DC Comics Relaunch: Top 10 Dynamic Duos (Batman, Batwoman, Green Lantern, Etc) New 52 UPDATED

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Has anyone else noticed how many New 52 DC Comics Relaunch books that are anchored by twosomes? Batman and Robin plus Hawk and Dove are long-standing examples, but there are a lot more. The question is how many of these are arc-based teams versus books whose premise is rooted in a duo, e.g. Fury of Firestorm.

Here are the Top 10 New 52 Dynamic Duos in the DC Comics Relaunch. Plus, we’re now updated with a BONUS zero pick based on reader feeback.

10. Resurrection Man (Body Doubles)

I will admit this is probably the one that has me more perplexed. Are the body doubles villains, ant-heroes, entrepreneurs? Clearly as bounty hunters they play a central role in Resurrection Man, hunting down our titular hero. However, will they be a long standing feature of the book with Mitch Shelley on the run? Or they arc-based and gone after 6 issues?

9. Green Lantern (Sinestro and Hal Jordan)

Sinestro mentoring Hal Jordan. Wow, now that is back to the future. Hey, if Hal Jordan was forgiven for his Parallax days, I guess Sinestro can be forgiven for what he did on his home planet Korugar and for establishing the Sinestro Corps?

8. Aquaman (Aquaman and Mera)

Husband and wife, happily ever after fighting crime above and below the sea. Brightest Day did a lot of re-establish and repurpose Mera. It likes like she is a big heroic part of the DC Comics Relaunch’s Aquaman series.

7. Batwoman and Flamebird

Looks like Kathy Kane has a scrub sidekick in the form of Flamebird. Not Question? Anyhow, Flamebird has a been a big part of the action in the first two issues of the New 52 Batwoman series and seems to be an ongoing heroic presence.

6. Green Lantern Corps (Guy Gardner and John Stewart)

Who would have thought Kyle Rayner would be only Green Lantern not “buddied up” in the New 52? He has is own team book he is leading with no equal. Conversely, the other two Green Lantern books buddy up their leads. Hal and Sinestro in the core GL book while GLC becomes Guy Gardner and John Stewart’s book. GLC has great potential since Guy and John are so different as characters. Fun abounds.

5. All-Star Western (Jonah Hex and Amadeus Arkham)

I loved the debut issue of Hex-in-Gotham. :) Interesting pairing of the eccentric scarred loner with the bumbling brain of the founder of Gotham’s infamous Arkam Asylum. I loved Hex and Arkham interplay. Seemed to be classic “Buddy Movie” formula with two intriguing characters.

4. O.M.A.C. (O.M.A.C. and Brother Eye)

This has been the surprise book of the DC Universe for me. Lots of fun and quirkiness. It’s been really well done so far. Kevin Kho becomes the powerful electric mohawked O.M.A.C., the pawn of the omniscient Brother Eye, the sentient satellite. Cool!

3. Hawk and Dove

The whole premise of Hawk and Dove from the 1960s series to the 1980s series to the New 52 offering, is at its heart a duo title. I have enjoyed all incarnations of this particular title and team. Brightest Day helped raise their profile. So glad they have returned in their own title. And fighting a devious duo in Condor in Swan. ;)

2. Fury of Firestorm (Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch)

The merging of two characters to become a new hero. That has been what Firestorm has been about since its 1970s inception. The DC Comics Relaunch series keeps that element, but both Ronnie and Ray become individual Firestorm heroes, but they can also merge from their heroic forms into Fury. The catch? They can’t control Fury! Cool.

1. Batman and Robin

These two are the classic twosome in DC Comics lore and the New 52 initiative. While there was a tepid response to the 2011 debut issue by many, these two are DC forerunners. While the Robin is now Batman’s son, not Dick Grayson who graduated from Robin to Nightwing, this twosome coined the phrase dynamic duo. The appeal of the book has classically been mentor and apprentice which in 2011 is now overlaid with father and son. I’m sure hilarity will ensue between the action scenes of the book.

UPDATED with a BONUS: 0. Animal Man and Maxine

So, when I posted this I got a few e-mails and comments that some of these may not be actual duo books. In some cases they they saw the partnerships as less of equals, but subordinates or even some characters as supporting characters. However, an opinion resonated that Animal Man’s Father and Daughter duo are the two integral parts of the Animal Man title. In fact, Maxine to the “Red” is like Swamp Thing to his “Green”. Ok, I agree. Animal Man and Maxine should be on the list. So, now they are!

John is a long-time pop culture fan, comics historian, and blogger. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief at Comics Nexus. Prior to being EIC he has produced several column series including DEMYTHIFY, NEAR MINT MEMORIES and the ONE FAN'S TRIALS at the Nexus plus a stint at Bleeding Cool producing the COMICS REALISM column. As BabosScribe, John is active on his twitter account, his facebook page, his instagram feed and welcomes any and all feedback. Bring it on!