No Right Answer: Best Comic Book Universe Ever

[Mr_Terrific]

Plus with DC, which universe are you talking about, whenever the DC fans get over a major plot point, like with the death of a major character, DC just comes out and says that "Owe, it's a different universe from the normal universe. Whereas Marvel a death is a death and it affects the characters deeply.
Also Marvel wins all because of Joss Whedon, 'nough said.

Yeah...because Marvel never pulls out the old alternate timeline crap which is the same thing. Almost everyone in the Marvel Universe is dead in Age of Ultron but you know they're gonna pull some different timeline crap as usual.

So DC leans on alternate universes too much and Marvel leans on time travel and alternate timelines wayyyyy too much.

 

[Evil Smurf]

I like Zeniscope because they do Charmed. Shallow reasoning yes, but because Batman is just as bad.

 

[Chris Pranger]

No, I wont do your job for you.

You two are the ones who tell us what you somehow find better, then we tell you you're wrong.

Fine, fine. Which between the two would you pick? Because we just decided the opposite.

 

[Yeager942]

This fight is pretty hard to judge because a lot of pro's and con's they bring up in the video actually applies to both sides. This is how I break it down.

Movies:
Overall, both companies have put out great and shitty movies, but DC has higher highs while lowers lows. Consistently though, Marvel has been making better movies, and we can only point to the Nolanverse so much before Green Lantern and Catwoman rears its ugly head, so I award the movie category to Marvel.

Television:
DC wins. Hands down. IMO, the only tv shows that Marvel has put out that can even come close to the DCAU and other DC shows (YJ, Teen Titans, GL:TAS) are Earth's Mightiest Heroes and Spectacular Spider-Man, but both were cut down in their prime. The winner here is DC.

Games:
This one's a lot harder, as they've both put out a ton of great titles. MvC vs. the Arkham games. Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction vs. Injustice. I view this category as pretty evenly matched.

Personally, I have to say Marvel. I find their heroes much more interesting than DC heroes, but this is only a personal preference because I'm so attached to the characters. DC has some great stories out there that worth every penny, and a kid picking up an issue of today's Animal Man, Wonder-Woman, or Demon Knights will be blown away, yet at the end of the day I'm giving the game to Marvel.

 

[Redd the Sock]

I've wavered between both over the years, and right now both lose pretty hard. Marvel's gone event / killing happy, and the events never seem to justify the cost. DC's new 52 is a continuity mess that produces some good books, but I can't see them not falling to the fate of Ultimate Marvel and existing solely to "re-invent" old characters. Prior to the reboot, I'd have given the nod to DC for better events, and a better ability to garner interest for lessor known characters while Marvel seems to have trouble selling anything not labeled X, Avengers, or Spider.

I miss the days Antarctic press had enough books for a shared universe. They could still play together and build off each other (particularly through some shared villains) without needing to constantly cross over.

 

[D.Strormer]

You know, it's funny, but as I was watching this I was realizing that most of the characters that I would consider my favorite characters (Kyle Rayner's GL, Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle, and Batman Beyond) are DC properties, but if I had to choose one of the companies to be on top I would say Marvel. While they've never been my absolute favorite, Marvel has remained consistently good while DC has long stretches of absolute crap that I have to wade through to get back to something I really enjoy. That's not to say Marvel has never sucked, just that they are generally more you get what you pay for in style whereas DC often has its reach exceed its grasp.
All that said, I loved Vertigo (yes I know that's really just DC) for years and Dark Horse, Aspen, and even the monstrous shambling mass of failure that was image/top cow have produced books that I enjoyed immensely. I've recently picked up a couple books from Dynamite that have tickled my fancy as well. In the end, we should all be grateful for having such a great selection of comics to choose from.

 

[The Random One]

Oh God, Dan, it's you who makes the graphics, right? I love you. I love you so much.

 

[joehitman71]

As far as comics go manga is a strong contender but that seems to fit more in a genre rather than a single company production or franchise. So my favorite is still the Star Wars universe, illustrated by Dark Horse. Why? Well to fit Chris' criteria:

1. The star wars universe is just that, a entire galaxy to work from and how that galaxy interacts with others galaxies around it. This universe is very dynamic, the stories told talk about struggle between sides, empire vs rebellion, republic vs mandalorians, jedi vs sith. These conflicts are also pretty evenly matched and builds suspense, you never know whose going to win. It's not like Marvel or DC with GODS against Mr. Joe Schmo and you know Joe Schmo is coming back next week for the same fight to lose. Plus you don't need the world to be real for you to care about it.

2. Their are so many characters to choose from in this universe, and even if the audience gets bored of Han Solo and Obi-wan, Dark Horse just builds a character. Dark Horse has had more success in creating a character, build a story behind him or her, and making money off of the graphic novel(s) made for this character with stories that all seems fresh the first time you read them, and the characters (whether jedi master or average dude) that character can feel vulnerable if the writer wants to portray that and often do.

3. Marvel and DC have a problem of making a cluster f*** of heroes and villains in close time period. With Star Wars there is thousands of years with hundreds of events to choose from. Yes most people tend to gravitate around a new hope's time period. But their is still so many stories to tell, evenly spaced out in a six thousand year time frame.

SECRET CRITERIA 4. Marvel and DC have been around longer but Star Wars reaches a broader audience. Almost every walk or life seen the movies and even re-watched the so hated prequels. Marvel and DC have only had to content for comic book readers up until the recent years with the Dark Knight and the Marvel movies, but Star Wars has a broader audience longer, spilling over into other mediums like written novels comics and graphic novels, reaching people in those areas.

Yes Dark Horse didn't make the written novels and such but it's still not doubted that people still find much entertainment out of this view of a fantastic universe.

 

[ANImaniac89]

I'd have to go with the DC Universe, I just have a much easier time fallowing it. Even when I miss a few months of books I can usually get caught up really quick. On the other hand with few exceptions (Punisher Max, Marvel Zombies, Deadpool) I have a real hard time with Marvel.

 

[James Hammond]

For your consideration, Valiant comics.

They are my favorite comics company with a lot of talent and some great characters.

Their universe is really accessible, and there are paperback collections of all of their ongoing series's. You always know your entry point.

Each book has a different style or an angle with the military thriller 'bloodshot' being quite different to the Sci-fi action of 'x-o manowar', Unlike marvels often interchangeable avengers and x-books.

their events never make you feel like you're missing out if you don't read the other titles. Try reading AvX without reading the tie-ins (it's atrocious).

They launch new books when they have built a base for them, rather than how DC just throws out new books to see if they sink or swim.

The creators stick around and you really get their stories unlike DC where writers are made to play musical chairs seemingly at random leaving a lot of their books in a state of perpetual wheel spinning.

if this reasoned argument is not enough to get your attention just remember; they got goat.

http://assets1.ignimgs.com/2013/03/26/qw001coversookjpeg-e212a7.jpg

 

[Lightknight]

Still no love for Astro City or Invincible's Image universe?

 

[lastjustice]

Make mine Marvel true believers. I find the characters of the marvel universe so much more relateable.(Cap, the hulk, Thor, Wolverine, Collusus are all chaarcters I strongly relate to for different reasons.) Marvel takes a character and super imposes some sort of flaw or idea on to their powers. It becomes the governing mechanic that means them go. The setting might be fantastic, but generally the characters in the marvel universe react and deal with each other like real people do more often than not.


DC, characters just kind of exist. Superman just is better than everyone at everything, and never given any compelling character development to why he is. There's never been any true hero's journey for him. He is entirely too powerful, and his powers are innately part of him to even allow for it. He's often a marty stu/mary sue as a result. You can't really say why he is who he is, besides well his parents just did that awesome of job...Okay sure. Say Marvel's resident paladin character, Captain America is someone who follows a very simliar mind set, but you can see how he got there. He had to earn his stripes, was bullied for years. He's seen what happens when good men do nothing. Superman is too far removed from humanity to truly ever grasp our plights to get who and what we are. He just has super humality because he does. He's basically space jesus, and is not a very compelling character because of it.

Wonder Woman is sent by the gods to defend us. Again her character really has no motivation beyond doing good because I was told to. Take the character who's of simliar origins to her, descendent of the gods sent to earth, Thor, you can understand why he is who he is, and why he wants to protect the world. (For one, like many marvel characters is a bit of a mama's boy, and the spirit of Earth Gaea is his mother heh. Don't mess with his mama.)He is an arrogant ass at times, and doesn't always feel like listening to laws of man. His father has made it a point to teach him humility many times because great power does require great responsility. I can relate to Thor because I have had my father pit me against my fathers in a simliar fashion odin does to Thor with his rival characters(Hercules, Beta Ray Bill.) then foten meddles with the results.

DC has characters I like, and enjoy, but marvel will always be my favorite.

 

[Jayemsal]

No, I wont do your job for you.

You two are the ones who tell us what you somehow find better, then we tell you you're wrong.

Fine, fine. Which between the two would you pick? Because we just decided the opposite.

I guess I'll say DC, so that my actual favorite will be confirmed.


I didn't tell you that.

 

[ShadowHamster]

DC has done the following:
Created an honestly amazing major storyline with Darkest Night, fixed up there Batman problems, and brought back awesome characters who were killed for really dumb reasons(Cassandra Batgirl, and Spoiler for example), and then reset almost all of it with New 52 anyway.

Killed off Superman and then brought him back in the next story arch. Killed off Batman and then brought HIM back in the next story arch.

Given some of their characters so many background stories that it's hard to know who they are anymore. Seriously, who the hell is Wonder Woman? She has been 7 different characters over the last 20 years.

Dropped their female writing staff from 12% of their total staff to just 1%, not because their books weren't selling, but because they were redoing everything for the awesome "NEW 52!!!" They also recently fired Gail Simone, the writer of the new Batgirl(one of their better books after this New 52 B.S.), and the original writer of the award winning Birds of Prey series. This firing was done via e-mail despite her book being in the top 10 selling comic books.

Marvel has done the following:
Made the decision to kill off major characters, and for the most part keep them freaking dead! Marvel Girl, and the original Captain Marvel are examples of this.

Had a continuous storyline for the last 10 years or so that has actually had huge impacts and major changes on the topography and history of the Marvel U.

Has advanced their character's complexity over time. In this video he says at the end that "Iron Man is a drunk" but Iron Man has been completely sober for some time, and the Iron Man story has moved on with that being an element of his past that adds complexity. He also says that "Bruce Banner is angry" but currently Bruce has full control over his emotions and is more concerned about writing wrongs his personality disorder has caused in the past.

DC has become somewhat of the casual favorite, because they have all the characters you think of when you think of comics if your not involved in them. They have Batman, the icon darknight vigilante hero. They have Superman, the iconic superhero(period.) They have Wonder Woman, the most recognized female hero. If you want depth go to Marvel, it has back history, and layers of depth. If you want to watch monolithic characters punch each other even though their powers would have suggested they could come up with more suitable answers(Superman has crystal computers he grew out of Ice, that hold his entire planet's history in itself. It has also been mentioned that his mind works faster, and is better at complex thought than a human's. Despite this, he punches stuff.)

DC used to be better than this, but DC burns me within 6 months of getting involved in any of their books. Think I'm done with em.

 

[dystopiaINC]

Best Comics? I would say Manga. Japanese Comics.

Sorry, but when you have to pay 50 bucks for a comic that isn't even 5 years old at this point, just to understand the story or to "collect" them, it is fucking sad.

Thankfully, Manga isn't expensive. I can buy 27 VOLUMES for less than 200 bucks. It costs 30 to 40 bucks to buy a single volume for most Comics, while I can spend 10 to 15 for a single volume. Cheaper if I buy in bulk.

I would love to read comics, if they weren't so fucking expensive for not reason other than people are stupid and putting way to much worth in a couple coloured pages of dudes/gals punching each other.

What comic that's less than 5 years old costs 50 bucks? If you're not a collector and just want to read the story, go for trade paperbacks. The pricing is pretty comparable to manga collections. 10-15 bucks is pretty much the standard for 1 volume. The only collections I've seen cost around 30 were hardcover deluxe editions.

The Deluxe Hardcover editions are the only ones they sell around here, other than the "singles", or whatever people call them. The ones that they sell for 10 bucks for a single chapter, each month. Also, the hardcover's cost around 40 to 50 around here in any store. Might just be the hell that is South dakota though. I can pick up a volume of any Manga for around 9 to 10 here as well. Again, might just be SD.

Yeah it's like that in Mass too. only comics i've ever been interested enough to actually fork over money for are the Dresden files comics made based off the novels. Those are pure win. I haven't bought managa in a while but when i did it was only around 7-8 for a volume, I walked out of Borders with over 3 volumes a trip for under $20. Plus a volume can be easily 4-6 chapters, one chapter in the American comics are the same price or more than a whole manga volume.

 

[xPixelatedx]

I am not a comic book fan; I don't have any.

That said, I am well versed in pretty much EVERY game/movie/TV show both marvel and DC have put out, and I got to say, it's a perfect flip of the coin here. I really want to say Marvel since I grew up with the Xmen cartoons, but you know all the marvel cartoons as of late have been GARBAGE, just garbage. While the recent DC stuff has been mind-blowing. Justice League slowly grew on me, Justice League Unlimited wowed me, and Young Justice is basically the pinnacle that all super hero shows should strive to achieve. That said, on the movie front DC has always had horrible movies, save for Watchmen and The Dark Knight, which were pretty damned amazing in every sense of the world. The current Marvel movies, while entertaining, are very summer-blockbustery and kind of void of any substance. They are very watered down versions of each story and character altered for mass appeal. Heck, the Avengers movie was basically just a bunch of stuff that happened. I found it very hard to stay interested because of how simplistic it all was.... I was hoping for some Watchmen-level of intrigue, but eh, got to keep the dumbdumbs happy to I guess. It's sad because I did like the newer Avengers cartoon, the first season anyway. That was so much more complex and compelling.

If I am in the mood to see boring, regular people with their boring regular problems (+ super powers) I tune into Marvel stuff. I honestly like their character design much more to, since it's less... well, "fruity". When I am more interested in moral quandaries, universe juggling and other intriguing problems the common man is not burdened with, I tune into DC. Marvel and DC both have their ups and downs. I would say They're equal.

 

[Revolutionary]

Deadpool.
That's pretty much it as far as I'm concerned.
I do like DC and some of it's characters.
But...
Deadpool.

 

[Firefilm]

Oh God, Dan, it's you who makes the graphics, right? I love you. I love you so much.

Yes, I do the graphics. And yes, I love you too. Glad you like the graphics! It takes the longest of each episode, so it's always nice to hear that people appreciate my stream-of-thought associations.

 

[ShadowHamster]

Then I grew to like this guy:

Then Marvel killed him and replaced him with a dubstep-loving annoying little teenage version that nobody wanted...

Well he's not dead, he's trapped in the Cancer Verse (a plot point Bendis and crew feel like ignoring) but your point still stands

To be fair, yeah, they gave themselves an "out", but every comic that's come out keeps saying he's dead and sacrificed himself, and nobody has explained why Thanos and Star-Lord are running around and got out of the Cancerverse but Richard didn't.

if it makes you feel better, i'm just as pissed about that

But we'll see. Marvel was hyping up the new Nova as "the next big thing" but his book is selling less than the prior Nova did at the same point. And, yeah, comic book logic of "no body, no death", but history has proven unkind to all my other favorite heroes. It took them nearly 10 years to confirm that Azrael was dead...

damn, forgot about that one.

Star-lord hasn't confirmed Nova dead, and he's the only one who really could. He's also been very hush hush about what happened with Nova and him in the cancerverse, even though the question was asked directly to him recently. This means to me that this is a story thread that is set to develop further.

That doesn't mean they will bring back Rick Rider, but it does mean that there is more to Rick's story still.

 

[ShadowHamster]

I am not a comic book fan; I don't have any.

That said, I am well versed in pretty much EVERY game/movie/TV show both marvel and DC have put out, and I got to say, it's a perfect flip of the coin here. I really want to say Marvel since I grew up with the Xmen cartoons, but you know all the marvel cartoons as of late have been GARBAGE, just garbage. While the recent DC stuff has been mind-blowing. Justice League slowly grew on me, Justice League Unlimited wowed me, and Young Justice is basically the pinnacle that all super hero shows should strive to achieve. That said, on the movie front DC has always had horrible movies, save for Watchmen and The Dark Knight, which were pretty damned amazing in every sense of the world. The current Marvel movies, while entertaining, are very summer-blockbustery and kind of void of any substance. They are very watered down versions of each story and character altered for mass appeal. Heck, the Avengers movie was basically just a bunch of stuff that happened. I found it very hard to stay interested because of how simplistic it all was.... I was hoping for some Watchmen-level of intrigue, but eh, got to keep the dumbdumbs happy to I guess. It's sad because I did like the newer Avengers cartoon, the first season anyway. That was so much more complex and compelling.

If I am in the mood to see boring, regular people with their boring regular problems (+ super powers) I tune into Marvel stuff. I honestly like their character design much more to, since it's less... well, "fruity". When I am more interested in moral quandaries, universe juggling and other intriguing problems the common man is not burdened with, I tune into DC. Marvel and DC both have their ups and downs. I would say They're equal.

Wolverine and the X-Men is not a bad show. Avengers:EMH was also not bad. Now they did do a season 2 cancelation of EMH in favor of some stupid movie tie-in line to follow Ultimate Spider-Man(which is god awfully bad), but DC kind of treated Young Justice the same way. I do love the Young Justice show, though, and really feel it died before it's time.

On the same front, the Batman Begins line of films was far from perfect, but probably the best live action Batman to date.