During this age of uncertainty, many people have questions. They are confused, concerned, and curious about the future. Among these queries is one that people of all ages, backgrounds, and economic standing ask. What is better, Marvel or DC?
At first glance, these franchises are close competitors. We all know Marvel for Iron Man, The Hulk, Black Widow, and Captain America. We recognize DC because of popular characters such as Batman, Wonder Women, and Superman. These multimillion-dollar companies have been competing for generations, from their origins in comics to the development of movies and tv shows. However, there is one clear winner in the public's eye, and that is Marvel.
When you look at the beginning of these comics, DC was formed in 1934 by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson and Marvel in 1939 by Martin Goodman. Many fans believe that DC is better than Marvel because while Marvel only produces a few movies a year, DC regularly produces high quality comics every month. “I like DC because Superman had laser eyes and that’s cool, and Batman is super rich and wears a suit,” said freshman Ollie Kelly. They also created relatable characters that you want to root for and have a multiverse that is comprehensive and complete yet still able to grow. Many superhero fans don’t want to root for Marvel characters because of moral flaws or differing viewpoints. This can cause friction in a movie where people just want something fun and entertaining.
Despite these good arguments defending DC comics, hardcopy media has been proven to be an outdated method of entertainment, and Marvel has been able to fully transition into online mediums. According to statista.com, “In the United States, around 54 percent of adults aged 18 to 34 have seen one or more of the films from Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’ series.” Marvel’s content has a wider reach than DC’s comics, and people from all areas and backgrounds can connect and relate to the content. “I am a Marvel fan, but I will admit that Aquaman is super hot. I like Marvel because it's what I grew up on. I really like the first Avengers movie and I like that all the characters have cool backstories,” said junior Teagan Sauer.
DC’s highest revenue generating movie was Aquaman in 2018 which brought in 1.148 billion dollars, which is DC’s first and only movie to bring in over a billion dollars. Marvel’s highest revenue generating movie was Avengers: Endgame, with 2.8 billion dollars of revenue. This is the second highest revenue generating movie ever, right after Avatar. Marvel also has 8 movies that have generated more than Aquaman according to boxofficemojo.com.
Every year at Comic Con, hundreds of thousands of fans flock to share in their love for comics and show support for their favorite fandoms with people from across the United States. Starburstmagazine.com said, “MCU merchandise has earned Disney around $41 billion by 2020, more than every single Marvel movie combined” and that this is mostly due to “the sheer diversity of the merchandise on offer, which goes far beyond the typical toys and t-shirts". Disney offers an astoundingly large variety of merchandise ranging from clothes to accessories, toys to office supplies, and action figures to gift cards. You can even shop by the superhero you want your merchandise picturing.
Marvel and DC truly have been close rivals, but after a hard-fought battle, Marvel emerged victorious. Making more money in the box-office, more views online, and more turnout at events makes Marvel the superior superhero franchise. They hold the crown, and they take good care of it. After all, “with great power comes great responsibility.” -Uncle Ben.
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