Marvel versus DC

[rabkala]

Since I haven't read any comics since I was about 10, what is the whole marvel versus DC thing? Is that question even valid anymore?

Do all comic book guys dream of being an artist? I never really progressed past stick figures. I did make a comic strip for years. It was kind of like the 'order of the stick' way before it's time. All the game shop regulars loved it.

[PhishStyx]

Since I haven't read any comics since I was about 10, what is the whole marvel versus DC thing? Is that question even valid anymore?

The problem with both now is that in the mid 90's the bottom dropped out of the highly inflated comic collecting business, so sales dropped so hard and so fast that Marvel nearly went bankrupt (not sure about DC).

Right now, Marvel is reeling from the crapfest that Civil War became - bad plot, horrible continuity, and a complete screwup on the part of Mark Millar.

DC just went through their latest Crisis of Infinite Sales; wherein, they determined that if they could create a billion duplicates of each DC character, they could increase sales to such a degree as to strain the fabric of believability. But then it all fell in upon itself.

I read a few books, but I tend to stay away from the mainstream continuity books these days, except my old standby favorites (Spider-Man and X-Men and Batman). And I'm starting to get annoyed with them.

Do all comic book guys dream of being an artist? I never really progressed past stick figures. I did make a comic strip for years. It was kind of like the 'order of the stick' way before it's time. All the game shop regulars loved it.

I thought briefly about writing comic books, but I can't draw worth anything.

[grimwell]

Writers never draw - that's why they get paired with artists.

I used to think Marvel > DC.

Now I think they are both cheese. Lots of great ideas, but the usage is goofy in light of the modern world. You have to leave the mainstream to find the comics that stick these days. (not always, but often)

[fmitchell]

Writers never draw - that's why they get paired with artists.

Unless they're writer-artists, who are the vast majority of indie comics authors. Although, from what I've heard, a writer/artist duo can't live off one indie comic book. (At a guess, I'd say the art takes up way more time than writing. Unless the writer half also does the business and promotion end, it's just not an efficient division of labor.)

BTW, I always preferred DC, mostly for Batman, but I've never been a superhero fan. Now that Strangers in Paradise has ended, and I'm not really reading manga either, I'm only following Girl Genius and Goblins. I like the medium, but nothing in print has grabbed my attention. (And I like the price.)

[Skunkape]

I used to really be into X-Men and a few of the other Marvel comics, I sometimes looked at a few DC titles too, but I can't stand the direction that both of them have gone lately. It was really nice when both of the comic companies had cohesive universal continuity, but then they started their civil wars and other major universe changing events and it just ruined it for me.

I think what I liked most about Marvel was the occasional cameos they had in their books. I was hoping they could do something similar with the movies, but alas, since they sold the properties to different studios, that won't ever happen.

[Digital Arcanist]

I guess I will play Devil's Fanboi.....I love DC comics and have a budding love for Marvel.

I've been reading/collecting non-stop since around '87. The 90's were a tough time for comics and not much of any worth happened.

I enjoyed Infinite Crisis and the books spawned from it like Checkmate and Shadowpact. I'm saddened by the new Justice League but excited for the new Outsiders and the future of DC magic.

I still think Civil War was great with the exception of the last few pages were Captain America just gives up. I think they just phoned that one in. I'm loving World War Hulk and I look forward to see how it will all end and how they plan to tie everything together.

Long Live the Sinestro Corps!!!!