This weekend’s light-hearted, escapist superhero post here at Balladeer’s Blog will look at a French-created figure.
GARDIEN DE LA REPUBLIQUE (Guardian of the Republic)
Origin: This costumed hero works in a semi-official capacity to safeguard the people and government of France against external and internal enemies plus menaces created by super-science or the supernatural.
Various figures have been trusted with the Gardien mantle ever since the 1780s and in my opinion this fictional character has the most detailed chronology of any multi-generational line of costumed heroes outside the Phantom.
In a nice touch the Marquis de Lafayette was secretly the very first Gardien de la Republique (seen in costume at right) when he returned to France after America’s Revolutionary War. Since then, as mentioned above, the title and costumed identity have been passed down to other figures for nearly 250 years.
Beginning in World War Two, several Gardiens have had costumed female sidekicks who all used the nom de guerre “Marianne.” Continue reading
L’INFERNO (1911) – My review of the epic silent film adaptation of Dante’s Inferno. This production blew me away given its time period. And it was filmed in Italy just a few years before the horrors of World War One. Click 
INDEPENDENT ACTION AND HORROR FILMMAKER LEN KABASINSKI REMEMBERS THE LATE LEO FONG – The one and only Kabasinski was gracious enough to leave a few memories about international action star Leo Fong here at Balladeer’s Blog. Click 
TRANSGRESS WITH ME: APRIL EIGHTEENTH EDITION – Are you daring enough for this? It’s an ongoing series going back several years. Click 
Balladeer’s Blog’s Forgotten Television feature wraps up its look at 
Covering the myths and deities of the various peoples of Madagascar is a pretty sizeable job to undertake. I decided to use the same approach I’m using with the Americas and take things on a tribe-by-tribe basis. 
SILENT MOVIES ABOUT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS – On Easter Sunday I reviewed silent films that were relevant to the holiday. The movies dated from 1898, 1899, 1903, 1906, 1912, 1916, 1917, 1923, 1927 and 1928. Click 
THE LEGEND OF FRANCOIS VILLON – The life and legend of this 1400s poet and outlaw from France. Follow his saga as a lauded poet who was often on the run in between crimes. Click 
SPACE MONSTER WANGMAGWI (1967) – A South Korean attempt to jump on the Godzilla and Gamera bandwagon as invading aliens unleash their enormous monster called Wangmagwi on the world. Hilariously bad. Click 
MOONSHINE MOUNTAIN (1964) – An example of Hicksploitation. H.G. Lewis of all people wrote and SANG for this movie. A country western singer, tired of the artificial feel of mainstream Nashville music, spends some time with his North Carolina relatives to soak up some authentic atmosphere. 
FIRST QUARTERFINAL – The BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS traveled to play the INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS. The Ravens were surprisingly dominant over the favored Wildcats, keeping them off the scoreboard until the 4th Quarter. BC was up 17-0 by Halftime and won the game by a final tally of 20-9. 
SECOND QUARTERFINAL – In this game the GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS took the field against the visiting NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS. This unusual affair saw Grand View out in front 7-0 to end the 1st Quarter and 17-0 at the Half. Seventeen to nothing held up as the final score as well. 
CHAMPIONS Vol 1 #1 (October 1975) 
