If you're one of the few that has someone in your life you can call a best friend then you should consider yourself lucky. After all, a "better part of ones life consists of ones friends," and they should always be treasured in your heart. Maybe that's why it's so nice to see friendships bloom between characters we know and love in some of our favorite comics -- it's something that we can not only relate to, but that also makes them seem more human. When written well, the friendship between two characters can make for the most wonderful moments in so many of our funny books.
When the penultimate issue of X-23 hit stores yesterday, I did not expect that the book which featured a guest appearance from Jubilee would focus so much on the value and importance of friendship. For X-23, it's not easy to make friends when most of your life has been spent abused in prostitution and manipulated on X-Force; so you can imagine how it would likely be a great challenge for Laura to actually get to the point where she felt she could trust another person. Yet, even though she has suffered at the hands of her captors and Captains, X-23 has still found it in her heart to trust some of the people around her; one of them being Jubilee.
== TEASER ==
The story opens with a very humorous football match where X-23 and Jubilee take on the boys of the Jean Grey Academy -- and they win. But the scene shifts to their very own girls night out, and X-23 reveals to Jubilee her innermost thoughts and conflicts. Should she join Cyclops' team again? Should she leave Wolverine and his school behind? This is a great scene not only because it deals with the future of Laura's character, but it also delves into Jubilee's problems. It makes these characters feel more human because they are confiding in one another, helping each other in their time of need. As her true friend, Laura reassures Jubilee that she would "not harm anyone," implying that she might be blood thirsty, but she is still a good person. Laura still believes that Jubilee is still the same person before she ever became a vampire.
X-23 has made other friends throughout the series, as well; one of them being Gambit. Initially, the unlikely pair had their share of squabbles, but ultimately Gambit eventually turned to look at Laura as his own. He treated her with the respect she deserved, gave her the space she needed, and allowed her to experience life all under his caring and somewhat protective watch. In turn, X-23 kept the Cajun in line, virtually putting an end to his womanizing ways.
X-23 and the evolution of her relationships with Gambit and Jubilee respectively aren't the only good examples of friendship in comics. Thinking back to Fantastic Four #584 when Ben Grimm decided to take the potion that had been concocted for him by the kids, he was given one week out of the year when he would transform from the Thing to just plain-old Ben Grimm.
It was at that moment that Johnny took Ben by the hand, and took him out on the town. The whole issue was spent with Ben simply doing all the things he couldn't normally do as the Thing, and at the very end, Johnny surprised him by taking him to Alicia's apartment, knowing full well that the big lug wouldn't have the guts to do it himself, even if it's ultimately what he really wants. Johnny knows what Ben wants and who he wants to see, which is why he brought him to Alicia's house. It's a beautiful issue and a really sweet moment.
You cant bring up friendships without mentioning Stephanie Brown and Cassandra Cain, the two former Batgirls who were (at one time) very dear friends. In the panel above, the two former Batgirls bond over how warped and twisted both their fathers were, but they make light of it. They bond as both crime-fighters with similar agendas and over their respective sordid pasts. It's one moment of many where the two girls displayed a true love and friendship for one another, something that was very difficult for Cassie who was raised never to show emotion.
Character friendships have led to some of the best moments in comics. They help characters to evolve and develop and they bring readers in, allowing them to better relate to some of our favorite heroes. Do you have a favorite moment shared between two characters in comics? If so, what is it? What do you think of friendships in comics?
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