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What can be said about JIMMY OLSEN? Not much as it happens. The only time he was ever interesting was when JACK ('King') KIRBY produced 15 issues of 'SUPERMAN'S PAL' back in the early '70s - and even then, it has to be admitted, Jimmy himself still wasn't that interesting as a character.
Although JK's stint at DC didn't really create the kind of impact expected at the time, echoes yet reverberate to the present day, and other writers and artists keep alive some of the Kirby-Koncepts they thrilled to as mere striplings - as testified to by the LEGENDS Of The DC UNIVERSE issues on view in this very post you're now reading.
Also shown are random covers from the days when young Jimmy was no more than a one-member Superman fan club. Surely his obsession with Supes was just a little unhealthy? In fact, when you take time to think about it, the whole idea of 'Superman's Pal' and 'Superman's Girl Friend' somewhat defeated the purpose of The MAN Of STEEL having a secret identity to begin with. (Which was to protect those close to him from being targeted by his many enemies, out for revenge.)
Anyway, don't let my cynicism prevent you from enjoying all the pretty piccies.
Jimmy was originally conceived as a supporting character, not a star, so it's surprising that his self-titled series lasted as long as it did. Even there, he was still basically Superman's sidekick, and, in the early 1970's, he got shoved into the background when the comic became part of Kirby's Fourth World. He was a secondary character in his own series.
ReplyDeleteTrue, although the Kirby tales WERE interesting - even if Jimmy himself wasn't. Of course, Jimmy's & Lois's mags were just excuses to financially exploit Superman, so it was really his presence that kept them going for as long as they did. As you imply 'though, they had a longer run than they probably deserved. Thanks for commenting.
ReplyDeleteAs a kid I used to like Jimmy Olsens comic it was different and I liked all those alter egos / transformations he had - Elastic Lad , various monsters etc- Jimmy and Lois also had some great covers and artists which helped. Sadly I hear that Jimmy has lost "something" for the new movie as he is recast as a woman Jackie Olsen (I think) McScotty
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I also quite liked them as a kid, but as a teenager I thought they were a bit naff.
ReplyDeleteI liked the Superman Family titles in general, but I was easily impressed when I was eight. Today, they would probably seem silly and goofy, although they might still be fun, if one didn't have to take them seriously. Agree that the Lois and Jimmy titles were obviously to get as much mileage as possible from Superman. One problem with such spin-offs is how to portray the characters. For years, we saw Lois and Jimmy constantly blundering into obvious traps and having to be rescued by Superman. If they were portrayed that way in their self-titled comics, then they were still sidekicks in their own series. If they were portrayed as competent, able to solve problems on their own, then they were out of character. And that cover of #130 was downright scary. I wouldn't trust Jimmy to water the plants, let alone perform surgery.
ReplyDeleteSuperman must have been a lot more patient then I am, because after bailing Jimmy's ass out of insane situations 10 or 20 times I would have been threatening to either fling him into outer space or into the phantom zone, if he didn't lose that hypersonic whistle or whatever it was.
ReplyDelete"Listen, punk, the next time you go and get yourself turned into a giant turtle or captured by evil scientists, that's just going to be too damn bad!"
As Jimmy's watch had a hypersonic alarm that only Superman could hear (I think), I'd have disabled it if I were him (Supes). Jimmy would never have known 'til it was too late. 'Bye Jimmy.
ReplyDeleteAnd here I was just thinking the other day that Jimmy Olsen might just be one of the dandiest creations in all of comics.
ReplyDeleteI like all the eras of Jimmy, admittedly some of them more than others (Kirby of course). But the zany nature of the early Jimmy stories show what a beautiful canvas he was for wackadoodle invention.
Jimmy stories have a charm even other Superman family stories don't have because Jimmy is such a light character fundamentally.
Rip Off
Of course, you're right about the early Jimmy stories having a certain charm, Rip, and I did enjoy them when young. However, looking at them through the eyes of an older reader spoiled on Marvel 'relevancy'-type tales, they do seem a wee bit daft to readers who are more than 10 years old. Nostalgia factor aside, perhaps I've just grown too critical in my later years.
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