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)
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And if Jimmy was 21, how old was Lucy?
This one was remarkably easy to research. In 1959, the age requirement for stewardesses was between twenty-one to twenty-seven years old, depending on the airline. ( As a note of interest, many airlines at that time also had a manditory retirement age of thirty-two for their stewardesses.)
Since Jimmy was dating Lucy before he turned twenty-one, most likely Lucy was a year or so older (to make her fit the minimum age requirement of twenty-one).
It just hit me that they always mentioned Clark, Lois and later Linda going to college yet both Jimmy and Lucy apparently didn't! You would think that they would have been encouraged to go.
SUPERMAN #144 - "The Orphans of Space"
"After the planet Krypton exploded, Superman, Supergirl and Krypto came to our world and made Earth their new home!... All three of them love Earth, and so you can imagine how grief-stricked they become on the terrible day Superman accidentally destroys the planet Earth, once again making them... The Orphans of Space!"
"The Orphans of Space" was one of the first comic stories I ever read (or had read to me, as the case may be), reprinted in Superman #213, when I was three or four years old. Judging by the cover date, I would have been three when it hit the stands, but likely my mother held it back until our annual vacation trip (four hours by car the the Lake of the Ozarks). She would have made the choice of which comics to buy, and was likely drawn to it by the dramatic Neal Adams cover (or perhaps the color purple). I had really looked forward to rereading this story in context in the Supergirl archive or omnibus series, but this story came not from Supergirl's solo feature in Action Comics (which were the ones being reprinted), but from Superman #144 (which also, coincidentally, had a purple cover). There was no way of knowing that, however, because DC was not as dilligent as Marvel in identifying the sources for reprints.
Still, I like to think I must have realized it was a reprint, even at that tender age. I certainly identified a difference in tone and style between "The Orphans of Space" and the lead story (although "tone" and "style" are not words I would have used when I was four). In any case, it was a good introduction for me to this era of Superman, including such concepts as the Fortress of Solitude, the Bottle City of Kandor and Red & Green Kryptonite, as well as Supergirl and Krypto. The story moves rather quickly and has a lot of plot packed into a mere eight pages, not the least of which is the destruction of Earth. From there, the Supes are captured, put on trial, had their powers removed, and sentenced to live out their lives on a primordial planet.
The whole scenario [SPOILER] ends up being a dream induced by an exposure to Red Kryptonite dust early in the story. ("We all had the same dream because Red Kryptonite affects all people from Krypton the same way!" explains Supergirl.) [END SPOILER]
SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #57 - "Jimmy Olsen Marries Supergirl!"
After Superman #144, a dream, we end with another "imaginary story" in which "Jimmy Olsen Marries Supergirl!" Along with DC's first imaginary story ("Mr. and Mrs. Clark (Superman) Kent"), this one can also be found in the DC's Greatest Imaginary Stories tpb. "Jimmy Olsen Marries Supergirl!" starts with Jimmy deciding to write a human interest article about the Midvale Orphanage, where he once spent some time suffering from temporary amnesia (see "Jimmy Olsen, Orphan!," Jimmy Olsen #46, above). Linda Lee has long since been adopted by the Danvers, but they have arranged for Linda to stay there while they travel abroad. Huh! I didn' t know that an orpanage could be used as an alternative to day care (or taking Linda with them)... that's thinking outside the box!
Jimmy and Linda find themselves mutually attracted to each other, so much so that Jimmy gives Linda one of his souvenirs, a small chunk of Red Kryptonite, which not only robs her of her powers, but also causes her to forget her Supergirl identity. Jimmy asks her out on a date that night, which ends with him asking her to marry him. (That kid moves fast.) She accepts, and the next day Jimmy "introduces" her to Superman, who quickly figures out what has happened. At this point, one might expect Superman to pull a series of stunts to prevent the wedding (at least until she is in her right mind), but no! Instead, he thinks, "Hmm... They're so happy... I'll keep mum, and do nothing to spoil their happiness!"
The happy couple gets married and, after they returm from their honeymoon, "the newlyweds settle down in a lovely home, complete with new furniture and loads of bills." Jimmy asks Perry White for a raise, Perry refuses and Jimmy quits. At this point, Supergirl's memory and powers return. Jimmy can't find work, so Supergirl uses her powers in secret in a way that Jimmy gets the credit and they have some reward money to live on for a while. Then she comes up with a truly ill-conceived idea: rather than simply telling him the truth, she decides to "break it to him gradually" by first lettung him discover that a "Supergirl" exists, then making him fall in love with her!
Do I even have to explain why this is a bad idea? Jimmy remains faithful to Linda, but he keeps his relationship with Supergirl a secret, and she is, of course, aware of it. Plus, if Supergirl's plan works, then she has, in effect, sabotaged her own marriage. (Sometimes I can't even.) Luckily for all concerned, Supergirl's plan fails, yet Jimmy comes clean and admits to Linda that he was attracted to Supergirl. At this point, Linda reveals her identity and, confusing her husband with Peter Parker's Aunt May, thinks, "Thank goodness I broke the news to him gradually! Otherwise, the shock might have been to much!"
As usual, the narrator gets the final word: "Yes, this story had a happy ending, but remember this has only been an imaginary tale, and may never happen! and besides, Lucy Lane is still around!"
And that is as far as I intend to take this thread at this time because all oof the other stories in the DC Finest edition have already been covered in the "Supergirl Archives" discussion.
Along with DC's first imaginary story ("Mr. and Mrs. Clark (Superman) Kent"), this one can also be found in the DC's Greatest Imaginary Stories tpb.
I have this TPB in my pile. I’ve read some of these stories when they were originally published, but haven’t reread them yet.
Linda Lee has long since been adopted by the Danvers, but they have arranged for Linda to stay there while they travel abroad.
She can’t stay home by herself but can get married?
She accepts, and the next day Jimmy "introduces" her to Superman, who quickly figures out what has happened.
Fortunately, she wasn’t carrying her new lucky red-K charm.
Luckily for all concerned, Supergirl's plan fails, yet Jimmy comes clean and admits to Linda that he was attracted to Supergirl.
The writer (Jerry Siegel) could have included the likely fact that subconsciously Jimmy recognized Supergirl as Linda, his wife.
The writer (Jerry Siegel) could have included the likely fact that subconsciously Jimmy recognized Supergirl as Linda, his wife.
This reminds me of one of the more intelligent handlings of a "dual identity" and a spouse.
The short-lived television series The Man Who Never Was (1966-7, ABC) revolved around an American espionage agent, Peter Murphy, who has been marked for death by an enemy nation (read: the Soviets). In the first episode, while on the run from assassins in West Germany, Murphy briefly encounters his exact double, shady millionaire industrialist Mark Wainwright. In the confusion of Murphy's escape, the enemy agents kill Wainwright, believing him to be Murphy. Murphy's handler, Colonel Forbes, sees this as an opportunity for Murphy to continue his espionage activities, by posing as Wainwright.
Murphy is briefed on every known detail of Wainwright's life. He assumes residence in the dead expatriate's German villa and passes muster with the servants and Wainwright's personal staff. Then Wainwright's wife, Eva, returns from a pleasure trip and reminds Murphy/Wainwright of an upcoming business meeting. Thirty minutes later, they're in an elevator when Eva stops it between floors. She turns to Murphy/Wainwright and asks, "Who are you?" Nothing specifically gave him away---she just knew he wasn't her husband.
I loved that intelligent piece of writing. It recognised that a wife will know her husband on an instictive level.
The Man Who Never Was deserved a longer run than it got. And it was one of the few shows to resolve it premise in the final episode. That was a year before The Fugitive did so.
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