Changes: Perry White (New Earth)

Perry White is a highly respected journalist working as managing editor of the Daily Planet in Metropolis, making him a close associate of Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, Clark Kent and by extension Superman.

Origins

Superman's origin story has been rewritten and rebooted many times over the years; most notably in John Byrne's 1986 The Man of Steel, Mark Waid's 2003 Superman: Birthright, Geoff Johns' 2009 Superman: Secret Origin and Grant Morrison's 2011 Action Comics. There are several correct definitive historical versions each valid at a different time in his career as a result.

Perry was born in Metropolis's Suicide Slum area, growing up with a father missing after heading off to war overseas. He became a copy boy at the Daily Planet, beginning a lifetime career that would take him up the newspaper's career ladder. Perry met Lex Luthor when they were children (Luthor also grew up in Suicide Slum) and they were actually friends then (Perry once admitted the he was really the only friend Lex had as a child). ^[1]

At some point when Perry was a young reporter, he went to a small southern town called Melonville to investigate a string of vicious racial related deaths. It was here Perry first met Franklin Stern, a young man about to head off for Harvard Business school, who had several missing family members in the region. Perry and Franklin got off to a rocky start, but soon joined together after Perry saved Franklin from a beating at the hands of the local Aryan Brotherhood. The two investigated the Brotherhood and rumors of genetic experimentation, which lead them to a hidden lair where the Brotherhood had kidnapped and murdered several dozen black men as part of a eugenics program to create a master race of super-men. For helping to expose the plot, Perry won his (first?) Pulitzer Prize in journalism. Ironically enough, the title of the article was "Superman Plot Foiled." Perry and Franklin were often on opposite sides of the political spectrum, but would remain friends, even after Stern bought the Daily Planet years later. ^[2]

After Luthor became a successful businessman, he began diversifying his holdings in his newly-founded LexCorp company, which included buying the Daily Planet. Luthor soon sold it after deciding to pursue technology and television investments. Turning down an offer from Luthor to become part of Luthor's new television station WLEX, Perry found an investor who saved the Daily Planet on the condition that Perry was promoted from reporter to editor. The entire episode left Perry bitter and angry with Luthor.

Perry married Alice Spencer and had a son, Jerry White. Much later, after Jerry was fully grown, Perry would learn that Lex Luthor was Jerry's biological father. Luthor had briefly seduced Alice while Perry was overseas reporting on a war and thought to be killed.

Perry White's two greatest moves as editor would be to hire Lois Lane and (later) Clark Kent. When she was 15, Lois had impressed Perry with her persistence in trying to get employment at the newspaper (by lying about her age).

Daily Planet

Man of Steel
Superman and his supporting cast had their origins rewritten in the Man of Steel series written by John Byrne, following the Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1986. This was part of many sweeping changes made to continuity in the Post-Crisis DC Universe. These stories would be considered the definitive history until his origins were revised again in Superman: Birthright, written by Mark Waid in 2003.

After Jerry White died from a gunshot, Perry and Alice grieved for some time, resulting in Perry taking a leave of absence from the Daily Planet.

Later, Perry and Alice adopted an orphaned African-American boy named Keith Robert, who soon had his named changed to Keith Robert White. At about this time, Perry took another leave of absence for lung cancer treatment, putting Clark Kent in charge as the Planet's temporary editor. After many grueling months of chemotherapy, the cancer went into remission.

One of Perry's proudest moments was to attend the wedding of Lois and Clark. He sat in the front row beside Lois's parents (Lois considering him as close a relative as her own family).

As the paper continued to struggle, the Planet's owner Franklin Stern sold the paper to Lex Luthor. Luthor, acting out of pure malice, dismantled the paper. He fired everyone except Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and two others who were relocated to Lexcom, Lex's new Internet-based news company. Fortunately, shortly thereafter, Lex sold the Planet to Bruce Wayne for $1 (thanks to a secret deal with Lois Lane). White was hired back as editor-in-chief, and the entire former staff was hired back as well. Though Perry's knowledge of Clark's alter ego is uncertain, it is known that he has found a dusty suit of his star reporter's clothes in a supply closet, including his passport. For this reason, Perry may well suspect that Clark and Superman are the same person, but due to his personal admiration for both Clark and Superman, he has never confided this suspicion or knowledge to anybody.

President Luthor

Perry's editorship has kept the Daily Planet as one of the few newspapers that dared to heavily criticize Luthor (even after Luthor's successful election as President of the United States).

Superman and his supporting cast had their origins revised in the Superman: Birthright series written by Mark Waid in 2003. This rewrote the previous definitive origin story, John Byrne's 1986 mini-series The Man of Steel, to include more elements from the Silver Age character. It would remain in continuity until Infinite Crisis in 2006 established Geoff Johns' Superman: Secret Origin.

Perry's origin story was changed, removing Lex Luthor as his childhood best friend. Lex was instead changed to have grown up in Smallville, as best friend to a young Clark Kent.^[3]

Superman's origins were heavily revised in the Superman: Secret Origin mini-series written by Geoff Johns in 2009; this made the history established by Mark Waid in his 2003 mini-series Superman: Birthright non-canon following Infinite Crisis in 2006. It would remain the definitive origin until 2011 when Flashpoint established the DCnU and Grant Morrison's Action Comics updated the story.

Final Crisis

During Final Crisis, Perry and Lois are caught in an explosion triggered by Clayface and the Secret Society of Super-Villains.^[4] He survived, but was placed on life support.^[5]

New Krypton

During Superman: New Krypton, the Planet's attempts to write about the truth are stonewalled by General Sam Lane of Project 7734. Perry is unable to print any of Lois' stories, but instead suggests she "quit" to continue pursuing the truth.^[6]

Incomplete
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Powers and Abilities

Abilities

Journalism

Notes

The character of Perry White was originally created by Jerry Siegel and Wayne Boring. The modern incarnation of Perry was further developed by writer/aritst John Byrne.

Trivia

There are two famous quotes commonly attributed to the character of Perry White: "Great Caesar's Ghost!" and "Don't call me Chief!".

External Links

Perry White at Wikipedia
Perry White biography page at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe

Footnotes

[1] Superman (Volume 2) #131

[2] Superman: Man of Steel #47

[3] Superman: Birthright

[4] Final Crisis #2

[5] Final Crisis #3

[6] Action Comics #884

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[2]

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[6]

@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 Perry married [[Alice White (New Earth)|Alice Spencer]] and had a son, [[Jerry White (New Earth)|Jerry White]]. Much later, after Jerry was fully grown, Perry would learn that Lex Luthor was Jerry's biological father. Luthor had briefly seduced Alice while Perry was overseas reporting on a war and thought to be killed.
-Perry White's two greatest moves as editor would be to hire [[Lois Lane (New Earth)|Lois Lane]] and (later) [[Kal-El (New Earth)|Clark Kent]]. When she was 15, Lois had impressed Perry with her persistence in trying to get employment at the newspaper (by lying about her age). After Jerry White died from a gunshot, Perry and Alice grieved for some time, resulting in Perry taking a leave of absence from the Daily Planet.
+Perry White's two greatest moves as editor would be to hire [[Lois Lane (New Earth)|Lois Lane]] and (later) [[Kal-El (New Earth)|Clark Kent]]. When she was 15, Lois had impressed Perry with her persistence in trying to get employment at the newspaper (by lying about her age).
+===Daily Planet===
+{{Man of Steel}}
+After Jerry White died from a gunshot, Perry and Alice grieved for some time, resulting in Perry taking a leave of absence from the Daily Planet.
 Later, Perry and Alice adopted an orphaned African-American boy named [[Keith Robert]], who soon had his named changed to Keith Robert White. At about this time, Perry took another leave of absence for lung cancer treatment, putting Clark Kent in charge as the Planet's temporary editor. After many grueling months of chemotherapy, the cancer went into remission.
@@ Line 55: / Line 59: @@
 Perry's editorship has kept the Daily Planet as one of the few newspapers that dared to heavily criticize Luthor (even after Luthor's successful election as President of the United States).
-{{update}}
+{{Birthright}}
+Perry's origin story was changed, removing [[Lex Luthor]] as his childhood best friend. Lex was instead changed to have grown up in [[Smallville]], as best friend to a young [[Clark Kent]].<ref>''[[Superman: Birthright]]''</ref>
+{{Secret Origin}}
+===Final Crisis===
+During ''[[Final Crisis]]'', Perry and Lois are caught in an explosion triggered by [[Basil Karlo (New Earth)|Clayface]] and the [[Secret Society of Super-Villains (Villains United)|Secret Society of Super-Villains]].<ref>{{c|Final Crisis #2}}</ref> He survived, but was placed on life support.<ref>{{c|Final Crisis #3}}</ref>
+===New Krypton===
+During ''[[Superman: New Krypton]]'', the Planet's attempts to write about the truth are stonewalled by [[Samuel Lane (New Earth)|General Sam Lane]] of [[Project 7734]]. Perry is unable to print any of Lois' stories, but instead suggests she "quit" to continue pursuing the truth.<ref>{{c|Action Comics #884}}</ref>
+{{incomplete}}
 | Powers                  =