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Guardian (DC Comics)

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Guardian
The Jim Harper incarnation of Guardian as depicted in Secret Origins #19 (October 1987). Art by Jack Kirby.
Publication information
PublisherDC
First appearanceStar-Spangled Comics #7 (April 1942)
Created byJoe Simon (writer, artist, inks)
Jack Kirby (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego
  • James Jacob "Jim" Harper
  • Clone of Jim Harper
  • Mal Duncan
SpeciesHuman
Place of originEarth
Team affiliations
Notable aliasesGolden 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 Captain America (first published 13 months earlier by Marvel Comics), as he had no super powers and carried an indestructible shield. When Kirby returned to DC in 1970, he eventually re-established the character as a supporting one in the Superman franchise: as a clone of Jim Harper who was head of security for 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

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

Fictional character biography

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Jim Harper

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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 Metropolis' Suicide Slum who becomes a vigilante to catch crooks that the law could not prosecute, describing himself as guarding society from criminals.[3] He was trained by ex-boxer Joe Morgan, who also trained Wildcat and Atom. He doesn't have superpowers, but he carries a bulletproof shield.[4]

He is aided by a group of boys known as the Newsboy Legion, to whom he is, literally, a guardian, having volunteered to take them in rather than allowing them to be sent to prison; he does so on the grounds that they are good kids who just needed a chance.[5] The Legion grows up to become the heads of the Cadmus Project, subsequently saving Harper's life by transferring his mind into a younger clone of himself.[1]

It is later revealed that Jim Harper is the great-uncle of Roy Harper, who becomes Green Arrow's sidekick under the name 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. 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 becomes Detective Specialist and transfers to the Metropolis Science Police.[9]

Golden Guardian

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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 Project Cadmus), a genetics research laboratory. One of the Project's experiments is a 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. In post-Crisis continuity, 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 Lex Luthor, and his whereabouts are unknown.

Post-Infinite Crisis

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Following Infinite Crisis, the Guardian clone's backstory was retconned. As 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 is also revealed that the original Guardian clone had left Cadmus early on, and was now living in the town of Warpath on the Mexican border, where he assisted Greg Saunders. Subsequent appearances of the Guardian were new clones, each of which died within a year.[10]

The original Guardian clone moves to Metropolis with Gwen, an adolescent female clone of himself who he rescued.[11] He later becomes the field commander of the Science Police and joins the Justice League.[12][13][14] Following the events of War of the Supermen, Harper abandons his role as Guardian and takes his grandniece Jamie to an unknown destination.[15]

Mal Duncan

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Main article: Mal Duncan

In Teen Titans #44 (November 1976), Mal Duncan becomes Guardian, wearing the original's outfit and an exoskeleton with strength augmenting abilities. The two Guardians meet in The Superman Family, when Duncan helps rescue Jim Harper from Adam, an evil clone created using genetic material from Harper and Dubbilex.

The Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot removes Duncan's time as Guardian from DC continuity.

Jake Jordan

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Main article: Manhattan Guardian

In 2005, Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers megaseries introduced Manhattan Guardian, a new character based on the original Guardian.

Powers and abilities

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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 Jim Harper clone possesses enhanced strength and reflexes, and an accelerated healing factor. As an agent of Cadmus, Harper has access to the Whiz Wagon, a multi-terrain vehicle that can fly and travel underwater.

Other versions

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  • In Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, the Guardian is one of the superheroes killed by Dick Grayson. It is implied that he had a daughter with Lois Lane named Lana Harper-Lane, a television reporter.
  • A bearded version of Guardian exists on the post-Flashpoint Earth-23 as a member of a predominantly African American Justice League.
  • The Guardian makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the final issue of The Golden Age.

In other media

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Television

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Animation

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Jim Harper / Guardian as he appears in Young Justice.

The Jim Harper and Mal Duncan incarnations of Guardian appear in Young Justice.[16]

  • Jim Harper (voiced by Crispin Freeman) is a clone of Roy Harper created by the Light to serve their needs.[17][18] Through programming and hypnosis, Jim operates as a superhero who believes he is Roy's uncle while also working for Project Cadmus. After learning of his true nature, Jim spends the second season searching for Roy and taking part in an intervention for fellow clone, Red Arrow, before retiring the Guardian identity. In the third season, Outsiders, Jim forms a familial relationship with Red Arrow and Roy.
  • Mal Duncan (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson), a member of the Team, becomes the Guardian in the second season episode "Cornered".[18]

Live-action

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

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

Film

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A character inspired by Guardian named Nathan Hardy appears in Man of Steel, portrayed by Christopher Meloni.[citation needed] He is a member of the United States Air Force who goes by the call sign "Guardian".

Miscellaneous

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

References

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  1. ^ a b Greenberger, Robert (2008), "Guardian", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p. 150, ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1, OCLC 213309017
  2. ^ Wallace, Daniel (2010). "1940s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.). DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 41. 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. ^ Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010). The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 111–113. ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0.
  4. ^ Nevins, Jess (2013). Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes. High Rock Press. p. 120. ISBN 978-1-61318-023-5.
  5. ^ Thomas, Roy (2006). The All-Star Companion: Vol 2. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 84. ISBN 978-1893905375.
  6. ^ Superboy (vol. 4) #82 (January 2001)
  7. ^ Guardians of Metropolis #1 (November 1994)
  8. ^ Detective Comics #817 (May 2006)
  9. ^ Superman #687 (June 2009)
  10. ^ Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen one-shot (October 2008)
  11. ^ Adventure Comics Special #1 (January 2009)
  12. ^ Superman #684 (March 2009)
  13. ^ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #41 (January 2010)
  14. ^ Evans, Chris (April 5, 2010). "WC10: Spotlight on James Robinson". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on April 7, 2010.
  15. ^ Superman: War of the Supermen #4 (July 2010)
  16. ^ Pepose, David (October 9, 2010). "NYCC 2010: YOUNG JUSTCE Video Presentation & Q&A LIVE!". Newsarama. Archived from the original on October 12, 2010.
  17. ^ Weisman, Greg (July 25, 2012). "Ask Greg forum of the Station Eight Fan Web Site".
  18. ^ a b "Guardian Voices (DC Universe)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved June 4, 2025. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  19. ^ "Supergirl - Episode 1.17 - Manhunter - Sneak Peeks, Promo, Promotional Photos & Press Release *Updated*". 18 March 2016.
  20. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (January 28, 2015). "Jimmy Olsen Cast in CBS' Supergirl Pilot". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 29, 2015.
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ Damore, Meagan (November 28, 2017). "Arrowverse: Crisis on Earth-X's First Casualty Is..." CBR.
  24. ^ Topel, Fred (May 7, 2021). "CW releases first look of Azie Tesfai as new Guardian on 'Supergirl'". UPI. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
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