Also, the plot device of "it looks like Clark is going to get somewhere with Lana, BUT OH NOES, he needs to save the day!" was old-hat back in the sixties when Stan Lee used it to keep Peter Parker and the Girl of the Week apart.

As opposed to Quesada, who used the "selling marriage to the devil" plot device to keep Peter Parker and the Girl of his Lifetime apart.

(Gimme some Dinah/Babs? :D I will post the meme when I get home.)