Market Share: Marvel vs. DC

[Ben D]

I assumed as much from the picture in the first post. Blah!

I don't understand this...I'm a DC fanboy and I like this cover.

(Is that my inner hatred showing or something?)

[Songbird/Diamondback]

I don't understand this...I'm a DC fanboy and I like this cover.

(Is that my inner hatred showing or something?)

It's Civil War.
Make of that what you will.

[Ben D]

It's Civil War.
Make of that what you will.

Well yeah but the art in the image he picked is pretty good.

[Songbird/Diamondback]

Well yeah but the art in the image he picked is pretty good.

But it's not the cover that's the problem.
It's the fact it's Civil War.

[Skaddix]

But it's not the cover that's the problem.
It's the fact it's Civil War.

Hey i just got through rereading Schism Straight. Compared to that Civil War was a great event.

[djsweet]

Does the thread started know what sycophant means ?

[Ben D]

Hey i just got through rereading Schism Straight. Compared to that Civil War was a great event.

I heard Schism was one of the better X-men books in a few years.

*Admits that may not say much about the book's actual quality.

[turtletrekker]

True quality can only be measured in sales.

Nonsense. Sales have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with quality. That said, Marvel rules all over DC.

[chicainery]

I don't understand this...I'm a DC fanboy and I like this cover.

(Is that my inner hatred showing or something?)

Well yeah but the art in the image he picked is pretty good.

But it's not the cover that's the problem.
It's the fact it's Civil War.

I guess I just dislike this cover so much because of the disproportion of Captain America. If you take away his shield his body just doesn't match up correctly.

Also, the other heroes just look odd, especially Wolverine and Iron Man. I have nothing against Turner's work, I just didn't care for this cover.



edit: I didn't hate Civil War. I thought it was kind of fun.

[USERNAME TAKEN]

But doesn't Marvel producing more books mean there's greater demand for their product?

I hear this "flooding" argument but i think that analysis is looking at the comics industry in isolation. I strongly believe that if DC could produce more books that sell, they would...they have absolutely no reason to as a profit making business.

Anyway, long term sales is without doubt a measure of quality (as quality is subjective, its the only way to know exactly what consumers want and are actually enjoying) but its obviously not the only measure (superstar writers, events e.t.c are obvious variables).

That being said, i won't say that Marvel is a better company overall than DC. DC definitely bring out A LOT of quality books. Personally, i might buy more Marvel on average but in recent times (particularly in September) I've found myself buying just as many DC titles. Both companies bring out good and crap products at any point time.

[Genki Sudo]

But doesn't Marvel producing more books mean there's greater demand for their product?

I hear this "flooding" argument but i think that analysis is looking at the comics industry in isolation. I strongly believe that if DC could produce more books that sell, they would...they have absolutely no reason to as a profit making business.

Anyway, long term sales is without doubt a measure of quality (as quality is subjective, its the only way to know exactly what consumers want and are actually enjoying) but its obviously not the only measure (superstar writers, events e.t.c are obvious variables).

That being said, i won't say that Marvel is a better company overall than DC. DC definitely bring out A LOT of quality books. Personally, i might buy more Marvel on average but in recent times (particularly in September) I've found myself buying just as many DC titles. Both companies bring out good and crap products at any point time.

[Telos]

Sales =/= quality.

Civil War, Bendis's Avengers, Rob Liefeld, Ultimates 3 and Ultimatum are proof of that.

[USERNAME TAKEN]

Sales =/= quality.

Civil War, Bendis's Avengers, Rob Liefeld, Ultimates 3 and Ultimatum are proof of that.

I agree that Ultimatum and Ultimates 3 were terrible books and this still supports the argument that sales=quality because since those events, the Ultimate universe sales haven't been stellar (with the exception of Ultimate comics Spider-man). However, i will strongly disagree with you on Civil War, i think the book was good and was a very,very bold move on Marvel's part that paid off (it wasn't the typical event that involved some universe eating villain or something).

Events generally buck the trend but long term sales are an indicator of quality. Besides, quality is very,very subjective.

I absolutely love (and i really mean love) Bendis Avengers and actually started an appreciation thread here before. While i acknowledge the fact that the man is going quite stale now but his New Avengers work was stellar to me but to each his own. That being said, if people read Bendis Avengers and buy it month in and month out (he's the longest ever writer on the Avengers), then people like it. There's nothing more to the argument then that. The internet might not like Bendis but thousands of people outside it obviously do.

[merrick97]

Most pointless thread in the universe.

Why does one NEED to be better than the other?

Most people recognized that this was a stupid fanboy thread and gave it the appropriate response:

There is good and bad from both companies. Enjoy the good and ignore the bad.

Simple as that.

All I care about is DC and Marvel doing well enough to keep sticking to what they do good.

[Brad Barton]

While huge sales aren't necessarily an indicator of quality, they're the main bellwhether by which we judge what people want, what they're consuming. It isn't a coincidence that Marvel have consistently outsold DC for, what, 30 years or so now? It's an indication that, in the long run, more people have generally preferred Marvel's output.

The fact that both companies release both good and bad books doesn't necessarily equalize them quality-wise, and there isn't anything wrong with discussing that.