Ever since Robin’s debut in 1940, DC Comics has emphasized family among its top-rated superheroes. Superhero families in DC take many forms and span a broad spectrum of what constitutes true family. Some are straightforward blood relatives, such as siblings, cousins, and children. Some romantic partners also get swooped up in crime-fighting exploits. There are also surrogate families centered on sidekicks and close friends inspired by the legacies of DC’s greatest heroes. These multi-generational groups blend familial and superhero drama for great storytelling and have given rise to even more memorable and beloved heroes.
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These informal superhero alliances boast some of the strongest and most influential heroes in DC Comics who have dedicated their lives to saving the world as families.
7) Shazam Family
A young orphan, Billy Batson, aka Shazam, eventually found a place he could call home when he was placed in foster care with the Vasquez family. Although initially hesitant, Billy formed a close bond with his foster siblings, Mary Bromfield, Freddy Freeman Jr., Pedro Peña, Eugene Choi, and Darla Dudley. When the wizard Shazam gave Billy the powers of the gods, the villainous Black Adam held Billy’s siblings hostage. So, to save them, Billy shared the power of Shazam with his newfound family. Now with the powers of Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury, the Shazam Family works together to fight the forces of evil.
6) Aquaman Family
As the King of Atlantis, Aquaman’s royal family helps him to protect the Seven Seas. The Aquaman Family is made up of Atlantis’s strongest heroes, with Aquaman leading the charge. Alongside his hydrokinetic wife Mera, Aquaman is joined by his surrogate sons/former sidekicks Tempest and Aqualad. Other sidekicks that joined the Aquaman Family are the two women who took on the Aquagirl mantle: Tula and Lorena Marquez. Outside of direct family members and sidekicks, the Aquaman Family includes other aquatic heroes, including Dolphin, Drentched, and Lagoon Boy. Their family has only grown with the birth of Aquaman and Mera’s daughter, Andy. Together, the Aquaman Family acts as the ambassadors and champions of Atlantis.
5) Team Arrow
Throughout his time as a vigilante in Star City, Oliver Queen, aka Green Arrow, has built a large family of like-minded street-level heroes. As one can imagine, Team Arrow is full of proficient archers who have acted as Green Arrow’s sidekicks: Arsenal, Speedy, Red Arrow, and Arrowette. Green Arrow also married fellow crime-fighter Black Canary, whose sonic scream makes her the family’s strongest member. Other notable members include Green Arrow’s long-lost son Conner Hawke, the anti-villain Cheshire Cat, and the young Red Canary. Team Arow also includes other members who provide background support, like John Diggle, Felicity Smoak, and Henry Fyff. Team Arrow may bicker frequently, but they still come together to protect each other and the people of Star City.
4) Wonder Woman Family
As the daughter of Zeus, King of Olympus, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, Diana, aka Wonder Woman, has a family of mythic proportions. Like Aquaman, some of Wonder Woman’s family and allies hold royal statuses. Many of Themyscira’s strongest warriors, such as Nubia and Artemis, are close allies of Wonder Woman and have even taken her mantle on some occasions. Wonder Woman also boasts many Wonder Girl sidekicks who have become surrogate sisters, including Donna Troy, Cassie Sandsmark, and Yara Flor. More recently, Wonder Woman used parts of her and Steve Trevor’s souls to create a daughter from clay. Brought to life by magic, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Prince is the newest addition to the Amazonian royal family.
3) Superman Family
Where once Clark Kent, aka Superman, was considered the Last Son of Krypton, over the years, he has built a new family. Superman’s family includes both blood relatives and heroes inspired by the Man of Tomorrow’s heroism. The first to join was Superman’s cousin and a fellow survivor of Krypton’s destruction, Supergirl. Other members include an alternate universe Supergirl known as Power Girl; the armored hero Steel and his daughter, Steel II; Superman’s clone Kon-El; and many more. The family grew as Superman and Lois Lane had a son, Jon. And of course, we can’t forget about Super-Pets like Krypto, Streaky, Beppo, and Comet. The Superman Family stands as the primary defenders of Metropolis and a living symbol of Superman’s enduring legacy.
2) Flash Family
The Flash is a mantle passed down over multiple generations, creating a large family of speedsters in the process. Almost every member of the Flash Family draws their power from the Speed Force, giving them the ability to move at incomprehensible speeds. Although Jay Garrick was the first Flash, the Flash Family didn’t officially start until Barry Allen took Wally West under his wing as Kid Flash. Since then, many heroes have taken on the Flash and Kid Flash’s mantles, such as Bart Allen, Wallace West, and Avery Ho. Other notable speedsters to join the family are Max Mercury, XS, Johnny and Jesse Quick, Surge, Thunderheart, Boom, and many others. The Flash Family is a fun, iconic, and loving family who will continue to grow with future generations.
1) Bat-Family
There is no more iconic or influential superhero family than the one Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, has forged in his never-ending quest to defend Gotham. Batman is well-known for adopting and recruiting orphans and misfits who become his sidekicks and surrogate children. All four Robins are some of the most memorable young heroes in comics, with the three Batgirls not far behind. Add in other members like Alfred, Batwoman, Batwing, Huntress, Signal, Catwoman, and Azrael, among others, and the Bat-Family has become a tightly knit and ever-expanding roster of some of Gotham’s greatest protectors. Although Batman lost his original family in Crime Alley, but he has forged a new one from the ashes.
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Image courtesy of Lucasfilm
