By the end of the sixties, however, Marvel's growing cast of unapologetic human oddities (Ben Grimm, Bruce Banner, X-Men) had changed the lens through which to view such physical aberrations. Being different was less a subject for comedy, and Jimmy's changes subsequently lessened. One last tribute to this wackiness, though, was concocted by writers Binder & E. Nelson Bridwell with artist Pete Costanza in 1967's "The Planet of 1,000 Olsens." The story doesn't really involve any actual changes on Jimmy's part; instead, our hero is taken to a planet inhabited by nothing but robot recreations of previously seened changed Olsens – big turtle, porcupine, etc. – all as part of some loopy super-villain's scheme to destroy the planet Earth.
Our hero impersonates the fat Olsen robot with a convenient inflato-suit and some well-placed cheek padding, though he's never really inconvenienced by the experience. Transformations' final tale, "Menace of the Micro-Monster" from '75, isn't even the least bit degrading. In it, our cub reporter gets to play serious temporary superhero in the bottled city of Kandor. 'Scuse me while I turn back to reread the story where a chameleon-headed Olsen makes his left ear grow Dumbo-sized just so he can hear a gunman up on the roof . . .
Article comments
1 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net , which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States, and to Boston.com. Nice work!