The Manhattan Guardian #1

Pirates of Manhattan

Written by Grant Morrison

Art by Cameron Stewart & Moose Baumann

Summary: Two factions of subway pirates battle over a map that documents the location of an ultimate treasure. Meanwhile, ex-cop Jake Jordan slips deeper into depression. His girlfriend's father, Larry Marcus, helps Jake get back on his feet by showing him an ad for the position of in-house hero at the Manhattan Guardian, a metropolitan newspaper. Jake applies and defeats a golem, passing the application test to become their living masthead. His first adventure follows, chasing down subway pirates who just kidnapped his girlfriend, Carla Marcus.

Former policeman Jake Jordan receives a job opportunity of a lifetime as the living masthead of the Manhattan Guardian. Fronted by former Newsboy Army member Ed "Baby Brains" Stargard, the Manhattan Guardian makes good on the company slogan...

"We don't just report crime, we fight crime."

Noteworthy Items:

All Beard = Alan Moore?
No Beard = Morrison?

Jake Jordan's application revolved around his defeat of a golem.

The golem Brutus was one of the Golems Four, four elementals created by Ed Stargard when he was 10! Eat your heart out, Rabbi Loeb!

Morrison mimics Kirby's writing style in the four captions "Suddenly the sputtering barks ... Worm Almighty”

A reference to Mr. Miracle #1, Shilo prepares to escape from an artificially created black hole.

Possible metaphors:

The Manhattan Guardian newspaper = reality in which we may choose to participate
The Guardian = savior avatar
The Legion = angels/disciples
The pirates = Legion (i.e. demons that need to be exorcised)
God = disembodied editor living on the 23rd floor of change (I Ching and Chaos Magick).

No mention or sight of anything Sheeda related.