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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 (601–709 of 709, oldest first)

Young Justice (2011)
#21
Superman Family Adventures (2013)
#1
Batman Beyond Unlimited (2012)
#10
Adventures of Superman: Gil Kane (2012)
DC Universe by Alan Moore (2013)
Tiny Titans: Aw Yeah Titans! (2013)
Showcase Presents: Superman Family (2006)
#4
All Star Superman Special Edition (2013)
#1
Adventures of Superman (2013)
Superman: Phantom Zone (2013)
Justice League (2011)
#24
Superman Adventures: The Man of Steel (2013)
Batman / Superman (2013)
Superman (2011)
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Graphic Ink: The DC Comics Art of Frank Quitely (2014)
Tiny Titans: Return to the Treehouse (2014)
#2
Superman - Voor alle seizoenen (2015)
JLA (2011)
#7
Action Comics (2011)
Superman Adventures (2016)
Batman '66 (2013)
#30
Identity Crisis (2016)
Superman: The Golden Age (2016)
World's Funnest (2016)
Superman: Sacrifice (2016)
Supergirl: Who Is Superwoman? (2016)
Convergence (2016)
Superman: The Coming of the Supermen (2017)
Superman - Action Comics (2012)
#9
Absolute Infinite Crisis (2017)
Super Powers (2017)
#3
Superman / Batman (2014)
#5
Action Comics 80 Years of Superman: The Deluxe Edition (2018)
Superman Blue (2018)
#1
Harley Quinn by Karl Kesel and Terry Dodson: The Deluxe Edition (2017)
#2
Superman Special: Action Comics 1000 (2019)
Batman (2016)
Detective Comics (2011)
Nightwing (2016)
#62
Crisis on Infinite Earths Companion Deluxe Edition (2018)
#3
The Death of Superman: The Wake (2020)
The Forever People by Jack Kirby (2020)
Future State: The Next Batman (2021)
#2
Superman '78 (2021)
Back Issue! (2003)
Lois Lane : Ennemie du peuple (2023)
Superman: The 85th Anniversary Collection (2023)
Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville (2023)
#2
Dawn of Justice Society of America (2024)
#1
normalman Fortieth Anniversary Omnibus (2024)
Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2023)
All-Star Superman: DC Compact Comics Edition (2024)
Batman - Hush Saga (2025)
#1
DC Finest: Superman: The First Superhero (2024)
DC Finest: Supergirl: The Girl of Steel (2025)
Absolute Power (2025)
#1
DC Finest: Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2025)
Superman Space Age (2025)
Superman 233 (Facsimile Edition) (2025)
DC Finest: Superman Family: The Giant Turtle Man (2025)
All-Star Superman 1 Superman Day Special Edition (2025)
Supergirl (2025)
Batgirl (2025)
#7
Superman: The World (2025)
Superman: Action Comics: Superstars (2025)
The Final Night (2025)
Superman Adventures Compendium (2025)
#1
Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen: Who Killed Jimmy Olsen - The Deluxe Edition (2025)
DC Finest: Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore (2025)
X-Men by Chris Claremont: Prelude to a Future Past (2025)
#1
Weird Tales and Fantasy (2025)
Absolute Superman (2025)
#2
Michel Fiffe Portfolio (2016)
#2
Superman - Les Derniers Jours de Lex Luthor (2026)
Treasury Edition 50th Anniversary of Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man (2026)
DC and Marvel Present: Superman and Spider-Man (Treasury Edition) [Facsimile Edition] (2026)
DC / Marvel: Superman / Spider-Man (2026)
#1
Marvel / DC: Spider-Man / Superman (2026)
#1
Superman / Spider-Man (2026)
Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen 115 (Facsimile Edition) (2026)