INTRODUCTION
First off. I like both DC and Marvel. I like Superman, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, MMH the list goes on. However, I'm real big on marvel because there are a lot of things they've done right while DC is still struggling.
This blog is based on the company as a company, promoting, movies and diversity in characters. This is not intended to be a hate or bash blog. I believe in respect and if I contradict myself or it seems like I'm being a hypocrite please politely state what you think I did wrong. I feel its okay to debate Marvel vs DC but to insult someone over the debate I find unacceptable and foolish.
I got into comics/superheros when I was 18 I mostly was exposed to Marvel. (I'm more of a superhero fan than a comic fan yet I still know a lot about each universe that is marvel and DC.) I knew of Wolverine, Spiderman, Superman, Wonder Woman but didn't know them until I read or watched shows/movies about them. Then THOR intrigued me and the rest is history.
(Note: When I say Marvel films this may or may not include movies that are or were under Fox or Sony)
Anyways... How could DC be better than Marvel?
Both are companies. DC was bought by WB in 1969 (correct me if I'm wrong) that's 46 years in 2015 under a major company that has produced Bugz Bunny toons, Harry Potter, Matrix, Inception, Hobbit just to name a few. Marvel still recent was bought by Disney in just 2009, that's only 5-6 years. DC is so much older than Marvel in publisher years. DC is the true father of comicbooks/superheroes. Marvel has many copies of DC characters.
DC drew first blood as a company and first to merge into a major company.
DC drew first blood in creating certain characters first then Marvel followed.
Marvel drew first blood for getting on the big screen with Captain America in 1944. Where as DC had Superman in 1951. Then after that marvel disappeared for while until 1986 bringing in Howard the Duck. Yet DC was very continuous with Superman and then eventually with batman. DC dominated with movies for along time period, then 1998 happened introducing Blade and that's when Marvel started to bloom. Where as DC was still doing mostly batman movies, they introduced other characters to the big screen but they didn't make an impact. DC continued on with more batman films. WB/DC allowed batman to have 2 series of movies within 20 years while WB/DC failed to put anyone else on the big screen.
Now there is Marvel. Who has introduced a load of characters and movies to the big screen. What Marvel is doing right is not flooding the big screen with one character over and over. Marvel has put a load of heroes and villains on the big screen and and more on its way. Who would have thought Black Panther would have been getting a movie or Klaw would be introduced in a movie? While DC is still dependent on batman and Joker. Wonder Woman and Aquaman should have had their their own (updated) movie already. Marvel isn't perfect with their movies, but they have made attempts which is better than only giving one character a chance at the big screen.
Which would you rather have only batman films or 4 to 7 characters who have their own solo movie?
DC/WB has failed in terms of diversity. I think it maybe because DC is more focused on realism in a fictional universe that it becomes difficult for characters that we want to see never get a movie (That's my opinion). Marvel knows they can't be 100% accurate like in the comics, they know costumes, personality, story will need tweaking for it to work in a movie vs comic. Marvel is on the right path. DC to me I feel are struggling and are too afraid of risks and change. To me DC is far behind. By the time they get a JL movie up Avengers 4 will be at least get a date. (Avengers Infinity P1 and P2 is only counted as Avengers 3)
Its subjective to know who has the better movies but overall Marvel beats out WB/DC in the movie category because DC has mostly produced batman films while Marvel has THOR, Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Avengers, GOTG, Avengers, Various X-men and Spider-man under their belts.
Marvel wins by KO when it comes to movie diversity. I'm aware of what DC/WB have in store but its more clear that marvel is doing much better currently and with their future plans. Marvels easter eggs and cameos are important to their success and connections.
Promoting. When It comes to merchandise such as clothes, posters, toys or things like mugs or bobble heads, DC will more often than not produce mostly batman items. A prime example; When I go to the store and want to find a Flash, Aquaman, Deathstroke or Cyborg shirt all I can see are Superman and mostly Batman shirts. With Marvel if I want a THOR shirt I find one, if I want a Venom shirt I find one same with Iron Man, Punisher, Deadpool, X-men, Avengers and etc. Marvel is able to promote a load of merchandise with variety of characters. Marvel isn't just about Spider-Man. Marvel to me is about the Marvel Universe, however when I look at DC they seem to only care about batman that's just my opinion because of the load of merchandise that will vastly promote batman than anyone else. DC/WB have plenty of characters that they could promote but choose to mostly have batman. To me that's unfair and its minimizing because not everyone likes batman or will want to have more batman merchandise.
DC/WB have a lot of cool characters don't get me wrong. I'm just tired of seeing batman on almost every single item.
Marvel will even promote villains on merchandise.
Maybe Marvel does over promote Avengers as a whole. At the same time there is still more variety compared to DC when DC is only promoting batman while Marvel promotes THOR, Hulk, Cap, Hawkeye, Black Widow and IM. Now with the success of GOTG they are mirroring the Avengers success in promotions of merchandise. (This is what I've noticed). Who knew a tree and a raccoon would sell?
Marvel submits DC in terms of promoting a diverse of characters.
Last thing I'll mention is a connected universe.
Without a doubt Marvel is doing a great job with that, the only problem I have is with the Netflix TV shows. Its a good idea to force people to get Netflix but I'm not willing to spend extra per month to watch a TV show. (I never had Netflix so I'm unsure how the process works.) Nevertheless I'm still excited for the upcoming series. Marvel has done well in introducing key characters in AOS. Its an OK show, but their direction is still impressive.
Now there is DC who drew first blood and have plenty of TV series and are doing much better than marvel in terms of quantity. Once again mostly Superman and related TV series. (Its like they don't know there are other characters that exist in the DC Universe.) DC has done great with Arrow because now people are more interested in the Green Arrow and are willing to read Green Arrow comics.
With Arrows success they were able to add Flash. Then...come the problems.
Instead of promoting, moving forward or giving another character a chance with a TV series like they did with Arrow they take 500 steps back by making prequels with Gotham and soon to be Krypton. Eventually Super-girl will get a chance at a TV series. Doesn't WB/DC realize they have tons more characters than just batman and Superman that the audience would love to see. Honestly a Krypton Pre-Superman series sounds like a waste. They gave up on that Wonder Woman series and now they think a story before Superman will intrigue the audience?
None of the TV series of DC will have connections with the films. Currently I find that a shame and makes DC/WB seem sloppy. At first I was happy that they were not going to be connected but then after rethinking it over they should have been connected from the get-go. In Arrow I feel they killed off too many important DC characters.Then there is all these reports that Superman, batman and Harley Quinn can't make an appearance on Arrow because they are saving them for the movies and to me that sounds so rubbish.
DC/WB currently are doing very well when it comes to TV series and its quantity; However, Marvel is the most organized and their universe is very well connected which makes them so much greater than what WB/DC has been doing.
Marvel wins by TKO in terms of TV series overall by only by a couple of points.
DC dominates Marvel in the animation films/tv series before they can even get a punch.
Again most of DC animations are about the same person known as batman. Few JL movies/shows (That were great), yet still had that one person being the face of it all. WB/DC aren't utilizing there characters. I'd love to see a Question movie/series, Deathstroke, Deadshot, Hawkman, John Stewart or Cyborg animated tv series/movie, I know there are other people out there that want something else other than batman. batman has been over done.
Marvel has a few good animations such as Planet Hulk, Avengers of Tomorrow and EMH. They don't over do it with consistent Spider-Man series/films. Marvel animations has really been only targeted for kids which is a draw back in some cases yet I still find myself enjoying most of what they have to offer.. It seems DC is slowly making that transition to have their animations primarily for kids. And how many more times will batman get a tv series?
Same goes for videos games. A lot of batman games. Marvel has only a couple good ones still they have a diversity. I just get bored of the common bash enemies that never really stay dead and break boxes game play.
DC KOs Marvel in Video Games.
In Conclusion, how could DC be better than Marvel when DC is only promoting and using batman VS Marvel that is using a growing universe?
Does that mean batman is better than Marvel? Then how does that mean DC is better?
Would you want 1 hen that laid only 1 golden egg or a hen that laid a variety of eggs that you can eat and share?
Would you want a 1 trick pony or 2 worms that could do amazing tricks?
DC/WB had a big head start. DC could have had their own studio like Marvel has under Disney. DC's Connected universe could have been bigger with the addition of Arrow but that's not the case anymore.The Marvel connected universe is only 6 years old. While DC/WB had a clear head start kind of failed to utilize what they have. With Spiderman back with Marvel can only mean a steeper hill for DC if it matters.
When it comes to a debate of which company is better its subjective. But if you look at the stats and facts Marvel is beating DC at the box office, with movies, with a connected universe, with TV shows, with a future, with promoting and with diversity Marvel beats DC.
DC beats Marvel in video games and animated shows/movies.
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