Comic book readers worldwide are often divided into very distinct factions, Team Marvel or Team DC. Many debates have transpired that pitted the roster of superheroes for each company against one another. With very distinct characters, storylines, and visual presentation, both Marvel and DC Comics have found a way to coexist and come to dominate the comic book industry. Both the Marvel and DC comics are industry titans that have enjoyed unparalleled sales and success both domestically and internationally. While the two companies similarities have allowed them to coexist, it is their differences that have allowed both companies to thrive. Before discussing the differences between the two companies, it is important to note the similarities between the two in order to understand how their differences evoke such rabid support amongst each company’s fan base.
Both Marvel and DC Comics were founded in the 1930’s. In 1934, under the name National Allied Publications, DC Comics was founded. Five years later, Marvel Comics was founded, but under a different name (Timely Comics). Both Marvel and DC Comics are currently based in New York City and are both subsidiaries of larger corporations. Marvel Comics became a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company in 2009 following Disney’s purchase of Marvel Entertainment. DC Comics was founded under the auspices of Warner Brothers Entertainment where it has remained since its creation.
While both Marvel Comics and DC Comics are well known for their print comics, each company has expanded its portfolios to include cartoons, movies, video games, clothing, and apparel. This expansion is what lead to and continues to sustain the popularity, influence, and financial stability of both companies. Moreover,...
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... often live and operate in real-life cities. Many of the Marvel Comics are set in New York City and Los Angeles. While some characters hail from cities such as Houston, Chicago, Washington DC, Miami, Tokyo, etc. On the other hand, DC Comics are often set in fictional cities based on real-world cities, most notably, Central City, Metropolis, and Gotham City.
While on the surface both companies seem to be two sides of the same coin, there are a number of differences between the two companies that have allowed each to coexist while also providing comic book fans characters, story arcs and lines, and adventures that are unique from those of the other company. Just as the debates over whether Spiderman is better than Batman or whether Captain America could beat Wolverine in a fight will endure, so too will the influence, popularity, and legacy of Marvel and DC comics.
Somewhere around 1939 and 1941 Detective Comics and its sister organization, All-American Publications, presented well known superheroes, for example, Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman, the Flash,
In April of 1861, the American Civil War broke out. In June of 2006, the Marvel Civil War broke out. 145 years of separation still bind these two seemingly unrelated events. The nonfiction and fiction worlds may come across as totally different. One involves actual American heroes fighting over abolition versus slavery and federal versus states’ rights while the other involves fictional American superheroes fighting over freedom versus security, individual rights versus the need for regulation. More specifically, the Marvel Civil War was caused by a controversial Superhero Registration Act that required all superheroes to register themselves under the government as government agents.
Most avid comic book fans would agree that they were less than enthused when Marvel Studios decided to reboot the Spiderman movie franchise in 2012 – just 11 years after the quasi-successful run of the original trilogy (Proctor). As one of the aforementioned avid comic book fans, Marc Bernadin, writer for “io9” (a technology and lifestyle website), rightfully questioned this decision by stating, “in this day and age, does Spidey have to be a white guy?” (Bernardin). This question fueled an Internet phenomenon that forced creators and fans alike to re-evaluate the way that they see the characters they love so much in terms of their race. Media makers and content creators have an ethical responsibility to “represent the many facets of humanity” (Petrou, Jan. 27). ‘Race-bending’ is when a content creator dresses a character as someone of a different race, or changes the race of the character entirely from one race to another (Ibid). In this paper, I aim to explore the influence of social media on race-bending, as it applies to comic book culture and its meaningfulness to the fan community. My principle arguments will draw from an examination of the Marvel comic universe, the #donald4spiderman campaign and the “Amazing Spiderman” movie franchise in order to show that through the power of social media, we are changing the way we root for heroes regardless of their race or ethnicity– moving society forward as a progressive culture.
In Superhero Worship by Virginia Postrel published in The Atlantic explores the glamour of comic heroes coming to live, and what that glamour really is. From paper to screen superheroes have caught the wonder of the American people. The most wellknown superheroes were introduced in the 1930s through the late 1950s, during the time of warfare and national pride. Superman was welcomed in America in 1937 to keep spirits alive during the breakout of WWII, fighting Nazis or the Japanese Imperial Army. These heroes that were created used propaganda
Let’s discuss a little bit of comic book history for starters. The most iconic superhero in all of American comic book history has got to be Superman. He was created near the beginning of superhero comic books and debuted in Action Comics #1 in 1938[1]. He would remain as the blueprint for many superheroes for years to come as the atypical white American male. But as the years go by there were comic book heroes that came out that go against this archetype such as Wonder
Chabon asserts that comic books used to be extremely popular among people of all ages, but children were the main audience. Through the years, authors aimed to get a larger adult audience interested in comics. They started changing
Marvel has been releasing blockbuster after blockbuster for over the last decade. Marvel movies have action, a great story line, and even some comedy. Some of my favorite movies that Marvel has released are: the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and the Amazing Spiderman. DC movies, on the other hand, are awful and boring. Most of them don’t have a story line, they’re slow in telling the superheros story, and they aren’t based off the comics. Some disappointing DC movies that I thought would be great but weren’t: Green Lantern, Man of Steel, and the Dark Knight Rises. While the future of Marvel movies are looking bright (Dr. Strange, Captain America 3), the DC movies will probably crash and burn (Batman vs Superman, Suicide
Every child in the United States has heard or read the Marvel and DC comics books. If you have not then you have probably have heard of their characters like the famous star spangled hero, Captain America, or the Dark Knight himself, Batman. Both Marvel and DC has influenced the children and adults of American in its darkest times. The great wars affected many by its poisonous grasps, and its victims sought comfort with the antidote provided by the marvelous illustrators and writers of comic books. Now their cinematic counterparts are here to inspire the 21st century. The Marvel and DC cinematic universes have similar content, they both have unique characteristics that set them apart.
In our society, certain ideals are held in high regard. Individuals relentlessly pursue these ideals to achieve a perceived perfection. These principles are often depicted in media that further glorifies and establishes a desire to pursue these paragons. In a medium such as comic books, however, these standards and perceptions are heavily distorted by the characterizations and settings. Particularly, the superhero genre absorbs the ideals we strive towards and regurgitates them in an extreme and unrealistic manner. The superhero genre is often reflective of societal changes in ideas and morals. These ideals are then molded into misleading representations that influence the behaviors of viewers. Comic books absorb elements of our society and transform them. For example, as the enemies of America change, so do the enemies of our superheroes. However, the enemies are transformed into supervillains that are extremely dark and villainous. Such characterizations cloud people’s understanding of real threats and enemies affecting our society. Also, to cater to the value that American society places on intelligence, attractiveness, and physical strength, comic books create characters that epitomize these characteristics. Though the represent society’s ideals, these characters manipulate the ideas and convey them back to the audience in an unrecognizable manner. In developing such distorted representations, the superhero genre affects human behavior and perceptions of these ideals.
Marvel Worldwide Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American publisher of comic books and related media. In 2009, The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Worldwide 's parent company.
“The Golden Age of Comics” PBS. PBS, 2011 Web. Retrieved on February 11 2014 from http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/feature/the-golden-age-of-comics/
For example, Batman comes from the DC universe. Batman, or Bruce Wayne as his secret identity, is a “wealthy American playboy, philanthropist, and owner of Wayne enterprises” (Wikipedia). After witnessing his parents’ death, he have realized that he wants revenge for them. Wayne establishes his secret cave under his mansion, becomes Batman, and protects Gotham city and its citizens from all the criminals and villains. On the other hand, Iron Man have began in a different way. As a young boy, Stark have always been interested in mechanics and engineering since his father, Howard Stark, is a great scientist who have created Stark Industries. As Stark grows up, he have become a successful businessman, new owner of Stark Industries, and a reckless playboy. When Stark have gone to a business travel, he have been attacked by terrorist. During his time in captivity, he creates a suit to defeat the enemies. Therefore, “the armor [he creates have become] the first true Iron Man armor and [is] equipped with crude magnetic weaponry for defense (Marvel). Through the years, Stark modifies his suit. As a result, Batman and Iron Man have started from different ways. Viewers admire these superheroes because of how they have started to be superheroes, Batman from the fact that he wants to protect the people and Iron Man from the fact that he wants to save himself from the
However, this popularity has fluctuated throughout history. In the past few decades, demand for comics in the print media had been falling, in part due to the successes of other children 's media, such as cartoons. “Our biggest fear was that that audience was going to get to a point where we weren 't able to build it up again,” says Dan DiDio, co-publisher of DC Comics, “and a lot of what we do would be branded lost because there was nobody out there reading it" (Martin 14). Luckily, comic creators realized that the stories were perfect for screen adaptations: "they 're full of spectacle [and] adventure with an emotional arc for the hero. That 's what movies have always been about” (Humphries). The promise of lucrative merchandise sales and cross-promotion undoubtedly encouraged production, as well. Comic books were first adapted for television in the 40s and 50s, and met with huge success. Thus, superhero television programs set the stage for the inevitable point when comics took to the big screen with the first Superman movie in 1978 (Humphries). This cinematic moment ushered in a tricking of other superhero feature films, which eventually became the flood of superhero films that is taking place in the 21st
Wright, Bradford W.. "Origins of The Comic Book Industry." In Comic Book Nation: the transformation of youth culture in America. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001. 4.
The Comic Book Makers. Crestwood/II. p. 51. -. ISBN 1-887591-35-4.