Superhero rivalries are often thought to be between hero and villain, but plenty of spandex-types have issues with each other, too. In a group as big as the Justice League, there are bound to more than a few do-gooders who don’t get along.
While some of DC’s best rivalries are built on friendship, others play on things like age, power sets, and even different political viewpoints. The god-like heroes of DC Comics may be mythological in their histories and abilities, but their troubles getting along are decidedly mortal traits.
10/10 Booster Gold And Blue Beetle Love To Tease Each Other
While the buddy-buddy duo of Booster Gold and Blue Beetle may primarily be known for their entertaining friendship, the duo has a critical element of rivalry at play in their dynamic. While Blue and Gold may love to prank the other heroes of the Justice League, that love does not stop at each other.
The two’s easy friendship means that both heroes are comfortable pulling the rug out from one another. Ted Kord is never afraid to tease his braggadocios friend from the future, while Michael Jon Carter will continually push his friend’s buttons in his quest for glory. This is a rivalry more sweet than spiteful, adding flavor to one of DC’s best friendships.
9/10 Superman Sometimes Parents Shazam
When Billy Batson first began to shout “Shazam!” and transform into an adult hero, few really suspected that the Big Red Cheese was actually a child. Superman was one of the heroes that Batson was first drawn to, and therefore one of the first to learn Shazam’s big secret.
Superman and Shazam have never really been enemies (except for one infamous instance in Injustice), but Superman’s place as an adult in Billy’s life has led to some conflict. Superman wants what is best for the child, even if that means sometimes sidelining Shazam. Batson’s desire for fairness and responsibility sometimes conflicts with this, leading to a bit of a rivalry between the equally-powerful heroes.
8/10 Green Arrow And Batman Have Opposite Personalities
Green Arrow and Batman have a lot of similarities: each is a wealthy, non-powered hero whose extensive training has earned them the respect of their peers. In personality, however, the two could not be more different. Whereas Batman is a reserved, think-first tactician, Green Arrow wears his heart on his sleeve.
Both characters are suspicious of others, but Oliver Queen is far more likely to turn that suspicion on government and hierarchy than on his colleagues. The Emerald Archer often questions Batman’s orders, while the Caped Crusader, in turn, questions Queen’s seriousness.
7/10 Hal Jordan Learned To Trust John Stewart
Though a multitude of Green Lanterns may seem commonplace today, that was not the case for much of Silver Age DC. John Stewart was the third Earthling to be assigned a ring by the Guardians of the Universe, much to the chagrin of longtime-Lantern Hal Jordan.
Jordan believed Stewart had too much issue with authority to be an effective member of the Green Lantern Corps. In the pair’s first mission together, Jordan believed himself proven right when Stewart did not pursue a racist politician’s would-be assassin. However, it was Stewart who was vindicated when the attack was revealed to be a ruse, and Jordan saw Stewart had been stopping other violence.
6/10 Aquaman And Wonder Woman Each Rule A Hidden Kingdom
The mightiest monarchs of the DC Universe are also some of the staunchest members of the Justice League. Though Aquaman is traditionally more associated with leadership, Diana has stepped up to lead Themyscira on many occasions. The twin powers and stresses of leadership have caused these two heroes to develop a rivalry.
The most notable example of the rivalry between Aquaman and Wonder Woman is in the Flashpoint timeline. In a world fractured by Barry Allen’s changing of the time stream, their rivalry exploded into a world-ravaging war. Though the main timeline usually sees these two heroes get along, their pride and responsibilities mean they don’t always see eye-to-eye.
5/10 Hal Jordan And Guy Gardner Are Both Exceedingly Stubborn
John Stewart is not the only Earth-originating Green Lantern Hal Jordan has had issues with: he also has clashed with Guy Gardner. After learning that Jordan received Abin Sur’s Lantern ring merely because he was closer to Sur than Gardner, the competitive duo quickly locked horns.
Gardner has continually resented being seen as a lesser Green Lantern than Jordan and was quick to battle him while the latter was under the influence of Parallax. The pair largely get along in modern comics, though Gardner has continually reinvented himself to escape Jordan’s shadow.
4/10 Batman Has Had To Earn The Respect Of Green Lanterns
Batman’s powers are limited by the nature of the human body, but a Green Lantern’s powers are only limited by force of will and imagination. For headstrong Green Lanterns like Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner, the apparent disparity in ability has caused them to look down on Batman as a superhero.
Batman doesn’t take kindly to being underestimated or ignored and has taken subtle pleasure in making the high-powered heroes respect him. The New 52 saw Batman steal Hal Jordan’s ring from his person, while the famed Justice League International saw Batman take out Guy Gardner with just “one punch.”
3/10 Green Arrow And Flash Are Political Opposites
The haughty Green Arrow and the even-tempered Flash usually get along pretty well, but the two certainly differ on matters of politics. Rule-breaker Oliver Queen leans much more left than the Midwest-conservative Barry Allen, which has caused several spirited arguments between the heroes.
Flash is a firm believer in the structures of government he upholds as a member of Central City’s Police Department, while Green Arrow looks at state-sanctioned violence with a more critical eye. The two agree on the matter of justice; they just differ on what that justice looks like.
2/10 Superman And Batman Present Both Sides Of The Heroic Coin
DC’s two heaviest hitters are good friends, but that hasn’t ever stopped them from clashing. The Man of Steel and the Dark Knight each occupy very distinct corners of their universe and have very different backgrounds, abilities, and even philosophies of life.
In main continuity, Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne are typically on the same side, though events have made the two clash before. Alternate universes particularly love to explore the rivalry between these characters and often examine the disparity in physical power between the two (a notable example is The Dark Knight Returns). Superman and Batman present a fun, fascinating duality of superheroism, whether as friends or as rivals.
1/10 Green Arrow And Hawkman Refuse To See Eye-To-Eye
If Oliver Queen and Barry Allen are political rivals, then Queen and Hawkman are downright enemies. The Thanagarian has been shown to have an almost Judge Dredd-like attitude towards crime and punishment, savaging and beating his enemies to death. Though Arrow is no stranger to lethal force, he abhors Hawkman’s wanton use of it.
Their time together in the Satellite Era of the Justice League was marked by constant arguing, much to the annoyance of other Leaguers. This relationship has popped up in a number of runs for both characters, like Kevin Smith’s Green Arrow and Geoff Johns’s Hawkman.
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