DC vs Marvel

[Kipiru]

I've been watching the Justice League lately and have come to a conclusion: DC universe is way more fun than Marvel's. The heroes of DC act like heroes should- selflessly. Marvel's heroes all stand like a social poster: "Don't discriminate", while DC send just says: Kick the bad guys to hell in the name of peace and justice. That's what I think anyways. What about you?

[LionHeart]

I agree. The heroes of the DC Universe tend to just get in there and do what needs to be done, where the Marvel brigade tend to angst a hell of a lot over their position in society, and where they are going.

[Kipiru]

I agree. The heroes of the DC Universe tend to just get in there and do what needs to be done, where the Marvel brigade tend to angst a hell of a lot over their position in society, and where they are going.

  Exactly! Furthermore, most of Marvel's so called heroes are often genetic experiments gone wrong or plain mutants. There is nothing to look up to in a mutant. Granted the most powerfull DC characters are aliens, they are still more human than anything Marvel throws at us.

[King Of Hearts]

I really wouldnt categorically say one universe is better than the other...

I can say that Marvel has its own charm, Power Pack, Spider-Man loves Mary Jane, Deadpool, runaways, nextwave, the new Thor series etc. are good reads.

As to the characterizations, I am reminded of the old Marvel/DC crossover where the JL and the Avengers started beating the crap out of each other, Cap am telling the JL were fascists for being incredibly proactive, and Supes calling the Avengers as slackers for not doing enough.

I see DC heroes as Superheroes who happen to be humans, while Marvel tries to present their characters as humans who just happen to be superheroes.

Anyway I prefer DC... its just more... "fantastic" to me as opposed to Marvel's attempts at hyper-realism in terms of characterization.

[Darkmoon]

Both universe have, as of late, become too overwrought and contradictory. I much prefer to the more inclusive stories each side has to offer.

- Green Lantern: It's recent run (since Rebirth) has been excellent and easy to get into.

- Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane: So high-school, but so fun. You pick up the book going "ugh, romance", and yet, by the end, you're like "will Spider-Man go out on a date with her? I have to know!"

- The Ultimate line: Ideal for newbies to the Marvel line because it hasn't been around as long, and doesn't have as much continuity to slog through (or blatantly ignore, in the case of DC).

- All-Star Batman: Such a terrible, awful, compulsively readable book. Moments of brilliance keep you glued to the book, because you're sure Frank Miller has a plan, and if you just read one more issue, you'll know what that plan is. Then Frank Miller takes a dump on your face, and you realize that he has no plan, and he's just a psycho with a pen... and then he writes something brilliant, and the viscous, masochistic cycle begins again.

[Amber Williams]

I prefer Marvel over DC in terms of characters. I enjoy the broad spectrum of morality that exists in much of the Marvel universe as it makes the good deeds done seem more genuine than something out of a sense of duty or "well I am a good guy so I gotta do good things".  Spiderman's struggles between doing the right thing and just existing in a day to day world, the Xmen dealing with a world that doesn't welcome them but they choose to try to work above that, those stories appeal to me.

On the flipside, I find most of DC's characters rather boring.  While there are exceptions, a good number of them only seem to be as faceless individuals who do good deeds because they are supposed to. Like robots doing a service.

[techmaster-glitch]

Like robots doing a service.

You speak of that as a bad thing?!?

[superluser]

I prefer Marvel over DC in terms of characters. I enjoy the broad spectrum of morality that exists in much of the Marvel universe as it makes the good deeds done seem more genuine than something out of a sense of duty or "well I am a good guy so I gotta do good things".

What she said.

Though I think Batman has gotten more morally interesting.

[Azlan]

I have always been a follower of Marvel comics.  I was into Dr. Strange, Iron Man and X-men.  I always preferred their art and stories.  DC was always flat and dull, it also felt like reading my dad's or grandfather's comics... it just seemed old and out of touch.

On a side note, the spell check catches x-men and wants to replace it with semen...

[Cvstos]

I like DC myself. Batman wins. Always.

Also, while the X-men cartoons of the 90's were great, nothing beats the 90's Batman: The Animated Series and the subsequent DC Animated Universe through the end of JLU. Just the best cartoons ever.

[Jairus]

I have to say DC, but for similar reasons to Cvstos: the Batman cartoon and the subsequent DC animated series. I was never really a comic book kid: I preferred comic strips like The Far Side and Calvin and Hobbes (I've been reading those two since I could actually read). Batman is still my favorite superhero (although I have to say after watching Iron Man Tony Stark is starting to make a show on my radar), and the movies and the Gotham Knight cartoons just make the fanboy in me scream with delight. But I just never got into comic books, and now that I've got the internet I've found webcomics, which tend to be just as good as the strips I used to read.

[ShadesFox]

I've never really dug the main-verse of either.  Sometimes I get into the weird niche stuffs.  Like Marvel's House of M, or DCs Super Man Red Sun.  It is funny seeing what happens when weird stuff happens like that.

[Kipiru]

I prefer Marvel over DC in terms of characters. I enjoy the broad spectrum of morality that exists in much of the Marvel universe as it makes the good deeds done seem more genuine than something out of a sense of duty or "well I am a good guy so I gotta do good things".  Spiderman's struggles between doing the right thing and just existing in a day to day world, the Xmen dealing with a world that doesn't welcome them but they choose to try to work above that, those stories appeal to me.

On the flipside, I find most of DC's characters rather boring.  While there are exceptions, a good number of them only seem to be as faceless individuals who do good deeds because they are supposed to. Like robots doing a service.

         Though that might be true to some point(the thing about dept of character), I find DC's simplicity comforting in a sense. It gives the idea that you can still do the right stuff without having to stand in front of some major dilemma, but purely out of goodness. And it is usually Marvel's heroes who face the question: To do good or not? Dc's just go all out for it without hesitation, as though there isn't even another option to consider!

[superluser]

Though that might be true to some point(the thing about dept of character), I find DC's simplicity comforting in a sense.

If a story makes me comfortable, it isn't doing something right.

For example, take Mother Night and Jean-Paul Sartre's The Wall.

Each presents a view of the world which is not comfortable, and which forces you to think more deeply about what you do.

A story about a guy who always does what is right is boring, because it can be summed up in only one sentence, and there is never any suspense about what the character will do.

[Kipiru]

We're talking comic books here, not literature. And a comic can be done interesting even with an easy to predict character. I infact like to know i can rely on the guy to do what he must despite the situation!

[superluser]

We're talking comic books here, not literature.

Why shouldn't we expect our comics to be as well-written as our literature?  Or, to put it another way, if I see in a comic something that I also enjoy seeing in literature, why shouldn't I prefer the comic that does live up to my literary expectations?

And a comic can be done interesting even with an easy to predict character. I infact like to know i can rely on the guy to do what he must despite the situation!

I'm going to go Vonnegut fanboi here for a moment, and say that there's a difference between knowing what is going to happen and having something be lacking suspense.  Read Breakfast of Champions.  In the opening pages, Vonnegut tells you how the book will end, yet he keeps your attention until it happens.  While we know the basic events, what happens between now and then is completely unknown.

Unlike DC-style characters, who are transparent and whose reactions are predictable in every situation.

Well, almost every situation:

[Kipiru]

   Hey, no one is trying to tell anyone what they should look for in a comic book, we are just discussing differences and what things we like, to each his own.
   And Captain America is Marvel, not DC!

[Alondro]

I say do evil.

Because it leaves more space in heaven for me!

*got in with bribes*   

Anyway, I don't mind some angst.  I just can't stand it when it's dragged out forever.  Take some Prozac and beat the bad guy!  Sheesh!   

[Mao]

I have to agree with the Analysis that DC does generally produce heroes who just happen to be people and Marvel produces people who just happen to be heroes.  For me, the latter is preferable.  I want to understand the hero and why he/she does things.  The fact that I know them as a person first makes this easier.  The problems of a hero are difficult to understand to me because I'm no hero.  However the normal guy who occasionally does heroic things I can relate to because I know more about the person first.  Even if they are a whiny, angsty pest.

[Jack McSlay]

I'm not much into heroes, but I'm more of a Marvel person, for the same reason as Mowser. I don't like how DC's heroes tend to be fragging invincible - you often see Wolverine or Spider-Man getting on really tough fights while Superman beats the shit out anyone with his superpowers and batman seems to have the perfect tools for some of the most ridiculous situations.

To my see, having some thought into the stories like Marvel does, even if it has angst blended in, translates into much better entertainment than brainlessly beating up villains like you usually see on DC

[Vidar]

Batman > all.


That said, I don't read many comic books.

[JackLee1978]

DC comics has ad the better animated series, but their comics never interested me.  I started to get into comics after I saw the X-Men animated series. I started buying all the X-titles from a little before Fatal Attractions til a little after The Age of Apocalypse (I have all three TPBs ). Since then I've only bought a few issues of Deadpool and Garth Ennis' run on The Punisher and TPB collections of Mystique and Ultimate X-Men (volumes 1-11).

Currently I'm reading The Exiles and The New Excalibur. I became a fan of Blink during AoA as well as Nocturne, who was in The New Excalibur.

[King Of Hearts]

Spider-man is like my big brother, I can relate to him... Superman is like my father, I inspire to be like him.

As for emotional spectrum being predictable in the DC... I always felt that people have this preconceived notion of that universe because of the JL which is set up as its premier super-team.

But DC is a lot more than the JL. [actually now that I think about it I really dislike the current JL roster aside from the Trinity]

Even without taking into account the Vertigo imprints [Fables, Y: The last man, Finch, Hellblazer, etc.] DC has a lot to offer... I'd like to recommend reading titles like Manhunter, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Ostrander's run on the Suicide Squad, Trinity, Detective Comics, All star Superman, Secret Six.

Also, DC heroes are not stronger... people only think that because they compare it to Marvel's more known characters i.e. Spider-man and the X-men. Marvel has people like the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, and Thor.

as for the Marvel Side, right now I'd recommend Magneto: Testament, Thor, and Incredible Hercules.

[Kipiru]

Yeah, DC is not just pumped up super freaks, there are people as well. With problems, but they don't shove it in your face as constantly as Marvel guys do!

[Jer-oh-me]

Well, personally I prefer Marvel because of the flawed human being approach rather than the flawless hero schtick, one of the reasons I loathe Superman. I like Peter Parker's conflicted-ness, and Tony Stark's devil may care attitude towards being rich. Plus you've got the Hulk in Marvel. Which is just awesome.

[King Of Hearts]

You really should read a Superman comic.

I'd recommend

Action Comics: What is So Funny About Truth, Justice, and The American Way.

[Rakala]

I think DC heroes are good, but they're too good. They're just big boy scouts who kick ass (except for Batman and The Question). I can never really relate to them ever. While Marvel gives their heroes very apparent flaws.

btw, Superman is basically god so nobody can beat him and there's no point in reading the comics.

[Kipiru]

While Marvel gives their heroes very apparent flaws.

     You see, that is just it, Marvel characters don't even deserve the title "heroes" most of the time. Whatever they do they do it for some pretty selfish reason. They are basically people with super powers, but not heroes.

btw, Superman is basically god so nobody can beat him and there's no point in reading the comics.

    While he is almighty he is far from being a god. Infact his urge towards saving people is one of his greatest weaknesses. And being able to put down such a mighty hero, makes Superman villains some of the most ruthless cunning and powerfull one s out there, so there is plenty reasons to read the comics!

[Mao]

While Marvel gives their heroes very apparent flaws.

     You see, that is just it, Marvel characters don't even deserve the title "heroes" most of the time. Whatever they do they do it for some pretty selfish reason. They are basically people with super powers, but not heroes.

    Then every fireman, policeman, ambulance tech and any person who risks their life as part of their job is no longer to be considered a hero.  They do what they do because it's their job.  Who cares about the 100's they've saved.  It's their job.  They're doing it to be selfish right?  They just want to get paid and live a normal life and hey on the side, they save other lives too.

[Kipiru]

While Marvel gives their heroes very apparent flaws.

     You see, that is just it, Marvel characters don't even deserve the title "heroes" most of the time. Whatever they do they do it for some pretty selfish reason. They are basically people with super powers, but not heroes.

    Then every fireman, policeman, ambulance tech and any person who risks their life as part of their job is no longer to be considered a hero.  They do what they do because it's their job.  Who cares about the 100's they've saved.  It's their job.  They're doing it to be selfish right?  They just want to get paid and live a normal life and hey on the side, they save other lives too.

Wow, easy there, we are talking SUPERheroes here, not the everyday-life kind. Noone deines the contribution of firemen, policemen or medics, but you can hardly place them in the same category as someone who saves the world. And as much as I hate to say it, they do get payed for what they do, which doesn't make their choice any less difficult but it does place it infront of them as obligatory( now if someone who is not a fireman goes in a burning building to save someone, now that is pure heroic).