The largest debate over superhero franchises – Marvel or DC? Marvel Studios began in June of 1961 with Journey Into Mystery #69 and Patsy Walker #95, and has expanded today into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the company’s main project, which has been planned through May of 2027. DC Studios began in 1935 with the New Fun Comics #1, and expanded into the DC Extended Universe, with the most recent installment being Blue Beetle in August of 2023. Below is our evaluation of the “Bests” of both worlds.

Best Villains – DC 

This one is a no brainer. Marvel may have the mad titan Thanos, but DC has the more memorable villains. The most famous villain of all is a DC villain, Batman’s rival and enemy, the Joker. The Joker made his debut in 1940 with the Batman #1 comic, and had his most recent portrayal in 2019 with the Joker film. There have been multiple portrayals and storylines connected to the Joker, and he is one of the most exciting and complex characters in all of the superhero world, Marvel or DC. On top of the Joker, DC is home to Lex Luther, Bane, Harley Quinn, Darksied and so many more iconic characters.

Best Costumes – Marvel 

DC in no way has lousy costumes, but Marvel is superior in this category. In recent Marvel films, the suits on Spiderman, Black Panther and other heroes are freshly designed and sleeker than ever. And yet, Marvel still rocks it with classic costumes like the iconic Captain America or Iron Man costumes. Marvel’s costumes are top tier, even outside the realm of superhero movies. Marvel boasts a recent Oscar victory for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in costume design. Marvel costumes also get constantly updated, which can be seen in the multitude of new suits that Spider-Man and the rest of the avengers get in almost every film.

Best Sidekicks – DC

DC again wins in the sidekick category. Marvel lacks in this field, with the only prominent sidekicks being Bucky Barnes, Groot and War Machine. While all are solid characters, DC is a sidekick powerhouse with names like Alfred, Robin and Harley Quinn, a villain sidekick. Obviously, Robin is the most iconic sidekick in the world of superheroes.

Best Movies – Marvel 

Marvel again reigns victorious in the best movies category. Marvel movies have better plotlines overall than DC can boast. DC has spectacular films like Joker (2019), but then also plenty of mediocre ones like Suicide Squad (2016). Marvel has a collection of top-notch films that include great plot, comedy and fight scenes. Marvel’s best films include Black Panther, Avengers: Endgame, Ant-Man and Deadpool.

Best Battles – Marvel 

Within the movies, the best battles that occur are in Marvel films. Fights in titles like Avengers: Endgame are long, well thought out battles with plot woven throughout the fight, so that the audience stays entertained throughout the battles. Fight choreographers like James Young, who worked on films like Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War put together intricate fight scenes that keep viewers on the edge of their seats for the duration of the scene.

Best Storylines – DC

Pointing specifically to the storylines of Batman and the Joker, DC has great character arcs and storylines. Batman and Joker have one of the most complex relationships and storylines in film, with their individual characters having their own separate storylines as well. Each character has been depicted in many different forms for the past decades, and their storylines just keep deepening and more and more lore around these characters is created.

Best Heroes – Marvel 

Marvel takes the tiebreaker, and with the win for best heroes, Optic crowns Marvel as the superior franchise. DC has icons like Batman and Superman, but Marvel’s heroes like Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and Spiderman are superior. Marvel is packed full of unforgettable heroes whether they are in the Avengers universe or in the X-Men universe. While a close battle fought hard by both sides, Marvel claims the prize as the greatest hero franchise in modern day industry.