Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #40
"Jimmy Olsen, Supergirl's Pal!"
November, 1959
Script: Otto Binder
Pencils: Curt Swan
Inks: John Forte
Colonel Colby's Show of Wonders is in Metropolis. Among those performing
in the sideshow is Thora, the world's strongest girl performer. The cub
reporter is among those who pays the twenty five cents admission. During
the show, Jimmy is suspicious when the slender girl manages to lift a one
ton weight.
The final act features a prehistoric caveman found in the Arctic. The
frozen figure still holds onto his iron spear. The cub reporter is well
aware that in the Stone Age, the cavemen only had stone heads on their
spears. After the show, he confronts Colonel Colby, and identifies
himself as a reporter of the Daily Planet. When Jimmy threatens to
expose his swindle, the Colonel warns him that he'll be sorry. Back at
home, the cub reporter casts a worried eye towards his valuable Superman
souvenir collection. The Man of Steel recently gave him an unused
tear-gas bomb from the time he caught the Tear-Gas Gang. With it, Jimmy
could set a trap against anyone who tries to enter his apartment
uninvited. The next moment finds Jimbo tripping over his tool chest, and
dropping the tear-gas bomb. The fumes get into his eyes and nose...
"cough!" He is unaware that Colonel Colby has followed him to his
apartment building by automobile. The Colonel watches, thinking about
offering Olsen a bribe, and then gets a better idea. He watches as Jimmy
opens the window, and sees that the cub reporter is now temporarily
blind.
As Jimmy talks on the phone with Perry White about his story, and needing
a taxi, Colonel Colby sees his opportunity. Outside, the cub reporter
hangs onto a light pole and calls out for a taxi. Disguising his voice,
the Colonel leads the blinded reporter into his... er... taxi. Now out
of town, Jimmy is in for a surprise. It is Colonel Colby, not a
taxi-driver who is at the wheel, and he is taking the cub reporter for a
ride. His Superman signal-watch won't work because the Man of Steel is
currently at the center of the Earth, where the ultra-sonic signal cannot
reach him. As he photographs the Earth's molten core with a camera
encased in a super-hard, fireproof plastic case, Superman is unaware of
his pal's peril, but another pair of super-ears have received Jimmy's
signal. As Linda Lee at Midvale Orphanage changes clothes, the ruthless
Colonel Colby is about to shove Jimmy Olsen off a bridge over a gorge.
As he drives away, the Colonel doesn't see the arrival of Supergirl, and
the cub reporter striking his head against the bridge in the fall. When
he recovers, the cub reporter tells his story. If she were to pick up
Colby, the Colonel would simply deny the story, and with Jimmy blind, he
couldn't prove it. Making an important decision, the Maid of Might
decides to tell her cousin's pal that she is Supergirl. Jimmy has never
heard of such a person. She tells him that she's the Man of Steel's
cousin from Krypton, who came to Earth. Her cousin wants her to remain
secret until she learns how to use her super-powers to the best of her
ability. When Krypton exploded, a large section with a town on it was
set free. The ground beneath the town turned into Green Kryptonite, but
a scientist had sheets of lead foil to stop the radiation. Years later,
the daughter of Zor-El was born, and her father was the brother of
Jor-El, the Man of Steel's father. The time came when meteors destroyed
their lead shield, and the radiation would kill them all. With his
space-rocket completed, Zor-El sent Kara to Earth.
On Earth, she would meet her cousin Superman, and gain super-powers as
Supergirl. Here she is, in answer to the summons from Jimmy's
signal-watch. The cub reporter doesn't believe a word of it. He wasn't
really falling or in any danger because the Colonel is undoubtedly
pulling another hoax on him. Colby wants him to believe that there's a
Supergirl. If he were to tell Perry White about it, he'd be fired from
the Daily Planet. The Colonel's other hoaxes would never be exposed, but
he won't fall for such a scheme. In order to convince Jimmy that she
does have super-powers, the Maid of Might uses her x-ray vision, and
informs the cub reporter that he has exactly seventy-five cents in his
pocket. This is true, but she's probably Thora, the strong girl who
works for Colonel Colby, and saw him making a change of a dollar when he
paid for admission. The Maid of Might tries again by having Jimmy hold
onto a tree, while she slices the trunk with her super-hand. He should
believe that she's Supergirl when he feels it sway and hears it fall.
The cub reporter figures that this was probably prearranged and she was
able to make it fall with one push. Now, she flies with him through the
air, and he can feel the wind. Jimmy figures that it's some sort of wind
machine, and that she's standing on the ground while holding him in her
arms. Now in the Sahara Desert, she asks him if he can feel the change
in climate. The cub reporter figures that they must have a lot of heat
lamps on him right now. At the North Pole, Jimmy feels the cold, but
figures that they are inside a deep-freeze refrigerator. Unfortunately
for Supergirl, she can't do any super-stunts in front of other people to
convince Jimmy. No one on Earth must suspect that she exists, except for
Superman's pal. The cub reporter plans on exposing her and takes out a
small transistor-radio he carries to pick up news for his job.
Now in Metropolis, Jimmy has tuned in the Metropolis Rodeo Show, but only
so he can hear it. If she has super-powers, she should be able to tell
him what act is on now. Using her telescopic-vision, she tells him that
the announcer is describing an Indian War Dance, and asks if he believes
that she has super-hearing. The cub reporter figures that the Colonel
gave her an ear-trumpet to pick up the radio's faint sound, and enabled
her to hear it. As Jimmy figures that Colby's sideshow Strong Girl can't
pass herself off as a Supergirl, the Maid of Might picks up a pair of
scissors from Midvale Orphanage. She's finally thought of a way to prove
that she's Supergirl. He can feel that this is her own hair and is asked
to try and cut it. The hair is indestructible just like the Man of
Steel's hair. The next moment finds the radio reporting and Supergirl's
telescopic-vision watching a cowboy getting his foot caught when he roped
a steer.
Unless she acts fast, the cowboy will be a goner. Taking the scissors
from Jimmy, she uses her super-breath to cool the metal so that it won't
melt from air-friction when she throws it away at super-speed. No one at
the rodeo will be aware of what happened when the scissors cuts the rope
and saves the cowboy. The cub reporter wants to know why she took the
scissors away from him after it failed to cut her hair. When she says
it's gone, he figures that it was a trick pair used to fool him about her
hair. Why did she throw the scissors away instead of using her
heat-vision to burn the rope? If only she were as experienced as her
cousin, but as it is, she'll never convince Jimmy that she exists.
Her super-hearing picks up the loud sound of Superman boring up from
underground. His scientific assignment has been completed, and now he
can help his blind pal now. A puff of her super-breath works the button
on Jimmy's signal-watch, and brings her cousin to the scene. Before he
arrives, Supergirl heads for Midvale Orphanage, and Superman greets
Jimmy. Recognizing his pal's voice, the cub reporter tells him about
Colonel Colby and his sideshow. Back at the sideshow, a punch from the
Man of Steel's fist shatters the ice surrounding the "caveman", and
reveals it to be a lifelike dummy. The audience will be getting their
money back. His x-ray vision reveals the face beneath the rubber mask as
"Big Con" Colby, wanted for the killing of a previous witness who saw
through his other cons. Days later, at Midvale Orphanage, Linda Lee uses
her telescopic-vision towards Metropolis, and sees that the cub reporter
has gotten his sight back. She smiles when Jimmy tells her cousin about
Colby trying to fool him, and make him believe there really was a
Supergirl. As far as Jimmy Olsen is concerned, she doesn't exist.
This story was reprinted in Action Comics #443 (November, 1966).
On page one, the world's strongest girl performer is referred to as
"Thora," but on page five, Jimmy refers to her as "Thara".
When he's not drinking something, the cub reporter is stumbling over
something in his Superman souvenir collection.
The citizens of Argo City managed to take advantage of their lead, and
foiled the deadly radiation for a time.
In theory, Supergirl could have told Jimbo if he was wearing boxers or
briefs, but Jimbo probably would figure that she already had a look when
he was out cold.
The cowboy caught a bum steer, but Supergirl saved the day, and lost the
cut.
When the Man of Steel changes direction to answer his pal's call, he is
no longer carrying the camera.
Colonel Colby's audience must not have liked to be made dummies of by a
fake caveman, and they would no doubt have caved his head in.
"Big Con" Colby may be a crook, but he sure knows where to find those
realistic false rubber masks.
Steve Chung
"Jimmy Olsen, Supergirl's Review!"
"Jimmy Olsen, Supergirl's Pal!"
November, 1959
Script: Otto Binder
Pencils: Curt Swan
Inks: John Forte
Colonel Colby's Show of Wonders is in Metropolis. Among those performing
in the sideshow is Thora, the world's strongest girl performer. The cub
reporter is among those who pays the twenty five cents admission. During
the show, Jimmy is suspicious when the slender girl manages to lift a one
ton weight.
The final act features a prehistoric caveman found in the Arctic. The
frozen figure still holds onto his iron spear. The cub reporter is well
aware that in the Stone Age, the cavemen only had stone heads on their
spears. After the show, he confronts Colonel Colby, and identifies
himself as a reporter of the Daily Planet. When Jimmy threatens to
expose his swindle, the Colonel warns him that he'll be sorry. Back at
home, the cub reporter casts a worried eye towards his valuable Superman
souvenir collection. The Man of Steel recently gave him an unused
tear-gas bomb from the time he caught the Tear-Gas Gang. With it, Jimmy
could set a trap against anyone who tries to enter his apartment
uninvited. The next moment finds Jimbo tripping over his tool chest, and
dropping the tear-gas bomb. The fumes get into his eyes and nose...
"cough!" He is unaware that Colonel Colby has followed him to his
apartment building by automobile. The Colonel watches, thinking about
offering Olsen a bribe, and then gets a better idea. He watches as Jimmy
opens the window, and sees that the cub reporter is now temporarily
blind.
As Jimmy talks on the phone with Perry White about his story, and needing
a taxi, Colonel Colby sees his opportunity. Outside, the cub reporter
hangs onto a light pole and calls out for a taxi. Disguising his voice,
the Colonel leads the blinded reporter into his... er... taxi. Now out
of town, Jimmy is in for a surprise. It is Colonel Colby, not a
taxi-driver who is at the wheel, and he is taking the cub reporter for a
ride. His Superman signal-watch won't work because the Man of Steel is
currently at the center of the Earth, where the ultra-sonic signal cannot
reach him. As he photographs the Earth's molten core with a camera
encased in a super-hard, fireproof plastic case, Superman is unaware of
his pal's peril, but another pair of super-ears have received Jimmy's
signal. As Linda Lee at Midvale Orphanage changes clothes, the ruthless
Colonel Colby is about to shove Jimmy Olsen off a bridge over a gorge.
As he drives away, the Colonel doesn't see the arrival of Supergirl, and
the cub reporter striking his head against the bridge in the fall. When
he recovers, the cub reporter tells his story. If she were to pick up
Colby, the Colonel would simply deny the story, and with Jimmy blind, he
couldn't prove it. Making an important decision, the Maid of Might
decides to tell her cousin's pal that she is Supergirl. Jimmy has never
heard of such a person. She tells him that she's the Man of Steel's
cousin from Krypton, who came to Earth. Her cousin wants her to remain
secret until she learns how to use her super-powers to the best of her
ability. When Krypton exploded, a large section with a town on it was
set free. The ground beneath the town turned into Green Kryptonite, but
a scientist had sheets of lead foil to stop the radiation. Years later,
the daughter of Zor-El was born, and her father was the brother of
Jor-El, the Man of Steel's father. The time came when meteors destroyed
their lead shield, and the radiation would kill them all. With his
space-rocket completed, Zor-El sent Kara to Earth.
On Earth, she would meet her cousin Superman, and gain super-powers as
Supergirl. Here she is, in answer to the summons from Jimmy's
signal-watch. The cub reporter doesn't believe a word of it. He wasn't
really falling or in any danger because the Colonel is undoubtedly
pulling another hoax on him. Colby wants him to believe that there's a
Supergirl. If he were to tell Perry White about it, he'd be fired from
the Daily Planet. The Colonel's other hoaxes would never be exposed, but
he won't fall for such a scheme. In order to convince Jimmy that she
does have super-powers, the Maid of Might uses her x-ray vision, and
informs the cub reporter that he has exactly seventy-five cents in his
pocket. This is true, but she's probably Thora, the strong girl who
works for Colonel Colby, and saw him making a change of a dollar when he
paid for admission. The Maid of Might tries again by having Jimmy hold
onto a tree, while she slices the trunk with her super-hand. He should
believe that she's Supergirl when he feels it sway and hears it fall.
The cub reporter figures that this was probably prearranged and she was
able to make it fall with one push. Now, she flies with him through the
air, and he can feel the wind. Jimmy figures that it's some sort of wind
machine, and that she's standing on the ground while holding him in her
arms. Now in the Sahara Desert, she asks him if he can feel the change
in climate. The cub reporter figures that they must have a lot of heat
lamps on him right now. At the North Pole, Jimmy feels the cold, but
figures that they are inside a deep-freeze refrigerator. Unfortunately
for Supergirl, she can't do any super-stunts in front of other people to
convince Jimmy. No one on Earth must suspect that she exists, except for
Superman's pal. The cub reporter plans on exposing her and takes out a
small transistor-radio he carries to pick up news for his job.
Now in Metropolis, Jimmy has tuned in the Metropolis Rodeo Show, but only
so he can hear it. If she has super-powers, she should be able to tell
him what act is on now. Using her telescopic-vision, she tells him that
the announcer is describing an Indian War Dance, and asks if he believes
that she has super-hearing. The cub reporter figures that the Colonel
gave her an ear-trumpet to pick up the radio's faint sound, and enabled
her to hear it. As Jimmy figures that Colby's sideshow Strong Girl can't
pass herself off as a Supergirl, the Maid of Might picks up a pair of
scissors from Midvale Orphanage. She's finally thought of a way to prove
that she's Supergirl. He can feel that this is her own hair and is asked
to try and cut it. The hair is indestructible just like the Man of
Steel's hair. The next moment finds the radio reporting and Supergirl's
telescopic-vision watching a cowboy getting his foot caught when he roped
a steer.
Unless she acts fast, the cowboy will be a goner. Taking the scissors
from Jimmy, she uses her super-breath to cool the metal so that it won't
melt from air-friction when she throws it away at super-speed. No one at
the rodeo will be aware of what happened when the scissors cuts the rope
and saves the cowboy. The cub reporter wants to know why she took the
scissors away from him after it failed to cut her hair. When she says
it's gone, he figures that it was a trick pair used to fool him about her
hair. Why did she throw the scissors away instead of using her
heat-vision to burn the rope? If only she were as experienced as her
cousin, but as it is, she'll never convince Jimmy that she exists.
Her super-hearing picks up the loud sound of Superman boring up from
underground. His scientific assignment has been completed, and now he
can help his blind pal now. A puff of her super-breath works the button
on Jimmy's signal-watch, and brings her cousin to the scene. Before he
arrives, Supergirl heads for Midvale Orphanage, and Superman greets
Jimmy. Recognizing his pal's voice, the cub reporter tells him about
Colonel Colby and his sideshow. Back at the sideshow, a punch from the
Man of Steel's fist shatters the ice surrounding the "caveman", and
reveals it to be a lifelike dummy. The audience will be getting their
money back. His x-ray vision reveals the face beneath the rubber mask as
"Big Con" Colby, wanted for the killing of a previous witness who saw
through his other cons. Days later, at Midvale Orphanage, Linda Lee uses
her telescopic-vision towards Metropolis, and sees that the cub reporter
has gotten his sight back. She smiles when Jimmy tells her cousin about
Colby trying to fool him, and make him believe there really was a
Supergirl. As far as Jimmy Olsen is concerned, she doesn't exist.
This story was reprinted in Action Comics #443 (November, 1966).
On page one, the world's strongest girl performer is referred to as
"Thora," but on page five, Jimmy refers to her as "Thara".
When he's not drinking something, the cub reporter is stumbling over
something in his Superman souvenir collection.
The citizens of Argo City managed to take advantage of their lead, and
foiled the deadly radiation for a time.
In theory, Supergirl could have told Jimbo if he was wearing boxers or
briefs, but Jimbo probably would figure that she already had a look when
he was out cold.
The cowboy caught a bum steer, but Supergirl saved the day, and lost the
cut.
When the Man of Steel changes direction to answer his pal's call, he is
no longer carrying the camera.
Colonel Colby's audience must not have liked to be made dummies of by a
fake caveman, and they would no doubt have caved his head in.
"Big Con" Colby may be a crook, but he sure knows where to find those
realistic false rubber masks.
Steve Chung
"Jimmy Olsen, Supergirl's Review!"
