In Aquaman & The Flash: Voidsong, the Quickest Man Alive and the best hero of the seas crew up in opposition to an alien invader that threatens all life on Earth. It’s not an unusual state of affairs for these two…however sometimes, when this form of factor occurs, they’ve 5 or so different heroes to again them up. The reality is that aside from a choose few, the seven unique members of the Justice League of America—Superman, Batman, Surprise Girl, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Hal Jordan and Barry Allen—don’t get the chance to do a lot socializing exterior of the Justice League group context. With Voidsong doing its half to develop an unexplored dynamic between two core Leaguers, it makes us marvel which different members of the crew may do with extra one-on-one time. Let’s head over to superhuman assets and examine in on the interpersonal dynamics between every of those heroes.
Superman x Batman
Standing: Tremendous Associates
Out of any two heroes on this group, Batman and Superman’s relationship is the closest. They’ve been the co-stars of a number of team-up sequence because the Nineteen Forties and might presently be seen working side-by-side within the gorgeous Batman/Superman: World’s Most interesting sequence set again within the heroes’ glory days. These two are at all times going to have one thing happening with one another.
Superman x Surprise Girl
Standing: Tremendous Exes
The closest Superman and Surprise Girl have ever been was their relationship between 2012 and 2016, encompassing a lot of the New 52 comedian e book interval and even their very own Superman/Surprise Girl sequence. A continuity reshuffling within the Superman titles following DC Universe: Rebirth finally introduced Superman again collectively together with his spouse Lois, however Superman and Surprise Girl nonetheless stay shut—although, as seen in Trinity, they normally carry Batman alongside as a buffer.
Superman x Aquaman
Standing: Tremendous Acquaintances
Though the 2 heroes shared an animation programming block within the ‘60s with the Superman/Aquaman Hour of Journey, these two heroes have by no means been notably shut. With Superman up within the sky and Aquaman beneath the ocean, there merely haven’t been many events for the heroes to satisfy. Whereas their totally different approaches to defending the Earth have generally put them at odds, Aquaman sometimes maintains a degree of distant respect for Superman. Nonetheless, a latest incident in Motion Comics #1034 the place Superman narrowly averts a warfare between america and Atlantis by making some arduous decisions has left their relationship considerably strained.
Superman x Martian Manhunter
Standing: Tremendous Survivors
As a number of the final survivors of their respective races residing new lives amongst their adopted individuals on Earth, Superman and Martian Manhunter have at all times understood one another via shared trauma in a means that the opposite members of the Justice League can’t relate to. In keeping with John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake’s Martian Manhunter sequence, in truth, J’onn J’onzz’s relationship with Clark goes again additional than any two different members of the crew, as he insinuated himself within the margins of a younger Clark’s life to look at over him via quite a few assumed identities and make sure the younger Kryptonian wouldn’t flip his powers in opposition to the Martian’s new homeworld. When Superman found this as an grownup, he was understandably a bit freaked out. However in occasions of grief and sorrow for his or her misplaced cultures, and when emotions of alienness start to take maintain inside them, this pair of survivors typically discover solace and luxury with one another.
Superman x Hal Jordan
Standing: Tremendous Work Associates
As two of DC’s highest profile cosmic heroes, one would suppose that Superman and Inexperienced Lantern would have extra event to see one another. However traditionally, whereas Superman is saving the planet, Hal Jordan is both off-world on Lantern enterprise or beating tracks throughout America in quest of his soul. Apparently, as we study in Superman #257, Kal-El probably would have turn into his personal sector’s Inexperienced Lantern had Krypton survived, after which he and Hal probably could be a lot nearer. However as issues stand, all of Superman’s closest relationships are Earthbound, and Hal will at all times be a person of the Corps.
Superman x Barry Allen
Standing: Tremendous Rivals
Much more so than with Batman, Superman’s historical past with the Flash is the one most outlined by the spirit of competitors. “Who’s REALLY the quickest man alive: Superman or the Flash?” When these two get collectively, it’s to deal with this query, be it for charity or on their very own phrases. Usually, within the Pre-Disaster days, it could be fairly shut, normally leading to a draw. However since Barry’s return from his lengthy journey via the Velocity Power between Disaster on Infinite Earths and Last Disaster, the Flash has been leaving his former rival within the mud. However, the pleasant rivalry between Flash and Superman retains each heroes pushing themselves in opposition to one another for when their velocity is required most.
Batman x Surprise Girl
Standing: Tremendous Associates
It will be flawed to say that there’s by no means been any romantic stress between Batman and Surprise Girl. The prospect of a relationship is clearly one thing they’ve each thought of, for instance, within the Justice League animated sequence. However, each are nicely conscious that there are too many psychological and logistical obstacles to essentially make it work. The 2 heroes have fought earlier than—most notably in Surprise Girl: The Hiketeia, the place Diana kicked Batman’s butt. However nowadays, their dynamic is greatest knowledgeable via their greatest good friend Clark Kent, just like the respective George and Elaine to their mutual Jerry Seinfeld.
Batman x Aquaman
Standing: Tremendous Work Associates
As DC’s most storied character, Batman’s had extra alternatives even exterior of the Justice League to ascertain relationships together with his fellow heroes. And whether or not it’s the dwell motion Justice League movie or the animated Batman: The Courageous and the Daring, the dynamic between Batman and Aquaman is one among a comparatively subdued persona positioned up in opposition to one thing larger than life.
Within the aftermath of No Man’s Land, Batman enlists Aquaman in Gotham Knights #18 to assist rebuild from the wreckage—one thing that Batman, as Aquaman learns, may have simply accomplished himself, however secretly simply needed the chance to get nearer to Arthur. Whether or not that’s a case of Batman searching for to amass detailed recordsdata on his teammates in case they go rogue, as he’s identified to do, or just feels lonely and remoted by the difficult way of life he’s chosen for himself is a thought train left for the reader. We’re inclined to consider the latter.
Batman x Martian Manhunter
Standing: Tremendous Sleuths
Superman and Martian Manhunter could share related origin tales, however J’onn and Batman share an origin sequence: Batman in Detective Comics #27 and Martian Manhunter in Detective Comics #225. For all their variations, Martian Manhunter’s modus operandi is in the end extra just like Batman than Superman: greater than a world-saving beacon of hope, Bruce and J’onn are each detectives at their core. The 2 heroes have been identified to collaborate on a case when a thriller in Gotham requires extraterrestrial or extrasensory assets, and each attend lots of the similar detective capabilities—just like the Thriller Analysts of Gotham in Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Courageous and the Daring, or the Guild of Detection in Detective Comics #1000. As two sensible minds for deduction and technique, J’onn is without doubt one of the few individuals within the galaxy that Bruce clearly considers a colleague.
Batman x Hal Jordan
Standing: Tremendous Rivals
Some individuals always remember a slight. Ever because the “Emerald Twilight” saga the place Inexperienced Lantern went mad with grief and have become an alien parasite-hosting super-villain, Batman hasn’t ever fairly trusted Hal Jordan since. Even after a stint because the Spectre to pay for his sins, excessive tensions between Hal and Bruce outlined their dynamic all through the last decade of Inexperienced Lantern and Justice League tales informed by Geoff Johns. Like most heroes who don’t fairly see eye-to-eye, Batman and Inexperienced Lantern finally discover a begrudging respect for each other within the trenches. However greater than their pasts, the actual friction between the 2 is that each of them harbor the identical core aspect that drives them to do what they do greatest every single day: a legendary propensity for stubbornness.
Batman x Barry Allen
Standing: Tremendous Sleuths
Like J’onn, Batman respects Barry Allen for the detective he’s at coronary heart. For the thriller of “The Button” within the DC Rebirth comics period, it’s Barry and Bruce who work collectively to find who’s behind the cosmic manipulation of actuality itself. Feelings can run larger between Bruce and Barry than they do with J’onn, particularly within the aftermath of Heroes in Disaster, however that will simply be as a result of they perceive one another higher. Each have raised legacy heroes, foster massive discovered households, really feel answerable for a complete metropolis, and don’t consider they’ll ever decelerate. No marvel they really feel comfy calling on one another. Bruce Wayne and Barry Allen are principally the identical individual. (And generally, like within the case of Crimson Dying, actually.)
Surprise Girl x Aquaman
Standing: Tremendous Royals
Because the royal figureheads and international representatives of two misplaced civilizations, Arthur and Diana have so much to speak about with one another. Actually, a royal marriage is within the playing cards between them to cement an alliance between their realms on the planet of Flashpoint, though that union ends in heartbreak, catastrophe and warfare. In all probability higher that they simply stay associates, all else thought of. The 2 royals share pleasant banter occasionally whereas on obligation along with the Justice League, however don’t see an excessive amount of of one another exterior of that capability.
Surprise Girl x Martian Manhunter
Standing: Tremendous Acquaintances
To maintain the sitcom comparisons coming, Surprise Girl and Martian Manhunter are a bit like Phoebe and Chandler on Associates. They’re a part of the identical group, however they don’t actually have a lot in the best way of notable storylines collectively. Each heroes have a capability for empathy and understanding to the purpose the place it could be arduous to think about they don’t at the very least get alongside, and all proof suggests they do. However perhaps there’s one thing about J’onn being from the cosmic area of a Roman warfare god that has Diana holding far.
Surprise Girl x Hal Jordan
Standing: Tremendous Close to-Misses
Diana’s proximity to the Inexperienced Lantern nook of the DC Universe is especially outlined by her reserve standing with the Star Sapphire Corps, technically inserting her nearer to Carol Ferris than Hal Jordan. However within the Bronze Age, they had been almost a lot nearer than you would possibly consider. In keeping with letter columns within the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, author and editor Jack C. Harris was planning a storyline on the time the place Diana and Hal may need began seeing one another romantically, however he left the Surprise Girl title earlier than that premise may come to fruition. At any charge, it seems Diana’s bona fides as a Star Sapphire return lengthy earlier than Blackest Night time.
Surprise Girl x Barry Allen
Standing: Tremendous Work Associates
Earlier than Disaster on Infinite Earths, Surprise Girl normally stored her affairs to herself when off obligation with the Justice League (and, earlier than that, the Justice Society). Actually, Diana’s affiliation with each groups signifies that traditionally she’s been simply as shut with Jay Garrick as Barry Allen. Diana actually solely began to get pleasure from full integration with the DC Universe at massive in her Publish-Disaster ‘80s sequence, which made her a more in-depth up to date to Wally West of their burgeoning superhero careers. Wally did handle to log a number of team-ups with Diana throughout their respective runs, however Barry and Diana have at all times been merely skilled. Contemplating what number of totally different Cheetahs Surprise Girl has to cope with, perhaps she simply has sufficient speedsters in her life.
Aquaman x Martian Manhunter
Standing: Tremendous Work Spouses
J’onn J’onnz considers himself a citizen of the whole world, and 70% of that falls in Aquaman’s jurisdiction. When you received’t see them grabbing drinks after work or something, there’s a stunning variety of tales via Aquaman’s publication historical past the place J’onn reveals up as a visitor star—perhaps as a result of he doesn’t have a selected metropolis he’s strictly tied right down to. At any time when Aquaman wants a pleasant hand, J’onn isn’t too busy to pitch in. Maybe it has one thing to do with the truth that their Justice League membership in 1960 was each J’onn and Arthur’s huge break to the A Checklist. It will actually clarify why they’re the 2 unique crew members to stay round within the “Justice League Detroit” interval.
Aquaman x Hal Jordan
Standing: Tremendous Acquaintances
One in every of Hal Jordan’s basic enemies is a mutant shark named Karshon, who merely goes by “Shark,” so he and Aquaman may in all probability afford to swap notes sooner or later. However regardless of that, they’re probably not shut. Actually, we’re extra shocked that Shark doesn’t ever hang around with King Shark. However perhaps they’ve acquired beef or one thing.
Aquaman x Barry Allen
Standing: Tremendous Work Associates
Contemplating how one among Barry’s signature strikes is the flexibility to run over water, the Flash doesn’t have a lot event to go beneath it. However that will change with Voidsong, as these heroes of various worlds are lastly getting the prospect to get to know one another. Maybe we’ll be capable to improve them to “Tremendous Associates” standing by the top of the sequence.
Martian Manhunter x Hal Jordan
Standing: Tremendous Work Associates
Since lengthy earlier than their extinction, the Martian race has at all times maintained a wholesome distrust for the self-appointed “Guardians of the Universe,” and as such had little use for his or her Inexperienced Lantern Corps. Because the lack of his individuals, J’onn appears to respect Hal as a fellow lawman, however Inexperienced Lantern tends to maintain as a lot cosmic distance from his Martian teammate as a lot of the different Leaguers.
Martian Manhunter x Barry Allen
Standing: Tremendous Acquaintances
An virtually utterly unexplored dynamic. Most of what we learn about J’onn comes from tales after Disaster on Infinite Earths, when Barry was already gone. And by the point Barry rejoined the League, J’onn had checked out of the core crew membership. The 2 merely haven’t had a possibility to essentially bond with one another. However simply as Batman can relate to them each via the artwork of detective work, we’re certain they may discover frequent floor with one another in the event that they labored at their relationship. Perhaps they’re subsequent if Voidsong will get a follow-up.
Hal Jordan x Barry Allen
Standing: Tremendous Associates
As the 2 commonplace bearers for the Silver Age of comics, Barry Allen and Hal Jordan are sometimes talked about in the identical breath for cultural significance. Hal doesn’t have too many associates exterior of his personal nook of the universe, however aside from Inexperienced Arrow, Barry is as shut a Tremendous Good friend as Inexperienced Lantern has. Like Superman and Batman, Superman and Surprise Girl, and now Flash and Aquaman, Flash and Inexperienced Lantern share the uncommon distinction of sharing their very own e book collectively, Flash & Inexperienced Lantern: The Courageous and the Daring by Barry Kitson, Tom Peyer and Mark Waid, revisiting the glory days of each heroes again of their prime. Hey, wait a minute! Isn’t Mark doing this precise factor however with Superman and Batman within the present World’s Most interesting run? Nicely, if it really works, it really works.
Aquaman & The Flash: Voidsong #2 by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Vasco Georgiev and Rain Beredo shall be in shops on Tuesday, July nineteenth. Choose up concern #1 at you nearest comedian store or favourite digital retailer at this time!
Alex Jaffe is the writer of our month-to-month “Ask the Query” column and writes about TV, motion pictures, comics and superhero historical past for DCComics.com. Comply with him on Twitter at @AlexJaffe and discover him within the DC Neighborhood as HubCityQuestion.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed on this column are solely these of Alex Jaffe and don’t essentially replicate these of DC Leisure or Warner Bros.
