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Marriage

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people (usually between a man and a woman, and in other cases same sex couples) that creates kinship.

Name:
Marriage
Aliases:
  • Wedding
  • Wedlock
  • Matrimony
Start year:
1931
First issue:
Mickey Mouse Series (1931) #1 No 1
cover

History

In the golden age of superheroes, marriages were relatively infrequent among the main characters. As most stories were serialized (there was little continuity between individual issues) other factors became more important in the presentation of characters. For many the underlying romantic tension was far more important than seeing a resolution to that tension. Additionally in the early years of comics, a common theme was a character being loved as a hero but ignored as their secret identity (which they still had to struggle to maintain.) This made it such that marriages were not presented often in comics. Additionally due to the serialized nature of comics it was unlikely to have a wedding issue which ended with two characters actually being married (though weddings were often used as a plot device.) Regardless the underlying desire for marriage was still a strong driving factor for many characters. For instance, the golden age Wonder Woman said that she would finally marry Steve Trevor once she had eradicated crime forever.

The 1960s and the beginning of the silver age saw a different interpretation of marriage, though still similar to the golden age. By this point superheroes were no longer dominating the format as other genres such as romance became more popular. Marriages and weddings were a common theme in romance comics, but they were shown still as in the golden age either as a plot device where a wedding wouldn't happen, or as the resolution to a self-contained story in a romance setting. With the development of the medium in the silver age to be one more geared towards adults, the presentation of relationships changed. Now notable characters such as Hawkman and Hawkwoman, the Elongated Man and Sue Dibny, and Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman were all displayed as being in long term marriages.

Since the 1980s, comic book weddings have tended to become minor company events with the marriage serving as a vehicle to join both heroes and villains together. Generally, the more popular the hero, the bigger the events. They often are standalone issues as well separate from the main series. One of the highest profile weddings in the continuity of comics as well as from a contextual standpoint was the wedding of Peter Parker to Mary Jane Watson in the Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21 in 1987. While this ended almost two decades of romantic pursuit between the two characters, it also set the precedent which many wedding issues have followed since (to incorporate at least in some way the appearance of villains who aim to foil the wedding, either deliberately or unintentionally).

Marriages in Comics

DC Comics

  • Kal-El/Clark Kent (Superman) & Lois Lane
  • Kal-L/Clark Kent (Superman) & Diana (Wonder Woman)
  • Orin/Arthur Curry (Aquaman) & Mera
  • Katar Hol (Hawkman) & Shayera Hol (Hawkwoman)
  • Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) & Dinah Laurel Lance (Black Canary)
  • Scott Free (Mister Miracle) & Barda (Big Barda)
  • Wally West (The Flash) & Linda Park
  • Tempest & Dolphin
  • Donna Troy & Terry Long
  • Alan Scott (Green Lantern) & Molly Maynne
  • Jay Garrick (Flash) & Joan Garrick
  • Elongated Man & Sue Dibny
  • Barry Allen (The Flash) & Iris West
  • Victor Fries (Mr. Freeze) & Nora Fries
  • Wonder Woman & Mr. Monster
  • Wonder Woman & Steve Trevor
  • Ray Palmer (The Atom) & Jean Loring
  • John Stewart (Green Lantern) & Katma Tui
  • Dru-Zod (General Zod) & Ursa

Marvel Comics

  • Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) & Sue Storm (Invisible Girl/Invisible Woman)
  • Frank Castle (Punisher) & Maria Castle
  • Peter Parker (Spider-Man) & Mary Jane-Watson
  • Scott Summers (Cyclops) & Jean Grey
  • Remy LeBeau (Gambit) & Anna Marie (Rogue)
  • T'Challa (Black Panther) & Ororo Munroe (Storm)
  • Bruce Banner (The Hulk) & Betty Ross
  • Hulk & Caiera
  • Luke Cage & Jessica Jones
  • Vision & Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch)
  • Hank Pym (Ant-Man/Giant Man) & Janet Van Dyne (Wasp)
  • Rick Jones & Marlo Chandler
  • Namor the Sub-Mariner & Dorma
  • Namor the Sub-Mariner & Marrina
  • Pietro Django Maximoff (Quicksilver) & Crystalia Amaquelin (Crystal)
  • Johnny Storm (Human Torch) & Alicia Masters
  • Scott Summers (Cyclops) & Madelyne Pryor
  • Clint Barton (Hawkeye) & Bobbi Morse (Mockingbird)
  • Brian Braddock (Captain Britain) & Meggan Puceanu
  • Jean-Paul Beaubier (Northstar) & Kyle Jinadu
  • Wade Wilson (Deadpool) & Orksa
  • Wade Wilson (Deadpool) & Shiklah
  • Dracula & Domini
  • Dracula & Shiklah
  • John Jameson Jr. & Jennifer Walters (She-Hulk)
  • Ned Leeds & Betty Brant
  • J. Jonah Jameson & Marla Madison
  • J. Jonah Jameson, Sr. & May Reily Parker (Aunt May)
  • Daimon Hellstrom (Hellstorm) & Patsy Walker (Hellcat)
  • Jacques Duquesne (Swordsman) & Mantis
  • Bill Nelson & Greer Grant (Tigra)
  • Blackagar Boltagon (Black Bolt) & Medusalith Amaquelin (Medussa)
  • Johnny Storm (Human Torch) & Lyja
  • Carl Creel (Absorbing Man) & Mary MacPherran (Titania)
  • James MacDonald Hudson (Guardian) & Heather McNeil (Vindicator)
  • Brian Braddock (Captain Marvel) & Meggan Puceanu

Other Comics

  • John Carter & Dejah Thoris
  • Conan (The Barbarian) & Zenobia
  • Kit Walker (The Phantom) & Diana Palmer
  • Dick Tracy & Tess Trueheart
  • James Bond (007) & Tracy Bond
  • Ogami Itto (Lone Wolf) & Azami
  • Han Solo & Leia Organa-Solo
  • Luke Skywalker & Mara Jade
  • Casey Jones & April O'Neil
  • Yō Hinomura (Crying Freeman) & Emu Hino
  • Jackie Estacado (The Darkness) & Jenny Romano
  • Jen & Kira
  • Joshua Zane (The Crow) & Maudie
  • Michael Korby (The Crow) & Jan
  • Asukai Shiro & Yoshiko

Issues

February 1936

August 1936

December 1936

April 1937

May 1937

October 1937

September 1938

April 1943

June 1944

November 1947

December 1947

March 1948

April 1948

July 1948

September 1948

November 1948

September 1949

November 1949

January 1950

April 1950

July 1950

January 1951

December 1951

March 1953

November 1954

June 1957

October 1958

March 1959

November 1959

February 1960

Volumes

1935

1937

1938

1939

1940

1941

1942

1949

1951

1952

1954

1956

1958

1959

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1966

1968