Supergirl Archives, Volumes One and Two covers Action Comics #252-285 (1959-1961)
The Silver Age Supergirl covers Action Comics #286-376 (1962-1969)
Both the archives and the omnibuses focus on Supergirl's solo feature in Action Comics, but Supergirl made guest appearances in other DC comics across the "Superman" family of titles between 1959 and 1961. The "DC Finest" edition roughly equates to the Supergirl solo stories published in the two archive editions (through #288) plus the guest appearances.
- Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #40 (October 1959)
- Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane #14 (January 1960)
- Superboy #80 (April 1960)
- Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #46 (July 1960)
- Superman #140 (October 1960)
- Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane #20 (October 1960)
- Action Comics #270 (November 1960)
- Adventure Comics #278 (November 1960)
- Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #51 (March 1961)
- Superman #144 (April 1961)
- Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #57 (December 1961)
Replies
SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #40 - "Jimmy Olsen, Supergirl's Pal!"
"As readers of Action Comics know, Supergirl has recently come to Earth posessing all the super powers of her cousin Superman! For certain reasons, the very existance of the Girl of Steel is being kept secret from the world! But one day, Supergirl decides to reveal herself to Superman's trusted pal, Jimmy Olsen! What happens then will utterly amaze you as the cub reporter becomes... Jimmy Olsen, Supergirl's Pal!"
This is Supergirl's first guest appearance in another title, and her sixth story ever. In it, Jimmy runs afoul of a con man running a fake sideshow. Jimmy threatens to expose him and the con man threatens Jimmy's life. Then, Jimmy accidently blinds himself (as one does). Superman is unavailable, but he has arranged for Supergirl to cover for him, which includes responding to Jimmy's emergency watch signal. (Zee! Zee! Zee!) Supergirl catches up to him just as the con man is shoving Jimmy off a bridge. She decides, because Jimmy is superman's pal, that it would be okay to reveal her identity to him, so she swoops in to save him. Once safely on the ground, she relates her orgin story to him but, skeptical, he doesn't believe her. He thinks that she is a confederate of the con man playing a hoax on him. Supergirl is worried that, if he doesn't believe she's really who she says she is, that he won't activate his signal watch the next time the con man tries to kill him. So she sets about trying to prove to the temporarily blinded Jimmy that she's Supergirl. She performs seven different super-feats, but Jimmy is always able to think of a way she might have faked it. Just then, Superman returns from his mission and Supergirl uses a puff of her super breath to activate the emergency watch, drawing superman to the spot. Superman apprehends the con man (who is also a killer, BTW), and Jimmy relates the story of how he tried to trick him into believing there is a "Supergirl." (We don't find out what Superman has to say to Kara about this.)
I'm re-reading ALL the stories in DC Finest: Supergirl — The Girl of Steel, and commenting on Bob's summaries in Bob's Supergirl Archives, Volumes One and Two (SPOILERS) where appropriate, and here where appropriate. And I've finally caught up to the first one on this thread, "Jimmy Olsen, Supergirl's Pal."
It's a fun little story, but one written for kids. If you're an adult you start to ask questions like, "Why did Supergirl reveal her identity when she could have used half a dozen Super-tricks to disguise her actions from a blind man?" And then, "When revealing herself didn't work, why didn't she just take the win, and drop Jimmy at a hospital?" And "What did Superman have to say to Jimmy when he told the 'fake Supergirl' story, and what did he say to Kara about revealing herself?"
But I'd rather fill plot holes than simply point them out.
"Why did Supergirl reveal her identity when she could have used half a dozen Super-tricks to disguise her actions from a blind man?" I think because she's lonely. She has no one to confide in except Superman, who's rather busy, and when he's with her, is probably training her. And besides he's old — 35, if I remember my Silver Age lore correctly, and Supergirl is 15. Jimmy is a fellow teenager, and could be the confidante and peer she doesn't have at the orphanage. She's a teenager, and for teens the approval of your peers is more important than that of your parents (or parental figures, like Superman, who is old enough to be her father). It's also possible that she's attracted to him, but Silver Age Jimmy Olsen was such a doofus that I'm not sure my suspension of disbelief would stretch that far. Still, I seem to remember a future story where she kisses him in the dark to cure a werewolf curse, but I don't remember if there was anything romantic about it. That might not be the only story where they're paired up, either. We'll probably see as we proceed through the Silver Age.
"When revealing herself didn't work, why didn't she just take the win, and drop Jimmy at a hospital?" Same answer as above. Sure, she could have walked away with her secret intact. But I'm going to argue she really wanted Jimmy to know, and since he was Superman's pal, she might figure it's her one shot at a get-out-of-jail-free card.
And "What did Superman have to say to Jimmy when he told the 'fake Supergirl' story, and what did he say to Kara about revealing herself?" We have to rely on Superman's previous behavior to explain these, and I'm guessing when Jimmy told the "fake Supergirl" story it would be simplest if he just kept mum. Hopefully, it didn't come up at the trial. As to Supergirl, he might have chided her for revealing the secret, but since Jimmy didn't believe it, all's well that ends well. After all, he can always send that Supergirl robot from "The Great Supergirl Mirage" (Action Comics #256. See: Supergirl Archives, Volumes One and Two.) to Jimmy's apartment if he has to.
But one thing I can't explain: The rubber mask the bad guy wore. Really? Every day? In public? And talking through it? Why?
It's been discussed here before that rubber masks in the Silver Age were amazing — flawless, until you take them off and they become cheap rubber. So that's not my question. I'm asking: Why didn't he just grow out the beard and dye his hair? That would be a little easier than somehow achieving an unbelievably life-like rubber mask and sweating inside it every day. Maybe Dick Wilson made it. (See: "The Great Supergirl Mirage" again.)
Jimmy is a fellow teenager, and could be the confidante and peer she doesn't have at the orphanage.
It doesn't obviate your reconciliations of the plot holes, which are pretty perceptive, Cap, but one point of order: Jimmy wasn't a teenager at the time of this story. The tale "The Robot Jimmy Olsen", from Jimmy Olsen # 35 (Mar., 1959), took place on Jimmy's twenty-first birthday---which puts him out of peer status with the fifteen-year old Supergirl. Still, we're talking about the doofus Jimmy, who might've come across as being more immature. The age difference would be a little creepy for any romantic involvements, but I can see the Girl of Steel relating to Jimmy more easily on a social level than with her cousin, Superman.
Jimmy wasn't a teenager at the time of this story.
Thanks for the correction, Commander!
I'm re-reading ALL the stories in DC Finest: Supergirl — The Girl of Steel, and commenting on Bob's summaries in Bob's Supergirl Archives, Volumes One and Two where appropriate, and here where appropriate.
Perhaps I should have inserted these non-Action guest appearances chronologically into that thread (as you are doing with your comments) as well, but I thought it might prove too confusing for someone following only the new posts, especially if those posts engender responses. (Plus, the stories in this thread aren't in the Supergirl Archives.) Oh, well... there aren't that many of them. In any case, I'm enjoying re-reading that thread and revisiting my own thoughts from two years ago.
It's a fun little story, but one written for kids. If you're an adult you start to ask questions... but I'd rather fill plot holes than simply point them out.
Trying for a "No-Prize," eh? Actually, I have taken something you said yesterday in Bob's thread to heart, namely...
The bottom line is that these stories were written with a LOT of heart ... but for children. So looking back at them as an adult and tut-tutting seems, to me, to miss the point of the exercise. I try to enjoy the story for what the writer intended. However, I reserve the right to point out plot holes.
I'll try to take that to heart.
It's also possible that she's attracted to him, but Silver Age Jimmy Olsen was such a doofus that I'm not sure my suspension of disbelief would stretch that far.
Oh, so? Wait until we get to "Jimmy Olsen Marries Supergirl!" (Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #57) later in this discussion.
I seem to remember a future story where she kisses him in the dark to cure a werewolf curse.
"The Wolfman of Metropolis" (Jimmy Olsen #44) is not included in the "DC Finest" volume, but we'll touch upon it later in this discussion.
Jimmy wasn't a teenager at the time of this story.
We can revisit this when we get to "Jimmy Olsen, Orphan!" (Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #46).
SUPERMAN'S GIRLFRIEND, LOIS LANE #14 - "Lois Lane's Secret Romance!"
"It's no fun to be in love in vain ... and no one knows this better than Lois Lane! For years she has been yearning to become Mrs. Superman, but the Man of Steel has not obligingly proposed. One day, Lois unknowingly gets an ally, when Superman's cousin, Supergirl, decides to play cupid and lure Superman and Lois to the altar. To learn the unexpected, hilarious results, read on and discover what happens when Supergirl plans ... Lois Lane's Secret Romance!"
Lois Lane pines for Superman. Supergirl observes from a distance and decides to play matchmaker in hope that they will get married and adopt her. (This is still early on, and a footnote explians that "Supergirl first appeared in the May, 1959, issue of Action Comics.") First, Supergirl decides to influence her cousin subliminally as Clark Kent drives through the countryside by altering all of the billboards along the route with Lois's face. By the time he takes a second look, she has blown off the paint with her super-breath. I wouldn't think this ploy would work, but he does invite her out on a date that night about Perry White's pleasure schooner. She prepares dinner for him in the galley, but Supergirl uses her powers to make it better. Then Supergirl sabotages the boat's wiring so they have to dine by candlelight. No sooner do they sit down to eat than Superman is called away to deal with a emergency, and by the time he returns the dinner is cold. Ruined!
Later, while the couple are standing on deck, Supergirl attempts to blow her into his arms, but ends up blowing her overboard instead. Superman saves her, saying, "I was just about to propose, Lois, but ... not now! Your accident made me realize that if I married you, I'd spend the rest of my life rescuing you from one peril after another!" Then he flies off, leaving her to sail back to the harbor by herself.
Next Supergirl decides to make Lois jealous by sending her gifts from Batman and mimicking his handwriting. First she sends roses, but Superman is skeptical and checks Lois's pulse to verify that she is telling the truth and didn't put Batman up to it. Next, "Batman" sends her a Batwoman costume along with the note: "Marry me, and become my Bat-Queen, Dearest Lois!" But because Batman is his pal, Superman stands aside. D'oh! Supergirl's plan failed again.
Next she tires to hypnotize him in his sleep: "When you awaken, Superman, you will propose!" but that plan backfires as well. Because she didn't specify that he should propose to Lois, specifically. He proposes to every woman he meets. By the time he proposes to Lois, she has heard the coverage on the radio and turns him down! D'oh! Foiled again! Superman passes his odd behavior off as a publicity stunt for the upcoming movie King Solomon's 1,000 Wives." Supergirl gives up at this point, and Superman reveals that he knew about each of her schemes the whole time. Supergirl vows to herself never to interfere with Superman's love life again.
So just to be clear, all the stories you're listing are guest appearances that don't appear in either of those other books? Even the ones in Action Comics, with the asterisks? What do the asterisks mean?
I've just got Supergirl Archives v1, so it sounds like I'll still get plenty of value for money with the DC Finest volume.
For my part in this discussion, I just received the Aquaman collection from Instocktrades. Still waiting for Supergirl.
So just to be clear, all the stories you're listing are guest appearances that don't appear in either of those other books?
Correct. I'm just filling in the stories not already covered in either of the previous discussions.
Even the ones in Action Comics, with the asterisks? What do the asterisks mean?
Oh, that was a note to myself that, in those issues of Action, Supergirl appeared in both the main and the back-up stories. When I got to Action Comics #260, for example, I verified that both stories had been covered in previous discussions, so I removed it from the "table of contents" of this thread.
Thanks, Jeff!
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