Who Are His Closest Superhero Friends Besides "The Trinity" and "Super-Family'?

[Anthony Shaw]

I enjoyed the kinship between Lar Gand & Clark. I wish DC would bring that relationship back into continuity.

[The World]

The whole reason Superman and Batman were friends even Super-Friends was because in the Pre-Crisis days Bruce was despite his backstory still behaved with a sense of maturity and Clark had some semblance of a spine. They actually had the breadth of character to have things in common. The Post-Crisis writers bulldozed that when they had Batman become a tantrum throwing 14 year old and Clark adopted the personality of a Ken doll. If you want to see an example of this occur over the course of single run read Williamsons Batman/Superman run which had that dreadful first arc and the far superior two parter that came after. First arc was about The Batman Who Laughs and featured that wretched Post-Crisis characterization, the superior two parter had (somewhat) Pre-Crisis characterization.

[Johnny Thunders!]

Two pages and nobody has mentioned Krypto or Jimmy Olsen?

[Johnny Thunders!]

Two pages and nobody has mentioned Krypto or Jimmy Olsen?

Nevermind, Superfamily excluded!

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

The Flash, it feels like they would be close enough.

Technically Green Arrow from Smallville but that probably doesn't count.

The Legion of Superheroes.

[DochaDocha]

Eh. Lots of people have unlikely friendships like that. But sometimes, when you spend enough time with somebody or you're brought together by certain circumstances, it doesn't really matter how different you are. Of my two best friends, one of them doesn't really have a single thing in common with me. We don't really share any of the same interests and we're opposites in almost every conceivable way. But we still...connect because of how long we've known each other. We still have fun hanging out and we're definitely able to confide in each other whenever one of us needs to.

So maybe that's why I never saw Clark and Bruce's friendship as being unrealistic. When you've known someone for a long time and have been through a lot with that person, eventually you just start to click regardless of whether or not it makes sense lol

Yeah. I mean, if James Carville and Mary Matalin can remain married for 27 years, I think all sorts of friendships are possible, no matter how far apart people are philsophically.

[SiegePerilous02]

Probably the Legion, Robin (Dick) and J'onn

The whole reason Superman and Batman were friends even Super-Friends was because in the Pre-Crisis days Bruce was despite his backstory still behaved with a sense of maturity and Clark had some semblance of a spine. They actually had the breadth of character to have things in common. The Post-Crisis writers bulldozed that when they had Batman become a tantrum throwing 14 year old and Clark adopted the personality of a Ken doll. If you want to see an example of this occur over the course of single run read Williamsons Batman/Superman run which had that dreadful first arc and the far superior two parter that came after. First arc was about The Batman Who Laughs and featured that wretched Post-Crisis characterization, the superior two parter had (somewhat) Pre-Crisis characterization.

Yeah, him and Bruce being friends shouldn't be as confusing as it is. It only doesn't make sense if we're only looking at the post-COIE characterizations, but they had no problem being buddies before hand. In large part like you said because Bruce wasn't an *******. When they fought, like around the time Batman formed the Outsiders, it actually carried weight because they had history as friends and they could recover from disagreements.

[MadFacedKid]

I’d honestly imagine Flash is interchangeable I know they have the races for charity. But outside that I don’t really remember anything I was like woah they’re really good friends.

I think I’d say Grayson, Jimmy (If he doesn’t count as Super-Family), I liked his relationship with Ollie and Lex in smallville if that counts

And throwing in my consistently favorite DC character
https://comicnewbies.com/2015/12/30/...aman-and-mera/

There was a issue Post-Crisis I believe where Superman came to Aquaman to try to guess a gift Lois gave to him to but I can’t recall the comic or find the pic

Also that Aquaman/Superman power hour cartoon

[Kuwagaton]

I'm not so crazy about Aquaman so I tend to forget that the bond between them is kinda nice. The story you mention is Mystery Box from Adventures of Superman, the digital first series.

I am a big fan of Katar Hol, he's my second favorite. So even though they weren't quite friends I liked the two of them together.

Guy started out as a thorn in Superman's side, and wasn't as good as Hal in the latter's opinion. But eventually Guy had a stronger bond than Hal did.

[Ascended]

Well, back in pre-Crisis Clark was casual friends with a lot of people from across the universe like Vartox and the Legion, and in post-Crisis had a number of allies and/or friends like Gangbuster or even the Alpha Centurion (they didn't get along but worked well together, akin to a Goku/Vegeta dynamic I guess). I dunno if I'd say he was close to those people, but there was at least genuine respect and trust.

But since the majority of those characters appeared in Clark's books I'm assuming they count as "super family" and aren't applicable here. And most of those relationships no longer exist, and haven't for a long time anyway.

Clark's not really one for being "close" with many people. He's friendly, but keeps almost everyone at arm's length. Hell I'd argue he's not even really "close" with a lot of the Super family.

He has a quality, quiet friendship with J'onn though, one born of similar circumstances and mutual respect. I feel like these two might go weeks or months without speaking, but when they do get together it's like no time has passed at all. Their bond is one of my favorites because even though it's rarely seen it's always good. I dunno if I've ever read a *bad* interaction between them.

He has a solid, uncle-nephew relationship with Dick Grayson (when DC is willing to acknowledge that Dick's close to anyone who doesn't live in Gotham). This is one of my favorite dynamics Clark has because Dick seems to bring out Clark's mischievous, fun-loving side more than most, and the amount of faith and love Clark has in Nightwing highlights how amazing Dick is as both a hero and person.

Past that? He gets along well with Barry; their speed rivalry is something they both enjoy (and that carried over to Wally too), and they share a love of science and general nerdiness. Clark gets along well with Aquaman, who like Clark has to balance his native culture against his upbringing while carrying the weight of huge responsibility. And Clark seems to get on well with Hawkman, Atom, Ralph Dibny (didn't the Dibnys and Kents double date a few times?) and most other Leaguers, but I don't think I'd say he was "close" to any of them, more that he enjoyed their company and worked well with them.

I think Clark and Guy Gardner were on their way to becoming unlikely friends, but that never solidified as Guy's role in the GL/JLA books diminished.

Bendis might be building up a dynamic with Clark and Naomi, given their interactions in Action. But if a genuine friendship is going to develop there it has yet to happen.

[Vordan]

Naomi and Clark feels like more of a student-mentor relationship imo.

Billy and Clark have an odd friendship in some cases:

[MadFacedKid]

I'm not so crazy about Aquaman so I tend to forget that the bond between them is kinda nice. The story you mention is Mystery Box from Adventures of Superman, the digital first series.

I am a big fan of Katar Hol, he's my second favorite. So even though they weren't quite friends I liked the two of them together.

Guy started out as a thorn in Superman's side, and wasn't as good as Hal in the latter's opinion. But eventually Guy had a stronger bond than Hal did.

Appreciate you that’s definite the one.

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[Zero Hunter]

I loved this interaction from Action Comics 864 right after the Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes storyline where Lightning Lad brings Superman home and the two just hang out talking about old times. This is why Supes needs the Legion to be part of his life to have old friends like this.

[MadFacedKid]

Really digging Lightning Lad’s design

[Tzigone]

Well, back in the bronze age didn't Ralph dream he'd invited Clark for dinner with him and Sue (or that Clark had invited them)? I certainly wouldn't call them bffs, but they all used to be actual friends once upon a time.