Let’s be real here: many super hero comics are essentially soap operas with fantastic action scenes. And if there’s one thing that keeps people tuning into soap operas, it’s the relationships... and the sex. And boy, do comic books have a ton of sex in them. After decades of stories, most characters have found ways to hook up with each other; we’re here to pick out the hottest couples among them. We’re not talking about the wholesome romances like Clark Kent and Lana Lang, but the steamy, electric relationships that pop right off the page.
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These relationships are full of passion, sex, and conflicting feelings that lead to some of the most intense and troubled loves in comic book history. So, if you’re curious to see who they are, check out the list below!
15 HARLEY QUINN AND POISON IVY
While Harley Quinn may have once been known as the Joker’s girlfriend, she’s since shed that title in favor of a new relationship with Poison Ivy. For many years they were seen to be partners in crime and feminist icons (despite, or perhaps due to the fact, they were villains), but within the last few years they’ve grown closer and closer. Back in 2015, the writers of their comic confirmed that they were in a non-monogamous romantic relationship. They describe it as a loving, emotionally supportive relationship, which is great for them because a life of crime can be pretty unforgiving.
While they were together, their flirtations positively electrified the page and became a favorite among fandom. But more than that, they made a fantastic duo. Right when the team was formed in a prospective fan favorite “Batman: The Animated Series” episode, they’ve proven to have one of the progressive and complex relationships comics today.
14 GAMBIT AND ROGUE
Gambit and Rogue might be the most '90s couple ever, if only because of their outfits during the time period. He’s a charming but hot-headed rogue (pun intended), and she’s a fun loving, life-force stealing powerhouse that’s nearly invulnerable in a fight. Their flirtatious chemistry is impossible to ignore, but there’s one problem they keep running into that just adds so much to their sexual chemistry: they can’t actually touch each other. Not only does physical contact mean that Rogue absorbs someone’s powers, but it can also lead to that person’s death.
That means a simple kiss between the two could mean Gambit’s death, but that doesn’t stop him from being a hopeless flirt, constantly tempting fate to get a rise out of Rogue. Another drawback is that Rogue can absorb the thoughts and memories of those she touches, and Gambit has plenty to hide. A single touch between them could ruin them both, but they just can’t stay away from each other.
13 NIGHTWING AND BATGIRL
Another beloved Bat-couple that’s been exceptionally popular with fans is Nightwing and Batgirl. Both students of Bruce Wayne, their relationship always had a twinge of forbidden love right under the teacher’s nose (as if Batman ever missed anything). And while it’s hard not to be enamored with the two original bat-acolytes sharing some alone time between patrols, the real appeal of their relationship came later. After being paralyzed by the Joker, Barbara Gordon’s days as Batgirl were over. But did Dick Grayson leave her? Nope. He stayed with her, professing his love for her often.
Now, things get really twisted between them depending on what continuity you’re following. In the Batman Beyond comics, the relationship between the two is the main reason why we never see Dick Grayson in the animated show. According to the comics, Barbara cheats on Dick with Bruce, only to get pregnant with his bat-baby. Understandably, Dick does not take this well.
12 MIDNIGHTER AND APOLLO
If you were ever rooting for Batman and Superman to enter into a relationship and fight crime together, Midnighter and Apollo are the couple for you. Both originating from Warren Ellis’ run for Wildstorm, Midnighter is essentially an alternate universe version of Batman… if Batman didn’t mind killing and employing ultra-violence. Apollo is a character straight from the Superman mold, down to the righteous attitude and superpowers derived from the sun. Now, put them together and you get something really interesting.
Their relationship began to pick up during Ellis’ run on “The Authority,” where he was able to more closely explore their dynamic and reveal just how close the two had gotten. That portrayal earned the comic series a GLAAD award. The two have saved each other’s lives countless times, both in combat and from far worse fates during capture. What’s most interesting is that despite the wanton bloodshed they can both be involved in, they both became parents when they adopted Jenny Quantum.
11 BLACK PANTHER AND STORM
A power couple if there ever was one, Black Panther and Storm were married for more than six years, and the entire time was filled with passion and respect. During their marriage, they were the only black super-powered married couple in the Marvel Universe, and the fact that they were both royalty made it all the more noteworthy. Ororo Monroe is essentially a storm goddess and T’Challa is King of Wakanda who spends his free time in an indestructible suit beating people up, which means a move against them would be both political and literal suicide.
Unfortunately, Storm and Black Panther did eventually have their marriage annulled. Even worse, Black Panther made the decision in a cold way, essentially divorcing Storm after she showed up late to a fight. Still, both remained passionate people. Storm soon after started a relationship with Wolverine, much to T’Challa’s horror. Still, if you’re the one doing the breaking up… you can’t be angry when they find someone else.
10 PETER PARKER AND SILK
Peter has had many romances in his time. At first, he was dating the wholesome Gwen Stacy while flirting with the bad-girl Mary Jane Watson. Once Mary Jane became the main woman in his life, his on-again, off-again sexual tension with Black Cat added a layer of romantic drama to the series. But none of them were as blindly passionate as his relationship with Cindy Moon, also known as Silk.
Bitten by the same radioactive spider that gave Peter his powers, Cindy was locked in a bunker for years and trained to use her abilities until she was freed by Spider-Man. They quickly realized that their spider-senses interact in a way that gives them the overwhelming urge to mate with each other. The attraction got so bad, in fact, they had to find ways around it. Despite their collective libido being off the charts, they do have moments of tenderness, such as when Peter only holds her hand after a long (and painful) day of crimefighting.
9 SILK SPECTRE AND NIGHT OWL
Dan Dreiberg is a retired and out of shape crime fighter with some severe psychological issues. Laurie Juspeczyk is the daughter of an exhibitionist superhero and a psychopath who was essentially raised to be a crime fighter. Even worse was that Laurie was in a stale relationship with a God-like being who just couldn’t be bothered to really pay attention to her. So, it only makes sense that Laurie reaches out to her old friend Dan to get into some trouble. They have dinner, reminisce about the good old days of beating up criminals, and then actually go out and beat up some criminals.
By the time they’re saving people from a burning building, they’ve realized their joint fetish for heroics and have sex in the Owlship. Of course, this only leads them to pushing their exploits even further by breaking into a prison to save their colleague Rorschach. It’s also worth noting that they, out of everyone in the cast of characters, have the happiest ending.
8 JESSICA JONES AND LUKE CAGE
There’s always something incredibly interesting about two broken people finding solace in each other’s arms. Even when the world looked like a long road going nowhere in a hurry, Luke and Jessica found each other and turned what could have been a mutually toxic relationship into something that ultimately improved both their lives. It all started with a sad sexual encounter with an emotionally shattered Jessica Jones approaching Luke Cage. Desperate to feel something – anything – they have a night of passion that could have led to even more regret. At once, Jessica was the hardboiled detective and femme fatale… and she was desperately looking for a third option.
In the comics, they eventually had a child and started a family. However, the Netflix shows seem to be going a different direction. From here on out, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage will be ex-lovers. The question is, with Luke Cage now with Claire, how much sexual tension will there really be between them?
7 DAREDEVIL AND ELEKTRA
A fire that burns brightly burns twice as quickly, and so it is with Matt Murdock and Elektra Natchois. While they met at Columbia University (she was getting a degree in political science, of all things), Matt trusted her enough to let her in on the secret of his powers. But after the death of her father, Elektra left America and came back as an assassin. So began a romance similar to Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle, with both on opposite sides of vigilantism and neither willing to give up their stance.
Their love for each other was passionate, but in the end it wasn’t to be. She fell in battle against Bullseye in one of the most iconic Daredevil stories ever written. Elektra’s ferocity and capacity for revenge were always part of Matt’s attraction to her, but in the end those same attributes simply made a real relationship impossible. They were full of passion, but it wasn’t enough.
6 SWAMP THING AND ABIGAIL HOLLAND
Swamp Thing may be the last superhero you’d expect to be in a hot and loving relationship, but Alan Moore doesn’t shy away from putting sex into his stories. So, when he wrote for “Swamp Thing” he made the titular character’s relationship with his wife Abigail Holland the main storyline of the series. Now, you may think that a woman having a relationship with a giant plant guy would be pretty iffy for the reader, but in Moore’s issue “Rite of Spring,” Abby eats a tuber from Swamp Thing’s body and they both have a spiritual and physical journey together.
In later issues, Abby and Swamp Thing are photographed naked together and Abby is forced to leave town after getting harassed. When she goes to Gotham she’s arrested for suspected prostitution, which makes Swamp Thing trek to the city to take on anyone who may stand between him and her – including Batman.
5 BATWOMAN AND RENEE MONTOYA
Kate Kane is one of the best things to happen to the Batman universe in the last few years. She’s a tough-as-nails ex-military type who’s been whipping the bat-family into shape as a crime fighting unit. Renee Montoya was first introduced in “Batman: The Animated Series,” but quickly became a fan favorite that made her way into the comics. A wonderful case of opposites attracting, Renee is a working-class cop and Kate (despite her military history) is an affluent socialite. After Kate is kicked out of the military thanks to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, she’s fully out to her friends and family while Renee was still in the closet.
The two made a loving couple, complimenting each other well. However, their respective crimefighting careers, with Montoya as The Question and Kate as Batwoman, eventually drove them apart. It’s still hard to forget their relationship, especially their time just sitting on the couch celebrating Christmas.
4 CYCLOPS AND EMMA FROST
While there’s a case to be made for Scott Summers and Jean Grey, that was a pure and wholesome romance full of discussing emotions and grand sacrifices. After Jean died (again), Scott started a relationship with another drop dead gorgeous telepath: the White Queen herself, Emma Frost. Originally, Emma served as Scott’s therapist after his mind became controlled by Apocalypse. Soon, the two had a love affair in their minds (hello psychic sex!), and after Jean’s death they become an official item. It’s around this time that Scott has evolved into a harder, more confident character before. The no-nonsense Emma is a perfect fit for him at this stage, encouraging his confident leadership.
One of the highlights of their relationship is them both waking up in bed to Wolverine perched over them, taunting Scott over his swift mourning of Jean’s recent death. The next panel simply shows Wolverine being flung out the window by an optic blast. It’s hard to say if Emma was always a positive influence on Scott, but it was definitely great for the readers.
3 GREEN ARROW AND BLACK CANARY
Though perhaps not quite as iconic as other superhero romances, Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance have one of the longest running, and hottest, relationships in all of comic books. The two first shared the page in a battle between the Justice League and the Justice Society where they were pitted against each other. Eventually, Dinah joined the Justice League and the two began to spend time together, which eventually became a romantic relationship that crackled with sexual chemistry. Their relationship, however, is often rocky due to their contrasting needs: Dinah wants to be independent and Oliver wants to take care of her.
For years, Oliver’s need to have a family contrasted with Dinah’s committed super hero lifestyle. Eventually, they did get married and all seemed to be a happily-ever-after affair… until Green Arrow committed murder in an act of vengeance. It was too much for Dinah to handle and she eventually left him.
2 BATMAN AND CATWOMAN
They may not be quite as iconic as Clark Kent and Lois Lane, but no couple in comics have the same sexual tension as Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. Both in and out of their costumes, they’ve played a game of cat and mouse that has kept readers on the edges of their seats for decades. There’s definite affection between them, despite the fact one is a masked avenger allied with the police and the other is a freelance thief. Just when you think Batman has the upper hand on Catwoman, she manages to find some way of getting under the caped crusader’s skin.
One of their greatest moments was during the Hush arc, where they actually started a relationship and Bruce revealed his true identity to her. Trusting her with his alter ego was a huge step that was extremely controversial among Batman’s companions, but it just shows you how far Bruce was willing to go for a woman he has deep feelings for.
1 WOLVERINE AND JEAN GREY
Perhaps one of the greatest unrequited loves in the history of comic books, Logan and Jean Grey are the couple everyone wants to see happen but knows it’ll never truly be. The attraction is certainly there, with Logan’s love for Jean burning from the beginning and Jean finding him undeniably attractive. But there’s always Jean’s relationship with Scott Summers nipping at their heels. It was undeniable that Jean and Scott had a deep connection, but her chemistry with Logan was often too smoldering to ignore.
But despite the fact that their flirtations have become the stuff of comic legend, they’ve always known that it wouldn’t work out. While originally it was always Jean who rebuffed him, after coming back from the dead and finding Cyclops distant, she tried to pursue a romance with Logan. But the newly mature Wolverine put a stop to it before it began, knowing that in the end it would never work between them.
Which relationship do you think was the hottest in comics? Let us know in the comments!