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* Done literally in ''ComicBook/AstroCity'' -- the Confessor (a ComicBook/{{Batman}} {{Expy}}) has a thing with former costumed crook The Stray, who is cat-themed.
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* ''ComicBook/StarWarsLegacy'': Cade Skywalker was raised by his single father, Kol Skywalker. His MissingMom turns out to be Morrigan Corde, an Imperial spy who fell in love with a Jedi Knight. They couldn't make their marriage work long-term because of their respective occupations and she left Cade with Kol when the former was two.
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* ''ComicBook/StarWarsLegacy'': Cade Skywalker was raised by his single father, Kol Skywalker. His MissingMom turns out to be Morrigan Corde, an Imperial spy who fell in love with a Jedi Knight. They couldn't make their marriage work long-term because of their respective occupations and she left Cade with Kol when the former was two.two.
* Downplayed in ''ComicBook/BlackHammer''. Golden Gail entered a romantic relationship with her arch-nemesis Sherlock Frankenstein, but only after Gail had retired from being a superhero and Sherlock had already [[HeelFaceTurn gone straight]].
* Downplayed in ''ComicBook/BlackHammer''. Golden Gail entered a romantic relationship with her arch-nemesis Sherlock Frankenstein, but only after Gail had retired from being a superhero and Sherlock had already [[HeelFaceTurn gone straight]].
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* Naturally, the {{Trope Namer|s}} and most famous example is the romantic tension between Characters/{{Catwoman}} and Franchise/{{Batman}}. The [[AlternateUniverse Earth-2]] versions of the characters actually married and had a kid, the original [[Characters/BatmanHuntress Huntress]]. [[CutLexLuthorACheck Why bother stealing when you're married to a multimillionaire?]] The main versions became a couple too, and Bruce even revealed his identity to her and she moved into the mansion with him. The relationship didn't last, but they both developed a respect for each other and Batman mostly looks the other way when Catwoman does her thing.
** However, things got a bit more interesting with the two. Continuing to dance around one another constantly to the point of a nearly functional relationship, then to a distant one due to fear of repercussions from their knowledge of one another's identity, the couple have certainly reheated things a bit since Bruce's return to the present... long story. Regardless, she has even accompanied him on his international travels to establish Batman Inc. But all that CharacterDevelopment in their relationship has been set back to square one with the [[ComicBook/New52 2011 DC Universe reboot]], in which Catwoman has no idea who Batman is behind the mask (although she suspects he knows who she is). Doesn't [[spoiler: stop her from having costumed sex with him though]]. And then in ''Comicbook/DCRebirth'' [[spoiler: not only does he reveal his identity to her again, he ''proposes''. It remains to be seen how this plays out, though]].
** Funnily enough, the whole 'dating Catwoman' trait stems from the fact that Batman himself has [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys a weakness for villainesses]], which he acknowledged in ''ComicBook/BatmanRIP'' His relationship with [[Characters/BatmanTaliaAlGhul Talia Al-Ghul]] in the main continuity (where they have a son together) is similar with his relationship.
** In ''Comicbook/GothamCitySirens'', it was mentioned that Catwoman and Talia are probably the only two women Batman has truly loved. It's not surprising that both of them are villainesses.
** Very explicit in one standalone strip called "Date Night"; Batman catches Catwoman in the middle of a robbery and chases her through various romantic locations including a flower stall and a fancy restaurant, all the while Catwoman is talking and flirting with him as if they were actually on a date. When he finally catches her, they briefly fight and she leaves him tied up and dangling upside down from a fire escape, kisses him goodnight, and runs away.
** In ''Crisis of Conscience'', the follow-up to ''Comicbook/IdentityCrisis'', Batman expresses fear that Catwoman’s HeelFaceTurn (or at least, [[DownplayedTrope Heel-Anti-Hero turn]]) was due to [[spoiler: ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} manipulating her mind]].
** In ''Batman the Dark Knight'' after the 2011 reboot, Bruce is attracted to Jaina Hudson, but becomes suspicious of her after new villainess White Rabbit issues the same "Catch me if you can" flirtatious challenge Jaina made in their first meeting. His suspicions are debunked when the White Rabbit shows up on the radar while he is on a date with Jaina. [[spoiler:It turns out he was right after all since Jaina has the power to split herself into two people -- her normal self and the White Rabbit.]]
** Zigzagged with Harley Quinn; she doesn't show any affection to Batman other than occasional flirting[[note]]though she famously kissed him and liked it in the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "Harley's Holiday"[[/note]], but she was briefly intimate with Bruce Wayne in one New 52 story.
** DependingOnTheWriter, [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]] may have a downplayed, one-sided version of this; she is sometimes portrayed as attracted to Batman, viewing him as either a worthy rival, the only "good" man she knows, or both, but Batman does not reciprocate the attraction.
** In an issue of ''Comicbook/TheBraveAndTheBold'' in which Superman patrolled Gotham in Bruce's stead, Catwoman quickly developed a crush on the Man of Steel at first sight. The two work together to take down a shady auction, with Selina treating it as a date.
** In ''Comicbook/BatmanBeyond'', Terry tries to invoke this trope upon meeting a new Catwoman. She refuses. This trope is later played straight when she ends up sleeping with Dick Grayson.
** Inverted in ''ComicBook/CatwomanGuardianOfGotham''. Selina dates and marries Bruce thinking that he's a handsome, good-hearted man, and feels nothing but utter revulsion towards the psychotic Batman. [[DramaticIrony Too bad they happen to be the same person]].
* Franchise/{{Superman}}:
** For a long time, [[Characters/SupermanLoisLane Lois Lane]] was both Superman's primary love interest and one of his main antagonists. She was constantly trying to expose the fact that he was really Clark Kent, which would of course have wrecked his life. He had to work very hard to keep one step ahead of her, even as he was also drawn to her.
** In the {{ComicBook/New 52}} Batman/Superman book, after Kal-El loses his memories of ever meeting Batman and those of the Kent's lessons he and Selina begin a relationship before he (Superman) gains back those specific memories.
* Other examples from ''Franchise/TheDCU'':
** ComicBook/CaptainAtom wound up ''marrying'' Plastique, a former Quebecois terrorist with explosive powers. Appropriately, in ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'' she [[spoiler: [[DiedInYourArmsTonight died in his arms]], or at least she appeared to; she was never seen again but it was never confirmed if she truly died or not, while her comics counterpart is still alive and well]].
** UsefulNotes/{{The Golden Age|OfComicBooks}} Franchise/GreenLantern, Alan Scott, not only fell in love with the villainess Thorn, he had ''children'' with her. Then again, he ''did'' fall in love with her [[SplitPersonality good personality, Rose]]. His second wife, the Harlequin, also started out as one of his adversaries, although she was long reformed and retired by the time they married.
*** Making this trope happen is actually the entire reason Harlequin turned to crime. She wanted to catch Lantern's eye and decided that donning a sexy costume and alternately stealing things and teaming up with him would be the best way to attract his attention.
** Likewise, the Silver Age Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, had Carol Ferris (whose [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Star Sapphire personality]] made frequent appearances) as a long-time love interest.
** Reversed in the case of Ray Palmer, the Silver Age [[ComicBook/TheAtom Atom]]. His wife Jean Loring became the villain ComicBook/{{Eclipso}} after their marriage and divorce... and [[spoiler:[[ComicBook/IdentityCrisis after she went nuts and killed Sue Dibny and Jack Drake]]]]. His successor as Atom, Ryan Choi was dating [[TinyGuyHugeGirl Giganta]]. It was apparently a serious enough relationship that [[spoiler: she took vengeance on his murderer]].
** Roy Harper ([[IHaveManyNames a.k.a. Speedy/Arsenal/Red Arrow/whatever they're calling him this week]]) was sent in to seduce batshit insane assassin [[Characters/TeenTitansCheshire Cheshire]] to get enough evidence to take her in. However, they fell in love with each other and Roy realized he wouldn't be able to do it and walked out... not knowing Cheshire was pregnant. Cheshire herself didn't find out who Roy was until it was all said and done, and decided to use Lian's existence to torment Roy as [[WomanScorned payback for leaving her]]. Roy gained permanent custody of Lian after Cheshire destroyed the country of Qurac for shits and giggles. While the two aren't together anymore and Roy ''knows'' how awful Cheshire is, there still seem to be lingering feelings between the two that Roy is having trouble processing, mainly because of how it all affects Lian. This constantly causes drama whenever Cheshire reappears in Roy's and Lian's lives. However, it's implied Cheshire is such a sociopath she's incapable of having real love for Roy and mainly exploits Roy's feelings to use him and screw with him. This is a woman who conceived a replacement baby when her daughter's well-being was used as a bargaining chip against her. It's also implied if Roy knew just how little Cheshire cared about Lian he'd want nothing to do with her, if not outright try to murder her for such disregard of Lian's life.
** ComicBook/{{Superboy|1994}} (1990s clone version) dated ComicBook/{{New God|s}}dess Knockout, under the impression she was a well-meaning thrillseeker, rather than a murderous sociopath.
** In ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'', [[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Snapper Carr]] hooks up with the [[Characters/WonderWomanCheetah Cheetah]].
** ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} (not the original, a shape-changing alien called Matrix) had a sexual relationship with [[Characters/SupermanLexLuthor Lex Luthor]] (who had put his mind into a cloned body of his younger self). She didn't know since Lex was posing as his own estranged son at the time.
** Prior to the ''Comicbook/{{Flashpoint}}'' reboot, Red Robin was sort of dating the second Lynx, who was either a gang-leader or a Hong Kong cop undercover as a gang-leader. The irony that he was in a relationship with a possible villain in a cat mask was not lost on him.
** It is revealed in ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'' that Night Owl II had a fling with Twilight Lady. It's not clear how far this went, though Dan keeps a framed picture years after retiring and seems deeply embarrassed when pressed for details. ''Comicbook/BeforeWatchmen: Night Owl'' reveals that the two did have a very, VERY sexual relationship, however brief and ultimately doomed.
** This trope’s prevalence in the DCU is darkly [[{{Deconstruction}} deconstructed]] in James Robinson’s ''ComicBook/{{Starman}}'' run; the Mist, Starman’s {{Archenemy}}, is an obsessive {{Yandere}} who’s so convinced that Starman [[FoeYay secretly loves her]] that eventually [[spoiler:'''she rapes him'''. DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale is ''completely'' [[AvertedTrope averted]]]].
* ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'':
** [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] Marvel Comics tended to see this pop up a great deal with heroines and manly-man opponents -- e.g. the [[Comicbook/FantasticFour Fantastic 4's]] [[Characters/FantasticFourTheFantasticFour Sue Storm]] to the Comicbook/SubMariner (while he was a functional villain), or the Characters/ScarletWitch towards Arkon (who later dated [[Characters/MarvelComicsStorm Storm]], but his relationship with the Comicbook/XMen was on friendlier terms). Arguably, this resulted less in creating interesting tension than just creating [[FauxActionGirl a less effective heroine]].
** Franchise/SpiderMan and the Characters/{{Black Cat|MarvelComics}} who became Spider-Man's girlfriend for a couple of years before he married [[Characters/MarvelComicsMaryJaneWatson Mary Jane Watson]] and on-and-off lover after the "[[Comicbook/OneMoreDay divorce]]". However, things between them soured ''badly'' during the Comicbook/SuperiorSpiderMan's run-in with the Cat (who, like everyone, didn't know that [[Characters/MarvelComicsOttoOctavius Doctor Octopus]] had taken over Spidey's body): he beat her up and left her to the police without so much as a "hello". Not only was she arrested, but everything she'd pilfered over the years was confiscated. This caused her to snap and perform a full-on FaceHeelTurn. Her "queenpin" lifestyle led to nothing but stints in hospital and general humiliation from more experienced mobsters, and she eventually turned good again. She realized the reason she couldn't think straight was that she no longer knew Spider-Man's identity. Peter ultimately decided to share his secret with her, triggering a much-needed reconciliation.
** ''ComicBook/SquadronSupreme'': Nighthawk, the team's Batman {{expy}}, has this relationship with Catwoman expy the Mink in Mark Gruenwald's maxiseries. [[spoiler:It doesn't end well, with Mink dying in Nighthawk's arms.]]
** ComicBook/TheMightyThor and [[Characters/MarvelComicsTheEnchantress The Enchantress]] (Amora), a goddess of Asgard, who spent years hatching plans to harass and seduce the god of thunder. He eventually relented and had a brief romantic relationship with her. "The Reigning" storyline saw the two wed, and have a son named Magni. But these events were eventually wiped from reality.
** ComicBook/CaptainAmerica dating Diamondback, a member of the Serpent Society (a group of snake-themed supervillains). This is a somewhat defanged (no pun intended) instance, as Diamondback offered to drop crime for him practically in their first meeting. (Not that she came off all that convincing, but...)
** Comicbook/IronMan and Madame Masque/Whitney Frost. Then again, it's not surprising considering [[ReallyGetsAround the number of paramours]] Tony's had over the years. It came to the point where Frost [[StalkingIsLove masqueraded as Tony's personal secretary]] after they first broke up and resumed their relationship once her cover was blown. Also, he eventually got into a relationship with ComicBook/BlackWidow, a former enemy.
** Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} has many. [[Characters/DaredevilSupportingCharacters Elektra]], [[Characters/DaredevilCentralRoguesGallery Typhoid Mary]], etc. While the Comicbook/BlackWidow had long reformed when she got involved with ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}, her previous relationship with ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} had an element of this for a time, between his HeelFaceTurn and hers.
** The Comicbook/FantasticFour's [[Characters/FantasticFourTheFantasticFour Human Torch]] briefly dated a villainess from the future known as Psionics. Johnny Storm also dated (and eventually married) a Skrull named Lyja who impersonated Alicia Masters (Ben Grimm's longtime girlfriend). Arguably, as this was all part of a plot and the Torch didn't know who she really was, this may not count. But the two later revealed that they had indeed developed strong feelings for each other.
** [[Characters/MarvelComicsStorm Storm]] of the X-Men is a notable case in that it's practically become a running gag (and yes, it's been lampshaded) that villains want her (and sometimes Storm herself is interested back). No less than ''Doom himself'' decided at one point that Storm would make for a perfect consort.
** ComicBook/AntMan [[http://l7world.com/2015/08/ant-man-goes-out-with-a-bang-ant-man-last-days.html ended up having this kind of relationship with Beetle]]. He didn't take this development well because when he first became a superhero Captain America expressly warned him to avoid this trope.
--->'''Ant Man''': (''while lying in bed naked with Beetle'') I'm ''so sorry'', Captain America.
** Karolina Dean of the ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' first encountered her sometime girlfriend Julie Power back when the latter was part of a group that had been organized specifically to shut down the Runaways. They later hooked up after Julie's then-employer Hank Pym tried to kidnap Molly Hayes and Klara Prast.
*** In ''ComicBook/RainbowRowellsRunaways'', Gert and Victor become a couple, despite both of them knowing full well that in at least one alternate timeline, they were mortal enemies.
** In a miniseries from the '90s, Greer Grant-Nelson aka Tigra of ComicBook/TheAvengers infiltrated a police academy to find answers about the murder of her husband Billy. While there she met and fell in love with Sergeant Matt [=McMullin=] who was an instructor at the academy. Unfortunately for Greer, Matt was involved with the Brethren of the Blue Fist, a group of vigilante cops operating out of the academy. Worse, Matt was revealed to have been the one who killed Billy to keep him from exposing the Brethren's crimes.
** ''ComicBook/AllNewUltimates'': [[Characters/UltimateSpiderManMilesMorales Miles Morales]] received a TakeThatKiss from Diamondback. It was not mutual nor consensual but got worried that he may not be loyal to Kate Bishop because of it.
** However, things got a bit more interesting with the two. Continuing to dance around one another constantly to the point of a nearly functional relationship, then to a distant one due to fear of repercussions from their knowledge of one another's identity, the couple have certainly reheated things a bit since Bruce's return to the present... long story. Regardless, she has even accompanied him on his international travels to establish Batman Inc. But all that CharacterDevelopment in their relationship has been set back to square one with the [[ComicBook/New52 2011 DC Universe reboot]], in which Catwoman has no idea who Batman is behind the mask (although she suspects he knows who she is). Doesn't [[spoiler: stop her from having costumed sex with him though]]. And then in ''Comicbook/DCRebirth'' [[spoiler: not only does he reveal his identity to her again, he ''proposes''. It remains to be seen how this plays out, though]].
** Funnily enough, the whole 'dating Catwoman' trait stems from the fact that Batman himself has [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys a weakness for villainesses]], which he acknowledged in ''ComicBook/BatmanRIP'' His relationship with [[Characters/BatmanTaliaAlGhul Talia Al-Ghul]] in the main continuity (where they have a son together) is similar with his relationship.
** In ''Comicbook/GothamCitySirens'', it was mentioned that Catwoman and Talia are probably the only two women Batman has truly loved. It's not surprising that both of them are villainesses.
** Very explicit in one standalone strip called "Date Night"; Batman catches Catwoman in the middle of a robbery and chases her through various romantic locations including a flower stall and a fancy restaurant, all the while Catwoman is talking and flirting with him as if they were actually on a date. When he finally catches her, they briefly fight and she leaves him tied up and dangling upside down from a fire escape, kisses him goodnight, and runs away.
** In ''Crisis of Conscience'', the follow-up to ''Comicbook/IdentityCrisis'', Batman expresses fear that Catwoman’s HeelFaceTurn (or at least, [[DownplayedTrope Heel-Anti-Hero turn]]) was due to [[spoiler: ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} manipulating her mind]].
** In ''Batman the Dark Knight'' after the 2011 reboot, Bruce is attracted to Jaina Hudson, but becomes suspicious of her after new villainess White Rabbit issues the same "Catch me if you can" flirtatious challenge Jaina made in their first meeting. His suspicions are debunked when the White Rabbit shows up on the radar while he is on a date with Jaina. [[spoiler:It turns out he was right after all since Jaina has the power to split herself into two people -- her normal self and the White Rabbit.]]
** Zigzagged with Harley Quinn; she doesn't show any affection to Batman other than occasional flirting[[note]]though she famously kissed him and liked it in the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "Harley's Holiday"[[/note]], but she was briefly intimate with Bruce Wayne in one New 52 story.
** DependingOnTheWriter, [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]] may have a downplayed, one-sided version of this; she is sometimes portrayed as attracted to Batman, viewing him as either a worthy rival, the only "good" man she knows, or both, but Batman does not reciprocate the attraction.
** In an issue of ''Comicbook/TheBraveAndTheBold'' in which Superman patrolled Gotham in Bruce's stead, Catwoman quickly developed a crush on the Man of Steel at first sight. The two work together to take down a shady auction, with Selina treating it as a date.
** In ''Comicbook/BatmanBeyond'', Terry tries to invoke this trope upon meeting a new Catwoman. She refuses. This trope is later played straight when she ends up sleeping with Dick Grayson.
** Inverted in ''ComicBook/CatwomanGuardianOfGotham''. Selina dates and marries Bruce thinking that he's a handsome, good-hearted man, and feels nothing but utter revulsion towards the psychotic Batman. [[DramaticIrony Too bad they happen to be the same person]].
* Franchise/{{Superman}}:
** For a long time, [[Characters/SupermanLoisLane Lois Lane]] was both Superman's primary love interest and one of his main antagonists. She was constantly trying to expose the fact that he was really Clark Kent, which would of course have wrecked his life. He had to work very hard to keep one step ahead of her, even as he was also drawn to her.
** In the {{ComicBook/New 52}} Batman/Superman book, after Kal-El loses his memories of ever meeting Batman and those of the Kent's lessons he and Selina begin a relationship before he (Superman) gains back those specific memories.
* Other examples from ''Franchise/TheDCU'':
** ComicBook/CaptainAtom wound up ''marrying'' Plastique, a former Quebecois terrorist with explosive powers. Appropriately, in ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'' she [[spoiler: [[DiedInYourArmsTonight died in his arms]], or at least she appeared to; she was never seen again but it was never confirmed if she truly died or not, while her comics counterpart is still alive and well]].
** UsefulNotes/{{The Golden Age|OfComicBooks}} Franchise/GreenLantern, Alan Scott, not only fell in love with the villainess Thorn, he had ''children'' with her. Then again, he ''did'' fall in love with her [[SplitPersonality good personality, Rose]]. His second wife, the Harlequin, also started out as one of his adversaries, although she was long reformed and retired by the time they married.
*** Making this trope happen is actually the entire reason Harlequin turned to crime. She wanted to catch Lantern's eye and decided that donning a sexy costume and alternately stealing things and teaming up with him would be the best way to attract his attention.
** Likewise, the Silver Age Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, had Carol Ferris (whose [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Star Sapphire personality]] made frequent appearances) as a long-time love interest.
** Reversed in the case of Ray Palmer, the Silver Age [[ComicBook/TheAtom Atom]]. His wife Jean Loring became the villain ComicBook/{{Eclipso}} after their marriage and divorce... and [[spoiler:[[ComicBook/IdentityCrisis after she went nuts and killed Sue Dibny and Jack Drake]]]]. His successor as Atom, Ryan Choi was dating [[TinyGuyHugeGirl Giganta]]. It was apparently a serious enough relationship that [[spoiler: she took vengeance on his murderer]].
** Roy Harper ([[IHaveManyNames a.k.a. Speedy/Arsenal/Red Arrow/whatever they're calling him this week]]) was sent in to seduce batshit insane assassin [[Characters/TeenTitansCheshire Cheshire]] to get enough evidence to take her in. However, they fell in love with each other and Roy realized he wouldn't be able to do it and walked out... not knowing Cheshire was pregnant. Cheshire herself didn't find out who Roy was until it was all said and done, and decided to use Lian's existence to torment Roy as [[WomanScorned payback for leaving her]]. Roy gained permanent custody of Lian after Cheshire destroyed the country of Qurac for shits and giggles. While the two aren't together anymore and Roy ''knows'' how awful Cheshire is, there still seem to be lingering feelings between the two that Roy is having trouble processing, mainly because of how it all affects Lian. This constantly causes drama whenever Cheshire reappears in Roy's and Lian's lives. However, it's implied Cheshire is such a sociopath she's incapable of having real love for Roy and mainly exploits Roy's feelings to use him and screw with him. This is a woman who conceived a replacement baby when her daughter's well-being was used as a bargaining chip against her. It's also implied if Roy knew just how little Cheshire cared about Lian he'd want nothing to do with her, if not outright try to murder her for such disregard of Lian's life.
** ComicBook/{{Superboy|1994}} (1990s clone version) dated ComicBook/{{New God|s}}dess Knockout, under the impression she was a well-meaning thrillseeker, rather than a murderous sociopath.
** In ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'', [[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Snapper Carr]] hooks up with the [[Characters/WonderWomanCheetah Cheetah]].
** ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} (not the original, a shape-changing alien called Matrix) had a sexual relationship with [[Characters/SupermanLexLuthor Lex Luthor]] (who had put his mind into a cloned body of his younger self). She didn't know since Lex was posing as his own estranged son at the time.
** Prior to the ''Comicbook/{{Flashpoint}}'' reboot, Red Robin was sort of dating the second Lynx, who was either a gang-leader or a Hong Kong cop undercover as a gang-leader. The irony that he was in a relationship with a possible villain in a cat mask was not lost on him.
** It is revealed in ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'' that Night Owl II had a fling with Twilight Lady. It's not clear how far this went, though Dan keeps a framed picture years after retiring and seems deeply embarrassed when pressed for details. ''Comicbook/BeforeWatchmen: Night Owl'' reveals that the two did have a very, VERY sexual relationship, however brief and ultimately doomed.
** This trope’s prevalence in the DCU is darkly [[{{Deconstruction}} deconstructed]] in James Robinson’s ''ComicBook/{{Starman}}'' run; the Mist, Starman’s {{Archenemy}}, is an obsessive {{Yandere}} who’s so convinced that Starman [[FoeYay secretly loves her]] that eventually [[spoiler:'''she rapes him'''. DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale is ''completely'' [[AvertedTrope averted]]]].
* ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'':
** [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] Marvel Comics tended to see this pop up a great deal with heroines and manly-man opponents -- e.g. the [[Comicbook/FantasticFour Fantastic 4's]] [[Characters/FantasticFourTheFantasticFour Sue Storm]] to the Comicbook/SubMariner (while he was a functional villain), or the Characters/ScarletWitch towards Arkon (who later dated [[Characters/MarvelComicsStorm Storm]], but his relationship with the Comicbook/XMen was on friendlier terms). Arguably, this resulted less in creating interesting tension than just creating [[FauxActionGirl a less effective heroine]].
** Franchise/SpiderMan and the Characters/{{Black Cat|MarvelComics}} who became Spider-Man's girlfriend for a couple of years before he married [[Characters/MarvelComicsMaryJaneWatson Mary Jane Watson]] and on-and-off lover after the "[[Comicbook/OneMoreDay divorce]]". However, things between them soured ''badly'' during the Comicbook/SuperiorSpiderMan's run-in with the Cat (who, like everyone, didn't know that [[Characters/MarvelComicsOttoOctavius Doctor Octopus]] had taken over Spidey's body): he beat her up and left her to the police without so much as a "hello". Not only was she arrested, but everything she'd pilfered over the years was confiscated. This caused her to snap and perform a full-on FaceHeelTurn. Her "queenpin" lifestyle led to nothing but stints in hospital and general humiliation from more experienced mobsters, and she eventually turned good again. She realized the reason she couldn't think straight was that she no longer knew Spider-Man's identity. Peter ultimately decided to share his secret with her, triggering a much-needed reconciliation.
** ''ComicBook/SquadronSupreme'': Nighthawk, the team's Batman {{expy}}, has this relationship with Catwoman expy the Mink in Mark Gruenwald's maxiseries. [[spoiler:It doesn't end well, with Mink dying in Nighthawk's arms.]]
** ComicBook/TheMightyThor and [[Characters/MarvelComicsTheEnchantress The Enchantress]] (Amora), a goddess of Asgard, who spent years hatching plans to harass and seduce the god of thunder. He eventually relented and had a brief romantic relationship with her. "The Reigning" storyline saw the two wed, and have a son named Magni. But these events were eventually wiped from reality.
** ComicBook/CaptainAmerica dating Diamondback, a member of the Serpent Society (a group of snake-themed supervillains). This is a somewhat defanged (no pun intended) instance, as Diamondback offered to drop crime for him practically in their first meeting. (Not that she came off all that convincing, but...)
** Comicbook/IronMan and Madame Masque/Whitney Frost. Then again, it's not surprising considering [[ReallyGetsAround the number of paramours]] Tony's had over the years. It came to the point where Frost [[StalkingIsLove masqueraded as Tony's personal secretary]] after they first broke up and resumed their relationship once her cover was blown. Also, he eventually got into a relationship with ComicBook/BlackWidow, a former enemy.
** Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} has many. [[Characters/DaredevilSupportingCharacters Elektra]], [[Characters/DaredevilCentralRoguesGallery Typhoid Mary]], etc. While the Comicbook/BlackWidow had long reformed when she got involved with ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}, her previous relationship with ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} had an element of this for a time, between his HeelFaceTurn and hers.
** The Comicbook/FantasticFour's [[Characters/FantasticFourTheFantasticFour Human Torch]] briefly dated a villainess from the future known as Psionics. Johnny Storm also dated (and eventually married) a Skrull named Lyja who impersonated Alicia Masters (Ben Grimm's longtime girlfriend). Arguably, as this was all part of a plot and the Torch didn't know who she really was, this may not count. But the two later revealed that they had indeed developed strong feelings for each other.
** [[Characters/MarvelComicsStorm Storm]] of the X-Men is a notable case in that it's practically become a running gag (and yes, it's been lampshaded) that villains want her (and sometimes Storm herself is interested back). No less than ''Doom himself'' decided at one point that Storm would make for a perfect consort.
** ComicBook/AntMan [[http://l7world.com/2015/08/ant-man-goes-out-with-a-bang-ant-man-last-days.html ended up having this kind of relationship with Beetle]]. He didn't take this development well because when he first became a superhero Captain America expressly warned him to avoid this trope.
--->'''Ant Man''': (''while lying in bed naked with Beetle'') I'm ''so sorry'', Captain America.
** Karolina Dean of the ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' first encountered her sometime girlfriend Julie Power back when the latter was part of a group that had been organized specifically to shut down the Runaways. They later hooked up after Julie's then-employer Hank Pym tried to kidnap Molly Hayes and Klara Prast.
*** In ''ComicBook/RainbowRowellsRunaways'', Gert and Victor become a couple, despite both of them knowing full well that in at least one alternate timeline, they were mortal enemies.
** In a miniseries from the '90s, Greer Grant-Nelson aka Tigra of ComicBook/TheAvengers infiltrated a police academy to find answers about the murder of her husband Billy. While there she met and fell in love with Sergeant Matt [=McMullin=] who was an instructor at the academy. Unfortunately for Greer, Matt was involved with the Brethren of the Blue Fist, a group of vigilante cops operating out of the academy. Worse, Matt was revealed to have been the one who killed Billy to keep him from exposing the Brethren's crimes.
** ''ComicBook/AllNewUltimates'': [[Characters/UltimateSpiderManMilesMorales Miles Morales]] received a TakeThatKiss from Diamondback. It was not mutual nor consensual but got worried that he may not be loyal to Kate Bishop because of it.
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** However, things got a bit more interesting with the two. Continuing to dance around one another constantly to the point of a nearly functional relationship, then to a distant one due to fear of repercussions from their knowledge of one another's identity, the couple have certainly reheated things a bit since Bruce's return to the present... long story. Regardless, she has even accompanied him on his international travels to establish Batman Inc. But all that CharacterDevelopment in their relationship has been set back to square one with the [[ComicBook/New52 2011 DC Universe reboot]], in which Catwoman has no idea who Batman is behind the mask (although she suspects he knows who she is). Doesn't [[spoiler: stop her from having costumed sex with him though]]. And then in ''Comicbook/DCRebirth'' [[spoiler: not only does he reveal his identity to her again, he ''proposes''. It remains to be seen how this plays out, though]].
** Funnily enough, the whole 'dating Catwoman' trait stems from the fact that Batman himself has [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys a weakness for villainesses]], which he acknowledged in ''ComicBook/BatmanRIP'' His relationship with [[Characters/BatmanTaliaAlGhul Talia Al-Ghul]] in the main continuity (where they have a son together) is similar with his relationship.
** In ''Comicbook/GothamCitySirens'', it was mentioned that Catwoman and Talia are probably the only two women Batman has truly loved. It's not surprising that both of them are villainesses.
** Very explicit in one standalone strip called "Date Night"; Batman catches Catwoman in the middle of a robbery and chases her through various romantic locations including a flower stall and a fancy restaurant, all the while Catwoman is talking and flirting with him as if they were actually on a date. When he finally catches her, they briefly fight and she leaves him tied up and dangling upside down from a fire escape, kisses him goodnight, and runs away.
** In ''Crisis of Conscience'', the follow-up to ''Comicbook/IdentityCrisis'', Batman expresses fear that Catwoman’s HeelFaceTurn (or at least, [[DownplayedTrope Heel-Anti-Hero turn]]) was due to [[spoiler: ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} manipulating her mind]].
** In ''Batman the Dark Knight'' after the 2011 reboot, Bruce is attracted to Jaina Hudson, but becomes suspicious of her after new villainess White Rabbit issues the same "Catch me if you can" flirtatious challenge Jaina made in their first meeting. His suspicions are debunked when the White Rabbit shows up on the radar while he is on a date with Jaina. [[spoiler:It turns out he was right after all since Jaina has the power to split herself into two people -- her normal self and the White Rabbit.]]
** Zigzagged with Harley Quinn; she doesn't show any affection to Batman other than occasional flirting[[note]]though she famously kissed him and liked it in the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "Harley's Holiday"[[/note]], but she was briefly intimate with Bruce Wayne in one New 52 story.
** DependingOnTheWriter, [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]] may have a downplayed, one-sided version of this; she is sometimes portrayed as attracted to Batman, viewing him as either a worthy rival, the only "good" man she knows, or both, but Batman does not reciprocate the attraction.
** In an issue of ''Comicbook/TheBraveAndTheBold'' in which Superman patrolled Gotham in Bruce's stead, Catwoman quickly developed a crush on the Man of Steel at first sight. The two work together to take down a shady auction, with Selina treating it as a date.
** In ''Comicbook/BatmanBeyond'', Terry tries to invoke this trope upon meeting a new Catwoman. She refuses. This trope is later played straight when she ends up sleeping with Dick Grayson.
** Inverted in ''ComicBook/CatwomanGuardianOfGotham''. Selina dates and marries Bruce thinking that he's a handsome, good-hearted man, and feels nothing but utter revulsion towards the psychotic Batman. [[DramaticIrony Too bad they happen to be the same person]].
* Franchise/{{Superman}}:
** For a long time, [[Characters/SupermanLoisLane Lois Lane]] was both Superman's primary love interest and one of his main antagonists. She was constantly trying to expose the fact that he was really Clark Kent, which would of course have wrecked his life. He had to work very hard to keep one step ahead of her, even as he was also drawn to her.
** In the {{ComicBook/New 52}} Batman/Superman book, after Kal-El loses his memories of ever meeting Batman and those of the Kent's lessons he and Selina begin a relationship before he (Superman) gains back those specific memories.
* Other examples from ''Franchise/TheDCU'':
** ComicBook/CaptainAtom wound up ''marrying'' Plastique, a former Quebecois terrorist with explosive powers. Appropriately, in ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'' she [[spoiler: [[DiedInYourArmsTonight died in his arms]], or at least she appeared to; she was never seen again but it was never confirmed if she truly died or not, while her comics counterpart is still alive and well]].
** UsefulNotes/{{The Golden Age|OfComicBooks}} Franchise/GreenLantern, Alan Scott, not only fell in love with the villainess Thorn, he had ''children'' with her. Then again, he ''did'' fall in love with her [[SplitPersonality good personality, Rose]]. His second wife, the Harlequin, also started out as one of his adversaries, although she was long reformed and retired by the time they married.
*** Making this trope happen is actually the entire reason Harlequin turned to crime. She wanted to catch Lantern's eye and decided that donning a sexy costume and alternately stealing things and teaming up with him would be the best way to attract his attention.
** Likewise, the Silver Age Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, had Carol Ferris (whose [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Star Sapphire personality]] made frequent appearances) as a long-time love interest.
** Reversed in the case of Ray Palmer, the Silver Age [[ComicBook/TheAtom Atom]]. His wife Jean Loring became the villain ComicBook/{{Eclipso}} after their marriage and divorce... and [[spoiler:[[ComicBook/IdentityCrisis after she went nuts and killed Sue Dibny and Jack Drake]]]]. His successor as Atom, Ryan Choi was dating [[TinyGuyHugeGirl Giganta]]. It was apparently a serious enough relationship that [[spoiler: she took vengeance on his murderer]].
** Roy Harper ([[IHaveManyNames a.k.a. Speedy/Arsenal/Red Arrow/whatever they're calling him this week]]) was sent in to seduce batshit insane assassin [[Characters/TeenTitansCheshire Cheshire]] to get enough evidence to take her in. However, they fell in love with each other and Roy realized he wouldn't be able to do it and walked out... not knowing Cheshire was pregnant. Cheshire herself didn't find out who Roy was until it was all said and done, and decided to use Lian's existence to torment Roy as [[WomanScorned payback for leaving her]]. Roy gained permanent custody of Lian after Cheshire destroyed the country of Qurac for shits and giggles. While the two aren't together anymore and Roy ''knows'' how awful Cheshire is, there still seem to be lingering feelings between the two that Roy is having trouble processing, mainly because of how it all affects Lian. This constantly causes drama whenever Cheshire reappears in Roy's and Lian's lives. However, it's implied Cheshire is such a sociopath she's incapable of having real love for Roy and mainly exploits Roy's feelings to use him and screw with him. This is a woman who conceived a replacement baby when her daughter's well-being was used as a bargaining chip against her. It's also implied if Roy knew just how little Cheshire cared about Lian he'd want nothing to do with her, if not outright try to murder her for such disregard of Lian's life.
** ComicBook/{{Superboy|1994}} (1990s clone version) dated ComicBook/{{New God|s}}dess Knockout, under the impression she was a well-meaning thrillseeker, rather than a murderous sociopath.
** In ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'', [[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Snapper Carr]] hooks up with the [[Characters/WonderWomanCheetah Cheetah]].
** ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} (not the original, a shape-changing alien called Matrix) had a sexual relationship with [[Characters/SupermanLexLuthor Lex Luthor]] (who had put his mind into a cloned body of his younger self). She didn't know since Lex was posing as his own estranged son at the time.
** Prior to the ''Comicbook/{{Flashpoint}}'' reboot, Red Robin was sort of dating the second Lynx, who was either a gang-leader or a Hong Kong cop undercover as a gang-leader. The irony that he was in a relationship with a possible villain in a cat mask was not lost on him.
** It is revealed in ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'' that Night Owl II had a fling with Twilight Lady. It's not clear how far this went, though Dan keeps a framed picture years after retiring and seems deeply embarrassed when pressed for details. ''Comicbook/BeforeWatchmen: Night Owl'' reveals that the two did have a very, VERY sexual relationship, however brief and ultimately doomed.
** This trope’s prevalence in the DCU is darkly [[{{Deconstruction}} deconstructed]] in James Robinson’s ''ComicBook/{{Starman}}'' run; the Mist, Starman’s {{Archenemy}}, is an obsessive {{Yandere}} who’s so convinced that Starman [[FoeYay secretly loves her]] that eventually [[spoiler:'''she rapes him'''. DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale is ''completely'' [[AvertedTrope averted]]]].
* ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'':
** [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] Marvel Comics tended to see this pop up a great deal with heroines and manly-man opponents -- e.g. the [[Comicbook/FantasticFour Fantastic 4's]] [[Characters/FantasticFourTheFantasticFour Sue Storm]] to the Comicbook/SubMariner (while he was a functional villain), or the Characters/ScarletWitch towards Arkon (who later dated [[Characters/MarvelComicsStorm Storm]], but his relationship with the Comicbook/XMen was on friendlier terms). Arguably, this resulted less in creating interesting tension than just creating [[FauxActionGirl a less effective heroine]].
** Franchise/SpiderMan and the Characters/{{Black Cat|MarvelComics}} who became Spider-Man's girlfriend for a couple of years before he married [[Characters/MarvelComicsMaryJaneWatson Mary Jane Watson]] and on-and-off lover after the "[[Comicbook/OneMoreDay divorce]]". However, things between them soured ''badly'' during the Comicbook/SuperiorSpiderMan's run-in with the Cat (who, like everyone, didn't know that [[Characters/MarvelComicsOttoOctavius Doctor Octopus]] had taken over Spidey's body): he beat her up and left her to the police without so much as a "hello". Not only was she arrested, but everything she'd pilfered over the years was confiscated. This caused her to snap and perform a full-on FaceHeelTurn. Her "queenpin" lifestyle led to nothing but stints in hospital and general humiliation from more experienced mobsters, and she eventually turned good again. She realized the reason she couldn't think straight was that she no longer knew Spider-Man's identity. Peter ultimately decided to share his secret with her, triggering a much-needed reconciliation.
** ''ComicBook/SquadronSupreme'': Nighthawk, the team's Batman {{expy}}, has this relationship with Catwoman expy the Mink in Mark Gruenwald's maxiseries. [[spoiler:It doesn't end well, with Mink dying in Nighthawk's arms.]]
** ComicBook/TheMightyThor and [[Characters/MarvelComicsTheEnchantress The Enchantress]] (Amora), a goddess of Asgard, who spent years hatching plans to harass and seduce the god of thunder. He eventually relented and had a brief romantic relationship with her. "The Reigning" storyline saw the two wed, and have a son named Magni. But these events were eventually wiped from reality.
** ComicBook/CaptainAmerica dating Diamondback, a member of the Serpent Society (a group of snake-themed supervillains). This is a somewhat defanged (no pun intended) instance, as Diamondback offered to drop crime for him practically in their first meeting. (Not that she came off all that convincing, but...)
** Comicbook/IronMan and Madame Masque/Whitney Frost. Then again, it's not surprising considering [[ReallyGetsAround the number of paramours]] Tony's had over the years. It came to the point where Frost [[StalkingIsLove masqueraded as Tony's personal secretary]] after they first broke up and resumed their relationship once her cover was blown. Also, he eventually got into a relationship with ComicBook/BlackWidow, a former enemy.
** Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} has many. [[Characters/DaredevilSupportingCharacters Elektra]], [[Characters/DaredevilCentralRoguesGallery Typhoid Mary]], etc. While the Comicbook/BlackWidow had long reformed when she got involved with ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}, her previous relationship with ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} had an element of this for a time, between his HeelFaceTurn and hers.
** The Comicbook/FantasticFour's [[Characters/FantasticFourTheFantasticFour Human Torch]] briefly dated a villainess from the future known as Psionics. Johnny Storm also dated (and eventually married) a Skrull named Lyja who impersonated Alicia Masters (Ben Grimm's longtime girlfriend). Arguably, as this was all part of a plot and the Torch didn't know who she really was, this may not count. But the two later revealed that they had indeed developed strong feelings for each other.
** [[Characters/MarvelComicsStorm Storm]] of the X-Men is a notable case in that it's practically become a running gag (and yes, it's been lampshaded) that villains want her (and sometimes Storm herself is interested back). No less than ''Doom himself'' decided at one point that Storm would make for a perfect consort.
** ComicBook/AntMan [[http://l7world.com/2015/08/ant-man-goes-out-with-a-bang-ant-man-last-days.html ended up having this kind of relationship with Beetle]]. He didn't take this development well because when he first became a superhero Captain America expressly warned him to avoid this trope.
--->'''Ant Man''': (''while lying in bed naked with Beetle'') I'm ''so sorry'', Captain America.
** Karolina Dean of the ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' first encountered her sometime girlfriend Julie Power back when the latter was part of a group that had been organized specifically to shut down the Runaways. They later hooked up after Julie's then-employer Hank Pym tried to kidnap Molly Hayes and Klara Prast.
*** In ''ComicBook/RainbowRowellsRunaways'', Gert and Victor become a couple, despite both of them knowing full well that in at least one alternate timeline, they were mortal enemies.
** In a miniseries from the '90s, Greer Grant-Nelson aka Tigra of ComicBook/TheAvengers infiltrated a police academy to find answers about the murder of her husband Billy. While there she met and fell in love with Sergeant Matt [=McMullin=] who was an instructor at the academy. Unfortunately for Greer, Matt was involved with the Brethren of the Blue Fist, a group of vigilante cops operating out of the academy. Worse, Matt was revealed to have been the one who killed Billy to keep him from exposing the Brethren's crimes.
** ''ComicBook/AllNewUltimates'': [[Characters/UltimateSpiderManMilesMorales Miles Morales]] received a TakeThatKiss from Diamondback. It was not mutual nor consensual but got worried that he may not be loyal to Kate Bishop because of it.
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!!The following have their own pages:
[[index]]
* ''DatingCatwoman/TheDCU''
** ''DatingCatwoman/{{Batman}}''
* ''DatingCatwoman/MarvelUniverse''
[[/index]]
----
[[index]]
* ''DatingCatwoman/TheDCU''
** ''DatingCatwoman/{{Batman}}''
* ''DatingCatwoman/MarvelUniverse''
[[/index]]
----
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** Funnily enough, the whole 'dating Catwoman' trait stems from the fact that Batman himself has [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys a weakness for villainesses]], which he acknowledged in ''ComicBook/BatmanRIP'' His relationship with [[Characters/BatmanRasAlGhul Talia Al-Ghul]] in the main continuity (where they have a son together) is similar with his relationship.
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** Funnily enough, the whole 'dating Catwoman' trait stems from the fact that Batman himself has [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys a weakness for villainesses]], which he acknowledged in ''ComicBook/BatmanRIP'' His relationship with [[Characters/BatmanRasAlGhul [[Characters/BatmanTaliaAlGhul Talia Al-Ghul]] in the main continuity (where they have a son together) is similar with his relationship.
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** Roy Harper ([[IHaveManyNames a.k.a. Speedy/Arsenal/Red Arrow/whatever they're calling him this week]]) was sent in to seduce batshit insane assassin Cheshire to get enough evidence to take her in. However, they fell in love with each other and Roy realized he wouldn't be able to do it and walked out... not knowing Cheshire was pregnant. Cheshire herself didn't find out who Roy was until it was all said and done, and decided to use Lian's existence to torment Roy as payback for leaving her. Roy gained permanent custody of Lian after Cheshire destroyed the country of Qurac for shits and giggles. While the two aren't together anymore and Roy ''knows'' how awful Cheshire is, there still seem to be lingering feelings between the two that Roy is having trouble processing, mainly because of how it all affects Lian. This constantly causes drama whenever Cheshire reappears in Roy's and Lian's lives. However, it's implied Cheshire is such a sociopath she's incapable of having real love for Roy and mainly exploits Roy's feelings to use him and screw with him. This is a woman who conceived a replacement baby when her daughter's well-being was used as a bargaining chip against her. It's also implied if Roy knew just how little Cheshire cared about Lian he'd want nothing to do with her, if not outright try to murder her for such disregard of Lian's life.
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** Roy Harper ([[IHaveManyNames a.k.a. Speedy/Arsenal/Red Arrow/whatever they're calling him this week]]) was sent in to seduce batshit insane assassin Cheshire [[Characters/TeenTitansCheshire Cheshire]] to get enough evidence to take her in. However, they fell in love with each other and Roy realized he wouldn't be able to do it and walked out... not knowing Cheshire was pregnant. Cheshire herself didn't find out who Roy was until it was all said and done, and decided to use Lian's existence to torment Roy as [[WomanScorned payback for leaving her.her]]. Roy gained permanent custody of Lian after Cheshire destroyed the country of Qurac for shits and giggles. While the two aren't together anymore and Roy ''knows'' how awful Cheshire is, there still seem to be lingering feelings between the two that Roy is having trouble processing, mainly because of how it all affects Lian. This constantly causes drama whenever Cheshire reappears in Roy's and Lian's lives. However, it's implied Cheshire is such a sociopath she's incapable of having real love for Roy and mainly exploits Roy's feelings to use him and screw with him. This is a woman who conceived a replacement baby when her daughter's well-being was used as a bargaining chip against her. It's also implied if Roy knew just how little Cheshire cared about Lian he'd want nothing to do with her, if not outright try to murder her for such disregard of Lian's life.
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** Franchise/SpiderMan and the Characters/{{Black Cat|Marvel}} who became Spider-Man's girlfriend for a couple of years before he married [[Characters/MarvelComicsMaryJaneWatson Mary Jane Watson]] and on-and-off lover after the "[[Comicbook/OneMoreDay divorce]]". However, things between them soured ''badly'' during the Comicbook/SuperiorSpiderMan's run-in with the Cat (who, like everyone, didn't know that [[Characters/MarvelComicsOttoOctavius Doctor Octopus]] had taken over Spidey's body): he beat her up and left her to the police without so much as a "hello". Not only was she arrested, but everything she'd pilfered over the years was confiscated. This caused her to snap and perform a full-on FaceHeelTurn. Her "queenpin" lifestyle led to nothing but stints in hospital and general humiliation from more experienced mobsters, and she eventually turned good again. She realized the reason she couldn't think straight was that she no longer knew Spider-Man's identity. Peter ultimately decided to share his secret with her, triggering a much-needed reconciliation.
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** Franchise/SpiderMan and the Characters/{{Black Cat|Marvel}} Cat|MarvelComics}} who became Spider-Man's girlfriend for a couple of years before he married [[Characters/MarvelComicsMaryJaneWatson Mary Jane Watson]] and on-and-off lover after the "[[Comicbook/OneMoreDay divorce]]". However, things between them soured ''badly'' during the Comicbook/SuperiorSpiderMan's run-in with the Cat (who, like everyone, didn't know that [[Characters/MarvelComicsOttoOctavius Doctor Octopus]] had taken over Spidey's body): he beat her up and left her to the police without so much as a "hello". Not only was she arrested, but everything she'd pilfered over the years was confiscated. This caused her to snap and perform a full-on FaceHeelTurn. Her "queenpin" lifestyle led to nothing but stints in hospital and general humiliation from more experienced mobsters, and she eventually turned good again. She realized the reason she couldn't think straight was that she no longer knew Spider-Man's identity. Peter ultimately decided to share his secret with her, triggering a much-needed reconciliation.
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** Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} has many. [[Characters/DaredevilDaredevilAndSupportingCharacters Elektra]], [[Characters/DaredevilCentralRoguesGallery Typhoid Mary]], etc. While the Comicbook/BlackWidow had long reformed when she got involved with ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}, her previous relationship with ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} had an element of this for a time, between his HeelFaceTurn and hers.
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** Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} has many. [[Characters/DaredevilDaredevilAndSupportingCharacters [[Characters/DaredevilSupportingCharacters Elektra]], [[Characters/DaredevilCentralRoguesGallery Typhoid Mary]], etc. While the Comicbook/BlackWidow had long reformed when she got involved with ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}, her previous relationship with ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} had an element of this for a time, between his HeelFaceTurn and hers.
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* ComicBook/IronMan/ComicBook/{{Batman}} {{expy}} Tek-Knight in ''ComicBook/TheBoys'' had this relationship with a Catwoman expy known as The Talon, and his partnership with his sidekick [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Swingwing]] deteriorated as a result after a threesome between them turned into a LoveTriangle.
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** Reversed in the case of Ray Palmer, the Silver Age [[ComicBook/TheAtom Atom]]. His wife Jean Loring became the villain [[Characters/DCComicsEclipso Eclipso]] after their marriage and divorce... and [[spoiler:[[ComicBook/IdentityCrisis after she went nuts and killed Sue Dibny and Jack Drake]]]]. His successor as Atom, Ryan Choi was dating [[TinyGuyHugeGirl Giganta]]. It was apparently a serious enough relationship that [[spoiler: she took vengeance on his murderer]].
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** Reversed in the case of Ray Palmer, the Silver Age [[ComicBook/TheAtom Atom]]. His wife Jean Loring became the villain [[Characters/DCComicsEclipso Eclipso]] ComicBook/{{Eclipso}} after their marriage and divorce... and [[spoiler:[[ComicBook/IdentityCrisis after she went nuts and killed Sue Dibny and Jack Drake]]]]. His successor as Atom, Ryan Choi was dating [[TinyGuyHugeGirl Giganta]]. It was apparently a serious enough relationship that [[spoiler: she took vengeance on his murderer]].
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* Naturally, the {{Trope Namer|s}} and most famous example is the romantic tension between Characters/{{Catwoman}} and Franchise/{{Batman}}. The [[AlternateUniverse Earth-2]] versions of the characters actually married and had a kid, the original [[Characters/BatmanHuntress Huntress]]. [[CutLexLuthorACheck Why bother stealing when you're married to a multimillionaire?]] The main versions became a couple too, and Bruce even revealed his identity to her and she moved into the mansion with him. The relationship didn't last, but they both developed a respect for each other and Batman mostly looks the other way when Catwoman does her thing.
** However, things got a bit more interesting with the two. Continuing to dance around one another constantly to the point of a nearly functional relationship, then to a distant one due to fear of repercussions from their knowledge of one another's identity, the couple have certainly reheated things a bit since Bruce's return to the present... long story. Regardless, she has even accompanied him on his international travels to establish Batman Inc. But all that CharacterDevelopment in their relationship has been set back to square one with the [[ComicBook/New52 2011 DC Universe reboot]], in which Catwoman has no idea who Batman is behind the mask (although she suspects he knows who she is). Doesn't [[spoiler: stop her from having costumed sex with him though]]. And then in ''Comicbook/DCRebirth'' [[spoiler: not only does he reveal his identity to her again, he ''proposes''. It remains to be seen how this plays out, though]].
** Funnily enough, the whole 'dating Catwoman' trait stems from the fact that Batman himself has [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys a weakness for villainesses]], which he acknowledged in ''ComicBook/BatmanRIP'' His relationship with [[Characters/BatmanRasAlGhul Talia Al-Ghul]] in the main continuity (where they have a son together) is similar with his relationship.
** In ''Comicbook/GothamCitySirens'', it was mentioned that Catwoman and Talia are probably the only two women Batman has truly loved. It's not surprising that both of them are villainesses.
** Very explicit in one standalone strip called "Date Night"; Batman catches Catwoman in the middle of a robbery and chases her through various romantic locations including a flower stall and a fancy restaurant, all the while Catwoman is talking and flirting with him as if they were actually on a date. When he finally catches her, they briefly fight and she leaves him tied up and dangling upside down from a fire escape, kisses him goodnight, and runs away.
** In ''Crisis of Conscience'', the follow-up to ''Comicbook/IdentityCrisis'', Batman expresses fear that Catwoman’s HeelFaceTurn (or at least, [[DownplayedTrope Heel-Anti-Hero turn]]) was due to [[spoiler: ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} manipulating her mind]].
** In ''Batman the Dark Knight'' after the 2011 reboot, Bruce is attracted to Jaina Hudson, but becomes suspicious of her after new villainess White Rabbit issues the same "Catch me if you can" flirtatious challenge Jaina made in their first meeting. His suspicions are debunked when the White Rabbit shows up on the radar while he is on a date with Jaina. [[spoiler:It turns out he was right after all since Jaina has the power to split herself into two people -- her normal self and the White Rabbit.]]
** Zigzagged with Harley Quinn; she doesn't show any affection to Batman other than occasional flirting[[note]]though she famously kissed him and liked it in the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "Harley's Holiday"[[/note]], but she was briefly intimate with Bruce Wayne in one New 52 story.
** DependingOnTheWriter, [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]] may have a downplayed, one-sided version of this; she is sometimes portrayed as attracted to Batman, viewing him as either a worthy rival, the only "good" man she knows, or both, but Batman does not reciprocate the attraction.
** In an issue of ''Comicbook/TheBraveAndTheBold'' in which Superman patrolled Gotham in Bruce's stead, Catwoman quickly developed a crush on the Man of Steel at first sight. The two work together to take down a shady auction, with Selina treating it as a date.
** In ''Comicbook/BatmanBeyond'', Terry tries to invoke this trope upon meeting a new Catwoman. She refuses. This trope is later played straight when she ends up sleeping with Dick Grayson.
** Inverted in ''ComicBook/CatwomanGuardianOfGotham''. Selina dates and marries Bruce thinking that he's a handsome, good-hearted man, and feels nothing but utter revulsion towards the psychotic Batman. [[DramaticIrony Too bad they happen to be the same person]].
* Franchise/{{Superman}}:
** For a long time, [[Characters/SupermanLoisLane Lois Lane]] was both Superman's primary love interest and one of his main antagonists. She was constantly trying to expose the fact that he was really Clark Kent, which would of course have wrecked his life. He had to work very hard to keep one step ahead of her, even as he was also drawn to her.
** In the {{ComicBook/New 52}} Batman/Superman book, after Kal-El loses his memories of ever meeting Batman and those of the Kent's lessons he and Selina begin a relationship before he (Superman) gains back those specific memories.
* Other examples from ''Franchise/TheDCU'':
** ComicBook/CaptainAtom wound up ''marrying'' Plastique, a former Quebecois terrorist with explosive powers. Appropriately, in ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'' she [[spoiler: [[DiedInYourArmsTonight died in his arms]], or at least she appeared to; she was never seen again but it was never confirmed if she truly died or not, while her comics counterpart is still alive and well]].
** UsefulNotes/{{The Golden Age|OfComicBooks}} Franchise/GreenLantern, Alan Scott, not only fell in love with the villainess Thorn, he had ''children'' with her. Then again, he ''did'' fall in love with her [[SplitPersonality good personality, Rose]]. His second wife, the Harlequin, also started out as one of his adversaries, although she was long reformed and retired by the time they married.
*** Making this trope happen is actually the entire reason Harlequin turned to crime. She wanted to catch Lantern's eye and decided that donning a sexy costume and alternately stealing things and teaming up with him would be the best way to attract his attention.
** Likewise, the Silver Age Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, had Carol Ferris (whose [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Star Sapphire personality]] made frequent appearances) as a long-time love interest.
** Reversed in the case of Ray Palmer, the Silver Age [[ComicBook/TheAtom Atom]]. His wife Jean Loring became the villain [[Characters/DCComicsEclipso Eclipso]] after their marriage and divorce... and [[spoiler:[[ComicBook/IdentityCrisis after she went nuts and killed Sue Dibny and Jack Drake]]]]. His successor as Atom, Ryan Choi was dating [[TinyGuyHugeGirl Giganta]]. It was apparently a serious enough relationship that [[spoiler: she took vengeance on his murderer]].
** Roy Harper ([[IHaveManyNames a.k.a. Speedy/Arsenal/Red Arrow/whatever they're calling him this week]]) was sent in to seduce batshit insane assassin Cheshire to get enough evidence to take her in. However, they fell in love with each other and Roy realized he wouldn't be able to do it and walked out... not knowing Cheshire was pregnant. Cheshire herself didn't find out who Roy was until it was all said and done, and decided to use Lian's existence to torment Roy as payback for leaving her. Roy gained permanent custody of Lian after Cheshire destroyed the country of Qurac for shits and giggles. While the two aren't together anymore and Roy ''knows'' how awful Cheshire is, there still seem to be lingering feelings between the two that Roy is having trouble processing, mainly because of how it all affects Lian. This constantly causes drama whenever Cheshire reappears in Roy's and Lian's lives. However, it's implied Cheshire is such a sociopath she's incapable of having real love for Roy and mainly exploits Roy's feelings to use him and screw with him. This is a woman who conceived a replacement baby when her daughter's well-being was used as a bargaining chip against her. It's also implied if Roy knew just how little Cheshire cared about Lian he'd want nothing to do with her, if not outright try to murder her for such disregard of Lian's life.
** ComicBook/{{Superboy|1994}} (1990s clone version) dated ComicBook/{{New God|s}}dess Knockout, under the impression she was a well-meaning thrillseeker, rather than a murderous sociopath.
** In ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'', [[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Snapper Carr]] hooks up with the [[Characters/WonderWomanCheetah Cheetah]].
** ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} (not the original, a shape-changing alien called Matrix) had a sexual relationship with [[Characters/SupermanLexLuthor Lex Luthor]] (who had put his mind into a cloned body of his younger self). She didn't know since Lex was posing as his own estranged son at the time.
** Prior to the ''Comicbook/{{Flashpoint}}'' reboot, Red Robin was sort of dating the second Lynx, who was either a gang-leader or a Hong Kong cop undercover as a gang-leader. The irony that he was in a relationship with a possible villain in a cat mask was not lost on him.
** It is revealed in ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'' that Night Owl II had a fling with Twilight Lady. It's not clear how far this went, though Dan keeps a framed picture years after retiring and seems deeply embarrassed when pressed for details. ''Comicbook/BeforeWatchmen: Night Owl'' reveals that the two did have a very, VERY sexual relationship, however brief and ultimately doomed.
** This trope’s prevalence in the DCU is darkly [[{{Deconstruction}} deconstructed]] in James Robinson’s ''ComicBook/{{Starman}}'' run; the Mist, Starman’s {{Archenemy}}, is an obsessive {{Yandere}} who’s so convinced that Starman [[FoeYay secretly loves her]] that eventually [[spoiler:'''she rapes him'''. DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale is ''completely'' [[AvertedTrope averted]]]].
* ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'':
** [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] Marvel Comics tended to see this pop up a great deal with heroines and manly-man opponents -- e.g. the [[Comicbook/FantasticFour Fantastic 4's]] [[Characters/FantasticFourTheFantasticFour Sue Storm]] to the Comicbook/SubMariner (while he was a functional villain), or the Characters/ScarletWitch towards Arkon (who later dated [[Characters/MarvelComicsStorm Storm]], but his relationship with the Comicbook/XMen was on friendlier terms). Arguably, this resulted less in creating interesting tension than just creating [[FauxActionGirl a less effective heroine]].
** Franchise/SpiderMan and the Characters/{{Black Cat|Marvel}} who became Spider-Man's girlfriend for a couple of years before he married [[Characters/MarvelComicsMaryJaneWatson Mary Jane Watson]] and on-and-off lover after the "[[Comicbook/OneMoreDay divorce]]". However, things between them soured ''badly'' during the Comicbook/SuperiorSpiderMan's run-in with the Cat (who, like everyone, didn't know that [[Characters/MarvelComicsOttoOctavius Doctor Octopus]] had taken over Spidey's body): he beat her up and left her to the police without so much as a "hello". Not only was she arrested, but everything she'd pilfered over the years was confiscated. This caused her to snap and perform a full-on FaceHeelTurn. Her "queenpin" lifestyle led to nothing but stints in hospital and general humiliation from more experienced mobsters, and she eventually turned good again. She realized the reason she couldn't think straight was that she no longer knew Spider-Man's identity. Peter ultimately decided to share his secret with her, triggering a much-needed reconciliation.
** ''ComicBook/SquadronSupreme'': Nighthawk, the team's Batman {{expy}}, has this relationship with Catwoman expy the Mink in Mark Gruenwald's maxiseries. [[spoiler:It doesn't end well, with Mink dying in Nighthawk's arms.]]
** ComicBook/TheMightyThor and [[Characters/MarvelComicsTheEnchantress The Enchantress]] (Amora), a goddess of Asgard, who spent years hatching plans to harass and seduce the god of thunder. He eventually relented and had a brief romantic relationship with her. "The Reigning" storyline saw the two wed, and have a son named Magni. But these events were eventually wiped from reality.
** ComicBook/CaptainAmerica dating Diamondback, a member of the Serpent Society (a group of snake-themed supervillains). This is a somewhat defanged (no pun intended) instance, as Diamondback offered to drop crime for him practically in their first meeting. (Not that she came off all that convincing, but...)
** Comicbook/IronMan and Madame Masque/Whitney Frost. Then again, it's not surprising considering [[ReallyGetsAround the number of paramours]] Tony's had over the years. It came to the point where Frost [[StalkingIsLove masqueraded as Tony's personal secretary]] after they first broke up and resumed their relationship once her cover was blown. Also, he eventually got into a relationship with ComicBook/BlackWidow, a former enemy.
** Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} has many. [[Characters/DaredevilDaredevilAndSupportingCharacters Elektra]], [[Characters/DaredevilCentralRoguesGallery Typhoid Mary]], etc. While the Comicbook/BlackWidow had long reformed when she got involved with ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}, her previous relationship with ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} had an element of this for a time, between his HeelFaceTurn and hers.
** The Comicbook/FantasticFour's [[Characters/FantasticFourTheFantasticFour Human Torch]] briefly dated a villainess from the future known as Psionics. Johnny Storm also dated (and eventually married) a Skrull named Lyja who impersonated Alicia Masters (Ben Grimm's longtime girlfriend). Arguably, as this was all part of a plot and the Torch didn't know who she really was, this may not count. But the two later revealed that they had indeed developed strong feelings for each other.
** [[Characters/MarvelComicsStorm Storm]] of the X-Men is a notable case in that it's practically become a running gag (and yes, it's been lampshaded) that villains want her (and sometimes Storm herself is interested back). No less than ''Doom himself'' decided at one point that Storm would make for a perfect consort.
** ComicBook/AntMan [[http://l7world.com/2015/08/ant-man-goes-out-with-a-bang-ant-man-last-days.html ended up having this kind of relationship with Beetle]]. He didn't take this development well because when he first became a superhero Captain America expressly warned him to avoid this trope.
--->'''Ant Man''': (''while lying in bed naked with Beetle'') I'm ''so sorry'', Captain America.
** Karolina Dean of the ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' first encountered her sometime girlfriend Julie Power back when the latter was part of a group that had been organized specifically to shut down the Runaways. They later hooked up after Julie's then-employer Hank Pym tried to kidnap Molly Hayes and Klara Prast.
*** In ''ComicBook/RainbowRowellsRunaways'', Gert and Victor become a couple, despite both of them knowing full well that in at least one alternate timeline, they were mortal enemies.
** In a miniseries from the '90s, Greer Grant-Nelson aka Tigra of ComicBook/TheAvengers infiltrated a police academy to find answers about the murder of her husband Billy. While there she met and fell in love with Sergeant Matt [=McMullin=] who was an instructor at the academy. Unfortunately for Greer, Matt was involved with the Brethren of the Blue Fist, a group of vigilante cops operating out of the academy. Worse, Matt was revealed to have been the one who killed Billy to keep him from exposing the Brethren's crimes.
** ''ComicBook/AllNewUltimates'': [[Characters/UltimateSpiderManMilesMorales Miles Morales]] received a TakeThatKiss from Diamondback. It was not mutual nor consensual but got worried that he may not be loyal to Kate Bishop because of it.
* ''ComicBook/Dynamo5'' : {{Deconstruction}}. Captain Dynamo had an affair with one of his enemies, a supervillain named Chrysalis, and had a daughter with her, who he helped raise. While Chrysalis herself said that they were in love, that did not stop her and her daughter from taking advantage of his death to impersonate him to increase their power base. Ultimately, Chrysalis, an amoral and ruthless criminal who is willing to murder anyone in her way, only escapes justice because of her affair with Captain Dynamo.
* ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'':
** Subverted with the [[ClassyCatBurglar Ireyon]] in the Danish ''Paperinik'' stories - she comes on to [[WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck our masked hero]] because she thinks he is [[GentlemanThief Fantomius]], her old flame, whose style and equipment is the base of the one Donald uses for regular superheroing. Donald isn't that interested, and vaguely annoyed she thinks he is as old as his grandpa. (She, on the other hand, is ReallySevenHundredYearsOld.)
** Played straight instead with Lola Duck, another female thief who often uses her beauty to take advantage during her ''work''. Paperinik is not immune to her charm. Indeed, he just stops her attempted theft, but never arrest her. Despite they share a strong attraction, their relationship ends because of their respective roles.
** Played with by [[ComicBook/PaperinikNewAdventures Colonel Neopard and Commander Alyonesse]]: as [[PrivateMilitaryContractors mercenaries]] they're competitors, but at the end of the day, they'll date without an issue (Neopard even named his ship after her real name). Also, it's not clear who's the Catwoman, as they're both mercenaries, and while Neopard found himself fighting on Paperinik's side in both of his appearance that was just by coincidence the first time (Neopard's targets had a base on Earth and were allied with Paperinik's enemies the Evronians) and outright trickery the second (he was losing and needed reinforcements, and tricked Paperinik into coming to his rescue hoping he'd bring some powerful war machine), and in he's been known to fight for people who'd rather fight a war rather than pay for something they bought (his client before the job that brought him to Earth didn't pay their bills to a merchant coalition-or the mercenaries they used to defend themselves, hence why Neopard ditched them-, and in his second appearance he's working for a minerary company that wants to keep the industrial planetoid Grullop because the builders went over budget), while Alyonesse, in spite of being the enemy when she appeared, was fighting for Grullop's builders to recover the planet after the buyers refused to pay.
* When inept superheroine Comicbook/{{Empowered}} met Thugboy, the love of her life, she was tied to a chair and he was part of the gang holding the hostage she was attempting to rescue for ransom. He whispered a few words of encouragement into her ear... and pulled her out of the way when one of her idiot teammates brought the building down. Empowered then lets herself get captured by his gang several more times just to have an excuse to keep seeing him. He does a HeelFaceTurn a few chapters later.
* [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] regarding the titular Fox from ''ComicBook/TheFoxHunt'' and [[EvilSorceress Dream Demon]]. They ''used'' to date each other back when they were both innocent kids, but have only just met again recently, well into their adult lives, with The Fox being married with children by this point, the youngest being in his teens.
* The Fixer and Natalie Stack in ''ComicBook/HolyTerror''.
* In ''ComicBook/JemAndTheHologramsIDW'' Kimber is dating the TokenGoodTeammate of The Misfits, Stormer. Stormer isn't bad or anything, but her band is constantly butting heads with Kimber's band.
* In ''Johnny Saturn'', Johnny Saturn I is married to Persephone, the daughter of Saturn's arch-enemy, Dr. Synn. Persephone is morally ambiguous and as likely to use her powers to aid her father as her husband.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{ReBoot}}'' it's suggested that Mouse and Bob had this relationship before he arrived in Mainframe. He arrested her when she tried to hack into the Supercomputer and Mouse flirts with him constantly.
** The virus Hexadecimal also has a "thing" for Bob. He is polite with her, even going so far as to be a FriendlyEnemy, but he still has to stop her from causing chaos through Mainframe.
* In ''ComicBook/SherwoodTexas'', outlaw biker Rob Hood is romantically involved with Maria, the daughter of the Sheriff of Nottingham County.
* Comicbook/TheSpirit has at least ''three'' - Silk Satin, Sand Saref, and P'Gell.
* Greyshirt of ''ComicBook/TomorrowStories'' has Lapis Lazuli. He really does love her, but, well... if they ever got together in any meaningful way, she'd probably kill him the second it went sour. Even she thinks so.
* In ''ComicBook/{{WITCH}}'', Orube fell in love with [[ManipulativeBastard Cedric]], and they dated until his [[spoiler: RedemptionEqualsDeath]].
* ComicBook/{{Witchblade}} bearer and cop Sara Pezzini and ComicBook/TheDarkness bearer and Mafioso Jackie Estacado are rivals in their professional and supernatural lives, but as of ''First Born'' they [[spoiler:have a daughter, Hope, together]].
%%* Zorro and ComicBook/LadyRawhide in Topps ''Franchise/{{Zorro}}'' series. ZERO CONTEXT EXAMPLE
* ''ComicBook/StarWarsLegacy'': Cade Skywalker was raised by his single father, Kol Skywalker. His MissingMom turns out to be Morrigan Corde, an Imperial spy who fell in love with a Jedi Knight. They couldn't make their marriage work long-term because of their respective occupations and she left Cade with Kol when the former was two.
** However, things got a bit more interesting with the two. Continuing to dance around one another constantly to the point of a nearly functional relationship, then to a distant one due to fear of repercussions from their knowledge of one another's identity, the couple have certainly reheated things a bit since Bruce's return to the present... long story. Regardless, she has even accompanied him on his international travels to establish Batman Inc. But all that CharacterDevelopment in their relationship has been set back to square one with the [[ComicBook/New52 2011 DC Universe reboot]], in which Catwoman has no idea who Batman is behind the mask (although she suspects he knows who she is). Doesn't [[spoiler: stop her from having costumed sex with him though]]. And then in ''Comicbook/DCRebirth'' [[spoiler: not only does he reveal his identity to her again, he ''proposes''. It remains to be seen how this plays out, though]].
** Funnily enough, the whole 'dating Catwoman' trait stems from the fact that Batman himself has [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys a weakness for villainesses]], which he acknowledged in ''ComicBook/BatmanRIP'' His relationship with [[Characters/BatmanRasAlGhul Talia Al-Ghul]] in the main continuity (where they have a son together) is similar with his relationship.
** In ''Comicbook/GothamCitySirens'', it was mentioned that Catwoman and Talia are probably the only two women Batman has truly loved. It's not surprising that both of them are villainesses.
** Very explicit in one standalone strip called "Date Night"; Batman catches Catwoman in the middle of a robbery and chases her through various romantic locations including a flower stall and a fancy restaurant, all the while Catwoman is talking and flirting with him as if they were actually on a date. When he finally catches her, they briefly fight and she leaves him tied up and dangling upside down from a fire escape, kisses him goodnight, and runs away.
** In ''Crisis of Conscience'', the follow-up to ''Comicbook/IdentityCrisis'', Batman expresses fear that Catwoman’s HeelFaceTurn (or at least, [[DownplayedTrope Heel-Anti-Hero turn]]) was due to [[spoiler: ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} manipulating her mind]].
** In ''Batman the Dark Knight'' after the 2011 reboot, Bruce is attracted to Jaina Hudson, but becomes suspicious of her after new villainess White Rabbit issues the same "Catch me if you can" flirtatious challenge Jaina made in their first meeting. His suspicions are debunked when the White Rabbit shows up on the radar while he is on a date with Jaina. [[spoiler:It turns out he was right after all since Jaina has the power to split herself into two people -- her normal self and the White Rabbit.]]
** Zigzagged with Harley Quinn; she doesn't show any affection to Batman other than occasional flirting[[note]]though she famously kissed him and liked it in the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "Harley's Holiday"[[/note]], but she was briefly intimate with Bruce Wayne in one New 52 story.
** DependingOnTheWriter, [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]] may have a downplayed, one-sided version of this; she is sometimes portrayed as attracted to Batman, viewing him as either a worthy rival, the only "good" man she knows, or both, but Batman does not reciprocate the attraction.
** In an issue of ''Comicbook/TheBraveAndTheBold'' in which Superman patrolled Gotham in Bruce's stead, Catwoman quickly developed a crush on the Man of Steel at first sight. The two work together to take down a shady auction, with Selina treating it as a date.
** In ''Comicbook/BatmanBeyond'', Terry tries to invoke this trope upon meeting a new Catwoman. She refuses. This trope is later played straight when she ends up sleeping with Dick Grayson.
** Inverted in ''ComicBook/CatwomanGuardianOfGotham''. Selina dates and marries Bruce thinking that he's a handsome, good-hearted man, and feels nothing but utter revulsion towards the psychotic Batman. [[DramaticIrony Too bad they happen to be the same person]].
* Franchise/{{Superman}}:
** For a long time, [[Characters/SupermanLoisLane Lois Lane]] was both Superman's primary love interest and one of his main antagonists. She was constantly trying to expose the fact that he was really Clark Kent, which would of course have wrecked his life. He had to work very hard to keep one step ahead of her, even as he was also drawn to her.
** In the {{ComicBook/New 52}} Batman/Superman book, after Kal-El loses his memories of ever meeting Batman and those of the Kent's lessons he and Selina begin a relationship before he (Superman) gains back those specific memories.
* Other examples from ''Franchise/TheDCU'':
** ComicBook/CaptainAtom wound up ''marrying'' Plastique, a former Quebecois terrorist with explosive powers. Appropriately, in ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'' she [[spoiler: [[DiedInYourArmsTonight died in his arms]], or at least she appeared to; she was never seen again but it was never confirmed if she truly died or not, while her comics counterpart is still alive and well]].
** UsefulNotes/{{The Golden Age|OfComicBooks}} Franchise/GreenLantern, Alan Scott, not only fell in love with the villainess Thorn, he had ''children'' with her. Then again, he ''did'' fall in love with her [[SplitPersonality good personality, Rose]]. His second wife, the Harlequin, also started out as one of his adversaries, although she was long reformed and retired by the time they married.
*** Making this trope happen is actually the entire reason Harlequin turned to crime. She wanted to catch Lantern's eye and decided that donning a sexy costume and alternately stealing things and teaming up with him would be the best way to attract his attention.
** Likewise, the Silver Age Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, had Carol Ferris (whose [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Star Sapphire personality]] made frequent appearances) as a long-time love interest.
** Reversed in the case of Ray Palmer, the Silver Age [[ComicBook/TheAtom Atom]]. His wife Jean Loring became the villain [[Characters/DCComicsEclipso Eclipso]] after their marriage and divorce... and [[spoiler:[[ComicBook/IdentityCrisis after she went nuts and killed Sue Dibny and Jack Drake]]]]. His successor as Atom, Ryan Choi was dating [[TinyGuyHugeGirl Giganta]]. It was apparently a serious enough relationship that [[spoiler: she took vengeance on his murderer]].
** Roy Harper ([[IHaveManyNames a.k.a. Speedy/Arsenal/Red Arrow/whatever they're calling him this week]]) was sent in to seduce batshit insane assassin Cheshire to get enough evidence to take her in. However, they fell in love with each other and Roy realized he wouldn't be able to do it and walked out... not knowing Cheshire was pregnant. Cheshire herself didn't find out who Roy was until it was all said and done, and decided to use Lian's existence to torment Roy as payback for leaving her. Roy gained permanent custody of Lian after Cheshire destroyed the country of Qurac for shits and giggles. While the two aren't together anymore and Roy ''knows'' how awful Cheshire is, there still seem to be lingering feelings between the two that Roy is having trouble processing, mainly because of how it all affects Lian. This constantly causes drama whenever Cheshire reappears in Roy's and Lian's lives. However, it's implied Cheshire is such a sociopath she's incapable of having real love for Roy and mainly exploits Roy's feelings to use him and screw with him. This is a woman who conceived a replacement baby when her daughter's well-being was used as a bargaining chip against her. It's also implied if Roy knew just how little Cheshire cared about Lian he'd want nothing to do with her, if not outright try to murder her for such disregard of Lian's life.
** ComicBook/{{Superboy|1994}} (1990s clone version) dated ComicBook/{{New God|s}}dess Knockout, under the impression she was a well-meaning thrillseeker, rather than a murderous sociopath.
** In ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'', [[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Snapper Carr]] hooks up with the [[Characters/WonderWomanCheetah Cheetah]].
** ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} (not the original, a shape-changing alien called Matrix) had a sexual relationship with [[Characters/SupermanLexLuthor Lex Luthor]] (who had put his mind into a cloned body of his younger self). She didn't know since Lex was posing as his own estranged son at the time.
** Prior to the ''Comicbook/{{Flashpoint}}'' reboot, Red Robin was sort of dating the second Lynx, who was either a gang-leader or a Hong Kong cop undercover as a gang-leader. The irony that he was in a relationship with a possible villain in a cat mask was not lost on him.
** It is revealed in ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'' that Night Owl II had a fling with Twilight Lady. It's not clear how far this went, though Dan keeps a framed picture years after retiring and seems deeply embarrassed when pressed for details. ''Comicbook/BeforeWatchmen: Night Owl'' reveals that the two did have a very, VERY sexual relationship, however brief and ultimately doomed.
** This trope’s prevalence in the DCU is darkly [[{{Deconstruction}} deconstructed]] in James Robinson’s ''ComicBook/{{Starman}}'' run; the Mist, Starman’s {{Archenemy}}, is an obsessive {{Yandere}} who’s so convinced that Starman [[FoeYay secretly loves her]] that eventually [[spoiler:'''she rapes him'''. DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale is ''completely'' [[AvertedTrope averted]]]].
* ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'':
** [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] Marvel Comics tended to see this pop up a great deal with heroines and manly-man opponents -- e.g. the [[Comicbook/FantasticFour Fantastic 4's]] [[Characters/FantasticFourTheFantasticFour Sue Storm]] to the Comicbook/SubMariner (while he was a functional villain), or the Characters/ScarletWitch towards Arkon (who later dated [[Characters/MarvelComicsStorm Storm]], but his relationship with the Comicbook/XMen was on friendlier terms). Arguably, this resulted less in creating interesting tension than just creating [[FauxActionGirl a less effective heroine]].
** Franchise/SpiderMan and the Characters/{{Black Cat|Marvel}} who became Spider-Man's girlfriend for a couple of years before he married [[Characters/MarvelComicsMaryJaneWatson Mary Jane Watson]] and on-and-off lover after the "[[Comicbook/OneMoreDay divorce]]". However, things between them soured ''badly'' during the Comicbook/SuperiorSpiderMan's run-in with the Cat (who, like everyone, didn't know that [[Characters/MarvelComicsOttoOctavius Doctor Octopus]] had taken over Spidey's body): he beat her up and left her to the police without so much as a "hello". Not only was she arrested, but everything she'd pilfered over the years was confiscated. This caused her to snap and perform a full-on FaceHeelTurn. Her "queenpin" lifestyle led to nothing but stints in hospital and general humiliation from more experienced mobsters, and she eventually turned good again. She realized the reason she couldn't think straight was that she no longer knew Spider-Man's identity. Peter ultimately decided to share his secret with her, triggering a much-needed reconciliation.
** ''ComicBook/SquadronSupreme'': Nighthawk, the team's Batman {{expy}}, has this relationship with Catwoman expy the Mink in Mark Gruenwald's maxiseries. [[spoiler:It doesn't end well, with Mink dying in Nighthawk's arms.]]
** ComicBook/TheMightyThor and [[Characters/MarvelComicsTheEnchantress The Enchantress]] (Amora), a goddess of Asgard, who spent years hatching plans to harass and seduce the god of thunder. He eventually relented and had a brief romantic relationship with her. "The Reigning" storyline saw the two wed, and have a son named Magni. But these events were eventually wiped from reality.
** ComicBook/CaptainAmerica dating Diamondback, a member of the Serpent Society (a group of snake-themed supervillains). This is a somewhat defanged (no pun intended) instance, as Diamondback offered to drop crime for him practically in their first meeting. (Not that she came off all that convincing, but...)
** Comicbook/IronMan and Madame Masque/Whitney Frost. Then again, it's not surprising considering [[ReallyGetsAround the number of paramours]] Tony's had over the years. It came to the point where Frost [[StalkingIsLove masqueraded as Tony's personal secretary]] after they first broke up and resumed their relationship once her cover was blown. Also, he eventually got into a relationship with ComicBook/BlackWidow, a former enemy.
** Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} has many. [[Characters/DaredevilDaredevilAndSupportingCharacters Elektra]], [[Characters/DaredevilCentralRoguesGallery Typhoid Mary]], etc. While the Comicbook/BlackWidow had long reformed when she got involved with ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}, her previous relationship with ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} had an element of this for a time, between his HeelFaceTurn and hers.
** The Comicbook/FantasticFour's [[Characters/FantasticFourTheFantasticFour Human Torch]] briefly dated a villainess from the future known as Psionics. Johnny Storm also dated (and eventually married) a Skrull named Lyja who impersonated Alicia Masters (Ben Grimm's longtime girlfriend). Arguably, as this was all part of a plot and the Torch didn't know who she really was, this may not count. But the two later revealed that they had indeed developed strong feelings for each other.
** [[Characters/MarvelComicsStorm Storm]] of the X-Men is a notable case in that it's practically become a running gag (and yes, it's been lampshaded) that villains want her (and sometimes Storm herself is interested back). No less than ''Doom himself'' decided at one point that Storm would make for a perfect consort.
** ComicBook/AntMan [[http://l7world.com/2015/08/ant-man-goes-out-with-a-bang-ant-man-last-days.html ended up having this kind of relationship with Beetle]]. He didn't take this development well because when he first became a superhero Captain America expressly warned him to avoid this trope.
--->'''Ant Man''': (''while lying in bed naked with Beetle'') I'm ''so sorry'', Captain America.
** Karolina Dean of the ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' first encountered her sometime girlfriend Julie Power back when the latter was part of a group that had been organized specifically to shut down the Runaways. They later hooked up after Julie's then-employer Hank Pym tried to kidnap Molly Hayes and Klara Prast.
*** In ''ComicBook/RainbowRowellsRunaways'', Gert and Victor become a couple, despite both of them knowing full well that in at least one alternate timeline, they were mortal enemies.
** In a miniseries from the '90s, Greer Grant-Nelson aka Tigra of ComicBook/TheAvengers infiltrated a police academy to find answers about the murder of her husband Billy. While there she met and fell in love with Sergeant Matt [=McMullin=] who was an instructor at the academy. Unfortunately for Greer, Matt was involved with the Brethren of the Blue Fist, a group of vigilante cops operating out of the academy. Worse, Matt was revealed to have been the one who killed Billy to keep him from exposing the Brethren's crimes.
** ''ComicBook/AllNewUltimates'': [[Characters/UltimateSpiderManMilesMorales Miles Morales]] received a TakeThatKiss from Diamondback. It was not mutual nor consensual but got worried that he may not be loyal to Kate Bishop because of it.
* ''ComicBook/Dynamo5'' : {{Deconstruction}}. Captain Dynamo had an affair with one of his enemies, a supervillain named Chrysalis, and had a daughter with her, who he helped raise. While Chrysalis herself said that they were in love, that did not stop her and her daughter from taking advantage of his death to impersonate him to increase their power base. Ultimately, Chrysalis, an amoral and ruthless criminal who is willing to murder anyone in her way, only escapes justice because of her affair with Captain Dynamo.
* ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'':
** Subverted with the [[ClassyCatBurglar Ireyon]] in the Danish ''Paperinik'' stories - she comes on to [[WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck our masked hero]] because she thinks he is [[GentlemanThief Fantomius]], her old flame, whose style and equipment is the base of the one Donald uses for regular superheroing. Donald isn't that interested, and vaguely annoyed she thinks he is as old as his grandpa. (She, on the other hand, is ReallySevenHundredYearsOld.)
** Played straight instead with Lola Duck, another female thief who often uses her beauty to take advantage during her ''work''. Paperinik is not immune to her charm. Indeed, he just stops her attempted theft, but never arrest her. Despite they share a strong attraction, their relationship ends because of their respective roles.
** Played with by [[ComicBook/PaperinikNewAdventures Colonel Neopard and Commander Alyonesse]]: as [[PrivateMilitaryContractors mercenaries]] they're competitors, but at the end of the day, they'll date without an issue (Neopard even named his ship after her real name). Also, it's not clear who's the Catwoman, as they're both mercenaries, and while Neopard found himself fighting on Paperinik's side in both of his appearance that was just by coincidence the first time (Neopard's targets had a base on Earth and were allied with Paperinik's enemies the Evronians) and outright trickery the second (he was losing and needed reinforcements, and tricked Paperinik into coming to his rescue hoping he'd bring some powerful war machine), and in he's been known to fight for people who'd rather fight a war rather than pay for something they bought (his client before the job that brought him to Earth didn't pay their bills to a merchant coalition-or the mercenaries they used to defend themselves, hence why Neopard ditched them-, and in his second appearance he's working for a minerary company that wants to keep the industrial planetoid Grullop because the builders went over budget), while Alyonesse, in spite of being the enemy when she appeared, was fighting for Grullop's builders to recover the planet after the buyers refused to pay.
* When inept superheroine Comicbook/{{Empowered}} met Thugboy, the love of her life, she was tied to a chair and he was part of the gang holding the hostage she was attempting to rescue for ransom. He whispered a few words of encouragement into her ear... and pulled her out of the way when one of her idiot teammates brought the building down. Empowered then lets herself get captured by his gang several more times just to have an excuse to keep seeing him. He does a HeelFaceTurn a few chapters later.
* [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] regarding the titular Fox from ''ComicBook/TheFoxHunt'' and [[EvilSorceress Dream Demon]]. They ''used'' to date each other back when they were both innocent kids, but have only just met again recently, well into their adult lives, with The Fox being married with children by this point, the youngest being in his teens.
* The Fixer and Natalie Stack in ''ComicBook/HolyTerror''.
* In ''ComicBook/JemAndTheHologramsIDW'' Kimber is dating the TokenGoodTeammate of The Misfits, Stormer. Stormer isn't bad or anything, but her band is constantly butting heads with Kimber's band.
* In ''Johnny Saturn'', Johnny Saturn I is married to Persephone, the daughter of Saturn's arch-enemy, Dr. Synn. Persephone is morally ambiguous and as likely to use her powers to aid her father as her husband.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{ReBoot}}'' it's suggested that Mouse and Bob had this relationship before he arrived in Mainframe. He arrested her when she tried to hack into the Supercomputer and Mouse flirts with him constantly.
** The virus Hexadecimal also has a "thing" for Bob. He is polite with her, even going so far as to be a FriendlyEnemy, but he still has to stop her from causing chaos through Mainframe.
* In ''ComicBook/SherwoodTexas'', outlaw biker Rob Hood is romantically involved with Maria, the daughter of the Sheriff of Nottingham County.
* Comicbook/TheSpirit has at least ''three'' - Silk Satin, Sand Saref, and P'Gell.
* Greyshirt of ''ComicBook/TomorrowStories'' has Lapis Lazuli. He really does love her, but, well... if they ever got together in any meaningful way, she'd probably kill him the second it went sour. Even she thinks so.
* In ''ComicBook/{{WITCH}}'', Orube fell in love with [[ManipulativeBastard Cedric]], and they dated until his [[spoiler: RedemptionEqualsDeath]].
* ComicBook/{{Witchblade}} bearer and cop Sara Pezzini and ComicBook/TheDarkness bearer and Mafioso Jackie Estacado are rivals in their professional and supernatural lives, but as of ''First Born'' they [[spoiler:have a daughter, Hope, together]].
%%* Zorro and ComicBook/LadyRawhide in Topps ''Franchise/{{Zorro}}'' series. ZERO CONTEXT EXAMPLE
* ''ComicBook/StarWarsLegacy'': Cade Skywalker was raised by his single father, Kol Skywalker. His MissingMom turns out to be Morrigan Corde, an Imperial spy who fell in love with a Jedi Knight. They couldn't make their marriage work long-term because of their respective occupations and she left Cade with Kol when the former was two.
