Silver Age

Superman's Girlfriend: Lois Lane #086, coverSpanning from approximately 1955 - 1970 is the Silver Age, the time where Superman comics branched off into over half a dozen regular series.  It was during this period that the bredth of the Superman mythos was created and both Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen were treated to their own serials.  Additionally this is the age that introduced Supergirl, the Superpets, and most of the backstories about Krypton.  Stories about many character's past exploits were told as this age developed the character's backstories, often in retcon.

This is also the beginnings of alternate universe stories - what was then called "Imaginary Stories" for the characters and exploring them fully.  Additionally, this age brought in many more cross-overs between characters as well as various temporary supernatural elements - temporary powers, aliens, monsters, look-a-likes, various forms of kryptonite as well as flashbacks.

This is also the years that Lois  first starts to show off how she evolves with ages - wanting both a family and career in the 50's when the idea of a working mom wasn't considered normal until the 80's and 90's.  Again, parts of this cross into the Flux Age from late 1948 onwards as the social climate and tone changed.

Basic Stats

First Appearance: c. 1950
Age: 28 (the same age as Clark Kent)
Birthday: Winter/Fall same as Golden Age Lois
Grew up in the town of: Pittsdale (farming community)
Parents and Siblings: Sam and Elle Lane - Farmers, Lucy Lane (ten years younger), and niece Susie
Position at the Daily Planet: Investigative reporter.
Lives with: Usually alone or with Lana Lang
Education: Straight A high school student, Raleigh College Graduate in Journalism with courses in Nursing on the side.
First meets Clark:  At an internship at the Daily Planet as a teen
First meets Superboy:  At a summer camp outside of Smallville as a teen
Relationship with Clark Kent: On again off again relationship with Superman (Clark Kent is just a disguise in this version). Suspected that Clark Kent might be Superman and spent a lot of time trying to prove that they were one and the same.
Editor: Perry White
Is a Reporter:  Before Clark Kent shows up; started persuing it while in high school.  Got job at DP after college and worked her way up to being a respected reporter.
Lex Luthor was: Mad scientist who first encounters Superman as a teenager in Smallville; Superboy and Lex were friends for a short time. He loses his hair in a lab accident that he blames on Superboy.

A Smalltown Girl Makes Good

Superman's Girlfriend: Lois Lane#071, page 18One of the biggest changes was to Lois backstory whose becomes very much in sync with Clark Kent's; growing up as a farmers daughter in Pittsdale, Lois is shown in her history to have been the queen in at least one high school festival and be a straight A student who is still held in high regard by her teachers. (SGLL No. 68, Sep/Oct 1966)   She gains a sister, Lucy, in 66, and another older sister whom is never named.   It is only in 1959 that her parents are finally named as Sam and Ella Lane.  (SGLL No. 13/1, Nov 1959: "Introducing...Lois Lane's Parents", SF No. 172, Aug/Sep 1975); this Lois was even born on her parents farm (SGLL No. 68, Sep/Oct 1966).

In high school, Lois is a star pupil getting straight A's and earning an internship at the Daily Planet.  Adventure Comics #128, page 04Also as a teen she meets both a young Clark Kent and a young Lana Lang.  After high school, Lois goes to Raleigh College which is at the outskirts of Metropolis; while there Lois worked on the college paper the Raleigh Review. (SGLL No. 68, Sep/Oct 1966) Lois moved to Metropolis after getting her degree to pursue her "lifelong ambition" to become "the best reporter in Metropolis" (Act No. 202, Mar 1955: "Lois Lane's X-Ray Vision!") 

Superman's Girlfriend: Lois Lane #055, page 01She once again is forced to prove herself with a series of three articles to get into the Daily Planet and has been working there so long they plan parties in her honor.  While at the Planet she performs a number of various journalist duties while working her way up the paper including working as a staff cartoonist and as an editor in Perry's absence (Act. No. 272, Jan. 1961; Superman #124, Sep 1958.) 

Additionally this is the age where Lois really starts working up points as being a long term reporter at the Daily Planet and is treated as such.  In Lois Lane No. 03, when a new Planet applicant gets rejected due to having no professional experience, Lois takes the girl under her wing helping her get a scoop and a job.  When she gets invited to give a lecture, not only does Jimmy Olsen sign up to take it but so do other reporters from across the country (SGLL No. 29)

Her hard work pays off as she's noted as a "well-known newspaper woman" in 1956 and as an out-right "famous reporter" in 1957.  Various issues of Superman comcis had her teaching classes on journalism as well as giving lectures on how to get scoops, as well as picking up various journalism awards.  She's so well known, that on multiple occasions mobsters and robbers try to hire a look-a-like to pose as her to get close to Superman (SGLL No. 13), or to kidnap her specifically (SGLL No. 24), or put a hit on her to stop her exposes (SGLL No. 86).

Triangles for Two Or More People

Adventure Comics #261, page 04In the Silver Age, her love life enters a realm beyond the simple "triangle for two" that was at play in the Golden Age.  Lana Lang, created specifically for the Superboy serieal show up for the first time in the 1950's (September-October 1950) - but very quickly Superman's Girlfriend: Lois Lane #052, coverthe character moves beyond simple flash back stories of Clark's youth. By 1952 an adult Lana Lang comes to Metropolis and even shares a room with Lois Lane (Superman v1 078), and thus the love triangle between Superman, Lana Lang, and Lois is born.  They even flash back to show how the triangle was born when the three of theme were just teens.

Superman's Girlfriend: Lois Lane Annual #03, orginal coverAlthough she was Lois' biggest obsticle, Lana was not the only one inbetween Superman and Lois.  While he was also persued by Lori Lemaris, Luma Lynia and Lyla Lerrol, Lois often found various other one-issue love interests.  However, for Lois, most of these normal men (and occasional superheroes) never worked out because of her hope to end up with and her love for Superman (Superman No. 136).

This Lois however was well known to be Superman's close friend or even girlfriend as her own serial proclaimed her to be.  This caused her to be a target at times to criminals (SGLL No. 13, SGLL No. 24 and others), and Superman to proclaim he had to have the choice between love and herodom thus continuing to reject her (Superman No. 139); at times either he would loose his powers or she would gain powers allowing a short term relationship but that rarely lasted more than an issue.  Lois, on her part, just wanted to find out his identity not for a front page scoop but so she could marry him.  Of course, there were the Imaginary Stories exploring a possible wedded future for the couple as well.  All these stories set the footwork for where the Bronze Age would take them in terms of a more serious relationship.

Superpowered & Sidekick Lois Lane

Superman's Girlfriend: Lois Lane #028, coverExplored more in the Silver Age were two additional themes to Lois being a straight up reporter; they often played with suping up Lois with temporary powers of various natures from super-intellect, monster legs, invunerablity. 

Additionally we saw Lois Lane help out Superman as well; while the Silver Age allowed Jimmy to play sidekick more often, they did set Lois up as someone helping Superman and whom Superman could depend on.  She was part of a "Plan L" set up incase Superman ever got Green Kryptonite Poisoning (SGLL No. 29).

In particular, Lois seemed to be the target (due to her closeness to Superman) of many kidnappings and blackmailings.  In Lois Lane No. 71, Lois gets blackmailed into almost marrying a fellow who has a tap of Superman supposedly letting a ship full of people die due to accidental radiation.  Another time, Lois goes undercover in the mob after hearing they have some plan to kill Superman and tries to get the scoop to warn Superman (SGLL No. 24)