Superman and Lois explore.
There are so many avenues to go with a superhero family. The struggle of family who want to live normal lives. The shadows that younger heroes must escape when their parents are among the greatest heroes to have ever lived. All that is explored when DC delves into the family lives of its icons.
Brainiac
Most people wouldn’t expect Brainiac to be part of a family of heroes, and they wouldn’t be blamed for thinking so. Brainiac is one of Superman’s greatest foes, and he didn’t get that honor by being a morally upright citizen. However, where these changes are his descendants.
In the far future, Brainiac’s descendants have dedicated themselves to clearing their name and helping all that they can. The most notable of these descendants is Brainiac 5, one of the most important of the League of Superheroes. It’s through him that Superman learns of his foes’ kinder descendants.
The Constantine Family
If there’s anything readers can count on in the DC universe, it’s that the trickster John Constantine can’t be counted on for anything. The occult expert and resident scoundrel, John Constantine is the latest in a long line of magicians and exorcists. Not only that, it seems all of them have the same commitment issues and trauma their descendant has.
The most notable of his ancestors would be Johanna Constantine, a woman that Dream of the Endless has had dealings with. Based on his retelling of the encounter, it seems that the “screwing with all-powerful cosmic entities” attitude is hereditary.
The Arrow Family
Oliver Queen’s comic entourage includes his wife Black Canary, his son Connor Hawke, and half-sister Emiko Queen. As expected, all but Dinah are masters of the bow and arrow, and that’s not even counting Oliver’s first sidekick, Roy Harper.
As can be expected with billionaires and their relatives, there was a lot of tension in the family at first. Most of them had only met well into adulthood and thus don’t know anything about each other. Still, when the cards are down, their arrows fly for the sake of justice, and hopefully not into each other’s backs.
The Atlanteans
Although they are generally independent of each other, Aquaman’s extended family are still heroes in their own right. include his wife Mera, his wards Garth and Jackson Hyde, step-sister Tula, and close associate Dolphin. As a family of Atlanteans, they are the first line of defense against aquatic threats.
The relationship between Arthur and his family is different from the typical superhero family. Because Atlanteans still bowing to nobility, Arthur is treated as a king, not just a relative. That means his commands bear the weight of a ruler, and thankfully, his family trusts him enough to make the right decisions.
The Shazam Family
The Shazam family are all foster siblings under the care of Victor and Rosa Vasquez. When Black Adam kidnaps Billy Batson’s new adoptive family, Shazam suddenly has an epiphany. Recalling a lesson about sharing his power, he gave each of his siblings the power of Shazam. Thus, the Shazam family was officially born.
The Shazam family has the same overpowered abilities that Billy Batson was gifted with. The most notable of the siblings would be Mary Bromfield, AKA, Lady Shazam. She’d go on to be one of the most reliable heavy hitters in the DC Universe, alongside the likes of Wonder Woman and Supergirl.
The Knight Family
One of the more obscure yet nonetheless established superhero families in DC, the Knights are one of the core pillars of the Justice Society of America. Theodore Knight would become the first Starman, and his cousin, Sandra Knight, would become the first Phantom Lady. Since then, various Knights have taken over the mantles.
Currently, the title of Starman is held by Ted’s youngest son, Jack Knight. Meanwhile, Phantom Lady is Jennifer Knight. The Knight family is unique in that when one of their retires, they actually stay retired. Quite refreshing when compared to Batman’s mantle changes throughout the years.
The Hall Family
The Hall family may just be one of the most powerful magical lines in the entire DC universe. The family seems to have all-powerful roles in the fabric of reality suddenly on their laps. Hector Hall is the son of Carter and Shiera Hall, AKA, Hawkman and Hawkgirl. If that wasn’t enough, he also became the fourth Doctor Fate.
His wife, Lyta Trevor, is an Amazonian superheroine on par with the likes of Wonder Woman. Their son together, Daniel Hall, was born in the Dreaming, as Hector had him with Lyta while he hid from Death. For fans of the comics, they know that Daniel Hall would soon become the next incarnation of Dream of the Endless.
The West-Allens
The West-Allens are the resident speedsters of the DC Universe and are practically synonymous with the Speed Force. Barry Allen and Iris West-Allen’s bloodline would spawn speedsters that become legends well into the future, such as Impulse and Kid Flash. It’s also no exaggeration to say the West-Allens are one of the most powerful superhero families ever.
Barry Allen alone was responsible for the creation of not one, but two universes, and all by running really, really, really fast. However, their cavalier attitude does seem to be a hereditary trait, as other family like Wally West and Bart Allen prove. Still, there’s no denying the legacy of the fastest family alive.
House of El
When it comes to powerful superhero families, it’s hard to look further than the House of El. Kryptonians are some of the strongest beings in the DC Universe, and it only makes sense that each member of Jor-El’s house would be a great hero. Kal-El AKA Clark Kent AKA Superman would soon discover he was not the last Kryptonian.
His cousin, Kara Zor-El, arrived on Earth late into his superhero career. Soon, Clark would start a family with his wife, Lois Lane, and Jon Kent would become the next Superman. There are also the “Elseworlds” relatives, Power Girl, the Kara of Earth-Two, which eventually merged with Prime Earth. Although they all vary in personality, their comion and kindness are what make them some of the greatest heroes in DC’s history.
The Bat Family
When it comes to iconic DC families, none are moreso than Batman’s evergrowing group of orphans and misfits. Every Robin would go on to become fantastic heroes in their own right, and some, such as Nightwing, even led teams of their own. The Batgirls aren’t falling behind either, as each has the specializations that make them unique from each other, such as Batgirl’s tech genius and Cassie Cain’s unrivaled martial arts.
The Batfamily also has its fair share of drama. are never truly part of the family until they have a falling out and eventual burying of hatchets with their patriarch, Bruce Wayne. It’s funny how Batman, a man who insists on working alone, ended up with one of the biggest, most dysfunctional, and closest superhero families on this side of the DC Universe.