Jimmy Olsen #60
"The Girl Who Was Lucy Lane's Double!"
April, 1962
Creators: Robert Bernstein (Script). Curt Swan (Pencils). George Klein
(Inks).
The cub reporter has traveled through time before, but Jimmy now finds
himself in a different era with plenty of surprises when he meets "The
Girl Who Was Lucy Lane's Double!" (Holy Double Trouble, Batman!) The
red-haired reporter is dusting his Superman souvenirs in his apartment
when he sees a dogcatcher about to net Streaky the Super-Cat! (Holy
Cat's Meow, Batman!) He watches as the orange tabby with the white
streak on its side leaps through the net, and whirls clockwise in the
air.
Since the Man of Steel and the Maid of Might are away on emergency
missions, Jimmy decides to pursue Streaky by using the Sunevian magic
belt, which was a gift from Ilona of the Sunev Galaxy. When the marriage
plans were called off, the ruler neglected to retrieve the betrothal
present. The cub reporter remembers how each button performs a different
function, and by pressing the onyx jewel, he can travel to the past.
(Holy Gemworld, Batman!) Both he and Streaky are now in a New England
town, where the people are dressed in puritan garb. The date is Thursday
June 12, 1692, and the tax collectors are out in force. Realizing that
his modern clothes is sure to attract unwanted attention, Jimmy activates
the emerald jewel, and flies towards an effigy of the Governor.
The cub reporter dons the puritan clothes and goes in search of the
Super-Cat. He soon comes across a wolf pack. (Holy Big Jim, Batman!)
By pressing the pearl jewel on the belt, a repeller ray sends the wolves
backwards, and the animals flee. Jimmy introduces himself to some
hunters as the sole survivor of a shipwreck. The men offer him shelter
and the search for Streaky is postponed. Back in the town, the
Governor's men have arrested a woman who was found with a doll-likeness
of Governor Gale. Lucinda Lawrence is to be punished by public ducking.
(Holy Daffy, Batman!)
As the girl is seated in the ducking chair, Jimmy sees that she resembles
his girlfriend, Lucy Lane. The townspeople plead for her release, but
since Lucinda refuses to pay taxes, she made be made an example of. When
the Governor suggests that someone else take her place, the cub reporter
volunteers. Gale eyes the red-haired stranger and plans to keep the
meddler underwater for too long a time. As the ducking stool goes
underwater, Jimmy activates the amethyst jewel on the Sunevian belt. He
is now surrounded by a force-field which keeps him with enough air to
breathe. Ten minutes pass, with the Governor reluctantly raising the
ducking stool to the surface once more.
When the townspeople see that the newcomer is safe and sound, Jimmy tells
them that he's had plenty of practice at holding his breath. Free from
the ducking stool, he and Lucinda head for her uncle's carpenter shoppe.
The carpenter agrees to take Jimmy on as an apprentice, and the
red-haired reporter stays for supper. He watches as Lucinda stirs the
pot with a special stick, and she tells him that it's a special dish.
After the meal, they take a walk around town, with the girl telling him
that if they got married, she'd be happy to cook and clean for him.
(Holy Martha Stewart, Batman!) When Lucinda asks him to kiss her, Jimmy
obliges, and realizes that things wouldn't be so bad for him in the past.
In the morning, Lucinda and her Aunt Clara go to do the wash, while
Jimmy has some breakfast.
Grateful for their hospitality, the cub reporter grabs a broom to sweep
up, and sees a dusty bear rug that needs some beating. As he beats the
rug on a clothes line, Jimmy sees Streaky flying by. Pressing the
emerald jewel on the belt allows the cub reporter to fly after the
Super-Cat. Two customers come out of Ye Olde English Ale House to see
the red-haired newcomer flying in the air after an orange cat. The chase
leads to the chimney of the Lawrence home. Inside, Jimmy finds that
Streaky is now black with soot and explains to the Super-Cat what he's
been through to find him. As he strokes the black cat, he sees that the
soot isn't coming off. With cat in hand, the cub reporter decides to
return to 1962 by activating the Sunevian belt.
To his dismay, Jimmy finds that his magic belt has disappeared. Lucinda
enters and urges for him to hide from the Governor's men, who are out for
his arrest. He tells the girl to wait, while he goes to speak with them.
Jimmy Olsen is to be arrested for the crime of being a demon. (Holy
Jack Kirby, Batman!) When the red-haired reporter walks beneath a
ladder, Jimmy learns that today is Friday the 13th, and he is now under
arrest. Inside the town courthouse, the Governor confesses that he had
thought there was something amiss with the newcomer when he had survived
the ten minute ducking. The hunters testify that they had seen the wolf
pack fleeing from Olsen.
The wild animals would have killed him if he was a mere mortal, but they
were afraid of him. Jimmy tries to explain how his magic belt's repeller
ray kept him from harm, then realizes his error. The pub-goers tells the
Governor how they saw him flying in the air on a broomstick, and the cub
reporter mentions his magic belt once again. Three more townspeople
testify that they saw Jimmy playing with a black cat on Friday the 13th.
With the evidence against him, the Governor orders that Jimmy Olsen be
put to death... hanged. He is to be placed in the stocks until his date
of execution in the town of Salem. The red-haired newcomer is the center
of attention in the town square, and receives a visit from Lucinda. She
has come to save him, and a minute later, Jimmy disappears from the
stocks. (Holy Stock Market, Batman!)
Reappearing in Lucinda's cottage, the cub reporter realizes that the girl
must be a witch! The stick that she used to stir the dish last night was
a magic wand. Lucinda shows Jimmy her collection of devil dolls in the
cupboard. The broom that the red-haired reporter held was a witch's
broom, while the black cat was her pet, Satan. He had mistaken her cat
for Streaky. It was Lucinda's magic which caused his Sunevian belt to
disappear. She had fallen in love with the young man, but now that he
has been accused of being a demon, he must go back to the future. (Holy
McFly, Batman!) The next moment, Jimmy finds himself back in his
apartment, with Streaky the Super-Cat soaring past his window. In the
afternoon, the cub reporter visits the Metropolis Museum, where he learns
what happened to Lucinda on June 13, 1692. Among her effects was a belt
with many jewels, and Jimmy knows that he had better not tell his
girlfriend that he had almost married a witch.
Jimmy Olsen and Lucinda Lawrence would have made a great couple. He with
his Superman trophies, and she with her devil dolls.
The cub reporter received the Sunevian Golden Belt in Jimmy Olsen #59.
Without his super-cape, the Super-Cat was obviously streaking.
Seeing Jimmy in puritan garb, I'm reminded of the character of Billy
Pilgrim from Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five," who'd also spend his
days traveling along his lifetime.
1962 was the time of "Duck and Cover," but 1692 was the time of
"Ducking."
Olde English is good for what "ales" you.
Elizabeth Montgomery starred in the 1960's series, "Bewitched." Samantha
Stephens had her own Aunt Clara and a two-part episode had Sam visiting
16th Century Salem, as well.
April, 1962
Creators: Robert Bernstein (Script). Curt Swan (Pencils). George Klein
(Inks).
The cub reporter has traveled through time before, but Jimmy now finds
himself in a different era with plenty of surprises when he meets "The
Girl Who Was Lucy Lane's Double!" (Holy Double Trouble, Batman!) The
red-haired reporter is dusting his Superman souvenirs in his apartment
when he sees a dogcatcher about to net Streaky the Super-Cat! (Holy
Cat's Meow, Batman!) He watches as the orange tabby with the white
streak on its side leaps through the net, and whirls clockwise in the
air.
Since the Man of Steel and the Maid of Might are away on emergency
missions, Jimmy decides to pursue Streaky by using the Sunevian magic
belt, which was a gift from Ilona of the Sunev Galaxy. When the marriage
plans were called off, the ruler neglected to retrieve the betrothal
present. The cub reporter remembers how each button performs a different
function, and by pressing the onyx jewel, he can travel to the past.
(Holy Gemworld, Batman!) Both he and Streaky are now in a New England
town, where the people are dressed in puritan garb. The date is Thursday
June 12, 1692, and the tax collectors are out in force. Realizing that
his modern clothes is sure to attract unwanted attention, Jimmy activates
the emerald jewel, and flies towards an effigy of the Governor.
The cub reporter dons the puritan clothes and goes in search of the
Super-Cat. He soon comes across a wolf pack. (Holy Big Jim, Batman!)
By pressing the pearl jewel on the belt, a repeller ray sends the wolves
backwards, and the animals flee. Jimmy introduces himself to some
hunters as the sole survivor of a shipwreck. The men offer him shelter
and the search for Streaky is postponed. Back in the town, the
Governor's men have arrested a woman who was found with a doll-likeness
of Governor Gale. Lucinda Lawrence is to be punished by public ducking.
(Holy Daffy, Batman!)
As the girl is seated in the ducking chair, Jimmy sees that she resembles
his girlfriend, Lucy Lane. The townspeople plead for her release, but
since Lucinda refuses to pay taxes, she made be made an example of. When
the Governor suggests that someone else take her place, the cub reporter
volunteers. Gale eyes the red-haired stranger and plans to keep the
meddler underwater for too long a time. As the ducking stool goes
underwater, Jimmy activates the amethyst jewel on the Sunevian belt. He
is now surrounded by a force-field which keeps him with enough air to
breathe. Ten minutes pass, with the Governor reluctantly raising the
ducking stool to the surface once more.
When the townspeople see that the newcomer is safe and sound, Jimmy tells
them that he's had plenty of practice at holding his breath. Free from
the ducking stool, he and Lucinda head for her uncle's carpenter shoppe.
The carpenter agrees to take Jimmy on as an apprentice, and the
red-haired reporter stays for supper. He watches as Lucinda stirs the
pot with a special stick, and she tells him that it's a special dish.
After the meal, they take a walk around town, with the girl telling him
that if they got married, she'd be happy to cook and clean for him.
(Holy Martha Stewart, Batman!) When Lucinda asks him to kiss her, Jimmy
obliges, and realizes that things wouldn't be so bad for him in the past.
In the morning, Lucinda and her Aunt Clara go to do the wash, while
Jimmy has some breakfast.
Grateful for their hospitality, the cub reporter grabs a broom to sweep
up, and sees a dusty bear rug that needs some beating. As he beats the
rug on a clothes line, Jimmy sees Streaky flying by. Pressing the
emerald jewel on the belt allows the cub reporter to fly after the
Super-Cat. Two customers come out of Ye Olde English Ale House to see
the red-haired newcomer flying in the air after an orange cat. The chase
leads to the chimney of the Lawrence home. Inside, Jimmy finds that
Streaky is now black with soot and explains to the Super-Cat what he's
been through to find him. As he strokes the black cat, he sees that the
soot isn't coming off. With cat in hand, the cub reporter decides to
return to 1962 by activating the Sunevian belt.
To his dismay, Jimmy finds that his magic belt has disappeared. Lucinda
enters and urges for him to hide from the Governor's men, who are out for
his arrest. He tells the girl to wait, while he goes to speak with them.
Jimmy Olsen is to be arrested for the crime of being a demon. (Holy
Jack Kirby, Batman!) When the red-haired reporter walks beneath a
ladder, Jimmy learns that today is Friday the 13th, and he is now under
arrest. Inside the town courthouse, the Governor confesses that he had
thought there was something amiss with the newcomer when he had survived
the ten minute ducking. The hunters testify that they had seen the wolf
pack fleeing from Olsen.
The wild animals would have killed him if he was a mere mortal, but they
were afraid of him. Jimmy tries to explain how his magic belt's repeller
ray kept him from harm, then realizes his error. The pub-goers tells the
Governor how they saw him flying in the air on a broomstick, and the cub
reporter mentions his magic belt once again. Three more townspeople
testify that they saw Jimmy playing with a black cat on Friday the 13th.
With the evidence against him, the Governor orders that Jimmy Olsen be
put to death... hanged. He is to be placed in the stocks until his date
of execution in the town of Salem. The red-haired newcomer is the center
of attention in the town square, and receives a visit from Lucinda. She
has come to save him, and a minute later, Jimmy disappears from the
stocks. (Holy Stock Market, Batman!)
Reappearing in Lucinda's cottage, the cub reporter realizes that the girl
must be a witch! The stick that she used to stir the dish last night was
a magic wand. Lucinda shows Jimmy her collection of devil dolls in the
cupboard. The broom that the red-haired reporter held was a witch's
broom, while the black cat was her pet, Satan. He had mistaken her cat
for Streaky. It was Lucinda's magic which caused his Sunevian belt to
disappear. She had fallen in love with the young man, but now that he
has been accused of being a demon, he must go back to the future. (Holy
McFly, Batman!) The next moment, Jimmy finds himself back in his
apartment, with Streaky the Super-Cat soaring past his window. In the
afternoon, the cub reporter visits the Metropolis Museum, where he learns
what happened to Lucinda on June 13, 1692. Among her effects was a belt
with many jewels, and Jimmy knows that he had better not tell his
girlfriend that he had almost married a witch.
Jimmy Olsen and Lucinda Lawrence would have made a great couple. He with
his Superman trophies, and she with her devil dolls.
The cub reporter received the Sunevian Golden Belt in Jimmy Olsen #59.
Without his super-cape, the Super-Cat was obviously streaking.
Seeing Jimmy in puritan garb, I'm reminded of the character of Billy
Pilgrim from Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five," who'd also spend his
days traveling along his lifetime.
1962 was the time of "Duck and Cover," but 1692 was the time of
"Ducking."
Olde English is good for what "ales" you.
Elizabeth Montgomery starred in the 1960's series, "Bewitched." Samantha
Stephens had her own Aunt Clara and a two-part episode had Sam visiting
16th Century Salem, as well.
