Five Best Mothers In Comic Books
It's Mother's Day, and you know what that means: an opportunity to take a look at some of the best [...]
MARTHA KENT
I grew up in the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths era, when Superman's Smallville upbringing was more important to developing the world he lived in than the science-fiction stories you could wring out of Superman's Kryptonian origins or outsider standing. A big part of that was Jonathan and Martha Kent, who were depicted as much more fleshed out, human characters than they had been previously.
That's not to disparage the writing on Superboy stories of the pre-Crisis; the kindly couple who adopted baby Kal-El were always great parents and generally depicted as interesting characters. But there's of course a difference in the relationship you have with your children when they're school-aged and the relationship you have with them after they're grown. With John Byrne's The Man of Steel revamp, suddenly Jonathan and Martha didn't die when Clark was a teen, and were for years a vital part of his mythology.
While raising somebody with the morals to be Superman is reason enough to make the list, Martha Kent really became one of my all-time favorite supporting characters during the Funeral For a Friend storyline when, among other things, we got to see how she and Jonathan dealt with losing their son in such a way that they couldn't even bury him, because "Superman belongs to the world." She was put through a further emotional wringer when Jonathan had a heart attack shortly after Clark's funeral, and the strength and love of her character made an impression on me as a young reader that would never fade.
Fans got to see a whole new side of Martha in Smallville, and her active role in Clark's adult life has now carried over into the DC Extended Universe, where Diane Lane played the role in Man of Steel and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.
prevnextSUSAN RICHARDS
Reed and Sue Richards -- some storytelling missteps like Civil War aside -- are the ultimate example of a happy, functional couple within the world of superheroes.
The fact that their own incredible powers meant that they would give birth to a mutant who is arguably the most powerful being the world has ever known put huge pressure on Sue to step up as one of comics' best moms -- because let's face it, we all know that Reed isn't exactly the type to be generous with his time.
In spite of the extraordinary (one might even say fantastic) conditions of their lives together, Reed and Sue have managed to raise Franklin Richards to be one of the most decent and trauma-free residents of the Marvel Universe. And they've even taken on another child, Valeria, who...well, that's a whole other story.
But Sue's parenting cred can't be questioned -- she's literally gone through hell for the kids, and expanded on her "world's best super-mom" coffee mug by introducing the Future Foundation -- essentially a school where the kids are part of the Fantastic Four's family.
prevnextKATE SPENCER
Kate Spencer is a model for the kind of parents who don't have the idealized existence of a Martha Kent or a Susan Storm/Richards.
She's divorced, she has an incredibly demanding job, and when she decided to become a vigilante, it further taxed her complicated relationships with her whole family.
At the heart of her universe, though, was always her son Ramsey. When he was injured playing with one of her weapons, the world of Marc Andreyko's Manhunter stopped. Kate's son was more than just a minor supporting player or a subplot; her struggle to be the best mother for him and stand up for what's right in the world was at the core of her character.
That's why she was both a better mom for giving him up (to his father, not for adoption), but also why the series lost so much when she did. After the series started to focus more on superheroics to the detriment of Kate's relationships -- especially those with her son -- we got to see what a big part of her life that was, and why she was less interesting and well-rounded as a character without it.
prevnextAUNT MAY
May Parker -- like Alfred Pennyworth -- is absolutely the parent of that child, and anybody who says otherwise is flat-out wrong.
(And, no, we're not talking about that godawful Trouble miniseries where it's implied she had an affair with Spidey's father: you know what we mean.
May has spent much of her adult life trying to do right by Peter, her nephew whose parents died when he was young. Much older than his parents, it couldn't have been easy to take on the responsibility of being a first-time parent at her age anyway, but after the loss of her husband, Ben, it took on a whole other level.
She's ultimately kind, generous, and loving with Peter -- and when she eventually learned his secret during the JMS run on the title, their relationship deepened once again, becoming one of the most intimate and believable parent/child relationships in comics.
On that last note, honorable mention to Blue Beetle's mother, Bianca Reyes, who is the best example of that kind of storytelling.
prevnextMARIE PETERS
One of the most complicated mothers in comics, Marie Peters could easily have become a one-note harpy, but instead became a delightful surprise as Terry Moore's Strangers in Paradise unfolded.
When first introduced, Marie was a bit daffy, very prudish, and had a strong dislike for Katchoo, her daughter's best friend. That Katchoo was a lesbian with an unrequited love for Francine seemed a likely cause of stryfe, since Marie was depicted as deeply religious.
Later on, she became less daffy and more protective of Francine -- but in one of the most surprising and emotionally effective scenes in the series, it was Marie who called Katchoo back into Francine's life when her daughter most needed her, putting Francine's happiness before the very characteristics that had seemingly defined Marie for so many issues. It was a revelation, and the direction her character took in the series' "third act" would cement her as one of the most complex, entertaining and likable characters in all of Moore's work.
prev