The first Tarzan film, starring Elmo Lincoln, was 1918, a silent movie. By 1956, Gordon Scott had replaced Johnny Weissmuller and Lex Barker. The average comic book reading kid of the 1950s knew Tarzan and all the other jungle swingers of the comics. This meant Otto Binder did not have to work too hard to pull off Jimmy Olsen’s transformation into a jungle lord.
“Jungle Jimmy Olsen” appeared in Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #10 (February 1956). Art was provided by Curt Swan and Ray Burnley. The plot has Clark and Jimmy going to the Yucatan to look into the reports of a “jungle boy”.
Jimmy is supposed to be watching their gear but falls asleep. Monkeys tear apart the camp, stealing all the clothes. Jimmy has to dress himself in a leopard skin he finds hanging on a branch. He enjoys behaving like a jungle boy, yelling himself hoarse with Tarzan calls.
When Jimmy returns to the camp, the expedition searching for the “jungle boy” arrives with Clark. To teach him a lesson, Clark allows Jimmy to be captured and caged. When Jimmy tries to write a note to explain, Superman burns it up with his super vision. When the researchers try to give Jimmy tests for intelligence, Superman louses those up, too.
For a final test, Jimmy is set to deal with a herd of rampaging buffalo. Superman makes it easier for him by squeezing the latex out of a tree and flooding the animals’ hooves. Jimmy succeeds in jumping on a buffalo’s backs then landing in a pool of latex.
Superman relents, identifying Jimmy as himself. The researchers drive off in search of the real jungle boy. When the pair get back to the Daily Planet, Clark offers Jimmy a souvenir, Jimmy’s leopard hide outfit. Jimmy wants none of it.
Ten years is a long time for a sequel of sorts but in Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #98 (December 1966) it was back to the jungle for “The Bride of Jungle Jimmy”. The sequel was written by Leo Dorfman and drawn by Pete Constanza. The story is more about King Kong than it is a Tarzan spoof.
Clark and Jimmy are in Africa to report on the filming of a new Rick Barton jungle picture. That night the crew show King Kong to the locals, when a witch doctor and his sacred ape enter. The shaman tells them to bow down to the god Bruna. Bruna is fascinated with King Kong on the screen.
The next day Jimmy asks for a bit part in the film. Jimmy overhears a crew member remind the director, von Spitz, how bad an actor Jimmy is. Von Spitz says it doesn’t matter because there are thousands of Jimmy Olsen fan clubs out there and it will help the box office. Jimmy tries to prove them wrong by donning his jungle outfit and living in a tree house. Clark leaves him to it but reminds him to call Superman if he gets in trouble.
Which, of course, he does. He falls off a branch into the river and gets a bucket stuck on his head. He is rescued, not by Superman, but by the lady ape, Bruna. She has fallen in love with him because she saw King Kong. She takes Jimmy to a cave above a cliff and gives him bananas. When she falls asleep, Jimmy escapes back to the production. Bruna follows, angry and dangerous.
Jimmy calls in Superman, who lifts Bruna up and flies off with her. She continues to make a scene until Jimmy is returned to her. Enter Lucy Lane. She arrives and sees that she will not be Jimmy’s bride someday. She gives her veil to Bruna. Superman assumes the role of witch doctor and marries Bruna and Jimmy. The film crew capture this all on film.
Jimmy cooks up a way to get a “quickie divorce” from Bruna, but he needs Superman’s help. That night Bruna throws Jimmy off the cave cliff. Superman catches Jimmy. Olsen explains he played another movie for Bruna, Sinister Safari, one where an ape throws a man off a cliff.
Both of these comics show a familiarity with Tarzan, jungle pictures, and all the trappings. In the usual DC Comics style, the writers take a proposition and see just how far they can stretch it. Jimmy Olsen wasn’t the only one to get this treatment. Lois Lane would do it three years later. Lena Thorel two years after that.
