Perry White Explained

Character Name:Perry White
Publisher:DC Comics
First Series:The Adventures of Superman
First Episode:Clark Kent, Reporter (February 14, 1940)
First Comic:Superman #7 (November 1940)
Alliances:Daily Planet
Galaxy Communications
Supports:Superman
Lois Lane
Jimmy Olsen

Perry White is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the editor-in-chief of the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet.[1] The character maintains very high ethical and journalistic standards and is an archetypal image of the tough, irascible, but fair-minded boss.[2]

In film, the character has been portrayed by Pierre Watkin in the Superman serial, Jackie Cooper in Superman (1978) and its sequels, Frank Langella in Superman Returns, Laurence Fishburne in the DC Extended Universe, and Wendell Pierce in the upcoming DC Universe (DCU) film Superman (2025). In television, John Hamilton and Lane Smith played the character in Adventures of Superman and , respectively, and Paul Jarrett in the series Superman & Lois.

Publication history

The character Perry White was created for the radio serial The Adventures of Superman, voiced by actor Julian Noa. He first appeared in the second episode, "Clark Kent, Reporter", which aired on February 14, 1940. The character was introduced into the comic books later that year, appearing in Superman #7 (November 1940). Since then, the character has continued to appear in Superman and other comic books on a continual basis, and has been a regular supporting character in both live-action and animated films and television programs over eight decades.

He is well-known for the catchphrases "Great Caesar's ghost!" and "Don't call me 'chief!'".

Fictional character biography

Golden and Silver Age

The earliest Superman comics depict Clark Kent and Lois Lane working for the newspaper the Daily Star under editor George Taylor. However, after Perry White's introduction in the Adventures of Superman radio series, the character was incorporated into the comic books, appearing as the editor of a newly renamed the Daily Planet.[3] No in-story explanation for this change was given at the time, and Taylor and the Daily Star are not mentioned again for many years.

Following the introduction of the multiverse, Taylor and the Daily Star are retroactively placed on Earth-Two, while White and the Daily Planet are placed on Earth-One. Additionally, White is established as having an Earth-Two counterpart who is a reporter for the Daily Star.

Prior to the continuity changes detailed in Crisis on Infinite Earths, The Man of Steel, and other comics published after 1986, Perry White is depicted as a freelance reporter for various newspapers, including a Chicago newspaper[4] and Gotham City's Gotham Gazette.[5] In The Adventures of Superman, it was also established that White had a law degree but had never practiced law.[6]

White eventually goes to work at the Daily Planet as a reporter and earns his first Pulitzer Prize following an interview with Superboy.[7]

Later, Perry's reporting skills earn further praise after he is the first to discover that Superboy has moved to Metropolis from Smallville. (Superboy had intended to keep his move quiet for an undefined period of time, so as not to alert anyone to Superboy and Clark Kent leaving Smallville at the same time.)[8]

Finally, during Clark Kent's junior year of college, White becomes editor-in-chief following George Taylor's retirement.[9]

In the early 1970s, Morgan Edge buys the Daily Planet, taking most of White's position.[10]

Post-Crisis (1986-2011)

With writer John Byrne's post-Crisis on Infinite Earths revamp of Superman's origin in the Man of Steel miniseries and his subsequent Superman comics, Perry White's history was altered and fleshed out more fully.

Post-Crisis, White was born in Metropolis' Suicide Slum area, growing up with a father missing in action in an overseas war. White attends school with Lex Luthor and begins his career as a copy boy at the Daily Planet.

After Luthor becomes a successful businessman, he diversifies his holdings in LexCorp and temporarily buys the Daily Planet. Turning down an offer from Luthor to become part of Luthor's new television station WLEX, White finds an investor who saves the Daily Planet on the condition that White becomes managing editor. The incident leaves White bitter and angry with Luthor.

White marries Alice Spencer and has a son, Jerry White. Much later, after Jerry is fully grown, Perry learns that Luthor is Jerry's biological father. Although Perry continues to raise Jerry as his own, the knowledge that he is not the boy's true father continues to haunt him.

In subsequent years as managing editor and then editor-in-chief of The Daily Planet, White forms a core team of reporters and writers: Lois Lane, Clark Kent, Jimmy Olsen, Cat Grant, Ron Troupe, Steve Lombard, and many others. The Planet, meanwhile, is established as a paper of record, breaking such stories as Superman's debut, multiple alien invasions, and the death and subsequent return of Superman. During this time, White becomes increasingly estranged from Jerry, who later dies from a gunshot wound. Perry and Alice grieve for some time, resulting in Perry taking a leave of absence from the Daily Planet.

Later, the Whites adopt an orphaned African-American boy named Keith Parks, who soon has his name changed to Keith White. During this time, Perry takes another leave of absence for cancer treatment, putting Clark Kent in charge as the Planets temporary editor.

During a period of financial struggle for the Planet, its owner, Franklin Stern, sells the paper back to Luthor. Luthor, acting out of malice, shuts the paper down and fires everyone except Lane, Olsen, and two others who are forced to accept new jobs at Lexcom, Luthor's new Internet-based news company. Shortly thereafter, Luthor sells the Planet to Bruce Wayne for one dollar. Wayne rehires White and gives him full control of the Planet, enabling him to undo Luthor's meddling and resolve the company's financial problems.

New 52

When Superman's identity is exposed by Lois to protect Clark from being blackmailed by a secret conspiracy, Perry fires Clark in a fury of anger and perceived betrayal, accusing Clark of only working at the Planet so that he can profit from his own headlines.

When the Superman of this reality dies, he is replaced by his predecessor from the pre-Flashpoint universe, while Mister Mxyzptlk uses his powers to impersonate Clark Kent and convince everyone that the previous revelation of Superman's identity was an elaborate hoax. This storyline culminates in the displaced Lois and Clark merging with their counterparts in this universe, creating a new timeline where Lois and Clark leave the Planet to raise their newborn son Jon Kent.

Superman later confesses his secret identity to White, but Manchester Black erases this knowledge from him and the public soon after.[11]

Other versions

In other media

Television

Live-action

Animation

Film

Live-action

Animation

Video games

Miscellaneous

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Fleisher . Michael L. . The Original Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume Three: Superman . 2007 . DC Comics . 978-1-4012-1389-3 . 491–499.
  2. Book: Cowsill . Alan . Irvine . Alex . Korte . Steve . Manning . Matt . Wiacek . Win . Wilson . Sven . The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe . 2016 . DK Publishing . 978-1-4654-5357-0 . 471–473.
  3. Superman #7 (November–December 1940)
  4. Superman #142 (January 1961)
  5. World's Finest Comics #80 (January–February 1956)
  6. Bellum, Robert Leslie. The Adventures of Superman, Episode 4/09, "Dagger Island." First aired May 19, 1956.
  7. The New Adventures of Superboy #12 (December 1980)
  8. Superman #366 (December 1981)
  9. Superman: The Secret Years #4 (May 1985)
  10. Superman #233 (January 1971)
  11. Action Comics #1050
  12. Web site: Perry White Voices (Superman) . July 22, 2024 . Behind The Voice Actors. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  13. Web site: Mitovich. Matt Webb. My Adventures With Superman Eyes Summer Release Date — Watch Teaser Trailer for Animated Series. TVLine. April 6, 2023. April 6, 2023.
  14. Web site: Mitovich. Matt Webb. My Adventures With Superman Gets Adult Swim and Max Release Dates. TVLine. June 5, 2023. June 5, 2023.
  15. Web site: Good . Owen S. . 2023-06-05 . My Adventures With Superman looks like the best summer of your life . 2023-06-07 . . en-US.
  16. Web site: Nelson . Samantha . 2023-06-26 . My Adventures With Superman Review . 2023-06-27 . IGN . en.
  17. Web site: Ditzian . Eric . August 3, 2011 . 'Man Of Steel' Taps Laurence Fishburne As News Chief Perry White . July 22, 2024 . MTV. https://web.archive.org/web/20150803043153/http://www.mtv.com/news/1668388/laurence-fishburne-superman-man-of-steel/ . 2015-08-03 .
  18. Web site: Pennacchio . George . March 31, 2016 . 'Batman v. Superman' success thrilling to Laurence Fishburne . July 22, 2024 . ABC7 Los Angeles . en.
  19. Kit . Borys . March 1, 2024 . Wendell Pierce Cast as Perry White in James Gunn's 'Superman' (Exclusive) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240301220635/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/superman-casts-wendell-pierce-as-perry-white-1235840790/ . March 1, 2024 . March 1, 2024 . The Hollywood Reporter.
  20. Web site: Anderson . Jenna . April 10, 2024 . Superman's Wendell Pierce Breaks Silence on Playing Perry White . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240411053343/https://comicbook.com/movies/news/superman-wendell-pierce-breaks-silence-perry-white-dcu/ . April 11, 2024 . April 12, 2024 . ComicBook.com.
  21. Web site: Hemmert . Kylie . April 6, 2020 . LEGO DC: Shazam! Magic and Monsters Trailer & Release Date . July 22, 2024 . ComingSoon.net . en-US.
  22. Web site: July 27, 2023 . Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! Trailer Warner Bros. Entertainment . July 27, 2023 . YouTube.
  23. News: Lovell . Kevin . July 27, 2023 . 'Scooby-Doo! And Krypto, Too!' Trailer, Artwork & Release Details; Arrives On Digital & DVD September 26, 2023 From Warner Bros . July 27, 2023 . Screen-Connections . en-US.
  24. Web site: Eisen . Andrew . October 2, 2013 . DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide . July 22, 2024 . IGN . en.
  25. DC Universe Online Legends #2 (April 2011)
  26. DC Universe Online Legends #9 (August 2011)
  27. DC Universe Online Legends #10 (August 2011)
  28. DC Universe Online Legends #20 (February 2012)

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