Spider-Man, Batman, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, Superman, Captain America: when people think of these names, they think of superheroes. However, these superheroes are actually from different publishers. Marvel and DC have been around since the late 1930s, and both have achieved tremendous success. What’s the difference between the two?

Marvel Comics was founded by Martin Goodman in 1939. The Walt Disney Company (Disney) bought Marvel Entertainment in 2009. Famous Marvel superheroes include Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Captain America. Meanwhile, DC was founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1934. Its parent company is Warner Bros., and common superheroes produced by DC include Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. 

A primary difference between the two are their heroes’ lives. 

“DC became known for developing god-like superheroes with other-worldly powers and fantastic backgrounds…Marvel superheroes are regular humans who obtained powers by accident or through extraordinary circumstances,” stated CultureFly. 

For example, Superman is a “son of God”, while Spider-Man is just a regular boy who was bitten by a radioactive spider. Wonder Woman is a “daughter of Zeus”, while Tony Stark is a scientist who invented a battle suit. The list could go on and on. 

In addition, DC movies usually revolve around a more serious and dark plot. On the other hand, Marvel movies are more bright and kid-friendly. 

In general, Marvel seems to be more popular than DC. According to CBR, “Marvel is favored in 28 states while DC takes the lead in 22.” 

A pool of Arcadia High School (AHS) students were asked whether they preferred Marvel or DC, and 87% said Marvel.

“I like Marvel more because I think the director does a better job,” said freshman Austin La. “The action scenes are way better, too.”

“Personally, I like Marvel better because overall, they have just done better in making a fun enjoyable franchise,” said sophomore Lucas Oh. “Marvel stays consistent in providing variety.”

Although AHS seems to be dominated by opinions toward why Marvel is better, freshman Isabella Cordeiro and sophomore Arain Chgao shared why they like DC. 

“I like DC better because it’s cooler,” said Cordeiro. “The heroes and problems are so unrealistic and that’s what I like about them. Also, the heroes always win, unlike in Marvel when people die so it’s sad.”

“I just watched DC and I got into it more than when I watched Marvel,” said Chgao. 

Luckily, in reality, the audience seems to care less about the competition between these two companies, and more about each individual show produced. Whether it be Marvel or DC, both have succeeded tremendously in bringing amazing and exciting superheroes to the world.