#ComicBytes: The best friendships in Marvel comics
The Marvel Universe is filled with superheroes who fight evil to save the world. But they also have emotions and over time have cultivated some intimate, meaningful friendships. For decades, Marvel's heroes have leaned on their best buddies and fought alongside them, in both good and bad times. Here're a few of the strongest and most enduring friendships in all of the Marvel Universe.
Hawkeye and Black Widow have an iconic friendship. So much so, that in Avengers: Endgame, Natasha sacrificed herself for Clint Barton. The comics tell a deeper history between the two. Black Widow deflected from KGB just for Hawkeye, who understood her like no one else. Since then, they always have each other's back no matter what, and their friendship has grown so very much.
Rocket and Groot are living proof that friendship is possible across all beings- and languages- in the entire cosmos. They may have differences when it comes to their physical appearances and personalities, but in the comics, the pair have been gallivanting across the galaxy for years now. They also share a comic series (before the Guardians) where this famous friendship is established.
A friendship born from a fist fight, Iron Fist and Luke Cage get along almost immediately. They together work under the title, Heroes for Hire. Danny (Iron Fist) often uses his resources to support his friend, while Luke is always there for Danny. There are few superhero duos that are as effective as the two of them. Nothing can break their bond.
War Machine, aka Rhodey, is Tony Stark's best friend from the very beginning. With Rhodey being the less headstrong of the pair, he is often the one to keep Tony from going off at the deep end, which has helped us see Iron man for a longer time. Together, Stark and Rhodey form a classic Marvel bromance, which is unshakable.
With a friendship spanning almost 80 years, Captain America and Bucky Barnes give us the ultimate friendship goals. When they met during WWII, Bucky was the sidekick but fighting a war together made them best friends. Their bond has survived decades of freezing, Bucky turning into a Super Soldier, and countless brushes with death. Steve even gives his Captain America mantle to Bucky.
