Marvel vs. DC. For as long as we can remember, these two comic-book-publishing juggernauts have been waging a war of super-heroic proportions — each trying to win the hearts and minds (and cash) of fans. (They’ve even done battle on the comic-book page, perhaps most famously in the 1976 one-shot Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man.) These days, they’re slugging it out at the box office, with DC’s rejuvenated Superman and Batman franchises squaring off against Marvel’s Spider-Man and Fantastic Four. The companies’ Spandex-ed rivalry calls to mind another clash of titans: Mac vs. PC. As this Apple ad-spoofing video reveals, it turns out our favorite superheroes aren’t so different from their computerized counterparts after all.
You can see the other clips on YouTube: here, here, and here. Me, I’ll stick to the guy with the webs when it comes to Underroos. But what do you think, PopWatchers? Are you a citizen of the DC Nation? Or do you still have your Merry Marvel Marching Society membership card? And who would prevail in a Brandon Routh/Tobey Maguire Superman vs. Spider-Man movie?
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I saw these a few months ago and just cracked up. They’re witty and spot-on in the parody of the Mac-PC dynamic. The one with Superman’s kid is my favorite.
In your face DC!
Marvel only had one lame era, which was the 1990’s (part one of a twelve part mini series that spans six titles, three of which you’d never pick up!). They’ve since come back with a renewed vigor, and reclaimed their throne as the kings of superhero comics.
Now, DC DOES get some redemption. Their adult line ups (Vertigo in particular), link ups to British series and connections to Frank Miller will always give DC some merit. In that sense, they’ve done a ton of movies they never get credit for (ie, V for Vendetta)
But when it comes to superheroes, DC is like a Norman Rockwell Painting. They portray an ideal of a time and place that never truly existed. DC’s heroes may have real life problems now, but it’s because they wanted their heroes to appeal to folks the same way Marvel’s heroes always did.
Excelsior!
I may not have bought a comic in a while, but I’m definitely still one of Stan Lee’s true believers. Glad the guy making these parodies is too. The baby one is priceless. Excelsior!
Still, DC has the best superheroes! The mythology is just brialliant!!!!!
Have you even read any DC comics…ever? I have been an avid reader of BOTH DC and Marvel comics since Batman had his back broken/Superman “died” and the relaunch of the X-men and I prefer DC hands down. Marvel is not fluid in its story lines, and more often than not, you pick a marvel comic up and then think “hmm. I think I’ve missed a couple of issues” when you hadn’t. Marvel plots are freakin confusing if you haven not read them from the beginning of time. And quietly referencing some huge event that happened 30 years ago does not help in the understanding Marvel!
My favorite superheroes are X-Men and Batman, and I don’t really like Superman or Fantastic Four. It’s a toss-up.
Both are good but DC is iconic. Doesn’t surprise me that EW would side with Marvel. It’s the “hipster” choice for comics. Superman rules all.
To yet ANOTHER anon-
I had every single issue of every Marvel and every DC SERIES from 1977 until 1987. Purchased from a comic fanatic’s wife a few weeks after he died and left her with his debt. Check with Joe Sarno (he started the Wizard World cons) if you don’t believe me.
Let’s Contrast: Green Lantern vs. Iron Man. Green Lantern called his Asian cohort “Pie face” well into the 1990’s. Meanwhile, Iron Man had not one but TWO brothers in the suit (Rhodes and a boxer who wore the suit in #’s 21-22). Sure enough, once Rhodes became Iron Man, Green Lantern became a brother a few months later. And GL’s own readers hated on DC for being copycats. DC’s always a step behind Marvel in terms of creativity. DC’s heroes were always too vanilla for my taste, save maybe Batman, Lobo and Guy Gardner.
That said, I mentioned how Marvel dropped the ball in the 1990s and DC came back. I also gave props to Vertigo and DC’s great non hero books: Watchmen, Ronin, etc.
’nuff said!
I stopped buying Marvel in the 80s. I was at University and realized that I couldn’t afford to keep up with both “universes”. I don’t regret that day at all. However, I also believe that Marvel versus DC is less PC versus Mac, and more Oasis versus Blur. You can go out and buy a few titles from each and enjoy them on your own, as owning one doesn’t discount you from owning another. Just for the record…I prefer Macs, Blur(most of the time), and Nintendo!
“But when it comes to superheroes, DC is like a Norman Rockwell Painting.” – Ep Sato
I could not agree more. DC is all fine and good, but I feel like most of its superheroes are kind of outdated. Superman is just too perfect, IMO, because he was created in a time of difficulty for America when people needed that kind of superhero. As times changed, superheroes became a bit more complex with actual shortcomings and weaknesses to overcome which gives them more humanity than I feel Superman has (yeah, I know he’s technically an alien, but you know what I mean).
However, I do have to say that Batman is one of my favorite superheroes ever. I’ve never really cared for Superman and I really dislike the Fantastic 4. The rest of my favorites all come from Marvel so I have to say I’m definitely more on the side of Marvel than DC.
Everyone is basing their views of Superman off of the old cheesey cartoons and old comics. The man went crazy a few years ago and stopped sleeping so he could control everything on earth including the weather. he figured that if he stopped sleeping he could stop everything bad from happening. he also created an army of superman robots to watch what he couldnt.
Yeah. He has is too perfect and the ideal hero. Dont criticize things you havent read for 10-30 years. things change.
DC/Marvel Part 1
Superman, The Movie (1978, Christopher Reeve, Richard Donner) will always be the Ultimate Superhero movie.
Yes during the 90’s and up till now, DC/WB (which owns Entertainment Weekly) cranked out a load of crap (with the exception of Batman Begins, although they totally ruined Ras Al Ghoul). Superman Returns was unwatchable except for the plane saving scene.
Marvel never had any sucess bringing their heroes to life, (Ok the Hulk TV series was great), until 7 years ago when Singer made the X-Men dance. Sorry lets not forget Blade, who was far more popular as a movie star than a comic book hero. Spiderman followed suit, by wowing us, and getting us involved with the characters. Oddly the first 3 Spiderman films, mirror the first 3 Superman movies for character and storyline development.
Marvel crapped out on Daredevil, Elektra, Punisher (both times) and the Fantastic Four films, (anybody catch the really bad one made in the 80’s).
DC/Marvel Part 1
Superman, The Movie (1978, Christopher Reeve, Richard Donner) will always be the Ultimate Superhero movie.
Yes during the 90’s and up till now, DC/WB (which owns Entertainment Weekly) cranked out a load of crap (with the exception of Batman Begins, although they totally ruined Ras Al Ghoul). Superman Returns was unwatchable except for the plane saving scene.
Marvel never had any sucess bringing their heroes to life, (Ok the Hulk TV series was great), until 7 years ago when Singer made the X-Men dance. Sorry lets not forget Blade, who was far more popular as a movie star than a comic book hero. Spiderman followed suit, by wowing us, and getting us involved with the characters. Oddly the first 3 Spiderman films, mirror the first 3 Superman movies for character and storyline development.
Marvel crapped out on Daredevil, Elektra, Punisher (both times) and the Fantastic Four films, (anybody catch the really bad one made in the 80’s).
Oh you got me!!! One time like a decade ago….wooo how can I fight that? read the comics today. you will see a big difference in the two. DC is more concerned with the human side of heroes. thats different than marvel.
Oh David, you lost me at Brandon Routh. But I still consider myself a D.C. nationalist, for BATMAN alone, that and for WONDER WOMAN… come on, where is that movie?
DC/Marvel Part 2
How did the man who pulled off the X-Men miracle, screw up so badly with the already established Grandaddy of Superheroes?
1) X-Men has tonnes of conflict, tension and drama built into the comic and characters. DC has been stuggling for the past 30 years to figure out what make Superman tick, who he is, where he comes from, and what challenges him. He went from being a Genius Demi-God, to a simple farm boy with special ablities, with John Byrne’s reboot in ‘86. The Superman story has been new and improved so many times, every decade or so, DC will have a CRISIS to collect all the loose storylines and try to redefine him. In other words Superman’s owners don’t know who he is or what to do with him.
2) How do you make a God like creature relevant when he is ineffectual in actually helping mankind?
3) Singer should have had Donner and Mankovitz, help him put the new story together. And not try to have a Christopher Reeve look-a-like, start fresh.
Well I would have to say that I have and always prefer DC. Yes, I prefer my heroes to be more flawless but DC has changed a lot in the past 20 years since Infinite Crisis. They have made it more human and start killing big heroes. My favorite comic is one in which Superman “saves” his fathers life after he himself was killed by Doomsday. The human feelings and connection i felt while reading thoswe comics have never been matched. I could never get into Marvel because it was too confusing and i did not want my heroes acting like me. Also everyone forgets the Speedy is a heroine addict comics from the 70’s which Stan Lee himself praises.
Another reason why I am not a Marvel fan is the Peter Parker Clone story that would not die.
Guys – I have to work sometimes; you have to stop introducing us to fun things to distract us! Agree, the one with Superman’s baby is my favorite. I can’t believe how much these clips make me laugh; thanks!
I think the big problem with recent comic book movies is Bryan Singer. He did an Ok job with the first 2 X-men then killed Superman. I liked Brandon Routh casting but Lois sucked and the kid story line was awful. Instead of going to the comics for ideas he watched Superman 1 & 2 and triend to complet the trilogy how he saw fit. What they should have done is followed Batman Begins lead and get a writer worth a darn and cast the right people in most roles.
How come Batman movies are the only DC ventures that follow the post-infinite crisis story lines. The only other one to do this is Lois & Clark TV, which is the best written Clark KEnt outside of the comics. His line in the series “Clark is who I am, Superman is what i can do” That is the modern Superman comic.
Superman Returns had it’s moments. It’s better than most comic movies. I just don’t get why they set it 10 years after Superman 2. That was totally unneccessary and I didn’t buy it. The actors playing Supes and Lois weren’t old enough to sell the nostalagia. For God sake, Kate Bosworth was only 22 years old when they cast her!
I just gotta say I loved how nerdy the comments were here! I now regret caging my inner comic book nerd as a pre-teen now that I know there are plenty of others out there. Of course this was done for financial and order obsession reasons. To be a geek is one thing, but to be sad that I wasn’t a bigger one is even weirder.
If you want to see a really good modern take on Superman, just check out Smallville. Why WB didn’t just cast Tom Welling in a rebooted Superman movie, I’ll never understand.
Anon, you’ve got the bully pulpit but still ain’t citing examples. You can trust that I still read titles from both publishers, but still feel like Marvel still does heroes better. Marvel Knights Spider Man and ASM are still rock solid, as is the second X Men series. And dude, the Avengers with Wolverine? Beats out JLA everytime.
Mattyboy does make a great point though. Marvel as a movie studio WAS responsible for Howard the Duck (awful in every way), the Original Punisher, Captain America, Genx, and recent crapfests Punisher, Hulk and Elektra.
But DC had an awful movie era (1990’s) after the first batman. Awful Batman sequels + Steel starring Shaq= a bad movie era. Their heroes haven’t made a solid comeback aside from Batman Begins and Superman Returns. Where’s the GL movie or JLA mvoies?
Flipside, the DC adult comics are all being made (or were made) into flicks. Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Ronin. THAT is where dc excels.
Last thing. I’ve had some geeky arguments, but DC vs. Marvel is almost as geeky as
“What’s better, Star Trek or Star Wars?”
Please stop calling me Anon, Ep Sato, I feel like I should be in Shakespeare and hurrying somewhere. The identity crisis that just happened in DC as well as 52 are what renewed my faith in comics in all Universes. That was brilliant writing and it showed how vulnerable the characters were to real life problems that everyone faces. I have to say killing off Captain America was also a bold move, but Marvel has had too few bold moves for it to matter. The women of the Marvel Universe are pathetic. Mary Jane is a joke and the girls of the X-men, Rogue being who i wished to be when I got older, have been reduced to pathetic side characters that only matter when a love story is needed. Example: Storm’s wedding and Rogue and Gambits big brawl where he is now a horseman of the apocolypse and he almost killed her (gasp!). The women in DC are much stronger characters and give us female readers something to look to.
marvel is 100 times better than dc. spiderman is awesome. civil war was awesome. world war hulk is the highlight of the summer. superman is too perfect. how can he even get hurt other than that stupid kryptonite? nobody wants a superhero that’s virtually indestructable. marvel is awesome