Marvel vs DC

[Ryujin]

This is actually not true at all.

The creation of the "SHAZAM!" Captain Marvel character was definitely inspired by the popularity of Superman, a DC character.

The history of that Captain Marvel - and it's relation to Marvel Man, a name which was changed to Miracleman for the Alan Moore, etc. comics - is long and complicated, but per your comment: DC effectively had nothing to do with the character (except for filing suits against Fawcett Publications for 15 years or so, arguing that CM was too much like Superman - sour grapes, since for most of that time CM was more popular than Superman) until the '70s (maybe the very late '60s?).

All this talk of the original name for "Shazam" has me wanting to watch the old Republic Studios "Adventures of Captain Marvel" from the 1940s. It's available on Tubi.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Saw it years ago on A&E. Interesting.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I've recently been reading the Neil Gaiman Miracleman comics. Miracleman, which was of course based on DC comics, really played up the unrelatability, such that by the end of the books (the Alan Moore ones, that is), he has completely shed his humanity and become this alien figure. Gaiman's continuation of the story deals with this by not actually featuring Miracleman very much. It's all about what it's like for ordinary people living in the shade of Olympus.

These panels, from Miracleman #2 (early on in Moore's run), capture the difference between human and superhuman very well.

 

[billd91]

These panels, from Miracleman #2 (early on in Moore's run), capture the difference between human and superhuman very well.

They do - but in a way that I think Moore biases - a way that deliberately drives the disconnect between human and superhuman. Miracleman has a lot of power to affect the world around him and that can skew his perceptions as it did with Kid Miracleman over the years. But here, is there any real reason to expect someone with Miracleman's superhuman power to have stronger emotions or thoughts like poetry - other than Moore defining him that way?
I like the way Moore handled Doctor Manhattan's superhumanity a bit better. Jon grows progressively emotionally detached from the people around him and much of it seems to be because of his altered perception - his psychology changes as a direct result of the powers he gained to perceive/experience all times at the same time. It's not defined for him with no specific justification as Miracleman's seems to be.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

I have similar feelings about the Dutch comic Franka, which often takes place in the Netherlands, and accurately portrays real locations. Many of the female sleuth's adventures take place in and around Amsterdam, and the artist drew real locations that I used to visit on a weekly basis during my student years.

While the events in the comic are of course entirely fictional, I like imagining the artist of the comic sitting in the very same location where I'm walking and drawing his comicbook panels. The artist especially had a passion for drawing these huge establishing shots of locations, full of detail.

Having a comic be set in a real location gives it an extra layer of realism and relatability. Especially if you're closely familiar with the location.

I LOVE Amsterdam. I've been there twice relatively recently. Once in 2018 and then again in 2019. It's a beautiful city and great for just walking. On my second trip I ventured out to Haarlem and Utrecht by train (loved both trips).

 

[Rob Kuntz]

Well. I dunno about the comparisons. I see Batman as both relatable and epic. Individually (not with JLA) he is the most iconic of the lot as he speaks to the "normal" man amid his quest against the dark side of human nature. Story-wise he is epic; he takes up his Crusade many years after his parents are killed and this includes his past history as it goes forward -- that is the definition of epic. His writers have given him the most iconic villains (though Lex Luther, who just won't die of old age, is still hanging around for Superman). I feel that DC has better story lines, especially with their origin Joker movie. Snyder's JLA cut might open a can of unexpected worms, however, as it moves in the direction of saving the world, as did its shorter theatrical release, of course (and, once again, with the same back-n-forth trope used by Marvel and DC over the years). So my bet is on DC and it is heavily influenced by what they did with Joker.

 

[Ryujin]

Well. I dunno about the comparisons. I see Batman as both relatable and epic. Individually (not with JLA) he is the most iconic of the lot as he speaks to the "normal" man amid his quest against the dark side of human nature. Story-wise he is epic; he takes up his Crusade many years after his parents are killed and this includes his past history as it goes forward -- that is the definition of epic. His writers have given him the most iconic villains (though Lex Luther, who just won't die of old age, is still hanging around for Superman). I feel that DC has better story lines, especially with their origin Joker movie. Snyder's JLA cut might open a can of unexpected worms, however, as it moves in the direction of saving the world, as did its shorter theatrical release, of course (and, once again, with the same back-n-forth trope used by Marvel and DC over the years). So my bet is on DC and it is heavily influenced by what they did with Joker.

I see it a different way. When I was younger, I saw Batman as you do. Still do sometimes and enjoy the stories. But then I think of this rich guy who could wipe out poverty in his city with the stroke of a pen, or fund the medical research that could save Mr. Freeze's wife, and wonder what that says overall. Renovate Arkham Asylum and treat Edward Nigma, The Joker, Harlene Quinzell... Instead he buys million dollar toys and punches people in the face.

 

[Rob Kuntz]

I see it a different way. When I was younger, I saw Batman as you do. Still do sometimes and enjoy the stories. But then I think of this rich guy who could wipe out poverty in his city with the stroke of a pen, or fund the medical research that could save Mr. Freeze's wife, and wonder what that says overall. Renovate Arkham Asylum and treat Edward Nigma, The Joker, Harlene Quinzell... Instead he buys million dollar toys and punches people in the face.

Sure. But it's an equal comparison. Superman could have done all of the above for the whole world. Not many sustained story lines in that course or the need for "other" super-heroes either, eh? We have already accepted the inconsistencies in many things greater than Wayne's supposed indifference (for story purposes, of course). Given everything being equal his story will always remain the most human one out of DC's stable, no matter the same inconsistencies that exist in all of these stories, overall.

 

[Ryujin]

Sure. But it's an equal comparison. Superman could have done all of the above for the whole world. Not many sustained story lines in that course or the need for "other" super-heroes either, eh? We have already accepted the inconsistencies in many things greater than Wayne's supposed indifference (for story purposes, of course). Given everything being equal his story will always remain the most human one out of DC's stable, no matter the same inconsistencies that exist in all of these stories, overall.

And Superman being another DC character. I finally realized what their comics remind me of: Rifts RPG. I once made the mistake of playing a "mere" human psionic, in a campaign dominated by mega damage player characters. Despite having what was a fairly capable character I constantly felt like he might accidentally get stepped on. That "Mount Olympus" vs. "Joey down the pub" comparison again.

 

[Tonguez]

Well. I dunno about the comparisons. I see Batman as both relatable and epic. Individually (not with JLA) he is the most iconic of the lot as he speaks to the "normal" man amid his quest against the dark side of human nature. Story-wise he is epic; he takes up his Crusade many years after his parents are killed and this includes his past history as it goes forward -- that is the definition of epic. His writers have given him the most iconic villains (though Lex Luther, who just won't die of old age, is still hanging around for Superman). I feel that DC has better story lines, especially with their origin Joker movie. Snyder's JLA cut might open a can of unexpected worms, however, as it moves in the direction of saving the world, as did its shorter theatrical release, of course (and, once again, with the same back-n-forth trope used by Marvel and DC over the years). So my bet is on DC and it is heavily influenced by what they did with Joker.

Yeah I deliberately left Batman out of my comparison because Batman is a unique case of a gritty pulp action hero who became a fixture in Super hero stories and is written in such away that he was able to shine alongside them.
Batman has also caught the zeitgeist of the decline of Western society and the grittier darker world we live in - which is probably why Snyder keeps wanting to turn Superman into Batman ;( (that said I am looking forward to seeing the Snyder cut, I expect it to be dark, violent and epic)