Friday, October 01, 2021

Jimmy Olsen, boy middle-aged reporter.

I didn't intend for another post with Jimmy Olsen so soon, yet here we are. From 1996, Superman #110, "The Treasure Hunt Caper" Plot by Dan Jurgens, script by Jerry Ordway, pencils by Ron Frenz, inks by Joe Rubinstein.
Jimmy looks a little older than usual here today, but that may be because this was during his stint as a TV reporter for WGBS. He happens to spy Woozy Winks, and Plastic Man, in downtown Metropolis looking for Superman. In their private investigator office, they were approached by femme fatale Treasure Hunt, who puts them on the case of finding her brother Tiger, who took their company's prototype "sonic atomizer" to try it on Superman! She gives them a pile of cash and a "sonic atomizer nullifier" gizmo to give to Supes. An interesting story, remarkably like one Clark Kent is hearing across town, from Tiger Hunt! He claims his sister is the nutso one, and gives Kent another nullifier to pass along to Superman. Supes finds it curious, while Tiger's heartbeat didn't indicate he was lying, the nullifier is lined with lead; but before he can take it to Professor Hamilton to check out, he sees someone lighting a Batman-esque Superman signal in the night over the city! (The GCD notes Plas basically asks Treasure to sit on his face in the above scan; is he trying to get cancelled? It's not as blatant as the old Big Barda's dress bit, though...)
The signal is of course Plastic Man, on the verge of melting on a hot spotlight. But, the nullifiers begin to glow, then unfold, into...rather silly looking robots, with video screens of Treasure and Tiger not unlike the old, first-generation Spider-Slayer. In the ensuing scuffle, Treasure's robot vacuums in Superman's cape, then takes off. Tiger's bot is smashed, but through the projection he explains this was just his and his sister's hobby, competing for treasures, in this case, Superman's cape! Supes is pretty miffed, and muses it might "almost be worth the effort, to catch up with her robot..." 

At Treasure's estate, she's thrilled with her new prize, and had a trophy case all ready for it. She can't wait to rub her brother's face in it, but remembers she has to cut a check for Plas and Woozy. She could've given it to him right there: Superman must have caught up with the robot, and swapped in Plastic Man, who sneaks his way out of the case. I don't think either of the Hunts gets any punishment, but I'm not sure they ever appeared again, either.
The only subplot page this issue, ties into the next "Triangle" issue, Adventures of Superman #533; as we see Lois Lane ordering pizza with Lori Lemaris. She is right to be appalled there; I don't think I could've ordered a "Neptune's Platter" pizza even as a joke!

1 comment:

Mr. Morbid's House Of Fun said...

That last bit was definitely a clever lesbian joke that probably went right over a bunch of readers' heads. A Neptune's Platter pizza for two women who might be "kissing the fish" haha.