The Press Guardian #1: A Modern Revival of A Golden Age Hero

Green Archer Comics has launched a new comics series, The Press Guardian, which reinvents a 1940s superhero for a modern audience.  In issue #1, modern-day photojournalist Perri Chase takes over from her grandfather, Perry Chase, the 1940s comic book hero known as the Press Guardian. Perri tries to follow her grandpa’s superhero example as she fights against a complex misinformation campaign in Talinn, Estonia.

Created in 1940 by Mort Meskin, the original Press Guardian was a fearless champion of the press during the Golden Age of Comics. He appeared in Pep Comics issues, and Fandom.com notes  “Perry Chase was the son of the Daily Express’s publisher, who begged his father for a chance to be a reporter. … Unbeknownst to his father, however, Perry was in fact the Press Guardian (originally “the Falcon”), crime-fighter and defender of the first amendment.”

In this first issue for the new version, Perri faces a dangerous modern misinformation campaign, with shady forces causing distrust and conflict. With her ideals, secret identity, and some special powers inherited from her grandfather, Perri supports her local paper, encouraging a struggling stringer report, and fights for the truth. The first issue is fairly short, but manages to set up Perri’s personality and goals very well. 

The Press Guard began with a successful Kickstarter campaign, and the creators hope the story will highlight the importance of a free press in combating disinformation. The modern reinvention is inspired by the public-domain classic character, for fans of GoldedAge comics and a new generation for comics readers. This series is more than just entertainment, though, it can be read as tribute to the enduring values of journalism and freedom of speech. According to GeekTherapy.com the creators at Green Archer Comics say their goal is to honor the legacy of the original characters while addressing relevant contemporary challenges, such as fake news and disinformation campaigns.

Green Archer’s next adventure with The Press Guardian is a teamup with another classic Golden Age hero, The Clock. In a timely storyline, the superheroes won’t just work for freedom of the press and support journalists, they’ll actively fight Nazis. According to ComicCon.com:

When The Clock uncovers a dangerous Nazi plot targeting America, his investigation leads him to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania—home of The Press Guardian, defender of truth and freedom. Together, these two heroes team up to stop the Nazis’ plans in a pulse-pounding, action-packed adventure full of intrigue, daring heroics, and plenty of Nazi punching in classic pulp comic style!