Jimmy Olsen

File:Action Comics 6 (1938) panels 20 and 21.jpg #6 (November 1938), art by Joe Shuster]]

An unnamed "office boy" with a bow tie appeared in the story "Superman's Phony Manager," published in Action Comics No. 6 (November 1938); it was retroactively considered to be Jimmy Olsen's first appearance,{{cite book|last= Wallace|first= Daniel|title= Superman: The Ultimate Guide to the Man of Steel|publisher= Dorling Kindersley|year= 2013|location= London, United Kingdom|page= 126|isbn= 978-1465408754}}{{cite book|last=Wallace|first= Daniel|editor-last = Dolan|editor-first = Hannah|chapter= 1930s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|year=2010|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 21 |quote = Action Comics No. 6 (November 1938) The Man of Steels's future pal Jimmy Olsen made his first appearance within this issue of Action Comics, although he was identified only as an "inquisitive office-boy.}}[http://www.comics.org/issue/349/ Action Comics #6 (November 1938)] at the Grand Comics Database though some argue that the "office boy" is a different character with no link to Olsen.{{cite magazine |last=Saavedra |first=Scott |date=November 2020 |url=https://retrofan.org/ |title=It's Like LSD! |magazine=RetroFan |issue=11 |pages=35-40}} The character was introduced as Jimmy Olsen by producer Bob MaxwellRobert Greenberger, "Extra! Cub Reporter Gets Own Title!" in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #1: Millennium Edition. DC Comics, April 2000. on The Adventures of Superman radio show on April 15, 1940.{{cite comic|story= Lightning Bolts|title= Black Lightning|issue= 3|date= July 1977}} After eight early unnamed appearances in comics,{{Cite web|title=Jimmy Olsen (Golden Age) Chronology|url=https://dcuguide.com/w/Jimmy_Olsen_(Golden_Age)_Chronology|access-date=2021-07-03|website=DCU Guide|language=en}} Olsen first appeared as a named character in a story by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster titled "Superman versus The Archer" in Superman No. 13 (November–December 1941).Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 37 "Superman No. 13 (November–December 1941) Jimmy Olsen made his first appearance as a named character in this issue."[http://www.comics.org/issue/1753/ Superman #13 (Nov.-Dec.1941)] at the Grand Comics Database He occasionally appeared as an office boy in Action Comics, Superman, and World's Finest Comics throughout the next decade, and he made a notable appearance as the manager of a community baseball team in the 1946 radio serial Clan of the Fiery Cross. The first long story featuring the character, "King Jimmy Olsen," ran in the daily Superman newspaper strips from July 20-October 28, 1944.{{cn|date=April 2025}} However, for the most part Jimmy Olsen was used only as a background character throughout the 1940s and early 1950s.

File:Superman and Jimmy Olsen (circa 1971).png and Murphy Anderson]]

Jack Larson's portrayal on the 1952 Adventures of Superman TV series made Jimmy Olsen into a character beloved by the public, and Olsen was promoted from office boy to "cub reporter" beginning in the 1953 comic Superman #86.Superman No. 86/2: "Jimmy Olsen ...Editor!" January 1954. Olsen's popularity in the TV format prompted DC Comics to give him his own series, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, in 1954.Irvine, Alex "1950s" in Dolan, p. 73: "Jimmy Olsen got his own adventures in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen No. 1. A comic remarkable for its inventiveness and longevity, it ran for 163 issues." The first issue introduced the Signal Watch, a high-frequency supersonic device that allowed Jimmy to contact Superman in case of emergency. Lucy Lane debuted as Jimmy's off-again, on-again love interest in issue #36. Jimmy and Lucy were occasionally married in "imaginary stories" such as "The Wedding of Jimmy Olsen" (issue #38) and The Amazing Story of Superman Red and Superman Blue!

Though early adventures were relatively mundane, from issue #22 onward Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen saw Olsen in a variety of slapstick adventures and strange transformations, such as Jimmy transforming into the giant "Turtle Boy" in issue #53. The stories in the title often featured particularly outlandish situations,{{cite web|url=http://comicsalliance.com/best-jimmy-olsen-comics/ |title=The 10 Most Insane Jimmy Olsen Moments of All Time |first=Chris |last=Sims |date=September 29, 2010 |publisher=ComicsAlliance |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421051151/http://comicsalliance.com/best-jimmy-olsen-comics/ |archive-date=April 21, 2014 |url-status=dead |quote=With 163 issues of outright madness, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen somehow managed to out-crazy every other DC comic in the Silver Age. }}{{cite web |url= http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2012/12/18/the-twelve-best-covers-of-supermans-pal-jimmy-olsen/|title= The Twelve Best Covers Of Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen|first= John|last= Rozum|work= Comics Should Be Good @ CBR|date= December 18, 2012|publisher= Comic Book Resources|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140410072519/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2012/12/18/the-twelve-best-covers-of-supermans-pal-jimmy-olsen/|archive-date= April 10, 2014|url-status=live}} ranging from Jimmy being hurled back in time to Krypton before its destruction in issue #36 to dealing frequently with gorillas of all sorts. During this period, Jimmy Olsen lived a glamorous life as "Superman's Pal" and even had his own (in-story) fan club.{{cite web|last=Markstein|first=Don|year=2008|title=Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|url=http://www.toonopedia.com/jimmyo.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140711192800/http://www.toonopedia.com/jimmyo.htm|archive-date=July 11, 2014|publisher=Don Markstein's Toonopedia}}{{cite web |url= http://ifanboy.com/articles/dc-histories-jimmy-olsen/|title= DC Histories: Jimmy Olsen|first= Jeff|last= Reid|date= July 10, 2013|publisher= iFanboy|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130915123813/http://ifanboy.com/articles/dc-histories-jimmy-olsen/|archive-date= September 15, 2013|url-status=live}} Beginning in 1958, Olsen gained the ability to temporarily transform into the superhero Elastic Lad by drinking a serum, becoming an honorary member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. When traveling to the Bottle City of Kandor, Superman and Jimmy donned the secret identities of Nightwing and Flamebird, respectively. He was promoted by editor Perry White to the status of "full-fledged reporter" in issue #124 (October 1969).

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen was a best seller throughout the 1960s; at its peak it was the #4 best-selling comic book with an estimated 520,000 copies sold each month.{{Cite web|title=Comic Book Sales Figures for 1961|url=https://www.comichron.com/yearlycomicssales/postaldata/1961.html|access-date=2021-07-04|website=comichron.com}} Reprints from the magazine were also featured in 80-Page Giant #2 and 13 (1964–65).

{{main|Fourth World (comics)}}

Jack Kirby's Fourth World storyline began in Jimmy Olsen comics in 1970, with issue #134.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsfromme.com/2003/08/22/jack-kirbys-superman/|title = News from ME - Mark Evanier's blog}} Kirby began by introducing a secret "D.N.A. Project" to create Mutated Humans for Good, adding "the Hairies" (a group of technology-equipped hippies), superbeings from other planets (proto-New Gods), Intergang, Darkseid, and the WGBS media executive Morgan Edge. Kirby also used the series as a vehicle to reintroduce Golden Age characters that he previously created at DC Comics, such as the Guardian and the Newsboy Legion.McAvennie, Michael "1970s" in Dolan, p. 141 "Since no ongoing creative team had been slated to Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen, "King of Comics" Jack Kirby made the title his DC launch point, and the writer/artist's indelible energy and ideas permeated every panel and word balloon of the comic." Before the end of his run, Kirby wrote stories involving vampires,{{cite comic|writer= Kirby, Jack|penciller= Kirby, Jack|inker= Colletta, Vince|story= The Man from Transilvane|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #142|date= October 1971}}{{cite comic|writer= Kirby, Jack|penciller= Kirby, Jack|inker= Colletta, Vince|story= Genocide Spray|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #143|date= November 1971}} the Loch Ness Monster,{{cite comic|writer= Kirby, Jack|penciller= Kirby, Jack|inker= Colletta, Vince|story= A Big Thing in a Deep Scottish Lake|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #144|date= December 1971}} Victor Volcanum, a fire-eating archcriminal,{{cite comic|writer= Kirby, Jack|penciller= Kirby, Jack|inker= Royer, Mike|story= A Superman in Super-Town|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #147|date= March 1972}} as well as a two-part story that featured the comedian Don Rickles. Kirby left the series following issue #148.

With issue #164 (April–May 1974) the series was renamed The Superman Family.McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 159 "DC's 100-page Super Spectaculars were proving popular, so DC said goodbye to Supergirl, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, and housed the characters together in Superman Family. Continuing the numbering from where Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen ended, the series featured classic reprints with new tales in the lead spot." An anthology title that incorporated the recently cancelled series Supergirl and Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, Superman Family initially featured one new story about Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, or Supergirl, with the featured character in each issue narrating reprints of the other characters' stories. By the second series, Jimmy Olsen became an investigative reporter for WGBS-TV nicknamed "Mr. Action," featuring in urban crime stories that less frequently involved Superman. Olsen appeared in new stories in The Superman Family #164, 167, 170, 173, 176, 179, and 182–222. A number of Superman writers including Leo Dorfman and Cary Bates contributed scripts for the stories, and they were most often pencilled by Kurt Schaffenberger. The series ended with issue #222 (September 1982). Afterwards, Jimmy Olsen continued to appear in issues of Superman, Action Comics, World's Finest Comics, and DC Comics Presents,{{Cite web|title=Jimmy Olsen (Silver Age) Chronology|url=https://dcuguide.com/w/Jimmy_Olsen_(Silver_Age)_Chronology|access-date=2021-07-04|website=DCU Guide|language=en}} where a 29th-century descendant of Olsen became Superwoman.

Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, Jimmy's prior history as a character was erased. Despite recent modernization efforts on Superman and his supporting characters, Jimmy Olsen has not been significantly changed in the Modern Age. He is still a cub reporter working for The Daily Planet, and is still friends with Superman. His look was made over as he stopped wearing bowties, and started wearing casual clothing (though this trend started in the 1970s comics). An alteration to the relationship was that Jimmy designed the signal watch himself, leading to his first meeting with Superman.{{cite comic| writer= Byrne, John|penciller= Mortimer, Win|inker= Giordano, Dick; Trapani, Sal|story= Friends in Need|title= World of Metropolis|issue= #4|date= November 1988}} Superman briefly considers confiscating the watch, but decides to trust Jimmy to use it responsibly.

While Jimmy's transformations no longer occur as regularly as they did in the Silver Age, in one story Jimmy becomes a type of "Elastic Lad" on contact with the Eradicator; this transformation, however, is extremely painful for Jimmy and has not appeared since.{{cite book |last1=Greenberger |first1=Robert |last2=Pasko |first2=Martin |title=The Essential Superman Encyclopedia |date=2010 |publisher=Del Rey |isbn=978-0-345-50108-0 |pages=83–84}} He also took the identity of "Turtle Boy" in a series of pizza commercials, made when he was temporarily laid off from the Planet.

In the 1990s stories, Jimmy quits the Planet in a dispute over a story and goes to Metropolis broadcaster Galaxy Broadcasting, where he works as an on-air investigative reporter. This change matures Jimmy somewhat, but he becomes more ambitious, as well as more brash and arrogant. He stays on good terms with both Clark and Lois to the point where Jimmy is best man at their wedding. This period ends when he believes (wrongly) that he has discovered Superman's secret identity and says he would announce it live on air. He reconsiders his actions, but loses his job for wasting the time slot. He is again rehired by the Planet.

Jimmy later comes under the angry hand of the Alpha Centurion, an alternate universe dictator with a deep-seated hatred for Superman and eyes for Lois Lane. Jimmy uncovers his secret plot to control the world's finances through his company Aelius Industries, Inc.

Olsen is a central character in the 12-part miniseries Superman: Metropolis (beginning June 2003). Written by Chuck Austen and illustrated by Danijel Zezelj, the series focuses on the futuristic technology unleashed in Metropolis by Brainiac in a previous storyline and how it affects the everyday lives of Metropolis citizens.

Jimmy takes a position as a regular star reporter for The Daily Planet, replacing the recently demoted Clark Kent. This causes a strain at the Planet.

{{Main|Countdown to Final Crisis}}

Jimmy Olsen as Mr. Action, cover art for Countdown #38 (October 2007) by [[Shane Davis and Matt Banning|thumb]]

Jimmy's story in the 2007–08 weekly series Countdown to Final Crisis begins with an investigation into the death of Duela Dent.{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul|penciller= Saiz, Jesus|inker= Palmiotti, Jimmy|story= Look to the Skies|title= Countdown|issue= #51|date= July 2007 [May 9, 2007]}} Tying into the Death of the New Gods storyline, Jimmy starts to develop many superpowers, which he first discovers when he is attacked by Killer Croc while gathering information on Duela's death.{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Palmiotti, Jimmy; Gray, Justin|penciller= Calafiore, Jim|inker= McKenna, Mark|story= Last Laugh|title= Countdown|issue= #50|date= July 2007 [May 16, 2007]}}{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Bedard, Tony|penciller= Magno, Carlos|inker= Leisten, Jay|story= Stretching the Truth|title= Countdown|issue= #49|date= July 2007 [May 23, 2007]}} As the story progresses he tries to uncover the origin of these powers and starts to discover their potential limitlessness in stories which mimic the Silver Age Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen adventures. Briefly operating as the superhero Mr. Action,{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Beechen, Adam|penciller= Calero, Dennis|inker= Calero, Dennis|story= Another Fine Mess| title= Countdown|issue= #41|date= September 2007 [July 18, 2007]}} Jimmy is unable to command the respect of established superheroes in the Justice League and Teen Titans. He gives up on this particular avenue.{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Palmiotti, Jimmy; Gray, Justin| penciller= Saiz, Jesus|inker= Palmiotti, Jimmy|story= All Hell!|title= Countdown|issue= #38|date= October 2007 [August 8, 2007]}} One of these powers allows Jimmy to realize the identities of some superheroes, such as Robin and Superman, who requests that he take care of Krypto.

Jimmy is eventually tracked down by the New God Forager,{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Bedard, Tony |penciller= Giffen, Keith; Barrionuevo, Al|inker= Thibert, Art|story= Now, Forager|title= Countdown |issue= #28|date= December 2007 [October 17, 2007]}} with whom he begins a romantic relationship.{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Palmiotti, Jimmy; Gray, Justin; Giffen, Keith|penciller= Kolins, Scott|inker= Kolins, Scott|story= Halfway to Hell!|title= Countdown to Final Crisis| issue= #26|date= December 2007 [October 31, 2007]}}{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Giffen, Keith; Bedard, Tony|penciller= Saiz, Jesus |inker= Ramos, Rodney|story= Season's Beatings|title= Countdown to Final Crisis|issue= #19|date= February 2008 [December 19, 2007]}} Forager informs him that Jimmy has become a soulcatcher for the spirits of dying New Gods.{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Giffen, Keith; Bedard, Tony|penciller= Woods, Pete; Derenick, Tom|inker= Woods, Pete; Faucher, Wayne|story= |title= What Price Paradise? Countdown to Final Crisis| issue= #16| date= March 2008 [January 9, 2008]}} The Monitor known as Solomon later tells him that his new powers are the consequence of Darkseid using Jimmy as a host for powers he wishes to use to recreate the universe in his image, knowing that "Superman's pal" is one of the world's most well-protected citizens.{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Palmiotti, Jimmy; Gray, Justin; Giffen, Keith |penciller= Magno, Carlos|inker= Ramos, Rodney|story= Homeward Bound|title= Countdown to Final Crisis|issue= #8|date= May 2008 [March 5, 2008]}} Later, as the events of Countdown begin to come to their close, Jimmy becomes a more confidently powerful character and is reunited with the series' other cast members on a mission to stop Karate Kid's disease from becoming a pandemic of apocalyptic proportions.{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Giffen, Keith; Beechen, Adam|penciller= Norton, Mike|inker= Palmiotti, Jimmy|story= Outbreak|title= Countdown to Final Crisis|issue= #6|date= May 2008 [March 19, 2008]}} Unfortunately, they fail, and the Morticoccus virus devastates an alternate Earth.{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Giffen, Keith; Beechen, Adam|penciller= Derenick, Tom|inker= Faucher, Wayne|story= Gone Tomorrow| title= Countdown to Final Crisis|issue= #7|date= May 2008 [March 12, 2008]}}{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Giffen, Keith; Beechen, Adam|penciller= Starlin, Jim|inker= Ramos, Rodney|story= End Times|title= Countdown to Final Crisis|issue= #5|date= May 2008 [March 26, 2008]}} Upon return to their Earth, Jimmy is captured by Mary Marvel, who had been manipulated towards evil by Darkseid.{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Giffen, Keith; McKeever, Sean|penciller= Igle, Jamal|inker= Champagne, Keith| story= The Beginning of the End|title= Countdown to Final Crisis|issue= #4|date= June 2008 [April 2, 2008]}} When Superman comes to save Jimmy, Darkseid takes control of the powers within him, causing Jimmy to radiate Kryptonite radiation, until Ray Palmer manages to rewire Darkseid's control from inside of Jimmy. Jimmy then transforms into a giant turtle-like creature, and prepares to take on Darkseid himself.{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Giffen, Keith; McKeever, Sean|penciller= Williams, Freddie II|inker= Williams, Freddie II|story= Owned|title= Countdown to Final Crisis|issue= #3|date= June 2008 [April 9, 2008]}} Darkseid overcomes Jimmy, and prepares to kill him. Ray Palmer then comes out of Jimmy with the New God soul battery, and destroys it, returning Jimmy to normal.{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Giffen, Keith; McKeever, Sean|penciller= Kolins, Scott|inker= Kolins, Scott|story= Darkseid Equals Death|title= Countdown to Final Crisis|issue= #2|date= June 2008 [April 16, 2008]}}{{cite comic| writer= Dini, Paul; Giffen, Keith|penciller= Derenick, Tom|inker= Faucher, Wayne|story= Loose Ends|title= Countdown to Final Crisis|issue= #1|date= June 2008 [April 23, 2008]}}

{{Main|Superman: New Krypton}}

During Superman's fight with Atlas, Jimmy witnesses a mysterious figure hovering over the fight. After some encouraging words from Clark Kent, he decides to take two weeks off to investigate.

He tracks down a figure connected with the past of Jonathan Drew and is told the story of how Jonathan became Codename: Assassin. His informant is quickly executed by Codename: Assassin, who then tries to kill Jimmy. Jimmy is able to avoid being killed and is apparently shielded from Codename: Assassin's telepathy due to his own many physical transformations over the years.

Jimmy goes to Project Cadmus and speaks to Dubbilex, who tells him the story about the death of the original Guardian at the hands of Codename: Assassin and how cloning is such an imperfect science that the only viable clone alive went into hiding in the desert. Dubbilex then dies from injuries sustained in an earlier conflict with Codename: Assassin. Jimmy heads south to the town of Warpath, AZ, managing to avoid conflict with Codename: Assassin on the way.

Upon arriving in Warpath, Jimmy interviews the sheriff, Greg Saunders, who evades his questions. Jimmy follows him after dark and sees Saunders working with the last Guardian clone. He then confronts the clone at his home and the two speak.

With his two weeks up, Jimmy returns to Metropolis horrified from learning that a faction within the U.S. military is actively plotting to kill Superman.

Willing to do anything to uncover the conspiracy behind Project 7734, Jimmy uses an anonymous chat server and gets in contact with Erik/Amazing Woman from Infinity Inc., who claims to have information useful to Jimmy. Despite being actively pursued by Codename: Assassin, who goes so far as to place bugs in his house, Jimmy goes to the appointment, only to find Erik's house burned to the ground.

Jimmy pulls Erik out who, with his dying breath, shifts to his more reliable and powerful Erika form. Erik gives him Natasha Irons' number. Natasha then contacts Jimmy, telling him about the plans of General Sam Lane, his outworldly fortress and his capture, and use of a Planet Breaker weapon of Captain Atom, now codenamed Project Breach (due to his similarity to Tim Zanetti's fate).

Finally ready to uncover the truth, Jimmy is openly confronted by Codename: Assassin, who until that point had merely followed him closely. Jimmy uses his signal watch to call Mon-El. Jimmy is shot twice in the chest by Codename: Assassin and sinks into the ocean.{{cite comic| writer= Robinson, James|penciller= Chang, Bernard|inker= Chang, Bernard|story= The Death of Jimmy Olsen|title= Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen Special|issue= #2|date= October 2009}} Despite surviving his assassination attempt, Jimmy decides to fake his death, having his documents planted on a heavily disfigured corpse. With no one knowing about his survival, Jimmy moves into the old Pemberton Camera Factory, sharing the results of his now-unhindered investigations with Perry and Mon-El.{{cite comic| writer= Robinson, James|penciller= Chang, Bernard|inker= Chang, Bernard|story= Man of Valor Part Two|title= Superman|issue= #695|date= February 2010}}

DC Comics has reported in solicits{{when|date=October 2016}} that Nick Spencer and R. B. Silva will be producing a monthly 10-page backup feature in Action Comics chronicling the adventures of Jimmy Olsen in Metropolis. Reported story topics include an alien civilization choosing Metropolis as the base of a major cultural celebration, and the introduction of Chloe Sullivan (from the Smallville television series) to the DCU proper. In the latest arc, he goes on a charity date with a girl named Maggie, only to discover that she somehow has ties to Mr. Mxyzptlk, and that she wants to marry him.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}}

The last three chapters of the story are told in the self-titled one-shot Jimmy Olsen.

Beginning with a cover date of September 2019, DC Comics published a 12-part comedic miniseries that restored some elements of the 1954 series to the main DC Comics timeline.{{Cite web|last=Jackson|first=Matthew|date=2020-07-13|title=Exclusive: Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber on finding the 'ending that works' for their Jimmy Olsen comic|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/exclusive-matt-fraction-steve-lieber-jimmy-olsen-finale|access-date=2021-07-04|website=SYFY WIRE|language=en}} Jimmy was once again shown as Turtle Boy and Elastic Lad, and his antics, glamorous lifestyle as Superman's pal, and strange transformations were depicted as a source of streaming-media ad revenue that was keeping the Daily Planet afloat. The series explored Jimmy's siblings Janie and Julian, his family's historic relations with Lex Luthor's family, a plot involving the attempted murder and faked death of Olsen, and a marriage in Gorilla City that Jimmy subsequently forgot to annul. The series poked fun at DC Comics' own history, including a sequence in which Jimmy angered Batman by suggesting a phone-in campaign to decide whether Robin lived or died.{{Cite web|title=Comics Book Review: Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen: Who Killed Jimmy Olsen? by Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber. DC, $29.99 trade paper (320p) ISBN 978-1-77950-462-3|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-77950-462-3|access-date=2021-07-04|website=PublishersWeekly.com|language=en}} By the end of the series, Jimmy received a new Signal Watch and became the publisher of the Daily Planet.

The series was written by Matt Fraction, drawn by Steve Lieber, colored by Nathan Fairbairn, and lettered by Clayton Cowles. A collected edition titled Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen: Who Killed Jimmy Olsen? was published in September 2020, and it received an "honorable mention" in Publishers Weekly's year-end critics poll.{{Cite web|title='Kent State' On Top of PW's 2020 Graphic Novel Critics Poll|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/comics/article/85141-kent-state-on-top-of-pw-s-2020-graphic-novel-critics-poll.html|access-date=2021-07-04|website=PublishersWeekly.com|language=en}}

Cover art for Superman: The Amazing Transformations of Jimmy Olsen by [[Brian Bolland|thumb]]

Jimmy possesses a watch which emits a high-pitched signal only Superman can hear. In a 2010 story, he claimed it stopped working some time in the past, never worked particularly well in the first place, and contacted Superman through Morse code now, anyway, but still wore it for show.{{cite comic| writer= Spencer, Nick|penciller= Silva, R. B.|inker= Freitas, Denis|story= Jimmy Olsen's Big Week Day One|title= Action Comics|issue= #893|date= November 2010}}

Mostly during the Silver Age of Comic Books, Jimmy would find himself temporarily transformed, for better or worse, or undergo a disguise for various purposes. The variety of transformations Jimmy received during the Silver Age is often homaged or parodied in later comics and adaptations featuring the character – for instance, in JLA: The Nail, Jimmy cites three of these transformations as his motivations behind backing Luthor's bill to outlaw metahumans and in Countdown, Jimmy is used as a spirit container for the deceased New Gods, causing him to exhibit strange powers, albeit uncontrollably, with other stories simply making passing references.

• Speed Demon – In 1956, a month before the debut of Barry Allen as the new Flash, Jimmy drank a potion produced by a Professor Claude and gained super-speed.{{cite comic| writer= Binder, Otto|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Burnley, Ray|story= Jimmy Olsen, Speed Demon|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #15|date= September 1956}}
• Radioactive – After being exposed to a radioactive substance, Jimmy began to irradiate everything in his presence.{{cite comic| writer= Binder, Otto|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Burnley, Ray|story= The Radioactive Boy|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #17|date= December 1956}}
• Super-Brain – Jimmy evolved into a "man of the future" with superhuman mental powers.{{cite comic| writer= Binder, Otto|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Burnley, Ray|story= The Super-Brain of Jimmy Olsen|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #22|date= August 1957}}
• Monstrous beard growth — The machinations of the sinister Beard Band cause Jimmy to grow an immense beard.{{cite comic| writer= Binder, Otto|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Burnley, Ray|story= Jimmy Olsen, the Bearded Boy|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #23|date= September 1957}}
• Gorilla – When Jimmy switched minds with a gorilla, he went about his reporting duties as a gorilla in Jimmy's clothes.{{cite comic| writer= Binder, Otto|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Burnley, Ray|story= The Gorilla Reporter|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #24|date= October–November 1957}}
• Elastic Lad – As Elastic Lad, Jimmy by serum or by alien virus could sometimes stretch himself, akin to the Elongated Man or Plastic Man.{{cite comic| writer= Binder, Otto| penciller= Swan, Curt| inker= Burnley, Ray| story= The E-L-A-S-T-I-C Lad| title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen| issue= #31| date= September 1958}} As Elastic Lad, Jimmy was inducted as an honorary member of the Legion of Super-Heroes.{{cite comic| writer= Siegel, Jerry|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Klein, George|story= The World of Doomed Olsens!|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #72|date= October 1963}} In the Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity, Jimmy was afflicted with uncontrollable and painful elasticity by the Eradicator.{{cite comic| writer= Pérez, George; Jurgens, Dan|penciller= Jurgens, Dan|inker= Janson, Klaus|story= I Sing the Body Elastic|title= The Adventures of Superman|issue= #458|date= September 1989}}
• Alien-form – Aliens transformed Jimmy into a telepathic Jovian for a week.{{cite comic| writer= Schwartz, Alvin|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Burnley, Ray|story= The Jimmy Olsen from Jupiter|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #32|date= October 1958}} This turned out to be a Jovian week, which is much shorter than an Earth week, about 70 hours.
• Fire-Breather – An accident involving an experiment gives Jimmy fire-breath.{{cite comic| writer= Binder, Otto|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Burnley, Ray|story= The Human Flame-Thrower!|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #33|date= December 1958}}
• Human Octopus – After eating an extraterrestrial fruit, Jimmy grows four extra arms. According to Superman, this is actually a hallucination, but Jimmy suspects that Superman said this to teach him a lesson since Jimmy had foolishly ignored advice from Superman that would have saved him a lot of trouble.{{cite comic| writer= Bernstein, Robert|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Forte, John|story= The Human Octopus!|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #41|date= December 1959}}
• Genie – Jimmy finds a genie's lamp and is tricked into replacing its villainous occupant.{{cite comic| writer= Bernstein, Robert|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Giunta, John|story= Jimmy the Genie!|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #42|date= January 1960}}
• Wolf-Man – In the vein of the 1957 film I Was a Teenage Werewolf, Jimmy is transformed into a werewolf.{{cite comic|writer= Binder, Otto|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Kaye, Stan|story= The Wolf-Man of Metropolis!|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #44|date= April 1960}}
• Woman – Jimmy goes undercover dressed as a woman in No. 44,{{cite comic| writer= Bernstein, Robert|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Kaye, Stan| story= Miss Jimmy Olsen!|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #44|date= April 1960}} No. 67,{{cite comic|writer= Dorfman, Leo|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Klein, George|story= Leslie Lowe, Girl Reporter!|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #67|date= March 1963}} No. 84,{{cite comic|writer= Binder, Otto|penciller= Papp, George|inker= Papp, George|story= Jimmy Olsen's Female Fan!|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #84|date= April 1965}} and No. 159.{{cite comic|writer= Dorfman, Leo| penciller= Schaffenberger, Kurt|inker= Schaffenberger, Kurt|story= The Day They Unmasked Mr. Action|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #159|date= August 1973}}[http://www.comics.org/issue/15607/ Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #44 (April 1960)]; [http://www.comics.org/issue/17578/ Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #67 (March 1963)]; [http://www.comics.org/issue/19116/ Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #84 (April 1965)]; and [http://www.comics.org/issue/26566/ Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #159 (Aug. 1973)] at the Grand Comics Database Grant Morrison paid a brief homage to this in the JLA: Earth 2 graphic novel{{cite comic| writer= Morrison, Grant|penciller= Quitely, Frank|inker= Quitely, Frank|story= Earth 2|title= JLA: Earth 2|issue= #1|date= January 2000}} and in All-Star Superman.{{cite comic| writer= Morrison, Grant|penciller= Quitely, Frank|inker= Grant, Jamie|story= The Superman / Olsen War!|title= All-Star Superman|issue= #4|date= July 2006}}{{cite web |url= http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=43365|title= The Feminine Side of Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen|first= Brian|last= Cronin|work= Comic Book Resources|date= January 25, 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131123034617/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=43365|archive-date= November 23, 2013|url-status=live}}
• Morbidly Obese – Jimmy gets fat in an attempt to stop a jewel smuggling and to impress a circus fat lady.{{cite comic| writer= |penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Forte, John|story= The Fat Boy of Metropolis!|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #49|date= December 1960}}
• Giant Turtle Man – One of Jimmy's most frequently cited transformations is his turning into a giant turtle man.{{cite comic|writer= Siegel, Jerry|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Forte, John|story= The Giant Turtle Man|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #53|date= June 1961}}
• Human Porcupine – Jimmy transforms after rejecting the romantic advances of an imp from the Fifth Dimension.{{cite comic|writer= Siegel, Jerry|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Klein, George|story= The Human Porcupine|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #65|date= December 1962}}
• Flamebird – This is the name he took as a costumed superhero, with Superman disguised as Nightwing, in the shrunken Kryptonian city of Kandor.{{cite comic| writer= Hamilton, Edmond|penciller= Swan, Curt|inker= Klein, George|story= The Dynamic Duo of Kandor!|title= Superman|issue= #158|date= January 1963}} These names were inspired by two native Kryptonian birds, the nightwing and the flamebird, but the relationship between Nightwing and Flamebird intentionally paralleled the crime-fighting team Batman (a night-winged creature) and Robin (a flame-colored bird).
• Bizarro Jimmy – Although Jimmy has a counterpart on Bizarro World, he is turned into a Bizarro himself.{{cite comic| writer= Siegel, Jerry|penciller= Forte, John|inker= Klein, George|story= Jimmy Olsen, the Bizarro Boy!|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #80|date= October 1964}}
• Hippie – Investigating a colony of hippies at "Guru Kama's Dream Pad", Jimmy grows a beard and participates in a mock "hate-in".{{cite comic|writer= Binder, Otto|penciller= Costanza, Pete|inker= Costanza, Pete|story= Hippie Olsen's Hate-In!|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen| issue= #118|date= March 1969}} On the cover of this story's issue, Jimmy is wielding a sign that says "Superman is a freak-out!"
• Viking – Jimmy puts on Viking armor and mistakenly thinks he has been transported 1,000 years backward in time.{{cite comic| writer= Dorfman, Leo|penciller= Schaffenberger, Kurt|inker= Colletta, Vince|story= Olsen the Red, Last of the Vikings|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #154|date= November 1972}}
• Steelman – After a volcanic eruption hurls Jimmy and an experimental inter-dimensional travel device into an alternate universe, Jimmy develops his own superpowers as a result of the transit to the (unnamed) "Earth-X" but is vulnerable to fragments of Mount Tipton from his own universe ("Tiptonite"). He adopts a fusion Superman/Batman outfit and launches his own superhero career as Steelman, facing a Joker-masked Clark Kent, secretly the leader of the LUTHAR League before his return to his own universe of origin.
• Ultra Olsen – Jimmy gains from Professor Lang and his father two halves of the Magic Medallion of the Mayans that, when fused back together, grant him "the Powers of the Mayan Gods". While he wears it, he possesses super strength, invulnerability, anti-gravity power, and lightning vision. The amulet has a limited charge and requires recharge from absorbed kinetic energy. Jimmy destroys the amulet with his lightning vision after the second time he used it.{{cite comic | writer= (Unknown)|penciller= (Unknown)|inker= (unknown)|story= Superman vs Ultra Olsen|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen| issue= #129|date= June 1970}}{{cite comic|writer= Dorfman, Leo|penciller= Schaffenberger, Kurt|inker= (unknown)|story= The Jaws of the Jaguar|title= Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen|issue= #158|date= June 1973}}

Jimmy Olsen in The Nail, art by [[Alan Davis|thumb]]

An alternate universe variant of Jimmy Olsen from Earth-898 appears in JLA: The Nail. This version is an assistant to Lex Luthor who was genetically modified to gain Kryptonian superpowers. However, this eventually causes his body to destabilize and die.{{cite comic| writer= Davis, Alan|penciller= Davis, Alan|inker= Farmer, Mark|story= The Nail|title= JLA: The Nail|issue= #3|date= November 1998}}

An alternate universe variant of Jimmy Olsen appears in The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again.{{cite comic|writer= Miller, Frank|penciller= Miller, Frank|inker= Janson, Klaus|story= Dark Knight Triumphant|title= Batman: The Dark Knight|issue= #2|date= April 1986}}{{cite comic| writer= Miller, Frank| penciller= Miller, Frank|inker= Miller, Frank |story= DK2 (Part 1)|title= The Dark Knight Strikes Again|issue= #1|date= December 2001}}{{cite comic|writer= Miller, Frank|penciller= Miller, Frank|inker= Miller, Frank|story= DK2 (Part 3)| title= The Dark Knight Strikes Again|issue= #3|date= July 2002}}

An alternate universe variant of Jimmy Olsen who became a reporter for the Gotham Gazette appears in All Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder #6.{{cite comic|writer= Miller, Frank|penciller= Lee, Jim|inker= Williams, Scott|story= Episode Six|title= All Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder|issue= #6| date= September 2007}}

An alternate universe variant of Jimmy Olsen from Earth-30 appears in Superman: Red Son. This version is a CIA agent who later becomes Vice President of the United States under Lex Luthor.Superman: Red Son #1

An alternate universe variant of Jimmy Olsen from Earth-395 appears in Superman: Kal. This version is Jamie Ollson, an alchemist and teacher to Merlin.

An alternate universe variant of Jimmy Olsen who serves the Joker appears in the Emperor Joker storyline.

An alternate universe variant of Jimmy Olsen appears in All-Star Superman.

An alternate timeline variant of Jimmy Olsen appears in Flashpoint. This version is a secret agent working for Cyborg before being killed in action and replaced by Lois Lane.{{cite comic|writer= Abnett, Dan; Lanning, Andy|penciller= Nunez, Eddie|inker= Ho, Don| story= Breaking News|title= Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance| issue= #1| date= August 2011}}

An alternate universe variant of Jimmy Olsen from Earth-2 appears in Earth 2. This version is a hacktivist who later fuses with a Mother Box, becoming a New God with intangibility and technopathy.Earth 2: Society #1. DC Comics.{{cite comic |date=February 2014 |title=Earth 2 |story=The Dark Age Part 2 |issue=#18 |writer=Taylor, Tom |penciller=Scott, Nicola |inker=Scott, Trevor}}

File:Jimmy Olsens (Lois & Clark).jpg (left) and Justin Whalin (right) as Jimmy Olsen in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman]]

• Jimmy Olsen appears in Adventures of Superman, portrayed by Jack Larson.{{cite AV media|people= Golding, James Grant and Smith, Steven (writers); Burns, Kevin (director)|title= Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman|medium= documentary film|publisher= Warner Home Video|location= Burbank, California|date= June 20, 2006}}
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, portrayed by Michael Landes in the first season and Justin Whalin for the rest of the series' run due to Landes heavily resembling Superman actor Dean Cain and to emphasize Jimmy's youth.{{cite news |url= http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1995-03-05/entertainment/9502210407_1_jimmy-olsen-superman-lois-clark|title= A Younger Jimmy Joins Lois & Clark|first= Harriet|last= Winslow|date= March 5, 1995|location= Fort Lauderdale, Florida|newspaper= Sun-Sentinel|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130719215939/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1995-03-05/entertainment/9502210407_1_jimmy-olsen-superman-lois-clark|archive-date= July 19, 2013|url-status=dead|access-date= October 22, 2010}}{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/16/arts/a-familiar-name-but-i-can-t-place-the-face.html|title= A Familiar Name, but I Can't Place the Face|first= Andy|last= Meisler|date= October 16, 1994 |newspaper= The New York Times|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130618083225/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/16/arts/a-familiar-name-but-i-can-t-place-the-face.html|archive-date= June 18, 2013|url-status=live|access-date= October 22, 2010}} Landes played Olsen as a cocksure, sarcastic Generation X character who often seemed like he was very sure of himself despite the opposite being true. Whalin gave a portrayal closer to previous incarnations of the character, playing Jimmy as a lovably naïve rookie and a computer whiz. Jack Larson plays an aged Jimmy Olsen in the episode "Brutal Youth". Additionally, Jimmy's father Jack Olsen, a secret agent for the fictional National Intelligence Agency (N.I.A.) appears in the episode "The Dad who Came in from the Cold".
• James "Jimmy" Olsen appears in Smallville, portrayed by Aaron Ashmore. This version is in a relationship with series original character Chloe Sullivan before he is ultimately killed by Doomsday. Additionally, Jimmy's younger brother appears in the series, portrayed by Ryan Harder as a teenager and Aaron Ashmore as an adult.{{cite episode|title=Doomsday|series=Smallville|credits= Peterson, Brian; Souders, Kelly (writers) and Marshall, James (director)|network=The CW|airdate= May 14, 2009|season=8|number=22}}{{cite episode|title=Finale|series=Smallville|credits= Septien, Al; Meyer, Turi; Peterson, Brian; Souders, Kelly (writers); Fair, Kevin G.; Beeman, Greg(directors)|network= The CW|airdate= May 13, 2011|season=10|number=21}}
• James "Jimmy" Olsen appears in TV series set in the Arrowverse, portrayed by Mehcad Brooks.{{cite news|url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/jimmy-olsen-cast-cbs-supergirl-768142|work= The Hollywood Reporter|title=Jimmy Olsen Cast in CBS' Supergirl Pilot|first= Lesley|last= Goldberg|date= January 28, 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150129035739/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/jimmy-olsen-cast-cbs-supergirl-768142|archive-date= January 29, 2015|url-status=live}} Introduced in Supergirl (2016), this version is African-American and a former Daily Planet photographer who joins CatCo in National City as an art director in the pilot episode.{{cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2014/10/31/supergirl-casting-jimmy-olsen-cat-grant/|title=CBS' Supergirl Casting Jimmy Olsen, Cat Grant and Others|last=Mitovich|first=Matt Webb|publisher=TVLine|date=October 31, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151121050244/http://tvline.com/2014/10/31/supergirl-casting-jimmy-olsen-cat-grant/|archive-date= November 21, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=October 31, 2014}} Additionally, he is aware of Superman and Supergirl's secret identities and lost his father to criminals when he was a child, leading him to become the vigilante Guardian.{{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/2016/10/11/supergirl-spoilers-season-2-james-guardian-kara-relationship/|title= Supergirl EP Reveals James' Future as DC Comics' Guardian, Explains Why He and Kara Are 'Best as Friends'|publisher=TV Line|last=Swift|first=Andy|date=October 11, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161015133814/https://tvline.com/2016/10/11/supergirl-spoilers-season-2-james-guardian-kara-relationship/|archive-date= October 15, 2016|url-status=live}} Later in the series, Olsen becomes head of CatCo after Cat Grant moves to Metropolis before quitting after Andrea Rojas buys the company and forces him to report on stories based on profitability instead of the truth. Following this, he becomes the editor of his hometown paper, The Calvintown Gazette.Faerber, Jay; Kardos, Jess (writers); McWhirter, David(director) (October 27, 2019). "In Plain Sight". Supergirl. Season 5. Episode 4. The CW.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in the Superman & Lois episode "A Regular Guy", portrayed by Douglas Smith.{{Cite web |last=Swift |first=Andy |date=2024-03-19 |title=Superman & Lois Adds Douglas Smith as Jimmy Olsen in Fourth and Final Season (Exclusive) |url=https://tvline.com/casting-news/superman-and-lois-cast-jimmy-olsen-season-4-douglas-smith-1235189927/ |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=TVLine |language=en-US}} This version is the brother of Janet Olsen.

File:Jimmyolsen.gif]]

• Jimmy Olsen appears in The New Adventures of Superman, voiced by Jack Grimes.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Superman (1988), voiced by Mark L. Taylor.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), voiced by David Kaufman:{{cite web |title=Jimmy Olsen Voices (Superman) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Superman/Jimmy-Olsen/ |access-date=January 3, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
• Introduced in Superman: The Animated Series, this version is a copy boy and reporter at the Daily Planet who idolizes Clark Kent and Lois Lane. In his most notable appearance in the episode "Superman's Pal", Olsen is put in danger after his friendship with Superman is exposed. After helping him defeat Metallo, Superman gives Jimmy a signal watch for protection.
• Olsen makes minor appearances in the Justice League episodes "Only a Dream" and "Hereafter".
• Olsen makes non-speaking cameo appearances in Justice League Unlimited. Additionally, an unnamed mutant turtle inspired by his Giant Turtle Boy form appears in the episode "Chaos at the Earth's Core".{{cite web |url= http://jl.toonzone.net/episode53/episode53.htm|title= Chaos at the Earth's Core|date= n.d.|publisher= Toonzone.net|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130603164940/http://jl.toonzone.net/episode53/episode53.htm|archive-date= June 3, 2013|url-status=live|access-date= June 20, 2007}}
• Jimmy Olsen appears in The Batman two-part episode "The Batman/Superman Story", voiced by Jack DeSena.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Alexander Polinsky.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Young Justice, voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in the "Tales of Metropolis" segment of DC Nation Shorts, voiced by Elisha Yaffe.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Justice League Action, voiced by Max Mittelman. This version runs his own website, "Jimmy Live", and occasionally puts himself in danger in search of views.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in DC Super Hero Girls, voiced by Ben Giroux.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in My Adventures with Superman, voiced by Ishmael Sahid.{{Cite web |last=O'Rourke |first=Ryan |date=April 6, 2023 |title='My Adventures With Superman' Teaser Shows Clark Kent Coming to the Rescue |url=https://collider.com/my-adventures-with-superman-teaser/ |access-date=July 7, 2023 |website=Collider |language=en}} This version is an African-American Daily Planet intern and Clark Kent's roommate who is aware of his secret identity as Superman. Moreover, he has a social media page called "Flamebird" that he later sells to the Daily Planet.
• A gender-flipped alternate universe variant of Jimmy named Jalana Olsen appears in the episode "Kiss Kiss Fall In Portal", voiced by Kimberly Brooks.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Harley Quinn, voiced by Drew Massey.{{Cite web |last=McCune |first=Melody |date=January 16, 2025 |title=Harley Quinn Season Premiere Recap: (S05E01) The Big Apricot |url=https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/harley-quinn-premiere-recap-season-5-episode-1-the-big-apricot/ |access-date=January 16, 2025 |website=Geek Girl Authority |language=en-US}}

• Jimmy Olsen appears in Superman (1948), portrayed by Tommy Bond.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Atom Man vs. Superman, portrayed again by Tommy Bond.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in the Salkind/Cannon Superman film series, portrayed by Marc McClure.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Supergirl (1984), portrayed again by Marc McClure.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Superman Returns, portrayed by Sam Huntington. This version is an older and more confident, yet incompetent photographer. Prior to Huntington's casting, Shawn Ashmore was offered the role, but he declined due to his commitments to X-Men: The Last Stand.{{cite news|newspaper=National Post|title=The Iceman Returneth|date=May 20, 2006|location= Toronto, Ontario|first=Bob|last=Thompson}}
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, portrayed by Michael Cassidy.{{cite magazine|url= https://www.ew.com/article/2016/03/25/batman-v-superman-jimmy-olsen|title= Batman v Superman: Jimmy Olsen makes a secret appearance|last= Breznician|first= Anthony|magazine= Entertainment Weekly|date= March 25, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161018001128/http://www.ew.com/article/2016/03/25/batman-v-superman-jimmy-olsen|archive-date= October 18, 2016|url-status=live|access-date= March 25, 2016}} This version is a CIA operative who poses as a photographer during Lois Lane's journey to Africa. During an interview, he is exposed and killed after terrorists find a tracking device in his camera.{{cite web| url= https://www.slashfilm.com/jimmy-olsen-in-batman-v-superman/|title= Zack Snyder's Idea of Batman v Superman Fun Is Secretly Killing a DC Comics Character|last= Anderton|first= Ethan|publisher= /Film|date= March 26, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160910101512/http://www.slashfilm.com/jimmy-olsen-in-batman-v-superman/|archive-date= September 10, 2016|url-status=live|access-date=March 26, 2016}}
• Jimmy Olsen will appear in Superman (2025), portrayed by Skyler Gisondo.{{Cite web |last=Dominguez |first=Noah |date=2023-04-19 |title=Superman: Legacy's James Gunn Confirms the Return of Clark's Best Pal |url=https://www.cbr.com/superman-legacy-james-gunn-confirms-jimmy-olsen-return/ |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=CBR |language=en}}{{Cite web |last1=Kit |first1=Aaron Couch, Borys |last2=Couch |first2=Aaron |last3=Kit |first3=Borys |date=2023-11-21 |title='Superman: Legacy' Casts Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/superman-legacy-casts-skyler-gisondo-jimmy-olsen-1235645745/ |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}

• Jimmy Olsen appears in Showdown, voiced by Jack Mercer.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Superman: Brainiac Attacks, voiced again by David Kaufman.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Superman: Doomsday, voiced by Adam Wylie.
• Jimmy Olsen makes a non-speaking appearance in Justice League: The New Frontier.
• An alternate universe variant of Jimmy Olsen named Mister Action appears in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, voiced by Richard Green. This version is the companion of Ultraman who possesses similar powers to him.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in All-Star Superman, voiced by Matthew Gray Gubler.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Justice League: Doom, voiced again by David Kaufman.{{cite web |url= http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/2012/02/carlos-alazraqui-carl-lumbly-on-their-respective-roles-in-justice-league-doom/|title= Carlos Alazraqui, Carl Lumbly On Their Respective Roles In Justice League: Doom|first= Jim|last= Harvey|date= February 25, 2012|publisher= World's Finest Online|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140714030804/http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/2012/02/carlos-alazraqui-carl-lumbly-on-their-respective-roles-in-justice-league-doom/|archive-date=July 14, 2014 |url-status=live}}
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Superman vs. The Elite, voiced again by David Kaufman.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Superman: Unbound, voiced by Alexander Gould.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, voiced by Patrick Cavanaugh.
• An alternate universe variant of Jimmy Olsen appears in Justice League: Gods and Monsters, voiced by Yuri Lowenthal.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash, voiced by Eric Bauza.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in the DC Animated Movie Universe films The Death of Superman and Reign of the Supermen, voiced again by Max Mittelman.{{cite tweet|number=996814118353960960|user=MaxMittelman|title=Golly Gee!!! I reprise my role as Jimmy Olsen 📸 in #DeathOfSuperman with these awesome peeps!|date=May 16, 2018}}
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman – Rage of Atlantis, voiced again by Eric Bauza.
• An alternate universe variant of Jimmy Olsen appears in Superman: Red Son, voiced by Phil Morris. He is Lex Luthor's aide and vice president before Luthor resigns and appoints him president.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Lego DC: Shazam!: Magic and Monsters, voiced by Zach Callison.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Injustice, voiced again by Zach Callison.{{Cite web|last=Couch|first=Aaron|date=2021-07-21|title=DC's 'Injustice' Sets Cast for Animated Movie (Exclusive)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/injustice-gods-among-us-movie-dc-1234985568/|access-date=2021-07-21|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US}}
• Jimmy Olsen makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in Space Jam: A New Legacy.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons, voiced by Zeno Robinson. This version is African-American.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too!, voiced by James Arnold Taylor.{{Cite web |date=July 27, 2023 |title=Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! {{!}} Trailer {{!}} Warner Bros. Entertainment |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NfkdZThS4I |access-date=July 27, 2023 |website=YouTube}}{{Cite web |last=Lovell |first=Kevin |date=July 27, 2023 |title='Scooby-Doo! And Krypto, Too!' Trailer, Artwork & Release Details; Arrives On Digital & DVD September 26, 2023 From Warner Bros |url=https://screen-connections.com/2023/07/27/scooby-doo-and-krypto-too-dvd-digital-release-details-trailer/ |access-date=July 27, 2023 |website=screen-connections.com |language=en-US}} This version is a childhood friend of Daphne Blake.

• Jimmy Olsen appears in Superman 64.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Superman: The Man of Steel, voiced by Dave Gochman.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in Superman: Shadow of Apokolips, voiced again by David Kaufman.
• Jimmy Olsen appears in DC Universe Online, voiced by Brandon Young.
• Jimmy Olsen appears as a NPC in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced again by Max Mittelman.

• Jimmy Olsen appears in The Adventures of Superman, voiced initially by Jackie Kelk and subsequently by Jack Grimes.
• The DC Universe Online incarnation of Jimmy Olsen appears in the prequel comic DC Universe Online: Legends, in which he is transformed into a reptilian metahuman after being exposed to Brainiac's Exobytes.{{cite comic |date=late April 2011 |title=DC Universe Online: Legends |story=Control |issue=#2 |writer=Bedard, Tony |penciller=Porter, Howard; Melo, Adriana |inker=Livesay, John; Lee, Norman}}{{cite comic |date=early August 2011 |title=DC Universe Online: Legends |story=Anarchy at Arkham! |issue=#9 |writer=Wolfman, Marv |penciller=Miller, Mike S.; Sandoval, Sergio |inker=Miller, Mike S.; Sandoval, Sergio}}{{cite comic |date=late August 2011 |title=DC Universe Online: Legends |story=Facts |issue=#10 |writer=Wolfman, Marv |penciller=Porter, Howard |inker=Livesay, John}}
• The DCAU incarnation of Jimmy Olsen appears in the one-shot Superman Beyond. In the future, he purchases the Daily Planet after Perry White's death.{{cite comic |date=October 2011 |title=Superman Beyond |story=Home is the Hero! |issue=#0 |writer=DeFalco, Tom; Frenz, Ron |penciller=Frenz, Ron; Buscema, Sal |inker=Buscema, Sal}}
• Jimmy Olsen appears in the Injustice: Gods Among Us prequel comic, in which the Joker kills him while he is on a stakeout with Lois Lane.{{cite comic |date=March 2013 |title=Injustice: Gods Among Us |story=Part One |issue=#1 |writer=Taylor, Tom |penciller=Raapack, Jheremy; Gimenez, Alex; Miller, Mike S. |inker=Raapack, Jheremy; Deering, Marc; Miller, Mike S.}}

• Jimmy Olsen appears in the Spin Doctors' 1991 song "Jimmy Olsen's Blues".{{cite book|last = Robbins|first = Ira A.|title = The Trouser Press Guide to 90's Rock: The All-New Fifth Edition of the Trouser Press Record Guide|publisher = Fireside|year = 1997|location = New York City|page = [https://archive.org/details/trouserpressguid00robb_1/page/689 689]|isbn = 978-0684814377|url-access = registration|url = https://archive.org/details/trouserpressguid00robb_1}}
• Jimmy Olsen makes a cameo appearance in the 2010 Chew graphic novel Just Desserts.{{Cite web|last=Cronin|first=Brian|date=February 12, 2015|title=Comic Book Easter Eggs – A Collection of Chew Easter Eggs!|url=https://www.cbr.com/comic-book-easter-eggs-a-collection-of-chew-easter-eggs|access-date=February 12, 2015|website=Comic Book Resources|language=en-us}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://comicvine.gamespot.com/jimmy-olsen/4005-3213 Jimmy Olsen] at Comic Vine

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