What does Superman gain from a romance with Wonder Woman?

[misslane]

So it always goes back to Lois somehow?

I'm just trying to figure out what is something unique that Superman gains from Wonder Woman. If it's the same thing he'd probably get with any other love interest, then that's not really a true gain, is it?

[Johnny Thunders!]

I think Superman is doing great, she's been blessed by the gods. Wouldn't Wonder Woman be a heck of a catch?

[Xarek]

I'm just trying to figure out what is something unique that Superman gains from Wonder Woman. If it's the same thing he'd probably get with any other love interest, then that's not really a true gain, is it?

Like I said in my last post, the answer would be synergy. Note that I am not making comparisons between pairings as to not derail from the question posed by the OP.

[Johnny Thunders!]

And I don't mean training in weapons or martial arts or anything. One of the things DC has been pushing in the romance is that Diana learns compassion from Clark. What does Clark learn from her?

She has to prove herself among immortals. I imagine that would be somewhat of a task for Superman as well. He's not a god. She use to not be...

[Nite-Wing]

Nothing
I guess he's minutely more interesting since Wonder Woman is now in his bed but ultimately its been a few years now and nothing interesting has happened at all. It hasn't gotten as bad as Green Arrow and Black Canary got towards the end but its quickly heading there.
Really you get the same result hooking Superman up with anyone besides Lois

[misslane]

I think she can understand his burdens and the weight he feels on his shoulders because she has her share of it. Even more so because of who she is. Must be nice to have someone who knows exactly what it feels like to fight a hard fight and come home exhausted, or to lose people under your watch...she does not only listen but she can really empathize.

I'm pretty sure humans and civilians can relate to that feeling and those experiences as well. Doctors, soldiers, even teachers work hard with the burden of people's lives and futures weighing on them. Lois, for example, knows what it's like to fight a hard fight, to be exhausted, and to lose sometimes. She does this every time she pursues a particular investigation that is aimed at uncovering corruption and injustice. I think it's even more validating and comforting to find that one's experiences aren't so unrelatable to those who are different from oneself.

Some people keep saying he teaches her compassion but in JL when Clark was not able to trust Lex, ( and for good reason because of his experience with him) and it was Diana who was there to give another pov. And he trusts Diana. Why wouldn't you? So goes both ways and to suit the situation. Tomasi was a tad heavy handed in #13 but end of the day it's clear they both are compassionate characters.

Chalk that up to different creative teams not having a consistent approach to Wonder Woman's character. Johns' writing of Wonder Woman has evolved from something pretty poor to something that is showing encouraging signs of improvement. Tomasi's and Finch's approaches, unfortunately, are doing her few favors. Tomasi's recent arc was unsubtle in its message that Diana needed to become less detached in her form of caring.

Clark is about protecting, and as others have said she defuses some of that fear of his. He can get on with his job without obsessing over her safety.

That doesn't solve Clark's "problem" of protectiveness. It just eliminates the trigger. You can't credit Diana for helping Clark overcome something that he doesn't have to overcome with her. An alcoholic who becomes sober just because booze is unavailable hasn't exactly developed a stronger will that allows him or her to overcome his or her dysfunctional impulses. What would be better would be to show Clark overcoming his sense of overprotective tendencies by having him be able to embrace hope over fear and take a chance on something scary, trusting that he can handle it.

Being together imo has made them at least very clear about their responsibility as heroes and I don't see either having to feel guilt about it if they have to leave each other to do their job.

This wasn't a problem with Lois/Clark either. I recall Lois Lane's "Go get 'em!" in Up, Up, and Away when Clark got his powers back and wanted to get back into the superhero swing. On Smallville there was this exchange in the episode in which they got engaged:

Lois: Part of a superhero marriage is having two lives. I signed up for that when I said yes. Which is why I'm fine if sometimes our relationship has to take a backseat to your responsibilities.
Clark: Lois, those responsibilities controlled my life way too long. And I ... we... can handle both as long as we stay together. And I promise we will.
Lois: Well, then nothing can stop Mr. and Mrs. Kent.

In fact, much of their journey to the altar was about them embracing this lifestyle bravely and happily.

If you have a girlfriend you share many recreational things and emotional moments. So while some might say he could do some of this with Jim or Bruce...not really on the same level. It's not the same as having all the above with someone you're intimate with.

Yet, Clark's downtime is time he spends doing his more human pursuits which Diana doesn't get and even looked down on to some degree. All he has to do with Lois is overcome his fear of her endangerment--something which touches on your previous point and would show character growth on his part--since Lois' safety is the reason he stated for not telling her his secret or pursuing her when he had feelings for her, and they can go to restaurants and discuss writing (something Clark loves) much more easily and seamlessly. He can even enjoy that downtime by getting to hear Lois relay stories about the world of people he fights to protect.

Doing over what we have seen before does not make something better because that is all we had. Both dynamics are different. Some just might prefer one over the other. Yet shouldn't mean you don't try something new.

I agree. I don't even mind them trying something new with SM/WW, as long as it's not permanent. I subscribe the the scructuralist view on myths, and to me both Wonder Woman and Superman are monomythic characters whose myths have certain themes involving dichotomies that I don't think a relationship between the two resolve in a satisfying way. I also don't like how it's been handled so far. Already, the stories have repeated certain plot beats (e.g. whammied Superman, lasso cure) and seem to rely far too much on reducing one or the other in some way just so one or the other can shine or learn something new; the learning aspect even creates this preachy, kids' storybook quality to them that is unappealing, in my opinion. I also think it's possible to tell old stories in new ways, and oftentimes stories are told and retold so much because there's something about them that just works.

Having said all that, I appreciate that you were speaking to the OP's question about what Superman gains from being with Wonder Woman and weren't necessarily suggesting that he cannot gain those things from other people. I also agree that it ultimately just comes to a matter of personal preference. Right now, I suppose everyone's preferences are getting fulfilled in some way whether it's in comics, in film, or in literature.

[Francisco]

That's true and great, but it's also not something Superman didn't have before. It's not a net gain but more of a net neutral.

Pre-flashpoint he did have it but in the New 52 He didn't have it until recently when he started dating WW. And he would surely have it again in the future when another continuity comes our way.

[Adekis]

I don't need Superman to date Lois. In fact, I kind of need him not to date Lois at this point, because as far as I'm concerned once he starts dating Lois it becomes a matter of time before the wedding. I'm not interested in Superman getting married again. I am interested in what different relationships he can have with different people. Wonder Woman is one of those options, and she's a pretty decent one. That said, any relationship between them cannot last forever- I want them to have an amicable and friendly break-up where they realize they should still be friends. Superman and Wonder Woman might gain from romances with each other, but I've gotten bored of it a bit.

[Xarek]

Nothing
I guess he's minutely more interesting since Wonder Woman is now in his bed but ultimately its been a few years now and nothing interesting has happened at all. It hasn't gotten as bad as Green Arrow and Black Canary got towards the end but its quickly heading there.
Really you get the same result hooking Superman up with anyone besides Lois

In the grand scheme of things the LI relationship between SM/WW is nowhere near as old as GA/BC. But if anything the former is more stable than the latter!
I agree though that some writers have wasted their potential together (see Superman Doomed), but there is lots of time and plots to explore.

[misslane]

Like I said in my last post, the answer would be synergy. Note that I am not making comparisons between pairings as to not derail from the question posed by the OP.

Well, the comment I made was specifically in reference to someone else saying only that what Superman would gain is a beautiful, intelligent, and loving partner. Synergy was not mentioned in that list, so I didn't address it. I made the comparison because it doesn't make sense to describe something as a "gain" if it doesn't fundamentally change the equation. A beautiful, intelligent, and loving partner is great for Superman, but it isn't a true gain for him since his partners all typically fit that description.

[Johnny Thunders!]

In Miracle Man, when he meets Miracle Woman, they connect immediately in ways just impossible for normal people. It was biochemical but they could share moments he and his wife could only discuss.

[manofsteel1979]

To answer the original Post...

As characters....really not much. Especially as there was no build up or character arc that lead up to putting these characters together. The sum total of "development" was a few "looks" and flirty banter a time or two in the first 12 issues of JL...then boom! suddenly a couple.

I am an admitted Clois apologist, and I think erasing that relationship (and by consequence, the demotion of Lois Lane's importance to the DCU and the Superman franchise to a level just above perhaps Cat Grant and a rung or two below Jimmy freaking Olsen) was the one thing about the New 52 that still doesn't sit right with me. However, I try to have an open mind, and had they handled the S/WW pairing as an actual character arc...logically building it up over, say, a couple of years, watching their friendship and attraction blossom into romantic love, I would be intrigued by that. However that's not how it was handled. It reeks of a story beat dictated by how much coin it could put it Warner Bros coffers through T-shirts sold at Hot Topic, Spencers and Old Navy. Oh and there happens to be a certain movie out next year too co-staring her with Superman and Batman. Funny how that works...

The fact that the team up book could easily exist independently of the so called "romance" and outside of the DOOMED story line, has not really impacted the Superman or Wonder Woman books in a meaningful way that enhances either franchise from a narrative standpoint. Outside of riling up and dividing the Superman and Wonder Woman fan bases into "team Lois", "team Diana" and Team Steve" camps (which judging from other threads, it's working in spades) and helping line Jim Lee and Tony Daniel's pockets off of residuals from swag sold, I can't honestly see how Superman or Wonder Woman has gained anything.

I do think though the myth of Superman has actually lost something vital in this marketing oriented philosophy.

[Kandor Rising]

Nothing interesting to S/WW can happen because WW has her own book where the important stuff must happen. So its a huge chain holding the character back that he must be tied to another franchise. I guess its the same for WW, but her franchise isn't nearly as rich and fewer people care.

[Sacred Knight]

And yet the big cliffhanger for Superman going into Convergence happened in Batman/Superman, not Action Comics or Superman.

So DC doesn't seem to agree with you. Your "rule" is made up. SM/WW is more than open for big Wonder Woman moments and big Superman moments.

[Blacksun]

Nothing
I guess he's minutely more interesting since Wonder Woman is now in his bed but ultimately its been a few years now and nothing interesting has happened at all. It hasn't gotten as bad as Green Arrow and Black Canary got towards the end but its quickly heading there.
Really you get the same result hooking Superman up with anyone besides Lois

said well. smww did some headlines,.but it.never catched fire. now majoritybdoesnt care, it was a short stunts.
if they want a superpowered gf they could give.powers to lois, that made wonders to carol danvers.

To answer the original Post...

As characters....really not much. Especially as there was no build up or character arc that lead up to putting these characters together. The sum total of "development" was a few "looks" and flirty banter a time or two in the first 12 issues of JL...then boom! suddenly a couple.

I am an admitted Clois apologist, and I think erasing that relationship (and by consequence, the demotion of Lois Lane's importance to the DCU and the Superman franchise to a level just above perhaps Cat Grant and a rung or two below Jimmy freaking Olsen) was the one thing about the New 52 that still doesn't sit right with me. However, I try to have an open mind, and had they handled the S/WW pairing as an actual character arc...logically building it up over, say, a couple of years, watching their friendship and attraction blossom into romantic love, I would be intrigued by that. However that's not how it was handled. It reeks of a story beat dictated by how much coin it could put it Warner Bros coffers through T-shirts sold at Hot Topic, Spencers and Old Navy. Oh and there happens to be a certain movie out next year too co-staring her with Superman and Batman. Funny how that works...

The fact that the team up book could easily exist independently of the so called "romance" and outside of the DOOMED story line, has not really impacted the Superman or Wonder Woman books in a meaningful way that enhances either franchise from a narrative standpoint. Outside of riling up and dividing the Superman and Wonder Woman fan bases into "team Lois", "team Diana" and Team Steve" camps (which judging from other threads, it's working in spades) and helping line Jim Lee and Tony Daniel's pockets off of residuals from swag sold, I can't honestly see how Superman or Wonder Woman has gained anything.

I do think though the myth of Superman has actually lost something vital in this marketing oriented philosophy.

well superman was a character that wouldbt looked down at women without powers or stay with sonebody because he is alone consequence of looking down normal humans.
I dont think it did well to.sales or for the characters, none of them is more popular