Superman #242

Superman #242 (On Sale: July 13, 1971), has yet another beautiful cover by Neal Adams.

We begin with "The Ultimate Battle" by Denny O'Neil, Curt Swan, and Murphy Anderson. Jimmy Olsen finds Superman's weakened and injured body in a junkyard, where a paper-created monster inhabited by a spirit from the Quarrm dimension dragged him. Jimmy has the doctors operate on Superman's head injury while two criminals try to take advantage of the monster's abilities before they become its victims. The monster is drawing itself toward where Superman is in order to finish him but finds himself contending with the sand-created Superman figure whose power is partially restored, wondering why he even cares to act on behalf of anyone. 

Superman and the sand-created duplicate work together to bring the spirit inhabiting the monster back to the Quarrm dimension, but now the duplicate wants to take over Superman's role as protector of the planet. Superman fears that he would have to battle this duplicate whose very touch can trigger off a powerful explosion, when I-Ching mysteriously causes such effects to be canceled, which results in a knock-down-drag-out fight between the two Superman which results in the world's destruction. However, this fight turns out to be nothing more than a dream that I-Ching cast both Superman and his duplicate into, to make them realize the futility of such a fight. The duplicate decides to return to the Quarrm dimension, and Superman is left with a third less of his powers than before. Reprinted in Best of DC #32 (1983) and Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore HC (2009).

Next, we have "The Girl Who Didn't Believe in Superman" by Bill Finger, Wayne Boring, and Stan Kaye and reprinted from Superman #96 (1955). Alice Norton is a young girl who wins a contest and is awarded a sight-seeing trip from Superman. However, Alice is blind and does not believe Superman is real. Superman uses his powers to try and convince the girl that he is real, but she thinks he is using tricks.

Superman then examines the girl's eyes and sees a sliver of glass which is responsible for her blindness. Doctors can't see the glass, so Superman volunteers to do the operation himself. Superman reads every medical book at super speed, then he performs the surgery.

Alice's sight returns. Superman takes her on her sightseeing trip, convincing her that he is real. Alice's father also returns from a self-imposed exile, because he blamed himself for Alice's injury. Mr. Norton learns he wasn't responsible, and the family is reunited.

We end this issue with "The World's Mightiest Weakling" by Otto Binder, Carmine Infantino, and Bernard Sachs and reprinted from Strange Adventures #54 (1955).

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #141

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #141 (On Sale: July 8, 1971), has a cover by Jack Kirby and Neal Adams.

Our new material is "Will the Real Don Rickles Panic?" written and penciled by Jack Kirby and inked by Vince Colletta. Clark Kent is almost taken to Apokolips by the UFO, which is a trap of Darkseid's, but is rescued by Lightray and sent back to Earth. Morgan Edge is visited by Don Rickles, but Jimmy Olsen and Goody Rickels appear in his office and are about to combust from the Pyro-Granulate. 

The Golden Guardian appears, having forced Ugly Mannheim to give him the antidote, and cures Jimmy and Goody, having already cured himself and the Newsboy Legion. Don Rickles, maddened by the happenings, hitches a ride out of Edge's office with two members of the police bomb squad. Reprinted in Jimmy Olsen: Adventures by Jack Kirby Vol. 1 TPB (2003), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 2 HC (2007), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 2 TPB (2012), and Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen by Jack Kirby TPB (2019).

Our reprint is  (The Story of the Newsboy Legion)  written by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, penciled by Jack Kirby, and inked by Joe Simon and reprinted from Star Spangled Comics #7 (1942). One evening in Suicide Slum, York City, rookie cop Jim Harper gets beaten up by some thugs and decides to take a new approach to crimefighting. He breaks into a costume shop, assembles an "action outfit" that includes a sturdy shield and a crash helmet, leaves some money on the counter, and goes after the gang. He finds them in a pool parlor and smacks the hell out of all of them. He can't arrest them, so he ties them up and leaves them for the regular police. Also one of them drops his wallet, and Harper checks the serial numbers on some of his cash; it turns out to match the serial numbers from an earlier ransom payment.

The next day, Harper arrests four quasi-delinquent, roller-skate-equipped young newspaper vendors, all orphans, pushed into crime by financial desperation, for shoplifting a hardware store. He accompanies them to their hearing and asks the judge to keep them out of reform school and remand them to his personal custody. He wants to try a different approach with these kids and legally becomes their guardian.

The boys don't exactly reform instantly, and soon a local lowlife, Frankie the Fence, uses them as a distraction for an armed robbery, in which a man is killed. This doesn't sit well with the boys, who go visit Frankie to tell him off, but Frankie decides to shut up these potential witnesses with a gun. The Guardian bursts into the room, and takes down the fence with one big roundhouse punch, then lets him get away, hoping he'll run back to his unknown boss. 

Frankie pulls himself together and runs to the waterfront, gets in a boat, and speeds away, pursued by the Guardian, who borrows an unguarded boat, and who is in return pursued by the Newsboys, who now are stymied; the Guardian took the last boat. They convert a wooden wagon into a makeshift rowboat, and follow along as best they can, figuring along the way that a nearby lighthouse is the likeliest place for a hideout. 

This turns out to be correct, and at the lighthouse, the Guardian has run into trouble. Frankie's boss, Chips Carder, a smuggler, has managed to head-konk the Guardian unconscious. The boys show up; Guardian sees them and the bad guys don't. Guardian suggests, in language that only Big Words understands, that they should paint the lighthouse light red. They very quickly accomplish this, then charge inside to brawl with Chips and Frankie, while the red light above draws the Coast Guard, who arrive just in time to shoot Chips Carder as he draws a bead on the Guardian's back. While the USCG is sorting things out, the Guardian slips away, and motorboats back to shore.

Before their first adventure is even over, the boys begin to suspect that the Guardian is Jim Harper.

Edited by Jack Kirby.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #140

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #140 (On Sale: June 3, 1971), has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.

We begin the reprintfest with "Invasion of the Mystery Super-Men" by Edmond Hamilton, Curt Swan, and George Klein and reprinted from Superman #158 (1963). Several Kandorian’s have found a way to enlarge themselves to normal size and begin conducting raids on Earth. Superman follows them back to the bottle city of Kandor along with Jimmy Olsen to learn the reason for their attacks. When they arrive in Kandor, Superman finds that he is hated by the Kandorians. They now believe that Superman has been against restoring the city to normal size. To hide from the people, Superman and Jimmy assume the alternate identities of Nightwing and Flamebird, costumed after Batman and Robin.

Superman learns that the leader of the raiders and inventor of the new enlargement ray is Than Ol. The Man of Steel realized that the ray is flawed and will destroy Kandor, but Than Ol will not listen. Superman and Jimmy are able to escape Kandor with the help of Van Zee, but are unable to prevent Than Ol from enlarging Kandor in a remote location on Earth. As predicted by Superman, the city soon begins to disintegrate. Superman returns them to tiny size with Brainiac’s shrinking ray. The Kandorians are grateful that Superman has saved them and realize that he is indeed working in their best interests.

Next up is "The Caped Crimefighters of Kandor" by Edmond Hamilton, Curt Swan, and George Klein and reprinted from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #69 (1963). Superman and Jimmy visit Kandor and return to their crimefighting identities of Nightwing and Flamebird. They attempt to track down a super-criminal responsible for the theft of rare relics. Superman becomes ill with Scarlet Jungle Fever, so Jimmy is forced to act alone.

Jimmy befriends a telepathic hound whom he names Nighthound, but together they are unable to stop the super-criminal. When Superman recovers, he helps Jimmy capture the criminal, who is revealed to be Nor Kann, a friend of theirs. Nor Kann was hypnotized by the Superman Revenge Squad in their attempt to kill Superman. Once Nor Kann’s mind is restored, Superman and Jimmy return to Earth.

We end with "The World of Doomed Olsens" by Jerry Siegel, Curt Swan, and George Klein and reprinted from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #72 (1963). Jimmy is abducted by a being calling himself the Collector and taken to an alien world. The Collector claims vibrations from Jimmy’s signal watch have penetrated his dimension and wrecked his cities. In an act of revenge, he creates and unleashes five Olsen duplicates resembling Jimmy’s prior transformations: Turtle Boy, Porcupine Olsen, Fat Olsen, Wolf Boy, and Elastic Lad. The duplicate Olsen’s threaten Jimmy, but he convinces them to rebel against the Collector. The Collector defends himself against the attack and even scares off Superman.

Jimmy soon realizes that he is being hoaxed. The Olsen duplicates and the Collector are all disguised members of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He confronts them with his discovery, and they reveal themselves. The hoax was part of an initiation test designed for Jimmy. Having seen through the hoax, Jimmy is taken to the Legion’s time period and inducted as an honorary member.

Edited by E. Nelson Bridwell.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #139

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #139 (On Sale: May 25, 1971), has a cover by Jack Kirby, Vicnce Colletta and an unknown characature artist.

Let me just say that Jack Kirby has a wonderful imagination from which flowed some incredible ideas; putting Don Rickles into Jimmy Olsen was not one of them. "The Guardian Fights Again" written and penciled by Jack Kirby and inked by Vince Colletta is the vehicle through which Kirby introduces Don Rickles to the DC universe. Morgan Edge is beset by Goody Rickels, a Don Rickles lookalike, who wants to break out of his research job and is assigned to investigate a UFO landing nearby. 

However, Clark Kent is abducted by the UFO, and the Guardian, the Newsboy Legion, and Goody are captured by Ugly Mannheim and Inter-Gang, who force them to eat a meal laced with Pyro-Granulate. Mannheim them lets them all go, informing them that the chemical will cause them all to burn up in 24 hours. Reprinted in Jimmy Olsen:Adventures by Jack Kirby Vol. 1 TPB (2003), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2007), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1 TPB (2012), and Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen by Jack Kirby TPB (2019).

Edited by Jack Kirby.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #138

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #138 (On Sale: April 13, 1971), has a cover by Jack Kirby and Neal Adams. 

"The Big Boom" is written and penciled by Jack Kirby and inked by Vince Colletta. Continuing from the last issue, while Superman, Jimmy, and the Newsboy Legion remain trapped in a cocoon, the Guardian and the original Newsboys lead a group of soldiers along the Zoomway intent on stopping the creature which threatens the Project's nuclear reactor. 

Simyan and Mokkari send more of the creatures to fight the soldiers. Superman finally breaks free, but the four-armed terror has already damaged the reactor beyond repair. To save Metropolis, Superman throws the reactor down a deep shaft. The creatures follow the reactor which inevitably explodes without endangering the city above. Reprinted in Jimmy Olsen: Adventures by Jack Kirby Vol. 1 TPB (2003), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2007), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1 TPB (2012), and Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen by Jack Kirby TPB (2019).

Edited by Jack Kirby.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #137

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #137 (On Sale: February 18, 1971), has a cover by Jack Kirby and Neal Adams.

This issue features "The Four-Armed Terror" written and penciled by  Jack Kirby and inked by Vince Colletta. While Superman and Jimmy Olsen join the Newsboy Legion and the Hairies to test a new solar-phone, the Project is attacked by a four-armed creature that feeds on nuclear energy. Superman tells the others to stay behind while he goes to fight the four-armed terror. 

The Newsboys and Jimmy follow anyway. The creature traps them all in a cocoon of energy, then prepares to cause an atomic explosion beneath the city of Metropolis. Simyan and Mokkari celebrate while they hatch another batch of the creatures in the Evil Factory. This continues next issue. Reprinted in Jimmy Olsen: Adventures by Jack Kirby Vol. 1 TPB (2003), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2007), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1 TPB (2012), The Fourth World Omnibus by Jack Kirby (2018), and Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen by Jack Kirby (2019).

Edited by Jack Kirby.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #136

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #136 (On Sale: January 14, 1971), has a nice cover by Neal Adams.

"The Saga of the D.N.Aliens" is written and drawn by Jack Kirby and Vinnie Colletta. While Superman is knocked out, the Guardian battles the giant Jimmy Olsen clone created by Simyan and Mokkari. Superman eventually recovers and gets back into the fight. The giant is eventually brought down by a group of miniature Scrapper troopers. It is then frozen with liquid nitrogen and contained.

With the threat ended, the adult Newsboy's explain to their sons that Jim Harper died. His cells were used to create the new Guardian. Superman finishes giving Jimmy a tour of the project. Jimmy meets several of the new creations including Dubbilex, a D.N.Alien.

Meanwhile, back in the evil factory, Simyan and Mokkari literally hatch their next menace, a four-armed terror. This story has been reprinted in Jimmy Olsen: Adventures by Jack Kirby Vol. 1 TPB (2003), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2007), Countdown Special: Jimmy Olsen #1 (2008), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1 TPB (2012), The Fourth World Omnibus by Jack Kirby (2017), and Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen by Jack Kirby (2019).

Edited by Jack Kirby.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #135

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #135 (On Sale: November 24, 1970), has a cover by Neal Adams.

We have "Evil Factory" written and penciled by Jack Kirby and inked by Vince Colletta. In this issue, we get more than just a glimpse of Darkseid and some of the minions of Apokolips, the return of the original Newsboy Legion, and the introduction of a new hero. After meeting with the Hairies, Superman escorts Jimmy Olsen and the Newsboy Legion to a secret installation that houses a classified research project. Superman reveals that the Hairies were grown there as clones. Upon arrival at the project, the boys meet their dads who have been secretly working at the project.

While the boys enjoy their reunion, Superman escorts Jimmy to the lab and shows him the project's results: clones, including several microscopic Jimmy Olsens. However, the cloning facility has been penetrated by Simyan and Mokkari, two agents of Darkseid from Apokolips. They stole samples of Jimmy's DNA and created a giant monster infused with Kryptonite. The evil scientists then send their creation back to the project where it beats Superman.

Jimmy reaches the original Newsboy Legion who have been conducting their own special experiment in cloning. They unleash the Golden Guardian, a clone of the now-deceased Jim Harper, to battle the giant Olsen. This story has been reprinted in Jimmy Olsen: Adventures by Jack Kirby Vol. 1 TPB (2003), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2007), and Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1 TPB (2012).

They are still pretending that Murray Boltinoff is the editor.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 (On Sale: October 13, 1970), has a cover by Neal Adams.

This issue we have "The Mountain of Judgment" by Jack Kirby and Vince Colletta. Continuing from last issue, Jimmy Olsen leads the Newsboy Legion and the Outsiders from the Wild Area in an effort to find the Mountain of Judgment. When Superman tries to stop then, he is once again knocked out by Kryptonite gas. With Superman out of the way, Jimmy and the others then locate the Zoomway, the road which leads to the Mountain. Along the road, Jimmy and his friends encounter multiple dangers and obstacles, but the Whiz Wagon triumphs over each.

Meanwhile, back at the Habitat, Superman awakes and follows Jimmy along the Zoomway. He catches up, just as Jimmy has reached the Mountain of Judgement, a giant rolling missile carrier built by the Hairies, the creators of Habitat, the Zoomway and all the fantastic weapons and gear Jimmy has encountered. Superman prevents Jimmy and his friends from being run over, but they are all sucked inside of the Mountain

Inside they are greeted by the Hairies, who seem to know more about Jimmy and his mission than they should and begin to carefully inspect the Whiz Wagon, locating a powerful bomb inside of the television camera the Newsboy Legion has been using to transmit back to Morgan Edge. They remove the bomb inside it and Superman muffles the blast using his body. Jimmy was unknowingly used to deliver the bomb in an attempt to destroy the Hairies, a scientifically advanced group living in secret. Superman reveals that he knew about the Hairies and their Top Secret location. Jimmy and the Newsboys are denied the full story, but they get a glimpse of the Hairies activities inside the Mountain.

Back in Metropolis, Morgan Edge is forced to report the failure of the bomb to his boss, Darkseid. Yep, that Darkseid and the cameo at the end of this story is the real beginning of Kirby's Fourth World This story was reprinted in Jimmy Olsen: Adventures by Jack Kirby Vol. 1 TPB, Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1 HC and Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1 TPB.

Edited, they say, by Murray Boltinoff. Yeah, we believe that.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133  (On Sale: August 25, 1970) has a Jimmy Olsen cover by Jack Kirby, Vinnie Colletta and Al Plastino. BOOM!!!!!

The word from high is...the great one is coming!

Screw that, as the cover proclaims, "Kirby is Here!" DC has been playing with us for months with those "great one is coming" ads. I remember the first time I saw one, showing it to my best friend, Baron Mrkva, and asking, "Any idea what this is all about?" He didn't have one and we never would have guessed that Kirby was moving to DC. 

And had we somehow figured out the identity of "the great one" we never would have guessed that his first move at DC would be to drop an atomic bomb on the staid and boring Jimmy Olsen book. As the modified logo spells it out, "Superman's Ex-Pal, the New Jimmy Olsen."

So now we knew why all of the DC reprint books lately had Jack Kirby stories in them; it was a reminder of what Jack had done for the company in the past and a signpost pointing toward the future. Well, the future had arrived.

Is Kirby going to change things up at DC, or play it safe? Let's see, in 22 pages of "The Newsboy Legion" Jack Kirby, as writer and penciler introduces us to Intergang, Morgan Edge, The Newsboy Legion, the Wild Area, the Outsiders and the Whiz Wagon. At the same time he begins laying the groundwork for the "Fourth World" with the New Gods and Darkseid. The inks were handled by Vinnie Colletta and Superman and sometimes Jimmy's face was drawn (or redrawn) by Al Plastino for the sake of continuity with the rest of the DC line. 

Jimmy Olsen is paired with the new Newsboy Legion, the sons of the original boy heroes plus Flippa-Dippa, a newcomer, to investigate the Wild Area, a strange community outside of Metropolis. The boys are given a super-vehicle called the Whiz Wagon for transport. When Clark Kent shows concern for Jimmy, Morgan Edge, owner of Galaxy Broadcasting and the new owner of the Daily Planet, secretly orders a criminal organization called Inter-Gang to kill him. 

However, Kent survives the attempt and later hooks up with Jimmy and the Newsboy Legion in the Wild Area. The youths have met the Outsiders, a tribe of young people who live in a super-scientific commune called Habitat, and have won leadership of the Outsiders’ gang of motorcyclists. Jimmy and company go off in search of a mysterious goal called the Mountain of Judgment, and warn Superman not to stop them. 

Boom! Take that DC! Kirby is here indeed.

This story has been reprinted in Superman in the Seventies TPB, Jimmy Olsen:Adventures by Jack Kirby Vol. 1 TPB, Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1 HC and Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1 TPB.

For a few issues DC would keep up the facade that Murray Boltinoff was doing something as editor of this book. 

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #132

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #132  (On Sale: July 14, 1970) has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.

This issue begins with our cover-story "When Olsen Sold Out Superman"  by Leo Dorfman and Murphy Anderson. It clocks in at a short nine pages. Jimmy Olsen is kidnapped by gangsters who try to make him reveal Superman’s secret identity. Knowing that Perry White is not Superman, he tells them that Superman is “really” his editor at the Daily Planet--but Clark Kent has been named editor for a day, and the crooks capture him with Kryptonite.

This is the kind of story that Mort Weisinger loved, where a misunderstanding or unexpected coincidence leads to a completely bogus, yet somehow representative cover. If only someone like Jack Kirby could take over this book and make it actually interesting.

The back-up is "The Winner's Prize... the Loser's Grave" by Bob Haney and Pete Costanza. An island forms in the tropics and, due to its strategic importance to both the U.S. and Russia, is contended for by both superpowers. It is decided that the claim to the island will be decided by a battle between two champions from each nation...the Russian, Bors, against the American, Jimmy Olsen. 

This sounds suspiciously like the February, 1970 TV movie, "The Challenge" starring Darren McGavin and Mako, wherein an all-out war between the United States and an Asian country is averted when the two sides agree to settle their differences by each choosing a single soldier as champion and having the two men fight to the death on an isolated island. I'm not judging, just saying.    

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #132

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #132 (On Sale: July 14, 1970) has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.

This is the end of one era, the Mort Weisinger era as he is being shown the door by DC. Next issue some new guy takes over. Now, what was his name? We begin with our cover-story, "When Olsen Sold Out Superman" by Leo Dorfman and Murphy Anderson. Jimmy Olsen is captured by a gang of criminals who threaten Jimmy and demand that he reveal Superman's secret identity. To stall for time, Jimmy claims that Superman is "really" his editor at the Daily Planet. Unfortunately, Clark Kent has been named editor for a day, and the crooks capture him with Kryptonite.

The crooks then release Jimmy, but not before they announce his betrayal to the world. Jimmy's fan club is outraged that Jimmy would betray his friend. To redeem himself, Jimmy assists the CIA in locating and rescuing Superman.

During the escape, Superman switches places with a robot. He then pretends that the robot was actually captured intentionally in order to trap the crooks. By doing this, Superman covers his exposed secret identity and restores Jimmy's reputation.

We end with "The Winner's Prize... the Loser's Grave" by Bob Haney and Pete Costanza. A volcanic eruption in the ocean causes a new island to form. Both the United States and the Soviets want to claim the island as their territory. To prevent a war, each side agrees to an individual duel to take place on the island. During the training exercise to select a champion, Jimmy Olsen is able to prove himself using his wits. He is selected to be the duel participant against Bors from the Soviet Union.

Jimmy and Bors are dropped off on the island with the same supplies and weapons. The winner is the one who kills or captures the other. Jimmy survives several attacks and uses his wits to escape various traps. Jimmy and Bors develop respect for one another. Then they fight it out with dynamite. Neither is willing to kill the other, and the detonation of the dynamite sinks the island permanently, which ends the dispute. This was reprinted in Best of DC #46.

Big changes are coming next month, really big changes for Jimmy and for DC in general. The word from on high is...the Great One is Coming!

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #131

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #131 (On Sale: June 9, 1970) has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson featuring Super-Curios.

We begin with "The Birdboy of Metropolis" by Otto Binder, Curt Swan and Ray Burnley and reprinted from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #26. While aboard the Flying Newsroom helicopter, Jimmy sees Clark Kent flying. When he returns to the Daily Planet, Clark claims to be testing some Thunderbird wings sent to him by an archeologist that allowed him to fly. Jimmy believes Clark's explanation, but then insists on using the wings himself. Superman must then pretend to make the wings work in order to protect his secret identity.

While making the wings work for Jimmy, Superman also tries to discourage Jimmy from using them. Finally he creates artificial lightning. He leads Jimmy to believe the electricity shorted out the wings. Jimmy gives up his attempts to fly, leaving Superman relieved.

Next we have "The Amazing Spectacles of Doctor 'X'"  by Otto Binder, Curt Swan and Ray Burnley and reprinted from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #29.  While searching the lab of criminal Doctor X, police close off the building after Doctor X is killed in a plane crash. Jimmy leaves in disguise, wearing a pair of odd glasses he found in the lab.

Jimmy soon realizes the glasses allow him to see future events related to Superman. Jimmy also sees his own death by drowning. Knowing the future, Jimmy helps Superman avoid several dangers that he has foreseen. Then he tries to avoid his own death. Superman then shows Jimmy that the death Jimmy saw was fake. It was part of a public service film. Jimmy is relieved that he will not die. When he loses the glasses, he doesn't mind.

That is followed by "The Burglar Kit from the Future"  by Edmond Hamilton, Curt Swan and George Klein and reprinted from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #66. A burglar from the future tries to rob Jimmy Olsen of his Superman trophies. The Man of Steel stops the thief and returns him to the future, but the burglar’s tool kit is left behind.

Jimmy uses the kit to catch criminals, but one crook, Count Slade, forces Jimmy to work for him. Jimmy double-crosses the crook, allowing Superman to capture Slade when he returns from the future.

Next is "Unwanted Superman Souvenirs" by Otto Binder, Curt Swan and Ray Burnley and reprinted from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #15. Superman witnesses Jimmy discarding several of the souvenirs that he has given him over the years. When he questions him, Jimmy ignores Superman. Superman finally realizes that Jimmy has been put into a hypnotic trance. The discarded souvenirs are part of a message sent by a living gem in Jimmy's collection. After getting the message, Superman returns the gem-brain to space and recovers Jimmy's discarded souvenirs.

"The Most Fantastic Camera in the World" by Otto Binder, Curt Swan and Ray Burnley and reprinted from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #34 is next. When Professor Potter's new invention zaps Jimmy’s camera, it is transformed into a device which causes crystal or metal objects to disappear and reappear inside the camera. Jimmy does not realize the camera has been affected, but objects begin to disappear whenever he takes pictures. Clark’s invulnerable glasses and a valuable diamond are among the items that disappear.

Jimmy later finds the items inside his camera. He learns the glasses are invulnerable and believes they belong to Clark. A thief tries to steal the diamond, but Jimmy stops him with Superman’s help. Jimmy tries to prove Clark is Superman by comparing a fingerprint he found on the glasses to Clark’s. His test fails because Jimmy does not know that one of the fingerprints is his own.

It is followed by "The Animal Master of Metropolis" by  Robert Bernstein, Curt Swan and John Forte, and reprinted from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #45. After Jimmy uses one of his Superman trophies in a parade as a drumstick, he appears to have gained control over animals. Superman explains that the stick is really a magic wand that once belonged to Circe. It gives the user power over animals.

Against Superman’s advice, Jimmy uses the wand to recapture some circus animals and catch some crooks. However, when some gangsters learn of Jimmy’s power, they use him to fix a horse race. Jimmy double-crosses the crooks and has to be rescued by Krypto. Krypto however accidently destroys the wand, ending Jimmy’s reign as an animal master.

We end with "The Cabinet from Krypton" by Leo Dorfman and Kurt Schaffenberger, and reprinted from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #66. Jimmy Olsen unearths a cabinet from Krypton during a salvage operation. The cabinet transforms Jimmy into an old man and Perry White into a baby. Jimmy is unable to reverse the effects of the cabinet, and soon Lois Lane is also transformed into a cat. Superman learns the cabinet was invented by Zan Zoll, a Kryptonian scientist, and there is no cure. However, he is able to trick Mr. Mxyzptlk into restoring his friends to normal.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #130

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #130 (On Sale: May 26, 1970) has another cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.

This issue starts with our cover story, "The Computer-Man of Steel" by Leo Dorfman and Pete Costanza. After being blasted during the night by a strange ray, Jimmy Olsen awakens to find himself compelled to buy parts from an electronics store. Using the parts Jimmy builds an advanced computer. Using the computer, Jimmy is able to beat a robotic chess master given to him by Superman, and to predict the outcome of horse races. Jimmy's computer then predicts trouble at Superman's Fortress.

Informing Superman of the possible threat, he and Jimmy arrive at the Fortress and save the city of Kandor which was in danger from one of Superman's experiments. Once the city is saved, Superman leaves for a space mission, but returns a short time later exhibiting brain damage.

Hit once again by a strange ray, Jimmy performs surgery and transplants his computer into Superman's head. Although this saves the Superman, he becomes an unfeeling menace. When he tries to destroy Kandor, the Superman Emergency Squad emerges to fight him. Jimmy and the Kandorians realize that this is not Superman, but Brainiac. The computer villain arranges to have Jimmy build the computer using his own components and had replaced Superman with a Superman robot. The Kandorians then disassemble Brainiac.

We end with "Olsen, the Teen-Wonder" by Bob Haney and Murphy Anderson. Jimmy Olsen is nominated for the Young Man of the Year award, but loses to Robin. Jimmy thinks that he could do what Robin does, so he puts on the Robin's costume and impersonates him. When Metropolis is plagued by a string of robberies, Jimmy traces the bandits who all where costumes based on the Roman god Mercury. Jimmy is caught by the gang, but Superman saves him. After the gang is defeated, Jimmy realizes that Robin's life is harder than he thought. This story was reprinted in Showcase Presents: Robin the Boy Wonder Vol. 1 TPB.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #129 (On Sale: April 9, 1970) has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson. 

We begin with "Superman Versus Ultra-Olsen" by E. Nelson Bridwell and Murphy Anderson.  This is Anderson's first work on Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen and begins a string of Olsen stories both penciled and inked by Anderson that would lead up to the return of Jack Kirby to DC. Jimmy's father brings him half a medallion which legend has it once granted powers to a Mayan king. For some strange reason, Jimmy has the other half, which was given to him by Professor Lang. Superman agrees to fuse the two halves together and hands the restored medallion to Jimmy. As is wont to happen in these stories, Jimmy receives super-powers from the medallion. He experiments with his new powers by performing super-deeds in public and some crooks come up with a plan to utilize his power for themselves. They kidnap Jimmy's father, using him as a hostage and forcing Jimmy to steal for them. Jimmy is able to stop the crooks by planting his signal watch in the stolen loot, which leads Superman to the kidnappers. Superman rescues Mark Olsen and Jimmy's new powers eventually wear off.

Next is the cover story, "The Pen of Prophecy" by Leo Dorfman and Murphy Anderson. While taking photographs of a museum fire Jimmy Olsen discovers an antique box containing a quill pen and a jar of ink. He takes the box home, intending to return it to the museum after the museum is repaired, but later, when Jimmy's typewriter breaks, he decides to finish his story using the quill pen. Suddenly, his hand becomes controlled by the pen. He writes an odd story about a man trapped in a submarine. He turns the story in to the Daily Planet, where Clark Kent sees it. The story tips Superman off to the location of a criminal and turns out to be true.

The next time Jimmy uses the pen, he writes another apparently fictional story which turns out to be true. When he tells Clark about the pen, Clark tries it and is also overcome by the compulsion to write, but his story reveals his secret identity. He covers up this revelation and in the confusion, the ink is spilled. He finds a note revealing that the ink once belonged to Edgar Allan Poe and was given to him by a descendant of Nostradamus. With the ink spilled and gone, Jimmy is unable to write any more magic prophecies.

We end with "The Superman Hall of Trophies" from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #24 and is by Otto Binder, Curt Swan and Ray Burnley. While giving a tour of the new Superman Hall of Trophies. Jimmy demonstrates Superman’s powers with the help of several statues and robots. The real Superman replaces one of the statues to surprise Jimmy, but he becomes paralyzed by Kryptonite. When crooks show up to rob the museum, Superman tips off Jimmy to his predicament and Jimmy is able to free Superman so he can capture the crooks.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #128

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #128 (On Sale: February 24, 1970) has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.

This issue begins with our cover-story "No Father for Jimmy" by E. Nelson Bridwell and Pete Costanza. The back-up is "The Story of Superman's Souvenirs" from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #5 by Otto Binder, Curt Swan and Ray Burnley. Killer Burke, a hunted fugitive, hides in the apartment of Jimmy Olsen. Burke forces Jimmy to tell him the stories behind several of his Superman souvenirs, hoping one will enable him to escape. Burke then uses an invisibility belt invented by Luthor to slip past the police. However, the belt causes Burke to go blind. Without his sight, Burke is forced to surrender. When Jimmy turns off the belt, his sight is restored.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #127

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #127 (On Sale: January 15, 1970) has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.

This issue begins with our cover-story "The Secret Slumlord of Metropolis" by Leo Dorfman, Curt Swan and George Roussos.

The back-up is "When Olsen Changed History" by Leo Dorfman and Pete Costanza.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #126

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #126 (On Sale: November 25, 1969) has a nice cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.

We begin with "Jimmy Olsen -- Traitor" by Leo Dorfman and Pete Costanza.  The first thing we learn in this story is what a complete dick Lucy Lane is to her supposed boyfriend, Jimmy Olsen. She belittles and emasculates him constantly throughout this story. Jimmy is embarrassed by movie producer Von rick when they arrive late to his latest sci-fi film and find their front-row seats have been given away. In retaliation Jimmy writes a scathing review about how the plot of the film is ridiculous as you can't go back in time to change the present and based on Jimmy's single bad review, the movie bombs (sure, it could happen....not).

Weeks later Von Rick invites Jimmy and Lucy to party for his next film and while there Jimmy touches a statue of Egyptian god Anubis to prove that it will not send him back into the past to a previous life. However, it does (yeah, really?) and Jimmy seems to be back in the days of the revolutionary war, where his causes the death of Nathan Hale, Betsy Ross and Alexander Hamilton and causes the American's to lose the war. Sure, continued next issue and if you don't know the entire plot by now, you should never read a comic again.

That is followed by our cover-story, "The Mystery of Kryptonite Plus" by Leo Dorfman, Curt Swan and George Roussos. After touching a moon rock, Jimmy contracts a rare space disease and Superman is nowhere to be found. Eventually they decide to send Jimmy to the moon in search of a cure (sure, sounds totally logical to me). We then find out that a few days earlier aliens landed on the moon and one of them has been made up to look exactly like Superman. The aliens aim a laser at Clark Kent's brain and he forgets that he is Superman (who knew it would be so easy?).

When Olsen lands on the moon the virus seems to have left his body, so he and his fellow astronaut decide to mine some moon rocks. While doing so they find Superman (the alien) laying in a field of strange rocks they dub Kryptonite Plus (just for the hell of it I guess). In order to get the weakened Superman home, Jimmy gives up his seat on the LEM (Lunar Excursion Module) to Superman and watches as they blast off to Earth. Jimmy then starts to snoop around (what else has he got to do while waiting to die) where he finds the alien spaceship, which he is able to fly to Earth.

Once back he finds Clark Kent and asks how Superman is doing. Clark reports that Superman is different, has weakened powers and is recovering very slowly. Jimmy discovers that is was all a plot by the aliens to change our sun to a red sun and take over the Earth. Clark reveals his secret identity to Jimmy and together they are able to thwart the plan. Superman then removes Jimmy's memory of his secret identity and all is as it once was.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #125

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #125 (On Sale: October 14, 1969) has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.

We begin with our cover story "Superman's Saddest Day" by Leo Dorfman and Pete Costanza. The back-up is "The Spendthrift and the Miser" from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #28 and is by Otto Binder, Curt Swan and Ray Burnley. Jimmy is hyptonized by two con artists. During the day Jimmy spends all his money foolishly, then at night he turns into a greedy miser. The crooks force Jimmy to sell his Superman trophies which they wanted all along. Jimmy tricks them instead by selling them worthless junk. Superman frees Jimmy of the hypnotic spell, and the crooks leave town.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #124

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #124 (On Sale: August 21, 1969) has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson. 

We begin with "Jimmy Olsen’s Girl Trouble" by E. Nelson Bridwell and Pete Costanza. The will of mob boss, Little Louie, states that his estate will go to the man who kills Jimmy Olsen. The next day, three underworld killers take a shot at killing Jimmy. each time they are thwarted by the clumsiness of cub reporter Hazel Powell. When all three assassins strike at once, Hazel accidentally triggers Jimmy's signal watch. Superman arrives to apprehend the would-be killers. Jimmy then offers to take Hazel on a date to reward her for saving his life. This story was reprinted in Superman: Daily Planet TPB.

We end with the cover-story, "The Secret of Jimmy Olsen’s Lost Father" by Leo Dorfman and Pete Costanza. Continuing from last issue, Jimmy Olsen remains locked in solitary confinement in the basement of his father's house. His dad explains that after the train wreck in which Jimmy's mother died, he had amnesia. He manages to function somehow and ended up in archeology. While excavating a pyramid in the Yucatan, his memory returns, but for defiling their treasure, the natives curse Mark Olsen and force him to live in solitary confinement for five years.

He was allowed to keep the "defiled" treasure which made him wealthy. He obeyed the rules of the curse for four years by locking himself in the basement of his house. However, doctors warned him that he would die if he remained for the final year. The rules of the curse stated that Jimmy could take his place for the final year.

After Jimmy has spent time in the basement cell, Superman picks up a clue that can help his friend. He hypnotizes Mr. Olsen and learns the real truth. He is actually Hal Rand, Mark Olsen's partner in archaeology. When they were in the pyramid, Rand lost his memory and found Mark's pack with pictures of Jimmy and he just assumed they were his. Mark is now believed dead. Superman also convinces Jimmy and Hal that the curse was an illusion. Jimmy is released from the cell. Hal apologizes and offers to adopt Jimmy as a foster-son. Jimmy accepts. Wow. Two guys with amnesia in the same story?

Hey, you ever notice how you never hear anyone tell you how much they loved Pete Costanza's work?

Edited by Mort Weisinger.