This week Chris Claremont returns to write X-Men Wedding Special as a companion piece for the long-awaited nuptials of two fan-favorite X-Men. After many years of an on again, off again romance filled with hiatuses due to death, intangibility, and space, Kitty Pryde and Piotr Rasputin will finally tie the knot next month in X-Men Gold #30. While history and the very nature of superhero comics make the odds of this marriage lasting extremely low, it will be very nice to see a moment of happiness for them and all of their teammates.
Videos by ComicBook.com
If Kitty and Piotr want to make it last (at least for more than a few years), they need to look at some of the more successful superhero romances around. We’ve assembled a list of 10 best superhero marriages so far. These are the marriages that made for great comics, really celebrated the love of two heroic individuals, and managed to last longer than average. While not all of them have lasted (due to death, multiversal crisis, or other superhero shenanigans), they are still the best examples of weddings in superhero comics.
Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman
Fantastic Four Annual #3
Written by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Art by Jack Kirby and Vince Colletta
This is the original gold standard for superhero marriages. Reed and Sue Richards are the first couple of Marvel Comics and have stood the test of time better than any other pairing there or anywhere else in superhero comics. Not only is their marriage the bedrock for the Fantastic Four, but it is one of the best superhero annuals ever printed. These nuptials celebrated all of Marvel Comics and still feel special today. Like we said, gold standard.
Superman and Lois Lane
Superman: The Wedding Album #1
Written by Dan Jurgens
Art by John Byrne and Terry Austin
Superman and Lois Lane have been together, in some capacity, longer than just about any couple in superhero comics. However, it took them a long, long time to finally tie the knot after years of flirting and some rather dangerous games. When it finally came time to settle down, this couple absolutely clicked though. Even the multiversal rewrite of the New 52 couldn’t keep them apart, as they’re reverted to a state of marriage complete with kids. If Reed and Sue are the romantic foundation of Marvel, then Clark and Lois play the same role for DC Comics.
Cyclops and Jean Grey
X-Men (vol. 2) #30
Written by Fabian Nicieza
Art by Andy Kubert and Matt Ryan
While this marriage hit the rocks following Grant Morrison’s New X-Men, Scott and Jean are still the “it” couple of X-Men comics. Not only was this marriage the end result of years of strife around a seemingly predestined coupling, but it provided an excellent encapsulation of how hard they worked to be together. This issue really celebrates the difficulty of making it work in superhero comics and the marriage was great for as long as it did work.
Apollo and Midnighter
The Authority #29
Written by Mark Millar
Art by Gary Erskine and Tim Townsend
It is genuinely difficult to find a more committed or caring couple in superhero comics than this duo. Their relationships greatest struggle came from editorial hesitations to portraying a gay romance in superhero comics. However, love conquered even those qualms and led to a fantastic wedding issue followed by many more violent adventures. This is one kiss that cannot be missed.
Luke Cage and Jessica Jones
New Avengers Annual #1
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Olivier Coipel
While most of the couples on this list are distracted by reality-altering events, Luke and Jessica feel like the most real superhero pairing in all of comics. Their romance has been relatable from their early encounters through the current stage of child rearing. People can see themselves in this duo who work hard on themselves, their relationship, and their family. It’s this down-to-earth perspective that makes this marriage truly super.
Mister Miracle and Big Barda
Mister Miracle (vol. 1) #18
Written by Jack Kirby
Art by Jack Kirby and Mike Royer
The wedding of Scott Free and Big Barda is surprisingly low key considering that Highfather, Orion, Lightray, and many more are in attendance. It wound up providing an accidental finale to Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Saga, but an appropriate one. The issue celebrates a love that is unconcerned with what forces may oppose it. This couple have remained the sweetest pair at DC Comics and a reminder that love really can conquer allย — even Darkseid.
Deadpool and Shiklah
Deadpool (vol. 3) #27
Written by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn
Art by Mike Hawthorne
Nobody expected Deadpool to be a romantic, but behind all of the violence, jokes, and scar tissue, he has a very soft heart. His pairing with a monster queen wound up providing one of the best issues of Duggan’s incredible seven-year run with the character. The forces of the world may not have let this duo stay together, but their affection and support for one another has remained strong.
Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson
Spider-Man Annual #21
Written by David Michelinie and Jim Shooter
Art by Paul Ryan and Vince Colletta
Selling their marriage to the devil definitely knocks this one down a few spots, but Spidey and MJ remain one of Marvel Comics’ best couplings. That was obvious in their wedding special, which managed to come as close as anything to repeating the magic of Fantastic Four Annual #3. Everyone was there in some capacity, and the wedding evoked some very real emotions from fans and superheroes alike.
Aunt May and J. Jonah Jameson Sr.
Amazing Spider-Man #600
Written by Dan Slott
Art by John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson
While these two aren’t technically superheroes unless you count Golden Oldie, each of their family trees are stacked with metahumans and they deserve a special nod. May and John proved that it’s never too late to find love, and managed to support both of their sons in spectacular ways both before and during their marriage. For a brief period of time, this pair was the sweetest couple at Marvel Comics and provide an inspiration for any marriage, super or not.
Bigby Wolf and Snow White
Fables #50
Written by Bill Willingham
Art by Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha
Fables isn’t a superhero comic, but they have superpowers, go on big adventures, and even wore costumes for an entire arc, so we’re counting it. Bigby and Snow are the heart of this series, an accidental romance that became the foundational family of a 150-issue series. While they might seem like opposites, their strengths reinforce one another and make them even better in their public roles as well as partners and parents. Before, during, and after this wedding, no couple can actually top the wonderful bond between Bigby Wolf and Snow White.