The Daily Planet is a daily newspaper of Metropolis.
History
Superman works there in his civilian identity as Clark Kent, along with fellow reporter Lois Lane, photographer Jimmy Olsen and editor-in-chief Perry White.
New Earth
Main article: Post-Crisis
The Daily Planet was founded by publisher Joshua Meriwether in 1775; it began as the weekly periodical Our Planet. A marauding band of British loyalists burned down the original offices in 1783. The paper resumed publication 10 years later in new offices, and George Washington wrote the first editorial to the now-renamed Daily Planet. In June, 1938, the offices moved to the current building.[1]
The arrival of Superman signaled a new era for the Daily Planet. Everyone wanted a piece of the Man of Steel. The Planet's top reporter, Lois Lane, went to extreme lengths to secure the first interview with him, even throwing her own car into a river to bait Superman into rescuing her. Although she managed to get the interview, she was outdone by the newly hired Clark Kent.[2]
After the death of his stepson, Jerry, Perry White decided to temporarily step down as the Daily Planet's editor, hiring Samuel Foswell as his replacement.[3] At the same time Metropolis was experiencing a financial crisis due to the apparent death of Lex Luthor, who had control over most of the city's businesses; this forced Foswell to lay off a good portion of the staff, including Jimmy Olsen, and to cut the worker's wages. This did not set well with the union, who started protesting outside the Daily Planet; leading the strike was Lois Lane's old friend, Jeb Friedman.[4][5]
With the coming of Lex Luthor II, Lex Luthor's son, the Daily Planet managed to save itself thanks to a deal made with the unions by the aforementioned Luthor II.[6]
Main article: Fall of Metropolis
In reality, though, it was all a farce. The supposed "son of Lex Luthor" was none other than the original Lex Luthor himself in a cloned body. With his secret exposed to the public thanks to Lois Lane, Luthor went mad and tried to destroy Metropolis before succumbing to a deadly illness. Superman managed to stop him from leveling the city, but the results were still catastrophic. The Daily Planet was destroyed as a result.[7]
For the time being the Daily Planet staff reallocated in the printing plant, until Zatanna used her magic to rebuild Metropolis and the Daily Planet.[8][9]
Residents
Pre-Crisis, Earth-One
Staff Members
- Bill Stoker
- Brad Hunter
- Clark Kent - TV anchor, former reporter
- Connie Hatch - puzzle editor[10]
- Dave - crime columnist[11]
- Freddy Jones
- George Taylor - former managing editor (prior to Perry White)
- Hobb - former managing editor
- Jack Riley - movie editor[12]
- Jack Smart - reporter
- Jamie Gillis - photographer
- Jimmy Olsen - photographer
- Justin Moore - cub reporter
- Lois Lane - reporter
- John Corben - former reporter (actually an infiltrated villain)
- Margaret "Meg" Tempest - reporter
- Mark Spencer - "gofer"
- Morton - former managing editor
- Percival "Percy" Bratten - reporter
- Perry White - managing editor
- Pete Cromwell
- Ryan Lowell - obituary editor[13]
- Steve Lombard - sports commentator
- Ted Mailerway - former reporter[14]
- Tom Weaver
- Wendall Walters - reporter[15]
Post-Crisis, New Earth
Owners
- Mr. Bratten - majority shareholder[16]
- Bruce Wayne - former owner[17]
- Lex Luthor - former owner
Staff Members
- Alice White - intern
- Allie
- Bob Harley - investigative reporter
- Bostwick - reporter
- Briscoe - staff member
- Cat Grant - gossip columnist
- Carrie Axelrod
- Clark Kent - investigative reporter
- Ed Byrnes - former managing editor; later nighttime editor
- Franklin Stern - publisher
- Geraldine Frank - reporter
- Harley Quinn - love columnist[18]
- Jack - cameraman
- James McCullough - former city editor
- Janice Denton - features editor
- Jennifer Owens - receptionist
- Jimmy Olsen - photojournalist
- Josef Schuman
- Joyce - staff member
- Kara Zor-El - intern
- Lana Lang - business editor
- Lois Lane - investigative reporter
- Marilyn - James McCullough's secretary
- Perry White - managing editor
- Ron Troupe - politics reporter
- Sally Winfield - Perry White's secretary
- Samuel Foswell - former managing editor
- Simone D'Neige - reporter
- Steve Lombard - sports section editor
- Taylor Waters - former mail guy
- Vern
- Whit - staff member
Post-Flashpoint
Owners
- Lex Luthor - owner
- Marisol Leone - former owner
Staff Members
- Cat Grant
- Clark Kent - journalist
- Heather Kelly - reporter
- Jimmy Olsen - photojournalist
- Lois Lane - investigative journalist
- Miguel Montez - intern
- Perry White - head editor
- Ron Troupe - politics reporter
- Steve Lombard - sports columnist
- Trish Q - gossip columnist
Notes
- The Daily Planet was also the name of a column appearing in DC Comics to advertise upcoming projects.
- Discrepancies between Earth-Two and the actual Golden Age stories caused E. Nelson Bridwell to suggest the existence of an "Alternate Earth-Two" (Earth-Two-A) which was formally canonized in The Official Crisis on Infinite Earths Index (March, 1986). Strictly speaking, there was not an Earth-Two version of the Daily Planet.
Trivia
- One of the Daily Planet's major stockholders is Bridwell Communications. Bridwell is named after DC editor E. Nelson Bridwell.
- In the 31st century, there is a newsfeed called Daily Planets.
- On Prime Earth, its full address for correspondences has been revealed: The Daily Planet, 2525 Broadway, Metropolis, NY 10025.[19]
- The Daily Planet was once destroyed following the events of the Fall of Metropolis.
- At one point on New Earth, the Daily Planet become incredibly advanced, thanks to the B13 Technology; the staff began to enjoy larger work stations and the most modern news-gathering facilities.[20]
See Also
- Appearances of Daily Planet
- Location Gallery: Daily Planet
- Catalogued images related to Daily Planet
Links and References
- ↑ World of Metropolis #1
- ↑ The Man of Steel #2
- ↑ Superman (Volume 2) #51
- ↑ Superman: The Man of Steel #1
- ↑ Action Comics #669
- ↑ Action Comics #672
- ↑ Action Comics #700
- ↑ Action Comics #699
- ↑ Adventures of Superman #522
- ↑ Action Comics #550
- ↑ Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #153
- ↑ Supergirl (Volume 2) #3
- ↑ Superman Special #3
- ↑ Superman #277
- ↑ Action Comics #557
- ↑ Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #151
- ↑ Batman #611
- ↑ Harley Quinn #14
- ↑ Doomsday Clock #7
- ↑ Superman: Metropolis Secret Files and Origins #1