MARVEL -VS- DC COMICS

BBC 11

MARVEL "Never afraid to tackle issues, Marvel also included storylines on homosexuality and AIDS during the '80s-'90s."

Marvel 9

FUN FACT The Hulk was originally grey, but due to printing issues it was difficult to keep his color consistent. So, they changed his color to green.

Marvel 10

FUN FACT P.2 The Hulk's new color for a newly airing tv show was supposed to be red, but Stan Lee wouldn't let it happen.

Marvel (news-a-rama.com) 1

HISTORY "1932: Martin Goodman starts the magazine publishing business that will later become Marvel."

Marvel 2

HISTORY "1968: Martin Goodman sells Marvel to a firm whose products range from magazines to vitamins; the firm would later be known as Cadence Industries. 1986: Cadence sells Marvel to New World Entertainment, a television and film production company. January 1989: Ronald Perelman's MacAndrews and Forbes buys Marvel Entertainment group from failing New World Entertainment for $82.5 million. Summer 1991: Perelman and company sell 40% of Marvel in a public offering."

Marvel 5

HISTORY "August 31, 2009: The Walt Disney Company announces the purchase of Marvel Entertainment Group for $4 billion in stocks and cash."

Marvel 4

HISTORY "May 2002: The first Spider-Man feature film is released. Increased attention to comics benefits Marvel and a comics industry on the rebound, thanks to a business model that also includes bound collected editions of comics, allowing Marvel and other publishers to capitalize on their long publishing histories through bookstore sales."

DC (comicvine.com) 1

HISTORY "What is known today as DC Comics was founded in 1934 by publishing entrepreneur Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson under the name of National Allied Publications."

BBC 2

HISTORY OF DC "DC Comics began life back in 1935, from humble beginnings as National Periodical Publications and All-American Comics, both of which featured previously unpublished material and work from then unknown writers and artists. Merging a few years later, the lines became Detective Comics1 and was soon shortened to DC. In 1938, DC released Action Comics, featuring probably the most famous hero of all time, Superman"

BBC 3

HISTORY OF DC "Through the 1940s, '50s and '60s, DC capitalised on the popularity of their creations with many radio and television spin-offs, most notably the outrageously camp Batman starring Adam West in the title role. During the 1970s the company touched on social issues more, with characters openly tackling issues such as racism, drug abuse, ecology and sexuality"

Marvel 3

HISTORY- DEBT "Dec. 27, 1996: Burdened by a large debt following many expensive acquisitions in trading-card and other tangentially related fields -- and shaken by the mid-1990s decline in comics publishing fortunes -- Marvel Entertainment files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. 1997-98: A long legal battle between holders of Marvel's bonds results in temporary control of the company by Carl Icahn and his associates. Later, control is regained by the owner of one of Marvel's subsidiaries, Toy Biz. Marvel emerges from bankruptcy with a much-reduced publishing slate."

Marvel 6

HISTORY- LOGO "August 1939: Marvel Comics #1 is published under Martin Goodman's Timely Comics umbrella. Other logos would be used, including Atlas in the 1950s."

DC 3

HISTORY- NAME "The company did not officially change its name to DC Comics until 1977 during the presidency of Jenette Kahn."

DC 4

HISTORY- POST-WAR "During the post-War years, the popularity of superheroes had declined almost completely, though DC and other publishers were still going strong moving into other genres such as funny animals, romance, Sci-Fi, Westerns and horror. Major characters such as Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman has managed to remain in publication."

Marvel (timetoast.com) 7

HISTORY- STAN LEE "31st Aug, 1972: Stan Lee became the publiser of the line after he stopped being editor"

BBC 1

RIVALRY "The competition between them is legendary, which is odd because the rivalry is more a friendly acceptance of each other. The two companies have often collaborated on projects, sharing their best talent and often crossing ideas over"

BBC 5

RIVALRY- DIFFERENCES "All superheroes have strengths and weaknesses, but what are the differences between DC and Marvel characters? DC characters tend to concentrate on their own lives and purpose, while Marvel heroes deal with differing situations at every turn. DC superheroes tend to be proud of their abilities; they have acquired them because they wanted them in most cases (perhaps Superman being an example of the opposite); they are also strong in their ideologies. Marvel characters however, seemingly see their powers as more of a burden and a constraint on leading their own lives (away from being superheroes)."

BBC 8

RIVALRY- DIFFERENCES "DC Comics have endured many changing periods because the characters are a constant. Yet the characters often have emotional or psychological problems to deal with; Batman has angst over the death of his parents, Superman is hurt by the problems of a dual identity, and Wonder Woman is torn between her love of the Amazons and her feelings for the men in her life. DC heroes also have a tendency to develop into larger teams, becoming a family unit such as the JLA (Justice League of America) and the Teen Titans. They are predictable, but loveable, both in their own worlds and by the comic book readers."

BBC 7

RIVALRY- DIFFERENCES "For the most part, DC and Marvel follow two different philosophies: DC characters tend to have acquired their powers by supernatural, magical or alien means4, while Marvel characters however seem to have developed powers from scientific accidents or means, whether by exposure to radiation or by genetic mutation5. There are exceptions to this general rule, with DC's Flash (a lab experiment gone wrong) and Marvel's Dr Strange (magical powers passed on), but the fantastical elements are still strong in both."

BBC 9

RIVALRY- DIFFERENCES "Marvel characters tend to be more erratic, but this could be because the motivations and back stories have altered many times. However the general mood and concept of the hero remains. Marvel characters are all too often threatened by outside influences. While they have internal personal struggles, it is also society that attacks them. The Fantastic Four fight against people's fear of them, Spider-Man is openly rejected (albeit by a biased media) for his vigilantism, as is the Punisher, and the X-Men battle xenophobia. It is both a struggle for them to accept themselves and for society to accept them."

BBC 6

RIVALRY- DIFFERENCES "Both DC and Marvel characters are created from original ideas as well as elements lifted from older, more mythological tales. However, the DC Universe seems to be one that is wholly fictional, with cities and worlds that have no place in reality (Star City, Metropolis, Gotham City and the Dreaming). Marvel heroes tend to come from the guy or girl next door theory - they live in real places, be it New York, Los Angeles or Toronto. This in turn lends DC characters a more surreal edge, able to do and be things unheard of, while the Marvel characters have to live within certain human restraints."

BBC 10

RIVALRY- POPULARITY "Both companies are hugely popular, often among the same people (comics readers tend to like variety), but their successes have been varied. Both have seen Hollywood excitement over characters - DC in the 1980s and '90s (Superman and Batman enjoying great success), Marvel having a glut of renewed interest in the early 21st Century (X-Men, Spider-Man, Hulk, Daredevil, The Punisher). With the development of other publishers though, most notably Dark Horse Comics and IDW Publishing, the two titans risk becoming just mere gods among the comics world."

BBC 4

RIVALRY- WHO'S BETTER? "The main differences between DC and Marvel are stylistic. DC is evolutionary, constantly changing with the times to remain current and fresh. Marvel is revolutionary, occasionally stirring things up and doing something totally new, but maintaining its original concepts. DC can be compared to a major celebrity that will always be in the spotlight while Marvel a yoyo of brilliance, with huge blockbuster plots and tie-ins, then a drop back into obscurity. The difference in the publications also lies in the concepts of the characters, and this may be a reason why there has been a rise and fall in the popularity of each company's stalwart creations."

DC 2

RIVALRY/ HISTORY "DC was formed by the merging of National Allied Publications and Detective Comics Inc, as well as the affiliated All-American Publications. Despite being officially known as National Comics, the comic covers carried a "DC" logo and were referred to as a result of its nickname: DC Comics. People had nicknamed it DC because of one its most popular comic series; Detective Comics which has now one of the world's most recognizable comic book brandings along with rivals Marvel publishing."

Marvel (indiereign.com) 8

STAN LEE Stan Lee became editor-in- chief at the age of 18 in 1941.