Rivalries between superheroes are a great way to keep readers interested in characters they’ve known for years. A good rivalry also helps with relationship dynamics and allows heroes to evolve past their hangups. Superheroes aren’t perfect, and when they’re young and insecure, there is some great material to work with to really push their development.
Damian Wayne and Connor Hawke have recently developed a rivalry that intrigues the comic book community. Damian has a tendency to pick fights with anyone who comes his way, ally or not, but something about this one stands out.
10 The Two Met In A Death Tournament
In Robin #1, written by Joshua Williamson and illustrated by Gleb Melnikov, Damian is investigating a lead regarding a death tournament somehow connected to his mother’s side of the family. This is Damian’s first big mission after leaving his father’s terrible attempt at parenting and setting out on his own. The tournament involves plenty of challenges, but the most dangerous of them is the young man favored to win the tournament, Connor Hawke.
9 They Share A Connection Through The League Of Shadows
The League of Shadows and its splinter group, the League of Assassins, have put forward some incredible fighters over the centuries. Within its prestigious lineup are none other than Damian Wayne and Connor Hawke.
Damian was raised to become the leader of the League when he was older, though he eventually chose to go and live with his father and leave all of that behind. Connor was recruited by the League of Assassins and trained to be their prizefighter for the death tournament.
8 Neither One Gets Along With Their Superhero Dad
It’s not uncommon for the children of superheroes to follow in their fathers’ footsteps, but it’s also not uncommon for superhero families to not get along. Batman and Damian have had problems for years. Batman isn’t very understanding or emotionally available, while Damian is often a brat. However, Damian has recently parted ways with the Bat-family altogether.
Hawke arguably has it worse. Oliver Queen actually abandoned Hawke when he was an infant, leaving Hawke’s mother to raise him alone. The two currently have no relationship to speak of.
7 The Two Are Super Wealthy
On top of having super-dads, both Damian and Hawke share the same fate of having billions of dollars coming their way once they come of age. Queen Industries and Wayne Enterprises are two of the wealthiest companies in the DC universe and, though their ownership constantly changes hands, they always end up back with the Queen and Wayne families. Hawke and Damian rival each other not only in fighting skills but also inheritance value. Though, truth be told, neither of them seem particularly interested in their family’s wealth.
6 Damian And Hawke Are Both Multiracial
Damian’s mother, the villainess Talia al Ghul, is of Arab and Chinese ancestry, while Connor Hawke’s mother is African-American and Korean. Both of them were primarily raised in those cultures with Damian being raised by his mother’s side until his teens, and Hawke being raised by his mother. Fans see a glimpse into Hawke’s home life in the Hawke & Kong story by Greg Pak and Sumit Kumar. It was featured in DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration, where Hawke is sent on an errand to grab kimchi for dinner, but superhero shenanigans get in the way.
5 Both Are Besties With Superman
Not only do Connor and Damion have a connection through their dads, but they also share a superhero best friend…sort of. Due to Batman and Superman’s constant team-ups, Damian and Jon Kent ended up being stuck together enough times they formed their own superhero team: Super Sons. Their friendship endured enough that even after Damian left the Bat-Family, he left a message for Jon to find.
Connor’s connection to Superman is more recent. Kong Kenan teams up with Connor to fight a giant robot in Hawke & Kong. When Kong awkwardly shows up to Connor’s house afterwards, Connor realizes Kong actually doesn’t have any friends in the city, so the two strike up a friendship.
4 They Both Took Over Their Dads’ Mantle
Despite the troubled past they share with their respective fathers, both Damian and Hawke have taken on the mantle of their superhero fathers. Hawke generally goes by the title of Green Arrow on a consistent basis, while Damian’s case is more specific. In Batman #666, written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Andy Kubert, fans were treated to a grim future where Damian takes over the Batman mantle after Bruce’s death. His methods are much more brutal than Bruce’s, but that’s not surprising considering Damian’s past.
3 The Two Actually Get Along
In Robin #3, by Joshua Williamson and Gleb Melnikov, readers get to see how Robin and Hawke get along pretty well. They have more commonalities than one would assume due to their fathers. Combined with the fact not a lot of other people could understand what they have to live up to, it’s not a surprise they wouldn’t get along. Unfortunately, those similarities are also the reason why their rivalry exists. It’s hard to have peers when they have to constantly prove they’re the best.
2 They’re Both Great Investigators
Damian’s track record as an investigator speaks for itself. He wouldn’t end up with a prison full of villains in his basement without those skills. In a world of superpowered beings, Damian’s ability to overcome that gap with his fighting skills and planning can only be compared to his dad’s.
At the same time, Hawke’s investigative skills also landed him in the thick of the death tournament Damian was investigating. He also infiltrated the League of Assassins, which is no small feat.
1 Neither Of Them Have Any Powers
Damian and Connor both had to endure an incredible amount of training to reach their positions in the DC food chain of superheroes. The two of them managed to reach the finals of a death tournament filled with superpowered beings with their fighting skills alone. The two are fairly evenly matched in fighting skills. At the same time, that’s why they have such an interesting rivalry. It’s one thing to lose a fight to someone with superpowers, but being the weaker of the two fighters without powers would also mean losing face.