JIMMY OLSEN (Matt Fraction) ...and arguing about Charles Dickens

This week we're continuing our "subversive superhero series" and reading Matt Fraction's 2020 reboot of "Superman's Pal Jimmy Olson," illustrated by Steve Lieber. Fraction's an Eisner award winning writer is known his unique, sometimes edgier, realistic take on books like Hawkeye, Iron Man, Iron Fist, and Sex Criminals.

Sure, Jimmy Olson is an ace photographer, turned content creator. He's a bow-tied bon vivant and adventurer. But as the book asks, why does Jimmy get to be Superman's best friend?

In a book that embraces it's own madcap weirdness, Jimmy wanders the weird corners of the DC universe to solve the mystery of his own murder with some zany characters old and new...marrying an interdimensional jewel thief, being tormented by blood vomiting cat, hanging with Metamorpho, decoding his crazy criminal conspiracy with Lois Lane, starting a prank war with Batman, and of course avoiding his best friend Superman. The narrations alone made this book an oddly fun read. But was that enough weirdness, or did the attempt at a plot get in the way?