Both DC and Marvel have created their own very different, yet still very similar, universes. Two of these most recent films have mirrored each other in both plot and theme; Batman Vs Superman, and Captain America: Civil War.

The biggest question in both of these movies is, are superheros able to control themselves or should governments control them? In Captain America: Civil War, the United Nations have proposed the Sokovia Accords as a way to control the Avengers. Iron Man sees the need for Avengers to answer to a greater power, while Captain America believes that the Accords will give others too much control over their team. Batman Vs Superman examines a similar theme when Batman recognizes the threat that Superman could be to society. While at the same time Superman is convinced that he is saving more lives than he is destroying.

Both movies introduce these conflicting ideas through flashbacks to recent battles before moving into smaller confrontations, concluding in one extensive battle. This battle solves very little for the whole world, even if it resolves conflict between characters.

While the theme of these two movies are very similar, when viewed they are almost unrecognizable as the same plot. Plugged In critic Paul Asay explained the difference between DC and Marvel very simply when he said, “While this movie’s (Batman Vs Superman) violence doesn’t go beyond what we see in most Marvel flicks, the atmosphere here is so darkly brooding that it feels much harsher.”

This may be the easiest way to define the two universes. Content, theme, and character are all similar. But every good Marvel movie has a laugh out loud scene:Iron Man will punch Captain America’s perfect teeth, The Incredible Hulk will throw Loki, around the room. While attending a DC film leaves audiences feeling damaged, as though the whole world depends on their actions, because in DC movies, the characters affect the whole world.

According to a recent poll, 84% of Herriman High School Students would rather watch a Marvel Movie than the 16% who said they prefer a DC movie. Reese Foulger, one student interviewed in the poll, explained the difference by saying, “DC films have more action, and they are more brutal. But Marvel films are just fantastic.”

marvel-vs-dcBailey Ferre, also a student, claimed that she preferred Marvel because, “They [Marvel Films] have more character development and they have Captain America.” One of the DC fan’s, student Dallin Higgs, argued that, “Marvel has just copied DC’s stuff”. Can it really be copying though if the way the plot is presented is so completely different?

In the end, DC and Marvel both produce fabulous movies about deeply flawed characters who somehow win the physical and moral battles. Even though the two superpower industries have very little in common in how they tell those stories, DC took the dark, gritty side, showing the brutality of its characters lives. While Marvel chose a more lighthearted path, of comedy. Which one is better? That decision is up to you.