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Superman works there in his civilian identity as Clark Kent, along with fellow reporter Lois Lane, photographer Jimmy Olsen and editor-in-chief Perry White.

Quote1 Whenever a story happens, the Planet gets it first and has it webbed and in print while the New York Times is still fishing for sources. Quote2
—Clark Kentsrc

The Daily Planet is a daily newspaper of Metropolis.

History

Superman works there in his civilian identity as Clark Kent, along with fellow reporter Lois Lane, photographer Jimmy Olsen and editor-in-chief Perry White.

New Earth

 Main article: Post-Crisis

The Daily Planet was founded by publisher Joshua Meriwether in 1775; it began as the weekly periodical Our Planet. A marauding band of British loyalists burned down the original offices in 1783. The paper resumed publication 10 years later in new offices, and George Washington wrote the first editorial to the now-renamed Daily Planet. In June, 1938, the offices moved to the current building.[1]

The arrival of Superman signaled a new era for the Daily Planet. Everyone wanted a piece of the Man of Steel. The Planet's top reporter, Lois Lane, went to extreme lengths to secure the first interview with him, even throwing her own car into a river to bait Superman into rescuing her. Although she managed to get the interview, she was outdone by the newly hired Clark Kent.[2]

Daily Planet on strike

After the death of his stepson, Jerry, Perry White decided to temporarily step down as the Daily Planet's editor, hiring Samuel Foswell as his replacement.[3] At the same time Metropolis was experiencing a financial crisis due to the apparent death of Lex Luthor, who had control over most of the city's businesses; this forced Foswell to lay off a good portion of the staff, including Jimmy Olsen, and to cut the worker's wages. This did not set well with the union, who started protesting outside the Daily Planet; leading the strike was Lois Lane's old friend, Jeb Friedman.[4][5]

With the coming of Lex Luthor II, Lex Luthor's son, the Daily Planet managed to save itself thanks to a deal made with the unions by the aforementioned Luthor II.[6]

 Main article: Fall of Metropolis

In reality, though, it was all a farce. The supposed "son of Lex Luthor" was none other than the original Lex Luthor himself in a cloned body. With his secret exposed to the public thanks to Lois Lane, Luthor went mad and tried to destroy Metropolis before succumbing to a deadly illness. Superman managed to stop him from leveling the city, but the results were still catastrophic. The Daily Planet was destroyed as a result.[7] For the time being the Daily Planet staff reallocated in the printing plant, until Zatanna used her magic to rebuild Metropolis and the Daily Planet.[8][9]

Hostile Takeover

Lex's revenge.

Lex's revenge.

Perry White unfortunately had to temporarily step down as managing editor due to cancer, and Clark Kent took over in his place until it went in remission.[10]

The Planet had been struggling financially for years, and it eventually culminated in Franklin Stern putting it up for sale.[11] For weeks, speculation mounted over who would acquire it. The biggest name initially was McMannus, but they pulled out of the deal. In the end, it was purchased by none other than Lex Luthor. Among his many motivations was the fact that the Planet had published damaging stories about him for years; more recently, it had also printed a photograph of his daughter Lena, previously unknown to the public, for which he had sworn revenge.[12]

After taking over, Luthor immediately began implementing an automated pagination system to cut costs, drawing the attention of the union, who began debating whether to call a strike. The last straw came when the layoffs started: publisher Franklin Stern was the first to go. Despite having won a Zenith Award for journalism the day before, Ron Troupe was dismissed too, along with Clark Kent, Carrie Axelrod, who had taken the photographs of Luthor's daughter[13], and most of the remaining staff. Only Jimmy Olsen, Dirk Armstrong, Lois Lane, and Simone D'Neige kept their jobs. Perry left of his own accord.[14]

With most of the staff gone, a strike was inevitable, and given the already dire financial situation, it became clear the Planet would not survive. The remaining staff began working at LexCom, Luthor's new television news corporation at Hypersector. As a final act of spite, Luthor had the Planet's globe transferred to a landfill.[15]

A couple of months later, however, Luthor inexplicably sold the Planet back to Perry White for just one dollar, dismissing it publicly as simply unloading a bad investment. In private, the sale was the result of a deal struck with Lois Lane: she had offered to kill one future story of Luthor's choosing, no questions asked. It went against everything Lois had worked for throughout her entire career, morally, ethically, and professionally, which was precisely why Luthor gladly accepted.[16]

Some time later, Bruce Wayne became the Planet's new owner, as Perry had no interest in the business side of things.[17]

Months later, the opportunity arose and President Luthor called in the favour, instructing Lois to kill a story of his choosing. Clark Kent, however, picked up the story in her place and published it himself, though due to a lack of evidence, he was subsequently fired.[18]

Luthor was later impeached, and Clark Kent was reinstated.

Residents

Pre-Crisis, Earth-One

Owners

Staff Members

Post-Crisis, New Earth

Owners

Staff Members

Post-Flashpoint

Owners

Staff Members

Notes

Trivia

See Also

Links and References

  1. ↑ World of Metropolis #1
  2. ↑ The Man of Steel #2
  3. ↑ Superman (Volume 2) #51
  4. ↑ Superman: The Man of Steel #1
  5. ↑ Action Comics #669
  6. ↑ Action Comics #672
  7. ↑ Action Comics #700
  8. ↑ Action Comics #699
  9. ↑ Adventures of Superman #522
  10. ↑ Adventures of Superman #538
  11. ↑ Adventures of Superman #561
  12. ↑ Superman Forever #1
  13. ↑ Superman: The Man of Steel #77
  14. ↑ Superman: Save the Planet #1
  15. ↑ Adventures of Superman #562
  16. ↑ Superman (Volume 2) #151
  17. ↑ Batman #611
  18. ↑ Superman (Volume 2) #182-Superman (Volume 2) #183
  19. ↑ Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #151
  20. ↑ Action Comics #550
  21. ↑ Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #153
  22. ↑ Supergirl (Volume 2) #3
  23. ↑ Superman Special #3
  24. ↑ Superman #277
  25. ↑ Action Comics #557
  26. ↑ World of Metropolis #1 until Superman: Save the Planet #1.
  27. ↑ Batman #611
  28. ↑ Harley Quinn #14
  29. ↑ Doomsday Clock #7
  30. ↑ Superman: Metropolis Secret Files and Origins #1
Characters Alura In-Ze • Bibbo Bibbowski • Cat Grant • Chloe Sullivan • Clark Kent • Chief Parker • Dan Turpin • Dubbilex • Emil Hamilton • Gangbuster • George Taylor • Guardian • Jimmy Olsen • Flamebird • Franklin Stern • House of El • Kelex • Kents • Jonathan Kent • Jor-El • Kong Kenan • Lana Lang • Lara Lor-Van • Lena Luthor • Lois Lane • Lori Lemaris • Lucy Lane • Lyla Lerrol • Maxima • Maggie Sawyer • Martha Kent • Mon-El • Natasha Irons • Newsboy Legion • Nightwing • Paul Westfield • Perry White • Pete Ross • Power Girl • Professor Potter • Ron Troupe • Sam Lane • Scorn • Steel • Steve Lombard • Strange Visitor • Superboy • Supergirl • Superman Family • Superwoman • Thorn • William Henderson • Zor-El
Super-Pets Beppo the Super-Monkey • Comet the Super-Horse • Krypto the Superdog • Proty II • Streaky the Supercat
Villains Atlas • Atomic Skull • Bizarro • Blackbriar Thorn • Blackrock • Bloodsport • Brainiac • Bruno Mannheim • Composite Superman • Conduit • Cyborg Superman • Dabney Donovan • Darkseid • Dev-Em • Dominus • Doomsday • Encantadora • Eradicator • Faora • General Zod • Gog • Intergang • Jax-Ur • Kryptonite Man • Lex Luthor • Livewire • Lobo • Magog • Mercy Graves • Metallo • Mongul • Morgan Edge • Mister Mxyzptlk • Neutron • Non • Quex-Ul • Parasite • Phantom Zoners • Prankster • Red Cloud • Riot • Satanus • Shockwave • Silver Banshee • Superboy-Prime • Superman Revenge Squad • Terra-Man • Titano the Super-Ape • Toyman • Ursa • Ultra-Humanite • Ultraman • Volcana
Storylines A Mind-Switch in Time • Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes • Brainiac • The Coming of Atlas • The Death of Superman • Doomed • The Final Days of Superman • "For the Man Who Has Everything" • Funeral for a Friend • The Great Phantom Peril • Kingdom Come • Krypton No More • Last Son • Maelstrom • New Krypton • Public Enemies • Reign of Doomsday • Reign of the Supermen • Revenge • The Sandman Saga • The Supergirl from Krypton • The Third Kryptonian • The Trial of Superman! • Two for the Death of One • Up, Up and Away! • Warworld • Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? • Who Took the Super out of Superman!
Comics Action Comics • Superman • The Adventures of Superman • Superman: The Man of Steel • Superman: The Man of Tomorrow • Superman/Batman • Other titles
Locations 5th Dimension • Apokolips • Argo City • Bizarro World • Colu • Daily Planet • Daily Star • Daxam • Fortress of Solitude • Kandor • Kent Farm • Krypton • Kryptonopolis • LexCorp • Lexor • Metropolis • New Genesis • Phantom Zone • Project Cadmus • S.T.A.R. Labs • Smallville • Stryker's Island • Suicide Slum • Vathlo Island • Warworld
Items Atomic Cauldron • Kryptonite • Legion Flight Ring • Phantom Zone Projector • Kryptonian Rocket • "S" Symbol
Miscellaneous Origins • Other Media • Publication History • Recommended Reading • Superman is confusing
Creators Jerry Siegel • Joe Shuster • Mort Weisinger • Wayne Boring • Otto Binder • Al Plastino • Curt Swan • Gerry Conway • José Luis García-López • Elliot S. Maggin • Cary Bates • Len Wein • Alan Moore • Kurt Schaffenberger • Dan Jurgens • Mark Waid • Gail Simone • Geoff Johns • Gary Frank • Greg Rucka • Grant Morrison • Peter Tomasi • Brian Michael Bendis • Ivan Reis