SUPERMAN’S PAL JIMMY OLSEN 051 (1961)
by Otto Binder and Curt Swan
At this point there are already so many superpowered aliens that the fact that this one has green hair is more distinct than the fact that she can fly.
We start with Jimmy Olsen being dumped by Lucy Lane for a famous singer.
Then “Ka-Ra”, the titular girl with green hair, lands on Earth in search of “an escort”.
Thankfully that meant something else in the 60s.
She immediately falls for Jimmy and demonstrates she has superpowers.
She’s head over heels for Jimmy, which makes Lucy very jealous.
They end up dating and have a really great time.
I thought the comic would drag the mystery to the end, but no, we’re immediately told the identity of Ka-Ra.
Not that it was hard to figure it out.
And why would Supergirl do this? Because being a dick runs in the family.
The story heavily implies that Lucy is a terrible person. I think it’s a little too harsh, but it might be that I’m naturally hesitant to give Jimmy credit for anything.
Then again, Lucy keeping five portraits on her nightstand is hilarious!
As is Jimmy pretending to struggle to remember her.
Assuming he IS pretending.
We’re also checking with Professor Potter. In case you ever wondered how a guy who constantly invents things that break all the rules of physics make money, he builds fire-breathing robots.
Jimmy is saved by Ka-Ra, who is now answering the signal-watch instead of Superman.
And she’s establishing a perfectly sane relationship with Jimmy.
I know it’s all pretend, but ewwww. SUPERGIRL IS LIKE FIFTEEN.
As a reward, Professor Potter builds a robotic double of Ka-Ra. It’ll be important later.
Ka-Ra then takes Jimmy out to dinner, and that’s the final straw for Lucy.
Ka-Ra even proposes to Jimmy, something that makes Lucy practically beg him with an endless supply of dates.
But Jimmy refuses, since Ka-Ra hasn’t shown a single fault (and mercifully he doesn’t know that SHE’S UNDERAGE).
All except one: she has *gasp* green hair!
Yes. Jimmy is horrified by the idea to have green-haired super-powered children.
Turns out this was all that was needed for these two idiots to fall in love.
Except that Jimmy forgot to hide his secret sex robot Professor’s Potter Ka-Ra robot.
This is the best ending of a Jimmy Olsen story so far.
Historical significance: 0/10
Sadly, the only appearance of Ka-Ra.
Silver Age-ness: 2/10
The only true Silver Age aspect is the Ka-Ra robot, but at least Professor Potter doesn’t give it super-powers.
Does it stand the test of time? 8/10
This is clearly a comical story; I could see the entire premise being replicated today, hopefully with a version of Supergirl that is not underage.
Stupid Jimmy Olsen moment
Just imagine what would’ve happened if Jimmy was a little less xenophobic.
. . . and mercifully [Jimmy Olsen] doesn’t know that [Supergirl’s] UNDERAGE.
It’s not quite as bad as that. As you found out when you reviewed Jimmy Olsen # 61 (Jun., 1962), the Jimster turned twenty-one in the story “Jimmy Olsen’s Wildest Adventure”. So he was no more than twenty years old in this tale.
More pertinently, Supergirl was not fifteen. Over a year earlier, in “Supergirl’s Busiest Day”, from Action Comics # 270 (Nov., 1960), the Girl of Steel celebrated her sixteenth birthday.
Twenty-year-old Jimmy and sixteen-year-old Supergirl . . . still dicey, but at least not breaking the law in several states in the Union.
The real outrage is that it’s legal to date Jimmy Olsen.
Ha! True enough. The doofus should never be given the chance to procreate.