Marvel or DC?

[Guy32]

The best of DC heroes are better than the best of Marvell but as a whole Marvell is better than DC.

I think this sums it up nicely. Completely agree.

 

[WolfThomas]

We're not counting Vertigo right?

I like both, if pressed I'd choose Marvel.

I find it hard to get into the mainstream DC because of it's convuluted continuity and repeat crisis-reboots, no before someone mentions it Flashpoint won't get me to try and restart. But I do follow Batman (Grant Morrison can do very little wrong in my books) and I think their characters and universe is great for one offs, mini-series stories and elseworlds. I love stories like All Star Superman, Hitman, JLA - The Nail etc.

The Marvel universe I find easier to follow, the sliding time-scale works well as long as you don't think too hard about it and the crisis-crossover if getting a bit too frequent are mostly interesting. I find the world more relatable with it's use of real cities, especially New York. I like the idea in recent years of a Superhero as a celebrity, with most heroes not hiding their identities and the concept of being a superhero as a career. I like the way the heroes are not held to such rigid policies of not killing, certainly they avoid it but sometimes when it's completely necessary they do so.

I like the x-men and mutants, they're were a great a way to introduce powers without having countless radiation accidents. I love the counter-culture nature of the Avengers, how they're not the perfect pantheon of modern gods the Justice Leauge is (though Grant Morrison JLA was a brilliant look at that idea), but rather a family of some messed up individuals, where B and C-listers fight alongside A-lister heroes.

My favourite characters are from the marvel universe, I find with some DC characters like Superman and Batman that they've been portrayed so many different ways by so many different authors that it's hard to personalise them, being more of a symbol than a character. It makes for some good story-telling but I've never felt attached to them. I've found Marvel characters more relatable even when they're displaced 1940's super-soldiers or time traveling messiahs from the 40th century.

Overall I feel that the world of comics would be a lot less interesting if either company just ceased to exist, they both play their different roles and tell their own stories and all is good with the world for the most part.

Also read JLA/Avengers (or Avengers/JLA) if you want a fantastic story that deals with the two premier teams fighting against and alongside each other.

 

[DarkhoIlow]

I like both studios to a certain degree.They both have super heroes/villains/anti heroes that I like.

Mind you,I wasn't even born back when the comic were a "fad" so I'm just sticking to what I've seen thus far from cartoons/movies/games and of course Wikipedia.=P

 

[Shock and Awe]

I don't really read comics to be honest, but Marvel has been making better movies so I choose them.

 

[Artina89]

I would go for DC on the strength of the Batman franchise. Marvel has the more varied and colourful characters but I am a big fan of the whole Batman universe with the wide array of characters.

 

[badgersprite]

DC used to be my number one, but we're undergoing a divorce right now. Gotham Central was fucking awesome and anyone who says otherwise is dead to me.

 

[Togs]

Marvel have better/more interesting heroes but DC writers actually seem to know what the hell they're doing.

 

[weker]

The best of DC heroes are better than the best of Marvell but as a whole Marvell is better than DC.

By best heroes of dc you mean hero I take it XD
jokes aside cant beat marvel when they have deadpool and the xmen.
Dc only have on good comic and that is because of the villans and not the hero (batman)

 

[Griffolion]

An OR thread is basically a dressed up vs thread, and according to the forum rules:

Here are some thread categories that are sure to receive a lock:

Vs. Threads: Who would win in a fight: A or B? Which is better: X or Y? These are dull, repetitive, and are surefire ways to start a flame war. All three things that The Escapist does not wish to be recognised as.

 

[KuwaSanjuro]

Marvel, as much as I love Batman I really don't care about any other DC character. Marvel has Deadpool, Punisher, Spider-Man, X-Men, Runaways and the Fantastic Four so always Marvel.

 

[Dan From Aus]

I used to be a huge Marvel fan. But DC is winning me over bit by bit. Love the Green Lantern world. Funnily enough one of my favourite villains is The Riddler. May not be the most powerful character but he's fun.

At the moment I'm digging Uncanny X-Force at marvel, and really like the DC event Flashpoint.

 

[Mxrz]

Do I want to be stung by a bee or stung by a wasp? Darn hard. If I had to pick right now, I'd go with DC, but I'd ***** about it.

I grew up with Marvel. Namely Namor, Spiderman, Avengers, and Xmen (it didn't always suck!). But after the age of Apoc, Marvel just went terrible. Like horrible. Like worst of the worst of the worst.

Spiderman got fucked up so many times one way or another. (Ben was the real spiderman, fuck you Marvel.) Xmen turned into 14'ish years of "WTF" and then "Whedon melodrama WTF". Every "old" Xman is suddenly an Omgea. Prof X & Jean are written off. Wolverine is everywhere and can beat up everyone, derp.

Worst of all. Namor was basically turned into the biggest jobber in the Universe. Fist fight a pissed off Hulk and win? Not any more, guy. Now you gotta be "Put in your place" by the likes of Cyclops.

Oh yeah, and the whole Sentry Mary Sue bullshit. Good grief.

I really liked the Ultimate Marvel stuff until they basically started turning it into regular Marvel. Blargh. But at least Namor was still badass there.

Anyway, up until the last two years or so, DC had been doing great. They had the best things I liked about 80s Marvel going for them. Low key team ups. Cross book relationships, etc. Their animation stuff seemed like it spurred the comics to improve, or at least that was my impression.

Maybe it is time for them to turn to shit again, but so far the reboot sounds pretty good. Hopefully they don't really fuck it up by some kind of Wonder woman & Superman getting busy type deal.

 

[TheHighDino]

DC have no good superheroes (apart from Batman obviously) and only a handful of decent super villains, The Joker, The Riddler.. etc...

Can I ask if you've ever actually read any DC comics? I used to feel the same until I started reading them, and realized what an interesting cast they actually have. There are obvious cases, like Superman, who we tend to think of as being more of a superpowered boyscout than an interesting character, but once you actually read some good Superman comics you find that he's really a much more engaging character than our perceptions of him might lead us to believe. Is he overpowered? I'm not going to say that he's not, but the best writers tend to craft stories in which that element of being overpowered is actually his weakness (check out the TPB for Superman: Sacrifice [written by Geoff Johns] if you don't believe me). He's a deontologically motivated character, and that leads those who don't think about the complexities that role can bring to dismiss him, but there really a lot more there than most people realize, because often his biggest conflicts are internal. I don't have time to get into what an incredible character Wonder Woman is (though you could check out Movie Bob's Big Picture episode about her if you wanted to see some more interesting parts of her history), she also plays a really interesting role in Superman: Sacrifice as well. I would also advocate for Green Lantern (specifically Hal Jordan and John Stewart), as interesting characters, especially in that they work well as foils to Batman.

Speaking of Batman, after I started reading DC comics, I eventually came to feel that Batman is actually one of the more boring characters from the DC universe. Like any of their characters the right writer can make all the difference, but more often than not he's just kind of a stiff board of a character who uses being dark and mysterious in place of having actual character, and ironically enough is not that different from Sinestro [Green Lantern's nemesis] in his approach to crime fighting (only stopping short of actually being Sinestro in that he doesn't kill).

I'm not going to say that DC is better. I tend to read DC more than Marvel, but the idea that you could dismiss either of these big companies is kind of ridiculous. They've both got intricate complex histories with a pantheon of characters (some more unique than others, granted), and I feel like if you just write one or the other off, you miss the opportunity to experience some really good stories.

I'll be honest I haven't read tons of DC but the ones that I have read I found to be quite boring, except Batman and like you said "I eventually came to feel that Batman is actually one of the more boring characters from the DC universe." That's just your opinion and Marvel over DC is mine, it's not a huge deal I know, it's just I don't find DC interesting but others may enjoy them. No biggie.

 

[Ursus Buckler]

snip

Alright mate, sorry this got you so riled up. I'm only saying I prefer Marvel, especially because I totally 100% agree with Royal King's statement.

Marvel wins, and it's all Superman's fault.

In Marvel, you have invincible guys (Sentry, for example) but none of them are mainstream poster boys. When you look at a Marvel hero, you don't think "Is this guy weaker than Spider-man?" Or "Is he as good as Wolverine?" You don't think that because there are no centric characters that dominate the others.

...In DC, however, you have Superman.

The Flash runs fast. So does Superman. Wonder Woman is super strong, can fly, and deflect bullets. So can Superman. Aquaman can breath underwater. So can Superman...AND IN SPACE. (Or hold his breath, same thing.) Hawkman has a mace that smashes things. Superman has his fist that smashes more things. Martian Manhunter can read your mind. Superman can, apparently, erase your memories with a kiss. (Low blow!) Green Lantern can create anything his mind can think up. Typically this is not as powerful as a Superman punch. Or Laser eyes. Freeze breath.

The only hero that stands out is Batman, simply because he is everything that Superman is not. Not powerful, can't fly, can't reverse time by flying, etc.

So you have 1 all mighty God character and his totally-not-a-God friend that are interesting. Everybody else is NAGAS.

NAGAS stands for Not As Good As Superman.

I'm only saying, this sounds right to me. In the Marvel universe, MOST of the characters have a limit and it makes SOME sense as to why there are so many around. Spider-Man, Daredevil, Cyclops, Captain America, Black Panther... all susceptible to your common variety bullet. In the DC universe, you have Superman, who can do nearly everything, who is pretty much invincible (except to Kryptonite, obviously)... and to draw on King's point, most other heroes seem obsolete next to a guy like Superman.

 

[xNightxSpawnx]

Almost half of the Superheros in DC are aliens or use magic. That seems a little to far out there compared to Marvel. Marvel to me has always been more based in science or tweaking the current world just a bit. DC is basically straight fantasy in my opinion.

 

[OrokuSaki]

Because they know that nobody really cares THAT much about Quicksilver.

But readers do care THAT much about The Flash (using a DC equivalent speedster example). And if there are a lot of people willing to pay money to read about a certain character, why shouldn't there be a book about them?

I was actually using Quicksilver as a Flash equivalent to show that running really fast is a kind of stupid and limited power that shouldn't be capable of selling large quantities of comics. I understand that SOME people like reading The Flash and Aquaman, but some people also consider X-Men Origins: Wolverine to be an overwhelmingly good film.

You really are working double-time to defend DC Comics at every turn, aren't you?

 

[GiantRaven]

You really are working double-time to defend DC Comics at every turn, aren't you?

Unfortunately everybody has their fanboy weakness. It was probably a good thing I decided to excuse myself from the thread for the sake of my forum healthbar.

=P

 

[Fappy]

I also like DC, because they've got the Captain Marvel that doesn't suck.

~Tom<3

Hey! He died of cancer! D: