That's a great selection of covers, thanks. Still haven't heard from my son, but my lovely wife gave me a vacuum cleaner for the Greenville apartment. What a romantic!
What -- that Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen cover had Jimmy's father? When have we ever seen him?
We have, indeed, seen Jimmy's father, CK. Here's what little I know about it:
The first appearance of Jimmy's parents---Doctor Mark Olsen, an archæologist, and his wife---occurs in the story "The Wizard City", from Adventure Comics # 216 (Nov., 1955). This is a Superboy story, so it is safe to assume that Jimmy is a toddler at the time.
Mrs. Olsen gets her only solo appearance in "The Unknown Super-Deeds", from Superman # 131 (Aug., 1959). This is also a Superboy story, and it confirms that Jimmy was a toddler at the time.
"The Son of Superman", from Jimmy Olsen # 30 (Aug., 1958), establishes that the then-contemporary Jimmy is an orphan, but no details are provided on what happened to his parents.
This information is finally provided in Jimmy Olsen # 75 (Mar., 1964). In "The Mystery of Convict 313", readers learn that, when Jimmy was about ten years old, he lost both of his parents when the train upon which they had been travelling derailed while crossing a bridge and plunged into a river. Also in this tale, Jimmy reflects that, after his parents' deaths, he was raised by relatives.
There were no other mentions of Jimmy's parents in the Silver Age, as I demark it; however, very shortly thereafter, fans would learn a great deal more about Jimmy's father.
In "The Secret of Jimmy Olsen's Lost Father", from Jimmy Olsen # 124 (Oct., 1969), the reporter is apparently reunited with his father, red-haired, freckled archæologist Mark Olsen. The elder Olsen explains that amnesia induced by injuries from the train wreck caused him to wander for years, and only recently did he find the necessary documents which established his real identity. By the end of the tale, though, the man's memory returns and he now realises that he is not Mark Olsen, but Hal Rand, also an archæologist.
Even though he is not Jimmy's real father, he has grown to look upon Jimmy as a son, and offers to adopt him (which is strange, since long before this, it was established that Jimmy had reached the age of 21). Jimmy, whose feelings reciprocate those of Rand's, accepts.
The adoption is about to be finalised in "No Father for Jimmy", in Jimmy Olsen # 128 (Apr., 1970), when Superman intercedes. As it develops, the Man of Steel has located the real Mark Olsen, who is being held captive by the natives of the Lost Valley of Kukulcan, in the Yucatan. Working together, Superman, Jimmy, and Rand rescue Mark Olsen and return him to civilisation.
Dr. Olsen relates that he survived the train wreck which killed his wife and was swept downstream. At first, he believed that Jimmy had been killed, as well. When the archæologist finally learnt otherwise, he attempted to track down the whereabouts of his son.
Here, the account diverges from what the readers were told in "The Mystery of Convict 313", as it is stated that the ten-year-old Jimmy did not go to live with relatives, but was taken in by a couple who moved to a remote mountain area. Dr. Olsen spent many years and many dollars hiring private investigators to find Jimmy. It was on that expedition to the Lost Valley of Kukulcan that he received word of the now-grown Jimmy's whereabouts. Dr. Olsen's capture by the local natives prevented him from reuniting with his son.
From this point on, Mark Olsen made a handful of appearances in DC comics throughout the 1970's and '80's:
Jimmy Olsen # 158 (Jun., 1973) Superman Family # 164 (Apr.-May, 1974) Superman Family # 190 (Jul.-Aug., 1978) Superman Family # 211 (Oct., 1981) Action Comics # 565 (Mar., 1985)
I remember Superman Family #164 vividly. That was during Jimmy's Mister Action phase. When his title, Lois Lane and Supergirl merged into Superman Family, they got two new adventures a year which actually improved them and made them less silly!
Replies
Apparently in Jimmy's family, bowties are heriditary!
Happy Father's Day, read your kid a comic!
Here's another father-son pair . . . .
Great covers indeed. Love the Superboy ones. (That Jor-El is COLD, man!)
They sure don't make 'em like that anymore.
We have, indeed, seen Jimmy's father, CK. Here's what little I know about it:
The first appearance of Jimmy's parents---Doctor Mark Olsen, an archæologist, and his wife---occurs in the story "The Wizard City", from Adventure Comics # 216 (Nov., 1955). This is a Superboy story, so it is safe to assume that Jimmy is a toddler at the time.
Mrs. Olsen gets her only solo appearance in "The Unknown Super-Deeds", from Superman # 131 (Aug., 1959). This is also a Superboy story, and it confirms that Jimmy was a toddler at the time.
"The Son of Superman", from Jimmy Olsen # 30 (Aug., 1958), establishes that the then-contemporary Jimmy is an orphan, but no details are provided on what happened to his parents.
This information is finally provided in Jimmy Olsen # 75 (Mar., 1964). In "The Mystery of Convict 313", readers learn that, when Jimmy was about ten years old, he lost both of his parents when the train upon which they had been travelling derailed while crossing a bridge and plunged into a river. Also in this tale, Jimmy reflects that, after his parents' deaths, he was raised by relatives.
There were no other mentions of Jimmy's parents in the Silver Age, as I demark it; however, very shortly thereafter, fans would learn a great deal more about Jimmy's father.
In "The Secret of Jimmy Olsen's Lost Father", from Jimmy Olsen # 124 (Oct., 1969), the reporter is apparently reunited with his father, red-haired, freckled archæologist Mark Olsen. The elder Olsen explains that amnesia induced by injuries from the train wreck caused him to wander for years, and only recently did he find the necessary documents which established his real identity. By the end of the tale, though, the man's memory returns and he now realises that he is not Mark Olsen, but Hal Rand, also an archæologist.
Even though he is not Jimmy's real father, he has grown to look upon Jimmy as a son, and offers to adopt him (which is strange, since long before this, it was established that Jimmy had reached the age of 21). Jimmy, whose feelings reciprocate those of Rand's, accepts.
The adoption is about to be finalised in "No Father for Jimmy", in Jimmy Olsen # 128 (Apr., 1970), when Superman intercedes. As it develops, the Man of Steel has located the real Mark Olsen, who is being held captive by the natives of the Lost Valley of Kukulcan, in the Yucatan. Working together, Superman, Jimmy, and Rand rescue Mark Olsen and return him to civilisation.
Dr. Olsen relates that he survived the train wreck which killed his wife and was swept downstream. At first, he believed that Jimmy had been killed, as well. When the archæologist finally learnt otherwise, he attempted to track down the whereabouts of his son.
Here, the account diverges from what the readers were told in "The Mystery of Convict 313", as it is stated that the ten-year-old Jimmy did not go to live with relatives, but was taken in by a couple who moved to a remote mountain area. Dr. Olsen spent many years and many dollars hiring private investigators to find Jimmy. It was on that expedition to the Lost Valley of Kukulcan that he received word of the now-grown Jimmy's whereabouts. Dr. Olsen's capture by the local natives prevented him from reuniting with his son.
From this point on, Mark Olsen made a handful of appearances in DC comics throughout the 1970's and '80's:
Jimmy Olsen # 158 (Jun., 1973)
Superman Family # 164 (Apr.-May, 1974)
Superman Family # 190 (Jul.-Aug., 1978)
Superman Family # 211 (Oct., 1981)
Action Comics # 565 (Mar., 1985)
Hope this helps.
Paging Dr. Freud...
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