The seemingly never ending battle between comic juggernauts Marvel and DC still rages on to this day. However, there is a definite shift in the balance between these two rivals as we have been firmly established into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. DC has countered with its own DC Extended Universe in hopes of luring away a chunk of the superhero market. This hasn’t really worked out in their favour, though, as Marvel’s meticulous planning and execution of its story arcs has meant it has well and truly inched ahead of its rival in terms of popularity and success.
In the Internet Age, memes are part of the societal norms, and we spend many hours sifting through these hilarious posts for our amusement. Part of the reason why memes are so funny is because they carry a certain amount of truth in them. Applying that over to the Marvel vs. DC argument produces many amusing posts that in fact prove just how lopsided the rivalry is at the moment.
You might be a fan of both but having an argument in favour of DC over Marvel may prove a difficult task once you get a load of these memes that should be enough for any Marvel fan to silence their DC counterpart.
From posts that point out the absurd logic applied to real world examples of Marvel’s enormous success and DC’s lack thereof, here are 20 Hilarious Memes That Prove Marvel Is Better Than DC.
20 Let's Do A Head Count
Here’s something to kick DC fans while they’re down. Just like Chris Evans, Marvel fans must be laughing all the way over to the cinema. The DCEU version of The Avengers, Justice League never managed to gain any sort of heat surrounding its release and fizzled away at the box office as well. Meanwhile, the MCU has been building up to Avengers: Infinity War for an entire decade, which means it built up enough excitement to generate as much as 42 million views in a single day!
Locking heads with one another, you just know DC studios is meek with embarrassment at the lack of contest between the two and this just makes the meme even more hilarious than it already is. Sad Affleck is looking really fitting here.
19 I'll Take You Seriously When You Stop Sucking
The DC vs. Marvel debate has been going on for so long that fans of either side have held on to the same points of arguments. One of these involves a truthful one in the fact that Marvel did not have access to all of its superheroes to feature in the MCU. The X-Men franchise was held by Fox while Fantastic Four floated in mediocrity. DC, though, could exercise all its superheroes to its leisure.
However, Marvel fans counter that except for Batman, no hero has been used to its potential on the big screen. It is a fair point. Take away The Dark Knight trilogy from the list of DC films, and let's see how the argument stands.
18 What's In A Name?
Why did you say that name!? The biggest misinterpretation of a line meant to convey something else entirely. But Marvel fans will never let DC fans live that down. This moment served to completely bury Batman v Superman and people stopped taking it seriously right then and there.
A myriad of memes have since followed which remain hilarious to this date. You can bet it won’t die out anytime in the long run either as the creativity of this ‘Martha’ meme extends well beyond to basically anything. Here it is applied to the Civil War conflict between Tony and Steve and how the ‘Martha’ logic could’ve ended the fight in such an easy manner. Why didn’t Marvel think of it? Oh yeah, because they wanted their film to be a hit.
17 Hey, Bro
Despite all the bad blood that goes on about between Marvel and DC fanboys, the comic giants themselves have a very cordial relationship. To this end, they’ve even released several cross over titles featuring our favorite heroes from both sides. One might even say the two are like brothers who share a love hate relationship, not quite different from Zeus and Hades front the Disney film Hercules.
After all, Marvel is appropriately like the King of the Gods who rules over the skies and overlooks the world tightly in its grasp. On the other hand, DC is like the brother who begrudgingly looks over the dreaded underworld few have a taste for. There’s no denying DC, like Hades, is powerful in its own right, but make no mistake: it’ll love to have some of the success Marvel has just like Zeus did.
16 Gosh Darn It!
Most who are critical towards Marvel accuse its movies of being too kid friendly. It’s a valid argument as well considering the jokes are very simple and don’t need much wit to understand. However, it still works so well that it’s a winning formula that doesn’t need to change.
This was lampshaded upon in Avengers: Age of Ultron in a scene where Captain America reproached Tony for cursing during a confrontation. Although Cap was made fun of for being such a goody two shoes, it also served as a reminder of the family friendly nature of the MCU. On the DCEU front, the series has attempted to get the edgier and gritty setting as the new norm. S. Squad was meant to kick start this change, but the terrible execution meant Captain America’s language gag is still more appropriate.
15 Playing Catch Up
Come on, Marvel, give DC a chance here. Earlier into the MCU’s life cycle, Marvel released its movies sparingly, with there even being a two year gap between The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2. But as the franchise picked up steam, the number of releases per year steadily increased and now 3 movies per year is the norm.
But this leaves the poor old DCEU playing catch up and ruined its planned story arc. Man of Steel had a whole three year head start on the next release of the franchise, but this meant shoehorning rushed storylines. And unfortunately for DC, they don’t have much time to fix this problem as a host of new movies are scheduled to be released by Marvel. So poor old Supes is right to cry. Just hang in there, Supes, it’ll be okay.
14 I'll Pretend I Didn't See That
There was such a big buzz surrounding the DC Extended Universe after the release of Man of Steel and the unveiling of Batman v. Superman as the follow up that DC took it one step too further by announcing the entire slate of planned line ups prematurely. However, it was still an exciting time as the fabled war between the comic giants had begun heating up once more. As Dawn of Justice was set to be released around the time of Captain America: Civil War, this was the first match up between the two.
Alas, there wasn’t much of a confrontation as straight off the bat Batman v. Superman stumbled and fell to hilarious results leaving Spider-Man to rightfully wave away this harmless threat in a jiffy.
13 Laugh A Little
How sad is it that Green Lantern was such a fiasco that people have come to creating memes such as this? DC has been all over the place with the themes in its films. Marvel has been consistent in this area in that the major theme in the MCU is of comedic elements. Films in the likes of the Captain America trilogy tend to skew a little more toward serious material but that’s because of established series direction.
Hal Jordan is supposed to be the fun version of the Green Lantern so you’d expect a funnyman such as Ryan Reynolds to portray a lighter iteration of the character. But DC seems to be staunch in the gritty side of things and we got a disaster in the Green Lantern movie, so much so that Wolverine can be seen as more comedic than Hal Jordan! At least Ryan has Deadpool now, and that’s how comedy is done.
12 I See You
We’ve all come to accept this to be the way it is, but that doesn’t excuse it for being absurd. Comic book movies tend to be more realistic than the comics themselves, and outlandish material hasn’t yet graced the cinema screens. So you’d expect some logic to be instilled in the DCEU, but the tradition of Wonder Woman and Superman being unmasked yet identities cloaked remains.
In the MCU, they have explained the reason for their heroes’ identities to be public. For some like Iron Man it is a personal choice, while others such as Captain America the mask is meant to portray a symbol of leadership and integrity.
No such reasoning is available in the DCEU, and we’re meant to play along with the public believing unmasked heroes to have a secret identity.
11 Have Mercy
The fan warfare between the comic juggernauts is such you expect the nerds to jump on one another every time an argument escalates. With the current landscape of comics changing, fans love to imagine Marvel and DC in a setting similar to the one WWE provides.
Unfortunately for DC, though, there’s not really much of a fight it can put up with. Every punch they’ve managed to muster has been slapped aside by the Marvel force and at the moment, it’s clobbering time! Marvel has DC writhing on the ground, arms around its head in defense to curb the blows each time a film shatters records at the box office.
You can’t help but feel bad for DC in the current climate and despite being a hardcore Marvel fan, one does feel a little mercy should be shown to DC.
10 Who Turned Off The Lights?
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has unlocked a new form of storytelling with its comedy. Beforehand you couldn’t ever fathom a movie such as Thor: Ragnarok, which tells the story of the entire Asgardian civilization coming to an end, to be the most hilarious entry in the series. You can owe all that to the effortless comic timing each of the MCU movies embody.
The DC Extended Universe has begun to take a leaf out of Marvel’s book in this regard as the Justice League movie was much lighter than earlier entries. But the image of the dark landscape of the DC world will take a long time to dissipate, and as the meme proves, even material that is supposed to be light will seem desolate and hopeless if DC releases it.
9 Coming Through
We’ve all been there where no matter how much we try, however much we train, and however much we commit, there’s no beating that one guy who keeps outrunning you at every turn. It’s just the way it goes, when that guy has it he owns it.
DC has attempted to hype its train many a time, even now it has announced a spate of releases in the future ranging from Aquaman, Suicide Squad 2, Green Lantern Corps to films that are more out there such as Flashpoint, Batgirl and Lobo. This is meant to whet the appetite of the moviegoer, however, the slow and directionless pace the DCEU is taking has meant that Marvel has ran circles around its rival.
To wit, the DCEU can do nothing more other than look to its side and move away while Captain America and co haul over to newer reaches.
8 Too Little Too Late
Oh so many people were triggered by comments made regarding Wonder Woman’s big screen debut. The simple fact of the matter was DC never knew what the market response would be and didn’t want to take a financial risk. But to mask it with such a backward statement claiming people just weren’t ‘ready’ for a film about a female superhero was a kick in their own rear.
So here’s something to remind you just how much Marvel can push the boundaries of what’s acceptable. In 2014 they released Guardians of the Galaxy, which featured a sentient tree and a talking raccoon! Since those days, DC has learned from its mistakes and released Wonder Woman to much acclaim, but don’t forget a talking raccoon appeared on our screens much earlier.
7 We Still Have Marvel
How many DC fans did you come across holding out hope for decent Batman v. Superman movie? And with every month news would come out announcing one cameo or another from a future Justice League member, which left hardly any doubt that the film would be a cluttered mess shooting to set up a future Justice League movie but sacrificing the current one’s charm.
Too bad all that did happen and with increasing delays, the film was pushed three years later to 2016. It didn’t help either that there seemed to be no plot for the movie other than having a Batman and Superman showdown which would undoubtedly last only a few minutes. By this point fans were frustrated by all the misdirected buzz and many moved over to Marvel for solace. Because you know, Marvel’s got your back.
6 Anybody There?
This is a rather cruel joke at the expense of DC, but was made at the height of ridicule it faced upon the lackluster release of Suicide Squad. So it’s been firmly established that DC films tend to skewer in darker territory, and hecklers find humor in this stereotype. But in this particular meme they’ve taken it a notch above and ask if the DC even has fans left.
Fans who aren’t so witty would no doubt be left stumped for a retort, unfortunately DC hasn't given much for them to defend themselves with. After all, what numbers can they use as an excuse? SS and Justice League paled in comparison to even the lesser known superhero Marvel has to offer such as Doctor Strange, who alone raked in more bucks than the entire Justice League combined could. And for SS, Guardians of the Galaxy would be a fair comparison, but there’s not contest when box office grosses are compared. So let’s ask again, where are the fans?
5 Burn!
The DC execs made it perfectly clear earlier on that they in no way intended to replicate Marvel’s style of storytelling or even their approach in film releases. Over the years it has become apparent DC’s style involves using darker aspects of their characters and the worlds they have created. On the face there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this approach. On the contrary, many welcomed this change, as grittier imaginings of superheroes has been in demand. But the execution has left a lot to be desired.
To poke fun at this failure to deliver, fans have mocked the initial announcement of differing from Marvel. They did this by asking the DC execs if not copying meant also leaving out the part where they taste success.
4 Come At Me, Bro
Iron Man is rightfully the most popular character going on in the comic universe, and the biggest reason for that is because he just does not give a crap. Attitude like that goes a long way, something Batman and Superman should try and adopt.
The two characters were locked in a race to uncover the other’s identities in Batman v. Superman, which had no weight over it as the MCU had by this point negated the effect of the superhero secret identity. Thanks to Iron Man, it’s not the big deal it once was, and Tony Stark proves it by flaunting it at every turn.
Robert Downey Jr.’s effortless portrayal has also contributed significantly and we’re in an age now where being known as a superhero publicly is considered cool. Sorry, Bats and Supes.
3 Why The Long Faces?
The best part of franchise films releasing is the press junket. Nowadays, outlets have the stars of these movies partake in fun and exciting interviews ranging from having them partake in games or answering questions for the fans in an interactive manner. This showmanship contributes greatly to the hype of a releasing movie, and Marvel is undisputed in this regard.
What helps is the undeniable chemistry between its stars who always seem to have a great time. You’d be hard pressed to find an interview where they’re not bawling in laughter. On the other hand, press junkets for Batman v. Superman and Suicide Squad left way more to be desired. DCEU doesn’t give the impression its actors are there having fun. With the recent Justice League press seeming a bit more upbeat, here’s hoping they can convince us there’s fun to be had.
2 Should Not Have Said That
That’s a big no no, DC. Never ever make the mistake of thinking you’re smarter than the consumers whose money you wish to take. However, this argument was firmly in place after Batman v. Superman was met with harsh critical lambasting. The cover DC took was that it was supposed to be an ‘audience’ movie. However, then the ‘Martha’ debacle went out of hand. Some from the DC camp started claiming the film was just too smart for casual fans who didn’t appreciate the twist.
This backfired humorously. Offended fans turned away, while those who had already been ridiculing DC only found this statement extremely funny. Since then DC has remained rather quiet over the issue but the damage has been done.
1 These Tomatoes Are Rotten
Rotten Tomatoes has come under fire from DC fans for its alleged prejudice against the DC Extended Universe movies. This is despite the site only being an aggregate review scorer which doesn’t review the films themselves. Rotten Tomatoes is considered the premier review site in the world. Its ratings are highly valued by the public. If any film were to receive the dreaded ‘rotten’ score, you know it’s not going to be successful.
So it goes without saying Marvel that has been the king. All of their films have had ‘fresh’ scores. Save for Wonder Woman, every DCEU film has received a ‘rotten’ rating. There is no contest between the MCU and the DCEU here. Recent Marvel releases tend to score as high as in the ‘90’ range. Only Wonder Woman has seen those heights for DC.