Originally Posted by
Yoda
THere's a difference between building off the fundamentals and throwing them out entirely. Lois finding out the secret identity on her own builds off the fundamental dynamic and retains a lot of the same characteristics. I mean we saw what was essentially a modern take on the Silver Age dynamic in the New 52 story where Clark allowed Parasite to suck Lois's memory of him away. And they also more or less tossed out the Daily Planet, Lois Lane, and the Clark Kent identity. The Parasite thing was creepy and gross as hell. And the rest didn't really work and tanked the book entirely.
A modern take on the fundamental relationship, that Lois works out his secret identity and helps him keep it, updates the fundamentals (Lois, Clark, Secret Identity) without breaking them (i.e. no secret identity). And Superman isn't Superman without Clark Kent and the Daily Planet in some fashion. He's generic strong hero.
And you could change these characteristics for a storyline or even a run of the comic books. But the fundamentals of the character in the general public consciousness are Krypton destroyed. Raised on a farm on earth. Flys, has super strength, and heat vision. Superman with the s-shield, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olson, reporter at the Daily Planet. You can ask random people on the street what the Daily Planet is and they'll know without ever reading a comic book. That is a fundamental part of the character's story.