Olsen and the Newsboys hook up after the young reporter's new duplicitous boss Morgan Edge sends 'em all via a typical space-hogging Kirbyesque vehicle called the Whiz Wagon into the Wild Area - a hitherto unmentioned realm populated by motorcycle commune called the Outsiders and a mysterious group known as the Hairies. (Can't help wondering: did they select that name themselves?) Kirby's attempts at wrestling with youth culture slanguage circa 1970 provides much unintentional comedy ("Our life style is 'wheels!' This bag belongs to the 'Hairies!'"), but his imagery and throw-everything-you-can-think-of-onto-the-page aesthetic still provide heaps of pleasure. Whatever his limitations as a scripter, Kirby remained unmatched as a visual imagineer.
The Olsen crew's trip into the Wild Area leads them through a Zoomway packed with photo collage psychedelia, than to a secret underground government project where military scientists have broken the genetic code. For some strange reason, the Hairy scientists have chosen to duplicate Olsen and the Newsboys. No, I don't know why these guys were chosen, but it gives Kirby the opportunity to show us a microscope slide of tiny Jimmys (each with miniature panties) and a later sequence where a bound Newsie sees a Lilliputian version of himself straddling his pug nose.
With Kirby, plot sense frequently took a back seat to spectacle (you can see why filmmakers like the Wachowski Bros. have adopted him as their patron saint) and never more so than in the Jimmy Olsen books. Once our heroes make their way to the Project, we're introduced to a new crew of rival villains: the alien scientists of the planet Apokolips, who've stolen Project DNA samples to create their own nefarious creatures. First up: a giant-sized green-skinned Jimmy Olsen (but of course!), who rampages through the Project shouting "Kill to live! Kill! Kill!" Next: a four-armed "DNAlien," who also does its best to trash the complex. What's the point? Basically, to give Kirby an excuse to engage in Hulk-styled battle graphics.
Article comments
1 - Steve Rhodes
Mark Evanier has a section of his website on Jack Kirby
2 - Bill Sherman
Thanks, Steve, you're always helpful about adding links that'll enhance a story (should've thought of this myself since I regularly stop at Evanier's place). Mark's also added some more insight into Kirby's work on Jimmy Olsen in a reply to my review.
3 - mike
Omigod, I'd forgotten all about this Jack Kirby DC stuff. (I was but a wee lad.) I remember coming across the Jimmy Olsen/New Gods stuff before I even knew who Kirby (or Marvel Comics) was. I thought, I want what this dude's smoking.
4 - Jim Carruthers
Last week Moviepoopshoot.com had a Comics 101 on Jack Kirby's Fourth World.
I remember buying these comics with pop bottles (comics went off the rails when they went off the 6 pop bottles return = 1 comic book standard).
I'm pissed that the reprint books are in black and grey instead of the full colour they warrant.
Plus over at emusic.com, there's Gregg Bendian's Interzone with his Jack Kirby fusion tribute.
5 - Bill Sherman
The Olsen book, thankfully, is in color.