SUPERMAN’S PAL JIMMY OLSEN 045 (1960)
by Otto Binder and Curt Swan
I wish I knew enough Doctor Who to make jokes about Jimmy Olsen meeting Tom Baker.
We begin with Jimmy Olsen interviewing a “boy-scientist” who is about to use a device that can grant superpowers.
Jimmy doesn’t believe this can work, despite having gained Superman’s powers at least a couple of times, and having more powers than the entire X-Men roster.
This naturally means that the machine works.
Honestly, is Jimmy Olsen EVER right when he questions whether a scientific experiment can work!?
So Tom Baker now has Superman’s powers. With a few exceptions.
Tom flies Jimmy to the Daily Planet, where Perry White conveniently comes up with the name Power Lad.
Not the greatest name ever, but it’s probably better than what Jimmy would’ve called him: remember, when Jimmy got Superman’s powers, his codename was “Super-Youth”.
Apparently Metropolis is so starved for new superheroes that there’s a bidding war for providing a costume to Power Lad.
He chooses to alternate between each costume. Hopefully he doesn’t have to die and regenerate to change his look.
(I told you the Doctor Who jokes would be underwhelming!)
Next, Jimmy tries to get a scoop on a war movie and flies the Daily Planet’s helicopter straight into the path of some jet-planes, almost dying in the process.
I know that newspaper helicopters used to be a thing but I highly, HIGHLY doubt that they were piloted by the journalist and not by a separate pilot!
Power Lad saves Jimmy, who instead of being grateful is lamenting the fact that he’s been overshadowed.
Not only that, but Power Lad is suddenly more famous than Jimmy Olsen.
Imagine that! A superhero who saves lives being more appreciated than some guy whose only claim to fame is “I know a guy”!!!
At least Jimmy can distract himself from Power Lad thanks to being on the same plane of 70 attractive girls.
I know absolutely nothing about how a hostess trains, but 70 on the same plane? What are they going to learn, how to sit on a plane?
Apparently this airline trains its pilots worse than its hostesses, since the plane is about to crash into a mountain “shortly after the take-off”.
What idiot put an airstrip THAT close to a mountain!?
Power Lad saves the day by doing something that should’ve killed everyone involved.
This makes Power Lad very popular with the ladies. Including, not surprisingly, Lucy Lane.
This is like the tenth time that “your girl” dates someone else at the very first occasion, Jimmy.
Take a hint.
Even Superman likes Power Lad, deciding to team up to save a ship.
Behold: the most incomprehensible way to use Superman’s powers!
A human boomerang. Really?
BOTH OF YOU MORONS CAN FLY!!!
These two superpowered idiots obviously deserve each other, and Superman dumps Jimmy for his latest boyfriend.
LITERALLY NEXT PANEL:
Oh come on! You’d have to be the dumbest man on the planet to fall for that excuse!
*sigh*
We’re approaching the end, so come on, what’s the trick this time?
Yep. “Power Lad” is just some Dik from Kandor!
At least this time it’s not a lookalike of someone from Earth.
Okay, get this: remember the ray created be Lesla-Lar that could allow Kandorians to switch places with regular-sized people?
SUPERMAN INVENTED THAT THING.
Leaving aside how easy it would be to free the people of Kandor using that ray… why was Power Lad pretending to be a human?
Because Superman was in a mission in space and someone else needed to protect Earth in his absence, since Supergirl was in Kandor.
As for pretending to lack some of Superman’s powers:
Weird to see Supergirl in her civilian identity but without the wig.
And we finally close the story with Jimmy loathing the idea of anyone else being more famous than him.
What a Dik.
Historical significance: 0/10
Unsurprisingly, Tom Baker managed to completely remove himself from history.
Silver Age-ness: 8/10
Just the “human boomerang” thing would be enough. What the heck was that!?!?
Does it stand the test of time? 1/10
I can see exactly two ideas being worth exploring: a hero switching between multiple costumes to appease his sponsors, and Supergirl visiting Kandor. The latter will be done quite often.
Other than that… this is awful. Not only Power Lad is as generic as they come, but Jimmy is just insufferable. He feels entitled to his fame, doesn’t care if Power Lad is saving lives, and doesn’t care in the slightest about his loss of powers.
Stupid Jimmy Olsen moment
There’s being a fearless reporter and there’s being a colossal idiot. Guess the category of Jimmy piloting the helicopter.
Interesting letters: I’m still baffled by the idea that Jimmy is a great catch for any girl.
