DC Characters and Franchises You Think Are Better Outside The Shared Universe

[Vordan]

The whole “Marvel is Men trying to be Gods and DC is Gods trying to be Men” is really dumb when you remember that Thor, a literal Norse God, was a founding Avenger member. Meanwhile until DC made Diana Zeus’ kid, there were zero gods on the JL.

[Agent Z]

Without a shared universe, literally all you would get is Batman and Superman. Just look at what WB was interested in before the MCU came along. Wonder Woman is only propped up because someone thought there should be a Trinity. Captain Atom couldn't compete when he had a separate universe, and Shazam was defeated in the courts because he was in a separate company's universe. Wildstorm and Milestone also failed to compete, and not even Static would be known if not for the DCAU. Do you think many grandparents know Spawn, Aspen Matthews, and X-O Manowar? Are many buying their grandkids toys of those characters?

You're talking about this as if a shared universe is some guarantee of success for other characters. Superman and Batman still get more use than the majority of the DCU with Wonder Woman and Green Lantern lucky if they can manage two books. How many toys does Captain Atom have? Vibe? Fire? Ice? Vixen? What is being in a universe that always prioritizes two characters over everyone else do for them? Aspen, Spawn and Manowar at least have the luxury of being the main leads of their universes.

[Agent Z]

So instead of using other preexisting superheroes as a supporting cast, writers should make up new ones exclusive to Superman stories?

No. How did you get this out of what I said?

Isn't that what the suoer family is?

This is exactly what I have been arguing.

If people found Jimmy Olsen interesting, he'd still have his own book like the characters in the Justice League.

You are having a completely different argument from what I am saying here. I am not talking about Jimmy Olsen having a solo book.

Also, his supporting cast at the Planet have no powers so they are not similarly situated. You need someone in the same position making different choices to really know what Clark stands for beyond shallow talk.

See above.

Different characters have different personalities and therefore different storytelling needs. Captain America was never written as a solo hero in the MCU. He went from the Howling Commandos to the Avengers to the Secret Avengers. That's because his personality is based on leadership, so he needs people to lead, unlike Lancer Iron Man, Big Guy Thor, Chick Black Widow, or Smart Guy Hulk. Superman has the same personality as Cap and is meant to lead humanity to a brighter tomorrow. He's not doing that as a solo act.

Captain America has had stories independent of the Avengers for decades. Being a leader of humanity and being a leader on a superhero team are two different things. And frankly, you boiling down these characters to a bunch of tv tropes lingo does a great disservice to their depth and complexity.

[Agent Z]

Good. They should downplay it instead of being 60s campy or 90s campy. If your story is set on Earth then it should look and act like it is.

You're not even being consistent here. You want a shared universe but think that Earth shouldn't have advanced technology in said universe? What does being set on Earth have to do with the type of technology used? Do you think Star Trek has to be set in the Marvel or DC universes for Earth to have advanced technology?

A microwave emitter is more plausible than a freeze gun, as is his glider cape.

No they aren't.

[John Venus]

The whole “Marvel is Men trying to be Gods and DC is Gods trying to be Men” is really dumb when you remember that Thor, a literal Norse God, was a founding Avenger member. Meanwhile until DC made Diana Zeus’ kid, there were zero gods on the JL.

Its more like Marvel is about ordinary people becoming extraordinary and DC is about characters who are already extraordinary and you have to find the relatable human element in them.

But both companies have been mixing and matching for decades that not every character fits in a neat category. Based on the above description, Thor is a DC character while Booster Gold is more Marvel since his whole character depends on there being a shared universe.

[Agent Z]

Its more like Marvel is about ordinary people becoming extraordinary and DC is about characters who are already extraordinary and you have to find the relatable human element in them.

Except that only applies to some DC characters not all of them. The various Flashes and Green Lanterns didn't start out extraordinary, they became that way. Same with the Blue Beetles, Captain Atom, most of the Teen Titans, Young Justice, etc.

[John Venus]

Apparently you only read the first sentence of any post before replying.

[Agent Z]

Apparently you only read the first sentence of any post before replying.

My mistake. I apologize.