Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
Schedule | Bimonthly and later Monthly |
Format | Ongoing while in publication |
Publication date | September–October 1954 - March 1974 |
Number of issues | 163 |
Main character(s) | Jimmy Olsen |
Creative team | |
Writer(s) | |
Penciller(s) |
List
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Inker(s) |
List
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Collected editions | |
Jimmy Olsen: Adventures by Jack Kirby, Volume 1 | ISBN |
Jimmy Olsen: Adventures by Jack Kirby, Volume 2 | ISBN |
The Amazing Transformation of Jimmy Olsen | ISBN |
Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus, Vol. 1 | ISBN |
Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from September–October 1954 until March 1974, spanning a total of 163 issues. Featuring the adventures of Superman supporting character Jimmy Olsen, it contains stories often of humorous nature.
The 1952 television series Adventures of Superman co-starred actor Jack Larson, who appeared regularly as Jimmy Olsen. Largely because of the popularity of Larson and his portrayal of the character, National Comics Publications (DC Comics) decided to create a regular title featuring Jimmy as the leading character.Curt Swan was the main artist on the series for its first decade.
Many of the issues include Jimmy undergoing a transformation of some form. These include:
Lucy Lane was introduced in issue #36 (April 1959) and became an on-again, off-again romantic interest of Jimmy Olsen. In issue #57, he marries Supergirl (Kara Zor-El/Linda Lee Danvers) after she loses both her powers and memories of being Supergirl, only for her to recover her powers and memories after their marriage; once she lets him know that she is Supergirl, he is perfectly happy with it. She was also the anonymous "Miss X" whom Jimmy kissed in issue #44 to break the spell that turned him into a werewolf.
When Jack Kirby began working at DC in 1970, he insisted on this title since it was the lowest selling in the publishing line and without assigned talent at the time so he would not cost someone their job. During his run, Kirby introduced many memorable characters, notably the Fourth World's New Gods, Darkseid, Project Cadmus and Transilvane. He also reintroduced the Newsboy Legion and the Guardian. The faces of the Superman and Jimmy Olsen figures drawn by Kirby were redrawn by Al Plastino or Murphy Anderson. Comedian Don Rickles guest starred in a two-part story by Kirby in issues #139 and #141. Kirby left the series with issue #148 (April 1972).