Samantha Bielawski
When making a comparison on Marvel vs. DC as a top dog and underdog Marvel has made a higher profit in the movie industry than DC which is why I have ranked Marvel as top dog coming in as the underdog DC is hot on their heels. DC has an ability of making a smaller budget production make a lot money compared to Marvel. Either way Marvel has had multiple movies that hold the top spots in ratings earning them top dog.
Looking at Marvel and their marketing strategy, Marvel went the slow route and kept their viewers in mind. By doing this they gave true comic book fans movies that resembled beloved characters as accurately as possible. In doing so they didn’t just make elaborate stories they made characters that connected with the audience and brought to life characters that will continue to have an impact on viewers for years to come. When it comes to DC they take a bit of a different approach when it comes to their movies. When looking at a Marvel vs. DC chart of the top 10 Marvel holds 8 of those spots and DC holds the number one spot with the Joker. Joker being the highest in ROI worldwide and having the lowest production budget of all the movies listed. DC point of action is having a little go a long way and spending wisely.
Ways the underdog, DC, can improve is to continue with the mindset they had with Joker. Keeping low on the budget helps with making their uniqueness to their films. Showing characters in a new light that seems raw and hauntingly relatable. A trend that seems to be going around lately is the love for morally grey characters and showing how villains became who they are known to be. Breathing new life into characters and keeping true to who the characters are is a great way to boost DC’s standings over Marvel. It also in a way recycling old ideas and bringing an indie feel to the films that would make DC stand in its own light while competing with Marvel.
Why I believe consumers prefer the top dog over the underdog is the constant whit and action that takes place in Marvel. Also Marvel has established itself as a story teller where you take a glimpse at all the characters individually and then the characters come together in Avengers. Marvel takes a constant comedic and active stance on their movies where DC is darker and drama filled. For example, Deadpool is number 2 on the chart and it is one of those movies that is breaking the fourth wall throughout the movie and is just action packed and full of dark humor throughout. When you look at Joker it is dark and dramatic. I honestly am a huge Marvel fan and I feel that my fandom stems from my appreciation of Stan Lee. I feel that there are others that feel the same way that I do and find it refreshing to show characters who are in a way relatable when it comes to being full of demons but having a good heart.
References
Hoang, H. (2019, April 29). What any brand can learn from Marvel Studios. Medium. https://medium.com/@huy_work/what-any-brand-can-learn-from-marvel-studios-15b40c39d324.
Wheelwright, T. (2021, March 9). Marvel vs. DC: Big Budgets and Rotten Ratings. reviews.org. https://www.reviews.org/tv-service/marvel-vs-dc-big-budgets-rotten-ratings/#:~:text=This%20means%20the%20average%20Marvel,in%20%243.43%20per%20dollar%20spent.
Sam Bielawski 