DC: Detective Comics

Illustration by Ricky Riley / VOX Staff

By Ariana Kendricks / VOX Staff

For decades DC and Marvel have been known as the comic book industry’s top two publishers. But if you look closer you will see that DC not only put superheroes on the map, but pretty much every innovation the company has made has been copied by Marvel in one way or another.

DC launched its first comic book in March 1937, but it wasn’t until 1938 that the company featured its greatest creation, if not the greatest comic book character ever invented — Superman — in “Action Comics” #1. Superman was a nearly invulnerable super hero who was sent to earth to be its protector. Yes, it is his everyday job to save our planet. With his amazing strength, ability to fly and a host of other powers — not to mention his blue bodysuit emblazoned with his trademark “S” and his red cape — Superman almost immediately appealed to kids and adults alike

The Man of Steel was soon joined by Batman and Wonder Woman into DC’s crew of characters, and they dominated the comic book scene of the 1940s and 1950s in what is called comics’ “Golden Age.” If an average person is asked to name a superhero off the top of their heads, it’s likely that one of this trio will be mentioned first.

Meanwhile, Marvel — which then went by the name of Timely Comics — responded with an android hero The Human Torch (completely different than today’s human counterpart and member of The Fantastic Four) and the anti-hero Submariner. Captain America was introduced in 1941 as part of World War II propaganda, but none of these heroes grew to become household names like Superman.

DC increased its fan base by extending its comic book characters into serialized radio and TV programs. For example, “Batman” was a hugely popular, if campy, 1960s TV show that starred Adam West, and was a favorite after-school, re-run watch for kids well into the 1970s.

Marvel finally became a real competitor in the 1960s with the development of new characters such as Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk. Super hero groups The X-Men and The Avengers also proved popular, but they were ideas copied from DC’s Justice League of America, a coalition of top superheroes that was originally formed in the 1940s.

One major difference between DC and Marvel characters are that Marvel’s seem to be burdened by their super powers, while DC’s are intensely proud of theirs. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern and others all were ready to fight to save the world at a moment’s notice. Meanwhile Spider-Man, The Hulk and almost every member of The X-Men were more interested in fighting to just be accepted by the world. Is that how we want our superheroes to act? I know I’d rather watch them kick evil villain butt than mope around about their lives.

In embracing that same larger-than-life philosophy, DC’s characters live in an alternate version of earth with fantastical locations such as Gotham and Metropolis, which allows them to be able to do extraordinary things. Marvel’s heroes are supposed to live on the very same earth we do, but this locks them into our sense of reality and limits them with very human restraints.

Recently, DC and Marvel have both introduced their characters to a wider audience by bringing them to the big screen. Marvel’s film efforts have ranged from the unquestionable major successes of the “Spider-Man” and “X-Men” movie franchises to the embarrassing failures of “Daredevil” and “The Punisher.” DC has been more careful with its movie adaptations. It has built off early triumphs with the original “Superman” and “Batman” films with complete re-births of the franchises in “Superman Returns” and “Batman Begins” for today’s more critical audiences. DC has even been able to adapt its non-superhero comics such as “Constantine” and “V is for Vendetta” into recent box office smashes. With dominance at the dawn of comic books and dominance today, DC is by far the superior comic book company with the superior superheroes.

Ariana is 15 and home schooled.