The very early Golden Age doesn’t have a ton of individual stories worth going into details, so instead let’s focus on something different: the first appearances of his Daily Planet cast.
Because only Lois Lane originated in Action Comics #1: what about the others?
THE DAILY PLANET
First of all: Clark Kent and Lois Lane worked at the Daily Star in previous issues.
Superman #4 (1940)
by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster
The switch to calling the newspaper Daily Planet is not explained in the comics: it just changes in the caption.
We’ve already seen the story because this comic is also the first Lex Luthor storyline.
There’s another contender for the first Daily Planet…
Action Comics #23 (1940)
by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster
…but this issue seems to have hit the newsstands a little earlier than Superman #4.
JIMMY OLSEN
Action Comics #6 (1938)
by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster
cover by Leo O’Mealia
This is retroactively the first appearance of Jimmy Olsen, but don’t let the cover fool you: that’s not him. Not all the covers of the early Action Comics issues were for the Superman story, but often for any of the others in the book.
For context, this is early enough for Superman’s logo to still be a little different from what you’re probably used to…
…and Clark Kent is still working at the Daily Star.
Interestingly, the story is about a conman who is pretending to be Superman’s manager.
Overhearing the conversation is an office boy with a bow tie. He’s not named in the story, but it’s retroactively considered to be Jimmy Olsen.
There really isn’t much to say about not-Jimmy. But this story also has Lois go an a date with Clark because she hopes to see Superman at the same club…
…and it even has a musical number!
Lois is absolutely ruthless in the early Golden Age. She drugs Clark to get him asleep so SHE can get the story!!!
Action Comics #10 (1938)
written by Jerry Siegel
pencils by Joe Shuster & Wayne Boring
cover by Joe Shuster
Superman may not be on every cover, but they knew what series was selling because they advertise that he’ll be in every issue.
The extent of the office boy’s cameo is just this one panel.
The reason why everyone is mad at Clark is that he revealed one of his sources!
It’s all part of a needlessly complicated ruse to get more evidence, but Clark’s journalistic integrity is not always pristine in these years.
Jimmy’s first appearance isn’t from the comics.
It’s in the massively influential Adventures Of Superman radio show, where Jimmy shows up in the 6 part storyline “Donelli’s Protection Racket” in April 1941.
This Jimmy is quite different from what you know from comics: he’s just 14 years old, sometimes works at the Daily Planet but never as a photographer, and he’s actually a pretty good character!
He was very nearly the co-protagonist of the radio show during most of its run.
Being a radio show I can’t give you a direct visual reference, but he was (mostly) voiced by Jackie Kelk.
Superman #13 (1941)
by Jerry Siegel & Leo Nowak
cover by Fred Ray
While Jimmy is retroactively a 1939 character, and he had A LOT of appearances in the radio show, it’s not until December 1941 (cover date) that he’s actually named Jimmy in the comics.
He’s not exactly a major character, though: he only shows up in four panels.
Superman #15 (1942)
by Jerry Siegel & Leo Nowak
cover by Fred Ray
We have to wait four more months for some Jimmy.
This is, in fact, the first time he’s ever addressed as Jimmy Olsen in a comic book. Nearly two years after his first radio appearance.
He’s still a VERY minor character, though. He won’t rise to prominence until the 1950s, thanks in no small part to the popularity of Superman’s TV show where he was also a regular.
And speaking of things introduced in the radio that show up later in comics… the third story of the issue (by Jerry Siegel & John Sikela) feature the first time Superman says his catchphrase of “Up, up and away!”. Which, needless to say, originated in the radio as a signal that Superman would start flying.
The opposite catchphrase of “Down! Down!” before he lands only shows up in the radio show, as far as I know.
Since we’re already in war times, I should also point out that Superman is not allowed to fight Hitler directly… only various stand-ins show up.
This is Razkal, the dictator of the country of Oxnalia.
PERRY WHITE
Taking a step back, Perry White is named in comics a little earlier than Jimmy.
Superman #7 (1940)
written by Jerry Siegel
pencils and cover by Joe Shuster & Wayne Boring
As a reminder, Superman couldn’t officially fly yet.
It’s another straightforward change without explanation. The editor is simply called Perry White now.
The reason why it’s such an easy transition is that Perry White was also already introduced in the radio show. He was already in the SECOND episode of the radio show, in fact, in February 1940.
His first comic book appearance also includes an advertisement for the radio show!
This issue has a CRAZY story.
The people of Gay City… yes that’s its name… suddenly EXPLODE ON CONTACT.
Lois Lane goes there to investigate, and her hands turn into glass!
It was all the work of a mad scientist, and Superman shows up in time with the antidote.
Well, in time for Lois. For the people of Gay City, not so much.