Having had such success with characters like Batman and Superman, it’s not surprising that DC's history is riddled with only-child characters. Repeating this formula would be a mistake, of course, and so for every Batman, there’s a Wonder Woman present to counteract the balance. More than that, these kinds of characters expand the potential of comic book characters themselves.
Beyond a character’s motivations to be heroic or villainous, there lies an equally complex history to them that is represented by their family ties. Having said that, let’s now take a look at 10 heroic and villainous siblings from the DC Universe.
10 Heroic: Lois & Lucy Lane
In a world full of aliens, vigilantes, and magical beings, it’s not surprising that two humans like Lois and Lucy Lane end up overlooked. Still, this is disappointing to see, since stories like 2014’s Superman: Lois Lane have revealed there to be a positive example of sisterhood. Not that this is surprising, though.
The two supported one from an early age, and in moments of tragedy, such as the loss of their mother, their bonds only grew stronger. Obviously adulthood led them to different and diverging paths, but that’s hardly enough to stop them from returning to one another. A sign, perhaps, that no matter what continuity their relationship may be affected by, they will always be there for each other.
9 Villanous: Talia al Ghul, Nyssa Raatko, & Dusan Al Ghul
Even though Talia is one of the most notable descendants of Ra’s al Ghul, she is by no means his only descendent. In reality, Talia actually has two half-siblings: A sister named Nyssa and a brother named Dusan.
Unlike their sister, though, Nyssa and Dusan were loved far less by their father. Ra’s initially sung Nyssa’s praises, but quickly changed his tune following her departure from the League of Assassins. Ironically, it was the complete opposite for Dusan, who was originally disowned and then later mourned by Ra’s, sacrificing himself for the League. In any case, both would eventually die, leaving Talia an only child.
8 Villainous: Lex & Lena Luthor
Like Lucy, Lena is one of the lesser-known characters from the Superman comic who’s often been overshadowed by their sibling’s infamous reputation. Unlike Lois and Lucy’s sisterhood, though, nearly every iteration of Lena’s relationship with her brother Lex Luthor has her hurt by him.
Their dynamic, in this sense, is often set up where Lena suffers a horrible existence, while her brother enjoys constant success. Even in the most current iteration of them, Lena suffers because Lex ends up accidentally putting her into a coma. As horrible as their relationship is, though, there’s always another one in the DC Universe that is much worse.
7 Heroic: Anissa & Jennifer Pierce
Thunder and Lightning, otherwise known as Anissa and Jennifer Pierce are the daughters of the infamous hero Black Lightning. The heroic journey of these sisters began in Metropolis, where their father, Jefferson Pierce, first started out as a vigilante. The sisters knew of this, and due to their relation, they later developed elemental powers of their own.
Jefferson didn’t initially want his daughters to follow in his footsteps, though, preferring that they pursue a career instead of criminals. Despite his wishes, Anissa and Jennifer go on to establish reputations as the heroes Thunder and Lightning (mainly operating through the JSA and Outsiders).
6 Heroic/ Villainous: Mera & Hila
Sibling rivalries are rife for material, and the Aquaman comics are no strangers to such themes. Indeed, much attention has been dedicated to the rivalry between Arthur and Orm, even though they’re not the only siblings with bad blood. Mera also has a long history with her identical twin Hila (aka Siren).
Princess Hila, unlike Mera, wasn’t born with hydrokinesis and was dismissed in favor of investing time into Mera. In retaliation, Hila would embrace the “black sheep” identity and swear vengeance against Mera. Years later, Hila would indeed act on this vengeance by overthrowing Mera and impersonating her as queen. Fortunately, though, this wouldn’t last.
5 Heroic: Hippolyta & Antiope
The first among their kind, sisters Hippolyta and Antiope would see the Amazonian nation grow stronger with every hardship. However, an incident would see Hippolyta and Antiope go their separate ways. Here, the two would reach an impasse as to what to do with Heracles, after he invaded their homeland.
Antiope had sought to punish Heracles, but Hippolyta was honor-bound by the gods to let him go. Antiope ultimately saw this as a betrayal and left to start anew under a different pantheon. Those aligned with Antiope would follow her, while those who agreed with Hippolyta would remain. This, in turn, would result in two separate tribes: One led by Queen Hippolyta and another by Antiope.
4 Heroic/Villainous: Grant, Joseph, & Rose Wilson
Part of the dense history of Slade Wilson is not only his Deathstroke alias but the legacy he created through his children. Grant (the 1st Ravager) joined H.I.V.E, where he conducted many missions with them until his untimely death. Joseph differed from his brother, though, and joined the Titans instead of Slade.
Rose (the 4th Ravager) would nevertheless pick up the slack by acting as Slade’s apprentice until eventually joining the Titans too. Even still, Slade’s influence would persist and see Rose and Joseph oscillate between heroism and villainy. Leaving them in a moral limbo that keeps them in a tenuous state of serving as anti-heroes.
3 Heroic/ Villainous: Mekt, Garth, & Ayla Ranzz
Garth Ranzz, like many Winathians, was born as a twin alongside his sister Ayla. Garth and Ayla weren’t alone, though. They actually had an older brother named Mekt, who was ostracized for not having a twin. All three of them would inevitably leave Winath, though, following a fateful incident that causes them to develop elemental powers.
Their paths would then diverge further when Mekt later turned to the Legion of Super-Villains, while the twins formed the Legion of Superheroes. Here, they’d each establish a name for themselves as the villain Lightning Lord and the heroes Lightning Lad and Lightning Lass, respectively. Set apart like this, they’d go on not as siblings but as constant enemies.
2 Villainous: Kalibak, Orion, Grayven, & Grail
One of the most notorious DC villains, Darkseid has fathered four children (his daughter, Grail, being the most recent addition). Nearly all of them are allied with Darkseid, except for Orion (who's loyal to New Genesis).
Kalibak and Grayven are among the most devoted to Darkseid, though due to their failures, he's often disregarded them. His daughter Grail, in contrast, has often impressed Darkseid with her tremendous success against foes. Indeed, Grail not only has the potential to be the most noteworthy of Darkseid’s offspring but a legendary villain to boot.
1 Heroic: Hank & Don Hall
Back in 1968, when Hawk and Dove were first introduced, it was as the polarizing brothers, Hank and Don Hall. The oldest of the two, Hank, followed a reactionary philosophy, while his brother, Don, preferred contemplation. These views often left the brothers divided, but in time, they’d learn how to use these differences to complement one another as the avatars of chaos and order known as Hawk and Dove.
Going forward, the brothers would establish themselves as a powerful duo in the DC universe that would, unfortunately, cease to exist come Don's death in 1985. Hank would in time come to terms with this loss, though, and accept Dawn Granger as the new Dove. Culminating, in turn, with a rebirth of the Hawk and Dove partnership.
