Jane Arden

Created by writer Monte Barrett and artist Frank Ellis for the Register and Tribune Syndicate in 1927, Jane Arden, who was inspired by real life female journalist Nellie Bly (May 5, 1864 – January 27, 1922,) was comics first “spunky girl reporter.”

Never very popular in America she was however, a hit in Canada and Australia, as well as being the first comic strip to incorporate World War II as part of it’s story line.

Running until 1968 Jane Arden was translated into other media from film to paperback novels, and of course comics, where she was represented as reprints of the newspaper strips, and original stories.

Along with being, in part, the inspiration for characters such as Lois Lane and Brenda Starr. Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Mary McGrory also credits Jane Arden with her interest in journalism, moving things full circle from Bly through Arden back to a real journalist.