Jimmy Olsen: Adventures by Jack Kirby

    (DC, 2003)
™ and © DC Comics, Inc.

This volume, the first of two collecting Kirby’s run on Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen, differs from other volumes in the Fourth World collection in one important aspect: It’s in color. Nothing against black and white comics, many of which are excellent, but a creator designs his work for a particular medium in a particular way. Comics designed for color are best read in color.

However, the trade dress is different and, unlike the others, it’s not titled “Jack Kirby’s …” (Attention, those who like to alphabetize.)

This comic was no less groundbreaking than such Kirby contemporaries as New Gods and Forever People. It reintroduced the Newsboy Legion and The (Golden) Guardian. It featured the first appearances of Darkseid and Morgan Edge. It gave readers The Hairies, The Whiz Wagon, The Zoomway, and The D.N.Aliens. There are clones galore (although they did not yet use that word for them). And (sigh) there’s Flippa Dippa and Goody Rickels.

Flippa Dippa was a 1970s attempt at diversity by adding a black member to The Newsboy Legion. Sorry, but this dork, who wears a scuba suit 24/7, made Urkel look cool. Goody Rickels was Don Rickles’ “good twin.” (Mark Evanier explained him far better in his introduction than I could ever hope to.)

It is dated; Goody Rickels is a sign of that, as are the 1970s generation gap and pseudo-hippy culture. But it’s an interesting glimpse into a revolutionary period in comics that changed a long-standing title and gave readers characters and concepts still around today.

— Jack Abramowitz
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#1

August, 2003
Cover Price: $19.95
2 copies available from $9.50 		Jack KirbyJack Kirby, Al Plastino, Murphy Anderson
#2


Cover Price: $19.95
1 copy available for $11.00 		Jack KirbyJack Kirby