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80-Page Giant #2 is an issue of the series 80-Page Giant (Volume 1) with a cover date of September, 1964. It was published on June 18, 1964.Synopsis for "The War Between Jimmy Olsen and Superman"
This story is reprinted from Action Comics #253.
Superman takes Jimmy Olsen to his Fortress of Solitude in order to show him some of his latest discoveries, including a Venusian Chameleon Jewel, and the Bottle City of Kandor before returning him back to Metropolis so that he can write the story. Changing back into Clark Kent, Superman and Jimmy are summoned to court to provide testimony against the Double-X Gang, and the police have come to take them into protective custody for three days. Everyone is shocked when Jimmy suddenly decides he wants no part of being in protective custody and breaks the doors off the patty wagon in a feat of super-strength and flees.
Realizing that Jimmy has some how gained super-powers similar to his own, Clark changes into Superman and tries to talk Jimmy into going back to the Fortress of Solitude, however this does not work and Jimmy -- suddenly taking on a mean-streak, denounces the Man of Steel and goes off to cause various disasters, and destroying monuments to Superman. Superman tries to reason with Jimmy after he destroys a military base. Trying to prove the to the lad that he can't be all that bad, otherwise he would have killed Superman with some Kryptonite he helped Superman dispose of. This in turn, makes Jimmy go after this Kryptonite chunk and (with giant lead clamps to carry it at a safe distance) goes after the Man of Steel.
Chasing Superman all the way to his Fortress of Solitude, however Superman had deduced that this person was not Jimmy Olsen, but an impostor. He had made the fake Kryptonite to fool him and lead him back to the Fortress of Solitude, exposing himself. Revealed as a Kandorian criminal known as El Gar-Kur, who used a machine to switch places with Jimmy due to their close resemblance. As Superman stops him from smashing the city of Kandor, the Kandorian police manage to use El Gar-Kur's device to swap Jimmy back with the criminal. With the real Jimmy freed from Kandor, El Gar-Kur is taken into custody. Superman uses this experience to explain to Jimmy why the location of his Fortress of Solitude must remain a secret.
Appearing in "The War Between Jimmy Olsen and Superman"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for "The E-L-A-S-T-I-C Lad"
This story is reprinted from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #31.
Returning from a mission in outer space, Superman brings Jimmy an abandoned lead chest that he found out there. When there is an airplane in danger that Superman must save, he cautions Jimmy not to open the chest until Superman can supervise and see what's inside. His curiosity getting the better of him, Jimmy opens the chest anyway, and finds a jar of green glowing liquid. Wondering if it's Kryptonite based, and therefor a threat to Superman, Jimmy tries to dispose of it, however he trips and the jar shatters spilling it's contents all over his body.
Later to his surprise, Jimmy finds that his body has gained elastic properties and he decides to go outside and test out his new powers. When Superman returns and finds Jimmy gone, he assumes that Jimmy lost interest in the box as a potential story. Jimmy meanwhile has gotten a job at a circus where they give him a costume and dub him "Elastic Lad", Jimmy takes the job because he is disparate to find a cure for his condition.
The owner of the circus, a crooked business man with criminal ambitions, convinces Jimmy to help them with tasks that to Jimmy, seem harmless enough, but facilitate the crooks attempts to assassinate the district attorney. When this is foiled by Superman, the owner brings Jimmy to the lab of Professor T. Bolten, where he claims an antidote exists, but the door turns out to be locked. When Jimmy lets him in, he learns that the owner is really after the sample of Kryptonite. When Superman arrives, he uses it against the Man of Steel. Jimmy uses his stretching powers to stop him and toss the Kryptonite away, allowing Superman to take the man off to the authorities. To his surprise, Jimmy finds that Kryptonite radiation cured him of his stretching ability.
Appearing in "The E-L-A-S-T-I-C Lad"
Featured Characters:
- Elastic Lad (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Silky Smith/Professor Bolton (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- None
Locations:
Items:
- Elasti-Formula (First appearance)
- Green Kryptonite
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for "The Jimmy Olsen from Jupiter"
This story is reprinted from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #32.
When Professor Potter has stumbled upon a cure for the common cold, Jimmy is sent to cover the story. However, when trying it out himself, Jimmy accidentally uses a nose spray that replicates the Pinocchio legend, causing his noes to grow whenever he tells a lie. Jimmy dismisses the idea as pure non-sense and leaves Potter's lab. However, later when fibbing to Perry about having a scoop on Superman, Jimmy realizes to his horror that the spray works and his nose grows whenever he tells a lie. Trying to go back to Potter's lab for the antidote, the clumsy professor accidentally trips and the vial breaks. Jimmy is stuck in his present state until the Professor can create a new batch of the antidote.
However, Jimmy's growing nose works out for him as it enhances his sense of smell and helps Superman put out a large fire by detecting it with his super-sniffer. When Jimmy's affliction gets the medias attention, during an interview he tries to show off his growing nose by telling a lie. However, when Jimmy states that Clark Kent is really Superman, nothing happens. This arouses Lois Lane's suspicions that Clark Kent could possibly be Superman.
Taking the nose growing spray, Lois sprays Clark in the face with it, telling him that it's a new perfume that she is trying out. However, Clark sees through this ruse with his x-ray vision, and secretly uses his super-powers to get away from Lois before she can ask him if he's Superman. Lois decides to use Jimmy's new ability to try and catch Edgar the Eel, taking advantage of the fact that it grows at any untruth, not just what one believes to be the truth. Narrowing down the locations where Edgar the Eel is hiding out, they narrow it down to him staying at the Castle Theater. The two (with the help of Jimmy's awkwardly large nose) manage to trip up Edgar and turn him over to the authorities.
Returning to the Daily Planet, Lois corners Clark Kent and asks him if he's Superman, having prepared a prosthetic nose to mimic the lying spray, Clark's "nose" grows when he tells the "lie" about being Superman. Eventually, Professor Potter gives Clark the antidote and he administers it to Jimmy and "himself."
Appearing in "The Jimmy Olsen from Jupiter"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Edgar the Eel
Other Characters:
- None
Locations:
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for "The Super Nose for News"
This story is reprinted from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #32.
While watching a science fiction epic on television, Jimmy is shocked when he is contacted from aliens calling themselves the Jovian's who hale from the planet Jupiter. They ask Jimmy to help out with an experiment, and Jimmy follows their instructions to the letter, hoping that this exercise will lead to a story that will net him the Newsman of the Year award. The next day, Jimmy is horrified to find that he's been transformed into a Jovian himself. The Jovian's contact him and advise Jimmy that they changed him into a Jovian to find out if they can survive on Earth's surface and as a boon to Jimmy he's been gifted with the Jovian's natural talent of telepathy. The Jovian's tell him the effects will last a week.
In order to conceal his reptile-like appearance, Jimmy covers himself with bandages and goes about his daily routine. He is shocked to find that he truly does have telepathic powers and uses these abilities to his own advantage getting great news stories (such as predicting the winners at the Oscars) and helping Superman capture crooks.
Later, Jimmy accidentally picks up Superman's secret identity from the mind of Clark Kent, leading him into temptation to use that to win the Newsman of the Year award. At this time, people at the Daily Planet are getting wise to Jimmy's ability and fellow rivals for the award, Vince Regan and Lois Lane begin pressing Jimmy to reveal Superman's secret identity.
Jimmy decides against it, but when he picks up the thoughts from an old bum about the location of a missing explorer, Jimmy tells Superman, and reveals his power but assures Superman that he will keep his secret identity safe. Later when Jimmy decides to take a shower in the Daily Planet's shower facilities, he's spied by Regan, who thinks Jimmy has been replaced by an alien creature and plots to expose him at the award ceremony to secure the win.
As Superman rescues the missing explorer and attends the award ceremony, Regan tries to expose the "alien" posing as Jimmy. Removing the bandages, everyone (including Jimmy) are shocked to find that Jimmy has turned back to normal. Later, Superman tells Jimmy that a Jovian week is only five days and that explains the transformation ending earlier than an Earth week. Returning to his apartment, Jimmy contacts the Jovian's one last time who have concluded that they can visit Earth safe from harm. When Jimmy asks them to confirm that Clark Kent is really Superman, the Jovian's refuse to reveal the information as they are indebted to Superman for saving their world once. Still having fleeting mental powers, the Jovian's suggest that Jimmy check out the latest film based on Superman. Going there Jimmy sees that everyone walking out of the theater thinks they are Superman, and presumes that Clark Kent must have seen the same film and was daydreaming about being the Man of Steel, once more preserving Superman's secret identity.
Appearing in "The Super Nose for News"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Jeff Wacker
Other Characters:
- Doctor Wilmington
- Edmond Willis
- Vince Regan
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "M.C. of the Midnight Scare Theater"
This story is reprinted from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #38.
While on a date with Lucy Lane, Jimmy sits down to watch one of his favorite TV shows: Midnight Scare Theater which is hosted by the ghoulish Phanto. Lucy is at first put aback by the ghoulish looking TV personality, but soon comes to enjoy his wacky antics much like his viewing audience.
Later that night Jimmy pays a visit to the TV studio to interview Phanto for the Daily Planet, before the interview can begin one of the stage lamps topples over and hits Phanto on the head knocking him out. With the next taping coming up, Jimmy offers to take Phanto's place. That night Jimmy puts on a stellar performance and the audience finds him just as entertaining. The producers of the show are so impressed they offer Jimmy to return under the name Nelso until Phanto recovers from his injuries.
However, with each nights appearance on television, something in Jimmy's performances makes a television viewer drop dead of fright each night the program airs. Each time there is a death after one of his shows Jimmy is mortified however the producers and his pal Clark Kent reassure him that it's just a crazy coincidence. On his last night Jimmy is asked to wear a skeleton costume, which Jimmy is sure will kill someone and quits on the spot. Walking out of the studio, he runs into a crowd of people and sure enough one of their number drops dead of fright.
Walking home later, Jimmy is stopped by Superman who tells him that he's needed in Washington D.C. There he is taken to the White House where he meets the President of the United States and the four people who seemingly died of fright watching his program. The President explains that Jimmy has done a great service to his country: That they used the "fright" story as a cover so that these chosen spies would be assumed to be dead and more easily able to infiltrate enemy countries.
Appearing in "M.C. of the Midnight Scare Theater"
Featured Characters:
- Jimmy Olsen (First appearance as Neslo)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Phanto
- President of the U.S.
Locations:
- Metropolis
- Daily Planet
- Metropolis Hospital
- Washington, D.C.
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Human Skyscraper"
This story is reprinted from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #28.
Jimmy Olsen is suffering from a toothache and consults with Professor Phineas Potter. Potter gives Jimmy a pill, but rather than cure his ache, it causes Jimmy to grow into an enormous giant. Jimmy loses his memory and begins rampaging throughout Metropolis. Superman flies after him and tries to keep Giant Jimmy from wreaking any more havoc. Eventually, the effects of Professor Potter's pill wear off and Jimmy returns to normal.
Appearing in "The Human Skyscraper"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- "Wonders" Wilson (Famed exhibitor who puts Giant Jimmy on display) (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Metropolis
- Daily Planet
- Metropolis Stadium
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Human Flame-Thrower"
This story is reprinted from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #33.
Jimmy is visiting Professor Potter who has created a breed of firefly that generate heat in the hopes of using it to heat peoples homes. Jimmy lifts up the jar and burns his hands causing him to drop the jar. When it explodes upon hitting the ground the gases inside envelope Jimmy. Dismissing the accident and figuring there is no ill effect, Jimmy is shocked to find that he has gained the power to breath fire when he belches out flames to light one of Perry's cigars.
Jimmy hopes this new super-power can be used to his benefit, however he finds that sometimes it is hard to control. While it works at times of need, like using it to help out a cook who's electric grill has shorted, and making a dragon in a Chinese parade breath fire, Jimmy also finds that it works against him like when he accidentally incinerates a story that he's typing and when he gets accidentally burns money Superman collected for charity.
Needing to come up with quick cash to replace the money he accidentally destroyed, Jimmy joins the circus and tries to wow the audience with his fire breathing powers. However, the tremendous heat generated by these flames forces people out of the tent and he's fired without seeing a single penny. When news of Jimmy's fire breath hits the news, a group of criminals hope to exploit Jimmy's new powers and kidnap him by wearing asbestos suits to prevent them from harm. In trying to prevent his kidnapping, Jimmy accidentally burns his signal watch rendering it useless.
After being forced to help the crooks rob a bank vault, using his powers to melt through the steel door. They later trap Jimmy in a wood house lined with TNT to prevent him from using his fire-powers to burn his way out of his trap so that they can get away. Jimmy however uses his flame powers to create smoke signals from the chimney to call Superman for help, who rounds up the crooks.
Jimmy is given $1,000 in reward money which he turns over to Superman to replace the money he burned. When his flame powers flare up again, he's sprayed in the mouth by some fire men, and it turns out that water was apparently the cure to his flame breath.
Appearing in "The Human Flame-Thrower"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Hot Shot Holton
Other Characters:
- None
Locations:
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for "The Son of Superman"
This story is reprinted from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #30.
Jimmy is depressed that he cannot join in on a father and son picnic because he is an orphan. This changes when Superman arrives and tells Jimmy that he's legally adopted the cub reporter and the two participate in the festivities. Later, Superman takes Jimmy to their new home, where Jimmy has his own room, however Superman cautions Jimmy to never enter his secret identity room where he keeps all the items he has to maintain his secret identity. Things begin to be less blissful when Superman brings Jimmy to his Fortress of Solitude and Jimmy asks to use a new device, and suddenly Superman snaps at him and acts as though he did not give Jimmy permission, as punishment Superman vows never to bring Jimmy back to the Fortress of Solitude again.
Later, when Superman goes off on another adventure, he leaves Jimmy behind to do the dishes. When the door to his secret identity room is left open, Superman instantly blames Jimmy and warns him against going in the room. When Jimmy realizes it's fathers day, he gets Superman a house coat with the Superman emblem on it. Superman, scoffing at its imperfection promptly destroys it with his x-ray vision. Eventually things get bad enough, before the trial period of being father-and-son is over Jimmy asks the Judge to cancel the adoption proceedings.
After Superman reveals that he purposely was cruel to Jimmy because after adopting Jimmy one of his computers (Which can make predictions) warned him that Superman will destroy his own son. Jimmy suddenly realizes that the computer meant "Sun", not "Son", and points out that there is a star named after Superman. Realizing that the sun is collapsing, Superman speeds out into space and destroys it to insure that it's not a threat to space travelers. Afterwards, Superman learns that the judge will not overturn the decision to cancel Superman's adoption of Jimmy Olsen, and Superman apologizes to Jimmy. Jimmy takes it all on stride, glad that at least he is still Superman's pal.
Appearing in "The Son of Superman"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- None
Other Characters:
- None
Locations:
Items:
- Prophecy Machine
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for "Jimmy Olsen's Wedding"
This story is reprinted from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #38.
jimmy Olsen rushes out of the Daily Planet in order to keep his date with Lucy Lane, however he is struck with a sudden toothache. When he calls to cancel the date, he is upset to learn that Lucy had completely forgot that they had a date that night. On his way to the dentist he takes note of other women being interested in him and wonders why Lucy won't give him the time of day.
When put to sleep at the dentists office, Jimmy has a vivid dream wherein Lucy Lane admits that she loves Jimmy but is jealous of Superman. When Jimmy proposes to her she accepts but asks Jimmy to never see Superman again. Later at their wedding, Lucy forces Jimmy to agree to never see Superman as part of their marital vows. When the wedding is spoiled by rain, Superman builds a gigantic umbrella using his cape to shield everyone. When Jimmy marvels at how wonderful Superman is, Lucy reminds him of his vow never to see Superman again.
Jimmy is allowed to keep his Superman souvenir collection however he is forced to give up his job at the Daily Planet and take up a career as a milk man where he must avoid calling Superman on his signal watch whenever he sees trouble. Years later, Jimmy is a father to Jimmy Superman Olsen Jr., however when Lucy proves unable to stop the baby from crying Superman's surprise visit calms the baby. Lucy warns Jimmy that if Superman comes over again that they are through.
As the dream flashes ahead in years, young Jimmy Jr. becomes interested in his fathers past with Superman and is surprised when Superman pays the family a visit although Lucy is less than impressed. When news reports of a Phagasaurus reawakening in the ocean hits the news, Jimmy has the only plant that can knock the creature out, however Lucy forbids Jimmy from contacting Superman. Jimmy decides to take a walk and when he comes home he finds his wife packing up their things and taking Jimmy Jr. When Jimmy asks what's happened she accuses him of contact Superman behind her back and leaves.
Lucy's car swerves off the road and to her surprise she is rescued by Superman, she and Jimmy learn that it was Jimmy Jr who had gave the plant to Superman having taken his fathers old signal watch out of the family safe. Realizing her mistake, Lucy kisses Jimmy and apologizes.
Jimmy snaps out of his dream to find that he has really been trying to kiss the dental assistant the whole time. Later when Lucy calls Jimmy to ask him if he'd see her, he recalls the dream and tells her off for getting in the way of his friendship with Superman before hanging up on the confused girl.
Appearing in "Jimmy Olsen's Wedding"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Phagasaurus (In dream sequence only)
Other Characters:
- Jimmy Olsen Jr. (In dream sequence only)
- Perry White (In dream sequence only)
Locations:
- August, 1962 (Mentioned only)
- Metropolis
Items:
- Daily Planet (In dream sequence only)
- Signal-Watch (In dream sequence only)
- Zylophite (Mentioned only)
Vehicles:
Notes
This issue reprints various Jimmy Olsen related stories from the pages of Action Comics and Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Superman Family Recommended Reading
- Action Comics (Volume 1)
- Adventure Comics (Volume 1)
- DC Comics Presents (Volume 1)
- Superboy (Volume 1)
- Superboy (Volume 2)
- Supergirl (Volume 1)
- Supergirl (Volume 2)
- Superman (Volume 1)
- Superman Family (Volume 1)
- Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane (Volume 1)
- Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen (Volume 1)
- World's Finest (Volume 1)