Marvel Comics is the company most known for real-world issues while DC Comics has traditionally been about Gods among men. However, through the years, there have been moments where DC stops and allows their characters to find love and in some cases, devastating heartbreak.

In some cases, superheroes learn that the one thing that can bring them down to Earth faster than a powerful villain is the loss of a great love. This can be because of the death of a loved one, a betrayal, or in one specific case in DC Comics, a continued history of abuse. Time proves that even the strongest hero can fall to a broken heart and here is a look at the 10 most tragic romances in DC Comics history.

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10 KYLE RAYNOR AND ALEXANDRA DEWITT

Kyle Rayner and Alexa

Alexandra Dewitt became the poster child for a movement in comic books known as "Women in Refrigerators." Writer Gail Simone coined the phrase based on Green Lantern Kyle Raynor returning home to find the love of his life murdered and stuffed into his refrigerator.

Kyle and Alex had a relationship that started rocky thanks to his immaturity. However, once he became serious about learning to use his power ring, the two grew close. Alex helped him become a powerful member of the Green Lantern Corps. In Green Lantern vol. 3, #54, Major Force killed Alex to try to get the ring from Kyle.

9 RALPH AND SUE DIBNY

elongated-man-sue-dibny

The relationship between Ralph and Sue Dibny was as tragic as they come. When thinking about the Justice League members, no one cared much about the Elongated Man. However, one thing that Ralph had was a strong relationship with a wife who supported him in every way.

In the comic book storyline Identity Crisis, someone murdered Sue Dibny. The real tragedy was the kicker that revealed that Sue was pregnant at the time of her murder. The tragic couple would reunite after death as ghosts, so there was a small silver lining for the heroes.

8 RAL PALMER AND JEAN LORING

The Atom & Jean Loring

In Identity Crisis, there was so much focus on Doctor Light that it overshadowed a second romantic tragedy. The story was a mystery but was also a turning point for the Justice League. It turned out Doctor Light raped her years before, and they mindwiped Batman to erase it from his memory.

However, the reveal of the mystery was that it was not Doctor Light who murdered Sue Dibny. It was Jean Loring, the estranged wife of Ray Palmer, the Atom. The couple had separated, and Jean believed that by killing Sue, it would bring Ray back into her life. Jean ends up in Arkham, and Ray shrinks to microscopic levels and disappears.

7 WONDER WOMAN AND STEVE TREVOR (DCEU)

Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor lean in to kiss each other in the sun

Moving over to the DCEU, the first movie that proved equal to anything in the MCU was Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman. The story of Diana as she came to Europe to battle Ares and attempt to bring peace to the world was an incredible story that proved that, in the right hands, the DCEU could thrive.

In the movie, Diana teamed with Steve Trevor and his allies as they headed to the front lines to confront Ares. However, Steve did not make it to the final battle. He sacrificed his own life to save the world. In the end, Wonder Woman helplessly watched the man she loved die before their love could blossom.

6 SUPERMAN AND LOIS LANE (INJUSTICE)

screenshot of Injustice panel

Superman and Lois Lane are probably the most stable couple in comic book history. They have lived through it all, including Superman's death, and came out stronger than ever. Looking at the main timeline of DC Comics, they even had a child who became a superhero in his own right.

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However, this couple was the greatest tragedy in the Injustice timeline. Joker caused Superman inadvertently to kill a pregnant Lois Lane. It was a moment he could never return from as he snapped and became evil, a tyrannical leader who brought Earth to its knees.

5 BARRY ALLEN AND IRIS WEST

The Flash running with Iris West in DC Comics

Barry Allen's entire hero's journey was based on tragedy. It is a DC Comics staple where the greatest heroes lose their parents as children and then grow into the world's greatest heroes as adults. This fact is true of Batman, Superman, and The Flash. When it comes to Barry Allen, he has tried to live a normal life, but it has never worked out for him.

The two married and seemed to have the perfect life of a superhero and a mortal, comfortable with each other's lives. However, in Crisis on Infinite Earths rolled around, and Barry Allen sacrificed his life to save the world. Don't even get into the confusing time travel story where Professor Zoom kills Iris, and when Barry finds her in a different future, they realize they can't be together.

4 BEAST BOY AND TERRA

Terra and Beast Boy

When it comes to the Teen Titans, Beast Boy was the one character that seemed most optimistic and hopeful for the future. This trait is impressive since his childhood was less than encouraging, but that is what made him such a loveable character for many years. And then, he fell in love with a hero named Terra.

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Tara Markov was a member of the Teen Titans that ended up as a mole sent in to infiltrate the team for Deathstroke and almost brought them to their knees in The Judas Contract. The Teen Titans were able to survive the betrayal, but it hit Beast Boy the hardest, as it wasn't just his trust that she destroyed but his heart.

3 WALLY WEST AND LINDA PARK

It sucks to be a Flash, sometimes. It seems that whenever there is a Crisis event, a Flash has to take a beating before it is all wrapped up. A great example is the recent Heroes in Crisis where Wally West suffered a complete breakdown, in a story of how superheroes can also suffer from PTSD.

Wally knows about loss, as he even suffered it decades ago in his tragic relationship with Linda Park. Wally married Linda, and it seemed they were destined to be the next Barry/Iris styled couple. However, thanks to everything from Zoom to the Speed Force, their relationship has never lasted, and the two seem more star-crossed lovers than anything.

2 DICK GRAYSON AND DONNA TROY

Donna Troy Nightwing

Dick Grayson has never had a lot of luck with women. His best-known relationship was with Starfire, but that didn't even last in the comic books. Add in his relationship with Barbara Gordon, and it seems that Dick can't seem to make it work with women. However, the tragedy came with the end of his relationship with Donna Troy.

In the 2003 series Titans/Young Justice Graduation Day, the heroes join together to take on a robot Superman. It is Donna Troy who finally takes it down and pummels it. However, the last thing it does is fire its heat vision at Donna, blowing a hole through her heart. The loss devastates Dick, who disbands the Titans in response.

1 JOKER AND HARLEY QUINN

Joker Harley alex ross

When it comes to tragic relationships, it isn't always about death or betrayal. Sometimes the tragedy comes in one person being completely in love with someone who doesn't have the ability or willingness to return that love. That is the relationship between Harley Quinn and Joker.

Joker manipulated Harley Quinn into helping him, and she fell hopelessly in love with the insane criminal. He never pushed her away but spent the next several years doing nothing but psychologically manipulating and torturing her for fun. She kept coming back for more, hoping Joker would one day return her love, but it was all for naught. Joker can't love anyone, and Harley Quinn was destined for tragedy from the start.

NEXT: 10 Comic Book Couples You Wouldn't Think Are More Twisted Than The Joker & Harley (But Actually Are)