They are powerful, they are mysterious, they are the world's finest super-heroes: they are Batman and Superman. While the audience prepares to watch Batman and Superman's face off on the silver screen next year, Batman and Superman's relationship has been there since the last year and a half, having its own share of ups and downs. So what is exactly the relationship between Batman and Superman?
Are they friends? Rivals? Partners? Or enemies? Well, their comic book relationship is anything but simple and is full of ups and downs which we all should know before we watch the movie or judge its trailer.
Batman and Superman first appeared together in a 1941 comic book named "All Star Comics No.7" and then in a 1945 comic book named "All Star Comics No.24". In both comic books, the super heroes appeared as honorary members of the Justice Society of America. While they were seen together in these two comic books, their first official meeting happened in the 1952 comic book named "Superman No.76".
It was in the comic book named "The Mightiest Team in the World" that Batman and Superman ran into each other on a cruise ship, and by coincidence their alter egos were placed in the same cabin. The two quickly bond as friends and team up to stop the escape of a diamond thief, exactly opposite of Zack Snyder's trailer, where they seem to be rivals.
In 1954, the 71st issue of "World's Finest Comics" launched a special feature where both Superman and Batman teamed up to fight crime and injustice on a monthly basis. This saga of togetherness went on for a long three decades before coming to an end in 1986, in the comic book "World's Finest Comics No.323".
This friendship was so deep that both the superheroes knew about each other's hide outs.
All this came to an abrupt end with the comic book "Crisis on Infinite Earths". Their first meeting post the fall out in the comic book "Man of Steel No.3" portrayed them being respectful but suspicious. It was only in 2003 that writer Jeph Loeb turned around this rivalry into a bromance in the monthly series "Superman/Batman".
So what we learn from their comic book history is that audiences should not worry about Ben Affleck asking Henry Cavill if he bleeds, because these two always somehow end up as friends. Fingers crossed!