Man of Steel: Just How Important is Lois Lane?

One of the major criticisms that has emerged from fan forums and reviews of Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel is a notion that Lois Lane isn’t treated well enough.Certainly, we can relate to that concern; we named Amy Adams and Lois Lane as separate items on our 25 Reasons We’re Excited About Man of Steel. But ultimately, how important is Lois Lane? Certainly she’s more than “just” the love interest, but what should we have expected from this character going in?First of all, it’s worth noting that Superman is one of only two A-list superhero characters who have spent a number of years married–and in the main continuity, too! Batman and Catwoman were married for years on Earth-2, but those weren’t “the” Batman and Catwoman. The other is Spider-Man and, due to the cyclical nature of comics and the fact that whatever change isn’t illusory is temporary, neither of the two are married now.Those relationships have an impact, though, and they have cultural cache. Most casual fans can tell you the name of Spider-Man’s true love, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who can’t identify Lois Lane. But move past those characters and–well, it’s a steep drop-off. One supposes that right now, with the success of the Iron Man franchise, Pepper Potts would come in around #3, but it’s really not even remotely close.