JIMMY OLSEN 142 (1971)
by Jack Kirby
cover by Jack Kirby & Neal Adams
I really should’ve reviewed this for Halloween. “The vampire bit but like you’ve never seen it before” is an understatement!!!
I mean, how many vampires do you know who bite victims with their eyes!?
The victim is Morgan Edge’s secretary. Good for Not-Dracula, just imagine what would’ve happened if he bit Lois Lane.
Probably a scheme to marry Superman.
I do appreciate that Jimmy actually believes in vampires this time around. If this was happening in the 60s he would certain that vampires don’t exist (despite meeting aliens, magicians, djinns, werewolves, leprechauns, centaurs and I’m probably forgetting a few).
Not-Dracula knocks out Jimmy with his telekinetic vision (???), and Clark pretends to be hurt.
He also hypnotizes the secretary into revealing the position of a man called Dabney Donovan, and does his vanishing act.
The world’s greatest superhero, ladies and gentlemen.
When they follow the lead left by the secretary to find Dabney Donovan, they run into Not-Dracula’s pet werewolf.
“Matted masterwork of murderous malignancy”. Alliteration was Stan Lee’s hallmark, but it’s not like Jack Kirby doesn’t do it.
Not-Dracula vanishes before Superman can catch him, AGAIN.
By now you might be wondering “who exactly is this Dabney Donovan that Not-Dracula wants to find?”.
“The closest thing to a mad scientist that we have”… I hope Lex Luthor isn’t reading this.
Superman finds a clue towards the real target: “Blood Mor Destruct Date 19 71”.
If this is the kind of detective work Superman does in a Kirby story, just imagine how crazy a Batman one would be!
We also have a subplot about the Newsboy Legion going on a separate mission, but I’m sure it won’t be important.
Not as important as Superman and Jimmy finding the greatest invention by Dabney Donovan: a MINIATURE VAMPIRE PLANET.
JIMMY OLSEN 143 (1971)
by Jack Kirby
You have a vampire planet in your comic and you don’t put it on the cover?
Especially be replacing it with the title “the genocide spray”!?
The double spread page of the vampire planet is AMAZING and once again proves to me that Kirby really didn’t need his collages.
Not only Dabney Donovan created a miniature vampire planet (with horns!!!), he’s also projecting horror movies on their skies in order to create new monsters!!!
We also find Not-Dracula’s tomb. And apparently he likes to sleep in his Joker cosplay, judging by those lips.
Just so we’re clear: Donovan created a miniature planet that spawned vampires and werewolves.
Would this count at “Frankenstein’s monster”, or should we call him “Donovan’s monster”?
As a reminder, these creatures are not TECHNICALLY magic.
This is, of course, the best moment to cut to the Newsboy Legion.
In the sense that it’s never a good idea to cut to the Newsboy Legion, so if you have to do it you might as well get it out of the way.
For all it’s worth, the killer of the original Guardian ends up being exploded by Intergang.
Back to the important stuff.
Superman breaks free (because Superman), just in time to see the monsters freak out about the incoming “Demon Dog”.
“The Demon Dog” is this mechanical being who is about to exterminate the entire miniature vampire planet!!!
Jimmy Olsen slept through the comic’s resolution, and that’s a pretty good summary for most of the Kirby run.
As goofy as this comic’s premise is… and it’s really quite goofy… I can’t help but see similarities with several Star Trek episodes.
And so we end with Superman planning to turn the miniature planet’s population into a musical.
Bonus: both issues have a couple of pages about “Strange stories of the DNA Project”.
From #142 we learn that the Mountain of Judgement is apparently much smaller than how Kirby showed it.
And from #143 we learn that the first “DNAlien” burned himself to death by using his powers.
Historical significance: 3/10
Considering how important he is to Project Cadmus, it’s weird how rarely Dabney Donovan actually shows up. He technically doesn’t even appear here!
Silver Age-ness
First issue: 50/10
Vampires who bite with their eyes!
Second issue: 109/10
A miniature vampire plant that spawns classic monsters!!!
Does it stand the test of time? 7/10
You know what? It’s goofy all the way through and nonsensical at times, but this is classic adventure fun! If you can get past the absurd premise, which does get SOME comic book science explanation, this was actually pretty fun!
Most Kirby panel
First issue
Second issue 
Most WTF panel
First issue
Second issue
Interesting letters: most are still very enthusiastic, but there is a scathing one by future Marvel editor/writer (and personal hero of mine) Mark Gruenwald.
Considering the love Gruenwald had for comics in general and Kirby in particular, it can’t have been an easy letter to write. But I still agree with all of it.