Lois Lane and Mary Jane Watson. These two women are the undisputed true loves of Superman and Spider-Man. For decades, they have stood by their superhero's sides and have earned the respect of many a comic book fan in the process.
Unfortunately, it seems like fellow A-lister Batman has had a tougher time finding the love of his life. He's had many girlfriends over the years, but none have ever quite led to anything long-lasting. It seems like he's destined to be an eternal James Bond. That said, it's still not too late for him to settle down.
In this list, I examine his five greatest loves and detail their compatibility with the Dark Knight.
05. Julie Madison
Julie Madison was a socialite who managed to capture the heart of the infamous playboy Bruce Wayne. Julie was Bruce's first love and this led to a brief engagement. However, their relationship would not last. Julie had become a film actress and was unsatisfied with the lack of stability Bruce offered her. After calling it quits, she went on to marry into royalty and became the ruler of the fictional kingdom of Moldacia.
Julie was also Bruce's love interest in Matt Wagner's Batman & The Monster Men and Batman & The Mad Monk. In these revised story lines of Batman's early adventures, Julie was depicted as a law student and the heiress to her father's company. She ends things with Bruce after discovering his double life as Batman and becomes a member of the Peace Corps.
Julie's status as Batman's first love holds a lot of weight to it, especially since the pair had quite a bit in common. They shared a similar devotion to their families, had a similar economic background, and maintained a desire for justice to be done. However, it's quite clear that Julie is better off without Bruce in her life as she's been consistently depicted as being happier and more successful after their relationship ended.
04. Silver St. Cloud
Often cited as "the one that got away," Silver St. Cloud was a businesswoman who owned an event planning firm. She met Bruce Wayne at a party and the pair hit it off right away. Silver showed a loyalty and dedication to Bruce like no other love interest had before. When he was captured by Doctor Strange, she went to Dick Grayson for help and pursued leads to find her boyfriend. These events led to Silver cleverly deducing Batman's identity, which made her one of the very first comic book love interests to do so. Silver then made the decision to end their relationship, realizing that Batman's mission was more important.
Silver is often overshadowed by lesser Batman love interests, but remains one of the most endearing. She was caring and compassionate, as well as quite clever. She also showed an understanding for Batman's mission and this truly emphasizes the notion that it's quite possible that things could turn out well for the Dark Knight and Silver St. Cloud. (Unless, of course, you're Silver St. Cloud in a Kevin Smith story…)
03. Catwoman
Selina Kyle, otherwise known as the master thief Catwoman, is Batman's most widely recognized love interest. Across all mediums, she has shamelessly flirted with the Dark Knight and, in some continuities, has even married him.
In the comic continuity, Selina began dating Bruce Wayne when she was making the rounds as a socialite in Gotham City. This relationship eventually fizzled out, but the pair rekindled their romance on multiple occasions in their costumed identities. Each time, however, the relationship would sour due to Batman's lack of commitment and Catwoman's addiction to stealing.
While many people believe Catwoman to be Batman's "true love," the two simply can't seem to work it out. Batman's devotion to his mission and Catwoman's criminal background seem to drive a wedge between the pair that neither can quite seem to dislodge. On top of that, whenever Bruce and Selina wed in a story, her death often follows. Clearly, this is one cat that shouldn't be domesticated.
02. Vicki Vale
Vicki Vale was Batman's answer to Lois Lane. She was a smart and sassy reporter who has been one of Batman's longest running love interests. Vicki was introduced in the late-1940s and was physically based off of a young Marilyn Monroe. Her stories often revolved around her quest for uncovering Batman's true identity, which inevitably made her a perpetual thorn in the Dark Knight's side.
Vicki would eventually leave Gotham City and spent a great deal of time in Europe. Upon her return, she resumes her career as a reporter and rekindles her romance with Bruce Wayne. When she is brutally attacked by the Ventriloquist, Bruce ends things in order to protect the intrepid reporter from his dangerous life.
Truth be told, there is very little keeping Vicki and Bruce from being together. She's a very capable journalist who can take care of herself and has demonstrated an independence that is compatible with Bruce's unpredictable lifestyle.
01. Talia al Ghul
As far as love stories go, the romance of the Dark Knight and the Daughter of the Demon is both epic and tragic. Batman met Talia al Ghul in the windswept deserts of her father's headquarters, where the pair shared a brief but meaningful night together. He became her "beloved" and her unwavering love for the Dark Knight gave her the strength to seek independence from her father.
In the years that followed, Talia has gone against her father's desires and even temporarily became Batman's partner in fighting crime (much to Catwoman's dismay). Though they parted ways, Talia's love for Bruce has lived on.
Unfortunately, Talia has fallen victim to some seriously bad writing and was transformed from Batman's greatest love to his most hated enemy. Grant Morrison's one man crusade to turn Talia into a psychotic bitch seems to have soured any potential for a reunion between the femme fatale and the Dark Knight.
However, it remains evident that previous writers treated their relationship with respect and it is not hard to imagine that one day Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul could settle down together. After all, where else is he going to find an ass-kicking independent woman who knows how to run a business, dress like a supermodel, and give up a criminal lifestyle to put up his dinosaur-sized baggage?
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