DC Comics almost created the idea of superhero duos partnering in comic books, with the Dynamic Duo of Batman and Robin debuting as a team in Detective Comics #38 in 1940. While this remains the most famous duo, having gone through several different Robins over the years, it isn’t the only DC duo to headline a comic book series, and not all of these partnerships featured main heroes with sidekicks. Some of the best duos in DC Comics are major heroes who team up out of respect and have become as synonymous with each other as they are with any specific superhero team.
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While Batman and Robin are iconic, here are other DC Comics duos, from close friends to reluctant partners, all of whom became iconic together.
10) Swamp Thing & Constantine
It is easy to forget that John Constantine made his DC Comics debut in the pages of Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing. Constantine debuted in Swamp Thing #37 in 1985 as a supporting character, and he and Swamp Thing have been intertwined ever since. In that series, Constantine took it upon himself to become the monster’s protector and guide, even teaching him how to amplify his powers, strengthening the DC protector of the Green.
However, Swamp Thing and Constaine have a complex relationship, as Swamp Thing is not someone who enjoys being around humans, and Constantine is a difficult person to get along with on a good day. Despite this, when Constantine and Swamp Thing team up, there might not be a better and more powerful DC duo to fight for the Earth.
9) Big Barda & Mister Miracle
Big Barda and Mister Miracle are more than an iconic DC Comics duo. They are also one of the best couples in DC and easily one of the most fan-friendly husband-and-wife teams in the entire comic book line. Thanks to their Eisner-winning series by Tom King and Mitch Gerads, Big Barda and Scott Free skyrocketed to the top of fans’ lists of best couples, and it was more than just fighting crime together.
Jack Kirby introduced the world to the two characters, and they had a rough road to their partnership. In the New Gods storylines, Scott was the Highfather’s son, and Barda was one of Granny Goodness’s Female Furies in training. The two fell in love and escaped Apokolips together, before becoming a great superhero duo, and a perfect couple to boot.
8) Green Arrow & Black Canary
Green Arrow and Black Canary might not always be on the same page, and their romance was always a little toxic at times, but as a crime-fighting duo, they are perfect together. The two have an on-and-off romantic relationship, but when it comes to standing by each other’s side in battle and fighting to protect one another, they remain strong, whether they are dating or not.
Oliver Queen even explained how their relationship as a crime-fighting duo remains so strong in Green Arrow Vol. 7 #7. According to the vigilante, he and Dinah keep their professional lives separate from their personal lives, and they will always support each other and lend a hand when needed, regardless of their own personal issues. Nothing is better than seeing Black Canary and Green Arrow fighting side by side.
7) Hawk & Dove
Hawk and Dove are mostly inseparable in DC Comics. This goes back decades to the original duo (Hank Hall and Don Hall), and it remains true for the more popular modern-day duo (Hank Hall and Dawn Granger). Even when Hank died and Holly Granger took his place as Hawk, the duo of Hawk and Dove is always more powerful together than apart.
This is a DC team of opposites, similar to Cloak and Dagger in the Marvel Comics universe. While Cloak and Dagger are about dark and light balancing each other, Hawk and Dove are about pro-war and pacifists working together to balance each other, and their opposing ideologies always make them stronger as a unit.
6) Blue Beetle & Booster Gold
There might not be a more fan-friendly and entertaining duo in DC Comics than Blue Beetle and Booster Gold. This duo is a perfect fit for a buddy comedy movie, if the DCU ever decides to go in that direction. Blue Beetle (in this case, Ted Kord) is an inventor and, as far from cool as a person can get. Booster Gold is an annoying hero from the future who is more concerned with fame than anything else.
Together, they are an odd couple that is also somehow perfectly matched. Their quips and quotes when fighting crime are priceless, and they helped carry Maxwell Lord’s version of Justice League International to great heights when that title replaced the original Justice League of America. There are rumors that they could show up in the DCU, and with James Gunn’s sensibilities, they could be instant favorites.
5) Jon Kent & Damian Wayne
Jon Kent and Damian Wayne have undergone some massive changes since they were tabbed as the Super Sons. The two were young children at that time, with Damian being an angry and violent youth who the League of Assassins had raised before he joined his father, Batman, as the new Robin. Jon is the son of Superman and Lois Lane, and he possesses incredible powers, just like his father. This was a fun time in DC for the two young heroes.
Since then, Damian has grown older and become a more confident leader, stepping out of his father’s shadow. Jon underwent an even bigger change when he ended up lost in time and returned as a 17-year-old, having aged six years, and even took his dad’s place for a short time, growing from one of the most powerful Superboys into a Superman of his own. However, when Jon and Damian get together, it is always entertaining.
4) Batman & Superman (World’s Finest)
The DC duo of Superman and Batman remains the most famous outside of Batman and Robin. The two remain the greatest heroes in DC Comics, alongside Wonder Woman, as the Trinity. However, Batman and Superman have always been a great duo, as they balance each other out. Superman is the power of good, and Batman is a dark force of vengeance. However, they share a common morality, and that makes them a formidable pair.
Known in the comics as World’s Finest, Batman and Superman always seem to have each other’s backs, and even when they are forced to fight each other, they maintain that respect. One thing that remains constant is that when Batman and Superman team up, they are almost unstoppable.
3) Green Lantern & Green Arrow
Green Lantern and Green Arrow are an old-school duo that still shines when they work together all these years later. For many years, they even starred in a team-up comic book, and it was one of the best DC Comics series of its era. This was one of the duos where opposites attract, similar to Batman and Superman. In this case, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) was a superhero with a military attitude, while Green Arrow was a defender of social justice and an anti-authoritarian figure.
However, while they viewed issues from opposing angles, they remained the closest of friends and served as allies, fighting for the common good. In fact, it was their opposing ideologies that made them so exciting to read about when they teamed up to fight the worst in supervillains.
2) Batman & Robin
It is impossible to count down DC Comics duos and leave Batman and Robin off the list. It doesn’t matter who serves as Robin at any given time, because Batman really needs a Robin to balance himself out. The first Robin, Dick Grayson, remains the best character, although he excels as Nightwing and might have been an even better Batman to Damian Wayne’s Robin than Bruce was.
Tim Drake might be the best Robin of them all, while Jason Todd improved once he died and was resurrected to become Red Hood. Damian is the current Robin, and his attitude compared to Batman’s is priceless. However, as mentioned, even when it was Dick and Damian as Batman and Robin, this was still DC’s most iconic duo.
1) Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy
Batman and Robin might be DC’s most iconic duo, but Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy have become the most entertaining duo in the company, both in comics and on television. Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy are, at times, villains and antiheroes, and when they are together in a comic, they are as entertaining as it comes.
Their partnership is complex, as they are romantic partners and share an antagonistic yet genuine relationship. They have each other’s backs all the time, and even when they fight, it never gets in the way of the authentic connection the two women have built. When it comes to DC Comics duos, there isn’t anyone better right now than Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn.
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