With the popularity of both DC and Marvel comic book-inspired movies rising at an exponential rate, it may be about time the heavily contested question of ultimate superiority is answered once and for all.

DC

DC dived into its successful competition against the hugely popular Marvel with the creation of the TV series "Arrow" in 2012. The show has now run for four seasons and has confirmed a fifth season for next year.

While “Arrow” received mixed reviews, the show ultimately paved the way for other DC comics to make their way onto the small screen. The incredibly popular "Flash" TV show  was released in 2014 and the surprisingly good "Supergirl" was released in 2015. Many attribute the success of "Flash" to the devotion that the writers allegedly had to the source material and how they had been able to reflect this devotion on screen.

Man of Steel.(Warner Bros/-)
This trend of sticking to the source material is apparent in DC movie adaptations, starting with "Man of Steel" which established the tone for DC films. Director Zack Snyder leans toward a dark and gritty universe that highlights the darker sides of the familiar DC characters. Afterall, who would have expected Superman to kill Zod at the end of "Man of Steel"? That moment defined the DC cinematic universe.

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" pits Batman and Superman against each other in the fight of ideals -- a hero who believes he is above the law, against a hero who believes they should work with the law -- a concept that further adds to the aforementioned claim.

This movie was used as a catalyst for the creation of "Justice League", to be released in the summer of 2017, with a second installment due for cinematic release in 2018. DC’s "Suicide Squad" will be released later this year.

Based on its current trajectory, future prospects are exciting. Zack Snyder appears to share a connection with DC comic book fans and has a specific vision regarding how he wants this universe to develop.

Batman v Superman.(Warner Bros/-)
On the downside, due to a lack of background information in the film scripts, ordinary viewers (those who are not avid comic book fans) may be left confused by DC films. Perhaps over time this will be improved.

Marvel

With early comic-inspired films such as "Iron Man", "Thor" and "Captain America: The First Avenger", Marvel can be blamed for starting the revival. "Iron Man" was heralded the first good comic book movie in a long time.Marvel presents a simple formula for success; decent action, lots of small surprises hidden throughout and, most importantly, quips -- small jokes that make a film more enjoyable to watch.

Marvel also employs great casting; Robert Downey Jr. performed Iron Man with ease and Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth portray Captain America and Thor well. "The Avengers" movie, released in 2014, was the dream of many comic book fans worldwide.

Marvel works to a tactical release schedule, with each film released according to developed phases. At the moment, the middle of the third phase,  Marvel films such as "Captain America: Civil War", "Doctor Strange", "Black Panther", "Guardians of the Galaxy 2", "Avengers: Infinity War 1" and "Avengers: Infinity War 2" are on the cards.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015 )(Marvel/-)
Its movies and TV series have been built around the final climax of "Infinity War", planned for release sometime between 2018 and 2020.

Marvel TV series' are mostly Netflix-based and appear to have been a success. The release of "Daredevil" and "Jessica Jones" met with critical acclaim and the approval of comic book fans.
Their longer running TV series, "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D" has been used to introduce an inhuman angle that will be worked into the infinity war. Marvel's Netflix programs fit together to create another superhero team called “The Defenders”.

Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.(Marvel/-)
Marvel have a solid idea of what they want to do; tie everything together in the "Infinity War" finale. By mixing the TV universe with the film universe. This may, in fact, be the advantage Marvel retains over DC.
Marvel also manages to turn unknown elements such as "Jessica Jones" and "Guardians of the Galaxy" into box office success.

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DC and Marvel have their own strengths and weaknesses. Marvel has a much larger repertoire and have produced more films than DC. Their vision is appears to be clear and their casting ability has been commendable.

The same may be said with regard to DC. Ben Affleck’s Batman surprised many as did Henry Cavill’s Superman. Although, there is debate about the rest of the Justice League, people appear to be excited regarding Margot Robbie’s performance as Harley Quinn in the "Suicide Squad".

Both Marvel and DC series are loved by many and portray different sides to their comic-inspired universes.For today, the Marvel Vs DC debate continues to rage.

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Kenneth is a 17-year-old high school student who loves comic books, Dota 2, movies, political science and history. He is currently living in Jakarta and working toward his IB diploma. You can reach him at @kenneth2098 on Twitter.

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