DC vs Marvel: which super heroes universe do you prefer ?

DC Comics and Marvel have dominated the comic-book industry for over 6 decades. Which of the two fiction universes do you prefer? Check out our top 25 super heroes and villains lists. 

Together they account for over 80% of the American comic-book market. DC Comics and Marvel Comics have been the leading comic-book companies for over 6 decades. Both have created unique characters, and universes that have expanded beyond comic-books into the cinema, TV, video games and toy industries. Thanks to excellent comic-writers and Hollywood super heroes are nowadays undergoing a new golden age. Their impact on popular culture shouldn't be understated.

Marvel and DC comics

The Marvel story started in 1939. By that time, the company was named Timely Publications, but the first comic edited was precisely a work titled “Marvel Comics”. The company was later known as Atlas Comics, before choosing the name Marvel in 1961, the year that the company launched The Fantastic Four, along to various superhero titles created by Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Steve Ditko and other authors. Since 2009, Marvel belongs to The Walt Disney Company. The Marvel universe hosts Spiderman, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Wolverine and X-Men among many others. Both DC and Marvel host also great superhero teams.

Started in 1934 as National Allied Publications, DC Comics took his current denomination in 1937. The initials "DC" came from the company's popular series Detective Comics. The company published the first Action Comics in 1938 (featuring Superman), before introducing Batman in Detective Comics in 1939, with great success. DC Comics belong to the Time Warner group. The DC universe includes characters such as Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Sandman, Swamp Thing and Superman, whose Action Comics series has passed the landmark of 1000 issues.

DC vs Marvel

Since both comics company control such a huge share of the market, they are natural competitors. At the same time, most of their superheroes have their own legions of fans, and the rivalry between both universes is a classic subject of debate. However, in 1996, both companies did a curious collaboration, publishing a crossover name “DC vs Marvel Comics”, where the main characters of each universe fought in a series of duels, with interesting outcomes such as Superman defeating the Hulk while Spider-Man defeated Superboy.

Watch this documentary: Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked

Lists of top 25 DC and Marvel super heroes and villains

Top 25 DC heroes

This is a non scientific list of arguably the most popular and charismatic DC super heroes (we have not included several incarnations of the same hero):

1. Batman
2. Superman
3. Wonder Woman
4. Green Lantern
5. Flash
6. Shazam
7. Aquaman
8. Nightwing
9. Robin
10. Rorschach
11. Swamp Thing
12. John Constantine
13. Catwoman
14. Green Arrow
15. Martian Manhunter
16. Sandman
17. Hawkman
18. Hawkgirl
19. Cyborg
20. Black Canary
21. Supergirl
22. Demon
23. Beetle
24. Captain Atom
25. Zatanna

Top DC villains

Let's look at the evil guys populating the DC universe:

1. Joker
2. Lex Luthor
3. Darkseid
4. Two-Face
5. Brainiac
6. Deathstroke
7. Doomsday
8. Harley Quinn
9. Sinestro
10. Black Adam
11. Poison Ivy
12. Penguin
13. General Zod
14. Bane
15. Ra's al Ghul
16. Cheetah
17. Scarecrow
18. The Riddle
19. Anti-Monitor
20. Captain Cold
21. Clayface
22. Krona
23. Black Manta
24. Reverse-Flash
25. Vandal Savage

Top Marvel heroes

And here we move into the Marvel mighty good guys:

1. Spiderman
2. Thor
3. Wolverine
4. Captain America
5. Iron Man
6. Daredevil
7. Hulk
8. Silver Surfer
9. Thing
10. Punisher
11. Hawkeye
12. Nick Fury
13. Doctor Strange
14. Cyclops
15. Mr Fantastic
16. Luke Cage
17. Jessica Jones
18. Black Panther
19. Ant-Man
20. Ghost Rider
21. Black Widow
22. Vision
23. Professor X
24. Invisible Woman
25. Elektra

Top Marvel villains

Finally here the Marvel's most notorious super villains:

1. Magneto
2. Doctor Doom
3. Loki
4. Green Goblin
5. Red Skull
6. Galactus
7. Ultron
8. Thanos
9. Kingpin
10. Apocalypse
11. Doctor Octopus
12. Kang
13. Mephisto 
14. Venom
15. Sabretooth
16. Mystique
17. Juggernaut
18. Super-Skrull
19. Mr Sinister
20. Sentinels
21. Morgan Le Fay
22. Lizard
23. Bullseye
24. Onslaught
25. Magus

Today it’s your turn to choose your favorite universe. Would you be a member of the Justice League or an Avenger? Batman or Spiderman? Thor or Superman? Wonder Woman or Wolverine? Which are the best comic-books and superhero movies? Pick a side and tell us why.

Vote to see result and collect 1 XP. Your vote is anonymous.
If you change your mind, you can change your vote simply by clicking on another option.