DC vs Marvel: The ultimate showdown of two comic book franchises
DC Comics, founded in 1934, introduced larger-than-life heroes like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman—figures meant to inspire hope.
The rival company, Marvel Comics, founded in 1939, took a different approach, focusing on flawed heroes like Spider-Man and the X-Men, making them more relatable to readers.
In DC Comics, heroes are often depicted as mythic figures, creating a fantasy of heroism without necessarily being grounded in reality. Many of its characters exist in fictional cities like Gotham City or Metropolis and face challenges that seem insurmountable for ordinary humans.
Marvel Comics, on the other hand, introduced characters such as Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, and Wolverine. Marvel encapsulates the realism of being a hero by addressing themes like alcoholism, balancing personal life, and social issues. Many of its stories are set in real-world locations, primarily New York City.
The debate continues among fans. Some believe DC prioritizes animated projects over live-action films.
“I feel like DC focuses more on cartoons than live-action because you don’t see live-action movies from DC as often. Their live-action movies were more prominent five to ten years ago. Marvel, on the other hand, has more recent shows and movies, so I think DC focuses too much on cartoons,” senior Chris Nunez said.
Other fans argue that DC dominates in comics while Marvel excels in films.
“Honestly, I prefer DC in terms of TV shows and comics. Right now, the comics aren’t great, but in my opinion, Marvel has better movies,” senior Diego Luna said.
Some fans enjoy DC’s storytelling, particularly its multiverse narratives.
“I really like what DC has been doing. It seems very organic, flowing from when I was little and they did ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths,’ and how that shaped their universe. It feels like a full extension of that. Marvel, on the other hand, feels like it’s forcing its anniversary plotlines,” comic enthusiast Mark Begovich said.
Artist Blue Kubica, whose work includes published comics and paintings, shared their perspective on the differences between DC and Marvel.
“I remember seeing someone say that DC is about heroes learning to be human, while Marvel is about humans learning to be heroes, which is interesting. Both companies try to balance the fantastic with the mundane. At one point, I preferred DC’s storytelling, particularly in Batman comics, because they used visuals effectively. In contrast, a Marvel comic I read, possibly one of the Phoenix origin stories, was overloaded with text and narration, making it feel cluttered,” Kubica said.
Recently, DC has gained traction with new media releases, such as the upcoming “Creature Commandos” series and “Superman: Legacy,” set for release on July 11. Meanwhile, Marvel also released a trailer for “Fantastic Four,” debuting the same month. “Superman: Legacy’s” trailer, released on Dec. 19, garnered 54 million views, while “Fantastic Four,” released on Feb. 4, also attracted over 10 million views.
Both companies have had mixed success with their recent films. Marvel has been criticized for prioritizing quantity over quality, releasing nine interconnected projects between 2021 and 2022, many of which received lukewarm reviews, such as “She-Hulk” and “Thor: Love and Thunder.” However, in 2024, Marvel scaled back its output, with “Deadpool & Wolverine” becoming its biggest hit, earning $211 million in its opening weekend.
DC, meanwhile, has struggled financially and critically, with recent films underperforming at the box office. “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” received a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and behind-the-scenes controversies, such as those involving Amber Heard and Ezra Miller, further damaged the brand.
Both companies have leaned into multiverse storytelling to attract new readers. A major challenge in comics is accessibility, as new readers struggle to find an entry point into long-running series. For example, “Spider-Man,” created in 1962, has over 788 issues, not including alternate universe stories like “Edge of Spider-Verse” or crossover events like “Civil War.” Some readers also dislike repetitive tropes, such as Batman’s wealth funding his crime-fighting technology.
Both Marvel and DC have introduced alternate universe storylines to refresh their brands. DC launched the Absolute Universe, reimagining Batman as a civil engineer instead of a billionaire. His famous rogues are now allies from the same orphanage, and his butler, Alfred, is portrayed as a more ruthless figure. The origin of Batman is altered as well, shifting from the iconic alleyway mugging to a different tragedy occurring on a school trip.
Marvel, meanwhile, relaunched its “Ultimates” line, which originally ended in 2015. The new run reimagines Spider-Man as an adult who gains his powers later in life and has a stable family, deviating from the traditional tragic backstory. While this approach aims to attract new readers, some longtime fans view it as an unnecessary rehash.
Both companies’ alternate comic runs performed well in January 2025, with “Ultimate Wolverine” and “Absolute Batman” achieving strong sales.
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