Who Is Guardian? Origin, Powers and Key Facts

Guardian is a DC Comics comic book character, the alter ego of James Jacob Harper, with over 499 comic issue appearances. Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, Guardian was once a cop named Jim Harper, patrolling Metropolis's Suicide Slum. Harper eventually becomes the vigilante known as Guardian to "guard" society from crooks.

Who is Guardian?

This article is about the first and current Guardian, Jim Harper. For the second person to use the name Guardian, see Malcolm Duncan . For the Guardian from Seven Soldiers see the Manhattan Guardian . Origin Jim Harper was born and raised in Suicide Slum , a rundown and dangerous neighbourhood in Metropolis . He and his best friend Leo engaged in petty crime as youths, and would have continued in this way had they not been caught by a man named Nat Milligan, later revealed to be ex-boxer and superhero trainer Joe Morgan . Though Leo escaped, Harper remained with Milligan, who became determined to turn the boy into a future Olympic champion, which he saw as the boy's only way of escaping poverty. As an adult he returned to Suicide Slum. There, he learned that his old friend Leo had become a gangster.

Key facts

Guardian is of human origin and first appeared in "The Guardian / The Crime Escradille / The Gas Bombs / The Birth of Robotman / The Dwarf / The Picture that Killed". The character is published by DC Comics. With 499 recorded issue appearances, Guardian ranks among the most featured characters in comics.