Relationships between superheroes are always a little controversial. Whether they’re ones of romance, friendship, rivalry or all of the above, there’s often disagreement over how much superheroes should need each other, not to mention any discrepancy in storylines Still, there’s just no denying the chemistry between Batman and Wonder Woman. As two of DC’s most enduring superheroes, the two have been through a lot together across their recent live-action film appearances, popular animated TV shows and of course through all of their comic illustrated glory. On the surface, they may seem like total opposites; Wonder Woman is a half-god warrior who fights for truth, peace, and love while the brooding Batman is a mortal with tons of gadgets and the occasional penchant for revenge. Still, the two heroes both have a strong sense of justice and an affinity for… flirtation?

Sure, Wonder Woman and Batman— or shall we say, Diana Prince and Bruce Wayne—may have other longtime love interests and associates, but the world of superheroes has never been one restricted by rules. While the Justice League movie was widely panned by critics and audiences alike, this hasn’t seemed to deter the popularity of the two characters— not to mention fan interest in the underlying relationship between them (seriously, you could cut a knife through the tension in every scene between Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot).

Here are 20 Wild Revelations About Batman And Wonder Woman’s Relationship.

20. Batman and Wonder Woman first teamed up in 1968

While their initial comic debuts were several years apart (Batman in 1939 and Wonder Woman in 1942), the two superheroes did not actually join forces until the 1968 Brave and the Bold issue simply titled “Batman and Wonder Woman, Guest Starring Batgirl”. What followed was a rather bizarre story involving the first appearance of the snake-man-lizard villain Copperhead, who in this incarnation wears a puffy hood shaped like a snakehead and has a tail.

This was a time when women in pop culture could not necessarily do things by themselves without the help of a man, and if they were going to do anything by themselves, it was going to be for a man. Spoiler alert: as Batman hunts down Copperhead and gets to be the strong masculine hero that he is, Wonder Woman and Batgirl get to help out by having a pretend catfight over Batman’s love (because that’s how a powerful, half-goddess woman can most effectively fight crime) all over the city.

19. Batman Isn’t Too Fond of Steve Trevor

Almost every superhero has one enduring romantic interest that is above all the others. Superman has Lois Lane. Spiderman has Mary Jane Watson. Even Batman has Catwoman, but more on that later. For Wonder Woman, however, her main man was Steve Trevor. He’s the first man she meets in her life, and he quickly becomes the most important. They even get married in the last issue of the original Wonder Woman comic book series.

Nevertheless, Batman makes is pretty clear early on how much he dislikes Steve Trevor, for whatever reason. In one 1970s issue of The Brave and the Bold, he remarks, “What does she see in that man?” And to emphasize this point to modern fans, Ben Affleck’s dark knight actually untastefully taunts Wonder Woman about Trevor’s passing in Justice League. While he does later apologize for his behavior, his sentiments toward Wonder Woman’s other romantic interest are fairly clear.

18. The Two Superheroes Have Agreed That They Are Better as Friends

We’ll see where the Justice League films decide to take the relationship, but anyone who’s been keeping up with the comics and any of the animated TV shows already know that both Wonder Woman and Batman have insisted to each other and to their associates that the two of them are better off as nothing more than friends. But even though this is seen in various comic storylines, the perhaps most memorable occurrences of this are seen in the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited animated series’ that ran from 2001 to 2006.

In what was arguably one of the greatest versions of the Justice League team in general, part of what powered it was the will they or won’t they? The tension between Wonder Woman and Batman that could easily compete with any live-action sitcom from the same time. Nevertheless, whenever the topic of a potential romantic relationship came up, both heroes would steadfastly admit that there was something there, but everything was better off if they didn’t pursue it. Sigh.

17. The first movie they appeared in together was in The Lego Movie

You’d think that maybe there would have been some kind of big screen crossover years earlier, but alas this was not the case. Even Wonder Woman herself had to wait decades before she even got her own movie in the first place. Sure, there have been quite a few direct-to-DVD animated films from DC featuring Wonder Woman and the rest of the Justice League, but we’re not counting those. Even 2017’s Justice League was not quite fast enough when it came to teaming up Batman and Wonder Woman in a feature film.

While moviegoers were already excited by the cameos of various other superheroes and pop culture characters throughout the hit film that is The Lego Movie, the inclusion of Wonder Woman was groundbreaking as not just the first time she appeared on the big screen alongside Batman, but actually the first time the character appeared in theaters ever.

16. Wonder Woman Once defeated Batman

All relationships have their ups and downs. Throughout all versions of Batman and Wonder Woman, the characters have had their disagreements and even some tense moments where it wasn’t clear if the friendship would last. But then there’s that time that Wonder Woman totally beats up the caped crusader and pins him to the ground with her foot as he weakly admits he is beaten.

Making things even more dramatic, this all goes down because Wonder Woman has sworn to protect someone who is nothing but a cold criminal in the eyes of Batman. It’s hard to see one friend so brutally destroy another, but alas this is Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia, a dark graphic novel from 2002 and arguably one of the best Wonder Woman stories ever told.

15. Wonder Woman Would Have Lost Her Powers Had She Entered Into A Relationship With Batman

Interpreted both literally and metaphorically, there was even one issue where she was held captive and feared losing her powers because a man had bound her “bracelets of submission” together. In another, the once independent heroine gave up her super strength in order to settle down into married life with Steve Trevor. So would Wonder Woman become a mere mortal if she actually entered into a relationship with Batman? Perhaps, although fortunately, the concept of Aphrodite’s Law seems to have all but disappeared since the 1980s.

14. Adam West’s Batman And Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman Were Teamed Up Together

Two of the most famous TV shows about Batman and Wonder Woman (as individuals) somewhat surprisingly never once crossed path. While it was revealed that Lynda Carter almost made a cameo in the 2017 straight-to-video animated movie Batman vs. Two-Face, the appearance never came to fruition and the movie ended up being Adam West’s last role before his passing. Fortunately, DC had already made fans’ longtime dreams come true with a special comic book series in 2012. The title of the issue is simple and tells it like it is: “Batman ‘66 Meets Wonder Woman ‘77”.

The illustrated characters are designed to look just like their beloved live-action counterparts, and what ensues is a fun romp that has the two superheroes battling infamous villain Ra’s Al Ghul from the 1940s up through the 1970s. The series fully embraces the campiness of both television shows, and while there isn’t really any romance between Wonder Woman and Batman in this rendition, it is nevertheless one of the most positive and drama-free interactions they’ve had. Holy crossover, Batman!

13. Both Batman And Wonder Woman Have Had Young Sidekicks

Speaking of 1960s Batman, who could forget his energetic sidekick, Robin? While not every version of Robin has been as lighthearted and comical as Burt Ward’s portrayal in the live-action TV show, the character has nevertheless remained fairly consistent when it comes to being a lighthearted foil to the hero he serves.

12. Wonder Woman Is The More Powerful Of The Two

Sure, they have fought side by side numerous times, and the earlier days even saw Wonder Woman getting captured multiple times only to be saved by the Dark Knight. But none of that really matters when the facts are laid out: Bruce Wayne is merely a mortal man with a lot of money, intelligence and martial arts training, while Diana Prince is actually a demigod who can best both gods and men in a fight.

As detailed earlier, she has already beaten Batman. As if all of this were not evidence enough that she is easily the more powerful of the two superheroes, the Justice League Dark series by James Tynion IV recently depicted Wonder Woman unlocking additional powers sourced from witchcraft. Sorry, Batman, you’re not even close.

11. At One Point They Were Both Just Mortal Humans

Now known as the Wonder Woman “Mod Years”, this period of time ultimately proved to be unpopular among fans and did not last very long. Batman meanwhile is popular among his fanbase largely because he is a mortal human. He has been offered superpowers before, but as history has already shown with the case of Wonder Woman, it might just be better to let heroes stay true to themselves.

10. Wonder Woman Is Over 4,000 years Older Than Batman

Okay, so she’s not 4,000 years older than him in every version of the characters, but in most, she is significantly older. After all, her origins are that of demigod or half-god who has lived on the island of Themyscira, a land untouched by humankind (and possibly the normal passage of time) for some thousands of years.

She didn’t actually enter the “present” world until the 1940s, by which point she had already been alive for much longer than everyone she encountered. How old she is exactly, remains a mystery, but Batman v. Superman (2016) director Zack Synder has said that Wonder Woman is about 5,000 years old during the events of the film. Given the fact that Batman’s age also varies throughout different versions of the character between the comic books, TV, and movies, we can’t pinpoint exactly how much older Wonder Woman is.

9. they Have Been Involved In Love Triangles

The two superheroes themselves have flirted on and off with each other, and in some versions, they’ve actually kissed. But none of this stops the fact that they’ve also been seeing other people this entire time. While many other superheroes and civilians have been in the mix here, the two most commonly seen love triangles are those that involve Batman, Wonder Woman, and Catwoman and those with Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman.

The first one is obvious, seeing as Selina Kyle (Catwoman) is Batman’s longest and most enduring love interest. There’s even been friction seen between Wonder Woman and Catwoman in the few storylines where they’ve had the chance to interact. Nevertheless, the second one has been seen numerous times in the newer comic plotlines that have Wonder Woman and Superman as an item. There are definite nods to a potential love triangle between Wonder Woman and her two coworkers in both in the early 2000s Justice League animated series and in Matt Wagner’s comic book series from the same time, but both times this concept is tastefully not explored in detail.

8. Batman Almost chose wonder woman over catwoman

Going along with the previous entry, there was at least one time where a love triangle seemed like it would go beyond flirtation between Batman and Wonder Woman. As many fans already know, current canon has it that Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle– that is, Batman and Catwoman– decided to take their relationship to the next level and get engaged. Meanwhile, Steve Trevor is back, and Wonder Woman is very much still with him. And earlier this year, there was a cliffhanger at the end of Batman #30 in which the Batman and Wonder Woman found themselves trapped in another realm and leaning in for a kiss… but did anything actually happen between them?

Before we delve into that, it’s first important to point out that the realm they’re trapped in does not follow the same time as Earth, and hours spent in there could mean decades that pass back in the known universe. So, with years of romantic tension between them and no foreseeable access to their loved ones, it seemed at first like Batman and Wonder Woman would at long last get together.

7. Wonder Woman Used A Dream Machine To See What A Relationship With Batman Would Be Like

It turns out that fans were not the only ones who wanted to see what a relationship between the two superheroes would be like. Wonder Woman herself was curious about how such a thing would turn out if finally pursued, as seen in the 2004 Justice League comic book issue #90, teasingly called “Perchance…”. In this whimsical yet slightly depressing issue, Wonder Woman is confused about her feelings for Batman.

Obviously, she can’t sort these feelings out the normal way through self-reflection and talking with friends and Batman himself, as she’s a superhero, and that’s just not what superheroes do. So, Wonder Woman decides to fire up the old Trans-consciousness Articulator device, previously introduced in JLA issue #83. The device creates a hypothetical virtual reality that plays out what would actually (well, possibly) happen if the two would-be lovebirds actually acted on their feelings. Needless to say, it’s not a desirable-enough situation for Wonder Woman, and so once again, nothing comes from it.

6. Batman Once Performed a Romantic Song To Save Wonder Woman

Arguably one of the most memorable actions of all came from the Justice League animated series, after Wonder Woman was transformed into a pig by the evil sorceress, Circe. It’s a thoroughly entertaining and pretty overall crazy episode that even depicts Batman sadly petting Pig Wonder Woman (Wonder Pig?) as she mindlessly munches on some slop, but nothing compares to the ending, when the Caped Crusader himself performs a song to save her.

Yes, instead of having to fight Circe or resort to other for,s of violence, Batman finds himself onstage at his foe’s amphitheater and performs a surprisingly suave rendition of “Am I Blue?” in front of a full audience who are moved to tears. Wonder Woman is transformed back into her original form, and the day is saved.

5. they Have Been The Subjects Of mental health Debates

Is the superhero life necessarily a healthy one? Most experts would probably say a resounding “no”. After all, it’s kind of a thankless job that involves wearing a silly costume, and many actors even regret playing superheroes down the line. It shouldn’t come as any real surprise then that both Wonder Woman and Batman have been included in multiple mental health debates and commentary. What is a bit suprising, however, is the fact that things have progressed to the point of the two heroes now getting more comic book issues dedicated to the subject.

Both individual series of Batman and Wonder Woman have more recently depicted the heroes examining their own mental health. Wonder Woman even got a diagnosis. The two are also among the main heroes in Heroes in Crisis, a new DC miniseries that has them operating (and seeking treatment at) the Sanctuary, a mental health treatment facility.

4. The Soviet Versions

At first, the concept behind the Red Son comic book series seems pretty cool; Superman is raised in the Soviet Union instead of the United States, and this naturally shapes his entire worldview differently. Both Wonder Woman and Batman end up here as well, and it seems like some thought-provoking social commentary might be what’s in store. While this is exactly how the comic book miniseries appears to start out, things eventually take a dark turn when it comes to the supporting characters of Wonder Woman and Batman. Still an orphan in this version, Batman does not have the luxuries of the American Bruce Wayne.

Instead, his parents are eliminated in front of him for their role in spreading anti-Superman sentiments, and he, therefore, grows up to work for Superman’s enemies. Wonder Woman is meanwhile a coworker of Superman who is also a stiff supporter of the Communist party (her comments about America in this one are brutal). Her affections for the man of steel go unrequited, but Batman nevertheless takes her for use as bait.

3. ‘WonderBat’ Is The Official Name For The Relationship

For those who want to discuss the relationship between the two superheroes and use the proper jargon, this is the universally accepted term among fans for Wonder Woman and Batman’s romance. Those willing to search it on Google should be forewarned, however. What you are about to find consists of a large amount of fanfiction and fan art all dedicated to the phenomenon that is WonderBat. There are even entire websites and a section of Twitter focused on this and not much else.

Hey, it’s far from the being the craziest fan “shipping” (taking characters and pairing them up with each other) out there on the internet today. At the end of the day, WonderBat actually seems pretty tame.

2. their fates are tied together

So many versions of popular superheroes, so little time. In the particular version, we’re about to discuss, however, Batman and Wonder Woman meet their untimely fates while fighting for justice. Yes, this is what happens in the relatively new reboot of the Earth 2 comic book series, also known as The New 52, This series ran from 2012 to 2015 and largely followed the adventures of Power Girl and Huntress, although it did feature Batman and Wonder Woman (Superman is there too) in the first issue.

In a shock to fans everywhere, Wonder Woman gets written off while trying to buy some time for her buddy, Batman. Making matter even worse, Superman in this version gets eliminated shortly after, followed by Batman’s sacrifice. But hey, this is far from the first time they have passed away, and Batman and Wonder Women are actually among the heroes who have passed the most between their various comic book versions.

1. Neither Has Ever Confessed Their Love Out Loud

Despite a friendly kiss here, a flirting remark there and the occasional “I love you but as a friend”, there has never been a true confession of love. This would actually seem more normal were it not for the fact that both characters have had versions of themselves paired up with various other superheroes deemed unworthy in certain canon.

So why not give at least one storyline of Batman and Wonder Woman a real shot at romance? The closest we got was with the Justice League early 2000s animated series, but even then it all just devolved into a platonic friendship. And despite 2017’s Justice League movie depicting some palatable romantic tension between Batman and Wonder Woman, nothing came of that either.

Do you have any more interesting facts about Batman and Wonder Woman’s relationship? Let us know in the comments!