Why Marvel needs to worry about their video games and animation.

I would say there are four main comic book creations out there. Comics themselves, live action (Movies or TV shows), video games, and animated shows or films. People try to act like DC and Marvel should just get along and everything world peace but let’s face it. There will always be a rivalry between Marvel and DC because they are the best. This is our Red Sox, Yankees. Our Magic Johnson, Larry Bird. It’s the nerd rivalry and we will never stop fighting. There are people who just like good comic books but there are few. So that’s why I’m saying Marvel has to step it up in the video game and animation areas.

Marvel I think clearly has the jump in movies. I mean people can argue DC makes better movies, but they can’t handle the four movies marvel makes a year. Even though two of them are actually by Marvel Studios, it’s safe to say Marvel leads that category. Comics are pretty much a tie, I mean it’s simply who do you like more? It’s all personal opinion so there is no reason to say one is better than the other. My personal favorite is Marvel, while someone else may like DC, someone else may even like Dark Horse or Image. It doesn’t matter. But when it comes to the animated world, DC literally owns like none other.

All of the great shows, great movies coming out of DC are fabulous. Batman Beyond, and just this year Flashpoint was amazing. There is no argument for Marvel in this area, granted there have been some great shows from Marvel. Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes was wonderful, as well as a few good Spiderman Shows. But as of now, their shows are equivalent to the animated movie Turbo… Maybe worse. Some people will say “Doesn’t matter, nobody watches animated stuff anyway”. I think this is a mistake. Growing up I watched cartoons. I don’t remember which Justice League TV show it was, but I remember watching it and loving it. Martain Manhunter was my favorite hero. A tad older I watched Teen Titans every now and then and loved it. The animated universe has the ability to stab at the young children very fast. Granted Marvel has been picking those kids up at age 10 or so (whenever parents start watching superhero movies with their kids) but there is still a love for the old shows you had. If you can get a kid to want EVERYTHING Iron Man at age 6, you have made money. Plus the money in general flows more on good shows. Avengers: Earths Mightiest heroes had more viewers than Avengers Assemble, even after they tried to use the Avengers buzz. How awesome would it be? We have an actual good Iron Man TV series? Doesn’t matter if its shared universe or not. But the amount of possibilities are endless. Hopefully the new Guardians of the Galaxy show is solid but why should we believe it will be?


Probably the greatest media outlet though is Video Games. Call of duty makes far more then Avatar ever did, and Call of Duty makes a game every year almost. Point blank video games are about 5 times the amount for a ticket, and that equals way more money. Now will we ever see an Iron Man game make more then Call of Duty? No. But it is still a great place to get your cash. Now Marvel has made some great games. Just not as good as DC I think.

The Marvel VS Capcom trilogy I think is just on par with Injustice. Injustice is newer and more intense, but the others are classics. Granted it is not solely marvel so I will say they are tied in these Tekkin style games.

Sure I’ll make a Lego Category. Lego Marvel Heroes may have been my favorite comic book video game ever. As always Lego knocked it out of the park, and was far better the Lego Batman. However Lego Batman was fun and did have two games to it. So I suppose I’ll make a tie here as well.

For team up games there isn’t much from DC actually. Ultimate Alliance 1-2 both beat anything DC made for a Justice League style game. So looks like one category goes to Marvel.

For MMO’s DC online is far better than Marvel Heroes online. Granted neither are fantastic MMO’s, but there is a jump for DC that maybe soon there will be a fantastic MMO for comic book movies.

In solo DC games there are pretty much the Arkham series. Also for Marvel there would be Spiderman 2, X-men Origins Wolverine (Better than the movie) and Hulk Ultimate destruction I believe it was called which are all great. This is where DC has created comic book video games that aren’t touched. Again here comes the “What have you done for me recently”, Just in the last few years, we have seen some of the Arkham games, Injustice, and the only MMO that is really playable from DC. Meanwhile Marvel has made literally Lego Marvel and that is it. Granted Lego Marvel is amazing, but compared to what all came out from DC? Not even close. This is where Marvel really has a chance to capitalize on their games. Imagine if they really spent some time to make a great Avengers game, then when the Avengers game out you have this game that doesn’t go with it, but instead has its own groove to it and has people thinking about it. With the amount of buzz that comes from these films people are going to buy games, especially if you make a good one. Marvel could be making far more if they just had games people would actually play. But until they take time on these two areas, DC will continue to lead in the Video game and Animation industry, something Marvel should not allow so easily. Create an MMO that we would actually enjoy, Ultimate Alliance 3 Anyone? Newer updated Tekkin battle game, and great solo games. Marvel isn’t as far off as I thought there were with video games as I thought at the beginning, but especially now, DC has a grip on their games.

Next up will be why DC needs to find a new way to attack the movie universe.