It’s Valentine’s Day and love is in the air! Or some such stuff. It’s not often my Lists of Six actually land on a holiday, so I figured I might as well do something special to mark the occasion! I love a good romance subplot in my superhero comics as much as I enjoy the superheroics. Heck, I’m even writing my own romance comic in Gamer Girl & Vixen — now on Kickstarter!

Forgive me for the plug, but Valentine’s Day is the perfect place to promote the Gamer Girl & Vixen Kickstarter currently raising money! It’s a story of love, lesbians and larceny, so come on down! And GG&V are just one of my favorite relationships in comics. From classic love stories to niche romances that maybe only I enjoyed, I’ve got this list of my all-time favorite comic book ‘ships.

Join me after the jump for a comic book love connection! And feel free to share your own ‘ships in the comments below!

6. Jamie Madrox and Layla Miller

Jamie Madrox is my all-time favorite comic book character, and I am generally pleased that he’s settled down into a nice family life with a wife and son. There haven’t been many comics of Jamie and Layla together with their son, Davey, but the Marvel Unlimited digital comics have been filling in those blanks during the Krakoa Era. They’ve been a real treat, and they’re a fun family! Strong Guy hangs around as the fun uncle, and they even hosted a dinner party with the Fantastic Four! Good times from such weird beginnings.

5. Nightwing and Starfire

I know Nightwing and Batgirl is the current hotness, and one a lot of people support. But I’ve always been more of a Nightwing and Starfire fan. It’s just more interesting to me for some reason. I like the idea that Dick Grayson grew up and joined the Teen Titans and met someone through that, instead of sticking with his teenage Gotham City crush. The alien princess does clash a bit with the street-level vigilante tone that a lot of Bat-Family stories go for, but it’s great for the larger comic book craziness of things.

4. Spider-Woman and Porcupine

I don’t care if I was the only person to love this ‘ship, I thought it was awesome! Dennis Hopeless wrote a really great Spider-Woman comic a few years ago, and unlike a lot of romances, he actually took the time to build the relationship between longstanding hero Spider-Woman and the somewhat pathetic villain Porcupine, who reformed under Jessica’s wing and became a better, stronger man because of it. They were cute together and it was a fun subplot to the series. And then, of course, they were broken up the next time the book was rebooted. Oh well.

3. Spider-Man and Black Cat

A lot of people are ride or die for Peter Parker and Mary Jane, and while I enjoy that relationship very much, I think I prefer Spidey and the Black Cat as a couple. I like the idea of Spider-Man finding love with another costumed person, instead of someone from his Peter Parker life. And I like the wild and adventurous Felicia Hardy falling in love with the hapless and heroic Spider-Man. They’re a fun pair by all accounts.

2. Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy

I think Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy are super cute together and I think their relationship has only improved both characters. I love that it started as a bit of a lark on Batman: The Animated Series, giving Harley her own agency in a one-off episode (she went back to the Joker in the end). And I love that the comics picked it up and made them a real couple. I wish the comics would be more firm about it instead of constantly breaking them up or pulling them apart, but whatever. There’s always the cartoon show.

1. Superman and Lois Lane

Call me a total softie or traditionalist, but yeah, I think my all-time favorite comic book couple is the gold standard of them all: Clark Kent and Lois Lane. They’re so darn good together! They’re not just a couple for couples sake. They’re not just in love because that’s tradition. They’re a good couple because they go together so darn well! The aw shucks farm boy and the hard working city girl. Only instead of a Hallmark movie where the woman realizes she needs to give it all up to go be with him, they see each other as equals and don’t expect either to change. Superman met a partner just as powerful as he is, if not more so. The down home country boy travels to the big city and meets a woman so amazing he has to get on her level!

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