Comics DC vs Marvel vs Image

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Alright, most everyone has a favorite comic book hero, sometimes that hero is also part of your favorite comic series (though not always) and sometimes that series is published by your favorite Publishing House. We've got threads about which your favorite series is, who your favorite heroes are, and now I think its time we find out what publisher is the most beloved.

Marvel and DC have a slight advantage here as they have been around for so long and people have such warm memories of their comics as they grew up. Image Comics on the other hand, only being founded in 1992, has been able to be more bold and creative in their comics, not having to meet certain expectations that the two powerhouse publishers are weighed down by.

DC has done a pretty good job of shedding those expectations with their own Vertigo line of comics, which include such greats as the Sandman series, Hellblazer, 100 bullets, V for Vendetta...

Marvel has been getting for of the interest of late though due in part to the popularity of the X-Men and Avenger movie franchises. Their 'new' Marvel NOW initiative has made many of the older long running series more open to new readers who may not have been around for the past issues.

Personally (and I don't want to try to influence your vote so go vote NOW if you haven't already), I have trouble deciding between Image and DC (Vertigo). Both publish adult (not the naughty kind) stories that make the reader think rather than just the superhero in tights that have been being published tiredly over the past 90 years. Marvel is sticking to that tried and proven Superhero and I don't blame them, they are doing what they know sells comics. People still want to see the Superheroes, I've just moved past them for the most part.

So back to between DC (Vertigo) and Image. Both have a great selection of Superheroes, but like i said, thats not what I'm interested in reading. My favorite Image comics at the moment are Saga, Thief of Thieves, The Wicked + The Divine, Birthright, and Sex Criminals. There are lots from the past, but those are the ones that I am currently reading. DC on the other hand only has a couple, Constantine and Star-Spangled War Stories.

Taking all this into consideration I have to say that Image has become my favorite publisher. They are constantly pushing the boundaries and releasing series that make you think rather than just ride along. Things that happen in their series usually have a meaningful consequence, or at least more of a consequence than what happens in the other two Publisher's works.
 
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I consider Marvel superior because, as you said, they are well-established. D.C. is older, but their characters are not as real (at least to me). Superman and Batman were like your dad, or a politician. They were unapproachable. Marvel's characters were often everyday people, who lived in real cities, and dealt with real issues. Peter Parker was a normal (if not brilliant) teenager trying to pay bills through his photography career, and juggle school, his frail aunt, and a social life. Marvel has over 150 characters with long and detailed histories. The other two can't compete with that.
 
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Peter Parker is pretty much the only character in the Marvel universe I've even remotely identified with. Most live lives of privilege or their secret identity is so tied into their super hero one it becomes hard to distinguish between the two. I mean you have Avengers Mansion, you have the Fantastic Four tower, you have all the different Mutant Schools that are in mansions. Daredevil constantly uses his powers as Matt Murdoc so it always feels like thats just a different mask.
 
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Ideally, a truly great comic will have excellent, gorgeous art relating an exceptionally well written story.

However, if I'm forced to favour one over the other: I must put the writing before the art--and for that reason, I must go with DC in favour of Marvel or Image.

By no means are DC titles are always better written than Marvel or Image titles (Countdown anyone?), and there are Marvel and Image stories that I adore.

However, in general it seems that DC placed a greater emphasis on writing than Marvel or Image who favoured art more than writing. This was especially true during the 1970's-1990's (e.g. so very many Batman and Green Arrow stories from that era) and was especially, especially true for DC's Vertigo line: Saga of the Swamp Thing, Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Hellblazer, The Sandman, Animal Man, Preacher, and so on. My respect and love for those titles alone makes DC the clear winner of this three-way tug-of-war in my heart.
 
Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2015
Messages
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Ideally, a truly great comic will have excellent, gorgeous art relating an exceptionally well written story.

However, if I'm forced to favour one over the other: I must put the writing before the art--and for that reason, I must go with DC in favour of Marvel or Image.

By no means are DC titles are always better written than Marvel or Image titles (Countdown anyone?), and there are Marvel and Image stories that I adore.

However, in general it seems that DC placed a greater emphasis on writing than Marvel or Image who favoured art more than writing. This was especially true during the 1970's-1990's (e.g. so very many Batman and Green Arrow stories from that era) and was especially, especially true for DC's Vertigo line: Saga of the Swamp Thing, Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Hellblazer, The Sandman, Animal Man, Preacher, and so on. My respect and love for those titles alone makes DC the clear winner of this three-way tug-of-war in my heart.

Vertigo has an amazing lineup. V for Vendetta, Hellblazer, Sandman, and some of the less known greats such as 100 Bullets, Fables, The Unwritten, and Transmetropolitan. Vertigo comics are pretty much the only DC comics I still read apart from the occasional Batman. Sadly Vertigo has pretty much come to a stand still and the mature stories they used to write haven't been picked up by DC. Only a few of the series were.
 
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