Jimmy Olsen
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Olsen is a fictional character
who appears mainly in DC Comics
’ Superman
stories. Olsen is a young photojournalist working for the Daily Planet
. He is close friends with Lois Lane
, Clark Kent
/Superman
and Perry White
. Olsen looks up to his coworkers as role models
and parent figures
.
-wearing, red-haired
young man who works as a cub reporter and photographer for The Daily Planet
, alongside Lois Lane
and Clark Kent
, whom he idolizes as career role models. In most depictions of the character, he also has a strong friendship with Superman. As Superman's friend, Jimmy has special access to the Man of Steel, thanks to Superman's gift to Jimmy of a "signal watch
," a wristwatch which, with the press of a button, emits a special ultrasonic
frequency signal that Superman can hear anywhere on Earth. (In Post-Crisis continuity Jimmy invented the watch himself, and Superman briefly considered confiscating it. In New Earth
continuity, the watch was designed by Superman based on a larger signaling device Jimmy created.)
In many Silver Age
comic books, Jimmy was often seen sharing adventures with Superman, who saved him from various predicaments ranging from dangerous to merely embarrassing. This was particularly pronounced in the series Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen
(published from 1954 to 1974), which saw Olsen in a variety of slapstick
adventures and strange transformations. Like most DC characters, modern
portrayals of Olsen have been more serious in tone.
An important part of the Superman mythos, Jimmy Olsen has appeared in most other media adaptations of the character.
#6, which is claimed to be Jimmy Olsen's first appearance in several reference books. The character was first introduced as Jimmy Olsen in the radio show The Adventures of Superman
(on April 15, 1940) mainly "so the Man of Steel would have someone to talk to." With Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster creating and drawing the physical appearance and giving him a bigger personality, the character moved from the radio show back into the comics in 1941, first appearing as a named character in Superman v1 #13 (1941). But after a handful of appearances, he disappeared again. In late 1953, while Jack Larson
was playing the character on the Adventures of Superman
television show, the character was revived in the Superman comics after a 10-year absence and then given his own title.
In addition to Larson, he was portrayed by Tommy Bond
in the two Superman
film serials
, Superman (1948)
and Atom Man vs. Superman
(1950); Marc McClure
in the Superman films of the 1970s and '80s, as well as the 1984
film Supergirl
; Michael Landes
in the first season of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Justin Whalin
in the subsequent three seasons; Sam Huntington
in the 2006
film Superman Returns
; and Aaron Ashmore
in the CW's Smallville
'.
During the Silver Age, beginning in 1954, Jimmy starred in his own comic book, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, which featured his various adventures with and without Superman. The stories in the title would often feature particularly outlandish situations, ranging from Jimmy being hurled back in time to Krypton before its destruction in issue #36 to dealing frequently with gorillas of all sorts.
This version of Jimmy Olsen even had his own fan club. In one adventure published in the 1960s, he implied that there were branches of it around the country
and that he intended to lecture them about anti-crime techniques he had learned from Superman and Batman
.
began by introducing a secret "D.N.A. Project
" to create Mutated Humans for Good, also adding "The Hairies" (a group of technology-equipped hippies), superbeings from other planets (proto-New Gods), Intergang
, and Morgan Edge
... and reintroduced his 1940s Newsboy Legion characters. About halfway through his run, Kirby introduced vampire
s, the Loch Ness Monster
, and Victor Volcanum, the fire-eating archcriminal. Readership quickly dropped back to its pre-Kirby levels.
Kirby's tenure on the series ended with issue #148; and with issue #164 (April-May 1974) Jimmy's book was folded into the anthology
title Superman Family
. In that book, Olsen became a more serious character who battled criminals as an investigative reporter known as "Mr. Action" in urban crime stories that rarely involved Superman.
The Man of Steel Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, the entire Superman mythos was rebooted from scratch in the limited series The Man of Steel. Despite recent modernization efforts on Superman and his supporting characters, Jimmy Olsen has not been significantly changed in the Modern Age. He is still a cub reporter working for The Daily Planet, and is still friends with Superman. His look was made over as he stopped wearing bowties, and started wearing casual clothing (though this trend started in 1970s comics). An interesting alteration to the relationship was that Jimmy designed the signal watch himself, leading to his first meeting with Superman. Superman briefly considered confiscating the watch, but decided he trusted Jimmy to use it responsibly.
While Jimmy's transformations no longer occur as regularly as they did in the Silver Age, Jimmy did become Elastic Lad on contact with the Eradicator
. He has also taken the identity of "Turtle Boy" in a series of pizza
commercials, made when he was temporarily laid off from the Planet.
In the 1990s, Jimmy moved to Metropolis broadcaster Galaxy Broadcasting, where he became more brash and arrogant. This came to an end when he thought (wrongly) he had discovered Superman's secret identity
and said he would announce it live on air. He reconsidered his actions, but lost his job for wasting the timeslot. He was again rehired by the Planet.
Jimmy later came under the angry hand of the Alpha Centurion
, an alternate universe dictator with a deep-seated hatred for Superman and an eye toward Lois Lane. It was Jimmy who first uncovered his secret plot to control the world's finances through his company Aelius Industries, Inc.
Superman: Metropolis June 2003 saw Jimmy Olsen as the focus of a twelve-part miniseries entitled Superman: Metropolis. Written by Chuck Austen
and illustrated by Danijel Zezelj, the series focused on the futuristic technology
unleashed in Metropolis by Brainiac
in a previous storyline, and how it affected the everyday lives of Metropolis citizens.
Recently, Jimmy had taken a position as a regular star reporter for The Daily Planet, replacing the recently demoted Clark Kent. This caused a strain in the relationship between Clark and Jimmy. It appears, however, that following the One Year Later
storyline jump, Clark has regained his original role as The Daily Planets star reporter, and Jimmy has returned to being a photographer, winning the Pulitzer Prize
for his photographic efforts.
Jimmy's story in the 2007-08 weekly series Countdown to Final Crisis
begins with an investigation into the death of Duela Dent
. Tying into the Death of the New Gods
storyline, Jimmy starts to develop a plethora of new superpowers, which he first discovers when he is attacked by Killer Croc
while gathering information on Duela's death. As the story progresses he tries to uncover the origin of these powers and starts to discover their potential limitlessness in stories which mimic the Silver Age Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen adventures. Briefly operating as the superhero "Mr. Action", Jimmy is unable to command the respect of established superheroes in the JLA
and Teen Titans, and gives up on this particular avenue. One of these powers allows Jimmy to realize the identities of some superheroes, such as the Robins and Superman, who requests that he take care of Krypto
.
Jimmy is eventually tracked down by the New God Forager
, with whom he begins a romantic relationship. Forager informs him that he has become a soulcatcher for the spirits of dying New Gods. The Monitor
known as Solomon later tells him that his new powers are the consequence of Darkseid using Jimmy as a host for powers he wishes to use to recreate the universe in his image, knowing that "Superman's pal" is one of the world's most well-protected citizens. Later, as the events of Countdown begin to come to their close, Jimmy becomes a more confidently powerful character and is reunited with the series' other cast members on a mission to stop Karate Kid
's disease from becoming a pandemic of apocalyptic proportions. Unfortunately, they fail, and the Morticoccus virus devastates an alternate Earth.
Upon return to their Earth, Jimmy is captured by Mary Marvel
, who had been manipulated towards evil by Darkseid. When Superman comes to save Jimmy, Darkside takes control of the powers within him, causing Jimmy to radiate Kryptonite radiation, until Ray Palmer manages to rewire Darkside's control from inside of Jimmy. Jimmy then transforms into a giant turtle-like creature, and prepares to take on Darkside himself. Darkside overcomes Jimmy, and prepares to kill him. Ray Palmer then comes out of Jimmy with the New God soul battery, and destroys it, returning Jimmy to normal.
, Jimmy witnesses a mysterious figure
hovering over the fight. After some encouraging words from Clark Kent, he decides to take two weeks off to investigate.
He tracks down a figure connected with the past of Jonathan Drew
and is told the story of how Jonathan became Codename: Assassin. His informant is quickly executed by Codename: Assassin who then tries to kill Jimmy. Jimmy is able to avoid being killed and is apparently shielded from Codename: Assassin's telepathy due to his own many physical transformations over the years.
Jimmy goes to Project Cadmus
and speaks to Dubbilex
, who tells him the story about the death of the original Guardian
at the hands of Codename: Assassin and how cloning is such an imperfect science that the only viable clone alive went into hiding in the desert. Dubbilex then dies from injuries sustained in an earlier conflict with Codename: Assassin. Jimmy heads south to the town of Warpath, AZ, managing to avoid conflict with Codename: Assassin on the way.
Upon arriving in Warpath, Jimmy interviews the sheriff, Greg Saunders
, who evades his questions. Jimmy follows him after dark and sees Saunders working with the last Guardian clone
. He then confronts the clone at his home and the two speak.
With his two weeks up, Jimmy returns to Metropolis horrified from learning that a faction within the US military is actively plotting to kill Superman.
Willing to do anything to uncover the conspiracy behind Project 7734, Jimmy uses an anonymous chat
server and gets in contact with Erik/Amazing Woman from Infinity Inc.
, who claims to have informations useful to help Jimmy. Despite being actively pursued by Codename: Assassin, who goes so far to place bugs in his house, Jimmy goes to the appointment, only to find Erik's house burned to the ground.
Jimmy pulls Erik out, who with his dying breath, shifts to his more reliable and powerful Erika form. Erik gives him Natasha Irons
' number. Natasha contacts then Jimmy, telling him about the plans of General Sam Lane, his outworldly fortress and his capture, and use of a Planet Breaker weapon of Captain Atom
, now codenamed Project Breach (due to his similarity to Tim Zanetti
's fate).
Finally ready to uncover the truth, Jimmy is openly confronted by Codename: Assassin, who until that point had merely followed him closely. Jimmy uses his signal watch to call Mon-El
. Jimmy is shot twice in the chest by Codename: Assassin, and sinks into the ocean.
Despite surviving his assassination attempt, Jimmy decides to fake his death, having his documents planted on a heavily disfigured corpse. With no one knowing about his survival, Jimmy moves into the old Pemberton Camera Factory, sharing the results of his now unhindered investigations with Perry and Mon-El.
and R.B. Silva will be producing a monthly 10-page backup feature in Action Comics
chronicling the adventures of Jimmy Olsen in Metropolis. Reported story topics include an alien civilization choosing Metropolis as the base of a major cultural celebration, and the introduction of Chloe Sullivan
(from the Smallville
television series) to the DCU proper. In the latest arc, he goes on a charity date with a girl named Maggie, only to discover that she somehow has ties to Mr. Mxyzptlk
, and that she wants to marry him.
The last three chapters of the story are told in the self-titled one-shot, Jimmy Olsen.
Jimmy possesses a watch which emits a high-pitched signal only Superman can hear. Recently he claimed it stopped working some time in the past, never worked particularly well in the first place, and contacted Superman through Morse code
now, anyway, but still wore it for show.
Mostly during the Silver Age
, Jimmy would find himself temporarily transformed, for better or worse, or undergo a disguise for various purposes. The variety of transformations Jimmy received during the Silver Age is often homaged or parodied in later comics and adaptations featuring the character — for instance, in JLA: The Nail
, Jimmy cites three of these transformations as his motivations behind backing Luthor's bill to outlaw metahumans and in Countdown, Jimmy is used as a spirit container for the deceased New Gods, causing him to exhibit strange powers, albeit uncontrollably, with other stories simply make passing references.
In JLA: The Nail
, an alternate reality
in which a nail punctured a tire on the Kent's car, preventing them from finding the spaceship containing a baby Superman, Jimmy Olsen is revealed as the one behind all the other superheroes' troubles. Jimmy had served as an aide to Lex Luthor
- who has become the mayor of Metropolis thanks to his efforts to provide Metropolis with a technologically-advanced police force to battle the threats that Superman wasn't there to defend the city against- following various short-lived attempts at heroism caused by temporary alteration of his DNA. Having discovered Superman's spaceship and using DNA samples to create numerous Bizarro
clones, Luthor grafted Kryptonian DNA
onto Jimmy—the only such 'graft' that appeared successful, as other subjects either died instantly or mutated before death. This caused Jimmy to go insane, and possess superpowers similar to Superman's, as well as mentally transforming him into a Kryptonian determined to replace human life with Kryptonian life. Jimmy played up the public's fear of superheroes via propaganda
, hoping to have them imprisoned so he could use their DNA
as well in an attempt to create a stable template to create other new Kryptonians. When Jimmy attacked an Amish
couple and their son during a battle with the Justice League
- which culminated in a desperate attempt by Batman
and Green Lantern
to stop him by supercharging Batman with his ring after Jimmy defeated the rest of the team-, the couple was killed, but the son was revealed to be Superman. In this alternate reality, the Amish couple had raised Superman, and brought him up as a pacifist
who was encouraged to ignore worldly affairs so that he could walk in righteousness, so he had never used his powers in conflict. Jimmy asked Superman to join him, claiming that they were virtually brothers as they shared the same DNA, but when Superman refused, the two battled. During the battle, Jimmy's body finally started to reject the Kryptonian DNA, causing him to disintegrate. His last, almost prophetic words were directed at Superman, "We should have been friends".The Justice League then asked Superman to join them.
's 1986 graphic novel
The Dark Knight Returns, an older Jimmy Olsen (James, as he is now called) is featured as the writer of a Daily Planet article titled "Truth to Power", recalling the age of heroes. In the 2001 sequel Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again
he appears on various TV shows, where he attempts to reveal that the current President is a holographic projection. However, his attempts to publicize the truth are halted by Lex Luthor
as Metropolis is destroyed (killing hundreds, including Jimmy, Lois
, and Perry
) by BrainIAC
.
, written by Mark Millar
, Jimmy is depicted as an agent of the CIA, eventually becoming the director, and soon joins Dr. Lex Luthor in his Presidential bid and becomes Vice-President. His look and model in the series is based on James Jesus Angleton
, who served in the CIA
.
and Frank Quitely
's All-Star Superman series, Jimmy shows up briefly in the Daily Planet offices in argyle socks; this Jimmy seems to be a refined version of the Silver Age vintage, with a signal watch halfway between a McDonald's happy meal
toy and haute couture
. He's also shown with something that may be a jetpack. Issue #4 of the series focuses on Jimmy and his adventures as the one-day director of the DNA P.R.O.J.E.C.T., a leftover from the Jack Kirby
-era Jimmy Olsen series. This is apparently the latest in a series of highly successful articles by Jimmy, in which he spends a day in various roles. This version of Jimmy also became that reality's version of Doomsday
.
#6, helping Vicki Vale
, who he appears to be attracted to, escape from hospital and giving her files on Batman and the Flying Graysons
. This incarnation is described as a cub reporter for the Gotham Gazette as opposed to his regular position at the Daily Planet and as 'Superman's Pal'. However he is still young, so he may yet work for the Planet.
event, Jimmy Olsen is an agent of Cyborg
to spy the Amazons. He was with Lois Lane
reporting on a fashion show in Mountmatre when the Atlanteans
flooded Europe. Jimmy was one of the thousands to perish in Western Europe when he tried to save an old man, though Lois survived by getting into a church steeple. Jimmy's place at the Resistance was then taken by Lois, after she got his camera
, revealed to be a communications device that can transform into different forms for concealment.
and Jack Grimes
portrayed Jimmy Olsen.
called Showdown
, where he is portrayed by voice actor Jack Mercer
.
The first actor to portray Jimmy Olsen in a live-action format was Tommy Bond
, who co-starred with Kirk Alyn
(Superman/Clark Kent) and Noel Neill
(Lois Lane) in the film serials Superman
(1948) and Atom Man vs. Superman
(1950).
In the four motion pictures starring Christopher Reeve
(beginning with Superman: The Movie), Jimmy Olsen was portrayed by Marc McClure
. McClure reprised his role as Jimmy Olsen in the 1984
spin-off
movie Supergirl
, making McClure the only actor and Olsen the only character to appear in all five Superman films of the 1978-87 era.
In Bryan Singer
's 2006
movie Superman Returns
, Jimmy Olsen is portrayed by Sam Huntington
, an older and more confident, yet goofier portrayal of the character who finds it difficult to get a good shot or get any photos published. In a deleted scene (included in the DVD release) a slightly inebriated Olsen is seen to complain to Clark about the fact he hasn't had a photo printed in several months. In the film, Jack Larson
(who portrayed Jimmy in the Adventures of Superman
television series) plays Bo, a bartender who talks to Clark and Jimmy.
Jimmy appeared in Superman: Doomsday
, played by voice actor Adam Wylie
.
Jimmy appeared in Justice League: The New Frontier. He has no dialogue, therefore no voice actor. He is always shown with Lois, and is almost killed during the final battle. He also tries to take dangerous pictures during the battle.
Jimmy is played again by David Kaufman
in the movie Superman: Brainiac Attacks
.
Jimmy appeared in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
. He is in the antimatter Earth as Ultraman's
"Pal" and was used to bait him out. He also tries to take on Luthor and Superman
with super powers in battle. This Jimmy Olsen has the powers of flight, superhuman strength and durability, but despite them, he was easily overpowered by Superman. He was arrested and taken to jail along with Ultraman. In promotional materials for the film, this version of Jimmy is referred to as "Mr. Action". He was played by voice-actor Richard Green
.
Jimmy appears in the movie All-Star Superman
voiced by Matthew Gray Gubler
.
Jimmy will appear in Justice League: Doom, with David Kaufman reprising his role from the Superman animated series.
he is trapped, along with Lois Lane and Professor Emil Hamilton, by Lex Luthor. Superman has to save him and his friends in this game.
In Superman: Shadow of Apokolips
for the Nintendo Gamecube
and the PlayStation 2
, Jimmy (voiced by David Kaufman) makes some minor appearances and only seen in the story between game-play. He is also seen in the bibliography section of the game.
In DC Universe Online
Jimmy appears as a supporting character for the heroes, voiced by Brandon Young.
television series (starring George Reeves
), Jimmy Olsen was portrayed by Jack Larson
, who appeared as the cub reporter from 1952 to 1958. Largely because of the popularity of Larson and his portrayal of the character, National Comics Publications (DC Comics) decided in 1954 to create Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, a regular title featuring Jimmy as the leading character. Decades later in 1996, Larson portrayed an unnaturally aged Jimmy Olsen in an episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
.
On the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
, Jimmy Olsen was portrayed by Michael Landes
in the first season and Justin Whalin
for the rest of the series' run. The reason cited behind the change is that Landes looked too much like Dean Cain
as well as to emphasize Jimmy's youth. Landes played Olsen as a cocksure, sarcastic Generation-X
character, who often seemed like he was very sure of himself (although usually, the opposite was true). Whalin gave a portrayal closer to previous incarnations of the character, playing Jimmy as a lovably naive rookie. When Whalin took over the role, more emphasis was placed on Jimmy's love-life and he would frequently seek out Lois, Clark and Perry's advice on these matters. Also, Whalin's Olsen was described as being a computer whiz and these talents often came in useful to Lois and Clark/Superman, particularly in the episode 'Virtually Destroyed' where Jimmy's computing abilities come in handy as Lois and Superman battle a villain inside of a virtual reality simulator. Jimmy's home life and background is described in some detail throughout the course of the show. Although we never see her, some references are made to Jimmy's mother who is described as being overweight and having allergies. Jimmy's father Jack Olsen is a James Bond-like secret agent for the fictional National Intelligence Agency (N.I.A.) and the episode 'The Dad who Came in from the Cold' is entirely devoted to this character.
In Smallville
the series incarnation of Jimmy Olsen is first referenced as the "first time" of Chloe Sullivan
(Allison Mack
) in Season 4
. In Season 6
's premiere "Zod
", he appears in person (played by Aaron Ashmore
) as on staff at the Daily Planet and prefers to be called "James". As Season 6 progressed, Jimmy and Chloe became a couple again. At first Jimmy is jealous of Clark Kent
but their relationship becomes friendly after Clark reunites him with Chloe in the Season 6 episode "Trespass".
In Season 7
, Jimmy is still at Daily Planet working as a budding photographer, his relationship with Chloe is going through a rough phase due to Chloe's newfound abilities caused by an amount of Kryptonite
meteor in her blood stream. They broke up in a very emotional scene in the episode "Cure" since Chloe was unable to share her secret with him. Meanwhile, Kara Zor-El (Laura Vandervoort
) (Clark's cousin) has developed a crush on Jimmy and they become friends. Jimmy is also smitten by her and teams up with her in episodes like "Cure" and "Lara". They are in a relationship briefly, but they break up and Jimmy is shown to be in a relationship again with Chloe in the episode "Sleeper". In the season finale, he proposed to her but she was arrested before she had the time to answer.
In Season 8
's premiere "Odyssey", Jimmy is seen waiting for Chloe at the Talon. Chloe arrives and Jimmy tells her that he takes back his proposal saying it might risk what they have between them. But Chloe disagrees. She reveals that she loves Jimmy and says that she'll gladly be his wife. She kisses Jimmy passionately afterwards. In "Committed", Jimmy admits to Chloe that he lied about his father being a Manhattan
investment banker
; Jimmy says his father was an alcoholic
and a mechanic
in Oklahoma City
and has never met his mother, apologizingly for lying but she hugs him. In "Bride", Jimmy marries Chloe in the Kent barn but the reception is interrupted by Doomsday
, who nearly kills Jimmy and kidnaps Chloe. Jimmy's condition is so serious he must be taken to a hospital in Star City
. In "Turbulence", Jimmy sees Davis Bloome (Doomsday's human form) murder a drunk driver and becomes almost violently obsessed with proving it. Davis convinces Chloe that Jimmy is hallucinating from high doses of pain medication, ultimately ending Chloe and Jimmy's marriage and causing Jimmy to become addicted to his pain medication. In Season 8's finale "Doomsday
", Chloe and Jimmy finally reconciled after Jimmy discovered Clark's secret and understood why Chloe had been with Davis to protect Clark from his kryptonian alter-ego: Doomsday
. Chloe gave Jimmy his final passionate kiss before Jimmy was killed by Davis who was stripped of his kryptonian persona by Clark and Chloe. Yet, before his death, Jimmy killed Davis. At his funeral, his full name is revealed to be Henry James Olsen. His camera is given to his younger brother (portrayed by Ryan Harder). While Jimmy's younger brother's name is not mentioned, the boy is wearing a bowtie, leading to the possibility that this is Jimmy Olsen (James Bartholomew Olsen), who will befriend Superman. In Season 9
finale, Clark has a premonition about the future in 2013 where Lois Lane
calls out to an "Olsen", likely calling the younger Jimmy Olsen. In the Season 10
episode "Homecoming", Clark accidentally time-travels to the future in 2017 (thanks to Brainiac 5
) and reads a Daily Planet article that listed Jimmy Olsen. In the series finale, it verifies that the brother at Henry James' funeral is the "real" Jimmy Olsen, who has a love of taking pictures of Superman after being recruited as a news photographer at the Daily Planet. The young adult version of the character is also portrayed by Aaron Ashmore.
The DVD box set for the seventh season of Smallville
includes a featurette entitled Jimmy on Jimmy. Approximately 22 minutes in length, Jimmy on Jimmy is a roundtable discussion featuring four of the six surviving actors who have portrayed Jimmy Olsen in live action: Jack Larson
(Adventures of Superman
), Marc McClure
(Superman film series, Supergirl
), Sam Huntington
(Superman Returns
), and Aaron Ashmore
(Smallville
). Michael Landes
and Justin Whalin
(both from Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
) do not participate.
In the Super Friends
animated series, he "appears" in the second episode of The World's Greatest Super Friends
season, 'Lex Luthor
Strikes Back', with Lois Lane. However, it turned out it wasn't Jimmy at all, but Lex Luthor's henchman Orville Gump in disguise.
Mark L. Taylor
played Jimmy Olsen in the 1988 animated adaptation of Superman
.
In Superman: The Animated Series
, Jimmy was played by voice actor David Kaufman
. One episode was called "Superman's Pal" as an homage to the classic comic series, and Superman gave Jimmy the signal watch by the end of the episode. Another allusion to the comics made in the show was seen in the second season episode "Mxyzpixilated," where Mr. Mxyzptlk turns all the employees of the Daily Planet into animals. Jimmy is turned into a turtle, possibly as a homage.
In Justice League
Jimmy makes a brief appearance in Superman's nightmare (in which Superman, uncontrollably strong, hugs him so hard he kills his friend) in "Only a Dream", with David Kaufman reprising the role. He also makes a cameo at Superman's funeral in "Hereafter." A photographer with orange hair also appears beside Clark at the beginning of "Starcrossed." Though his face isn't shown, it is likely Jimmy.
Jimmy had several cameo appearance
s in Justice League Unlimited
, including one episode where Huntress
tied him up, taped his mouth shut, and used the signal watch to attract Superman. In the episode "Chaos at the Earth's Core", several heroes battle a giant turtle that has a thatch of red hair. Bruce Timm
has confirmed this is a reference to Jimmy's Giant Turtle Boy persona, "but it was more economical time-wise to have him revert to cute little turtle than naked, confused photographer."
Jimmy appeared in the Season 5 premiere of The Batman
played by voice actor Jack DeSena
. He and Dick Grayson
have a back and forth discussion about Batman and Superman from their sides of view.
Jimmy appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold
episode "Battle of the Super Heroes", voiced by Alexander Polinsky
. The episode also ref. him with his mis-adventures of him being transformed into a giant turtle, and having quills thanks to Mxyzptlk.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
who appears mainly in DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
’ Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
stories. Olsen is a young photojournalist working for the Daily Planet
Daily Planet
The Daily Planet is a fictional broadsheet newspaper in the , appearing mostly in the stories of Superman. The building's original features were based upon the AT&T Huron Road Building in Cleveland, Ohio...
. He is close friends with Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
, Clark Kent
Clark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
/Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
and Perry White
Perry White
Perry White is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comics. White is the Editor-in-Chief of the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet.White maintains very high ethical and journalistic standards...
. Olsen looks up to his coworkers as role models
Role Models
Role Models is a 2008 American comedy film directed by David Wain about two energy drink salesmen who are ordered to perform 150 hours of community service as punishment for various offenses. For their service, the two men work at a program designed to pair kids with adult role models. The film...
and parent figures
Father Figure
"Father Figure" is the U.S. number-one song written and performed by George Michael and released on Columbia Records in 1988 as the third single from the album Faith.-History:...
.
Fictional character profile
Jimmy is traditionally depicted as a bow tieBow tie
The bow tie is a type of men's necktie. It consists of a ribbon of fabric tied around the collar in a symmetrical manner such that the two opposite ends form loops. Ready-tied bow ties are available, in which the distinctive bow is sewn into shape and the band around the neck incorporates a clip....
-wearing, red-haired
Red hair
Red hair occurs on approximately 1–2% of the human population. It occurs more frequently in people of northern or western European ancestry, and less frequently in other populations...
young man who works as a cub reporter and photographer for The Daily Planet
Daily Planet
The Daily Planet is a fictional broadsheet newspaper in the , appearing mostly in the stories of Superman. The building's original features were based upon the AT&T Huron Road Building in Cleveland, Ohio...
, alongside Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
and Clark Kent
Clark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
, whom he idolizes as career role models. In most depictions of the character, he also has a strong friendship with Superman. As Superman's friend, Jimmy has special access to the Man of Steel, thanks to Superman's gift to Jimmy of a "signal watch
Watch
A watch is a small timepiece, typically worn either on the wrist or attached on a chain and carried in a pocket, with wristwatches being the most common type of watch used today. They evolved in the 17th century from spring powered clocks, which appeared in the 15th century. The first watches were...
," a wristwatch which, with the press of a button, emits a special ultrasonic
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is cyclic sound pressure with a frequency greater than the upper limit of human hearing. Ultrasound is thus not separated from "normal" sound based on differences in physical properties, only the fact that humans cannot hear it. Although this limit varies from person to person, it is...
frequency signal that Superman can hear anywhere on Earth. (In Post-Crisis continuity Jimmy invented the watch himself, and Superman briefly considered confiscating it. In New Earth
Multiverse (DC Comics)
The DC Multiverse is a fictional continuity construct that exists in stories published by comic book company DC Comics. The DC Multiverse consists of numerous worlds, most of them outside DC's main continuity, allowing writers the creative freedom to explore alternative versions of characters and...
continuity, the watch was designed by Superman based on a larger signaling device Jimmy created.)
In many Silver Age
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
comic books, Jimmy was often seen sharing adventures with Superman, who saved him from various predicaments ranging from dangerous to merely embarrassing. This was particularly pronounced in the series Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen
Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen (comic)
Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from October 1954 until March 1974, spanning a total of 163 issues...
(published from 1954 to 1974), which saw Olsen in a variety of slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
adventures and strange transformations. Like most DC characters, modern
Modern Age of Comic Books
The Modern Age of Comic Books is an informal name for the period in the history of mainstream American comic books generally considered to last from the mid-1980s until present day...
portrayals of Olsen have been more serious in tone.
An important part of the Superman mythos, Jimmy Olsen has appeared in most other media adaptations of the character.
Fictional character history
An unnamed "office boy" with a bow tie makes a brief appearance in Action ComicsAction Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
#6, which is claimed to be Jimmy Olsen's first appearance in several reference books. The character was first introduced as Jimmy Olsen in the radio show The Adventures of Superman
The Adventures of Superman (radio)
The Adventures of Superman was a long running radio serial that originally aired from 1940 to 1951, adapted from the DC Comics character. ....
(on April 15, 1940) mainly "so the Man of Steel would have someone to talk to." With Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster creating and drawing the physical appearance and giving him a bigger personality, the character moved from the radio show back into the comics in 1941, first appearing as a named character in Superman v1 #13 (1941). But after a handful of appearances, he disappeared again. In late 1953, while Jack Larson
Jack Larson
Jack Edward Larson is an American actor, librettist, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for his portrayal of photographer/cub reporter Jimmy Olsen on the TV series Adventures of Superman.-Biography:...
was playing the character on the Adventures of Superman
Adventures of Superman (TV series)
Adventures of Superman is an American television series based on comic book characters and concepts created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The show is the first television series to feature Superman and began filming in 1951 in California...
television show, the character was revived in the Superman comics after a 10-year absence and then given his own title.
In addition to Larson, he was portrayed by Tommy Bond
Tommy Bond
Thomas Ross "Tommy" Bond was an American actor. A native of Dallas, Texas, Bond was best known for his work as a child actor for two different nonconsecutive periods on Our Gang comedies, and also for being the first actor to portray the role of "Superman's pal" Jimmy Olsen on screen.-Early years...
in the two Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
film serials
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
, Superman (1948)
Superman (serial)
Superman is a 15-part black-and-white Columbia film serial based on the comic book character Superman. It stars an uncredited Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill as Lois Lane. It is notable as the first live-action appearance of Superman on film and for the longevity of its distribution...
and Atom Man vs. Superman
Atom Man vs. Superman
Atom Man vs. Superman , Columbia's 43rd serial, finds Lex Luthor , secretly the Atom Man, blackmailing the city of Metropolis by threatening to destroy the entire community...
(1950); Marc McClure
Marc McClure
Marc A. McClure is an American actor. McClure was born in San Mateo, California. He is not, despite a popular misconception, related to the late Doug McClure.-Superman film series:...
in the Superman films of the 1970s and '80s, as well as the 1984
1984 in film
-Events:* The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name.* Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film....
film Supergirl
Supergirl (film)
Supergirl is a 1984 superhero film directed by Jeannot Szwarc, and stars Helen Slater in her first motion picture role in the title role of the DC Comics superheroine Supergirl. Faye Dunaway played the primary villain, Selena. The film was a spin-off from the Salkinds' Superman film series which...
; Michael Landes
Michael Landes
Michael Christopher Landes is an American actor. He is known for his roles of Jimmy Olsen in the first season of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Detective Nicholas O'Malley in Special Unit 2, Officer Thomas Burke in Final Destination 2, and David Conlon in The Wedding Bells.-Lois...
in the first season of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Justin Whalin
Justin Whalin
Justin Garrett Whalin is an American actor best known for his role as Jimmy Olsen in the American television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.-Early life:...
in the subsequent three seasons; Sam Huntington
Sam Huntington
Sam Huntington is an American actor, best known for his role as Mimi-Siku in the 1990s film "Jungle 2 Jungle" and as Jimmy Olsen in "Superman Returns". He now stars in the TV series Being Human.- Personal life :...
in the 2006
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
film Superman Returns
Superman Returns
Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. It is the fifth and final installment in the original Superman film series and serves as a alternate sequel to Superman and Superman II by ignoring the events of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace .The film stars...
; and Aaron Ashmore
Aaron Ashmore
Aaron Robert Ashmore is a Canadian film and television actor, perhaps best known for his role as Jimmy Olsen in Smallville and as Steve Jinks in Warehouse 13. He is the twin brother of actor Shawn Ashmore.-Career:...
in the CW's Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
'.
Golden and Silver Age
This version of Jimmy Olsen even had his own fan club. In one adventure published in the 1960s, he implied that there were branches of it around the country
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and that he intended to lecture them about anti-crime techniques he had learned from Superman and Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
.
Jack Kirby's Fourth World
KirbyJack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
began by introducing a secret "D.N.A. Project
Project Cadmus
Project Cadmus is a fictional genetic engineering project in the DC Comics Universe. It was created by Jack Kirby as the DNA Project in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133 , and was run by the former Newsboy Legion...
" to create Mutated Humans for Good, also adding "The Hairies" (a group of technology-equipped hippies), superbeings from other planets (proto-New Gods), Intergang
Intergang
Intergang is a fictional organized crime group in Superman and other DC comics. Armed with technology supplied by the villainous New Gods of the planet Apokolips, it is a potent foe who can seriously challenge the most powerful superheroes...
, and Morgan Edge
Morgan Edge
Morgan Edge is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain, leader of the mob known as Intergang and one of Superman's enemies. He was created by Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #133 .-Pre-Crisis:...
... and reintroduced his 1940s Newsboy Legion characters. About halfway through his run, Kirby introduced vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
s, the Loch Ness Monster
Loch Ness Monster
The Loch Ness Monster is a cryptid that is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next....
, and Victor Volcanum, the fire-eating archcriminal. Readership quickly dropped back to its pre-Kirby levels.
Kirby's tenure on the series ended with issue #148; and with issue #164 (April-May 1974) Jimmy's book was folded into the anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
title Superman Family
Superman Family
Superman Family was a DC Comics comic book series which ran from 1974 to 1982 featuring stories starring supporting characters in the Superman comics...
. In that book, Olsen became a more serious character who battled criminals as an investigative reporter known as "Mr. Action" in urban crime stories that rarely involved Superman.
The Man of Steel Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, the entire Superman mythos was rebooted from scratch in the limited series The Man of Steel. Despite recent modernization efforts on Superman and his supporting characters, Jimmy Olsen has not been significantly changed in the Modern Age. He is still a cub reporter working for The Daily Planet, and is still friends with Superman. His look was made over as he stopped wearing bowties, and started wearing casual clothing (though this trend started in 1970s comics). An interesting alteration to the relationship was that Jimmy designed the signal watch himself, leading to his first meeting with Superman. Superman briefly considered confiscating the watch, but decided he trusted Jimmy to use it responsibly.
While Jimmy's transformations no longer occur as regularly as they did in the Silver Age, Jimmy did become Elastic Lad on contact with the Eradicator
Eradicator (comics)
The Eradicator is a fictional comic book superhero character having a recurring role in Superman stories published by DC Comics. Originally created as a weapon by an ancient alien race, he is over 200,000 years old and is considered an artifact of Krypton...
. He has also taken the identity of "Turtle Boy" in a series of pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
commercials, made when he was temporarily laid off from the Planet.
In the 1990s, Jimmy moved to Metropolis broadcaster Galaxy Broadcasting, where he became more brash and arrogant. This came to an end when he thought (wrongly) he had discovered Superman's secret identity
Secret identity
A secret identity is an element of fiction wherein a character develops a separate persona , while keeping their true identity hidden. The character also may wear a disguise...
and said he would announce it live on air. He reconsidered his actions, but lost his job for wasting the timeslot. He was again rehired by the Planet.
Jimmy later came under the angry hand of the Alpha Centurion
Alpha Centurion
Alpha Centurion is the name of two fictional superheroes published by DC Comics. Created by Karl Kesel, the character first appeared in Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #3...
, an alternate universe dictator with a deep-seated hatred for Superman and an eye toward Lois Lane. It was Jimmy who first uncovered his secret plot to control the world's finances through his company Aelius Industries, Inc.
Superman: Metropolis June 2003 saw Jimmy Olsen as the focus of a twelve-part miniseries entitled Superman: Metropolis. Written by Chuck Austen
Chuck Austen
Chuck Austen is an American comic book writer/artist, TV writer and animator. In the comics industry, he is known for his work on War Machine, Elektra, Action Comics, and the X-Men franchise, and in television, he is known for co-creating the aniamted TV series Tripping the Rift.-Early life:Austen...
and illustrated by Danijel Zezelj, the series focused on the futuristic technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
unleashed in Metropolis by Brainiac
Brainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
in a previous storyline, and how it affected the everyday lives of Metropolis citizens.
Recently, Jimmy had taken a position as a regular star reporter for The Daily Planet, replacing the recently demoted Clark Kent. This caused a strain in the relationship between Clark and Jimmy. It appears, however, that following the One Year Later
One Year Later
"One Year Later" was a 2006 storyline event running through the DC Universe. As the title suggests, it involves a narrative jump exactly one year into the future of the DC Comics Universe following the events of the Infinite Crisis event, to explore major changes within the continuities of the many...
storyline jump, Clark has regained his original role as The Daily Planets star reporter, and Jimmy has returned to being a photographer, winning the Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for his photographic efforts.
Countdown
Countdown to Final Crisis
Countdown, known as Countdown to Final Crisis for its last 24 issues based on the cover, was a comic book limited series published by DC Comics. It debuted on May 9, 2007, directly following the conclusion of the last issue of 52...
begins with an investigation into the death of Duela Dent
Duela Dent
Duela Dent is a fictional character in the DC Universe. She is a former member of both the Teen Titans and Titans East. Introduced under the alias of Joker's Daughter, she has also used the aliases "Catgirl", "Scarecrone", "Riddler's Daughter", "Penguin's Daughter", "Card Queen", and...
. Tying into the Death of the New Gods
Death of the New Gods
Death of the New Gods was an eight-issue comic book limited series published in 2007 and 2008 by DC Comics. It was written and pencilled by Jim Starlin.The series follows the final days of the New Gods as they are stalked by a mysterious killer....
storyline, Jimmy starts to develop a plethora of new superpowers, which he first discovers when he is attacked by Killer Croc
Killer Croc
Killer Croc is a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe, an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan, while there was a shadowy cameo in Detective Comics #523 , his actual first appearance is credited to Batman #357 , which is also the first appearance of Jason...
while gathering information on Duela's death. As the story progresses he tries to uncover the origin of these powers and starts to discover their potential limitlessness in stories which mimic the Silver Age Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen adventures. Briefly operating as the superhero "Mr. Action", Jimmy is unable to command the respect of established superheroes in the JLA
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
and Teen Titans, and gives up on this particular avenue. One of these powers allows Jimmy to realize the identities of some superheroes, such as the Robins and Superman, who requests that he take care of Krypto
Krypto
Krypto, also known as Krypto the Superdog, is a fictional character. He is Superman's pet dog in the various Superman comic books published by DC Comics. Krypto's first appearance was in a Superboy story in Adventure Comics #210 in March 1955...
.
Jimmy is eventually tracked down by the New God Forager
Forager (comics)
Forager is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in New Gods #9 , and was created by Jack Kirby.-Original Forager:...
, with whom he begins a romantic relationship. Forager informs him that he has become a soulcatcher for the spirits of dying New Gods. The Monitor
Monitors (comics)
The Monitors are a group of fictional comic book characters, who appear in books published by DC Comics.They are based on The Monitor, a character created by comic book writer Marv Wolfman and comic artist George Pérez as one of the main characters of DC Comics' Crisis on Infinite Earths limited...
known as Solomon later tells him that his new powers are the consequence of Darkseid using Jimmy as a host for powers he wishes to use to recreate the universe in his image, knowing that "Superman's pal" is one of the world's most well-protected citizens. Later, as the events of Countdown begin to come to their close, Jimmy becomes a more confidently powerful character and is reunited with the series' other cast members on a mission to stop Karate Kid
Karate Kid (comics)
Karate Kid is a fictional character, a superhero in the future of the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He is a master of every form of martial arts to have been developed by the 31st century...
's disease from becoming a pandemic of apocalyptic proportions. Unfortunately, they fail, and the Morticoccus virus devastates an alternate Earth.
Upon return to their Earth, Jimmy is captured by Mary Marvel
Mary Marvel
Mary Marvel is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine, originally published by Fawcett Comics and now owned by DC Comics. Created by Otto Binder and Marc Swayze, she first appeared in Captain Marvel Adventures #18 in...
, who had been manipulated towards evil by Darkseid. When Superman comes to save Jimmy, Darkside takes control of the powers within him, causing Jimmy to radiate Kryptonite radiation, until Ray Palmer manages to rewire Darkside's control from inside of Jimmy. Jimmy then transforms into a giant turtle-like creature, and prepares to take on Darkside himself. Darkside overcomes Jimmy, and prepares to kill him. Ray Palmer then comes out of Jimmy with the New God soul battery, and destroys it, returning Jimmy to normal.
Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen Special
During Superman's fight with AtlasAtlas (DC Comics)
Atlas is the name of several fictional characters, comic book superheroes and deities published by DC Comics. Jack Kirby's Atlas debuted in 1st Issue Special #1, , and was created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
, Jimmy witnesses a mysterious figure
Codename: Assassin
Codename: Assassin is a fictional supervillain, a comic book character published by DC Comics. He debuted in 1st Issue Special #11, , and was created by Gerry Conway, Steve Skeates and Nestor Redondo ....
hovering over the fight. After some encouraging words from Clark Kent, he decides to take two weeks off to investigate.
He tracks down a figure connected with the past of Jonathan Drew
Codename: Assassin
Codename: Assassin is a fictional supervillain, a comic book character published by DC Comics. He debuted in 1st Issue Special #11, , and was created by Gerry Conway, Steve Skeates and Nestor Redondo ....
and is told the story of how Jonathan became Codename: Assassin. His informant is quickly executed by Codename: Assassin who then tries to kill Jimmy. Jimmy is able to avoid being killed and is apparently shielded from Codename: Assassin's telepathy due to his own many physical transformations over the years.
Jimmy goes to Project Cadmus
Project Cadmus
Project Cadmus is a fictional genetic engineering project in the DC Comics Universe. It was created by Jack Kirby as the DNA Project in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133 , and was run by the former Newsboy Legion...
and speaks to Dubbilex
Dubbilex
Dubbilex is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. He debuted in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #136, , and was created by Jack Kirby. His name is a play on the XX chromosome. -Pre-Crisis:...
, who tells him the story about the death of the original Guardian
Guardian (DC Comics)
Guardian is a comic book fictional character, a DC Comics superhero, created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. He first appeared in Star Spangled Comics #7...
at the hands of Codename: Assassin and how cloning is such an imperfect science that the only viable clone alive went into hiding in the desert. Dubbilex then dies from injuries sustained in an earlier conflict with Codename: Assassin. Jimmy heads south to the town of Warpath, AZ, managing to avoid conflict with Codename: Assassin on the way.
Upon arriving in Warpath, Jimmy interviews the sheriff, Greg Saunders
Vigilante (comics)
Vigilante is the name used by several fictional characters appearing in DC Comics. The original character was one of the first DC Comics characters adapted for live-action film, beating Superman by one year.-Greg Saunders:...
, who evades his questions. Jimmy follows him after dark and sees Saunders working with the last Guardian clone
Guardian (DC Comics)
Guardian is a comic book fictional character, a DC Comics superhero, created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. He first appeared in Star Spangled Comics #7...
. He then confronts the clone at his home and the two speak.
With his two weeks up, Jimmy returns to Metropolis horrified from learning that a faction within the US military is actively plotting to kill Superman.
Willing to do anything to uncover the conspiracy behind Project 7734, Jimmy uses an anonymous chat
Online chat
Online chat may refer to any kind of communication over the Internet, that offers an instantaneous transmission of text-based messages from sender to receiver, hence the delay for visual access to the sent message shall not hamper the flow of communications in any of the directions...
server and gets in contact with Erik/Amazing Woman from Infinity Inc.
Infinity Inc.
Infinity, Inc. is a team of superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The team is mostly composed of the children and heirs of the Justice Society of America, making them the Society's analogue to the Teen Titans, which is composed of sidekicks of Justice League members...
, who claims to have informations useful to help Jimmy. Despite being actively pursued by Codename: Assassin, who goes so far to place bugs in his house, Jimmy goes to the appointment, only to find Erik's house burned to the ground.
Jimmy pulls Erik out, who with his dying breath, shifts to his more reliable and powerful Erika form. Erik gives him Natasha Irons
Natasha Irons
Natasha Irons is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe and the niece of John Henry Irons . Natasha first appears in Steel #1 . She becomes the fourth superhero to use the name Steel when her uncle is injured. In the 2006 limited series 52, Natasha gains superpowers and uses the...
' number. Natasha contacts then Jimmy, telling him about the plans of General Sam Lane, his outworldly fortress and his capture, and use of a Planet Breaker weapon of Captain Atom
Captain Atom
Captain Atom is a fictional comic book superhero that has existed in three basic incarnations. Created by writer Joe Gill and artist/co-writer Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Space Adventures #33 . Captain Atom was created for Charlton Comics but was later acquired by DC Comics and revised for...
, now codenamed Project Breach (due to his similarity to Tim Zanetti
Breach (comics)
Breach is a fictional character, a superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Breach #1, and was created by Bob Harras and Marcos Martin.-Publication history:...
's fate).
Finally ready to uncover the truth, Jimmy is openly confronted by Codename: Assassin, who until that point had merely followed him closely. Jimmy uses his signal watch to call Mon-El
Lar Gand
Lar Gand, known primarily as Mon-El , is a fictional character in DC Comics' universe who is associated with the Legion of Super-Heroes, Superboy, and Superman...
. Jimmy is shot twice in the chest by Codename: Assassin, and sinks into the ocean.
Despite surviving his assassination attempt, Jimmy decides to fake his death, having his documents planted on a heavily disfigured corpse. With no one knowing about his survival, Jimmy moves into the old Pemberton Camera Factory, sharing the results of his now unhindered investigations with Perry and Mon-El.
Action Comics backup and Jimmy Olsen
DC Comics has reported in solicits that Nick SpencerNick Spencer
Nick Spencer is a comic book writer known for his creator-owned titles at Image Comics , his work at DC Comics Nick Spencer is a comic book writer known for his creator-owned titles at Image Comics (Existence 2.0/3.0, Forgetless, Shuddertown, Morning Glories), his work at DC Comics Nick Spencer is...
and R.B. Silva will be producing a monthly 10-page backup feature in Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
chronicling the adventures of Jimmy Olsen in Metropolis. Reported story topics include an alien civilization choosing Metropolis as the base of a major cultural celebration, and the introduction of Chloe Sullivan
Chloe Sullivan
Chloe Sullivan is a fictional character from the television series Smallville. Series regular Allison Mack has portrayed the character since the pilot episode; two other actresses performed the role of Chloe Sullivan as a child. The character was created exclusively for Smallville, by series...
(from the Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
television series) to the DCU proper. In the latest arc, he goes on a charity date with a girl named Maggie, only to discover that she somehow has ties to Mr. Mxyzptlk
Mister Mxyzptlk
Mr. Mxyzptlk , sometimes called Mxy, is a fictional impish supervillain who appears in DC Comics' Superman comic books.He was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and first appeared in Superman #30 . He is usually presented as a trickster, in the classical mythological sense, in that he enjoys...
, and that she wants to marry him.
The last three chapters of the story are told in the self-titled one-shot, Jimmy Olsen.
Powers, abilities, and equipment
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
now, anyway, but still wore it for show.
Mostly during the Silver Age
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
, Jimmy would find himself temporarily transformed, for better or worse, or undergo a disguise for various purposes. The variety of transformations Jimmy received during the Silver Age is often homaged or parodied in later comics and adaptations featuring the character — for instance, in JLA: The Nail
JLA: The Nail
JLA: The Nail is a three-issue comic book mini-series published in the United States by DC Comics. It is a self-contained story by Alan Davis which stands outside of the mainstream continuity of the DC Universe....
, Jimmy cites three of these transformations as his motivations behind backing Luthor's bill to outlaw metahumans and in Countdown, Jimmy is used as a spirit container for the deceased New Gods, causing him to exhibit strange powers, albeit uncontrollably, with other stories simply make passing references.
- Giant Turtle Boy: One of Jimmy's most frequently cited transformations was that of his turning into a giant turtle boy.
- Elastic Lad - As Elastic Lad, Jimmy (by serum or by alien virus) could sometimes stretch himself, akin to Elongated ManElongated ManThe Elongated Man is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC universe. He is a reserve member of the Justice League. His first appearance was in The Flash vol. 1, #112...
or Plastic ManPlastic ManPlastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 ....
. As Elastic Lad, Jimmy was inducted as an Honorary Member of the Legion of Super-HeroesLegion of Super-Heroes (1958 team)The 1958 version of the Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 31st century of the . The team is the first incarnation of the Legion of Super-Heroes, followed by the 1994 and 2004 rebooted versions...
. - FlamebirdFlamebirdFlamebird is the name used by six different fictional comic book characters who have appeared in books published by DC Comics, specifically from the Superman and Batman mythos....
- This is the name he took as a costumed superhero, with Superman disguised as NightwingNightwingNightwing is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe. It was conceived as a Kryptonian analogue to the character of Batman, with Nightwing's frequent partner Flamebird based on Robin...
, in the shrunken Kryptonian city of KandorKandorKandor is the name of the former capital city of the fictional planet Krypton in the DC Universe. It is best known for being stolen and miniaturized by the supervillain Brainiac...
. These names were inspired by two native Kryptonian birds, the nightwing and the flamebird, but the relationship between Nightwing and Flamebird intentionally paralleled the crime-fighting team BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
(a night-winged creature) and RobinRobin (comics)Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
(a flame-colored bird). - Speed Demon - In 1956, a month before the debut of Barry Allen as the new FlashFlash (comics)The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
, Jimmy drank a potion produced by a Professor Claude and briefly gained super-speed. - Radioactive - After being exposed to a radioactive substance, Jimmy began to irradiate everything in his presence.
- Gorilla - When Jimmy switched minds with a gorilla, he went about his reporting duties as a gorilla in Jimmy's clothes.
- Morbidly Obese-Jimmy tried to get fat in order to stop a jewel smuggling and to impress a Circus Fat Lady.
- Monstrous beard growth - The machinations of the sinister Beard Band cause Jimmy to grow an immense beardBeardA beard is the collection of hair that grows on the chin, cheeks and neck of human beings. Usually, only pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards. However, women with hirsutism may develop a beard...
. - Alien-form - Aliens transformed Jimmy into a telepathic Jovian for a week. Fortunately, this turned out to be a Jovian week ... which is much shorter than an Earth week (about 70 hours = slightly less than three days.)
- Wolf-Man - In the vein of the popular Michael LandonMichael LandonMichael Landon was an American actor, writer, director, and producer. He is widely known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza , Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie , and Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven...
1950s film I Was a Teenage WerewolfI Was a Teenage WerewolfI Was a Teenage Werewolf is a 1957 horror film starring Michael Landon as a troubled teenager and Whit Bissell as the primary adult. It was co-written and produced by cult film producer Herman Cohen, and was one of the most successful films released by American International Pictures...
, Jimmy found himself transformed into a werewolfWerewolfA werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
. - Hippie - Jimmy grew a beard and joined a Superman-hating band of hippieHippieThe hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
s. On the cover of this story's issue, Jimmy's seen wielding a sign that says "Superman is a freak-out!" - Viking - Jimmy put on Viking armor and mistakenly thought he'd been transported 1000 years backward in time.
- Woman - Jimmy would occasionally go undercover dressed as a woman. Grant Morrison paid a brief homage to this in the JLA: Earth 2JLA: Earth 2JLA: Earth 2 is a 2000 DC Comics graphic novel written by Grant Morrison with art by Frank Quitely.It follows the first post-Crisis encounter between the Justice League of America and their evil counterparts from an antimatter universe, the Crime Syndicate of Amerika.At the time of its release, the...
graphic novel and in All-Star Superman. - A human porcupinePorcupinePorcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...
JLA: The Nail
JLA: The Nail
JLA: The Nail is a three-issue comic book mini-series published in the United States by DC Comics. It is a self-contained story by Alan Davis which stands outside of the mainstream continuity of the DC Universe....
, an alternate reality
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
in which a nail punctured a tire on the Kent's car, preventing them from finding the spaceship containing a baby Superman, Jimmy Olsen is revealed as the one behind all the other superheroes' troubles. Jimmy had served as an aide to Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
- who has become the mayor of Metropolis thanks to his efforts to provide Metropolis with a technologically-advanced police force to battle the threats that Superman wasn't there to defend the city against- following various short-lived attempts at heroism caused by temporary alteration of his DNA. Having discovered Superman's spaceship and using DNA samples to create numerous Bizarro
Bizarro
Bizarro is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp as a "mirror image" of Superman and first appeared in Superboy #68...
clones, Luthor grafted Kryptonian DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
onto Jimmy—the only such 'graft' that appeared successful, as other subjects either died instantly or mutated before death. This caused Jimmy to go insane, and possess superpowers similar to Superman's, as well as mentally transforming him into a Kryptonian determined to replace human life with Kryptonian life. Jimmy played up the public's fear of superheroes via propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
, hoping to have them imprisoned so he could use their DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
as well in an attempt to create a stable template to create other new Kryptonians. When Jimmy attacked an Amish
Amish
The Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
couple and their son during a battle with the Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
- which culminated in a desperate attempt by Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
and Green Lantern
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...
to stop him by supercharging Batman with his ring after Jimmy defeated the rest of the team-, the couple was killed, but the son was revealed to be Superman. In this alternate reality, the Amish couple had raised Superman, and brought him up as a pacifist
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
who was encouraged to ignore worldly affairs so that he could walk in righteousness, so he had never used his powers in conflict. Jimmy asked Superman to join him, claiming that they were virtually brothers as they shared the same DNA, but when Superman refused, the two battled. During the battle, Jimmy's body finally started to reject the Kryptonian DNA, causing him to disintegrate. His last, almost prophetic words were directed at Superman, "We should have been friends".The Justice League then asked Superman to join them.
The Dark Knight Returns
In Frank MillerFrank Miller (comics)
Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300...
's 1986 graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
The Dark Knight Returns, an older Jimmy Olsen (James, as he is now called) is featured as the writer of a Daily Planet article titled "Truth to Power", recalling the age of heroes. In the 2001 sequel Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again is a Batman mini-series by Frank Miller with Lynn Varley. It is a sequel to Miller's 1986 miniseries, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.-Overview:...
he appears on various TV shows, where he attempts to reveal that the current President is a holographic projection. However, his attempts to publicize the truth are halted by Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
as Metropolis is destroyed (killing hundreds, including Jimmy, Lois
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
, and Perry
Perry White
Perry White is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comics. White is the Editor-in-Chief of the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet.White maintains very high ethical and journalistic standards...
) by BrainIAC
Brainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
.
Superman: Red Son
In Superman: Red SonSuperman: Red Son
Superman: Red Son is a three-issue prestige format comic book mini-series published by DC Comics that was released under their Elseworlds imprint in April 2003...
, written by Mark Millar
Mark Millar
Mark Millar is a Scottish comic book writer, known for his work on books such as The Authority, The Ultimates, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Civil War, Wanted, and Kick-Ass, the latter two of which have been adapted into feature films...
, Jimmy is depicted as an agent of the CIA, eventually becoming the director, and soon joins Dr. Lex Luthor in his Presidential bid and becomes Vice-President. His look and model in the series is based on James Jesus Angleton
James Jesus Angleton
James Jesus Angleton was chief of the Central Intelligence Agency's counterintelligence staff from 1954 to 1975...
, who served in the CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
.
Superman: Kal
In Superman: Kal, the Jamie Olsen of the Middle Ages is an early alchemist, working with blacksmith's apprentice Kal to forge a suit of armour for Baron Luthor using metal acquired from a 'silver egg' that fell from the sky years ago. After Kal is killed in his final effort to slay Luthor, the story concludes with an epilogue where Jamie Olsen tells his apprentice, Merlin, of his friendship with Kal, noting that Kal's last action was to hide away his indestructible sword until it would be needed.All-Star Superman
In Grant MorrisonGrant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
and Frank Quitely
Frank Quitely
Vincent Deighan, better known by the pen name Frank Quitely, is a Scottish comic book artist. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with Grant Morrison on titles such as New X-Men, We3, All-Star Superman, and Batman and Robin, as well as his work with Mark Millar on The...
's All-Star Superman series, Jimmy shows up briefly in the Daily Planet offices in argyle socks; this Jimmy seems to be a refined version of the Silver Age vintage, with a signal watch halfway between a McDonald's happy meal
Happy Meal
A "Happy Meal" is a meal specifically marketed at children, sold at the fast-food chain McDonald's since June 1979. A toy is typically included with the food, both of which are usually contained in a small box or paper bag with the McDonald's logo....
toy and haute couture
Haute couture
Haute couture refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable seamstresses,...
. He's also shown with something that may be a jetpack. Issue #4 of the series focuses on Jimmy and his adventures as the one-day director of the DNA P.R.O.J.E.C.T., a leftover from the Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
-era Jimmy Olsen series. This is apparently the latest in a series of highly successful articles by Jimmy, in which he spends a day in various roles. This version of Jimmy also became that reality's version of Doomsday
Doomsday (comics)
Doomsday is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Superman: The Man of Steel #18 , and was created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens. IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Doomsday as #46...
.
All-Star Batman and Robin
Jimmy Olsen makes an appearance in Frank Miller's All Star Batman and RobinAll Star Batman and Robin
All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder is an American comic book series written by Frank Miller and penciled by Jim Lee. It was published by DC Comics, with a sporadic schedule, between 2005 and 2008...
#6, helping Vicki Vale
Vicki Vale
Victoria Vale is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Batman #49 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger.-1940s-1960s:...
, who he appears to be attracted to, escape from hospital and giving her files on Batman and the Flying Graysons
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
. This incarnation is described as a cub reporter for the Gotham Gazette as opposed to his regular position at the Daily Planet and as 'Superman's Pal'. However he is still young, so he may yet work for the Planet.
Flashpoint
In the alternate timeline of the FlashpointFlashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
event, Jimmy Olsen is an agent of Cyborg
Cyborg (comics)
Cyborg is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26...
to spy the Amazons. He was with Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
reporting on a fashion show in Mountmatre when the Atlanteans
Atlantis (DC Comics)
Atlantis is a fictional location in the DC Comics Universe. The very first DC Universe version of Atlantis debuted in Action Comics #18 , and was created by...
flooded Europe. Jimmy was one of the thousands to perish in Western Europe when he tried to save an old man, though Lois survived by getting into a church steeple. Jimmy's place at the Resistance was then taken by Lois, after she got his camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
, revealed to be a communications device that can transform into different forms for concealment.
Parody/Homage
- In Alan MooreAlan MooreAlan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
and Gene HaGene HaGene Ha is an American comics artist and writer best known for his work on books such as Top 10 and Top 10: The Forty-Niners, with Alan Moore and Zander Cannon, for America's Best Comics, the Batman graphic novel Fortunate Son, with Gerard Jones, and The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix, among...
's Top 10Top 10 (comic book)Top 10 is a superhero comic book limited series published by the America's Best Comics imprint of Wildstorm, itself an imprint of DC Comics...
, a photograph of a version of two of Jimmy's superpowered selves, merged, is shown to Andy Soames; having contracted a disease which warps powers, this version appears to be Turtle Boy, driven insane by the acquisition of Elastic Lad's powers. - In Lord HavokLord HavokLord Havok is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain, part of the supervillain team called the Extremists. He is based on the Marvel Comics supervillain Doctor Doom, and, like him, is a genius equipped with powered armor...
and the ExtremistsExtremists (comics)The Extremists are a team of supervillains in DC Comics Justice League titles, they were introduced in Justice League Europe issue #15.-History:...
#3, a variation of Jimmy called RobinRobin (comics)Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
Olsen, is shown as a member of Monarch'sMonarch (comics)Monarch is the name of three fictional DC Comics supervillains. The first Monarch is Hank Hall, formerly Hawk, who later renames himself Extant for the Zero Hour crossover. The second Monarch is Nathaniel Adam, a U.S. Army Captain. The third Monarch is Captain Atom, a former superhero...
army. - In Alan MooreAlan MooreAlan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
's SupremeSupreme (comics)Supreme is a fictional superhero created by Rob Liefeld and first published by Image Comics, then Maximum Press, and later by Awesome Entertainment...
, Billy Friday is a young, red-haired associate of Ethan Crane/Supreme; Friday eventually becomes/merges with Master Meteor, a time-travelling villain powered by the reality-bending substance Supremium, and becomes the insane Supremium Man.
Radio
On the Superman radio series, Jack KelkJackie Kelk
Jackie Kelk is an American radio actor and stand-up comedian, born in Brooklyn, NY. He played Jimmy Olsen in the first seven years of the radio show The Adventures of Superman and Homer, best friend of Henry Aldrich on the teenage radio comedy of the same name. He starred as Young Mr...
and Jack Grimes
Jack Grimes (actor)
Jack Grimes was an American voice and radio actor who played Jimmy Olsen in the last three years of The Adventures of Superman radio program, the 1966 Filmation TV series The New Adventures of Superman, and the 1967 anime, Speed Racer.-Biography:Grimes was born in New York City...
portrayed Jimmy Olsen.
Film
Jimmy Olsen appeared in the animated Superman short filmSuperman (1940s cartoons)
The Fleischer & Famous Superman cartoons are a series of seventeen animated Technicolor short films released by Paramount Pictures and based upon the comic book character Superman....
called Showdown
Showdown (animated short)
Showdown is the eleventh of seventeen animated Technicolor short films based upon the DC Comics character Superman.Produced by Famous Studios, the plot focuses on a criminal who impersonates Superman to commit crimes for a gangster...
, where he is portrayed by voice actor Jack Mercer
Jack Mercer
Jack Mercer was an American animator, storyman and voice actor. He is best known as the voice of cartoon character Popeye the Sailor...
.
The first actor to portray Jimmy Olsen in a live-action format was Tommy Bond
Tommy Bond
Thomas Ross "Tommy" Bond was an American actor. A native of Dallas, Texas, Bond was best known for his work as a child actor for two different nonconsecutive periods on Our Gang comedies, and also for being the first actor to portray the role of "Superman's pal" Jimmy Olsen on screen.-Early years...
, who co-starred with Kirk Alyn
Kirk Alyn
-External links:...
(Superman/Clark Kent) and Noel Neill
Noel Neill
Noel Neill is an American actress in motion pictures and television. She is best known as her portrayal of Lois Lane in the film serials Superman and Atom Man vs...
(Lois Lane) in the film serials Superman
Superman (serial)
Superman is a 15-part black-and-white Columbia film serial based on the comic book character Superman. It stars an uncredited Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill as Lois Lane. It is notable as the first live-action appearance of Superman on film and for the longevity of its distribution...
(1948) and Atom Man vs. Superman
Atom Man vs. Superman
Atom Man vs. Superman , Columbia's 43rd serial, finds Lex Luthor , secretly the Atom Man, blackmailing the city of Metropolis by threatening to destroy the entire community...
(1950).
In the four motion pictures starring Christopher Reeve
Christopher Reeve
Christopher D'Olier Reeve was an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author and activist...
(beginning with Superman: The Movie), Jimmy Olsen was portrayed by Marc McClure
Marc McClure
Marc A. McClure is an American actor. McClure was born in San Mateo, California. He is not, despite a popular misconception, related to the late Doug McClure.-Superman film series:...
. McClure reprised his role as Jimmy Olsen in the 1984
1984 in film
-Events:* The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name.* Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film....
spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
movie Supergirl
Supergirl (film)
Supergirl is a 1984 superhero film directed by Jeannot Szwarc, and stars Helen Slater in her first motion picture role in the title role of the DC Comics superheroine Supergirl. Faye Dunaway played the primary villain, Selena. The film was a spin-off from the Salkinds' Superman film series which...
, making McClure the only actor and Olsen the only character to appear in all five Superman films of the 1978-87 era.
In Bryan Singer
Bryan Singer
Bryan Singer is an American film director and film producer. Singer won critical acclaim for his work on The Usual Suspects, and is especially well-known among fans of the science fiction and superhero genres for his work on the X-Men films and Superman Returns.-Early life:Singer was born in New...
's 2006
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
movie Superman Returns
Superman Returns
Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. It is the fifth and final installment in the original Superman film series and serves as a alternate sequel to Superman and Superman II by ignoring the events of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace .The film stars...
, Jimmy Olsen is portrayed by Sam Huntington
Sam Huntington
Sam Huntington is an American actor, best known for his role as Mimi-Siku in the 1990s film "Jungle 2 Jungle" and as Jimmy Olsen in "Superman Returns". He now stars in the TV series Being Human.- Personal life :...
, an older and more confident, yet goofier portrayal of the character who finds it difficult to get a good shot or get any photos published. In a deleted scene (included in the DVD release) a slightly inebriated Olsen is seen to complain to Clark about the fact he hasn't had a photo printed in several months. In the film, Jack Larson
Jack Larson
Jack Edward Larson is an American actor, librettist, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for his portrayal of photographer/cub reporter Jimmy Olsen on the TV series Adventures of Superman.-Biography:...
(who portrayed Jimmy in the Adventures of Superman
Adventures of Superman (TV series)
Adventures of Superman is an American television series based on comic book characters and concepts created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The show is the first television series to feature Superman and began filming in 1951 in California...
television series) plays Bo, a bartender who talks to Clark and Jimmy.
Jimmy appeared in Superman: Doomsday
Superman: Doomsday
Superman: Doomsday & Beyond is a licensed novel, published in 1993, set in the DC Comics universe, written by Louise Simonson, and with illustrations from Dan Jurgens and José Luis García-López. It is a young-adult version of The Death of Superman comics storyline from 1992...
, played by voice actor Adam Wylie
Adam Wylie
Adam Augustus Wylie is an American television and motion picture actor, as well as a Broadway musical performer and a former Crayola spokesman.-Early life:...
.
Jimmy appeared in Justice League: The New Frontier. He has no dialogue, therefore no voice actor. He is always shown with Lois, and is almost killed during the final battle. He also tries to take dangerous pictures during the battle.
Jimmy is played again by David Kaufman
David Kaufman (actor)
David Kaufman is an American voice-over artist and character actor, best known for his roles as the voice of Danny Fenton on Danny Phantom, the voice of Maggie's brother Aldrin on The Buzz on Maggie, and the voice of Marty McFly, Michael J...
in the movie Superman: Brainiac Attacks
Superman: Brainiac Attacks
Superman: Brainiac Attacks is a 2006 direct-to-video animated film with production designs based on Superman: The Animated Series from Warner Bros. Animation, released on June 20, 2006. It also aired on Toon Disney on June 16, 2008, being the first Superman film to air on Toon Disney. The film...
.
Jimmy appeared in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is a 2010 original direct-to-video animated film released on February 23, 2010. It is based on the abandoned direct-to-video feature, Justice League: Worlds Collide, which was intended as a bridge between the then-concluding Justice League animated television...
. He is in the antimatter Earth as Ultraman's
Ultraman (comics)
Ultraman is the name of several fictional characters, who are supervillains appearing in stories published by DC Comics. The characters are all evil alternate-universe counterparts of Superman. Ultraman first appeared in Justice League of America #29 .-Publication history:Ultraman first appeared as...
"Pal" and was used to bait him out. He also tries to take on Luthor and Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
with super powers in battle. This Jimmy Olsen has the powers of flight, superhuman strength and durability, but despite them, he was easily overpowered by Superman. He was arrested and taken to jail along with Ultraman. In promotional materials for the film, this version of Jimmy is referred to as "Mr. Action". He was played by voice-actor Richard Green
Richard Green (actor)
Richard Green is an American actor/director/musician with an international career in voice over and film. He had a prominent role as the Magician, in David Lynch's Mulholland Drive and produced I Don't Know Jack, about the life and mysterious death of Eraserhead star Jack Nance...
.
Jimmy appears in the movie All-Star Superman
All-Star Superman (film)
All-Star Superman is a direct-to-video animated film based on the acclaimed comic book series All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. The film is the tenth in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line released by Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Animation and the first in the...
voiced by Matthew Gray Gubler
Matthew Gray Gubler
Matthew Gray Gubler is an American actor, film director, sketch artist, and former fashion model. He is best known for his role as the young genius Dr. Spencer Reid in the CBS television show Criminal Minds, of which he has also directed two episodes...
.
Jimmy will appear in Justice League: Doom, with David Kaufman reprising his role from the Superman animated series.
Video games
In Superman 64Superman 64
Superman: The New Adventures, often referred to as Superman 64: The New Adventures or Superman 64, or simply just Superman, is an adventure video game that was first shown at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in 1997 , released by Titus Software on May 31, 1999 on the Nintendo 64...
he is trapped, along with Lois Lane and Professor Emil Hamilton, by Lex Luthor. Superman has to save him and his friends in this game.
In Superman: Shadow of Apokolips
Superman: Shadow of Apokolips
Superman: Shadow of Apokolips is a video game that was released in 2002 by Atari for the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube consoles. It was developed by Infogrames and published by Atari in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics...
for the Nintendo Gamecube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
and the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, Jimmy (voiced by David Kaufman) makes some minor appearances and only seen in the story between game-play. He is also seen in the bibliography section of the game.
In DC Universe Online
DC Universe Online
DC Universe Online or DCUO is an MMORPG by Sony Online Entertainment – Austin. Jim Lee serves as the game's Executive Creative Director, along with Carlos D'Anda, JJ Kirby, Oliver Nome, Eddie Nuñez, Livio Ramondelli, and Michael Lopez...
Jimmy appears as a supporting character for the heroes, voiced by Brandon Young.
Live-action
On the Adventures of SupermanAdventures of Superman (TV series)
Adventures of Superman is an American television series based on comic book characters and concepts created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The show is the first television series to feature Superman and began filming in 1951 in California...
television series (starring George Reeves
George Reeves
George Reeves was an American actor best known for his role as Superman in the 1950s television program Adventures of Superman....
), Jimmy Olsen was portrayed by Jack Larson
Jack Larson
Jack Edward Larson is an American actor, librettist, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for his portrayal of photographer/cub reporter Jimmy Olsen on the TV series Adventures of Superman.-Biography:...
, who appeared as the cub reporter from 1952 to 1958. Largely because of the popularity of Larson and his portrayal of the character, National Comics Publications (DC Comics) decided in 1954 to create Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, a regular title featuring Jimmy as the leading character. Decades later in 1996, Larson portrayed an unnaturally aged Jimmy Olsen in an episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was a live-action American television series based on the Superman comic books...
.
On the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was a live-action American television series based on the Superman comic books...
, Jimmy Olsen was portrayed by Michael Landes
Michael Landes
Michael Christopher Landes is an American actor. He is known for his roles of Jimmy Olsen in the first season of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Detective Nicholas O'Malley in Special Unit 2, Officer Thomas Burke in Final Destination 2, and David Conlon in The Wedding Bells.-Lois...
in the first season and Justin Whalin
Justin Whalin
Justin Garrett Whalin is an American actor best known for his role as Jimmy Olsen in the American television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.-Early life:...
for the rest of the series' run. The reason cited behind the change is that Landes looked too much like Dean Cain
Dean Cain
Dean Cain is an American actor. He is most widely known for his role as Clark Kent/Superman in the popular American television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.-Early life:...
as well as to emphasize Jimmy's youth. Landes played Olsen as a cocksure, sarcastic Generation-X
Generation X
Generation X, commonly abbreviated to Gen X, is the generation born after the Western post–World War II baby boom ended. While there is no universally agreed upon time frame, the term generally includes people born from the early 1960's through the early 1980's, usually no later than 1981 or...
character, who often seemed like he was very sure of himself (although usually, the opposite was true). Whalin gave a portrayal closer to previous incarnations of the character, playing Jimmy as a lovably naive rookie. When Whalin took over the role, more emphasis was placed on Jimmy's love-life and he would frequently seek out Lois, Clark and Perry's advice on these matters. Also, Whalin's Olsen was described as being a computer whiz and these talents often came in useful to Lois and Clark/Superman, particularly in the episode 'Virtually Destroyed' where Jimmy's computing abilities come in handy as Lois and Superman battle a villain inside of a virtual reality simulator. Jimmy's home life and background is described in some detail throughout the course of the show. Although we never see her, some references are made to Jimmy's mother who is described as being overweight and having allergies. Jimmy's father Jack Olsen is a James Bond-like secret agent for the fictional National Intelligence Agency (N.I.A.) and the episode 'The Dad who Came in from the Cold' is entirely devoted to this character.
In Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
the series incarnation of Jimmy Olsen is first referenced as the "first time" of Chloe Sullivan
Chloe Sullivan
Chloe Sullivan is a fictional character from the television series Smallville. Series regular Allison Mack has portrayed the character since the pilot episode; two other actresses performed the role of Chloe Sullivan as a child. The character was created exclusively for Smallville, by series...
(Allison Mack
Allison Mack
Not to be confused with Alison MacAllison Mack is an American actress. She is best known for her role of Chloe Sullivan on the Superman-inspired television series Smallville.-Early life:...
) in Season 4
Smallville (Season 4)
Season four of Smallville, an American television series, began airing on September 22, 2004. The series recounts the early adventures of Kryptonian Clark Kent as he adjusts to life in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, during the years before he becomes Superman. The fourth season comprises...
. In Season 6
Smallville (Season 6)
Season six of Smallville, an American television series, began airing on September 28, 2006. The series recounts the early adventures of Kryptonian Clark Kent as he adjusts to life in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, during the years before he becomes Superman...
's premiere "Zod
General Zod
General Zod is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, a supervillain who is one of Superman's more-prominent enemies. The character first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
", he appears in person (played by Aaron Ashmore
Aaron Ashmore
Aaron Robert Ashmore is a Canadian film and television actor, perhaps best known for his role as Jimmy Olsen in Smallville and as Steve Jinks in Warehouse 13. He is the twin brother of actor Shawn Ashmore.-Career:...
) as on staff at the Daily Planet and prefers to be called "James". As Season 6 progressed, Jimmy and Chloe became a couple again. At first Jimmy is jealous of Clark Kent
Clark Kent (Smallville)
Clark Kent is a fictional character on the television series Smallville. The character of Clark Kent, first created for comic books by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938 as the alternate identity of Superman, was adapted to television in 2001 by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar—this is the fourth...
but their relationship becomes friendly after Clark reunites him with Chloe in the Season 6 episode "Trespass".
In Season 7
Smallville (season 7)
Season seven of Smallville, an American television series, began airing on September 27, 2007. The series recounts the early adventures of Kryptonian Clark Kent as he adjusts to life in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, during the years before he becomes Superman...
, Jimmy is still at Daily Planet working as a budding photographer, his relationship with Chloe is going through a rough phase due to Chloe's newfound abilities caused by an amount of Kryptonite
Kryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material from the Superman mythos —the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. It is famous for being the ultimate physical weakness of Superman, and the word kryptonite has since become synonymous with an Achilles' heel —the one weakness...
meteor in her blood stream. They broke up in a very emotional scene in the episode "Cure" since Chloe was unable to share her secret with him. Meanwhile, Kara Zor-El (Laura Vandervoort
Laura Vandervoort
Laura Dianne Vandervoort is a Canadian actress known for her roles as Kara Zor-El in the television series Smallville, Sadie Harrison in the television series Instant Star and Lisa in the television series V....
) (Clark's cousin) has developed a crush on Jimmy and they become friends. Jimmy is also smitten by her and teams up with her in episodes like "Cure" and "Lara". They are in a relationship briefly, but they break up and Jimmy is shown to be in a relationship again with Chloe in the episode "Sleeper". In the season finale, he proposed to her but she was arrested before she had the time to answer.
In Season 8
Smallville (season 8)
Season eight of Smallville, an American television series, began airing on September 18, 2008. The series recounts the early adventures of Kryptonian Clark Kent as he adjusts to life in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, during the years before he becomes Superman...
's premiere "Odyssey", Jimmy is seen waiting for Chloe at the Talon. Chloe arrives and Jimmy tells her that he takes back his proposal saying it might risk what they have between them. But Chloe disagrees. She reveals that she loves Jimmy and says that she'll gladly be his wife. She kisses Jimmy passionately afterwards. In "Committed", Jimmy admits to Chloe that he lied about his father being a Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
investment banker
Investment banking
An investment bank is a financial institution that assists individuals, corporations and governments in raising capital by underwriting and/or acting as the client's agent in the issuance of securities...
; Jimmy says his father was an alcoholic
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
and a mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
and has never met his mother, apologizingly for lying but she hugs him. In "Bride", Jimmy marries Chloe in the Kent barn but the reception is interrupted by Doomsday
Doomsday (comics)
Doomsday is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Superman: The Man of Steel #18 , and was created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens. IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Doomsday as #46...
, who nearly kills Jimmy and kidnaps Chloe. Jimmy's condition is so serious he must be taken to a hospital in Star City
Star City (comics)
Star City is a fictional city that appears in stories published by DC Comics, best known as the traditional home of the superheroes known by, or affiliated with, the shared alias of the Green Arrow...
. In "Turbulence", Jimmy sees Davis Bloome (Doomsday's human form) murder a drunk driver and becomes almost violently obsessed with proving it. Davis convinces Chloe that Jimmy is hallucinating from high doses of pain medication, ultimately ending Chloe and Jimmy's marriage and causing Jimmy to become addicted to his pain medication. In Season 8's finale "Doomsday
Doomsday (comics)
Doomsday is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Superman: The Man of Steel #18 , and was created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens. IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Doomsday as #46...
", Chloe and Jimmy finally reconciled after Jimmy discovered Clark's secret and understood why Chloe had been with Davis to protect Clark from his kryptonian alter-ego: Doomsday
Doomsday (comics)
Doomsday is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Superman: The Man of Steel #18 , and was created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens. IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Doomsday as #46...
. Chloe gave Jimmy his final passionate kiss before Jimmy was killed by Davis who was stripped of his kryptonian persona by Clark and Chloe. Yet, before his death, Jimmy killed Davis. At his funeral, his full name is revealed to be Henry James Olsen. His camera is given to his younger brother (portrayed by Ryan Harder). While Jimmy's younger brother's name is not mentioned, the boy is wearing a bowtie, leading to the possibility that this is Jimmy Olsen (James Bartholomew Olsen), who will befriend Superman. In Season 9
Smallville (season 9)
Season nine of Smallville, an American television series, began airing on September 25, 2009. The series recounts the early adventures of Kryptonian Clark Kent as he adjusts to life in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, during the years before he becomes Superman...
finale, Clark has a premonition about the future in 2013 where Lois Lane
Lois Lane (Smallville)
Lois Lane is a fictional character on the television series Smallville; she has been portrayed continually by Erica Durance since her first appearance in the season four premier "Crusade". Durance began as a guest star in season four, but was promoted to series regular status beginning in season five...
calls out to an "Olsen", likely calling the younger Jimmy Olsen. In the Season 10
Smallville (season 10)
Season ten of Smallville, an American television series, premiered on September 24, 2010 and consisted of 22 episodes. It was the tenth and final season to air, and the fifth one to air on The CW television network...
episode "Homecoming", Clark accidentally time-travels to the future in 2017 (thanks to Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5 is a fictional character who exists in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. He is a long standing member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5 is from the planet Colu...
) and reads a Daily Planet article that listed Jimmy Olsen. In the series finale, it verifies that the brother at Henry James' funeral is the "real" Jimmy Olsen, who has a love of taking pictures of Superman after being recruited as a news photographer at the Daily Planet. The young adult version of the character is also portrayed by Aaron Ashmore.
The DVD box set for the seventh season of Smallville
Smallville (season 7)
Season seven of Smallville, an American television series, began airing on September 27, 2007. The series recounts the early adventures of Kryptonian Clark Kent as he adjusts to life in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, during the years before he becomes Superman...
includes a featurette entitled Jimmy on Jimmy. Approximately 22 minutes in length, Jimmy on Jimmy is a roundtable discussion featuring four of the six surviving actors who have portrayed Jimmy Olsen in live action: Jack Larson
Jack Larson
Jack Edward Larson is an American actor, librettist, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for his portrayal of photographer/cub reporter Jimmy Olsen on the TV series Adventures of Superman.-Biography:...
(Adventures of Superman
Adventures of Superman (TV series)
Adventures of Superman is an American television series based on comic book characters and concepts created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The show is the first television series to feature Superman and began filming in 1951 in California...
), Marc McClure
Marc McClure
Marc A. McClure is an American actor. McClure was born in San Mateo, California. He is not, despite a popular misconception, related to the late Doug McClure.-Superman film series:...
(Superman film series, Supergirl
Supergirl (film)
Supergirl is a 1984 superhero film directed by Jeannot Szwarc, and stars Helen Slater in her first motion picture role in the title role of the DC Comics superheroine Supergirl. Faye Dunaway played the primary villain, Selena. The film was a spin-off from the Salkinds' Superman film series which...
), Sam Huntington
Sam Huntington
Sam Huntington is an American actor, best known for his role as Mimi-Siku in the 1990s film "Jungle 2 Jungle" and as Jimmy Olsen in "Superman Returns". He now stars in the TV series Being Human.- Personal life :...
(Superman Returns
Superman Returns
Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. It is the fifth and final installment in the original Superman film series and serves as a alternate sequel to Superman and Superman II by ignoring the events of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace .The film stars...
), and Aaron Ashmore
Aaron Ashmore
Aaron Robert Ashmore is a Canadian film and television actor, perhaps best known for his role as Jimmy Olsen in Smallville and as Steve Jinks in Warehouse 13. He is the twin brother of actor Shawn Ashmore.-Career:...
(Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
). Michael Landes
Michael Landes
Michael Christopher Landes is an American actor. He is known for his roles of Jimmy Olsen in the first season of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Detective Nicholas O'Malley in Special Unit 2, Officer Thomas Burke in Final Destination 2, and David Conlon in The Wedding Bells.-Lois...
and Justin Whalin
Justin Whalin
Justin Garrett Whalin is an American actor best known for his role as Jimmy Olsen in the American television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.-Early life:...
(both from Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was a live-action American television series based on the Superman comic books...
) do not participate.
Animation
Jack Grimes reprised his role as Jimmy Olsen in The New Adventures of Superman.In the Super Friends
Super Friends
Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...
animated series, he "appears" in the second episode of The World's Greatest Super Friends
The World's Greatest Super Friends
The World's Greatest Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from September 22, 1979 to September 27, 1980 on ABC...
season, 'Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
Strikes Back', with Lois Lane. However, it turned out it wasn't Jimmy at all, but Lex Luthor's henchman Orville Gump in disguise.
Mark L. Taylor
Mark L. Taylor
Mark L. Taylor is an American actor. He was born in Syracuse, New York.Taylor has appeared in various shows such as Seinfeld, Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, Chicago Hope, Ally McBeal and Boston Legal...
played Jimmy Olsen in the 1988 animated adaptation of Superman
Superman (1988 TV series)
Superman is a 1988 animated Saturday morning television series produced by Ruby-Spears Productions and Warner Bros. Television that aired on CBS featuring the DC Comics superhero of the same name...
.
Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
, Jimmy was played by voice actor David Kaufman
David Kaufman (actor)
David Kaufman is an American voice-over artist and character actor, best known for his roles as the voice of Danny Fenton on Danny Phantom, the voice of Maggie's brother Aldrin on The Buzz on Maggie, and the voice of Marty McFly, Michael J...
. One episode was called "Superman's Pal" as an homage to the classic comic series, and Superman gave Jimmy the signal watch by the end of the episode. Another allusion to the comics made in the show was seen in the second season episode "Mxyzpixilated," where Mr. Mxyzptlk turns all the employees of the Daily Planet into animals. Jimmy is turned into a turtle, possibly as a homage.
In Justice League
Justice League (TV series)
Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
Jimmy makes a brief appearance in Superman's nightmare (in which Superman, uncontrollably strong, hugs him so hard he kills his friend) in "Only a Dream", with David Kaufman reprising the role. He also makes a cameo at Superman's funeral in "Hereafter." A photographer with orange hair also appears beside Clark at the beginning of "Starcrossed." Though his face isn't shown, it is likely Jimmy.
Jimmy had several cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
s in Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
, including one episode where Huntress
Huntress (comics)
The Huntress is a name used by several characters in DC Comics.The Golden Age Huntress is a supervillainess, while the Bronze Age and Modern Age Huntresses are superheroines....
tied him up, taped his mouth shut, and used the signal watch to attract Superman. In the episode "Chaos at the Earth's Core", several heroes battle a giant turtle that has a thatch of red hair. Bruce Timm
Bruce Timm
Bruce Walter Timm is an American character designer, animator and producer. He is also a writer and artist working in comics, and is known for his contributions building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, the DC animated universe.-Animation:Timm's early career in animation was varied; he...
has confirmed this is a reference to Jimmy's Giant Turtle Boy persona, "but it was more economical time-wise to have him revert to cute little turtle than naked, confused photographer."
Jimmy appeared in the Season 5 premiere of The Batman
The Batman (TV series)
The Batman is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids' WB...
played by voice actor Jack DeSena
Jack DeSena
Jack DeSena is an American screen and voice actor. He is best known for his work on the sketch comedy series All That, having joined the show's cast at the start of its 7th season in 2001 Jack DeSena (born John Patrick DeSena; December 6, 1987, in Boston, Massachusetts) is an American screen and...
. He and Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
have a back and forth discussion about Batman and Superman from their sides of view.
Jimmy appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
episode "Battle of the Super Heroes", voiced by Alexander Polinsky
Alexander Polinsky
Alexander Polinsky is an American actor, voice actor, and singer who is perhaps best known for his role as Adam Powell on Charles in Charge. After the show ended, he has made TV, voice, and movie appearances, as well as working as a mold-maker at a movie prop design studio...
. The episode also ref. him with his mis-adventures of him being transformed into a giant turtle, and having quills thanks to Mxyzptlk.
Cultural references
- The Spin DoctorsSpin DoctorsSpin Doctors is an American alternative rock band formed in New York City, best known for their early 1990s hits, "Two Princes," and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong," which peaked the Billboard Hot 100 charts at #7 & #17 respectively....
had a minor hit with their song "Jimmy Olsen's Blues" on their album Pocket Full of KryptonitePocket Full of KryptonitePocket Full of Kryptonite is the first studio album by American band Spin Doctors, released in August 1991. It peaked at #1 and #3 on Billboard's Heatseekers and Billboard 200 albums charts, respectively...
, in which they portrayed Jimmy Olsen as infatuated with Lois LaneLois LaneLois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
and jealous of Superman, a problem which he hoped to solve with the aforementioned "pocket full of KryptoniteKryptoniteKryptonite is a fictional material from the Superman mythos —the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. It is famous for being the ultimate physical weakness of Superman, and the word kryptonite has since become synonymous with an Achilles' heel —the one weakness...
." In the period after the song became popular, artist Jon BogdanoveJon BogdanoveJon Bogdanove is an American comic book artist and writer. He is best known for his work on Power Pack, Superman: The Man of Steel, and for creating the character Steel with writer Louise Simonson in 1993.-Comics:...
, who at the time was the regular penciler on the Superman: The Man of Steel comic, would occasionally depict Jimmy wearing a Spin Doctors T-shirtT-shirtA T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
. - Often, Superman pastiches have featured notable Jimmy analogues. For example, in Mighty Mouse: The New AdventuresMighty Mouse: The New AdventuresMighty Mouse: The New Adventures is a 1987 revival of the classic Mighty Mouse cartoon character. Produced by Bakshi-Hyde Ventures , it aired on CBS on Saturday mornings from fall 1987 through the 1988-89 season...
, Mighty MouseMighty MouseMighty Mouse is an animated superhero mouse character created by the Terrytoons studio for 20th Century Fox.-History:The character was created by story man Izzy Klein as a super-powered housefly named Superfly. Studio head Paul Terry changed the character into a cartoon mouse instead...
's greatest fan was a young mouse named Scrappy with a shock of red hair. - Alan MooreAlan MooreAlan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
's comic series SupremeSupreme (comics)Supreme is a fictional superhero created by Rob Liefeld and first published by Image Comics, then Maximum Press, and later by Awesome Entertainment...
featured Billy Friday, a cynical BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comic book writer, very unlike Jimmy in personality, but who underwent weird transformations similar to those of the Silver Age Jimmy. - On the show Boy Meets WorldBoy Meets WorldBoy Meets World is an American comedy-drama series that chronicles the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, a kid from suburban Philadelphia who grows up from a young boy to a married man. The show aired for seven seasons from 1993 to 2000 on ABC, part of the...
, Topanga refers to a photographer as a "Jimmy Olsen freak." - In the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "The ZeppoThe Zeppo (Buffy episode)"The Zeppo" is episode 13 of season 3 on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Makeup in a Series. Feeling left out by the gang, Xander "befriends" a psychotic student named Jack O'Toole...
", characters twice refer to non-superpowered sidekick Xander HarrisXander HarrisAlexander LaVelle "Xander" Harris is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as in numerous items in the series Expanded Universe, such as comic books, tie-in novels and video games...
as Jimmy Olsen. - Professional wrestler Corey Branson took the moniker Jimmy Olsen in a few New York promotions such as NWA Upstate.
- The Teamo SupremoTeamo SupremoTeamo Supremo is an animated television series created by Disney. Animated in the limited animation style pioneered by Jay Ward, predecessors which inspired its style, it tells of three superhero kids: Captain Crandall, Skate Lad, and Rope Girl...
episode "You'd Better Start Calling Me Chief!" revolved around an accident-prone newspaper reporter and photographer named Ollie Jimson who followed the titular trio around, screwing up their attempts to catch the bad guys. - In The SopranosThe SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
episode "Cold StonesCold Stones (The Sopranos episode)"Cold Stones" is the seventy-sixth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the eleventh of the show's sixth season. It was written by Diane Frolov, Andrew Schneider and David Chase, directed by Tim Van Patten and originally aired on May 21, 2006.-Guest starring:* John Bianco as Gerry...
", Silvio DanteSilvio DanteSilvio Manfred Dante, often referred to as "Sil", played by Steven Van Zandt, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He is the consigliere to Tony Soprano in the Soprano crime family. Silvio has one of the lowest profiles on the show. He is usually a behind the scenes figure...
reacts to a piece of already heard news by responding that Carlo Gervasi is a "regular Jimmy Olsen." - In the horror film House of 1000 CorpsesHouse of 1000 CorpsesHouse of 1000 Corpses is a 2003 exploitation horror film written and directed by Rob Zombie; it is his directorial debut. It was released in the United States on April 11, 2003 by Lions Gate Entertainment.-Plot:...
, Grandpa Hugo asks one of the main characters if he is "Jimmy Olsen, cub reporter for 'The Daily Arsehole'". - In the drug comedy film Tyrone, the character Tyrone played by CoolioCoolioArtis Leon Ivey Jr. , better known by the stage name Coolio, is an American musician, rapper, actor and record producer.-Late 80s:He recorded two singles in the late 80s, titled "Watcha Gonna Do" and "You're Gonna Miss Me"...
calls one of the main characters a "Jimmy Olsen lookin' mother f'er". - In "The Boyfriend", an episode of SeinfeldSeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, Keith HernandezKeith HernandezKeith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...
tells JerryJerry Seinfeld (character)Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld . The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.The series revolves around...
that he loved his Jimmy Olsen bit. - Comic Book GuyComic Book GuyComic Book Guy is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria, and first appeared in the second-season episode "Three Men and a Comic Book", which originally aired on May 9, 1991. He is the proprietor of a comic book store, The...
mentioned Jimmy Olsen in the SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "Husbands and KnivesHusbands and Knives"Husbands and Knives" is the seventh episode of The Simpsons nineteenth season, and was first broadcast on November 18, 2007. It features guest appearances from Alan Moore, Art Spiegelman and Dan Clowes as themselves as well as Jack Black as Milo. It was written by Matt Selman and directed by Nancy...
". - On an appearance on HBO's Costas NowCostas NowCostas Now was an American monthly sports television show hosted by Bob Costas on HBO.-History:In 2001, Costas was hired by HBO to host a 12-week talk and interview series called On the Record with Bob Costas. In 2005, the program was revamped to become Costas Now, with more of a focus on sports...
, author and Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winning journalist Buzz Bissinger said to sports blog "DeadspinDeadspinDeadspin is a sports website owned by Gawker Media and was launched in September 2005. As of February 2010, the site had attracted over 462 million unique visitors and about 573 million page views....
" founder Will LeitchWill LeitchWilliam F. Leitch is a writer based in New York City and the founding editor of the Gawker Media sports blog Deadspin...
, "You're like Jimmy Olsen on percocetPercocetThe combination oxycodone/paracetamol is a narcotic pain reliever used to treat moderate to severe acute pain, marketed by Endo Pharmaceuticals.-History:The U.S...
". - In season 3 episode 11 of Desperate Housewives, Carlos refers to Gabrielle's boyfriend as Jimmy Olsen because of the page boy cap he wears.
- Dar Williams in her song "Are You Out There" mentions to Jimmy Olsen.
- In Ben 10: Ultimate Alien, Jimmy Jones, a major fan of Ben Tennyson and his aliens, is a homage to both Jimmy Olsen and Rick JonesRick Jones (comics)Richard Milhouse "Rick" Jones is a fictional comic book character in the .-Publication history:Rick Jones first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1, as a sidekick to the Incredible Hulk...
from The Incredible Hulk.
External links
- Jimmy Olsen: Honorary Legionnaires - Hero History
- Counting Down to Countdown - Part II: Eclipso and Jimmy Olsen
- Supermanica: Jimmy Olsen Supermanica entry on the pre-Crisis Jimmy Olsen
- Jimmy Olsen's Signal-Watch
- Comic Book Resources' Oddball Comics column Detailing Superman's Pal: Jimmy Olsen #80, which references many of Jimmy's different forms
- Transgender Graphics and Fiction Archive An overview of Jimmy Olsen's adventures disguised as a woman.
- Wizard Entertainment - Countdown Catch-all