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"The E-L-A-S-T-I-C Lad!": 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 c

Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #31 is an issue of the series Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen (Volume 1) with a cover date of September, 1958.

Synopsis for "The E-L-A-S-T-I-C Lad!"

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:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Silky Smith/Professor Bolton (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • None

Locations:

Items:

Vehicles:

  • None


Synopsis for "The Mad-Hatter of Metropolis"

When Jimmy Olsen goes to a man's home to get photos for his collection for the Sunday supplement of the Daily Planet, he meets the "Mad Hatter" of Metropolis, a man who collects famous hats. The man joshes Jimmy into believing that his hats have magical properties and that when one wears them they take on it's historical owner's personality when worn. Jimmy, gullible as usual, falls for it completely. When taking the hats to the Daily Planet, Jimmy decides to see if what the "Mad Hatter" said is true, and tires on the Houdini hat when he sees crooks speeding away in his car. When Jimmy commands that the engine fly out of the car, he's surprised to see that it really does, unaware that it was really Superman doing it at super-speed.

When Superman finds out about this, he has to secretly pull Jimmy's fat out of the fire whenever he gets into too much trouble. Eventually Superman has the "mad hatter" tell Jimmy that once one wears the hats once the effect doesn't work anymore, prompting Jimmy to return them all. Changing back into his guise of Clark Kent, Superman is amused to see Jimmy wearing one of Clark's hats, hoping that Clark's ability as a journalist will rub off on him.

Appearing in "The Mad-Hatter of Metropolis"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Duke Maddox (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Mister Jones (Single appearance)

Locations:

Items:

  • Mister Jones' super-hats

Vehicles:

  • None

Synopsis for "The Boy Who Hoaxed Superman"

When Jimmy asks Perry White for a raise, Perry refuses, pointing out all the spelling mistakes Jimmy has made recently. Jimmy is upset by this because he feels that Perry has forgotten about all the super-scoops that he had gotten for the paper. Deciding to get back at Perry, he gets an idea to hoax being put in suspended animation by Professor Dekker, and instead of himself being frozen in a block of ice (not to be thawed out until the 30th Century) Jimmy substitutes himself with a life like dummy of himself constructed by Superman.

With everyone fooled, Jimmy takes on the guise of "Gilbert Knox" and gets his job at the Daily Planet in a bid to show up Perry White. Jimmy intends to be a complete dud as a Cub reporter, however Superman learns of the deception and decides to make "Gilbert" look good, to foil Jimmy's plans. Eventually "Gilbert" gets the raise that Jimmy always wanted, and Jimmy decides to keep this identity. However, Superman makes it so that the cryogenic experiment begins to melt prompting Jimmy to quit his job as Gilbert and resume his place as Jimmy Olsen so as not to be exposed. Returning to his job at the Daily Planet, Perry lets Jimmy have his old job back at his original salary, much to Jimmy's chagrin.

Appearing in "The Boy Who Hoaxed Superman"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • None

Other Characters:

  • Miss Jenkins (Single appearance)
  • Professor Dekker (Single appearance)

Locations:

Items:

  • None

Vehicles:

  • None

Notes

Trivia

  • Jimmy Olsen assumes the alias of Gilbert Knox in this story.


See Also

Recommended Reading

Links and References

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