posted
COUNTDOWN # 48 "Of Planets and Stars" BY STEVE CHUNG Last week in Countdown #48, we saw Jimmy Olsen in conference with Perry White and Lois Lane at the Daily Planet when disaster struck. But, what are the origins of this great metropolitan newspaper, and how does the Daily Planet tie-in with the events of the DC mega-series, Countdown?
In Action Comics #1, Clark Kent is asked by Daily Star Editor George Taylor to cover reports of a man with tremendous strength. The mild-mannered reporter heads to the scene of a wife-beating at 211 Court Ave, where the Man of Tomorrow pins the abusive husband to the wall.
In Superman #4, the name of the Daily Star was changed to the Daily Planet. This may be a result of the syndicated newspaper strip which came out in 1939. With many newspapers called "Star," and Superman being seen in a rival newspaper, the "Star" became the "Planet."
In Superman #7, the name of "Perry White" was used instead of "George Taylor," as the name of the editor. The name change may have been from the Superman radio show.
In Superman #13, Jimmy Olsen gets his first byline on a story, and the cub reporter was on his way on a career with the Daily Planet.
On Earth-One, the Daily Planet is the oldest newspaper being published in Metropolis, having been founded in 1826.
The first day of publication was marred by tragedy when Jeremiah Odets, a teenaged printer's apprentice, was killed in an accident. His ghost is said to watch over the Planet, and has saved the paper on at least one occasion.
The Daily Planet reaches far beyond Metropolis. It also publishes editions in London, Paris, Bombay, Athens, Rome, Amsterdam, and Tokyo.
A few years ago, the Daily Planet was sold to Galaxy Communications (Morgan Edge, President). The Daily Planet Building was remodeled and extra floors were added. The building stands at 52 stories, but there are officially only 51. There is a thirteenth floor and it is used secretly by an alien tourist bureau dealing in vacations on Earth.
The Planet offices are located on the eight floor, the Galaxy Broadcasting studios on the twentieth, Galaxy Records and Videos on the fourteenth. Morgan Edge works in his office-apartment in the penthouse.
On Earth-One, Perry White has been with the Planet for more than fifty years. He began as a newsboy, worked up to reporter, and when George Taylor retired, editor.
On Earth-Two, Perry White would occasionally substitute for George Taylor, and serve as editor of the Daily Star. When George Taylor retired, Clark Kent became editor of the Daily Star.
Both Clark Kent and Lois Lane worked briefly for the Daily Planet as teenagers, and they are both top reporters for the Planet.
On Earth-One, Clark also works as a TV anchorman on the WGBS 6 O'clock News. Lois and Jimmy Olsen have also done some TV work.
Kent, Lane, and Olsen are noted for their courageous investigative reporting.
Most in Metropolis assume that it is the Planet's reputation for honesty and fairness which enables it to obtain so many Superman exclusives, but then, few are aware that Clark Kent is the Man of Steel.
Other staffers at the Planet include: Margaret (Meg) Tempest, Percival (Percy) Bratten, Justin Moore, Ryan Lowell, Mark Spencer, Jamie Gillis, Jennifer Owens, Sally Winfield, Connie Hatch, Janice Denton, Ed Byrnes, James Patrick McCullough, and Steve Lombard, who was fired from the Planet and GBS some time ago.
Another employee at the Daily Planet was Charlie Kweskill, who was originally Quex-Ul from Krypton. After losing his memory and powers from Gold Kryptonite, Kweskill was hired for the paper's production department by Perry White, and recommended by the Man of Steel.
This came as a result of "The Super-Revenge Of The Phantom Zone Prisoner" in Superman #157.
On Earth-One, the Planet has had much financial trouble in the past few years. Thanks to the support of Morgan Edge, the paper continues its important work, despite competition from the Metropolis Eagle.
As an aftershock of the Crisis On Infinite Earths, Clark Kent, editor of the Daily Star, found himself seated in the office of Perry White at the Daily Planet.
Thanks to his younger counterpart's hasty explanation about telling his Uncle Clark he was more than a reporter at the Planet, the Man of Tomorrow and the Man of Steel flew from the roof of the Daily Planet, and later learned to their dismay that their troubles were far from over.
In a possible future on Earth-One, the Daily Planet comes under attack by several Metallos.
Their attack is thwarted when Superman turns the Daily Planet globe into a super-magnet, lifts it into the sky above the Galaxy Building, and gathers up all of the Metallos.
Daily Planet reporter Tim Crane is sent to cover the story of "Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow?" in Superman #423 (September, 1986).
In Post-Crisis continuity, the Man of Steel's origins have been changed, but the Daily Planet remains a constant in the life of Clark Kent.
Whenever news reaches the paper, the mild-mannered reporter knows that it's a job for Superman, and the citizens of Metropolis can look up in the sky with awe.
posted
Did Quex-Ul maintain his amnesia? I guess the Daily Planet's as good a place as any to keep an eye on a former Phantom Zone criminal!
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posted
Quex-Ul was in the '80s The Phantom Zone mini-series by Steve Gerber and Gene Colan.
Posts: 3532 | From: San Bruno | Registered: Aug 2002
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COUNTDOWN # 48 "Of Planets and Stars"
In Superman #7, the name of "Perry White" was used instead of "George Taylor," as the name of the editor. The name change may have been from the Superman radio show.
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