JIMMY OLSEN 135 (1971)
Writing and pencils by Jack Kirby
Cover by Neal Adams
Easily the most important contribution of the Kirby run on the DC Universe: this is the origin of Project Cadmus.
Kind of.
We begin with a couple of masked figures creating all kinds of weird creatures, especially in an AWESOME splash page. I know I’m far more critical of the Kirby run than most, but even I have to admit he’s still The King when it comes to awe-inspiring visuals.
These two super-scientists are Mokkari (the one with the interesting design) and Simyan (the one with the boring design).
These names are poor Kirby. “Mokkari” of course is reminiscent of “Makkari” that Kirby will create on the Eternals, and “Simyan”… there are many ways to describe Kirby’s approach to naming characters, but “subtlety” isn’t one of them.
After saying goodbye to the Hairies of last issue, Superman and the Newsboy Legion are sent to “the Project”. Which is, for now, simply called the “DNA Project”.
Oh and Jimmy also makes an appearance in his own comic. AT PAGE EIGHT.
It’s at DNA Project that the current Newsboy Legion meets the old Newsboy Legion, the one from the Golden Age.
You have no idea how weird this is.
Each member of the new Newsboy Legion is an exact replica of his father, down to having the same gimmick AND the same nickname.
In a storyline that revolves mostly around clones you would expect to see a revelation that the new team is made up of clones of the old team… and that’s indeed the way things will be post-Crisis.
But for now? Every single member of the Golden Age team has raised a son to be a replica of himself! Like I said: WEIRD.
And the weirdness has only just begun: we discover that the Hairies were actually genetically engineered at DNA Project, which Superman explains (somewhat awkwardly) is running all kinds of genetic experiments.
I’ll have to give Kirby credit: while this is by no means a new science fiction trope, in 1971 clones and genetic experiments weren’t used very commonly in comic books.
One Kirby idea I won’t defend, though? DNA Project is full of Jimmy Olsen clones!!!
And I do mean full!!!
“Consent? What’s that?” is probably the DNA Project’s motto.
Speaking of creepy things, now we have the first glimpse at a Darkseid that actually does look mostly like Darkseid.
Following his orders, Simyan and Mokkari have created weird monster that is now on the loose.
And they send it to DNA Project by using the curiously named Penetrator Beam ™, which you would never guess is the name of a teleportation beam.
How can this thing manage to hurt Superman is presented as a mystery, but come on, he’s green.
Which of course means he’s actually… Jimmy Hulk ???
With Superman knocked out by Jimmy Hulk, it’s up to the Golden Age Newsboy Legion to find a solution… in one of the most nonsensical moments of the storyline.
Take a moment to appreciate the absurdity.
What you are seeing are the now adult versions of the Newsboy Legion, which have known each other for decades at this point… but they’re explaining to each other who they are? By reminding that they used to have the same nicknames of their sons?
On top of that… “Golden Age Big Words” is actually the only one who has any rights to be at DNA Project! Seriously, he’s the ONLY geneticist from the old Newsboy Legion: all the other ones are EXPLICITLY here for no reason!!!
*groan*
Anyway, the way they want to fight Jimmy Hulk is by releasing the clone of an old friend… who for some reason they keep inside a giant capsule (???).
This is of course the return of the mentor of the original Newsboy Legion, a Golden Age creation by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon: the Guardian.
JIMMY OLSEN 136 (1971)
Writing and pencils by Jack Kirby
Cover by Neal Adams & Jack Kirby
I cannot understand how a cover by both Neal Adams AND Jack Kirby can possibly be this bad.
The Guardian is surprisingly effective dealing with a guy who just took down Superman, but of course it turns out that Jimmy Hulk is covered with synthetic Kryptonite.
Don’t expect any consistency on how big Jimmy Hulk is.
He’s taken down by some kind of gas grenade…
…thrown by a “miniature paratrooper”. (WTF!?)
Have I mentioned yet that this series is WEIRD?
Please never mention Scrapper’s spunky cells ever again.
Not sure that turning Jimmy Hulk into Silver Surfer was a wise choice.
Darkseid’s evolution into his familiar form is almost complete, but I still wonder why he keeps wasting so much time in these idiotic plans.
As we get this giant-size map of all the new places introduced by Kirby, I’m still wondering: where the heck is any of this!? The first issue implied you needed to cross water to reach the Wild Area… are we in an island!? That SOMEHOW kept all of THIS secret!?!?
So this is the end of the Golden Age Guardian and the origin of the Silver Age one, that’s nice.
But I still can’t understand WTF the old Newsboy Legion is doing here!!!
Probably the most important role Cadmus has in the current DC continuity is creating the modern Superboy, a.k.a. Superman’s clone.
We ALMOST got it in 1971!!!
Only Jack Kirby could hint at a Superman clone and in the very next panel be like “but enough about that, I have a new idea to introduce”.
Last issue we didn’t get any Kirby montages, but this time we do.
And once again: this sucks!!!
No, really! Admittedly it’s not as goofy as last time and it does have a purpose: showing a sci-fi representation of the advanced technology of DNA Project.
You know what else does exactly the same thing? Jack Kirby’s art IN THE NEXT PANEL!!!
It doesn’t go as over the top as other Kirby machinery, but maybe it would have it Kirby focused on this panel instead of wasting an entire page on that collage!!!
*groan*
Kirby explains the terminology of the DNA Project’s creations: “Normals” are, well, normal people. “Step-ups” are what we would today refer as “genetically enhanced”.
As for the “aliens”… a weird word to use with Superman around… it’s people like Dubbilex.
Please note:
1) Kirby’s naming conventions
2) Jimmy not being a awful human being
We learn that DNA Project has an evil counterpart (which is the one run by Mokkari and Simyan), which in the very last page creates the villain of next issue.
I wouldn’t have ditched the idea of using Kryptonite-based monsters so soon, guys.
Historical significance: 10/10
It’s not called Project Cadmus, but for all intents and purposes this is Cadmus. Considering the impact it had on the modern DC universe, and with the added bonus of reintroducing Guardian, it can’t possibly have a lower score.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
This is somewhat closer to the Marvel scale, but still, it’s pretty high regardless. Miniature clone paratroopers, anyone?
Does it stand the test of time? 7/10
This is LEAGUES better than the first two issues. It’s still a fun romp almost entirely devoid of any characterization whatsoever, but this time the plot actually makes sense!!! It loses something in the way it tries so hard to jam the Newsboy Legion into the whole thing… both he adult and the young versions… not only it doesn’t work, it’s incredibly distracting.
On top of that, everyone’s complete and utter disregard for the idea of taking genetic samples and creates who knows how many clones without even informing the donor… let’s just say it hasn’t aged particularly well.
Most Kirby panel
Issue 135
Issue 136
Most WTF panel
Issue 135: this is even weirder than the idea of mass-cloning Jimmy Olsen.
Issue 136: the collage doesn’t count, otherwise I’d choose the collage 99% of the time.
Interesting letters: most letters are ecstatic praise, with more than one reader saying that they didn’t buy anything relating to Superman before Kirby, so hiring him definitely paid off.
I do, however, mostly agree with the one contrarian letter.
