(art by Charlie Layton)
Within the past 10 years there has been an increase in the production of comic book movies coming from both Marvel and DC. But while Marvel has opened the gateways to an extensive universe that contains a plethora of fascinating characters that is only continuing to expand, DC has given us… A Batman trilogy, two Superman films, and one Green Lantern movie. And their future plans only consists of a Batman vs. Superman film.
It’s really not a surprise why Marvel’s popularity is only growing compared to DC’s solid, yet stagnant fanbase.
That being said, DC is attempting to branch out. Unfortunately, their only success is in releasing stories that are suspiciously similar to one another. Shall I give you an example?
How about the story of a billionaire playboy who loses his father and then disappears for an extended period of time to redefine himself and become a masked vigilante hell-bent on saving his city from injustice. During his absence his family and friends believe him to be dead, and begin to move on with their lives. Oh! And when he comes back the girl he was in love with is highly successful and also determined to clean up the city, but of course she’s still harboring feelings for him even though she doesn’t like to admit it.
Oddly enough, this story line perfectly describes, not only Batman, but DC’s recent television show Arrow.
Marvel meanwhile, has taken full advantage of their vast comic universe and has managed to give us four memorable and diverse standalone superhero films (Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, & Captain America) which all lead up to one of the most iconic superhero movies to date: The Avengers. And they’re showing no signs of slowing down.
Another huge difference between Marvel and DC is their capacity for portraying complex characters. While DC makes great and powerful heroes that everyone wants on a t-shirt, Marvel has mastered the art of presenting the audience with a character who is still trying to figure themselves out. This is one of their strongest points because it gives their viewers a chance to relate and connect to someone who is a human just as flawed as they themselves are (except for Thor who isn’t technically human). The only DC character who has managed to capture and keep the attention of their audience (in the same way Marvel has) wasn’t a hero at all. Heath Ledger revolutionized the way the movie industry views and approaches villains. But while Marvel can never touch Heath Ledger’s Joker, they still manage to make their villains just as likable and memorable as their heroes. Things aren’t black and white in the Marvel universe, you can have a hero with good intentions who still makes mistakes, and you can have villains who have a relatable and very human back story. Tom Hiddleston said it best when he spoke on the success of the Marvel Comic Universe: “What Marvel is so clever at is that they make their heroes flawed and their villains heroic.”
However character depth isn’t the only thing DC may be somewhat lacking in. Their treatment and respect (or lack thereof) towards female characters and fans alike is another fatal flaw of DC industry. Maybe I’m just more aware of this because I’m a woman, but there is an absolute lack of good female characters in the DC universe. I know Wonder Woman is beyond incredible, but have you seen how DC treats her character? Let me point out that, while Batman and Superman have had an abundance of major-film adaptations, the first time Wonder Woman appeared on the silver screen was in The Lego Movie. Let that sink in.
And it’s not just their female characters DC’s mistreating. In 2010 a TV series called “Young Justice” aired, and it was greeted and welcomes by an excited young audience who were happy to see characters they were familiar with portrayed in a different light. It was intelligent, compelling, popular, and… canceled after two seasons. Eventually Paul Dini (known for his extensive work in the DC animated universe) came forward and revealed why the head executives ended the flourishing show:
“They’re all for boys ‘we do not want the girls’, I mean, I’ve heard executives say this, you know, not [where I am] but at other places, saying like, ‘We do not want girls watching this show.” (x)
Ridiculous, I know. Especially since girls took up a majority of their fanbase. I suppose it’s understandable though, I mean it’s not like girls have been a part of the comic book world for that long. It’s not like DC has had over 50 years to figure out how to connect to their female fans. Yeah, it’s probably just a phase girls are going through. It’ not like they’ve been a constant percentage of the comic book reading audience since the very beginning, right?
(Girls Reading Comic Books- photographed by Ruth Orkin, 1943)
Marvel, while not perfect, does a good job at respecting their entire audience and creating flawed, relatable, and inspiring female characters. Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow being a perfect example. Her character is strong, complex, and not used for the sole purpose of being a love interest to one of the male leads. She is an irreplaceable character in the Avengers movie, and I was beyond ecstatic when she wasn’t demoted to a romantic counterpart in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. There’s even talk for a stand-alone Black Widow movie in the near future.
Marvel isn’t afraid to take risks and move forward into the unknown, because they respect their fans and trust that we will continue to appreciate and enjoy their comic and movies. A wonderful example comes from some recent news from Marvel that in future comics Captain America will be black and Thor will be a woman.
New Avengers lineup includes Sam Wilson as Captain America and a female Thor
Not only that, but Marvel’s not afraid of venturing off the well-beaten path and releasing a movie with a group of characters that most of us hadn’t even heard of before: The Guardians of the Galaxy. These are characters from the Marvel Comic Universe that are not commonly found on a t-shirt, but all the fans from the previous Marvel movies are beyond excited to be introduced to.
So why is Marvel running circles around DC? They have an array of diverse and complex characters (men and women alike), they don’t discriminate against their female fans, and they aren’t afraid to take risks and make changes. While both comic industries were established in the 1930s, Marvel has continued to evolve and adapt to their fanbase since then.
A Creative Act 
Interesting take on things. I agree with a lot of the points you make, but I think your analysis of the similarities between Batman and Green Arrow is a little bit flawed. While I agree that these characters have similar traits (especially regarding their backstories), I think your singling these two characters out when in reality the scenario you described is a classic comic book (and film) archetype that applies to multiple characters across many different platforms and publishing companies. For example, couldn’t the exact same scenario also apply to the film adaptation of Iron Man? Many different superhero origin stories can be boiled down to specific archetypes, but that’s not what makes the characters special. What makes comic characters special is their human-like traits and flaws, which you alluded to in your article. And when you look at things from that perspective, you’ll find that Batman and Green Arrow are very different characters. (Yes, even the flim/tv versions).
Great article! Very thought provoking.
By focusing on live action tv and movies, I think you are mistaken in a lot of areas. The struggle to cut a decent profit in the comic book industry has been very problematic for a number of years. Yet it is DC that has been outperforming Marvel. Furthermore, DC continues to outdo (as it has for 20 something years) Marvel in the animation front. Also, for whatever reason, you focused your television criticism on Green Arrow? But Marvel has yet to launch anything that approaches the 10 season success of Smallville. Marvel clearly has outperformed DC in the movies. But the landscape is much different than you believe in print and television.
“Marvel has mastered the art of presenting the audience with a character who is still trying to figure themselves out.” Part of the character’s problem seems to be multiple personality disorder.
Your criticism of Wonder Woman makes me think you’ve never even touched a Wonder Woman comic book. Her current run in the new 52 is amazing. She’s also making an appearance in Batman vs. Superman. Overall this article was pretty biased, nitpicky, and uninformed.
Geoff,
Never did I deny that Wonder Woman is amazing. What I’m saying here is that she is not given the same respect and time that Batman and Superman automatically receive.
Yes, people are saying that she will have some sort of role in Batman vs. Superman, but why hasn’t she been given her own stand-alone film yet? Yes, there was that botched attempt in 2011 at a tv show, but it never got off the ground once people saw her costume, and when critics watched the pilot they described it as “embarrassing …it was all I had feared, and more.”
Inserting Wonder Woman into Batman vs Superman will most likely place her as a supporting character, (or love interest), and she will not be given the screen time her character so desperately deserves.
Also, in recent comic news, David Finch (the new artist in charge of Wonder Woman) says he doesn’t want her to be a feminist character. I feel as if that’s a huge step back, caused mainly by people who still believe feminism is a bad thing. Wonder Woman has been a strong, feminist icon since the 1940s and should be written as such, especially today.
Thank you for your input.
I think shes making an appearance in Barman v. Superman in preparation for her own movie following that (and subsequently a Justice League with her presence as well!)
Just FYI, but what’d you think of their choice to play her?
It’s now confirmed that she’ll be in Barman v. Superman now, and I feel somewhat conflicted about that.
I am so happy that Wonder Woman is going to be on the big screen in human form and not lego, but I feel as if she deserved her own movie to start with. Her costume is a huge step up from the terrible attempt at a Wonder Woman tv show in 2011!
As a fan, I can’t wait to see her on screen. As someone who studies storytelling, I don’t think this was the best way to introduce her to the audience.
The movie is called “Barman v. Superman,” so the focus should be on those two characters. Slipping in Wonder Woman means that the movie will have to spend a certain amount of time to introduce her character and get us invested. I’m afraid she’ll feel like the third villain of a Spider Man movie: a little distracting from the plot and unnecessary.
I’m hoping they will be able to balance three iconic characters in one film and do them all justice, but especially Wonder Woman because this’ll be the first time we’ll be seeing her.
Again, I feel a little conflicted with Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. I haven’t seen her in that many movies, however her IMDB filmography leads me to see her as a supporting character that’s there for eye candy. But I’m interested in seeing what she brings to the role.
Don’t forget the XMen, Fantastic 4 and Spider Man! Marvel kicking butt!!!
While, Avengers was huge, I don’t know that it was a great movie and Thor, Capt America, and Hulk were all above average but again not great. The Batman trilogy was excellent, film and not just as a superhero movie. That’s just my opinion on the movie part.
What I really wanted to address was the “woman problem” and that this was a reason why Marvel was making more successful movies that DC. Wonder Woman may be the big DC superhero but it has been noted that it is actually pretty difficult to bring her to life on the big screen in a credible way. DC has been trying for years and the latest TV show was cancelled before it even begun on account of it. So whether or not that’s because DC is sexist, I can’t speak to but I think there is more to it than that. And remember that female superhero movies so far have bombed big time. Electra and Catwoman come to mind.
My big problem was that you think that Marvel is somehow really good at putting out credible female heroes who aren’t there just for a love interest and you use Black Widow as an example. I think it was fairly obvious from the getgo that, while she isn’t there as a love interest, she is there as eye candy. Her character more or less doesn’t contribute anything substantive to either Iron Man 2 or Avengers but there are plenty of T&A shots. It was apparent to me that she was put there for two primary reasons: to titilate guys and to appeae the woman quota for a big film series because she didn’t add anything to either film. And while there may be a number or women who like comics, it was most definitely guys who made Avengers and all the superhero movies a zillion bucks. And guys may find a female hero less appealing to watch in a superhero movie which may be why the studios aren’t making those films. And if you think of the other female characters in the comic movies, they are either primarily love interests or bad henchmen to the villains (usually with a tiny amount of clothes).
To insist that Marvel owes its success to good female characters is off the mark. Rachel Daws and Lois Lane aren’t any less engaged in the story than Pepper Potts or Jane Foster or Betty Ross or Mary-Jane Parker.
Pete,
I absolutely agree that the Batman trilogy (though not without flaws) was unforgettable. It paved the way for the abundance of superhero movies that followed.
However I disagree that the reason why Wonder Woman hasn’t been on the big screen yet is because it’s difficult to bring her to life in a credible way. Marvel is getting ready to premiere a movie where one of the main characters is a talking raccoon with a giant blaster gun whose partner in crime is a talking & walking tree. Is that credible? Absolutely not, but everyone is beyond excited to see it on the big screen.
The real reason why female superhero movies are failing is because no one knows how to write a female action movie. They just take the exact same formula as a male action movie and change the gender of the character and sexualize her so guys would still be interested. They’re not created a complex character with flaws and depth, (like literally every superhero movie), they’re shortchanging us and excusing themselves by saying “a Wonder Woman movie would be far too complex.”
Moving on. Yes, Black Widow was used for eye-candy, but to say that she didn’t contribute at all is a misstep. It was Black Widow who was sent to retrieve Bruce when he didn’t want anything to do with SHIELD. It was Black Widow who made Steve feel comfortable on the helicarrier. It was Black Widow who tricked Loki into revealing his plans to unleash the Hulk (making him underestimate her because she was a woman, I might add). It was Black Widow who managed to get Loki’s scepter and close the portal. Natasha Romanoff was indispensable in the Avengers. It’s true that she was something pretty for the audience to look at, but she was just as much eye-candy and any of those men were.
Furthermore, in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Natasha was the one who released SHIELD/HYDRA’s dirty secrets to the general public. Even when she knew it would also upload her file, and all the horrible things she ever did, for the world to see. We know in the Avengers that she’s “got red in her ledger” and she wanted to wipe it out. Well, to save hundreds of lives she took that bloody ledger and uploaded it for everyone to see.
Concerning your comment “it was most definitely guys who made Avengers and all the superhero movies a zillion bucks,” I honestly don’t think I agree with you. A majority of the movie-going population is female, and while I’m sure %50 of the audience for The Avengers was men, that doesn’t mean you can disregard the other female %50. As someone who blogs regularly concerning film and television on various internet platforms, I can confirm that %75 of the people I talk to are women.
Yes, men do go see the movies, but I can’t remember the last time I spent a few hours debating with a man over a Marvel character’s depth, back story, and dysfunctionality, and how it is reflected in the film adaptation. Movie companies don’t just judge the success of a film by how many people saw the movie (with internet streaming nowadays that would be impossible). Production companies judge the success of a film by how much and for how long it’s discussed on various online social platforms.
I am a great supporter of Marvel and have beleived their properties superior to DC since the Silver Age. However I see their replacement of the iconic characters of Thor and Captain America as fundementally flawed. It is a statement by them that they cannot create a female character who is interesting enough in her own right to garner an audience. Liekwise with Captain America. By replacing Steve Rogers with a black character rather than creating a black character with their own powers, history and cersonality they are basically saying that the only way a black character can carry a comic is if they are replacing a white character. What that says about their opinion of women and minorities speaks volumnes to me, and it is not a very good message.
Agreed mostly, though you’re off with the risk taking argument since both publishers have taken similar steps for years, going on decades in fact. Batwoman, Supergirl, Batgirl, John Stewart (Green Lantern) come to mind from DC’s side and She-Hulk and Spiderwoman on Marvel’s. Sure, those characters didn’t nor meant to replace the original characters, but neither will those newly announced ones.
Personally, I think Marvel’s better exposure can be explained by their better management for the most part. And I do mean movies in particular, which is unlikely to change with Disney involved.
I HATE Marvel. They are utterly incapable of making a decent Punisher movie worthy of the name.
DC would have made several by now.
Being bored in a small town in the 60’s I spent hundreds of hours reading comic books. So did many of my friends. It went without saying (though we said it many times) that Marvel was the best. I usually read DC or Charlton comics when there was nothing Marvel left to read. Those were the days! 12 cent comic books with great stories and great art work. If I stopped by the newsstand and the new issues were out and I had no money, I’d run home, get out the lawn mower and hit every house until I got a yard to cut. Afterwards, nothing like sitting under a tree with a stack of Marvel comic books and limitless imagination.
That was one of the most wonderful and nostalgic things I’ve ever read. Thank you for sharing that Bruce. I recently purchased a comic for $5, which was pretty reasonable considering. But oh how I wish they would go back down to 12 cents! My collection would definitely multiply!