(Thank you, Thesaurus.com!)
Maritime transport (or ocean transport) and hydraulic effluvial transport, or more generally waterborne transport, is the transport of people (passengers) or goods (cargo) via waterways. Freight transport by sea has been widely used throughout recorded hist… <record scratch>
That’s not the shipping we are here for, is it? It’s February, the Month of Love; there is only one shipping on the mind of all and sundry, and it ain’t maritime.
So take my hand, dear reader, as I speak briefly of what in my biased opinion are the Best Ships of my comics reading career.
The Best Ships
These ships, are in my humble opinion, are the top ten ships in comics that were the most heartstring-pulling, well-portrayed and well-received ships in my extensive (god help me) reading of American superhero comics. They are, in no particular order…
Midnighter and Apollo
The best Superman/Batman pastiches ever, a loving and badass couple, and DC’s iconic gay married couple and adoptive parents. They’ve had their ups and downs, especially since Wildstorm’s purchase by DC and then New 52 a while ago. But in many people’s minds, including mine, they remain the standard-setter for positive depictions of LGBTQ+ superhero couples who unashamedly love each other and love kicking butt. Midnighter’s snark and sass and Apollo’s calm, stoic patience and quiet heroism are a joy to behold, no matter what continuity they are in. They are the PB and J of LGBTQ+.
Spider-Man/Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson
The original Hard Luck Hero and the Party Girl with a Heart of Gold. They were a mainstay of Marvel Comics since they came together in the wake of Gwen Stacy’s tragic passing (thanks Norman, you creep); were together through thick and thin; and even got married. They saw through the indignities inflicted in the 90s (So. Many. Clones.), into the Marvel Renaissance in the early Noughties. But a dark demon lord, Quesadael,[1] arose and stole their marriage since “kids don’t read about married couples.”
But like all things in American comics, this too has passed, and MJ and Peter are back together. Hopefully for good this time. (Who are we kidding?)
Mr Miracle and Big Barda
A divine couple whose love is so strong the God of Evil and Tyranny, himself, can’t corrupt, taint or destroy it.
Scott Free, New God of Freedom, and Big Barda, War Goddess, escaped the hell that is Apokolips and made it to Earth, there to use their godlike powers to … be a nice normal couple. Unable to quite manage that, they have been Justice Leaguers, which required them to balance super-heroics with cleaning the toilet, making sure the dog gets walked, and cooking a homemade dinner, while dodging the machinations of a salty Darkseid.
Their love has become the foundation stone of their often turbulent life, and has given them the strength to face the Fourth World’s best and worst together.
Black Panther and Storm
Marvel royalty in every sense; their bond was established in childhood. Like many relationships in comics, this one has gone the way of all flesh. But when Marvel announced the impending ‘hitching’ of T’Challa, King of Wakanda, Avenger and All-Round Genius Ninja Badass, and Ororo Munroe, Goddess of Kenya, Leader of the X-Men and Omega Mutant, the celebrations were loud and overwhelmingly approving. Despite spending time far away from each other, and having other partners at times, their bond combined with their status as royalty for their respective kindred, made it a no-brainer. Add in an awesome run filling in for Reed and Sue in the Fantastic Four and it seemed it would be for ever. Sadly, Avengers vs X-Men happened and the relationship was torn apart. The two have since reconciled as friends, but we all live in hope they give it another try.
Ralph and Sue Dibney
For decades the gold standard for happy, successful, and stable relationship in comics; heroes in DC would hope for a love like theirs. Then Identity Crisis happened, but the less said the better. Ralph reunited with Sue in the pages of 52,performing an act of underhandedness against Neron, Lord of Hell and his flunky, Felix Faust, that lives on in legend. (Seriously, check it out; it was boss.)
Post-New 52 Ralph and Sue are back together as they belong, and long may they avoid the notice of hack writers and hack editors. (Looking at you, Meltzer and Carlin!)
Gambit and Rogue
The iconic ship of the 90s, the slow-burn relationship between the Mysterious Bad Boy with the Shady Past and Flexible Morals, and the Reformed Bad Girl who can Kill You with a Kiss and Bench Press a Tank, was both sweet and sexy.
Whatever his (many, many) secrets and flaws, Gambit was sincere in his attraction to Rogue and his approach to the relationship, caring for her like no one else. And Rogue, used to being armoured against emotion, and with a disastrous relationship history, opened up slowly to his gentle and heartfelt courtship.
When they finally got together, despite the enormous and numerous obstacles in their way, it was positively one of the best moments in X-Men history.
Batman and Catwoman
Yeah, yeah, it’s clichéd, but it’s still one of the greatest ships in Superhero comics.
Dancing around their attraction to each other in every major continuity since the 1940s, Batman and Catwoman have been the Batverse ship before shipping was even a thing. Married in most every alt timeline, and involved briefly during Hush, New 52 saw them solidify their relationship during the Tom King run, which – while cloying at times – was still pretty damn great. Unfortunately, status quo interfered, and these two are once again separated; but with their incredible chemistry, it’s only a matter of time before they come together again. Count on it.
Luke Cage and Jessica Jones
One of the best things Bendis ever did. The relationship built up from an inebriated (i.e. drunk) one night stand, to the sweetest, most adorable relationships in comics. Under Bendis’s hand, Luke went from a mercenary with a heart of gold, to a legit, respected and admired leader in the Avengers family. Jessica went from a PTSD-suffering alcoholic who had undergone horrific trauma, to processing her damage with the love and support of her family, slowly rebuilding her life and taking her place in the Avengers family. And they did it together. With the birth of their daughter Michelle, who will one day be the next Captain America, their place in Avengers lore, and their love, is assured for the ages.
Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy
The power couple in DC and DC media right now, it’s hard to believe how innocuously it started. A filler episode of Batman the Animated Series saw these two bad girls do a heist together. Their chemistry was thermonuclear. Years of dropping hints in BtAS media crossed over to the DC Universe 0 and New 52.
While Harley had a lot of trouble leaving her “Puddin’ ”, once she did, the two outlaw PHDs have created a relationship that gives them both what they need. With her own experience with toxic ex’s (Floronic man…eeeew) and her noble if homicidal desire to save the world, Ivy has had a maturing and stabilizing effect on Harley, while Harley, a former psychologist who wanted to help people, has focused Ivy’s rage against those that despoil the environment, while still leaving room for fun.
Both have served in the Suicide Squad and Harley has joined the Bat family under probation while she attempts to reform. In the meantime, Ivy has found her bloodlust somewhat tamed and doing more to help than harm. With the two of them together, time will tell what happens next to DC’s antihero IT couple. And we’ll all be along for the ride.
Wolverine × Jean Grey/Phoenix × Cyclops × Emma Frost
I must admit, this last one took me by complete and total surprise. We have watched the Wolverine-Jean-Scott circus for decades until her death in the seminal Morrison run. Emma attached herself to Scott during that run, and it made the entire soap opera come alive for a time. With Jean’s approval, Emma and Scott were a thing until, inevitably, Jean returned.
But things are different now: House of X and Powers of X happened. Xavier and the X-Men have given up on peaceful coexistence, preferring peaceful separatism. And all the old rules have been thrown out the window.
Wolverine, Jean, Scott and Emma are now a polycule. I have to admit I never took Logan for the polyamorous type, but that’s my cishet prejudice speaking. This is, in a mutant world, the only place left for this entangled situation to go, and with the mutant race leaving human ethics and human prejudice behind, what is there to say except, “Congrats!” The X-Men were always a metaphor for those who don’t conform to the norms of a bigoted society. This is no different.
Special shoutout to those relationships that would be in a top 50 or top 100: Superman and Lois, Reed and Sue, Wiccan and Hulkling, Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance, and many more.
