I haven't been looking forward to this collection quite as much as the upcoming Superboy one, but still I'll likely get around to reading it sooner rather than later, hence the stub. (If anyone else wants to delve into it ahead of me, please feel free to do so.) This one includes Action Comics #266 & #277-278, Adventure Comics #287, Superman #142-143 & #147, Superboy #87, #90 & #92, Lois Lane #19-28 and Jimmy Olsen #47-56. I don't know why these issue in particular, but at least their choice demonstrates that someone has put some thought into it.
I used to like those b&w DC Showcase and Marvel Essential collections... at least I liked the idea of them. Although I would have preferred color, I bought the ones I didn't have and didn't expect to see reprinted in color any time soon, including the DC Showcase edition of Superman Family. I am pleased to report there there is very little duplication between the DCF volume and the four Showcase editions:
- Vol. 1 - Jimmy Olsen #1-22 and Showcase #9
- Vol. 2 - Jimmy Olsen #23-34, Showcase #10 and Lois Lane #1-7
- Vol. 3 - Jimmy Olsen #35- 44 and Lois Lane #8-16
- Vol. 4 - Jimmy Olsen #45-53 and Lois Lane #17-26
That's only 15 issues of duplication, and only with Showcase volume four.
(All covers illustrated by Curt Swan and Stan Kaye unless otherwise noted.)
Replies
"It's happened before! A few years ago, Superman went into the past through a time warp which effected an amazing switch in time! Superman wound up in the past in Smallville while Super-Baby entered the present in Metropolis!"
Is this an actual story that we’ve seen before? It doesn’t sound familiar.
It has the ring of truth to me, but I don't know. Perhaps Commander Benson can tell us if he's reading this.
I am following this thread, and to address the question, the only story that I can recall prior to Jimmy Olsen # 54 (Jul., 1961) that comes anywhere close to dealing with Superman of two ages exchanging places is "Superboy Meets Superman", from Superboy # 47 (Mar., 1956). In this tale, Superboy begins a super-speed trip into the past when his super-calculations fail to take an eclipse of the moon into account. Instead, the Boy of Steel winds up in Metropolis of then-present time. Most of the tale is given over to the complications resulting from Superboy and Superman coëxisting. The Boy of Steel eventually comes up with a solution to their situation. He and his adult self collide head-first at full speed and power. The resulting impact propels Superboy back to Smallville and his own time.
Unfortunately, the story pulls the old chestnut of "It was only a dream---or was it?"
However, there were two different stories that fit the "exchange in time" bill more neatly, but they came long after "Baby Jimmy Olsen". The first was "You Can Take the Boy Out of Smallville . . .", from The Brave and the Bold # 192 (Nov., 1982). Herein, the villain I.Q. prevents Superman from coming to the aid of his World's Finest buddy, the Batman, by zapping the Man of Steel with a gimmicked ray. Instead of killing the Man of Steel, it propels him back to Smallville at the time of his teen-hood; at the same time, hurtling Superboy to the the-present. The Batman is forced to work with an inexperienced version of his super-pal to catch I.Q. and his gang. The heroes then use I.Q.'s ray-device to reverse the exchange, putting Superman and -boy in their proper times.
The other story was a multi-part adventure that covered four issues, over two titles. "A Mind-Switch in Time" begins in Superman # 380 (Feb., 1983). In the then-present, Superman is flashing through the time-barrier into the past, on a mission for Professor Lang. Fifteen years earlier (for the "lock-step in time" for Superboy's time had been established by then), the Boy of Steel hurtles through the time-barrier into the future to attend a meeting of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Too late to really do anything about it, the two Kal-Els collide in mid-time-stream, flicker into intangibility for a second, then find themselves transported back to their own times. Except Superboy in 1968 Smallville now possesses the mind of Superman, while in 1983 Metropolis, Superman's body is inhabited by the mind of his teen self. Hi-jinx ensue.
The second part crosses over to The New Adventures of Superboy # 38 (Feb., 1983). The third part, in Superman # 381 (Mar., 1983), concerns Superman having to face an extremely powerful super-villain, Euphor, but Superboy, inhabiting his adult self, is too inexperienced to know how to deal with him. The event concludes in Superman # 382 (Apr., 1983), when the Man and Boy of Steel figure out that repeating the time-stream collision that caused the mind-exchange in the first place might put things aright. They do, it does, and Superman, with his adult mind back in charge, handily deals with Euphor.
That's the best I can offer, fellows.
Let me make a minor addendum to these two stories Commander. In DC Comics Present #2, October 1978, Superman and the Flash were racing to the future when Superman gets stuck in the 30th century. Thanks to a time warping device on his wrist, he finds the laws of time distorted and he goes to a meeting of the Legion of Super-Heroes... including Superboy. As in the (possibly true) dream, he and Superboy contrive to slam into each other at super-speed. They do so and sre thrown back to their own time periods, whence Superman speeds back into time to catch up to the Flash. One assumes Superboy returns to the Legion meeting.
Much obliged, friend Eric. I'd read that story, of course, but had completely forgotten about the Superman-meeting-himself-as-a-boy segment of it. Probably because, by that time, I was tired of Superman-Flash races.
I just posted about this in another thread, but I read my favorite Superman/Flash race for the first time yesterday.
Then Commander Wilson returns, and Jimmy pulls off his fake goatee, revealing him to be the "Masquerade Mobster... the crook who always uses a different uniform to pull a job."
I know that in the 60s, the Army allowed a mustache as an alternate to being “clean shaven.” I understand that in the Navy, one had to have either a full beard or be clean shaven (mustache not allowed). Presumably, a goatee wouldn’t be acceptable if not a full beard. Masquerading as a member of the Navy with a goatee would be a way of getting caught. Commander Benson may have a clarification on this.
Speaking only to my time in the U.S. Navy (1979-2006), when I was commissioned, both moustaches and full beards were authorised for all Naval personnel. However, Van Dykes and goatees were not permitted. It was full beard, moustache, or clean-shaven.
In 1983, then-Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Thomas Hayward, instituted a "Pride in Professionalism" programme, and put forth the requirement that only Naval personnel of the rank of Petty Officer Third Class (E-4) and above could wear a full beard. The handwriting was on the wall, though. In 1984, the next CNO, ADM James D. Watkins, banned beards on all Naval personnel. One reason for the ban was the fear that sailors with beards would not be protected by a full seal around their faces if they had to don their oxygen breathing apparatus in an emergency. The other reason was that ADM Watkins felt that beards detracted from the professional appearance of Navy personnel. Moustaches were still permitted, though they could not extend below the corners of one's mouth.
I grew a full beard shortly after my commissioning as an ensign in 1979, and wore it up to ADM Watkins' edict in '84. At that time, I shaved it off and have been clean-shaven ever since.
Interestingly enough, in 2022, the Navy changed its regulations concerning retired Naval personnel. On occasions when retirees are authorised to be in uniform, they are now permitted to have beards, so long as they are neatly groomed and present a professional appearance. (Active-duty Navy are still prohibited from beards.) Presumably, this includes Van Dykes and goatees. Since my retirement, I've had occasion to wear my dress uniform about a half-dozen times (but not my mess-dress uniform; the Good Mrs. Benson and I don't get invited to many black-tie events), but I still remain clean-shaven. To me, the gold-standard for a beard is the one worn by Sebastian Cabot, and to get that look requires a great deal of effort to groom and train the facial hair---and I just won't be bothered. The GMB has said that she would love to see me in a beard, but I'll remain clean-shaven for the rest of my days.
And that's more than you probably ever wanted to know about the subject.
Gold Standard Beard
Not a Gold Standard Beard
NOTE: This page is also the source of that "TV Negro" line I often cite.
Ha! I love the Mad post, Jeff. I'm betraying my age,though, when I state that I best remember Sebastian Cabot from his three-year stint as Dr. Carl Hyatt on the P.I. show Checkmate. (Waiting for someone to kick me by saying, "Never heard of that show." Heh.)
"Never heard of that show."
I do remember Family Affair, though it was not a regular watch. I also know (1) that Tim Curry played Mr. French in the failed 2002 remake of the series which I never watched even once and (2) that the sad fate of M. Anissa "Buffy" Jones (1958 –1976) contributed to the urban legend that Susan "Cindy Brady" Olsen died of a drug overdose. The rumour was rampant once despite Olsen's appearances in all but one of the Brady spin-offs.
"Never heard of that show."
That's it, fella! You and those other kids get offa my lawn!
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