Each day in June you'll get an entry showing you the first appearance of seemingly minor characters, phrases, objects or events that later became notable parts of comic book lore. Not major stuff like "the first appearance of Superman," but rather, "the first time someone said, 'Avengers Assemble!'" or "the first appearance of Batman's giant penny" or "the first appearance of Alfred Pennyworth" or "the first time Spider-Man's face was shown half-Spidey/half-Peter." Stuff like that. Here is an archive of what I've featured so far.

Today we examine Lois Lane and her obsession with proving Superman is Clark Kent!

Enjoy!

First time Lois Lane showed an interest in Superman's true identity

Oddly enough, for the first TWO YEARS of Superman's existence, Lois Lane never seemed to show any interest in what Superman's "true identity" was. This changed in 1940's Action Comics #25, where she is interested enough to go to a hypnotist to find out...





The hypnotist, of course, is a bad guy. By the end of the issue, Lois has forgotten all about her initial interest in Superman's identity.

Later that year, though, in Superman #7, she once again expresses an interest in knowing who Superman really is...



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First time Lois Lane considered Clark Kent was Superman

In 1941's Superman #11, Lois thinks about Clark as possibly being Superman for the first time, and oddly enough, it is CLARK who gives her the idea!!



Later in the issue, when Lois has basically moved on, once again it is Superman himself who tips her back on to the scent!



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First time Lois set out to prove Clark Kent was Superman

1942's Superman #17 finally set up the familiar plot situation we're all so used to nowadays, Lois trying to prove Clark is Superman.

It all begins with an incident in the subway...





The answer, caption box, is no, she will not!

When she goes home that night, she thinks about it...



(this goes into a TWO AND A HALF page spread of just Superman highlights. It is like the comic book version of those TV clip shows)

The next day, Lois awakes to find some unsettling news, which basically makes up her mind for good...





Superman is forced to do a bunch of tricks in the issue to keep Lois from discovering his secret (including making a dummy version of Clark out of rags)



but as you'll see, even some super speed trickery doesn't fully get her off of his scent...



and by the end of the issue, we have pretty much introduced a new status quo for Superman comics.



A status quo that would last the next three decades, really.

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Feel free to send in ideas for future debuts I should feature here to bcronin@comicbookresources.com!