Marvel Disagrees With One of DC’s Laws, And That’s Why I Love Its Heroes So Much

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Comic book fans are always trying to pinpoint what exactly separates Marvel Comics and its perennial rival DC Comics, and I think the difference was summed up in a freshly released issue of The Amazing Spider-Man, in which Spidey realizes even the world’s greatest heroes will someday be forgotten by history, a philosophy that stands in stark contrast to DC lore.

The Amazing Spider-Man #65 – written by Joe Kelly, with art by CAFU – contains this existential aside from Peter Parker, and it struck me as relevant to what makes Marvel Comics different from DC.

Whether it’s the story of Booster Gold (who worked at a 25th-century superhero museum), the Legion of Super-Heroes (who based their 31st-century philosophy on Superman), or Future State: Wonder Woman‘s revelation that the heroes of the DC Universe will go on to be immortalized as gods in the years to come, DC is clear: their heroes will be remembered forever. Marvel, meanwhile, takes a very different approach.

Marvel Comics Is Meant To Be “The World Outside Your Window”

The Perspective That Shaped The “House Of Ideas”

There’s a line, often attributed to Stan Lee, that the Marvel Universe represents “the world outside your window.” That is to say, it’s basically just our world, but with superheroes tackling cosmic threats. Unlike DC, most books are set in New York rather than made-up cities like Metropolis and Gotham. As a fan, I’ve always found that much of the characters’ appeal is their humanity and vulnerability. When the Marvel Universe was built, DC’s heroes were all pretty problem-free; Marvel’s decision to give their heroes relatable, human problems was hugely important to their popularity.

A great way to illustrate the difference requires some…time travel. In 1994, Alex Ross and Kurt Busiek produced Marvels, a comic that told the story of the Marvel Universe through the eye(s) of an average joe – a photojournalist in New York, who just happened to be covering all the biggest events. It became such an important work that Ross was given, with Mark Waid, a chance to similarly redefine the DC Universe – something they did with Kingdom Come, a book about the apocalypse, told through the eyes of a preacher who compared the heroes to gods.

In The DC Universe, The Old Gods Died & Superheroes Are Taking Their Place

DC’s Superheroes Struggle With Their Legacy

While the “godhood” of DC’s heroes is generally understood to be largely metaphorical, occasionally it becomes an actual plot point. In Grant Morrison’s crossover event DC One Million, not only are DC’s heroes still remembered in the 853rd-century – that’s when Action Comics would theoretically reach issue #1,000,000 based on a monthly run – but Superman himself is still alive, more powerful than ever, and living inside the sun, isolated from humanity. His happy ending is kind of the polar opposite of his self-imposed exile at the Fortress of Solitude at the start of Kingdom Come.

Let me cite another example of literal gods in the DC Universe: the New Gods. Successors to the “old gods” of mythology, the New Gods are literal gods…but still mostly not as powerful or influential as the likes of Superman and Wonder Woman. At present, while Spider-Man is realizing that he’ll one day be forgotten, DC’s entire Multiverse is embroiled in a cosmic, spiritual battle between the forces of ultimate good and ultimate evil. Pair that with his presence at the head of DC’s “trinity,” and you’ve got enough Christian metaphors to fill Kingdom Come with.

Superman Vs. Spider-Man Embody The Core Marvel Vs. DC Rivalry

The Publishers’ Flagship Characters Tell The Story

To bring things back around to the beginning – I would argue it’s really a story of Superman and Spider-Man that defines this conversation. While the Man of Steel had an idyllic upbringing, loving parents, and was immediately embraced by his city and his world, Spider-Man struggles to get by, lost his parents (and later his father figure) in jarring, violent ways, and struggles with a city that often rejects him. Perry White follows Superman around documenting every good deed, while J. Jonah Jameson famously believes Spider-Man to be a “menace” who needs to be stopped at all costs.

At DC, even the “typical” heroes, who technically have no powers, can be elevated to the level of gods. The obvious example is Batman, who is regularly treated like a character who can do anything and defeat anyone if given enough “prep time,” with stories seeing him defeat both Superman and Darkseid single-handedly over the years. The character is even, despite his obvious mortality, part of DC’s “trinity,” its three biggest heroes, which in itself draws its name from Christian teachings, where the “Trinity” is three parts of God Himself.

Marvel’s Universe Is More Relatable Than DC’s: Here’s Why

That’s Always Been The Marvel Universe’s Superpower

What this conversation really boils down to is a question: do you want relatable heroes who exist in a grounded, familiar reality? Or do you want to read fantasy stories that feature godlike beings facing off against the kind of apocalyptic odds befitting the gods? In the 1960s, when Marvel’s universe first started coming together, the resounding answer from readers was that they wanted more human, grounded characters. While there have been exceptions, that philosophy has led the comics sales race for years. In the movies, Zack Snyder’s deeply mythological DCEU failed to connect in the same way as the MCU’s quippy, flawed characters.

To me, neither opinion is “wrong.” Plenty of people prefer DC’s mythological approach to telling stories, and appreciate the larger-than-life stories that tend to arise out of characters like Wonder Woman and the New Gods. In fact, even Marvel has Thor! Still, it seems most readers – this writer included – prefer a shared universe that feels more like a place that we could actually visit. DC’s Mount Olympus – both literal and metaphorical – will never be as relatable as Marvel’s New York.

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