JIMMY OLSEN 60 (1962)
by Robert Bernstein & Curt Swan
Are we supposed to be shocked by the fact that Lucy Lane has a double? EVERYONE has a double in Silver Age stories, I would be shocked if she didn’t have one!
We begin with Jimmy randomly witnessing Streaky the Super-Cat almost caught by a dog-catcher, which he escapes by time travel.
Jimmy COULD just call Superman for help. But no, instead he decides to use the magic belt he was given last issue.
Now THIS was shocking! You have no idea how rare it is to see an acknowledgement of past issues.
Even more shocking? The belt can time travel!
No idea on where this is coming from; we weren’t told the belt could travel through time.
I’m still adding it to the superpower list.
I’m far more confused on how the hell Jimmy was able to precisely track Streaky’s destination, but he ends up in the late 1600s.
Jimmy disguises himself as one of the locals, using the belt’s powers to protect himself from wolves.
I’m not sure what a repeller ray is, but it’s going into the list.
Jimmy then runs into Lucy Lane’s lookalike, Lucinda Lawrence, who has been sentenced to death.
He volunteers to take her place because her initials are L.L.
And because she’s innocent, but I’m betting the initials are the main reason.
But Jimmy isn’t in any danger, since the belt can also project force fields.
How many powers does that belt have!?
Jimmy reassures the locals that there’s nothing supernatural about this. He’s just your regular underwater swimmer.
Sounds legit.
Lucinda ends up falling for Jimmy, who is putting the moves on her. Because of course he does.
If it ends up that Lucinda and Jimmy are Lucy’s ancestors, this explains SO much about Jimmy’s and Lucy’s relationship (namely, how messed up it is).
By the way, wasn’t Jimmy supposed to catch Streaky? What happened to him?
Jimmy ends up being seen in public using his powers while holding a broom, and next to a black cat.
You know where this is going, right?
Yes, he might have been seen FLYING, but clearly walking beneath a ladder on Friday 13th is the REAL proof they were waiting for!
The good news is that Jimmy Olsen is about to be executed.
The bad news is…
Yep! Turns out Lucinda was a witch the whole time.
And the black cat wasn’t Streaky. It was SATAN.
Okay it was just a cat called Satan, but still!
Since we’re at the last page, Lucinda conveniently sends both Jimmy and Streaky back to the present.
She keeps the belt, so I wonder where that thing ended up.
She was definitely burned at the stake after this story.
And despite Jimmy meeting a literal witch, I fully expect him to think magic isn’t real by next issue.
Historical significance: 1/10
No impact whatsoever, but I have to give it credit for not forgetting something from a previous issue.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
Just consider that a time-traveling cat is both the reason for the whole story AND it has absolutely no impact on it.
Does it stand the test of time? 0/10
You would think “Jimmy ends up in colonial times” would be an easy premise to keep straight. But then you have to throw in the time traveling cats, witches a magical belt, not to mention the fact that everything is a living stereotype.
Stupid Jimmy Olsen moment
You have a time traveling belt and you only use it to catch a cat? Seriously!?
Superpowers count: 30
Adding time travel (of all things!!!), repeller ray and force field to the superpower list.