The Perpetual Bride

Though Superman tended to thwart Lois' every attempt to get him to the altar, there were the rare occasions where Superman seemed willing. However, that was merely a cue for the event to end as disastrously as possible.

Since astute readers knew that a wedding was always unlikely, the true draw of such issues became one of curiosity as to how Superman would, yet again, keep that gold band off his finger.

This was a tradition that crossed over into several comic books beyond the Lois Lane titles and included the Superman books, Superman Family and the Earth II continuity.

Of course even if a wedding took place, there was always the "be careful what you wish for" aftermath as this cover illustrates.

Lois, bedecked in a smart yellow suit and matching handbag, chugged along in her bullet-proof bubble car that her thoughtful husband Superman had cobbled together to keep her safe from his enemies when they were out in public together.

As if it weren't already bad enough, Lana Lang gave Lois a parting horse laugh to seal the humiliation as Lois quickly discovered the Vulcan truism that having is not so great a thing, after all, as wanting.

Lastly, there is the ultimate price to pay as the bride of Superman. However, the cover, perhaps unintentionally, provided a slightly twisted impression by having Superman state that Lois was killed on their honeymoon and that it was all his fault. It seemed to conjure visions of Larry Niven's essay Man of Steel Woman of Kleenex.

The obvious contrast for the comic book savvy is the similarity of this cover to the famous Crisis on Infinite Earths artwork, a picture theme that has been copied several times over the years.