Category Archives: Clark Kent

A Christmas story – Superman versus the Nielsen racket

Posted on December 18, 2013 by

December 1946 — The bad guy in this Superman story isn’t threatening the world, but he could cost Clark Kent his job, and right before Christmas too! Yes, as the headline above suggests, the villain is a racketeer named Nielsen, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, adventure, Clark Kent, comics, editors, Jimmy Olsen, journalism, newspaper crusades, newspapers, Perry White, reporting, Superman, World War II | Leave a comment

Jimmy Olsen, ‘absolutely fearless’ newspaperman

Posted on June 15, 2013 by

From its first scene, the 1949 Superman adventure  The Mystery of the Flying Monster demonstrates how radio reminded its audience of the culture of 20th century American newspapers. The story doesn’t start with the clack of typewriters, the clatter of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, 1950s, Clark Kent, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, newspapers, Perry White, Superman | Leave a comment

Superman reboots… and Lois suffers?

Posted on June 14, 2013 by

With the new “Man of Steel” movie opening today, I have to point out that the keepers of the Superman flame have seen fit to “reboot” the storyline many times in its history, and the role of journalism in the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, adventure, Clark Kent, editors, Lois Lane, Perry White, Superman | Leave a comment

Superman and the power of… the newspaper chain?

Posted on April 30, 2013 by

With another attempt to reboot the Superman movie series coming up, it’s time to return to old-time radio to hear how the “Adventures of Superman” radio serial constantly reminded young listeners that newspapers were an important part of their communities. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, Clark Kent, detectives, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, newspaper crusades, newspapers, Perry White, political corruption, publishers, Superman | Leave a comment

Clark Kent, meet John Carter!

Posted on April 14, 2012 by

Journalists aren’t the only people who were sometimes stereotyped in old-time radio dramas or other popular culture forms of the 1930s and 1940s. In these closing episodes of a 15-part Superman adventure from September 1941, we find ourselves in Central … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, Clark Kent, stereotypes, Superman | Leave a comment

Clark Kent, super burglar or stupid bungler?

Posted on March 31, 2012 by

Being on the side of truth and justice appears to have justified some “might means right” tactics in Clark Kent’s early reporting repertoire, including burglary, threats, assault and kidnapping. For example, in this sequence from the second year of the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, adventure, Clark Kent, ethics, Jimmy Olsen, Perry White, reporting, Superman | Leave a comment

Clark Kent, unethical sports reporter?

Posted on March 24, 2012 by

“You’re a reporter, not a detective,” Perry White to Clark Kent. The month of March madness seems an odd season to be writing about football, but here goes — with a tale that demonstrates that there were sometimes shades of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, Clark Kent, ethics, Lois Lane, Perry White, sports, Superman | 2 Comments