Jimmy Olsen is a fictional character appearing in
American comic books published by
DC Comics. Olsen is most often portrayed as a young
photojournalist working for the Daily Planet. He is close friends with
Lois Lane and
Clark Kent, and has a good working relationship with his boss
Perry White. Olsen looks up to his coworkers as
role models and
parent figures. From 1954 to 1982, Olsen appeared in 222 issues of the comic series Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen and Superman Family, in addition to the main Superman titles.
An unnamed "office boy" with a bow tie appeared in the story "Superman's Phony Manager," published in Action Comics No. 6 (November 1938); it was retroactively considered to be Jimmy Olsen's first appearance.[1][2][3] The character was introduced as Jimmy Olsen by producer Bob Maxwell[4] on The Adventures of Superman radio show on April 15, 1940.[5] After eight early unnamed appearances in comics,[6] Olsen first appeared as a named character in a story by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster titled "Superman versus The Archer" in Superman No. 13 (November–December 1941).[7][8] He occasionally appeared as an office boy in Action Comics, Superman, and World's Finest Comics throughout the next decade, and he made a notable appearance as the manager of a community baseball team in the 1946 radio serial
Clan of the Fiery Cross. The first long story featuring the character, "King Jimmy Olsen," ran in the daily Superman newspaper strips from July 20-October 28, 1944.
Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen
Following Jack Larson's portrayal on The Adventures of Superman TV series, Olsen was promoted from office boy to "cub reporter" beginning in Superman #86.[9] Later in 1954, Olsen received his own series, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen.[10] The first issue introduced the Signal Watch, a high-frequency supersonic device that allowed Jimmy to contact Superman in case of emergency.
Lucy Lane debuted as Jimmy's off-again, on-again love interest in issue #36. Jimmy and Lucy were occasionally married in "imaginary stories" such as "The Wedding of Jimmy Olsen" (issue #38) and The Amazing Story of Superman Red and Superman Blue!
The Mort Weisinger era
Early adventures saw Olsen in a variety of
slapstick adventures and strange transformations, such as Jimmy transforming into the giant "Turtle Boy" in issue #53. The stories in the title often featured particularly outlandish situations,[11][12] ranging from Jimmy being hurled back in time to
Krypton before its destruction in issue #36 to dealing frequently with
gorillas of all sorts. During this period, Jimmy Olsen lived a glamorous life as "Superman's Pal" and even had his own (in-story) fan club.[13][14] Beginning in 1958, Olsen gained the ability to temporarily transform into the superhero Elastic Lad by drinking a serum, becoming an honorary member of the
Legion of Super-Heroes. When traveling to the Bottle City of
Kandor, Superman and Jimmy donned the secret identities of
Nightwing and
Flamebird, respectively. He was promoted by editor Perry White to the status of "full-fledged reporter" in issue #124 (October 1969).
Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen was a best seller throughout the 1960s; at its peak it was the #4 best-selling comic book with an estimated 520,000 copies sold each month.[15] Reprints from the magazine were also featured in 80-Page Giant #2 and 13 (1964–65).
Jack Kirby's
Fourth World storyline began in Jimmy Olsen comics in 1970, with issue #134.[16] Kirby began by introducing a secret "
D.N.A. Project" to create Mutated Humans for Good, adding "the Hairies" (a group of technology-equipped hippies), superbeings from other planets (proto-New Gods),
Intergang,
Darkseid, and the WGBS media executive
Morgan Edge. Kirby also used the series as a vehicle to reintroduce
Golden Age characters that he previously created at DC Comics, such as the
Guardian and the
Newsboy Legion.[17] Before the end of his run, Kirby wrote stories involving
vampires,[18][19] the
Loch Ness Monster,[20] Victor Volcanum, a fire-eating archcriminal,[21] as well as a two-part story that featured the comedian
Don Rickles. Kirby left the series following issue #148.
The Superman Family
With issue #164 (April–May 1974) the series was renamed The Superman Family.[22] An anthology title that incorporated the recently cancelled series Supergirl and Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, Superman Family initially featured one new story about Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, or Supergirl, with the featured character in each issue narrating reprints of the other characters' stories. By the second series, Jimmy Olsen became an
investigative reporter for WGBS-TV nicknamed "Mr. Action," featuring in urban crime stories that less frequently involved Superman. Olsen appeared in new stories in The Superman Family #164, 167, 170, 173, 176, 179, and 182–222. A number of Superman writers including
Leo Dorfman and
Cary Bates contributed scripts for the stories, and they were most often pencilled by
Kurt Schaffenberger. The series ended with issue #222 (September 1982). Afterwards, Jimmy Olsen continued to appear in issues of Superman, Action Comics, World's Finest Comics, and DC Comics Presents,[23] where a 29th-century descendant of Olsen became
Superwoman.
Post-Crisis
Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, Jimmy's prior history as a character was erased. 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 the 1970s comics). An interesting alteration to the relationship was that Jimmy designed the signal watch himself, leading to his first meeting with Superman.[24] Superman briefly considered confiscating the watch, but decided to trust Jimmy to use it responsibly.
While Jimmy's transformations no longer occur as regularly as they did in the Silver Age, Jimmy once became a type of "Elastic Lad" on contact with the
Eradicator; this transformation, however, was extremely painful for Jimmy and has not appeared since.[25] He also took the identity of "Turtle Boy" in a series of
pizzacommercials, made when he was temporarily laid off from the Planet.
In the 1990s, Jimmy quit the Planet in a dispute over a story and went to Metropolis broadcaster Galaxy Broadcasting, where he worked as an on-air investigative reporter. This change matured Jimmy somewhat, but he became more ambitious, as well as more brash and arrogant. He still stayed on good terms with both Clark and Lois to the point where Jimmy was best man at their wedding. This period ended when he believed (wrongly) that 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 time slot. 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 eyes for 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
Olsen is a central character in the 12-part miniseries Superman: Metropolis (beginning June 2003). Written by
Chuck Austen and illustrated by Danijel Zezelj, the series focuses on the futuristic technology unleashed in Metropolis by
Brainiac in a previous storyline and how it affects the everyday lives of Metropolis citizens.
Jimmy takes a position as a regular star reporter for The Daily Planet, replacing the recently demoted Clark Kent. This caused a strain at the Planet.
Jimmy's story in the 2007–08 weekly series Countdown to Final Crisis begins with an investigation into the death of
Duela Dent.[26] Tying into the Death of the New Gods storyline, Jimmy starts to develop many superpowers, which he first discovers when he is attacked by
Killer Croc while gathering information on Duela's death.[27][28] 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,[29] Jimmy is unable to command the respect of established superheroes in the
Justice League and
Teen Titans. He gives up on this particular avenue.[30] One of these powers allows Jimmy to realize the identities of some superheroes, such as Robin and Superman, who requests that he take care of
Krypto.
Jimmy is eventually tracked down by the New God
Forager,[31] with whom he begins a romantic relationship.[32][33] Forager informs him that Jimmy has become a soulcatcher for the spirits of dying New Gods.[34] 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.[35] 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.[36] Unfortunately, they fail, and the Morticoccus virus devastates an alternate Earth.[37][38] Upon return to their Earth, Jimmy is captured by
Mary Marvel, who had been manipulated towards evil by Darkseid.[39] When Superman comes to save Jimmy, Darkseid takes control of the powers within him, causing Jimmy to radiate Kryptonite radiation, until
Ray Palmer manages to rewire Darkseid's control from inside of Jimmy. Jimmy then transforms into a giant turtle-like creature, and prepares to take on Darkseid himself.[40] Darkseid 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.[41][42]
During Superman's fight with
Atlas, 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 U.S. 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 information useful to Jimmy. Despite being actively pursued by Codename: Assassin, who goes so far as 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 then contacts 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.[43] 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.[44]
Action Comics backup and Jimmy Olsen
DC Comics has reported in solicits[when?] that
Nick Spencer 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.[citation needed]
The last three chapters of the story are told in the self-titled one-shot Jimmy Olsen.
Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen (vol. 2)
Beginning with a cover date of September 2019, DC Comics published a 12-part comedic miniseries that restored some elements of the 1954 series to the main DC Comics timeline.[45] Jimmy was once again shown as Turtle Boy and Elastic Lad, and his antics, glamorous lifestyle as Superman's pal, and strange transformations were depicted as a source of streaming-media ad revenue that was keeping the Daily Planet afloat. The series explored Jimmy's siblings Janie and Julian, his family's historic relations with the
Luthor family, a plot involving the attempted murder and faked death of Olsen, and a marriage in Gorilla City that Jimmy subsequently forgot to annul. The series poked fun at DC Comics' own history, including a sequence in which Jimmy angered Batman by suggesting a phone-in campaign to decide
whether Robin lived or died.[46] By the end of the series, Jimmy received a new Signal Watch and became the publisher of the Daily Planet.
The series was written by Matt Fraction, drawn by Steve Lieber, colored by Nathan Fairbairn, and lettered by Clayton Cowles. A collected edition titled Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen: Who Killed Jimmy Olsen? was published in September 2020, and it received an "honorable mention" in
Publishers Weekly's year-end critics poll.[47]
Powers, abilities, and equipment
Jimmy possesses a watch which emits a high-pitched signal only Superman can hear. In a 2010 story, 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.[48]
Mostly during the
Silver Age of Comic Books, 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 making passing references.
Speed Demon – In 1956, a month before the debut of
Barry Allen as the new
Flash, Jimmy drank a potion produced by a Professor Claude and briefly gained super-speed.[49]
Radioactive – After being exposed to a radioactive substance, Jimmy began to irradiate everything in his presence.[50]
Super-Brain – Jimmy briefly evolved into a "man of the future" with superhuman mental powers.[51]
Monstrous beard growth — The machinations of the sinister Beard Band cause Jimmy to grow an immense
beard.[52]
Gorilla – When Jimmy switched minds with a gorilla, he went about his reporting duties as a gorilla in Jimmy's clothes.[53]
Elastic Lad – As Elastic Lad, Jimmy by serum or by alien virus could sometimes stretch himself, akin to the
Elongated Man or
Plastic Man.[54] As Elastic Lad, Jimmy was inducted as an Honorary Member of the
Legion of Super-Heroes.[55] In the Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity, Jimmy was afflicted with uncontrollable and painful elasticity by the
Eradicator.[56] It had to be genetically edited out.
Alien-form –
Aliens transformed Jimmy into a telepathic Jovian for a week.[57] Fortunately, this turned out to be a
Jovian week, which is much shorter than an Earth week, about 70 hours.
Fire-Breather – An accident involving an experiment gives Jimmy fire-breath.[58]
Human Octopus – After eating an extraterrestrial fruit, Jimmy grew four extra arms. According to Superman, this was actually a hallucination, but Jimmy suspected that Superman said this to teach him a lesson since Jimmy had foolishly ignored advice from the Man of Steel that would have saved him a lot of trouble.[59]
Genie – Jimmy found a genie's lamp and was tricked into replacing its villainous occupant.[60]
Morbidly Obese – Jimmy tried to get fat in an attempt to stop a jewel smuggling and to impress a circus fat lady.[70]
Giant Turtle Man – One of Jimmy's most frequently cited transformations was that of his turning into a giant turtle man.[71]
Human
Porcupine – After rejecting the romantic advances of an imp from the Fifth Dimension.[72]
Flamebird – This is the name he took as a costumed superhero, with Superman disguised as
Nightwing, in the shrunken
Kryptonian city of
Kandor.[73] 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
Batman (a night-winged creature) and
Robin (a flame-colored bird).
Bizarro Jimmy – Although Jimmy has a counterpart on
Bizarro World, he was briefly turned into a Bizarro himself.[74]
Hippie – Investigating a colony of hippies at "Guru Kama's Dream Pad", Jimmy grew a beard and participated in a mock "hate-in".[75] On the cover of this story's issue, Jimmy is wielding a sign that says "Superman is a freak-out!"
Viking – Jimmy put on Viking armor and mistakenly thought he had been transported 1,000 years backward in time.[76]
Steelman – after a volcanic eruption hurls Jimmy and an experimental inter-dimensional travel device into an alternate universe, Jimmy develops his own superpowers as a result of the transit to the (unnamed) "Earth-X" but is vulnerable to fragments of Mount Tipton from his own universe ("Tiptonite"). He adopts a fusion Superman/Batman outfit and launches his own superhero career as Steelman, facing a
Joker-masked
Clark Kent, secretly the leader of the LUTHAR League before his return to his own universe of origin.
Ultra Olsen – Jimmy gained from Professor Lang and his father 2 halves of to the Magic Medallion of the Mayans that, when fused back together, granted him "the Powers of the Mayan Gods". While he wore it, he possessed super strength, invulnerability, anti-gravity power, and lightning vision. It was revealed the amulet had a limited charge and required recharge from absorbed kinetic energy. Jimmy destroyed the amulet with his lightning vision after the second time he used it.[77][78]
Super Jimmy - A Superman version of Jimmy .
Colossal Olsen - is a version of Colossal Boy.
Red Headed Beatle - is an old version of Jimmy from 1,000BC.
Taxi Jimmy - is a taxi driver.
Astro Jimmy - An astronaut version of Jimmy Olsen.
Old Olsen - is an old gramps vision of Jimmy.
Mummy Jimmy - Jimmy Olsen was turned into a mummy.
Jock Olsen - is a high school Jimmy Olsen.
Double Olsen is a captive double of Jimmy but Jimmy wanted to kill him with the doubles weakness kriptonite .
Detective Olsen - is a detective Jimmy wanted to solve a case.
Batman Olsen - is Jimmy wearing Batman's suit.
Imp Jimmy - Jimmy finally found a way to take Mr. Mxyzptlk's powers. Even if he said his name backwards he still had his powers; he turned Mr. Mxyzptlk into a tiger.
Other versions
JLA: The Nail
JLA: The Nail is set in an
alternate reality in which a nail punctures a tire on the Kents' car, preventing them from finding the spaceship containing a baby Kal-El; subsequently, Kal-El never becomes Superman. Jimmy Olsen, an aide to Metropolis Mayor
Lex Luthor, is revealed to be the primary villain. Having discovered Superman's spaceship and using
DNA samples to create numerous
Bizarroclones, Luthor grafts
Kryptonian DNA onto subjects who either die instantly or mutate before death, except Olsen. The graft gives Olsen superpowers, but also drives him insane, mentally transforming him into a Kryptonian determined to replace human life with Kryptonian life. Olsen plays up the public's fear of superheroes via propaganda, encouraging the popular view of them as alien invaders rather than the enhanced humans of the Justice Society, hoping to have them imprisoned so he can use their DNA as well in an attempt to create a stable template to create other new Kryptonians.
When his secret identity is revealed, he engages in a fight with the
Justice League that spills into the local countryside. An
Amish farmer attempts to stop Olsen but is blasted by his heat vision—which reveals that the farmer is the (now adult) Kal-El. In this reality, an Amish couple had raised Kal-El as a
pacifist encouraged to ignore worldly affairs so that he could walk in righteousness. Olsen asks Kal-El to join him, claiming that they are virtually brothers with the same DNA. When Kal-El refuses, Olsen kills Kal-El's foster parents. During the subsequent battle, Jimmy's body rejects the Kryptonian DNA, causing him to disintegrate. His last words to Kal-El are: "We should have been friends". The Justice League asks Kal-El to join them, recognising that his DNA had just been a contributing factor to a chain of events that had driven Jimmy insane rather than bringing out something that was not there before.[79]
Frank Miller's Batman titles
In
Frank Miller's 1986
graphic novelThe Dark Knight Returns, an older Jimmy Olsen (James, as he is now called) is featured as the writer of "Truth to Power", a Daily Planet article that recalls the age of heroes.[80] In the 2001 sequel Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Olsen appears on various TV shows, where he attempts to reveal that the current
President is a holographic projection.[81] His attempts to publicize the truth are halted by
Lex Luthor as Metropolis is destroyed (killing hundreds, including Jimmy,
Lois, and
Perry) by
BrainIAC.[82]
A young Jimmy Olsen makes an appearance in All Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder #6. He helps
Vicki Vale, whom he appears to be attracted to, escape from a hospital and giving her files on Batman and the Flying
Graysons.[83] 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'.
Superman: Red Son
In Superman: Red Son, written by
Mark Millar, Jimmy is depicted as an agent of the
CIA, eventually becoming the director. He joins Dr. Lex Luthor in his presidential bid and becomes Vice President.[84]
Superman: Kal
In Superman: Kal, Jamie Olsen of the
Middle Ages is an early alchemist, working with blacksmith's apprentice Kal to forge a suit of armor for Baron Luthor using metal acquired from a 'silver egg' that fell from the sky years ago. Kal is killed in his final effort to slay Luthor. In the epilogue, 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.
Superman: Emperor Joker
In the alternate timeline created by
Joker, Jimmy serves in Joker's imperial court as "Gravedigger Lad", a cheerful and happy-go-lucky young man of clearly limited intelligence, armed with an overlarge shovel (to dig graves). He humorously says, at one point, "I'm happy to be here ... I'm happy to be anywhere." He also attempts to invoke the powers of
Shazam at one point, but this fails.
All-Star Superman
In
Grant Morrison and
Frank Quitely's All-Star Superman series, Jimmy is a successful reporter for the Daily Planet. He has a regular column in which he takes on unusual jobs for a day. Issue No. 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 reference to the
Jack Kirby-era Jimmy Olsen series. After Superman is temporarily turned evil by
black kryptonite, Jimmy saves him by injecting himself with a drug that briefly turns him into a version of
Doomsday.[68] In the final issue, Jimmy manages to stop Lex Luthor's deranged niece from destroying Metropolis by giving her the one thing she really wants: free publicity.
Flashpoint
In the alternate timeline of the Flashpoint event, Jimmy Olsen is an agent of
Cyborg sent to spy on the
Amazons.
He is with
Lois Lane reporting on a fashion show in
Montmartre when the
Atlanteans flooded Europe. Jimmy is one of the thousands to perish in Western Europe. He tries to save an old man; Lois survives 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.[85]
DC Universe Online: Legends
In the limited series DC Universe Online: Legends, Jimmy Olsen is captured (alongside Lois Lane and Perry White) at the Daily Planet by Brainiac but is saved by Superman, with Lex Luthor in possession of the canister containing them.[86][87] Later, Jimmy becomes one of the people who have gained
metahuman abilities from Braniac's Exobytes, transforming his body into a large being with reptile-like skin.[88]
Superman Beyond
Taking place decades after Jimmy's final appearance in Justice League Unlimited, the Superman Beyond one-shot features an elderly version of the character. It is revealed that Jimmy purchased the Daily Planet after Perry White's death, and he runs a successful media empire.[89]
Injustice: Gods Among Us
Jimmy Olsen appears in the comic book prequel to Injustice: Gods Among Us. He is killed by the
Joker while on a stakeout with Lois Lane, who is subsequently kidnapped by the Joker.[90]
Earth 2
Jimmy Olsen is a hyper-intelligent knowledge-assimilator known as Accountable in the Earth 2 series.[91] He would later take on the alias of Doctor Impossible.[92]
Jimmy Olsen appears in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, portrayed by
Michael Landes in the first season and
Justin Whalin for the rest of the series' run.[95] The reason cited behind the change is that Landes looked too much like
Dean Cain as well as to emphasize Jimmy's youth.[96] 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. 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.
Smallville
Jimmy Olsen appears in Smallville, portrayed by
Aaron Ashmore. This version prefers to be called James, is in a relationship with series-original character
Chloe Sullivan, and is ultimately killed by the
titular villain in the eighth season finale "Doomsday". Chloe entrusts his camera to his younger brother (portrayed by Ryan Harder).[97] In the ending scene of the
series finale set seven years in the future, the adult version of the younger Olsen (also portrayed by Ashmore) appears working with Lois and Clark at the Daily Planet.[98]
Jimmy Olsen appears in TV series set in the
Arrowverse, portrayed by
Mehcad Brooks.[99] Introduced in Supergirl, this version is African-American and a former Daily Planet photographer who joins CatCo as an art director in the
pilot episode.[100] Additionally, he is aware of
Superman and
Supergirl's secret identities and lost his father to criminals when he was a child, leading him to become the vigilante
Guardian.[101] Later in the series, Olsen becomes head of CatCo in National City after Cat Grant moves to Metropolis, and quits after
Andrea Rojas buys the company and forces him to report on stories based on profitability as opposed to truth. Subsequently, he becomes the editor of his hometown paper, The Calvintown Gazette.[102]
Introduced in Superman: The Animated Series, this version is a
copy boy and reporter at the Daily Planet who idolizes Clark Kent and Lois Lane. In his most notable appearance in the episode "Superman's Pal", Olsen is put in danger after his friendship with Superman is exposed, helps him defeat
Metallo, and is given a signal watch afterwards for protection.
Olsen makes minor appearances in the Justice League episodes "Only a Dream" and "Hereafter".
Olsen makes non-speaking cameo appearances in Justice League Unlimited. Additionally, an unnamed mutant turtle inspired by his Giant Turtle Boy form appears in the episode "Chaos at the Earth's Core".[105]
Jimmy Olsen appears in The Batman two-part episode "The Batman/Superman Story", voiced by
Jack DeSena.[104]
Jimmy Olsen appears in Justice League Action, voiced by
Max Mittelman.[104] This version runs his own website, "Jimmy Live", and sometimes puts himself in danger in search of views.
Jimmy Olsen appears in My Adventures with Superman, voiced by Ishmael Sahid.[106] This version is an African-American Daily Planet intern and Clark Kent's roommate who is aware of his secret identity as Superman. Additionally, a gender-flipped alternate universe of the character named Jalana Olsen appears in the episode "Kiss Kiss Fall In Portal", voiced by
Kimberly Brooks.
Film
Christopher Reeve/Brandon Routh series
In the four motion pictures starring
Christopher Reeve, beginning with Superman, Jimmy Olsen was portrayed by
Marc McClure. McClure reprised his role as Jimmy Olsen in the 1984 spin-off film Supergirl, making McClure the only actor and Olsen the only character to appear in all five Superman films of the 1978–1987 era. McClure also appears as the character in the toy commercial for the Super Powers Collection.[107]
Jimmy Olsen appears in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, portrayed by
Michael Cassidy.[109] This version is a
CIA operative, but poses as a photographer during Lois Lane's journey to Africa. During an interview, he is exposed as an agent and killed after terrorists find a tracking device in his camera.[110]
Jimmy Olsen appears in Superman: Doomsday, voiced by
Adam Wylie.[104] This version quits the Daily Planet after Superman's supposed death and joins the
tabloid newspaper The National Voyeur. However, he returns to help Lois after seeing Superman's clone kill
Toyman.
Jimmy Olsen appears in Superman: Red Son, voiced by
Phil Morris.[104] He is Luthor's faithful aide and Vice President before Luthor resigns and appoints him President of the USA.
Jimmy Olsen appears as a NPC in Lego DC Super Villains with Max Mittelman reprising his role.
Cultural references
The
Spin Doctors had a minor hit with their song "Jimmy Olsen's Blues" on their 1991 album Pocket Full of Kryptonite, in which they portrayed Jimmy Olsen as infatuated with
Lois Lane and jealous of Superman, a problem which he hoped to solve with the aforementioned "pocket full of
Kryptonite".[118] In the period after the song became popular, artist
Jon Bogdanove, who at the time was the regular penciler on the Superman: The Man of Steel comic book series, would occasionally depict Jimmy wearing a Spin Doctors
T-shirt.
^Wallace, Daniel (2010). "1930s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.). DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom:
Dorling Kindersley. p. 21.
ISBN978-0-7566-6742-9. Action Comics No. 6 (November 1938) The Man of Steels's future pal Jimmy Olsen made his first appearance within this issue of Action Comics, although he was identified only as an "inquisitive office-boy.
^Superman No. 86/2: "Jimmy Olsen ...Editor!" January 1954.
^Irvine, Alex "1950s" in Dolan, p. 73: "Jimmy Olsen got his own adventures in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen No. 1. A comic remarkable for its inventiveness and longevity, it ran for 163 issues."
^McAvennie, Michael "1970s" in Dolan, p. 141 "Since no ongoing creative team had been slated to Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen, "King of Comics" Jack Kirby made the title his DC launch point, and the writer/artist's indelible energy and ideas permeated every panel and word balloon of the comic."
^Kirby, Jack (
w), Kirby, Jack (
p), Colletta, Vince (
i). "Genocide Spray" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 143 (November 1971).
^Kirby, Jack (
w), Kirby, Jack (
p), Colletta, Vince (
i). "A Big Thing in a Deep Scottish Lake" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 144 (December 1971).
^Kirby, Jack (
w), Kirby, Jack (
p),
Royer, Mike (
i). "A Superman in Super-Town" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 147 (March 1972).
^McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 159 "DC's 100-page Super Spectaculars were proving popular, so DC said goodbye to Supergirl, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, and housed the characters together in Superman Family. Continuing the numbering from where Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen ended, the series featured classic reprints with new tales in the lead spot."
^Schwartz, Alvin (
w), Swan, Curt (
p), Burnley, Ray (
i). "The Jimmy Olsen from Jupiter" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 32 (October 1958).
^Binder, Otto (
w), Swan, Curt (
p), Burnley, Ray (
i). "The Human Flame-Thrower!" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 33 (December 1958).
^Bernstein, Robert (
w), Swan, Curt (
p),
Forte, John (
i). "The Human Octopus!" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 41 (December 1959).
^Bernstein, Robert (
w), Swan, Curt (
p), Giunta, John (
i). "Jimmy the Genie!" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 42 (January 1960).
^Binder, Otto (
w), Swan, Curt (
p),
Kaye, Stan (
i). "The Wolf-Man of Metropolis!" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 44 (April 1960).
^Bernstein, Robert (
w), Swan, Curt (
p), Kaye, Stan (
i). "Miss Jimmy Olsen!" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 44 (April 1960).
^Dorfman, Leo (
w), Swan, Curt (
p), Klein, George (
i). "Leslie Lowe, Girl Reporter!" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 67 (March 1963).
^Binder, Otto (
w),
Papp, George (
p), Papp, George (
i). "Jimmy Olsen's Female Fan!" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 84 (April 1965).
^Dorfman, Leo (
w),
Schaffenberger, Kurt (
p), Schaffenberger, Kurt (
i). "The Day They Unmasked Mr. Action" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 159 (August 1973).
^Swan, Curt (
p)Forte, John (
i)"The Fat Boy of Metropolis!" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 49 (December 1960).
^Siegel, Jerry (
w), Swan, Curt (
p), Forte, John (
i). "The Giant Turtle Man" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 53 (June 1961).
^Siegel, Jerry (
w), Swan, Curt (
p), Klein, George (
i). "The Human Porcupine" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 65 (December 1962).
^Hamilton, Edmond (
w), Swan, Curt (
p), Klein, George (
i). "The Dynamic Duo of Kandor!" Superman, no. 158 (January 1963).
^Siegel, Jerry (
w), Forte, John (
p), Klein, George (
i). "Jimmy Olsen, the Bizarro Boy!" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 80 (October 1964).
^Binder, Otto (
w),
Costanza, Pete (
p), Costanza, Pete (
i). "Hippie Olsen's Hate-In!" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 118 (March 1969).
^Dorfman, Leo (
w), Schaffenberger, Kurt (
p), Colletta, Vince (
i). "Olsen the Red, Last of the Vikings" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 154 (November 1972).
^(Unknown) (
w), (Unknown) (
p), (unknown) (
i). "Superman vs Ultra Olsen" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 129 (June 1970).
^Dorfman, Leo (
w), Schaffenberger, Kurt (
p), (unknown) (
i). "The Jaws of the Jaguar" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, no. 158 (June 1973).
^
abcdefghijklmnopqrst"Jimmy Olsen Voices (Superman)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved January 3, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.