It’s Valentine’s Day weekend, which means love is in the air. Of course, in the DC Universe, there are a lot of superheroes in the air as well. So, if you find yourself with your head in the clouds thinking about love, you might be forgiven if you were to catch sight of Supergirl or Hal Jordan whizzing by and wonder, “Hey, are they single, and if so, do you think I have a chance?”

We get it, superheroes are appealing, and we’re not about to burst your bubble. If you see any single superheroes, dream big and shoot your shot. Just remember that dating a superhero does come with some pitfalls. If you choose to make a superhero your Valentine this year, here are seven helpful tips to keep in mind.
 

Don’t Be Surprised if Your Dates End Early

When you date a superhero, you won’t actually be doing a lot of dating. There will be plenty of times when your date won’t show up because they’ll be too busy fighting a villain somewhere. And if they do actually show, they’ll likely be forced to leave early due to some crisis happening nearby.

For example, in 1998’s Nightwing #26, Dick Grayson ditches his date Bridget Clancy midsentence while she turns around, which is pretty rude. This was probably learned behavior, because his mentor Bruce Wayne has done his fair share of ditching dates. In 1942’s Detective Comics #69, Bruce abandons his date Linda Page on a broken Ferris wheel to go do Batman stuff. This leads us to our next tip…
 

Prepare for Lame Excuses (Because There Will Be a Lot)

Dating a superhero means long absences, strange occurrences, and broken dates. If your superhero partner hasn’t told you their secret identity (more on that later), this means they’re going to try to throw you off with excuses. Many of them will be lame.

In 1943’s Batman #15, Bruce Wayne tried to get out of romantic hot water by claiming that he was cheating on his girlfriend as a favor to Batman (I never get tired of bringing this up in articles). In Action Comics #289 someone tried to shave Clark’s head, but his invulnerable hair shattered the razor. Clark told Lois he was wearing a steel wig, which is totally something people actually do in real life.

Until they let you in on their secret identity, be prepared to hear some good ones.
 

You Will Be Kidnapped

Look, I don’t want to sugarcoat this: if you date a superhero, expect to get kidnapped…but this is actually kinda a good thing. It means that you are seen as a significant love interest, otherwise the villains wouldn’t bother. And unless the superhero you’re dating is really inept, they’re going to rescue you, so try not to freak out too much. Plus, you’re in good company. One fan website tried tracking all the times Lois Lane was kidnapped, and they found 31 instances in six years before they stopped counting. Oh, and if you think being a man helps, you’re mistaken. Just ask Wonder Woman’s boyfriend Steve Trevor, who has had his fair share of kidnappings.
 

Be Patient, it Might Be a While Before They Tell You Their Secret Identity

Partners keeping secrets from one another is a big red flag, but superheroes are protective when it comes to their secret identities. Don’t take it personally, because it’s not a reflection on you, it’s just a superhero thing. Masked crimefighters have been hiding their identities from their partners since the Golden Age, so it’s kind of a tradition.

Don’t worry, because if your love is real, then they will eventually tell you. Superman didn’t tell Lois his secret identity until Action Comics #662, 53 years and over 600 issues after their first date! Barry Allen didn’t tell Iris West he was the Flash until they had been married for a year (1967’s The Flash 174), which is kind of slow for the fastest man alive. The point is, it may take a while for your partner to reveal their secret identity, so be prepared for years of mysterious disappearances and bad excuses.
 

Keep an Open Mind, Because Things are Going to Get Weird

When you’re dating a superhero, there is no normal. Things are going to get weird, so it’s best to keep an open mind (you’re going to need it). Abby Arcane’s first intimate experience with Swamp Thing was eating a yam that grew from his body and having a psychedelic experience (The Saga of Swamp Thing #34). Iris West was murdered by Reverse-Flash, but her soul was rescued from her body, transported to the future, and then placed in the body of a middle-aged male juror at Barry Allen’s murder trial years later (The Flash #350). And I don’t even know how to explain Steve Trevor dying, being split into two people, coming back, and all the weirdness he experienced in the Bronze Age (IT GOT WEIRD).

The point is, if you’re not getting kidnapped by a supervillain, you should expect to turn into a gorilla or gain temporary cosmic powers. At least it keeps things spicy.
 

Your Relationship Might Be Hard to Define at Times (Blame a Crisis)

If you think normal relationships are hard to define, dating a superhero is far worse. When you’re dating a civilian, you might ask yourself if you’re a serious item or just hooking up, and those questions become far more confusing when you’re with a superhero. For example, in the early issues of The Flash, Iris West was at times described as Barry Allen’s girlfriend, then they were “just friends” who never dated, and a few issues later, they were suddenly engaged. No, you didn’t miss a storyline.

Getting married doesn’t make things more defined either. In 2011, Superman was married to Lois Lane and the Flash was married to Iris West, but the events of Flashpoint shifted the timeline, and when DC began its New 52 publishing initiative, both marriages were erased. No, they didn’t divorce, everyone was just single again.

Don’t get too wrapped up in labeling your superhero relationship because the next multiverse Crisis is always around the corner.
 

Forget Your Dream Wedding

If you’ve come this far, then you and your superhero partner have decided to take the plunge. Congratulations, and may no sales driven crossover event tear your union apart. However, I would advise you to lower your expectations when it comes to the wedding. If you’re marrying a superhero, there is a 90% chance your wedding will be interrupted by a supervillain.

Donna Troy’s wedding went smoothly, and Superman’s wedding miraculously went off without any drama, but these are the rare exceptions to the rule. The minister exploded at Nightwing and Starfire’s wedding, Deathstroke and a group of supervillains crashed Green Arrow and Black Canary’s wedding and Elasti-Girl’s wedding was sabotaged by her own teammates. I know I would be pretty miffed if I spent $30,000 on a wedding that was interrupted for the 64^th rematch between my hero partner and their arch-nemesis.

Just elope. It’s cheaper, and you don’t have to worry about exploding ministers.
 

At the end of the day, the heart wants what the heart wants. Dating a superhero can be rewarding, so if one of them asks you out, follow your heart and go for it. Just make sure you’re prepared for body swapping, the lamest excuses known to man, and you have enough PTO at work to cover your frequent kidnappings. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Joshua Lapin-Bertone writes about TV, movies and comics for DC.com, is a regular contributor to the Couch Club and writes our monthly Batman column, "Gotham Gazette." Follow him on Bluesky at @joshualapinbertone and on X at @TBUJosh.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Joshua Lapin-Bertone and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.