Stable Relationships or short affairs?

[Masterff]

Hello,
do you prefer stable relationships or short affairs or a mix of both?

I like both...
Stable relationships, but I also in some sense liked for example Black Canary and Batman in All Star Batman as I can understand the attraction...

[Restingvoice]

Depending on the characters. Clark, Diana, Dick should be stable. Bruce, Jason Todd, Slade, Constantine aren't.

[Elmo]

I'm a sucker for "will they, won't they" scenarios and doomed relationships

[Vampire Savior]

I'm probably more of a fan of stable ones because they're easier to invest in. However, sometimes it's good to have a change of pace. For example...and this is going off on way different type of stuff...but I thought it was really cool how in A Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Link's love interest is Marin instead of Zelda. But when love interests become like Bond girls, there isn't a whole lot to invest in there. I guess people can be into how the hero gets around, but it's kind of hard to really care about the characters or relationships for me. That said, that paradigm can work well for certain types of characters.

[MoneySpider]

Hello,
do you prefer stable relationships or short affairs or a mix of both?

I like both...
Stable relationships, but I also in some sense liked for example Black Canary and Batman in All Star Batman as I can understand the attraction...

I think a mixture of both, since that's what happens in the real world.

[DrNewGod]

There are some relationships I think should be stable. Elongated Man and Sue, Hawkman and Hawkman, Superman and Lois.

Batman is a special case. I prefer he and both Catwoman and Talia be doomed relationships, but consistent.

[Frontier]

Stable relationships for the most part.

[Tzigone]

Stable relationships for the most part.

Definitely. Part of it is just that being my general preference (I like getting invested). But part of it is the long-term/ongoing nature of comics. Will-they-won't-they gets boring after while - I no longer care if they will. Break-up-make-up is even worse because after a few times, I no longer want them together and think they are obviously ill-suited, since they can never make it work. Worse when, for drama's sake, they treat each other very poorly for the breakups. There are so many ships in comics that I can only ship by disregarding swathes of canon because of this.

Plus, dating someone you work with is fine - dating a lot of people you work with (since comics last so long) is not. I have a particular dislike for Batman dating heroes (especially those with a significant other love interest in canon), which has a heavy basis in the DCAU and the BatGod motif and the general "your girlfriend would rather be screwing Batman" suggestion. So dating one or two other heroes can work, but beyond that, not for me.

The only ones I'd consider keep in a consistent back-and-forth without resolution (either staying broken up or together) are Hal and Carol. Not sure I'm a fan of it, but I could accept them locked in an ongoing unhealthy dynamic for the long-term.

Now some remaining single, not settling down, and having multiple relationships (or non-relationships) is absolutely fine. I'd prefer those more often be with their own supporting characters than other heroes from other (or team) books, though.

[LP22]

There are some relationships I think should be stable. Elongated Man and Sue, Hawkman and Hawkman, Superman and Lois.

Batman is a special case. I prefer he and both Catwoman and Talia be doomed relationships, but consistent.

Katar and Carter wink wink

[Gaius]

Stable relationships since I generally dislike "will they, won't they" story lines but I guess it depends on the character. Prefer people like Superman or WW in a stable relationship while I think Batman's usual designated relationships (Catwoman and Talia) are doomed to failure.

[DrNewGod]

Stable relationships since I generally dislike "will they, won't they" story lines but I guess it depends on the character. Prefer people like Superman or WW in a stable relationship while I think Batman's usual designated relationships (Catwoman and Talia) are doomed to failure.

Batman's relationships with anyone are doomed to failure. He'll never be able to give enough to himself to anyone.

[qwazer07]

Short affairs. I am here for a wild ride, not a boring one. Look at Dick Grayson for the best example. Ever since he became a man, he has been an unstoppable love machine.

[Jon Clark]

I like relationships that develop over the course of the characters' adventures without feeling forced or drug out.

Things like Superman and Lois only work for me if there is a build up to their eventual marriage. Having them presented as the inevitable endgame from day one or with a vague backstory that we never see doesn't work for me. Show me why Steve Trevor and Diana wind up together outside of "love at first sight" and "it has always been this way". Make me believe that Kyle or Hal really are in a long term relationship and not just killing time between temporary hook-ups (unless the current relationship is meant to be a light one)

On the other hand the will/won't they is unbearable. The Pre-Crisis Hawks on either Earth never bothered me, but I couldn't stand the Carter/Kendra bit where writers seemed to waffle back and forth between developing the relationship (because of destiny) or having Kendra move on (because Kendra was NOT Shiera). Pick a direction and move forward. If they broke up several issues back and nothing changed now then don't do a U-turn this month to keep the relationship in play. Play out the breakup and then take your time reuniting them. Or don't and actually develop new love interests that last more than a single storyline/writer.

[SiegePerilous02]

It depends on what era we're talking about and what continuity and what kind of storytelling, etc. Everything wears out its welcome eventually and needs to take a short break to get refreshed.

The marriage between Clark and Lois was a exciting when it first happened after years of will they/won't they that had worn thin. But eventually the marriage could grow stale too without the sexual tension. As with all things, it comes in phases.

[qwertyuiop1998]

For the most characters(Especially those paragons, heroes like Superman and Diana) I do prefer the stable relationships. Superman and Lois, Diana and Steve, Barry and Iris, Wally and Linda etcetcetc, But there are some cases I think they should remain short affairs. Hal, Bruce, Slade etcetcetc