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Jimmy Olsen

Character Overview

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Jimmy Olsen

Jimmy’s mother, Sarah Olsen, raised Jimmy alone after his father, Jake Olsen, a covert military operative, went missing and was presumed dead. Although a bright student, Jimmy found himself bored by school, and wanted a life of action. By the time he was a junior in high school, Jimmy was an intern at the Daily Planet, and was taking on dangerous assignments, earning the respect of much more seasoned pros.

Never feeling quite as appreciated by Planet editor Perry White as Lane and Kent, Jimmy left for a time and became an investigative reporter at Galaxy Broadcasting. Eventually, he became disillusioned by the corrupt atmosphere at the company, and returned to the Daily Planet. When Superman died at the hands of the monster Doomsday, it was Jimmy’s photo of Superman’s tattered and torn cape flapping in the breeze that became the picture that represented the tragic event in the eyes of the world, and shot Jimmy to international fame. Superman would eventually return from the dead, however, and the two would begin to connect after once again.

Perhaps the greatest bromance in the DC universe is the one between photographer and former cub reporter Jimmy Olsen and the Man of Steel, it goes way back to the earliest days of the Golden Age of comics. As much as Lois Lane is the love of Clark Kent’s life, and Daily Planet editor Perry White is a surrogate father figure, Jimmy Olsen is the kid brother Superman never had.

Despite just being an ordinary guy, Jimmy Olsen is braver than most, and if always willing to put himself in real danger in order to get that elusive photo, or get the scoop that’ll land him the story of the century. Almost always forthright and true, James Olsen always has his BFF Superman’s back, even if it’s Superman who winds up needing to watch Jimmy’s back most of the time.

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Character History

CREATORS: Jerry Seigel & Joe Schuster

FIRST APPEARANCE: Action Comics Vol. 1 #6 (1938/Unnamed); Superman Vol. 1 #13 (1941/Named)