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Action Comics #854 Here are Kurt Busiek's answers to questions fans put to him about "Action Comics #854" and other relevant topics:

Kurt's Answers

Bart Easton (Email address withheld by request) asks:
Has the editorial department put any limit on the powers Jimmy Olsen is exhibiting during Countdown? So far, he's displayed elasticity, super-speed, face-quills, solar radiating, and super-growth. Is there any formula to his powers, or does he just gain whatever power the writer deems necessary?

Kurt: There are indeed limits of what powers Jimmy is able to manifest, but since I'm not writing Countdown, I shouldn't be the one to blow that secret. I will say, though, that I was working with a concrete list -- and that I supplied the Countdown editor with an even longer list than the one he had. Make of that what you will. Plus, you missed a few, including turtle-power, wolf-boy power, geiger-counter power and flame-breath.



TalOs (talos_rokyian@yahoo.com.au) asks:
Thanks to Infinite Crisis's "New Earth" current DCU continuity wave outcome does this now mean that like Kal and Kara (and the mysterious "3rd Kryptonian" chic) ol' Krypto is officially YET ANOTHER Kryptonian that successfully managed to SURVIVE THE very same Krypton that the 3 Kryptonians mentioned hail from, or is Krypto still the Pre-IC DCU continuity alien altered Kryptonian trait of a dog being that hailed from the Phantom Zone's B13 Krypton instead?

Kurt: Aw, nothing's official until it appears in a story, TalOs (and sometimes not even then!). But what we do know so far is that this Krypto was around before Conner died, and for at least some of Clark's youth in Smallville -- and that a white dog was seen in Jor-El's lab back when Lara went into labor with Kal. So I'd say it appears likely, at least. But you never know -- maybe he's a particularly-sneaky Durlan spy!

I love the phrase "alien altered Kryptonian trait of a dog being that hailed from the Phantom Zone's B13 Krypton," by the way.



barry (barrym53@comcast..net) asks:
Just love what is being done with Jimmy right now, and with the addition of Krypto, any chance of a spin off when Countdown is over (that is if Jimmy survives)?

Kurt: I have no idea, Barry. But if there was a Jimmy Olsen & Krypto: A Pal and His Pal project, I'd sure want to write a story or three for it.



Barry Freiman (Email address withheld by request) asks:
Why does it seem like Clark's not very surprised that Jimmy Olsen has powers and knows his secret identity?

Kurt: Clark's seen a lot in his time -- including, come to think of it, seeing Jimmy get super-powers before. He deals with the unusual pretty well. As for Jimmy knowing he's Superman, Clark does seem pretty surprised when Jimmy reveals it, but he recovers quickly. He knows Jimmy's pretty trustworthy, and he's focused more on what to do now than on protestations of surprise.



Neal Bailey (Email address withheld by request) asks:
Hey, Kurt! Just curious, why not break out with full-blown Titano action? Why so subdued? Are there plans to bring in Titano later?

Kurt: From the first page of this three-parter, all "Titano's" been doing is looking for a friend, because he's lost and lonely. He tried to make friends with other apes like him, which didn't work, and he tried to make friends with the only other Kryptonite-irradiated being in the area, but that guy led him down a bad path and then went and got captured, the bum. So our K-monkey's not out to commit evil acts -- he's just looking for a friend. It made more sense to have Jimmy solve the problem by doing what he's best at -- being a pal -- than by punching out a lonely and confused super-ape. And even if that weren't the case, if we did go for a full-blown ape fight, we'd have had to cut other stuff from the story, and I think it all mattered. As for "Titano" returning -- he's alive, he's at STAR Labs and he's still K-powered. Probably not unreasonable to figure he'll be back at some point.



Appreciate your continued involvement with our site.

Kurt: My pleasure, sir! As long as I can give better answers than Matt Idelson, it's all good.



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