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The age-old question: Marvel vs. DC: You know what you like --- but why?

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The Falcon

11:30 / 17.12.05

All I read as a bairn was Marvel toy tie-ins; Zoids, Transformers and Thundercats and you got superhero back-ups and stuff so that definitely forged a loyalty to that company. But I do like DC better these days. Mostly because Grant works for them. Marvel was really pretty exciting 2-3 years ago.

Also, and I've said it before, the only superhero who doesn't belong in space is Daredevil.

Imaginary Mongoose Solutions

11:54 / 17.12.05

Why, oh why can't the Batman in the Batman comics be nearly as cool as Morrison's or the Justice League cartoon's Batman? Batman vs. the Hawkmen, Batman vs. the White Martians, that time on the cartoon when he stops the nuke with his plane... all awesome.

At the time I imprinted on comix, Marvel was certianly doing the more interesting stuff. There was also still a lot of truth to Stan's old claim that Marvel books are about normal people who become superheroes, wheras DC books were about superheroes who pretend to be normal people. That distinction, while it no longer holds true, made all the difference to me back in the day.

matthew.

00:04 / 18.12.05

Duncan - is that because of his radar sense? Does it not work in space? I can understand the hearing and smelling and touching - that's not even up for debate, but what about the radar?

The Falcon

00:28 / 18.12.05

No, he just doesn't belong there. No technical reasoning.

This Sunday

02:26 / 18.12.05

Would that be 2-D space, or 3? Is this Afflek-a-phobia in action?
Truly: Daredevil should never be in brightly lit space.

The Falcon

14:37 / 18.12.05

Outer.

Imaginary Mongoose Solutions

15:31 / 18.12.05

I thought he meant that Daredevil should never be in Spaced.

Cowboy Scientist

17:08 / 18.12.05

Balls. Batman's awesome in space. BAT UFO'S GO!

Okay. JLA Classified 1-3 are the exeption that confirms the rule.

Haus of Mystery

19:01 / 18.12.05

No No No! Honestly, people who demand Bats to hang around in alleyways punching weed dealers in the spine need to embrace the versatility of Iconic figures. Bats can work anywhere as long as he's written well. Check Denny O'Neil's seventies Batman haring around on skis, scaling mountains, and sword-fighting Ra's Al Ghul topless. It's still ultra-serious Batfoolery, and it works just fine.

OK. Calm Down.

What? Yeah, sorry for having an opinion.

yawn - thing's buddy

20:41 / 18.12.05

DC cos its closer to the 2 thau parallel.

yawn - thing's buddy

20:48 / 18.12.05

an hey who'd a thought ole moss-bolloks himself - swamp thing - would have worked so well in oochter space.

that bit of moore's run was my favourite of all his swampy stuff, so it wis. (adam strange wan is fuckin gallus for starters, abosultely fuckin gallus, best space opera out there, my blue heaven pretty good too)

might go read that one when he gets pure raped by a lusty space mollusc just now, as a matter o fact.

matthew.

23:52 / 18.12.05

((Is it just me, or this above post hard to read?))

I can only imagine Batman in space when he's not in the blue and grey outfit. Only when he's all black and his bat-ears aren't ten feet high like in the seventies.

I just read The Killing Joke for the first time, and it just makes me love DC far more than Marvel, but I'll switch back when Marvel Zombies #2 comes out.

This Sunday

04:49 / 19.12.05

We all know the true answer is Amalgam, right? Or that strange universe where Batman can bust up the Hulk, barehanded. The mergers and cross-overs, from Doc Ock and Lex Luthor bickering to the JLA/Avengers admirations and insults, at least, puts the cohesive universal aesthetic/ethic in perspective. Even if it's wholly artificial and a marketing ploy.

yawn - thing's buddy

08:16 / 19.12.05

Matt, considering your decision over who's best between Marvel and DC is based on your reading experience of the Killing Joke, I reckon its just you.

but

if you have problems with comprehension, next time, ask the poster in question to explain more clearly, rather than making (snidey), bracketed comments.

here's hoping you understand this message.

Cowboy Scientist

14:42 / 19.12.05

What? Yeah, sorry for having an opinion.

I meant the "Calm Down" as irony. Actually, I agree with you, I love the O'Neil Batman, and hate the current Batman -with exemtions-. I would love a "weird sci-fi space stuff" Batman series -outside the JLA, that is- in the vibe of JLA classified 1-3. I'm only saying that Superman is more natural in middle of weird stuff than Batman (admittedly, I was thinking in the current Bats).

Spaniel

17:09 / 19.12.05

Spectacularly unclear use of irony, Nonexistent.

Cowboy Scientist

18:15 / 19.12.05

Ok. Now, let's continue our lives, shall we?

Spaniel

19:12 / 19.12.05

I've said it elsewhere, but I don't mind repeating it here. This is a message board, and on message boards irony, sarcasm and suchlike are potentially dangerous devices and are likely to be misunderstood unless they are clearly signposted, or you are well known for employing said devices.

Cowboy Scientist

22:51 / 19.12.05

Okay. Then general sorry for everybody.

Cowboy Scientist

23:05 / 19.12.05

Is "general sorry" gramatically correct? If not, then "general apologies".

But, going back to my point, why is Superman so disliked these days? Maybe not as much as it was 10 years ago, but still.

matthew.

01:04 / 20.12.05

Probably because in thirty years, nothing has changed with the character. He's the same old Supes that he's always been. He died - he came back. He went electric blue - he came back. He had long "rebellious" hair - he cut it. He's too eternal, too unchanging, too boring.

Batman also has very little changes, but when there are changes, they seem to last. Like Tim Drake, Jason Todd, The Oracle, etc. Also, Batman gets really solid writers who can reimagine him in a great new way (Frank Miller for example)

I just find Superman extremely boring unless he's chatting with or fighting Batman.

matthew.

01:12 / 20.12.05

From Superman is a Dick

List of more pratical uses Superboy can make of a machine that can see through time:

1. Betting on the outcomes of sporting events.

2. Forseeing natural diasters and catastrophe.

3. Letting Bruce Wayne know that his parents are going to be gunned down in front of his very eyes in a filthy alley, you dick.

Haus of Mystery

11:13 / 20.12.05

I just find Superman extremely boring unless he's chatting with or fighting Batman

Or cuddling Batman.

Superman's 'boring' qualities are precisely the reasons for his status. He is an icon. When people see the red and yellow 'S' on a blue chest they think Superman. Even you're Gran, or your mate who doesn't read comics can tell you that. He's a template, from which creative writers can tell amazing stories. Clark, Lois, Daily Planet - it's all there, comforting in it's familiarity. The older I get the more I love Superman. He's the closest thing I have to a deity really.

doctorbeck

11:19 / 20.12.05

i just want to say that i LOVE superman as a character when well written, that sense of an alien whose values are based on those of a 30s democrat farmer, the adoptive son of earth, solid, decent, craving to be apart of it but somehow distant

he was handicapped as a character by his seemingly limitless power at times which made doing something interesting with him a struggle but comes with a brilliant cast of supporting characters (luther - best. villian. ever) and just embodies everything that was good and fun about the silver age. and he had krypto the superdog. in a cape.

saying that, at the end of the day, make mine marvel. please.

Spaniel

12:10 / 20.12.05

The older I get the more I love Superman. He's the closest thing I have to a deity really.

That's exactly how I feel.

Does that make me an insane nerd?

Aertho

12:13 / 20.12.05

luther - best. villian. ever

It's funny. I'd prefer Clark Kent to fight Joker and Bruce Wayne to tackle LexCorp, but then I realize they have to wear spandex, and you kind of HAVE to switch them. But if you played it straight, with the goodies still in dayjobs, it might be cool.

doctorbeck

12:19 / 20.12.05

bruce would certainly have more of a chance against lexcorp, supes whole power and persona make him totally unsuitable for the job, which is why lex just keeps on coming back, it's a great mismatch really.

yawn - thing's buddy

14:26 / 20.12.05

yeah. great mismatch.

bollocks. (with a smile)

neverending story propellent more like.

Cowboy Scientist

15:42 / 20.12.05

The older I get the more I love Superman. He's the closest thing I have to a deity really.

I have a theory; when you're a kid, you're atractted to what initially seem the more "adult" characters (Spider-Man, the X-Men, maybe Spawn) and think of Superman or Wonder Woman as childish. As you grow up, this pattern inverts itself, all the angst of the "adult" characters seems kind of ridiculous, and you start seeing the capacity of not being so serious of the seemingly childish characters in a new light.

Lel

21:00 / 20.12.05

I don't know about any overall feeling about DC vs Marvel (as a kid it was all about the x-men), but for the immediate future, it feels like DC is going to get back to modular stories. In other words, I'll be able to read about Green Arrow as Mayor without having to know what an O.M.A.C. is. Marvel on the other hand is launching two (three?) more giant cross over events. I really think DC's stock is on the rise, so to speak.

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