The Difference Between Between Second String Players at Marvel Comics & DC Comics

Marvel & DC Have Two Very Distinct Philosophies on How to Handle Second String Characters

Rob Young
There are two distinct cultures at Marvel comics and DC comics, one actually encourages and promotes the growth and development of their second string players/characters. While the other has actually been accused of suppressing their characters. It brings to mind a very tight ballgame where players who've been riding the bench all season long, during a blow out when they are way ahead and the clock is ticking down on their season, look up at the coach and ask the question, "When will I be put in?"

Some of Marvel comics most famous characters, at this time, started out as second string players masked in obscurity. Take for example Wolverine, who recently shot to even more fame, a long way from its humble beginnings as just another character in the X-Men group. Marvel comics will actually groom characters, while DC comics seem content with the characters they have.

Who can really blame DC comics when when you have a stable full of characters such as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman and with secondary characters such as Flash, Aquaman and the Green Lantern. But DC will promote to a great extent only the top three characters on the board. DC comics, has a culture that if you've been around for several years, you have more credibility, and the more credibility you have the more playing time you get. However, it is very hard for a new character to bust in and become hugely popular over at DC comics.

The formula for success at Marvel comics seems to be working with characters that are relatively new compared to the stable at DC comics such as Daredevil & Iron Man. The company also gives its writers great leeway in developing the character's story lines.

Only time will tell if DC comics formula will actually hurt the company, when second string players come off the bench to win the big game, is it going to happen with Green Lantern movie comes out in 2011, as a second string player, that DC never really properly pushed to the forefront of it's stable. If the Green Lantern movie becomes a huge flop then DC comics needs to look in the mirror because the reason for it would be their very own culture.

DC will find tough competition with Marvel comics ,at that time, when Marvel has several other characters, that have been promoted over the years, fighting at the box office. The difference in the way the two handle their characters is becoming more obvious over the years.

To put it in perspective look at Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman how much about them has really changed in the last forty years? And with the exception of the recent Batman movie, DC comics seems to have sit down, while Marvel works harder to create new and fresh characters.

There was a time in recent memory when no one could question the formula success at the DC comics, but, for the comic book industry and the movie industry, there is a fickle environment, and it is always about what have you really done for the consumer lately?

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Published by Rob Young

*Currently Running Several Small Businesses. *Engineering Manager for 10 years. Automotive Industry. *Construction (Commercial, Residential, Home Improvements) for about 10 years prior to that.  View profile

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