For more than 80 years, Marvel and DC have been shaping pop culture with legendary superheroes, villains and anti-heroes. The two universes feature thousands of characters and boast millions of fans.

Marvel was created by Martin Goodman in 1939 and was originally known as Timely Comics. It debuted with Namor the Sub-Mariner, the Human Torch, The Angel and Masked Raider

Stan Lee, an editor, writer, producer and publisher, with the help from Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko who were both artists and writers were able to springboard Marvel to wider audiences with their creative minds, combining unique designs with bright colors and together they came up with the “Marvel method.” 

Stan Lee and Steve Ditko would throw out ideas such as character design, scenery and plot, while Jack Kirby would draw them out. After all the art is finished, the dialogue and narration would be left to the editor and the writer to come up with, that is how we got The Avengers, X-men, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Spider-Man and many more. 

Both universes have grown far beyond comics with major expansions into movies, video games, animated series and live-action TV. Marvel and DC are no longer just brands, they’re global entertainment, with new content being released every year.

Ethan Zapata, a student at San Jose City College didn’t hold back when it comes to his love for Marvel.

“Very clearly in the superhero movie world, Marvel reigns supreme … DC is starting to get a bit of their footing but the movies are one off and the quality varies.” 

His point is backed by the numbers. Marvel holds 11 spots for the highest-grossing films, while DC trails behind with just three.

For many students like Ethan Zapata, the box office tells the story, Marvel is winning the cinematic battle. “DC has a lot to catch up on,” he said.

Marvel also holds the upper hand when it comes to video-game popularity. Marvel’s Spider-Man released in 2018 became the best-selling superhero game of all time, selling 20 million copies on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. 

When it comes to comics, Marvel typically leads the race because of many reasons. By publishing a higher number of books with multiple titles, Marvel has held a grasp on the market share since the ‘70s but has started to fall off since 2023 because of a few bad TV shows and films. As of January, DC has taken over the market share with their new Absolute Universe.

Jeff, an employee at the Heroes comic store in Campbell who did not share his last name, shared his thoughts on why DC currently dominates the comic book market.

“From what I’ve seen, the younger generation … they’re looking for what’s hot right now,” Jeff said. “They’re looking for the Absolute series, Ultimates [by Marvel] and Deadpool … I do have to say, though, the boost in DC currently has nothing to do with the movies.”

Regardless of whether they lean toward Marvel or DC, people became fans for many reasons, such as their colorful and recognizable heroes. As adults, people like Noe Villalobos, a computer science major at SJCC, stay with the franchise because of nostalgia.

 “I kinda grew up on it … it’s always been there with me,” Villalobos said. “They’re really good comics, they have really amazing heroes.”

As both Marvel and DC continue to grow and create new stories, all anyone can do now is wait in anticipation for their next big announcement.