More on Ray Middleton and Superman

Some folks are telling me the first day cover envelopes that make the rounds, including the one I posted, are either forgeries or they're real FDCs that have had additional art and text added to them at a later date. That may be so — I dunno — but that only underscores the central question if we're to unlock this mystery: Where did the identification of Ray Middleton as the guy in the Superman suit come from? The first time someone said it was him, what was the source? Anyone know?