Top 10 Supervillains and Superheroes That Are Related

A few nights ago I got to thinking about relationships and comic book characters. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that one of the most fascinating things about comic books is the relationship the characters have with one another. Whether it‘s a simple friendship, a romantic interest, or a family member, relationships always make some of the best storylines. 

This thought kept me awake hours after I should’ve fallen asleep. More specifically, the thought of family members within the comic community kept me awake. As I lay awake, I couldn’t help but wonder which family members have the most unique, exciting, and awesome relationships in comic books. The more I thought, the more I wanted to delve into it. So, when I woke up the next morning, I began brainstorming which families have some of the best and most interesting relationships.

After a thorough brainstorming session, I came up with a list of, you guessed it, 10 relationships that I wanted to share with you. Let’s take a look at our list of the 10 best supervillains and superheroes that are related.

10. The Flash and Cobalt Blue

Malcolm Allen is the twin of Barry Allen. Unfortunately, for the majority of Barry’s life, he didn’t know that he had a brother, let alone a twin. After he acquired superpowers, Barry learned of Malcolm’s existence and that it wasn’t a happy one. Contrary to the love-filled life that Barry led, Malcolm was raised by a family of con artists who spent their pastimes abusing him.

Jealousy took over after Malcolm learns of the enjoyable life his brother led. As a consequence of his jealousy, Malcolm assumes the identity of Cobalt Blue and begins destroying Barry’s life. So yes, Barry Allen and Malcolm Allen are a set of supervillains and superheroes that are related.

9. Psylocke and Captain Britain

I grew up loving Psylocke. I remember being a child wishing that I could pull a psionic knife from my hand and force the thoughts of those around me. As I aged, she fell out of favor with me. This wasn’t because of her abilities but instead because of her extremely confusing history. 

Fortunately, learning that she was the sister to Captain Britain helped change my opinion…and here’s why. Brian and Betsy Braddock are twins who grew up very close to one another. Over the years they would drift apart (mostly due to his calling as Captain Britain) but they always found a way back to each other. In fact, their relationship is so strong that for a short period, Betsy actually took up the mantle of Captain Britain. That means that for a time, Psylocke (before she was Psylocke) was Captain Britain.

8. Batgirl and Cluemaster

Contrary to what you may be thinking, this Batgirl is not Barbara Gordon or Cassandra Cain. This Batgirl is Stephanie Brown. And Stephanie Brown is the daughter of the not-so-famous Batman enemy, Cluemaster. When it comes to being a father, he wasn’t a very good one. In fact, he was barely in her life. This was because he spent most of her adolescence locked up behind bars.

When he finally got out of jail he immediately resumed his life of crime. Not wanting any part of what he was doing, Stephanie put on a costume and began thwarting his every move. Seeing this and knowing he couldn’t prevent her from doing it actually led Batman to make her Batgirl. As far as Cluemaster goes…some might think that he is a blatant rip-off of The Riddler If this is you, I don’t disagree.

7. Batman and Batwoman

The Kane’s and Wayne’s have a long-standing history in Gotham. As two of the most powerful families in the city, it was only a matter of time before they became connected. So, when Martha Kane married Thomas Wayne, thereby becoming Martha Wayne, nobody was surprised. What’s surprising is when Bruce Wayne and Kate Kane were first introduced neither knew they were cousins. 

How Bruce and Kate are connected is a little convoluted and confusing so I won’t go into it here. What I will say is that their relationship is one of the most interesting things currently about Batman. If you disagree, remember, most members of the Batfamily have been members because Bruce brought them in. Kate, on the other hand, is an actual member. 

6. Colossus and Magik

When both burst onto the scene in Giant-Size X-Men #1 back in the mid-1970s, it was Colossus who received most of the attention. Unquestionably in my mind, this was a mistake and the focus should’ve been on Magik. Magik and Colossus are both siblings and invaluable members of whichever ‘X’ team they serve. Colossus can turn his entire body into a metal material thereby rendering himself nearly invulnerable. Magik, on the other hand, is one of the most powerful sorcerers in Marvel and is capable of calling the Soul Sword. 

And they aren’t the only of the Rasputin siblings. The two share a brother. If you haven’t heard of him it’s probably because he was thought to be dead after an unsuccessful space mission in an alternate dimension. 

5. Ocean Master and Aquaman

Contrary to the other siblings on this list, Ocean Master and Aquaman are only half-siblings. This is because (and once again retconned to be cannon) Ocean Master is of complete Atlantean Blood whereas Aquaman is half Atlantean and half–human. Although not the preference of Aquaman, the two are bitter enemies.

This is primarily due to the Ocean Master’s jealousy of Aquaman’s position as King of Atlantis. Ocean Master feels that he should be King and is therefore in his mind, being denied his birthright. Aside from Black Manta, Ocean Master is arguably Aquaman’s greatest enemy. 

4. Nightcrawler and Graydon Creed

Even though they are only half brothers, Nightcrawler and Graydon Creed might very well be the most interesting and polar opposite set of siblings in comics. Nightcrawler is a devout Catholic who only wants the best for both humans and mutants. Graydon Creed, on the other hand, is a mutant-hating human who wants to see mutants wiped from existence.

Both Nightcrawler and Graydon Creed share the same mother in Mystique. However, the same can’t be said about their fathers. Nightcrawler is the son of Azreal and Graydon Creed, believe it or not, is the son of Sabretooth. Of all the supervillains and superheroes that are related, none are as shocking as Nightcrawler and Graydon Creed.

3. Aqualad and Black Manta

Black Manta first appeared in Aquaman #35 in the late 1960s. In his first appearance, he showed the world exactly how much of a threat to Aquaman and Atlantis he was to become. Not only was he ruthless, but he was also cunning, conniving, and incredibly intelligent. As far as Aqualad goes, his relationship with Black Manta could be turned into a daytime soap opera. You see, Kaldur’ahm is the biological son of the Black Manta and as you well know, Black Manta is one of the most feared Aquaman enemies in existence. 

Just think about the complexities of that. Black Manta, Aquaman’s greatest enemy and the reason he has suffered countless heartaches, spawns a child that eventually becomes one of his most trusted allies. Young and The Restless anyone?

2. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch 

Ahh, yes. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. The two most well-known siblings in the history of comic books. Although it took time for it to be known, these two mutants are the offspring of Magneto. 

First appearing in X-Men #4 back in 1964, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch both began their run as villains. In their initial appearance, the two stood alongside Magneto in his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Even though they started as villains, by 1965 both turned over a new leaf and become heroes.

What separates these siblings from the others on this list is that over the years questions have been raised about exactly how “close” they are. In fact, their “closeness” was put on full display in the Ultimate Universe when the two engaged in, shall we say, some extracurricular activities together…

1. Scott Summer and Alex Summers

As members of the Summers family each are mutants. This means that they possess a varying degrees of power. Arguably the most famous, Scott, can project concussive blasts from his eyes. Alex, or Havok, is able to absorb ambient energy and unleash it as a powerful blast of energy from his body.

As with most comic book characters, Alex and Scott suffered a tragedy. While out with their parents flying a plane, the plane they were in came under attack by the Shi’ar Empire. As a result of the attack, the plane began falling to the ground. Fearful for the safety of her children, their mother put a parachute on Scott, strapped Alex to him, told Scott to hold on tightly, and threw them out of the plane. 

From this point forward, the two were separated only being reunited many years later. 

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