

Star-Spangled Comics #7 (April 1942) and was created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon.[1][2]

Fictional character biography

Jim Harper

Guardian (Jim Harper) and the Newsboy Legion's debut. Cover of Star-Spangled Comics vol. 1, 7 (April 1942 DC Comics), art by Jack Kirby, Joe Simon

Jim Harper is a police officer in

vigilante to catch crooks that the law could not prosecute, describing himself as guarding society from criminals.[3] He was trained to fighting condition by ex-boxer Joe Morgan (the same man who trained two other mystery men, Wildcat and the first Atom). He doesn't have superpowers, but he carries a bulletproof shield.[4]

He is aided by a group of boys known as the

Cadmus Project, subsequently saving Harper's life by transferring his mind from his old, dying body into a younger clone of himself.[1]

It's later revealed that Jim Harper is the great-uncle of

Speedy".[6]

Other relatives include his niece Roberta "Famous Bobby" Harper, who is briefly a member of the second Newsboy Legion[7] and Jamie Harper, his grandniece working for the Gotham City Police Department. She works as Robin's personal contact in the GCPD, similar to the role Commissioner James Gordon plays for Batman.[8] After helping Robin and Jason Bard expose two dirty cops in the GCPD, Jamie Harper is promoted to Detective Specialist and transfers to the Metropolis Science Police.[9]

Golden Guardian

In Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #135 (January 1971), Jack Kirby reintroduces the boys of the now grown-up Newsboy Legion as supporting characters connected with the DNA Project (later

clone of the late Jim Harper, who takes up his predecessor's role, and becomes the Project's Head of Security as the Golden Guardian. Post-Crisis
this character is simply known as the Guardian.

Harper remains Cadmus' Head of Security even after the former Newsboys leave. Eventually, he too is killed, although another clone is created and rapidly aged to adulthood, retaining all his predecessor's memories. This Guardian disappears along with the rest of Cadmus following an altercation with Amanda Waller and President Luthor, and his whereabouts are unknown.

Post-Infinite Crisis

Following

Dubbilex explains to Jimmy Olsen, Jim Harper was not killed in the line of duty, but shot by Cadmus' first head of security, Jonathan Drew
, upon discovering the clone was already being created.

It's also revealed that the original Guardian clone had left Cadmus early on, and was now living in the town of Warpath on the

Greg Saunders. Subsequent appearances of the Guardian had been new clones, each of which died within a year.[10]

The original Guardian clone has decided to move to Metropolis with Gwen, his adopted daughter (in fact, an adolescent female clone of himself that he rescued), during the New Krypton storyline.[11]

Mon-El
, offering him a job with the Science Police and mentoring him on how to be a hero.

The issues of

Gotham City Police Department and an associate of Robin III
.

The Guardian later travels to the

James Robinson's desire to work with a smaller cast.[17]

Following the events of

War of the Supermen, Harper abandons his role as the Guardian and takes Jamie (now pregnant with Mon-El's child) off to an unknown destination.[18]

Mal Duncan

Main article: Mal Duncan

In

Dubbilex
who have taken control of the DNA Project.

The Crisis on Infinite Earths removes Duncan's career as the Guardian, although he does appear briefly in his Guardian costume during the Crisis itself.

Jake Jordan

Main article: Manhattan Guardian

In 2005,

megaseries introduced a new character based on the original Guardian, Jake Jordan the Manhattan Guardian
.

Powers and abilities

The Guardian possesses exceptional combat and tactical skills. He was trained in many forms of fighting, and excelled at gymnastics, thinking quickly on his feet, and deduction. His only weapons are his golden helmet and shield. Guardian often used a customized motorcycle equipped with autopilot and a set of video cameras filming from various angles and recorded on videodisc.

The Harper clone possesses enhanced strength and reflexes, and an accelerated healing factor. The Harper clone's exact strength level is unknown but has demonstrated the ability to hurt Superboy (who he trained in hand-to-hand combat) and Kryptonians from Kandor. As an agent of Cadmus, Jim Harper also has access to the wondrous Whiz Wagon. The Hairies (a super-advanced tribe of techno-wizards, originally genetic creations of Donovan, who left Cadmus) built the Whiz Wagon to handle every situation. It can adapt to every terrain, fly, and even go underwater. The Wagon can be remote controlled or pre-programmed and is equipped with a set of powerful weapons and various gadgets.

Other versions

In other media

Television

Animation

Jim Harper / Guardian as he appears in Young Justice.

The Jim Harper and Mal Duncan incarnations of Guardian appear in Young Justice.[20]

Live-action

James Olsen (Mehcad Brooks) as Guardian in The CW's Supergirl.

Several incarnations of Guardian appear in media set in the Arrowverse:

Film

A character inspired by Guardian named Colonel

Nathan Hardy appears in Man of Steel, portrayed by Christopher Meloni. He is a member of the United States Air Force
who goes by the call sign "Guardian".

Miscellaneous

The Mal Duncan incarnation of Guardian makes non-speaking appearances in DC Super Hero Girls as a student of Super Hero High.

References

  1. ^
    OCLC 213309017
  2. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9
    . Joe Simon and Jack Kirby took their talents to a second title with Star-Spangled Comics, tackling both the Guardian and the Newsboy Legion in issue #7.
  3. ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0
    .
  4. ISBN 978-1-61318-023-5
    .
  5. ISBN 978-1893905375
    .
  6. ^ Superboy (vol. 4) #82 (January 2001) DC Comics.
  7. ^ Guardians of Metropolis #1 (November 1994) DC Comics
  8. ^ Detective Comics #817 (May 2006) DC Comics
  9. ^ Superman #687 (June 2009) DC Comics.
  10. ^ Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen one-shot (October 2008)
  11. ^ Adventure Comics Special #1 (January 2009) DC Comics
  12. ^ Superman #682 (January 2009). DC Comics.
  13. ^ Superman #683 (February 2009). DC Comics.
  14. ^ Superman #684 (March 2009). DC Comics.
  15. ^ Detective Comics #819
  16. ^ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #41 (January 2010)
  17. ^ "WC10: Spotlight on James Robinson". 5 April 2010.
  18. ^ War of the Supermen #4
  19. ^ Superman/Batman #79
  20. ^ "NYCC 2010: YOUNG JUSTCE Video Presentation & Q&A LIVE!".
  21. ^ Weisman, Greg (July 25, 2012). "Ask Greg forum of the Station Eight Fan Web Site".
  22. ^ "Supergirl - Episode 1.17 - Manhunter - Sneak Peeks, Promo, Promotional Photos & Press Release *Updated*". 18 March 2016.
  23. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (January 28, 2015). "Jimmy Olsen Cast in CBS' Supergirl Pilot". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 29, 2015.
  24. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (October 31, 2014). "CBS' Supergirl Casting Jimmy Olsen, Cat Grant and Others". TVLine. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  25. ^ Swift, Andy (October 11, 2016). "Supergirl EP Reveals James' Future as DC Comics' Guardian, Explains Why He and Kara Are 'Best as Friends'". TV Line. Archived from the original on October 15, 2016.
  26. ^ "Arrowverse: Crisis on Earth-X's First Casualty is". 28 November 2017.
  27. ^ "CW releases first look of Azie Tesfai as new Guardian on 'Supergirl'".

External links

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