Daily Planet
Daily Planet
Overview
A crusading metropolitan newspaper located in the city of Metropolis. Editor-in-Chief Perry White keeps newshounds Clark Kent (Superman), Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen hard at work to find "scoops" (exclusive stories) for the paper. The architecture of the building itself is rather unique as it has a huge globe with the letters "Daily Planet" spanning its circumference. There are also two landing pads for the "Flying Newsroom", a helicopter located on the Planet's roof. Another unique feature to the Planet building is its surplus of empty storerooms wherein Kent can change to Superman.
The Daily Planet is the metropolitan daily newspaper which employs Clark Kent as a reporter for more than three decades, until January 1971, at which time Kent departs the Daily Planet to become a fulltime newscaster for Metropolis television station WGBS-TV (S No. 233: "Superman Breaks Loose"). Described as "the biggest paper in Metropolis" (S No. 73/3, Nov/Dec 1951: "Perry White vs. Clark Kent!") and as Metropolis’s "leading newspaper" (S No. 6/1, Sep/Oct 1940; and others), the Daily Planet has an unparalleled reputation for fairness and accuracy (S No. 41/3, Jul/Aug 1946: "A Modern Alice in Wonderland!"; and others) and has "millions of...readers†(S No. 83/3, Jul/Aug 1953: "Clark Kent—Convict!"). The newspaper’s precise circulation has never been stated, but in April 1961 the Daily Planet celebrates the sale of its five-billionth copy (S No. 144/1: "The Super-Weapon!").
The Daily Planet is headquartered in the Daily Planet Building (Act No. 36, May 1941; and others), a large skyscraper situated in downtown Metropolis at the center of Planet Square, the so-called "crossroads of the world" (Act No. 77, Oct 1944: "The Headline Hoax!"; and others). Owned at least for a time by Metropolis millionaire Ebeneezer Walker (Act No. 214, Mar 1956: "Superman, Super-Destroyer"), the building features an electric news-sign that encircles the topmost story (Act No. 229, Jun 1957: "The Superman Satellite") and a "giant globe of the world"—encircled by a Saturn-like ring and by giant block letters spelling out the name Daily Planet—mounted on the roof (Act No. 272, Jan 1961: "Superman’s Rival, Mental Man!"; and others). Extending skyward from the Daily Planet Tower, at the summit of the building, is the broadcast antenna of WPLT, a radio station owned and operated by the Daily Planet (S No. 39/1, Mar/Apr 1946: "The Big Superman Broadcast!"). Across the street from the Daily Planet Building is a small park, where a marble statue of Superman is unveiled in January-February 1946 (S No. 38/3: "The Man of Stone!"; and others).
A plaque near the front entrance of the building indicates that the Daily Planet is published by The Daily Planet Publishing Co., Inc. (WF No. 29, Jul/Aug 1947: "The Books That Couldn’t Be Bound!"; and others), but at least one text asserts that the Daily Planet is owned by an unnamed company that operates a chain of newspapers, including the Gotham Gazette (WF No. 75, Mar/Apr 1955: "The New Team of Superman and Robin!"). By the early 1970s, the Daily Planet has been acquired by the Galaxy Broadcasting System (S No. 233, Jan 1971: "Superman Breaks Loose"; and others).
History
The date of the Daily Planet’s founding is treated inconsistently in the chronicles. The Daily Planet Publishing Co., Inc., is described as having been established in 1870 in one text (Act No. 194, Jul 1954: "The Outlaws from Krypton!") and as having been established in 1887 in another (WF No. 68, Jan/Feb 1954: "The Menace from the Stars!"). In January-February 1943, editor Perry White refers to the Daily Planet as being 150 years old (S No. 20/1: "Superman’s Secret Revealed!"), but Daily Planet staffers celebrate the centennial of the newspaper twice in the chronicles, once in Spring 1944 (WF No. 13: "The Freedom of the Press!") and again in April 1961 (S No. 144/2: "Superboy’s First Public Appearance!").
Whatever the newspaper’s true age, it apparently originated in the city of San Francisco, as the San Francisco Daily Planet, sometime prior to 1906 (S No. 168, Apr 1964: pts. I-II—"Luthor--Super-Hero!"; "Lex Luthor, Daily Planet Editor!"). In January 1954, an English edition of the Daily Planet is established in London (S No. 86/1: "The Dragon from King Arthur’s Court!"), and in April 1955 other international editions are launched in Paris and Bombay (Act No. 203: "The International Daily Planet!"). By December 1955, editions of the Daily Planet are also well under way in Greece, Italy, Holland, and Japan (Act No. 211: "The Superman Spectaculars"). Other editions of the Daily Planet include Ye Daily Planet, the "world’s first daily newspaper," established by Clark Kent and Lois Lane during a time-journey to the city of London in the year 1606 (S No. 44/3, Jan/Feb 1947: "Shakespeare’s Ghost Writer!"), and the Daily Solar System, a futuristic descendant of the Daily Planet in the thirtieth century A.D. (Act No. 215, Apr 1956: "The Superman of Tomorrow").
Radio and Television
In addition to its chain of newspapers, the Daily Planet has its own radio stations (S No. 39/1, Mar/Apr 1946: "The Big Superman Broadcast!"), its own television studios (WF No. 52, Jun/Jul 1951: "The Man Who Swindled Superman!"; Act No. 295, Dec 1962: Superman Goes Wild!") and its own mobile television unit for covering fast-breaking news events (S No. 57/1, Mar/Apr 1949: "The Menace of the Machine Men!"). The radio station’s offerings have included an "Adventures of Superman" program (S No. 39/1 Mar/Apr 1946: "The Big Superman Broadcast!"), while the television facilities have been used to air a TV quiz show (WF No. 52, Jun/Jul 1951: "The Man Who Swindled Superman!") and a news program called the "Daily Planet News Flash TV Show" (S No. 145/1, May 1961: "The Secret Identity of Superman!").
The Flying Newsroom
Another item of news-gathering equipment indispensable to the Daily Planet's operations is the newspaper's privately owned helicopter (S No. 111/1, Feb 1957: "The Non-Super Superman"), the Flying Newsroom (S No. 115/2, Aug 1957: "Jimmy Olsen’s Lost Pal"; and others), which makes its initial appearance in the chronicles in the late 1950s (Act No. 236, Jan 1958: "Superman’s New Uniform!"; and others). Rendered in various colors, including green (Act No. 236, Jan 1958: "Superman’s New Uniform!"), purple (Act No. 244, Sep 1958: "The Super-Merman of the Sea"), and red (Act No. 249, Feb 1959: "The Kryptonite Man!"; and others), the Flying Newsroom is sometimes portrayed as having one rotor (S No. 111/1, Feb 1957: "The Non-Super Superman"; and others) and sometimes as having two (Act No. 249, Feb 1959: "The Kryptonite Man!"; and others), is occasionally outfitted with pontoons to enable it to land on water (Act No. 244, Sep 1958: "The Super-Merman of the Sea") and, in one text, is described as returning from "foreign shores," implying that it is capable of making a transatlantic flight (S No. 124/2, Sep 1958: "Mrs. Superman").
Superman and the Daily Planet
Almost from the onset of his super-hero career Superman has been identified with the Daily Planet, not only as Clark Kent, but as Superman as well: helping its reporters achieve sensational scoops, participating in its charity drives, zealously endeavoring to protect its reputation for accuracy (S No. 102/3, Jan 1956: "The Million-Dollar Mistake"; and others). The Daily Planet has long been the place where strangers attempt to contact Superman (S No. 25/4, Nov/Dec 1943: "Hi-Jack--Jackal of Crime!"; and others), the place where the Man of Steel picks up his mail and receives his messages (Act No. 161, Oct 1951: "Exit—Superman!"; and others). Indeed, according to Superman No. 117/1, the majority of the Daily Planet's mail is addressed to Superman (Nov 1957: "Clark Kent, Man of Mystery"). "People are always sending his mail here," explains Clark Kent in February 1964, "because they know Clark Kent is his friend!" (Act No. 309: "The Superman Super-Spectacular!"). The Man of Steel's long-term involvement with the Daily Planet is probably the main reason why the newspapers' photographic files contain "the most complete collection of Superman's feats ever recorded on film..." (S No. 91/1, Aug 1954: "The Superman Stamp!").
The Daily Planet and Philanthropy
One reason for Superman's special affection for the Daily Planet, apart from the fact that he is employed there as reporter Clark Kent, is the newspaper's extensive commitment to philanthropic activities, which includes donating "a good percentage" of its profits to charity (WF No. 52, Jun/Jul 1951: "The Man Who Swindled Superman!"). In May-June 1942, the Daily Planet launches a campaign to build a free vacation resort for underprivileged children (S No. 16/1: 'The World’s Meanest Man"), and in July-August 1945 it holds a drive to raise money for the Metropolis Aid Fund (S No. 35/3: "The Genie of the Lamp!"). By July-August 1946, the Planet Aid Fund has been established to serve as an umbrella for the Daily Planet’s charitable enterprises (S No. 41/2: "Clark Kent's Bodyguard!"; and others), such as the drive to collect money for an orphan asylum conducted in March-April 1948 (S No. 51/3: "The Man Who Bossed Superman!"). Superman gives a demonstration of his awesome super-strength at a benefit performance for the Planet Aid Fund in November 1952 (Act No. 174: "The Man Who Shackled Superman!").
Later texts make reference to a Daily Planet Charity Fund, which may or may not be the same as the Planet Aid Fund. Once a year, with Superman's help, the employees of the Daily Planet put on a gala circus extravaganza—the so-called Daily Planet Charity Show—to raise money for the Fund (Act No. 212, Jan 1956: "The Superman Calendar"; and others). Superman performs at a benefit for the Daily Planet Charity Fund, held at Metropolis's Ajax Theater, in April 1963 (S No. 160/1: pts I-II—"The Mortal Superman!"; "The Cage of Doom!"). In February 1957, the Man of Steel excavates a new man-made lake for the Lake Cosmo Children's Camp, a project sponsored by the Daily Planet Aid Branch for the Underprivileged (Act No. 225: "The Death of Superman"). Action Comics No. 226 contains a reference to a Daily Planet Fresh Air Fund (Mar 1957: "The Invulnerable Enemy").
The Daily Planet and Contests
Both to help it raise money for charity and to boost its circulation, the Daily Planet frequently conducts imaginative contests. Examples of the contents abound in the chronicles, including the contest for the city's newsboys, held in Summer 1945, with a job as a cub reporter being offered as a prize to the newsboy who brings in the day's best news story (WF No. 18: "The Junior Reporters!"); the contest to locate "the ideal average American", held in January 1946 (Act No. 92: "The Average American!"); the contest between Superman and Nelson Swayne, held in March-April 1947 (WF No. 27: "The Man Who Out-Supered Superman!"); the contest to locate the owner of the best autograph collection, held in September-October 1947 (S No. 48/2: "Autograph, Please!"); the contest to determine the writer of the most interesting letter accompanying a contribution to the Daily Planet's orphan-asylum fund, held in March-April 1948, with the winner to receive Superman's services, gratis, for a day (S No. 51/3: "The Man Who Bossed Superman!"); the contest among the Daily Planet's own reporters, held in November-December 1948, to determine which of them can write the best story about Superman (WF No. 37: "The Superman Story!"); the contest to select Miss Metropolis of 1950, held in March-April 1950, which offers a prize of $10,000 to the winner and is open only to beautiful girls engaged in perilous occupations (S No. 63/3: "Miss Metropolis of 1950"); the contest, held in July-August 1953, to select the bravest woman in America (S No. 83/2: "The Search for the Bravest Woman!"); the annual contest to select the most "Lovely Child," with the winner to receive a prize of $1,000 and a free sightseeing trip around the world with Superman (S No. 96/1, Mar 1955: "The Girl Who Didn't Believe in Superman!"); the contest to select the five best letters submitted by Daily Planet readers in response to the question, "What five feats by Superman would most benefit Metropolis?" with Superman agreeing to perform the five best suggested feats (S No. 104/3, Mar 1956: "The Super-Family from Outer Space"); the contest, held in July 1956, to see which Daily Planet reader recalls Superman's earliest super-feat (S No. 106/1: "Superman’s First Exploit"); the contest, held in March 1958, to select the best photograph taken by an amateur photographer of Superman in action (S No. 120/2: "The Super-Feats Superman Forgot"); and the "three coins in the fountain" charity contest, held in August 1965, in which Superman picks three coins from a fountain tossed there by charity contributors and grants one wish each to the three persons whose coins he has selected (S No. 179/1: "The Outlaw Fort Knox!").
The Daily Planet's Publishers
The questions of who published the Daily Planet is treated inconsistently in the chronicles. Two texts call Perry White the publisher (S No. 18/3, Sep/Oct 1942: "The Man with the Cane"; S No. 117/1, Nov 1957: "Clark Kent, Man of Mystery"), but these references are almost certainly erroneous. Other individuals referred to as the Daily Planet's publisher include Burt Mason (S No. 5/2, Sum 1940; see also S No. 6/2, Sep/Oct 1940); J. Wimmer (Act No. 139, Dec 1949: "Clark Kent...Daredevil!"); Maxwell Leeds (S No. 73/3, Nov/Dec 1951: "Perry White vs. Clark Kent!"); John Wilton, although his custodianship of the Daily Planet is only temporary (S No. 79/2, Nov/Dec 1952: "The End of the Planet!"); Harvey Gray, the brother of Griselda Gray (S No. 85/2, Nov/Dec 1953: "Clark Kent, Gentleman Journalist!"); and Frank Wells, the uncle of Pointdexter Wells (S No. 95/2, Feb 1955: "The Practical Joker!"). A Mr. Amesby is referred to as Perry White’s "boss" in Superman No. 105/2, but this need not necessarily be taken as an indication that Amesby is the Daily Planet's publisher (May 1956: "Mr. Mxyztplk’s Secret Identity"). Dexter Willis's uncle, Mr. Willis, is described as "a big shot publisher" and one of the Daily Planet's "biggest stockholders" (Act No. 289, Jun 1962: "The Super-Practical Joker!"), and Morna Vine's uncle, wealthy Mark Vine, is the newspaper's "chief stockholder" (S No. 181/1, Nov 1965: pts. I-II—"The Super-Scoops of Morna Vine!"; "The Secrets of the New Supergirl!").
Perry White and the Daily Planet
From the time the name Daily Planet first appears in the chronicles (S No. 4/1-4, Spr 1940; Act No. 23, Apr 1940) through November 1940 (Act No. 30), George Taylor is explicitly referred to as the Daily Planet's editor (Act No. 25, Jun 1940; and others). Then, in November-December 1940, an editor named White appears (S No. 7/1), and in May-June White’s full name—Perry White—is given for the first time in the chronicles (S No. 10/2). Despite the fact that Perry White has now functioned as the Daily Planet editor for nearly four full decades, however, the chroniclers have not been consistent regarding his precise professional title: he has been referred to as the "editor" in numerous texts (S No. 27/1, Mar/Apr 1944: "The Palace of Perilous Play!"; and others), but he has also been described as the newspaper's "managing editor" (WF No. 13, Spr 1944: "The Freedom of the Press!"; and others), its "city editor" (Act No. 133, Jun 1949: "The World's Most Perfect Girl"; Act No. 136, Sep 1949: "Superman, Show-Off!"), its "chief editor" (S No. 121/3, May 1958: "The Unknown Super-Deeds!"), and its "editor-in-chief" (Act No. 243, Aug 1958: "The Lady and the Lion"). Perry White has also been referred to as the Daily Planet's "editor-publisher" (S No. 18/3, Sep/Oct 1942: "The Man with the Cane") and "publisher" (S No. 117/1, Nov 1957: "Clark Kent, Man of Mystery"), but these designations are contradicted by numerous texts (S No. 54/1, Sep/Oct 1948: "The Wrecker"; and others ) and are certainly not accurate.
Clark Kent and the Daily Planet
The Daily Planet's "star reporter" (Act No. 25, Jun 1940; and others) is indisputably Clark Kent. Renowned for his ability to root out local news (S No. 44/3, Jan/Feb 1947: "Shakespeare’s Ghost Writer!"; and others), particularly stories dealing with crime and corruption (S No. 83/3, Jul/Aug 1953: "Clark Kent---Convict!"; and others), Kent has performed in numerous other capacities for the Daily Planet including that of war correspondent (Act No. 23, Apr 1940), lovelorn editor (S No. 18/3, Sep/Oct 1942: "The Man with the Cane"; and others), and editor of the entire newspaper in the absence of Perry White (Act No. 297, Feb 1963: "The Man Who Betrayed Superman’s Identity!"). He is described as the Daily Planet's "foremost reporter" in Superman No. 12/2 (Sep/Oct 1941), and as its "ace reporter" in Action Comics No. 105 (Feb 1947: "The Man Who Hated Christmas!") and in numerous other texts. "To Daily Planet readers," explains Superman No. 98/2: "the name of Clark Kent signed over a story has always meant integrity and honesty! His newspaper reporting on crime has won him countless awards!" (Jul 1955: "Clark Kent Outlaw!").
Two separate texts have appeared purporting to tell the true story of how Clark Kent came to acquire his reporter's job on the Daily Planet, and they contain widely disparate accounts. According to Action Comics No. 144, Clark Kent first decided to become a reporter while still a youngster, after hearing Daily Planet editor Perry White give a lecture at Smallville High School. Arriving in Metropolis "years later" in hopes of pursuing a journalist's career, Kent was rejected by White when he applied for a post at the Daily Planet and was forced to take a series of odd jobs—from taxi driver to vacuum-cleaner salesman—until finally, after he had rescued Perry White from death at the hands of syndicate gangsters on several occasions, both as Clark Kent and as Superman, and after he had turned in an exclusive account of Superman's crusade against the syndicate, White finally granted him a job as a reporter (May 1950: "Clark Kent’s Career!"). According to a conflicting account presented in Superman No. 133/2, however, Kent applied for a reporter's job at the Daily Planet, was given a series of trivial "test" assignments—such as visiting the Metropolis Zoo for a story of an aging gorilla—by editor Perry White in lieu of an outright brush-off, and finally won his post on the Daily Planet by using his Superman powers to transform each dull, routing assignment into an electrifying news event and then handing in exclusive accounts of these events as would-be reporter Kent (Nov 1959: "How Perry White Hired Clark Kent!"). Both these accounts may be safely be regarded as spurious, for Clark Kent really begin his journalistic career on the Daily Star, the forerunner in the chronicles of the Daily Planet, by thwarting a lynching at the county jail in his Superman identity and then phoning in an exclusive account of the events as would-be reporter Clark Kent (S No. 1/1, Sum 1939).
Working as a reporter for a major newspaper enables Clark Kent to "investigate criminals without their suspecting [he's] really Superman" (S No. 133/2, Nov 1959: "How Perry White Hired Clark Kent!") and provides him with "the best opportunity for being free to help people as Superman" without having to explain his frequent absences from his place of employment (Act No. 144, May 1950: "Clark Kent’s Career!"; and others). Kent frequently changes to Superman inside an empty "storage closet" (Act No. 181, Jun 1953: "The New Superman") or "store-room" (S No. 145/1, May 1961: "The Secret Identity of Superman!") at the Daily Planet, and by May 1958 he has begin hiding a sophisticated Clark Kent robot behind a secret panel in the Daily Planet's supply room, capable of carrying on his journalistic duties whenever he is needed elsewhere as Superman (Act No. 240: "Secret of the Superman Sphinx").
Lois Lane and the Daily Planet
Ranking alongside Kent in the Daily Planet's reportorial hierarchy is Lois Lane, "the Daily Planet's star woman reporter" (WF No. 47, Aug/Sep 1950: "The Girl Who Hated Reporters!") and "Clark Kent's rival reporter at the Daily Planet..." (Act No. 176, Jan 1953: "Muscles for Money"). Described as the newspaper's "sob sister" (S No. 7/1, Nov/Dec 1940; and others) and as its lovelorn columnist (Act No. 44, Jan 1942; and others) in many early texts, Lois Lane has risen through the journalistic ranks to become one of the Daily Planet's "star reporters" (S No. 27/1, Mar/Apr 1944: "The Palace of Perilous Play!"; and others) and, with Clark Kent, one of the newspaper's "two brightest satellites" (S No. 26/2 Jan/Feb 1944: "Comedians' Holiday!"). Particularly adept at covering local news (S No. 44/3, Jan/Feb 1947: "Shakespeare's Ghost Writer!"), she has performed the full range of journalistic duties, including stints as war correspondent (Act No. 23, Apr 1940); weather editor, described as "one of the lowliest jobs on any newspaper" (WF No. 26, Nov/Dec 1946: "Mad Weather in Metropolis!"; see also WF No. 51, Apr/May 1951: "The Amazing Talents of Lois Lane!"); and "acting editor" in the absence of Perry White (S No. 124/1, Sep 1958: "The Super-Sword").
According to World’s Finest Comics No. 47, Lois Lane began her journalistic career on the Daily Planet sometime after Clark Kent had already obtained employment there (Aug/Sep 1950: "The Girl Who Hated Reporters!"). This account is undoubtedly erroneous, however, for Lois Lane is portrayed as employed by the Daily Star in the premiere text of the Superman chronicles (Act No. 1, Jun 1938), and her hiring seems clearly to have preceded Kent's (S No. 1/1, Sum 1939). In addition, numerous other texts support the contention that Lois Lane was already plying here trade as a reporter at the time Clark Kent first began his journalistic career (S No. 133/2, Nov 1959: "How Perry White Hired Clark Kent!"; and others).
Jimmy Olsen and the Daily Planet
After Perry White, Clark Kent, and Lois Lane, the most enduring member of the Daily Planet staff is Jimmy Olsen, the newspaper's "star cub reporter" (Act No. 238, Mar 1958: "The Super-Gorilla from Krypton"). First introduced in November-December 1941 only as Jimmy, an office boy at the Daily Planet with a heartfelt longing to become "a real reporter" like his idol, Clark Kent (S No. 13/2), Jimmy is finally referred to by his full name, Jimmy Olsen, in March-April 1942 (S No. 15/1) and continues to be referred to as the Daily Planet's "office boy" for a number of years (Act No. 71, Apr 1944: "Valentine Villainy!"; and others) until he is finally accorded the status of cub reporter in January 1954 (S No. 86/2: "Jimmy Olsen...Editor!").
The Staff of the Daily Planet
Other Daily Planet staffers over the years have included reporter Charles Clayton (S No. 21/2, Mar/Apr 1943: "The Four Gangleaders"); janitor Charlie Frost (WF No. 11, Fall 1943: "The City of Hate!"); composing-room foreman Sam Greene, boss pressman Matt Worth, delivery-fleet head Peat Gluyas, ace cameraman Happy, copy-desk chief Sanford, and reporter Honey Dale, the publisher's niece (WF No. 13, Spr 1944: "The Freedom of the Press!"); cub reporter Tommy Blake (WF No. 18, Sum 1945: "The Junior Reporters!"); columnist Olga Olmstead (WF No. 24, Sep/Oct 1946: "Impossible but True!"); sports editor Jack Donovan, shipping-news reporter Mart Lane, photographer Joey Crane, and political reporter Horace Mills (WF No. 37, Nov/Dec 1948: "The Superman Story!"); a linotyper named Barstow (S No. 57/3, Mar/Apr 1949: "The Son of Superman!"); sports photographer Tom Dodds (S No. 58/2, May/Jun 1949: "Lois Lane Loves Clark Kent!"); business manager Mr. Weems (S No. 63/2, Mar/Apr 1950: "The Wind-Up Toys of Peril!"); Chuck, "the Planet’s star photographer" (S No. 66/2, Sep/Oct 1950: "The Last Days of Superman!"); cub reporter Will White, a son of Perry White (S No. 72/2, Sep/Oct 1951: "The Private Life of Perry White!"); switchboard operator Susan Semple (Act No. 163, Dec 1951: "The Girl of Tomorrow"); reporter Jack Wilde (Act No. 171, Aug 1952: "The Secrets of Superman!"); drama reporter Waldo Pippin (S No. 91/3, Aug 1954: "Great Caesar’s Ghost!"); staff artist Al Fallon, who draws the comic-strip feature Mental-Man (Act No. 196, Sep 1954: "The Adventures of Mental-Man!"); editor George Earns (S No. 92/1, Sep 1954: "The Impossible Headlines!"); lovelorn editor Dora Dell (S No. 92/2, Sep 1954: "Superman’s Sweetheart!"); copy boy Tommy Brown (S No. 95/3, Feb 1955: 'Jimmy Olsen, Super-Reporter!"); reporter Perry White, Jr., a son of Perry White (S No. 108/2, Sep 1956: "Perry White, Jr., Demon Reporter!"); and reporter Morna Vine (S No. 181/1, Nov 1965: pts I-II—"The Super-Scoops of Morna Vine!"; "The Secret of the New Supergirl!").
Other individuals who, at one time or another, have worked on the Daily Planet include boy genius Euclid Smith, who becomes a reporter on the newspaper in May-June 1952 as part of Superman's plan for getting the goods on the unscrupulous Mr. Fenton (WF No. 58: "'Scoop' Smith, Boy Reporter!"); Lana Lang, who is employed by the Daily Planet during September-October 1952 (S No. 78/3: "The Girls in Superman's Life!"); swindler Soapy Martin, who, under the alias Don Kelton, is employed as the Daily Planet's sports editor during January 1956 (S No. 102/3: "The Million-Dollar Mistake"); Mr. Mxyzptlk, who obtains a reporter's job on the paper under a secret identity in May 1956 (S No. 105/2: "Mr. Mxyztplk’s Secret Identity"); John Corben, alias Metallo, who becomes a reporter on the Daily Planet in May 1959 (Act No. 252: "The Menace of Metallo!"); and Hercules, who, under the pseudonym Roger Tate, obtains employment as a Daily Planet reporter during a visit to the twentieth century in August 1960 (Act No. 267: "Hercules in the 20th Century!"). Nostradamus, an old hermit who becomes, for a time, the dupe of the archvillainous Lex Luthor, is given a job with the Daily Planet as a weather forecaster in October 1948 (Act No. 125: "The Modern Nostradamus!"), and Quex-Ul, formerly an inmate of the Phantom Zone, is given a job in the Daily Planet's production department in November 1962 (S No. 157/1: "The Super-Revenge of the Phantom Zone Prisoner!").
According to World’s Finest Comics No. 47, "the favorite eating place for Metropolis reporters," including those of the Daily Planet, is Harry’s Dog House, a diner specializing in hot dogs located across the street from the Daily Planet Building (Aug/Sep 1950: "The Girl Who Hated Reporters!"). For haircuts, most of the Planet staffers rely on Tony's barbershop (Act No. 237, Feb 1958: "Superman's Exposed Identity").
The Daily Planet's Rival Newspapers
Despite the preeminence of the Daily Planet among Metropolis's newspapers, the Planet has not been without its competition. Over the years, rival newspapers have included the Morning Pictorial and the Evening Standard (Act No. 37, Jun 1941; and others); the Metropolis Star (S No. 39/1, Mar/Apr 1946: "The Big Superman Broadcast!"; S No. 63/2, Mar/Apr 1950: "The Wind-Up Toys of Peril!"); The Evening Gazette (S No. 42/3, Sep/Oct 1946: "The Death of Clark Kent!"; S No. 108/2, Sep 1956: "Perry White, Jr., Demon Reporter!"); the Eagle (S No. 49/2, Nov/Dec 1947: "Clark Kent's Most Dangerous Assignment!"); the Examiner (S No. 49/3, Nov/Dec 1947: "Lois Lane, Globe-Trotter!"); the World and the Globe (WF No. 33, Mar/Apr 1948: "Superman Press, Inc.!"); the Metropolis Herald (S No. 52/1, May/Jun 1948: "Preview of Plunder"); the Daily Dispatch (S No. 73/3, Nov/Dec 1951: "Perry White vs. Clark Kent!"); the Daily Tatler (WF No. 58, May/Jun 1952: "'Scoop' Smith, Boy Reporter!"); the Evening Compass (S No. 89/1, May 1954: "Captain Kent the Terrible!"); and the Morning Globe (Act No. 237, Feb 1958: "Superman's Exposed Identity").
The Texts
In June 1938, the date of the premiere text of the Superman chronicles, Clark Kent is portrayed as a reporter for the Daily Star (Act No. 1), although an expanded version of the same events, published a year later, shows that Kent had obtained employment on the Star only a short while earlier (S No. 1/1, Sum 1939). For almost two full years, through March 1940, Kent's newspaper is referred to as the Daily Star (Act No. 22). Thereafter, whoever, without any explanation having been given for the changeover, the paper is referred to as the Daily Planet (S No. 4/1-4, Spr 1940; Act No. 23, Apr 1940), the name it has now retained for nearly four full decades.
Following its last appearance in November 1940 (Act No. 30), the name of George Taylor—who had served as editor of the Daily Star and then of the Daily Planet—disappears from the chronicles entirely, to be replaced soon afterward by that of editor Perry White (Act No. 35, Apr 1941; and others).
In Summer 1940, Alex Evell's attempt to seize control of the Daily Planet is thwarted by Superman (S No. 5/2).
In October 1941, saboteur Ralph Cowan plants a time bomb at the Daily Planet while posing as a telephone repairman, but Superman finds and defuses the bomb before it has had time to go off (Act No. 41).
In May-June 1942, the Daily Planet Building and all its occupants are transported to the fourth dimension by the evil Mister Sinister, but Superman ultimately defeats the villain and restores the "kidnapped" building to the earthly dimension (S No. 16/3: "Case of the Runaway Skyscrapers").
In September-October 1942, after being duped by Nazi agent Carl Bland into participating in his so-called "mock invasion" of Metropolis, Lois Lane almost succeeds in blowing up the Daily Planet when she carries a bomb-laden suitcase into the Daily Planet Building unaware that it contains a live bomb. Alerted in the nick of time by Superman, however, Lois drops the suitcase into a nearby river, where it explodes harmlessly (S No. 18/1: "The Conquest of a City").
In November-December 1942, villains from the Daily Planet's comic strips are brought to life by Funnyface, who puts them to work committing spectacular crimes. Superman ultimately apprehends Funnyface, however, with some timely assistance from Lois Lane (S No. 19/1: "Case of the Funny Paper Crimes").
In December 1942, the Daily Planet announces its plans to publish a comic-strip series by cartoonist Al Hatt based on the adventures of Superman (Act No. 55: "A Goof Named Tiny Rufe").
In May-June 1943, after the Prankster has copyrighted the English alphabet, Perry White finds himself compelled to pay the villain $2,000 per week for permission to publish the Daily Planet (S No. 22/3: "The Great ABC Panic!").
In Fall 1943, the Skeptic attempts to discredit the Daily Planet, only to be thwarted and apprehended by Superman (WF No. 11: "The City of Hate!").
In Spring 1944, three Metropolis rackets czars (see Delmar "Dice" Dimant) embark on a campaign of sabotage and terror against the Daily Planet as part of his elaborate scheme to bilk wealthy "stock manipulator" Amos Amster (Act No. 77: "The Headline Hoax!").
In January-February 1946, Lex Luthor wreaks havoc at the Daily Planet Building when he makes it the target of his diabolical "molecular impulsion beam" (S No. 38/1: "The Battle of the Atoms!").
In November-December 1948, five Daily Planet reporters spend a hectic day with Superman as part of a contest, proposed by Perry White, to see which of them can produce the best story of the day's events. All five reporters turn in excellent stories, but the winner of the contest—although the named of the winner is never explicitly stated—is apparently young news photographer Joey Crane, whose "story" consists of pictures of all the happy people Superman helped in the course of his super-heroic day (WF No. 37: "The Superman Story!").
In September-October 1949, rackets czar Hollis Shore has his henchmen bomb the Daily Planet's printing presses in retaliation for a series of exposés written by editor Perry White, but Superman keeps the Daily Planet in business in spite of the damage by printing the newspaper on a hand press at eye-blurring super-speed (S No. 60/1: "The Two Identities of Superman!").
In March-April 1950, the Toyman steals a payroll from the Daily Planet with the aid of an ingenious flying Superman doll, but Superman ultimately outwits the Toyman and takes him into custody (S No. 63/2: "The Wind-Up Toys of Peril!").
In July-August 1950, when the space capsule carrying Mala, Kizo, and U-Ban crash-lands in Metropolis, the impact of the landing threatens to topple the Daily Planet Building and numerous other downtown skyscrapers, but, "with a speed that seems to burn up space," Superman repairs the damage before any of the buildings collapse (S No. 65/3: "Three Supermen from Krypton!").
In June 1951, Joe "The Elephant" Striker and his henchmen are apprehended by Superman while attempting to stage a payroll robbery at the Daily Planet (Act No. 157: "The Superman Who Couldn’t Fly!").
In November-December 1951, the Daily Planet merges with its former rival, the Daily Dispatch, after the Dispatch's stockholders have hastily decided to dispose of their interest in the paper in the wake of the embarrassing revelation that Dispatch publisher Ray Curtis is actually â€The Insider.†The text asserts that the newspaper resulting from the merger is to be called the Planet-Dispatch (S No. 73/3: "Perry White vs. Clark Kent!"), but the name Planet-Dispatch never reappears in any subsequent text.
In November-December 1952, the Daily Planet is deliberately closed down by publisher John Wilton as part of his scheme to stifle competition among Metropolis's newspapers. Before long, however, the Daily Planet is back in business, thanks to the perseverance of Planet staffers and the heroic intervention of Superman (S No. 79/2: "The End of the Planet!").
In February 1953, the Daily Planet Building is smashed in two by a diabolical "flying wrecking crane" employed by the "General," but Superman evacuates the building before anyone is injured, transporting its equipment and personnel to a safe location until he has had time to repair the damage (Act No. 177: "The Anti-Superman Weapon").
In January 1954, an English edition of the Daily Planet is established in London (S No. 86/1: "The Dragon from King Arthur's Court!").
In May 1954, life at the Daily Planet is made miserable by the relentless insistence on "split-second efficiency" imposed on the staff by efficiency expert Jasper Coldstone (Act No. 192: "The Man Who Sped Up Superman!"). During this same period, Superman erects a protective metal shield around the Daily Planet Building to protect its occupants from a powerful bomb planted in Metropolis by Lex Luthor (S No. 89/3: "One Hour to Doom!").
In September 1954, gangster Jigger Benson concocts a scheme to destroy the Daily Planet's credibility in order to discredit a series of exposés written by reporter Clark Kent. Benson and his henchmen, however, are ultimately apprehended by Superman (S No. 92/1: "The Impossible Headlines!").
In April 1955, foreign editions of the Daily Planet are launched in Paris and Bombay. According to the text, a third international edition is established in London (Act No. 203: "The International Daily Planet!"), but this is inconsistent with the previous establishment of a London edition fifteen months earlier (S No. 86/1, Jan 1954: "The Dragon from King Arthur's Court!").
In December 1955, Daily Planet offices around the world celebrate what is described as "the anniversary of the first international editions of the Daily Planet--in France, Greece, Italy, Holland, and Japan!" To help mark the occasion, Superman visits the five countries in turn to pose for a series of front-page anniversary-edition photographs of himself performing to "glorify something [the host] country is famous for," as when the Man of Steel poses on a Paris street while balancing the Eiffel Tower upside down in one hand. Several days later, when Superman returns to Smallville for a testimonial dinner in his honor commemorating the anniversary of his arrival on Earth as an infant from the planet Krypton, Perry White is on hand to present the Man of Steel with a special anniversary gift: copies of the editions, each with photographs of Superman's super-feats splashed across its front page, and each with a headline wishing Superman a happy anniversary in its own native language (Act No. 211: "The Superman Spectaculars").
In March 1956, the Daily Planet Building is one of the buildings destroyed by Superman in order to thwart the interplanetary invasion plot unearthed by Ebeneezer Walker. Later, with the alien invasion threat safely disposed of, Superman single-handedly constructs a new Daily Planet Building on the site of the old one (Act No. 214: "Superman, Super-Destroyer").
In July 1960, the giant "Earth-globe" atop the Daily Planet Building is destroyed by Titano, who rips it from its moorings and hurls it into the sea. A new globe fashioned by Superman is later installed in its place (S No. 138/1: "Titano the Super-Ape!").
In April 1961, Superman poses for a commemorative photograph outside the Daily Planet Building as he purchases, from a newsboy, the five billionth copy of the Daily Planet (S No. 144/1: "The Super-Weapon!").
In July 1962, in the pressroom of the Daily Planet, Perry White presents Superman with an honorary plaque in gratitude for his ongoing role in "helping the Planet get many great scoops!" Suddenly, however, Superman goes berserk, "leering malevolently" and smashing apart the Daily Planet's giant presses "with powerful blows of his mighty fists..." Then, just as abruptly, the bizarre "wrecking spree" ends, and Superman, who is as yet completely unaware of the reason for his insane outburst (see Mag-En), contritely repairs the damage (S No. 154/2: "Krypton’s First Superman!").
In December 1962, Superman destroys every single typewriter at the Daily Planet, demolishes the globe atop the Daily Planet Building, and commits other intemperate, often violent, acts after being driven temporarily berserk by a diabolical "telepathic-hypnotic weapon" fired at him by members of the Superman Revenge Squad. After the villains have been defeated, however, Superman pledges to repair the damage (Act No. 295: "Superman Goes Wild!").
In July 1963, the roof of the Daily Planet Building collapses into its topmost floor of offices after it has been deliberately sabotaged by a ring of swindlers who have been the target of a series of exposés authored by editor Perry White. Lois Lane is on the verge of being crushed to death by the heavy Daily Planet globe falling through the caved-in roof when Superman intervenes to catch the globe and rescue Lois from seemingly certain doom (Act No. 302: "The Amazing Confession of Super-Perry White!").
In May 1964, the mischievous Mr. Mxyzptlk uses his extradimensional magical powers to temporarily transform the large block letters encircling the globe atop the Daily Planet Building so that instead of spelling out the words Daily Planet they spell out the words Daily Liar (S No. 169/1: "The Infernal Imp!"). Soon afterwards, the globe is demolished by Bizarro and his followers from the planet Htrae. The destruction of the globe has its beneficial side, however, because, as luck would have it, two of the globe's giant block letters, hurtling toward the sidewalk, knock out two gunmen attempting to seal a Daily Planet payroll en route from the bank (S No. 169/3, May 1964: "The Bizarro Invasion of Earth!").
By January 1971, the Daily Planet has been acquired by the Galaxy Broadcasting System. It is during this period that Morgan Edge, Galaxy's president, removes Clark Kent from the staff of the Planet and installs him as a full-time newscaster on another Galaxy property, Metropolis television station WGBS-TV, a post Kent holds until the late 1980s (S No. 233: "Superman Breaks Loose"; and others). (TGSB)
