Warning! Contains spoilers for Batman/Catwoman #12
The friendship between Superman has long been a tenet of DC Comics, and their bond is more valuable to Batman than any tool in his utility belt. The two have shown time and again that they have each other’s backs when it matters most, always ready to answer the other hero’s call to arms. It only makes sense that, were Batman to get married, Superman would be but a moment – and a call – away.
After years of waiting, Tom King and Clay Mann's Batman/Catwoman #12 features the long-awaited wedding of Batman and Catwoman. This out-of-continuity story allows the couple to have the wedding fans have been waiting for since Tom King's planned 100-issue run on Batman during DC's Rebirth era was cut short before the pair could officially get married (and after Catwoman left Batman at the altar). The issue sees Bruce and Selina elope to a 24-hour chapel in Gotham City.
When told they'll need two witnesses to get married, Selina tells Bruce to invite a pair she refers to as "family." Bruce begins to say, "Clark. We're doing it. If you and Lois want to... to attend... we'd..." Before he can even finish his sentence, Clark Kent appears in the chapel, Lois Lane in arms, ready to see their friends get married. The wedding itself is filled with a number of fun references and gags, with Superman’s appearance being a definite highlight for fans of the world’s finest duo. The cameo also shows that Batman's greatest weapon may not be a gadget at all, but his friendship with Superman itself.
Superman's immediate arrival at Batman's wedding once again shows that he is always on call when it comes to his friend. The comedic appearance also shows off his incredible speed in a more subtle way, as he and Lois, who has no form of super speed, are fully dressed and prepared for the occasion within seconds. In the scene, Lois dons the same dress she wore during the double date section of King and Mann's "Superfriends" story from Batman #36 and 37. That two-issue story beautifully depicts Batman and Superman's friendship as Bruce announces his engagement to Selina. As Clark goes into a comedically on-the-nose speech about the nature of hope at the wedding, one thing is made abundantly clear to the reader: Superman would do almost anything for his friends.
Batman and Superman have a history of being portrayed as being adversarial, but their committed friendship has deeper roots in DC's history. The Dark Knight may prepare for every eventuality, but it's no secret that he views the Man of Tomorrow as the best hero that Earth has to offer. As Clark rushes in to share Bruce's wedding day with him at a literal moment's notice, it becomes clear that the man who plans for anything has a weapon far more powerful than any gadget in his arsenal. Batman's greatest asset is and always will be his friendship with the Superman - and vice versa.
Batman/Catwoman #12 is available from DC Comics now.
