Which do you think is better?

[Super_mad09]

Which do you think is better DC or Marvel? explain why.

[sun_tzu]

There isn't necessarily a "better" - they have different overall styles. DC is an idealistic world of caped heroes saving the world, and getting the public's adoration for it; Marvel is a somewhat less idealistic world where the heroes are more likely to lead a hard life.
Of course, that over-generalization was bigger than Dr Doom's ego, but you get what I mean.
Personally, I prefer the DC style - while I enjoy Marvel's "hard-luck folks with powers" approach (when they don't have Spider-Man selling his marriage to Mephisto), I enjoy even more DC's "iconic heroes" approach (when they don't have Leslie Thompkins allowing Stephanie Brown to die).

[Friv]

DC has the best sublines (Sandman and Fables - I liked Exiles and 1602, but the former are definately better). Since I don't read either comic's main universe anymore, that's the best I can say. ;)

[chef781]

MARVEL
is this even a debate? and, sandman is marvel...

[WalkingTarget]

MARVEL
is this even a debate? and, sandman is marvel...

Wrong Sandman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sandman_%28Vertigo%29).

[sun_tzu]

MARVEL
is this even a debate?

Yup, pretty much.
I'll take the JLA over the Avengers any day, personally.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Marvel tends to depress me. I'd like HEROES, please. Not psychotic nutcases with more mental problems then an asylum.

[Pearl]

This whole thing is personal preference, as evidenced by everyone's replies.

Grod likes Heroes, me, not as much. Neither of us is wrong...

However, DC almost certainly has the better non-superhero line. Not necessarily forever, but since Vertigo.

[Super_mad09]

I used to like Marvel and my favorite superhero was Spiderman when i was 5 and now i like DC but i still like marvel but not that much.

[Jayngfet]

I prefer Marvel myself, but it gets confusing with 1000+ characters per universe when one considers how it makes Tenchi look linear continuity wise.

[endoperez]

I like old Swamp Thing, which was awesome.

I like some Superman stories, mainly stand-alones or elseworlds or retellings.

I like Planet Hulk run, it had a nice Barsoomian vibe.

I like Y the Last Man.

I don't care about either universe. Frankly, I'd rather read good stories not set in the DC (or Marvel) universe than have the good stories continued by later writers who ruin it all. Swamp thing and Abby, Books of Magic, Planet Hulk ending just when Hulk was happy for a while, etc etc.

It's worse than fanfics, who only care about the original material, and may disregard some of that to better tell the story the writer wants to tell. It's like someone having to write his own fanfic as a sequel to another fanfic; he can change anything he wants, and he does, and he explains the changes away quickly because if he doesn't care about the romance in the previous story, obviously the readers won't mind either.

[MrEdwardNigma]

DC is an idealistic world of caped heroes saving the world, and getting the public's adoration for it; Marvel is a somewhat less idealistic world where the heroes are more likely to lead a hard life.

*cough* Batman *cough*

As for which is better, I love how gritty batman tends to be compared to all those idealistic Marvel comics (I'm no expert on Marvel, but I've read my share of Spiderman and X-Men and such), but I absolutely hate Superman. For me it's not really DC or Marvel that matters, but which writers and which characters they are using.

[Flabbicus]

Either one. Both have their own merits and their own demerits. That goes for the secondary comic companies too. There is nothing really giving me a preference for either because I like many characters from both companies and try to ignore all the painful stuff in either camp.

I guess it helps that I mostly read trade paper-backs instead of following long running franchises.

[Dracons]

I like Marvel universe.

But Batman comics are my favorite.

[Ecalsneerg]

Both have their flaws and good points.

DC has a more superhero world than the 'Heroes' approach seems to be growing closer to. They also have some great heroes, like Batman, The Flash, Green Lantern and Matian Manhunter (always had a soft spot for J'onn :smallbiggrin: ) On the other hand... Superman has both the most annoyingly overdone set of superpowers and the most frustratingly poor usage of them I've ever seen. If I was Superman, or almost anyone I know, none of us would be reguarly beaten by plot rock Kryptonite.

Anyway, DC has Batman. 'Nuff said. They also published Watchmen.

Marvel has similarly got some characters I really like, such as Spidey, Hulk and Nightcrawler, but they really are quite nasty to their heroes at times. stupid ungrateful Marvel public.

This may also be down to me not being [i]that[/] into comics, but DC seems to either be US-based with its heroes, although space-based characters like Green Lantern and the world-spanning Supes do exist. With Marvel, I can off-hand name characters based in Africa (Black Panther is awesome) and the UK (Captain Britain, although unimaginative names are a problem here). They also replaced the Beatles with alien shapeshifters and one is still active today. Props.

So, in summary:
DC: more cool heroes, Watchmen, but :smallfurious: Superman
Marvel: Spiderman! John Lennon as an alien, and more non-US heroes

[Dihan]

I personally prefer Marvel over DC.

You can give me Moon Knight over the Dark Knight any day of the week. It pretty much explains it all really.

[Threeshades]

Marvel tends to depress me. I'd like HEROES, please. Not psychotic nutcases with more mental problems then an asylum.

Isn't that what makes a hero?

I have no preferrance, both publishers have their nice characters.

Marvel has Iron Man and... yeah Iron Man

DC has my all time favorite Lobo

And Infinity has The Darkness.

Theres at least one cool character in every verse.

[WitchSlayer]

Both have their flaws and good points.

DC has a more superhero world than the 'Heroes' approach seems to be growing closer to. They also have some great heroes, like Batman, The Flash, Green Lantern and Matian Manhunter (always had a soft spot for J'onn :smallbiggrin: ) On the other hand... Superman has both the most annoyingly overdone set of superpowers and the most frustratingly poor usage of them I've ever seen. If I was Superman, or almost anyone I know, none of us would be reguarly beaten by plot rock Kryptonite.

Anyway, DC has Batman. 'Nuff said. They also published Watchmen.

Marvel has similarly got some characters I really like, such as Spidey, Hulk and Nightcrawler, but they really are quite nasty to their heroes at times. stupid ungrateful Marvel public.

This may also be down to me not being [i]that[/] into comics, but DC seems to either be US-based with its heroes, although space-based characters like Green Lantern and the world-spanning Supes do exist. With Marvel, I can off-hand name characters based in Africa (Black Panther is awesome) and the UK (Captain Britain, although unimaginative names are a problem here). They also replaced the Beatles with alien shapeshifters and one is still active today. Props.

So, in summary:
DC: more cool heroes, Watchmen, but :smallfurious: Superman
Marvel: Spiderman! John Lennon as an alien, and more non-US heroes

Except Superman was the original one with the annoyingly overdone set of Superpowers, also, if you want Superman being creative with his powers read Action Comics 775.

[Hawriel]

Im at the point whare i hate both Marvel and DC. I cant stand the writing. I cant stand the behond cliche hokey alians from the future, demon cult plots, that bring all characters back from the dead. I cant stand conviluted univers changing cross over events that totaly invalidates the conveluted univers changing cross over event that ended a month befor the new one started. I cant stand how the writers and editors thugishly try to tie the two together and pretend it makes sence. I cant stand that one title or group of titles can have a univers shattering event makes all the main characters turn into dramaqueens. The events of this event then changes the nature of the univers when all the character in the same univers where not looking. Im calling out Batman and the X-men for this. I hate how character that used to be heros are acting like total tyranical dictator meglomaniac and no one in the univers has a problem with it. Again Batman, and adding Iron Man. Having a hero fall or change is one thing. But have it perfectly exepted then swept under the carpet. I hate how a separate story line in a brand new world is made. Is cultivated with good writing and story telling. Then is totaly ruined by watering it down with the same crap that made me stop reading the books from that company in the first place. Run on sentencess intentional. End rant.

As I said I hate Marvel and DC. Its crap has been for years. Some times there are good stories. I like Dardevil, I used to like New Avengers. However New Avengers got sucked into the crappy retcon story are that is the skrull invasion. I used to like Nightwing, Robin and the Teen Titans. They where my saterday morning cartoon books. I cant stand the writing, the stories, the endless cross overs. Im going to drop them, I have not enjoyed reading them....I have not read a whole issue in months. Ultimats 3 is crap. Squadren Suprime used to be interesting, its watered down same old Shtuff. They completely threw away the plots they had going in that book, and traided it for new charcters I dont care about. Hell that goes for all of the Ultimat books. Xmen has the sitcom vibe. One story has no barring on the last. They cant deside how old the characters are. UFF is grating on me hard. Reed has almost destroyed the world 3 times because of his arrogents and Nick Furry has not put a bullet in his head for it. End rant 2.

This is what I like

Mike Magnola's Hell Boy and B.P.R.D. I get them in TPB.

Invinsable. Its a great hero comic with the cleche plot lines in the back ground. While the meat of the book covers the development of the characters and world.

Fables. You all know it. Its good. I buy the trades. Yeah Its DC, but its not because its not apart of the DCU.

Powers. dark detective homecide stores about superheros. Its owned by Marvel but not apart of it, so its unspoiled like Fables.

Astro City. for the same reasons I like Invinsable. Its more Iconic whare Invinsable is fun. Its also DC but I dont hold it agaist it. I cant weight untill the next trade comes out.

Dardevil. the only one I truely like that is apart of the main univers of Marvel.

Hmm I just dropped my reading list down by 75%. No if I only switched to GICO I can aford a trip to Hawii.

[Stormpax]

I like DC because of the original plot lines. And i don't like Marvels spin on how heroes aren't appreciated

[Whoracle]

Whoever signs Warren Ellis. That's it.

[Foeofthelance]

I like DC because of the original plot lines. And i don't like Marvels spin on how heroes aren't appreciated

I dunno, when it comes to Marvel, I kind of like how it works out for some of their heroes. The Avengers and FF pretty much live likes kings, what with the majority of the world basically worshipping their every move. Black Panther has his own kingdom, which is actually run well. On the far end of the spectrum you have the X-Men, who are generally disliked because mutants are a bunch of freakish walking weapons and Spiderman, who never really had any one to train him and has to live with any and all of the mistakes he's made. Somewhere in the middle you get groups like the Runaways who just want to be left alone, and the Initiative, which is trying to be the best in a bad situation.

Compare this to DC, where putting on a mask and tights automatically makes you either a hero or a villain, and the piblic believes in your persona in that capacity no matter what you might end up doing. Oh, sure they might be convinced otherwise for a bit, but anythign the Heroes do goes best.

Ok, this is turning into a minor rant, but eh. I think the biggest thing that bugs me about DC is best summed up in the recent Batman/Superman arc. They go to try and clean up all the kryptonite on the planet, and don't care whose toes they step on. Find out the government is hoarding kryptonite on the off chance Superman might go rogue? No, not a chance! He's Superman, he'd never go rogue! Why should the government possibly want to protect the population from a walking nuke? (Ok, so they tried to justify with the kryptonite monster, but that was after Batman confronted Waller.) And then when Lana tries to defend producing synth-K, as being necessary for several thousand people to keep their jobs, he doesn't care. He's more worried about his own safety then the well being of several thousand others. He's a hero?

At least when a Marvel hero screws up, they feel guilty about it.

[Green Bean]

And then when Lana tries to defend producing synth-K, as being necessary for several thousand people to keep their jobs, he doesn't care. He's more worried about his own safety then the well being of several thousand others. He's a hero?

Lana's argument would make a bit more sense if synth-K had some industrial use outside of killing Superman. If LexCorp ever manages to successfully use their kryptonite stores, all those people would be out of their jobs anyway. :smalltongue:

[sikyon]

Marvel tends to depress me. I'd like HEROES, please. Not psychotic nutcases with more mental problems then an asylum.

*coughbatmancough*

I personally perfer marvel. DC focuses more on the superpower part of what makes a superhero, and Marvel focuses more on the human part of what makes a superhero. Obviously this isn't exclusive, but it's what my general perception is from following the two companies.

[MrFabulous]

I read Marvel because it is the one I have always read. Everytime I have tried to get into DC I have trouble understanding the specifics of what is going on and why they have so many problems with Characters like Superman, Batman and Martian Manhunter running around. Just seems to me like within a week they could clean up the world of all it's problem. While the Marvel Universe seems to have general problems that they have to over come via inventing something new taking a power and using it in a new way or having to get help. The only DC storylines I like to read are the ones involving the Joker since I think he brings the out the best of DC universe.

[Foeofthelance]

Lana's argument would make a bit more sense if synth-K had some industrial use outside of killing Superman. If LexCorp ever manages to successfully use their kryptonite stores, all those people would be out of their jobs anyway.

Except that she wasn't spreading it to the market the way Luthor was. She pretty much explained point blank that the only reason it existed was so that those people could keep working. Superman wasn't even aware that the stores existed until he and Batman went on their little crusade, as it wasn't being sold, but being stored in highly secret bunkers. The only one allowed to purchase the kryptonite was the U.S. government.

Think about it. Both programs existed for essentially the same reason: protect the world if Superman went rogue. Rather than stand for this, Superman and Batman attacked a legitimate military operation despite being unprovoked, and then tried to order around a public company despite the fact it would cost several thousand people big time. All because it was in Superman's best interest to do so. Personally, I think his actions kinda justified the measures taken.

But that's ok. If he ever goes nuts, Batman will stop him.

[alchemyprime]

MArvel. HEre's why.

When I grew up, I watched 5 shows: Power Rangers, Transformers, Batman, Superman and Spider-Man.

Power Rangers: Everyone watched Power Rangers. Don't deny it.
Transformers: The toys were cool...
Batman: We was Batman. Duh.
Superman: Again. Duh.
Spider-Man: He made sense. When I was little, it was "ooh, super-hero". When I got a bit older, I realized Spider-Man was like me, but he had more problems. No matter how hard his life got, he kept doing what he thought was right. Because... well, you know.

So when I hit 12 or so, I started reading more comics. And outside Teen Titans, I pretty much just read Marvel. Mostly Ultimate Marvel, but a bit of Earth-616 thrown in.

Of course, I like both. And I love alternate realities (1602, Marvel Zombies, DC: Darkest Knight, etc.). But when I think of who my hero is, the guy taht motivated me as a kid to keep doing the right thing

it was Spider-Man. And it still is. He's inspirational.

And not Tobey McGuire... just sayin...

[Durp]

I'm personally a marvel fan, and i find it funny how everyone says batman is gritty, when the under appreciated punisher is grittier than batman and the joker combined. i agree that batman and the joker are much deeper, (See The Killing Joke, and The Dark Knight Returns) (Books) but i definently think the punisher has more raw grit to it.

[sealemon]

with Characters like Superman, Batman and Martian Manhunter running around. Just seems to me like within a week they could clean up the world of all it's problem.

Iron Man and Reed Richards could solve all of humanities problems within a month, easy.


I like both companies, and believe that they have changed each other for the better over their lifetimes. Marvel introduced the three dimensional character, while DC brought the concept of a legacy to the table. I think comics would be poorer if either company was gone.

With that said, total agreement that DC has the better 2nd company line of stories. Watchmen, DKR, Kingdom Come, Preacher, Sandman, Swamp Thing.