Clark Kent and Lois Lane are among the best known fictional couples. Both characters debuted in Action Comics #1 (1938) and have remained in a complicated relationship ever since.

The couple's relationship was based for a long time in a dysfunctional love triangle, in which Clark was interested in Lois, who was taken with Superman. Clark, unable to reveal to Lois that his mild-mannered demeanor was a ruse, was unable to compete for Lois' affection, the irony being he was his own rival. Following the The Man of Steel re-boot, Clark's character became not only the more dominant personality of the Clark Kent/Superman character, but also more outgoing, aggressive, and assertive (more in line with George Reeves' portrayal). This allowed a more natural romance to develop between Lois and Clark.

Finally, Clark decided to reveal his real identity to Lois and so they began a long engagement which was complicated by the reintroduction of Lori Lemaris into Clark's life. At last, after a break up and several problems, in 1996, Lois and Clark got married and a wedding album was released. The event was also made to coincide with the TV series' Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman own wedding.

Despite the fact that Lois Lane is Clark Kent's love interest in almost every Superman incarnation, in Smallville, Clark's affection is directed toward Lana Lang, his childhood crush in canon.

Yet, the producers (called TPTB or AlMiles by the fans) claim they have been limited in the usage of Clark and Lois - and in the Lois Lane character in general - due to the fact that Lois and Clark are not supposed to fall in love in such an early stage (both are described as teenagers in the Smallville universe) and that is why currently, in the series, a romantic interaction between the two characters has not been managed, although there tend to be "anvils" or foreshadowing about said future relationship.