10 Controversial Comics Couples That Fans Hated, Ranked

When it comes to romance, the Marvel and DC Universes have some pretty iconic couples. Superman and Lois Lane, Rogue and Gambit, and Green Arrow and Black Canary (their tumultuous history aside). Romance in comics can be tricky, as everyone has their own preferred ships. But while it’s hard to get comic fans to agree on most things, some comic couples are so controversial that practically no one defends them. I’m not talking about pairings that just didn’t work out; I’m talking about couples that had problems from the get-go.

Case in point, consider how Marvel flirted with the idea of altering Spider-Man’s past by revealing how his father had an affair with Aunt May. Or Donna Troy’s brief marriage to Terry Long, a relationship that perplexes fans even to this day. Admittedly, some are more controversial than others. Personally, I’m surprised that there are people who think the Superman and Wonder Woman ship was a great idea. Still, for better or worse, some couples are just known for their problematic pairing. So read on to discover 10 Marvel and DC couples marred by controversy.

10. Stargirl and Shazam

With the JSA mostly being composed of the old guard, it’s no surprise that the younger heroes would naturally be drawn to each other. That’s exactly what happened with Stargirl and Captain Marvel. Now, to the rest of the world, Billy and Courtney liking each other is no problem. However, as the Captain, Billy is quite older than Courtney, which made his advances towards Stargirl seem very unseemly to those who didn’t know Billy’s secret. Billy chose to break things off with Courtney instead of divulging his secret, but it’s a shame because there was a real bond here.

9. Aunt May and Richard Parker

As mentioned earlier, Trouble was a miniseries put out by Marvel Comics in the early 2000s that starred younger versions of Spider-Man’s parents, Richard and Mary, and Aunt May and Uncle Ben. During one summer, Richard and May have an affair that results in May getting pregnant. She later gives birth to Peter and allows Richard and Mary to raise him as their child. This very idea was hated by fans everywhere. Thankfully, this book is not canon to the 616 universe, making Richard and May’s perturbing tryst a problem for another Spider-Man on another Earth.

8. Star Sapphire and Green Lantern

If you’re familiar with Green Lantern, you might be asking what the problem is since Hal always gets with Star Sapphire. The problem is that the Green Lantern we’re talking about isn’t Hal, but Kyle. Deep in the New 52, Carol and Hal broke up, and she became romantically involved with Kyle, which felt bizarre to say the least. They’d never particularly had a bond or any sort of chemistry. They broke up around Rebirth and rarely acknowledge their fling now. Which is all well and good for Green Lantern fans who just want to see Carol and Hal hitched.

7. Mary Jane and Paul Rabin

I wasn’t even really following Spider-Man at the time, and even I knew how much people hated Paul Rabin, Mary Jane’s (now former) squeeze. Paul and Mary Jane spent years together on a devastated Earth, surviving its harsh environment and creating a little family with their adopted kids, Owen and Stephanie. The hatred for Paul was insane. Everyone saw him as the greatest obstacle standing in the way of Mary Jane and Spider-Man getting back together. But as of the “Death Spiral” event, Paul is dead, and this controversial chapter of Spider-Man history seems over.

6. Donna Troy and Terry Long

Donna Troy’s marriage to college professor Terry Long was before a lot of modern comic fans’ time, but it continues to draw criticism for one very good reason. It’s incredibly gross. Terry Long was introduced as a nearly 30-year-old man who had struck up a relationship with Donna after his divorce. Terry was a good 10 years older than Donna, but their relationship blossomed into a full-blown marriage. It didn’t work out, and they were divorced within months, with Terry and their son Robert dying in a car accident. Honestly, the less said about this relationship, the better.

5. Magneto and Rogue

It’s not uncommon to see heroes and villains come together. X-Men fans know that all too well with Rogue and Magneto’s strangely close history. Rogue’s soulmate might be Gambit, but she’s always found herself strangely drawn to Erik Lehnsherr. They’ve gotten together for brief and long periods, and it always throws fans for a loop whenever they rekindle their romance. I’m sure fans would prefer a bit more stability for Rogue’s love life, but as long as Magneto is around, there’s a non-zero chance these two could start something anew.

4. Supergirl and Lex Luthor

You’d be right for wondering what the absolute hell Supergirl is doing with Lex, but it’s not what you think. The Supergirl here isn’t Superman’s cousin, Kara, but rather, Matrix, a shape-shifting alien that Lex built. Matrix eventually adopted a Supergirl costume, taking her form as well. Not too long after that, they fell in love and began dating publicly. I don’t even know how to begin unpacking this. I can only hope that DC writers continue to ignore this little piece of Superman history as they have for the last couple of decades.

3. Ultimate Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver

Marvel’s first swing with the Ultimate Universe is remembered for a lot of things, and one of the most infamous is its handling of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. They were presented as quite close, with Pietro practically obsessing over his sister. Wasp eventually makes it clear that the heroic siblings don’t just love each other, but are in love with each other. Their shocking relationship came to an end when Ultron killed Wanda, who was equally obsessed with her. How Marvel ever let this through is something that continues to astound comic fans to this day.

2. Superman and Wonder Woman

Maybe this isn’t as gross or creepy as other controversial couples on this list, but come on. I think we all felt how wrong it was seeing these two shipped in the early days of the New 52. About a year or so in, DC Comics decided to push these two together as the new ‘it couple’ for the DCU. I’ll admit, I can understand the rationale behind putting them together. But as someone who adores the Superman and Lois Lane dynamic, I, and many other comic fans, could never support this coupling. Thankfully, the entire thing was ultimately retconned.

1. Ms. Marvel and Marcus Immortus

Honestly, I can’t think of a more controversial thing in Marvel’s history. Avengers #200 is known as one of the most shocking and frankly, disturbing comics the publisher ever put out. This issue featured Carol Danvers becoming pregnant suddenly and giving birth to a boy named Marcus just as fast. Marcus then swiftly grows up and assaults Ms. Marvel to impregnate her with himself (I don’t even know how to begin explaining the logic behind this). Regardless, Marvel caught hell for this story and even apologized for what is almost certainly the most despicable coupling featured in a comic.

What’s the most controversial comic couple you can think of? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!

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