How Old Is Jimmy Olsen Supposed To Be?

[Jim Kelly]

Lou Grant was working as a stringer for a newspaper when he was 15.

[bat39]

Yes, I agree. I think the problem is aging characters like this doesn't work if the changes alter the original appeal of the series.

I don't think Jimmy being the ''kid'' is necessarily part of the 'original appeal' of the character. Him being Superman's 'pal' and a co-worker to Lois and Clark? Sure. Him being a photographer? Definitely (though even that's something that evolved over time...he was a ''cub reporter'' originally). So in a situation where, notionally, Lois and Clark are in their forties, Jimmy has to, again notionally, be in his mid-to-late thirties. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that...its most likely never going to be acknowledged on-panel anyway.

I preferred Jimmy being closer in age to Lois and Clark like Morrison had him in the New 52, but otherwise I think Jimmy should be 18 while Clark & Lois should be 23 when they all meet each other. Jimmy as the “kid sidekick” is something that should be changed, he should not be that much younger than Clark.

Yeah, that works, more or less. Though I see Lois and Clark as being closer to 25.

[DABellWrites]

Is Jimmy older than Kara?

[DABellWrites]

I don't think Jimmy being the ''kid'' is necessarily part of the 'original appeal' of the character. Him being Superman's 'pal' and a co-worker to Lois and Clark? Sure. Him being a photographer? Definitely (though even that's something that evolved over time...he was a ''cub reporter'' originally). So in a situation where, notionally, Lois and Clark are in their forties, Jimmy has to, again notionally, be in his mid-to-late thirties. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that...its most likely never going to be acknowledged on-panel anyway.



Yeah, that works, more or less. Though I see Lois and Clark as being closer to 25.

Early 30s for me.

[DochaDocha]

This thread makes me wonder what exactly should 2022 Jimmy Olsen's career trajectory look like. Is he a high school grad who went to work right away? College student working at DP part time? Full-time employee and college grad? Is he essentially doing what Peter Parker does for the DB? Is he on an old-school journalistic path where he essentially is an apprentice and doesn't need a formal education?

[phonogram12]

Is Jimmy older than Kara?

In most iterations, if you do the math it makes sense. That said, with current continuity, I have absolutely no idea.

[seismic-2]

I like the notion of Jimmy as a kid who comes from a family with money and who doesn't have (or need) any particular career ambitions but who is working at a newspaper because he considers it to be more interesting and exciting than going to college would be.

[DABellWrites]

This thread makes me wonder what exactly should 2022 Jimmy Olsen's career trajectory look like. Is he a high school grad who went to work right away? College student working at DP part time? Full-time employee and college grad? Is he essentially doing what Peter Parker does for the DB? Is he on an old-school journalistic path where he essentially is an apprentice and doesn't need a formal education?

Pre-Crisis, Jimmy was interviewing people. I remember reading that in Sword of Superman comic. So, I think he should move on from being the photographer. In fact, I think Jimmy should run the Daily Planet social media department. Yes, put Clark Kent on TikTok!

[Jim Kelly]

Back in my university days, I was good friends with a family, where one of the daughters was kind of aimless, taking some courses but not getting a degree or anything. I lost touch with her and then a few years after she was an international reporter covering some of the biggest stories in the world. She's since been on the frontlines of the Iraq war, the revolutions in Egypt, the war in Syria, now I see her in Ukraine. As far as I know she never had any formal journalism training, but her father was an old newspaperman, pretty famous in their city, so maybe she got all her smarts at his knee.

[PCN24454]

I preferred Jimmy being closer in age to Lois and Clark like Morrison had him in the New 52, but otherwise I think Jimmy should be 18 while Clark & Lois should be 23 when they all meet each other. Jimmy as the “kid sidekick” is something that should be changed, he should not be that much younger than Clark.

Do you have a specific reason for that? I personally dislike how DC has been shrinking a lot of the age gaps.

[DABellWrites]

Imma gonna guess Morrison Action Comics run is his reason. Though shrinking ages? More like, everyone is vaguely stuck in these weird age ranges. Like, Damian is 13 and Tim is probably five or six years older. Now they added in the Teen Titans (for the YJ) history, they just made things more confusing! Sooner or later, DC and Marvel is gonna have to do a big event that ages everyone up.

[Vordan]

Do you have a specific reason for that? I personally dislike how DC has been shrinking a lot of the age gaps.

I like Jimmy to be Clark’s actual friend and for them to treat each other as equals. When Clark is so much older than Jimmy it can come across as more Clark/Supes playing the role of father figure to Jimmy (which is what the relationship was Pre-Crisis).

[bat39]

Is Jimmy older than Kara?

I guess so. I mean, I can't think of a version where he wouldn't be.

Pre-Crisis, Kara was around 15(?) when she landed on earth. Jimmy was already a reporter at the Planet then, so he was at least in his late teens.

Post-Crisis, Kara came to earth as a 16 year old (biologically anyway) at a time when Jimmy would be in his mid-to-late 20's, if not 30.

Even in the New 52, where Jimmy was closer to Clark's age (if not the exact same age), both of them were in their late 20's at least when Kara landed on earth as a 16 year old.

Dunno how it is in Rebirth though and what Kara's origin and her chronology is like. But traditionally Jimmy has been at least a little older than her (the Supergirl TV show is also a case in point!)

[Digifiend]

Absolutely, the show aged Kara up, but correctly also aged Jimmy up - he ended up being her boss at CatCo, and was established as having moved there from the Planet.

Imma gonna guess Morrison Action Comics run is his reason. Though shrinking ages? More like, everyone is vaguely stuck in these weird age ranges. Like, Damian is 13 and Tim is probably five or six years older. Now they added in the Teen Titans history, they just made things more confusing! Sooner or later, DC and Marvel is gonna have to do a big event that ages everyone up.

Damian is 14, and yeah, Tim's depicted as younger than he should be. Based on Damian being 10 before Flashpoint and Tim 18, Tim should now be 22. But I believe he's currently meant to be 18. Makes no sense that Damian has aged up and the other Robins and Batgirls haven't.

[DABellWrites]

Absolutely, the show aged Kara up, but correctly also aged Jimmy up - he ended up being her boss at CatCo, and was established as having moved there from the Planet.Damian is 14, and yeah, Tim's depicted as younger than he should be. Based on Damian being 10 before Flashpoint and Tim 18, Tim should now be 22. But I believe he's currently meant to be 18. Makes no sense that Damian has aged up and the other Robins and Batgirls haven't.

I remember reading somewhere on here, that Superman was eternally 29 years old, pre-crisis. DC and Marvel should do this. Just slap an age on everyone and keep them there until a writer decides to age a character up. But, not by much! So twenty-years down the road, Damian will go from 14 to 15. No weird big aging up like Damian going from 10 to 14. That just makes no sense on Bruce's end. Especially when Dick is now depicted as being a teenager as Robin.