Who says you have to be real to be influential?

Now that’s the lamest intro I’ve ever written. Okay, maybe not as a lame as a few New Tix ledes I’ve been forced to cough up a time or two, but definitely in the top 10. Plus, if you ever see the phrase "When it comes to ..." in a story, you know I’ve plum run out of things to say. Sad, but true.

Okay, writer confession time over (now that I’ve told you all of my dirty secrets). I got a copy of The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived (Harper; publishes Oct. 17) and either we’re in for a pop culture lovefest or a fight.

So the book might not storm the cultural landscape — this is a nifty little conversation starter for the pop cult. geeks out there. Authors Allan Lazar, Dan Karlan and Jeremy Salter chose 101 fictional and mythical characters that had the most influence on history and society.

Though I’d love to snark on the fact that there aren’t a whole lot of female characters on there, I do have to give some props to the mix of personalities. Any list that includes Buffy the Vampire Slayer (#44 — go Buffy!)and Mary Richards has something going for it. With short essays, trivia and reading suggestions, 101 Influential People is an interesting little way to get into the philosophy of popular culture while reflecting exactly how much fictional figures have shaped the way we think.

The rankings, tho, I could take or leave. There’s a disclaimer in the book that the rankings are subjective, but come on — The Marlboro Man is the most influence character? The first solo female ranking is Lady Chatterly at No. 15, but did she really "[pave] the way for Sex and the City"? I’d say that was Lilith (wink, wink, smile). But hey, that’s what collections like this are for — getting people thinking about what they like and why they like it.