Both Marvel and DC are no strangers to the creation of characters that readers and viewers find interesting, engaging, and likable. However, several factors suggest that DC leads in this area by modern trends in the comic industry and the general values found in excellent storytelling. Three areas support the argument that DC possesses superior characters to Marvel. These include the depth and thoroughness with which DC characters are written, the ability to create successful legacy characters, and DC’s skills in handling strong villains that raise the character development of the heroes. While Marvel has advantages with large character casts, relatability, and popularity, they are overshadowed assets of DC heroes.
Both Marvel and DC host ensembles of characters that are diverse, well-written, and engaging. DC characters are still generally more interesting and have greater depth, possibly due to DC having characters that were regular humans but still superheroes before Marvel, with Batman rising in popularity sooner than Ironman. Because Batman, or Bruce Wayne, is a regular person trained to be strong, many find him relatable. However, the more engaging aspect of characters is often their presentation as vigilantes. DC is much more familiar with characters that work outside the law to either fight for justice, peace, or another purpose. It can indirectly give an audience hope that fighting for change against injustices can provide results. On the other hand, DC does not lack in more traditional heroes, with characters such as Superman being the original and model hero.
Time is another element that has influenced a vital aspect of superhero comics and media, legacy. While both Marvel and DC characters are currently susceptible to passing mantles of either roles or titles down to other characters, DC’s superiority in this ideology is related to their seniority in this practice. This process by which legacy is handled has become increasingly popular within the comic industry, and DC has been notably more successful in its implementation. For instance, characters that have inherited the Robin title or Supergirl’s recent emergence have been more favorably received than legacy characters within Marvel comics (Paterson, 2018). Successful handling of legacy is essential in the introduction of new characters, as they are created with an inherent connection to previous, sometimes beloved, superheroes. As such, it is possible to disappoint the audience with characters that do not live up to the previous standards associated with the title or role. DC presents much more success in cases of legacy characters than Marvel.
In most narratives, conflict, whether initiated by villains or other sources, is the driving force of character development and an engaging story. This is especially prevalent in a medium like a superhero genre that often pits good against evil. As such, the presence of villains that are challenging the characters is essential to not only interest a reader or viewer but also to create an arc for a character that is unique but cohesive. The DC universe is able to provide more consistently interesting, formidable, and complex villains. The Joker is perhaps the most notable example, as he possesses great showmanship and complex motivation but has also evolved over the course of the character’s existence in comics. Additionally, they present a number of traits that are unique and come into conflict with the characters in different ways. For instance, Lex Luthor and the Scarecrow offer DC’s main heroes serious challenges but do so in varied ways (Darell, n.d.). Additionally, DC villains pose greater threats to characters.
While the DC heroes, as mentioned previously, are incredibly powerful, the villains follow suit and pose a real danger to the livelihood of the characters or those they try to protect. A prime example can be found in Lex Luthor, a man with no superhuman abilities but with enough wealth, power, and social influence to make beating him a challenge and learning curve for his hero opponents.
The reason that Marvel and DC remain fierce competitors, is related to the fact that both provide a number of advantages in terms of characters. Marvel has been known to produce characters that are more realistic. This is often a case of Marvel heroes having more believable or weaker powers. Marvel also hosts a very wide range of characters, with the quantity of popular Marvel characters outranking DC. Additionally, Marvel characters have been proven to be more well-known and liked worldwide (McGuire, 2021). Despite these advantages, they are not inherently indicative of Marvel’s superiority. While Marvel hosts a large number of relatable characters, they lack the exact thoughtfulness and depth that is more commonly seen in the few but well-developed DC heroes. While Marvel may be popular, especially largely due to Marvel films, popularity is not an inherent sign of better quality. Within the comic industry, Marvel characters are more susceptible to reboots, under-developed writing, and certain repetitive tropes.
It is impossible to ascertain whether Marvel or DC characters are truly better; such a conclusion would be subjective. However, the paper illustrates, based on previous criteria, that DC offers a higher number of advantages over Marvel in terms of characters. With consideration of the current trends within the comic industry and the qualities of engaging storytelling, DC’s ability to provide characters with more depth, legacy characters that are appealing, and villains that are effective in character development positions them above Marvel.
Works Cited
Darell, D. (n.d.). 5 Reasons DC is better than Marvel. BlerdsOnline.
McGuire, L. (2021). Marvel Is More Popular Than DC, According To New Study. ScreenRant.
Paterson, E. (2018). 9 Reasons Why DC Really Is Better Than Marvel. WhatCulture.