One Panel #170-171: Super Firsts

From Superman: "Europe at War (Part II)" by Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster and Paul Cassidy, Action Comics 23 (April 1940)
Despite the cover dates, this story appeared before the next, and featured the first appearance of the Golden Age, red-headed Lex Luthor (after all, the Ultra-Humanite's bald look would still have been in readers' minds). Note the red cultist robes. He's still a super-scientist, but also a shadowy figure manipulating world events to bring about World War II so he can make himself master of the world.

From "Superman versus Luthor" by Jerry Siegel and Paul Cassidy, Superman #4 (March 1940)

In Superman #4, the Daily Star finally becomes the Daily Planet in the comics, but I do appreciate that the word STAR is still prominently featured in the headline. A sort of Easter Egg? Luthor once again features, challenging Superman with odd tasks, betraying the Man of Steel after turning "noble", and committing a daring robbery, proving himself to be an all-purpose villain.

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