You men who try to keep women weak and defenseless—I hate you! 
Superman #45 is an issue of the series Superman (Volume 1) with a cover date of March, 1947.
Synopsis for "Lois Lane, Superwoman!"
In the Daily Planet offices, Perry White urges Clark Kent and Lois Lane to run less lurid crime stories and find some human interest pieces. The duo go to the offices of "magical engineers" Hocus and Pocus) but they are distraught that their magic isn't working. They are unaware that all of their previous "magic" was actually a string of wild coincidences and the intervention of Superman.
They all visit the roof to get a fine view of Metropolis and Lois is startled by Merton leaping under her feet. Hocus believes that he transforms Clark Kent into Superman with magic just in time to save her but Kent and Merton know the hero's true secret identity. He says that he can change Lois into a superheroine as well and Superman runs and flies behind her at superspeed to simulate her performing otherwise impossible feats.
In the office, she gets a tip that the BBB Gang have come to town and she decides to apprehend them. Superman intervenes again and knocks out the criminals.
Lois has a coming out party as Superwoman that night and when she goes to dance with eligible bachelors, Superman simulates her having super-stength by stomping on her partner's feet. She demands to be changed back and is furious at men who want to keep women weak and defenseless, never learning that it was a ruse.
Appearing in "Lois Lane, Superwoman!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- BBB Gang (Single appearance)
- Bear (Single appearance)
- Brute (Single appearance)
- Buzzard (Single appearance)
Locations:
Synopsis for "Showdown on the Showboat"
The Golden Star showboat is making what may be its last tour and Clark Kent and Lois Lane are on the scene to document it. After watching a play on the deck, they learn that the Golden family who have run the boat for decades cannot pay the mortgage—Captain George Golden explains that it has been bought by an unknown party who refuses their offers and at the same time, the boat has experienced all manner of mishaps and accidents that are forcing them to quit. An explosion happens down below and Superman quickly stops it after Clark falls into the fire.
That night, Clark stays with actor Hugh Rowland and Lois bunks with daughter and calliope player Glinda Golden. The next night, the boiler explodes. Superman's feats of strength make the showboat even more enticing to visitors, who come in droves but a mysterious hook throws the cash box into the river, dashing the Goldens' hopes of paying the mortgage.
Rowland reveals that he bought the mortgage to turn the ship into a nightclub and if they can't pay by midnight, it's his. Superman drums up even more attendees for a midnight play where he fills in for Hugh as the villain and the ticket sales are more than adequate.
Appearing in "Showdown on the Showboat"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Hugh Rowland (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Alan Ware (Single appearance)
- Captain George Golden (Single appearance)
- Gilda Golden (Single appearance)
Locations:
- United States of America
- Green Bend
Vehicles:
- The Golden Star, a Showboat
Synopsis for "The Case of the Living Trophies"
The mysterious alien race the Collectors use their powers of invisibility to interrupt a boxing match and abduct Biff the Unbeatable. They follow this by capturing atomic scientist John Henders in the middle of a presentation. Then, they find a beauty contest and vanish away with both a contestant and judge Lois Lane. Lastly, they find millionaire Herkimer Ingot in his home.
At the Daily Planet, Clark Kent investigates the kidnappings but can only do it as Superman. A Collector materializes as soon as he begins flying and the two briefly tussle before Superman plays opposum and decides to be captured to go to the site of all the abductees. They are held in stasis in glass cages and the alien race discusses how they were fortunate to steal a device that allows them to travel dimensions.
In his detention cell, Superman uses telephathy to force his captor to give up the machine. He breaks free from his cell and shapeshifts into a Collector to impersonate him. He uses this disguise to trick the other Collectors and uses their dimension-traveling device to return to the Third Dimension with his fellow Metropolitans and destroys the machine.
Appearing in "The Case of the Living Trophies"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Collectors (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Biff (Single appearance)
- John Henders (Single appearance)
- Herkimer Ingot (Single appearance)
- Miss Metropolis (Single appearance)
- Miss Ohio (Cameo)
- Mr. Muldoon (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Metropolis
- Collector's Dimension
Items:
- Force Pistol
- Dimension-Travel Machine (Destroyed)
Notes
- "Lois Lane, Superwoman!" is reprinted in Superman: From the 30's to the 70's and Superman: From the 30's to the 80's.
- Before the third story is a two-page "Crime Key" text story by Tex Wade featuring state troopers who save a telegraph operator in Waco, Texas.
- A half-page Chief Hot Foot gag involves him leading a white tourist over a waterfall by accident.
- A two-page Handy Andy story has the crackpot inventor assigning his assistant Elmer to buy a vacant house, build a moat around it, fill the trench with arsenic and TNT, and blow it up.
- A half-page "Happy" Herman gag sees him getting a shave from the barber when a neighborhood boy bursts in and says, "Mr. Piffle! Your house is on fire!!!" Herman runs out slathered in shaving cream before he remembers that's not his name.
- Daffy & Doodle wrap up the issue with a hotel room that only has cold water.
Trivia
- This issue includes Superman having telepathy and the ability to mold his face into various shapes.
- This is one of the earliest examples of Lois Lane being transformed into Superwoman, following the dream sequence in 1943's Action Comics #60.
- One of the contestants in the beauty contest is Miss Ohio—Superman creators Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel are from Ohio.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Superman Recommended Reading
- Action Comics (Volume 1)
- Action Comics (Volume 2)
- Adventures of Superman (Volume 1)
- Batman/Superman (Volume 1)
- Batman/Superman (Volume 2)
- Batman/Superman: World's Finest (Volume 1)
- DC Comics Presents (Volume 1)
- Superman (Volume 1)
- Superman (Volume 2)
- Superman (Volume 3)
- Superman (Volume 4)
- Superman (Volume 5)
- Superman (Volume 6)
- Superman/Batman (Volume 1)
- Superman Confidential (Volume 1)
- Superman: Son of Kal-El (Volume 1)
- Superman: The Man of Steel (Volume 1)
- Superman: The Man of Tomorrow (Volume 1)
- Superman/Wonder Woman (Volume 1)
- World's Finest (Volume 1)