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Jimmy Olsen

Jimmy Olsen

709 appearances · Golden Age · 1938–2026 · 28 key issues
Who is Jimmy Olsen?

James Bartholomew Olsen is a cub photographer and reporter at Metropolis's Daily Planet who befriended Superman early in his career. Armed with a Superman-gifted signal watch, the resourceful—if accident-prone—young journalist became one of the Man of Steel's most trusted civilian allies.

Few characters in comics history have proven as enduringly beloved as Jimmy Olsen, the red-haired cub reporter who first bounded onto the page in Action Comics #6 way back in 1938 — a Platinum Age original conjured by the legendary team of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Over an extraordinary 88-year publishing life, Jimmy has grown from a supporting presence into a genuine institution, racking up 641 catalog appearances and 28 key issues that collectors actively chase. He's spent his career sharing panels with the biggest names in the DC universe — Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Perry White, Batman, and Bruce Wayne — and his own dedicated title, Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen, is a testament to just how deeply fans have always connected with him. Whether you're a Golden Age purist or a modern reader, Jimmy Olsen is the rare character whose longevity speaks for itself.

Identity

Real name. James Bartholomew Olsen

Powers. None inherent; ordinary human photojournalist. Famous signal watch to summon Superman. Has temporarily gained powers in stories (e.g. Elastic Lad).

Teams & affiliations
Daily PlanetKryptonians
★ First appearance
Action Comics #6
Nov 1938

Trivia

  • Jimmy Olsen earned his name on radio before he ever graced a comic page, with the producers of Adventures of Superman inventing him purely to give the Man of Steel someone to talk to during episodes.thefwoosh.com
  • Jimmy's stint as Elastic Lad carried enough weight that it landed him an honorary membership in the Legion of Super-Heroes, making a temporary power-up one of the most consequential moments of his career.thefwoosh.com
  • Otto Binder has written more of Jimmy Olsen's comics than any other writer in our catalog — 58 issues.

Top series

Covers through the years — 1938–2020

Action Comics #6 1938
Action Comics #6
Superman #88 1954
Superman #88
Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #3 1958
Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #3
World's Finest Comics #175 1968
World's Finest Comics #175
Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #133 1970
Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #133
DC Comics Presents #27 1980
DC Comics Presents #27
DC Comics Presents #52 1982
DC Comics Presents #52
Action Comics Annual #2 1989
Action Comics Annual #2
Guy Gardner: Warrior #29 1995
Guy Gardner: Warrior #29
Fantastic Four #40 2001
Fantastic Four #40
Countdown #6 2008
Countdown #6
Batman / Superman #5 2014
Batman / Superman #5
Superman: The Golden Age #5 2020
Superman: The Golden Age #5

Appearances (451–600 of 709, oldest first)

52 (2006)
#51
Crossover Classics: The Marvel / DC Collection (1992)
Comics Scene Spectacular (1989)
#7
Superman & Batman Magazine (1993)
Superman: The Man of Steel (1991)
The Superman Archives (1989)
Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man (1995)
Guy Gardner: Warrior (1994)
Superman and Spider-Man (1995)
Savage Dragon (1993)
DC gegen Marvel (1996)
Superman Adventures (1996)
Superman: The Wedding Album (1996)
#1
Articulate (1995)
#3
Superman: The Man of Tomorrow (1995)
#8
Challengers of the Unknown (1997)
#4
Superman Annual (1987)
Superman: Adventures of the Man of Steel (1998)
Giant Superman Annual #1 Replica Edition (1998)
Superman: The Doomsday Wars (1998)
#1
Superman: Peace on Earth (1999)
Marvel / DC-Classics (1999)
Superman - Paix sur Terre (1999)
Superman in the Sixties (1999)
Superman & Savage Dragon: Metropolis (1999)
Millennium Edition: Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #1 (2000)
Superman / Gen 13 (2000)
Millennium Edition: Action Comics 252 (2000)
Superman: Tales of the Bizarro World (2000)
Supergirl (1996)
Superman: Lex 2000 (2001)
#1
Great American Comic Books (2001)
Fantastic Four (1998)
#40
Harley Quinn (2000)
#19
Superman & Savage Dragon: Chicago (2002)
Batman: Die neuen Abenteuer (2003)
#1
Superman: Metropolis (2003)
#9
Flash (1987)
Identity Crisis (2004)
#1
Batman - Die neuen Abenteuer: Hush (2004)
Jimmy Olsen: Adventures by Jack Kirby (2003)
#2
Darkness / Superman (2005)
#1
Superman: That Healing Touch (2005)
The World's Greatest Super-Heroes (2005)
All Star Superman (2006)
Infinite Crisis (2005)
#2
Superman: Daily Planet (2006)
Showcase Presents: Superman (2005)
#3
The Brave and the Bold (2007)
Countdown (2007)
Superman: The Amazing Transformations of Jimmy Olsen (2007)
Superman: The Bottle City of Kandor (2007)
Superman: Redemption (2008)
Countdown to Final Crisis (2008)
Batman Collection: Neal Adams (2008)
#1
Superman: Camelot Falls (2008)
Reign in Hell (2008)
#2
JLA: That Was Now, This Is Then (2008)
Superman: The Coming of Atlas (2010)
Wednesday Comics (2009)
#12
Tiny Titans (2008)
Superboy: The Greatest Team-Up Stories Ever Told (2010)
Adventure Comics (2009)
World's Finest (2010)
DCU: Legacies (2010)
The Flash (2010)
#5
Comic Book Comics (2008)
#5
The Superman Chronicles (2006)
DC Universe: Legacies (2011)
Action Comics (2011)
#1
Superman: Reign of Doomsday (2012)
Green Lantern: The Animated Series (2012)
#1
DC Nation FCBD Super Sampler / Superman Family Adventures Flip Book (2012)
#1
Batman Beyond Unlimited (2012)
The Infinite Crisis Omnibus (2012)