The Obscurity of DC Club Presents: Obscure Book Club, Week 5 (Sunday, March 6 - Saturday, March 12) -- MANHATTAN GUARDIAN!

Hello @ObscurityofDCClub and the rest of the DC Community! Welcome to the fourth week of Obscurity of DC’s Obscure Book Club! The next character we’ll be focusing on is…

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THE MANHUATTAN GUARDIAN!!!
AGE SUGGESTION: 12+

Number of Issues: 4

Jake Jordan (AKA The Manhattan Guardian) is the defender of Manhattan. He is a member of the Seven Soldiers of Victory, a reporter, and a former cop. The Manhattan Guardian is sponsored by a news company of the same name. Jake has several abilities, such as skilled acrobatics, combat training, photography, accuracy, and horseback riding. He also has his very own car, called the Guardian Mobile.

Now that that’s out of the way, here are some discussion questions:

  1. Why do you think Jake decided not to have a secret identity?
  2. Do you like Jake’s personality? Explain.
  3. Do you like the idea of a hero working solely for the news companies? Explain.
  4. If you were Jake, would you have helped the Under-Pirates to save Carla and the others? If not, what would you do instead? Explain.
  5. Do you agree with what Ed says to Jake? Explain.

Do you have an interest in exploring the unknown? Do you like discussing comics? Do you like pineapple on pizza? If so, The Obscurity of DC Club is the club for you! Join HERE if you’re interested!

5 Likes

I absolutely love all of the Seven Soldiers minis, and The Manhattan Guardian is no exception.

I read the book when it originally came out, but I’m eager for a re-read, so I will definitely try to make time for this one. :crossed_fingers:t2: :clark_hv_4:

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I have 2 theories. 1) He wants people to be able to trust him or 2) keeping a secret identity would contradict his sponsor’s goal of exposing the truth.

I like his personality in issues 3 and 4, but in 1 and 2, I didn’t. His dependence on violence honestly rubbed me the wrong way. It didn’t seem very heroic to me, as I felt like he was just being a superhero for himself and his relationship. However, when issue 3 came into play, I felt like he realized just how bad he screwed up by taking the position of the Manhattan Guardian. I think we finally got to see him act selflessly.

I thought it was a unique idea that worked really well. I don’t think him being the press interfered with the story too much, but I also think it was enough to balance him being a superhero.

I think I would have helped the Under-Pirates. Considering Manhattan Guardian’s lack of experience and overwhelming levels of desperation, it seemed like the safest, most logical way to save everyone.

I agree with what Ed says to Jake most of the time. However, Ed doesn’t always say things in an effective or convincing way IMO, which probably makes it harder for Jake to believe him.

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I think Jake considers what he does a job, so he doesn’t need a secret identity.
I like Jake, but he needs to think things through more. He should listen to his wife’s concerns and not just ignore her.
I think a hero working for a news company could be problematic because they may care more about sales and ratings than saving people.
I would have done whatever was necessary to save everyone without leading to other deaths down the line.
I think Ed should have been more up front with Jake from the start. Honesty builds trust.

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  1. He wants to help as himself, and let everyone know that even if he is no longer a cop, he is out there. He is proud of what he does but considers it more a job than anything.
  2. Not really, it seems like he wants to do the right thing but maybe for the wrong reasons, he sees heroics as a job not a mission.
  3. Look whoever is funding someone to help those in need is always a good thing, if they are doing it for marketing, financial gains, or to get viewers that’s not ideal but better than not doing it at all. Although, I do have concerns about them prioritizing their aid to generate revenue or ratings, because ultimately for the Company it needs to generate dollars.
  4. Yes, choosing between whom to save isn’t a question really, you can’t save everyone. Save those that you can, mourn those you can’t.
  5. Not sure which quote you are referring to here, but if it is if she truly loves you, she will come back. No I don’t, there are somethings that unfortunately some folks can’t get past or by the time they do people have changed or moved on. Although the song says Love is all you need, nurturing it takes work.
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I was talking about everything ed said throughout the series

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I took a bit longer because it’s been forever since I read this amazing series, so I’ve been working my way through the whole thing, not just Jake’s corner.

He never really had a choice. His first “case” threw him directly in to rescuing those he cares most about. Larry and Carla knew it was him immediately, so there was no point. In Century Hollow he kind of lets people make assumptions about him, rather than identifying himself by name, but if we take the covers of issues 1 and 4 to be part of the story, the Guardian publicized his hiring by name as part of their citizen reporters staff.

I mean, for someone who’s dealing with guilt over a serious error in judgement, and ties his identity and mental health to being able to help people, he’s pretty awesome, despite being a bit quick to anger. Not sure I have a “like” or “dislike” opinion on him.

Sure, I love the modernization of the Newsboy Legion. Morrisson’s take has a bit of a civilian Checkmate vibe to it, and makes complete sense in the world xe built around the Sheeda with the capes and cowls only visible on the fringes of the story.

Of course. He had no stake in either side of their conflict, nor any interest in trying to determine which was “right”. His one and only priority was to save Carla, and they were his ticket to do so.

Like the whole backstory of the Newsboy Army, killing Captain 7 to prevent his corruption, working with Larry to give Jake the origin story so he can be one of the Seven? That’s not so much an agree/disagree thing as the exposition of the whole story arc…? The pep talk about “Larry’s high hopes” and how the “people need their Guardian?” The whole thing about Carla will “get over it if she truly loves you”? None of this seems like agree/disagree scope. What did I miss?

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