I don't really think it has to be a competition or about "surpassing" anyone. I think that's the wrong way to look at it. Because when you are talking about a 75 year old icon....it's never about surpassing as much as it is about re-inventing a legend in new but equal ways. You know?
No matter how good Henry Cavill is (and I think he's going to be very good) there are certain people (my mother and father for one) who will always have Christopher Reeve as "their" Superman. Reeve was a personal hero for millions of people. He's not going to be "surpassed" to many people. And that's ok.
To some people teens out there, Tom Welling is "their" Clark Kent. And THAT is ok too. It's not "wrong." To some kids who grew up watching Smallville, no one will ever surpass him to them. And it doesn't mean they can't fall in love with Henry too.
I just take a very different view with all this stuff. Sure, I have my personal favorites in terms of both Superman and Lois Lane. But, in general, I look at it more like there are tons of great interpretations and I'm always just happy and excited to get a new interpretation to add to the pile.
To me, the "greatest" Superman story you could possibly tell probably winds up taking bits and pieces from EVERY live action story out there because I think every version has something some things right and some things wrong. There are good points to them all.
So, for me, it's not about Henry "surpassing" anything or anyone because this is a 75 year old story that has had many wonderful actors attached to it that brought their own special conbrituations. It's about sharing in the legacy and seeing and appreciating what HE finds in the story and appreciating him for what who he is.