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This initial volume in the series is a spotlight on Jimmy Olson, as the first 22 issues featuring Superman's pal is included, with Lois Lane's first solo outing in Showcase #9.
Written by Otto Binder, the comics are presented in a newspaper-styled format. And Olson is ready - well, almost - for anything; he is a "seeing-eye-dog" for Superman, defends the honor of Lane, is a pugilist who packs a punch and can't avoid a little drama, with his friendship with the super hero briefly on the rocks.
It is a nice collection that shows a fun and oftentimes very light-hearted dimension in the iconic story lines for Superman.
Rating:  -
I remember the displays at G.L. Perry's Dime Store featuring comics and more comics. Dells were swell, but DC was pretty good too! There was "Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen" #1, "Lois Lane #1," "Showcase" 105, to mention a few. And...I didn't have a dime... Now, they are all for sale on eBay and I still do not have the dime. But, thanks to the "Showcase Presents" series, the stories from Jimmy's first twenty-two issues, and some Lois Lane stuff, are bargain priced, albeit in black and white. The art of Curt Swan, Ray Burnley, and inker Stan Kaye make for almost 500 pages of grade A Olsen fun. Buy this, and other Showcase titles of your favorite characters before they go out of print. Also recommended for public libraries, but have them "covered up"--you know what I mean.
Rating:  -
As a life-long Superman fan I had purchased the Superman in the 50's, 60's series which were excellent reproductions of the original comic book stories. When I ordered the Showcase Presents series, however, it broke my heart. Perhaps it was done to keep the price low, but all of the stories, though faithfully reproduced are in black and white, reading like newspaper comics. I couldn't help but feel cheated, thinking they really should have warned us. Somehow, it just isn't the same.
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So, it's mostly Jimmy Olsen stories? SWEET! I particualrly enjoy Jimmy Olsen tales, because he's a normal guy who winds up in weird situations... and he (was) Superman's pal. I especially like stories where he didn't have to resort to his signal watch to get Superman's help. (That's the easy way out!)
Everyone thinks I'm weird...
And let me say this: WHAT HAPPENED TO HAVING A FEW STORIES IN A SUPERHERO COMIC BOOK! It seems like now, they can't even put a whole story in one comic book! Remember when book-length stories were special issues? (Not really, I'm only 20, but my dad had zillions of old comics...)
Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, the Elongated Man... bring 'em all back...
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To really understand this book, you have to keep in mind these stories were written at a time when the government didn't regulate what chemicals went into drinking water, pregnant women were encouraged to smoke, and doctors regularly prescribed cocaine and heroin for medicinal purposes. From that frame of reference, everything makes perfect sense. Otherwise, this book is the most ridiculous collection of stories ever printed.
The attitude you bring to the reading will determine if you find them to be sublimely stupid or... well, stupidly stupid. Personally, I laughed out loud often enough that my coworkers started checking in for regular "What beyond idiocy thing did Jimmy do now?" updates.
While the title is "Superman Family," this is a "Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen" book, with just one Lois Lane issue, rougly 20 pages out of almost 600. I'm guessing A) future volumes will focus more on "Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane" without making DC create a different title and B) the marketing folks at DC understood no one in his right mind would buy "Showcase Presents Jimmy Olsen," and were probably correct.
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