Comic Book "Clones" -- Why do Marvel Fans Like the DC Versions Better?

[FlashingSabre]

If you don't mind me asking, since you seem to be a Hawkeye fan (hehe).. what do people like about him?

I mean, I don't dislike him, he just seems.. "bland" to me, for lack of a better word. Green Arrow has the whole "robin hood/social justice/extreme measures/vigilante" vibe to his character (and a pretty great TV show), while Hawkeye strikes me more as a "generic SHIELD agent that happens to be really really good at archery". Hell, he doesn't even have his classic, colorful, medieval archer costume anymore, he just wears a SHIELD uniform with a purple arrow painted on it.

Please don't take this as me dissing the character, it's just that I fail to see the appeal in him but he's very popular, so I'm curious.

Also, I haven't read Hawkeye's solo ongoing. My references are his appearances in Avengers/New Avengers and the movies.

P.S: Sorry if I derailed the thread.

Hawkeye was never a SHIELD agent. He's an arrogant, abrasive ex-carnie with his own sense of justice. He's hotheaded, impulsive, and snaky. He's also fearless, selfless, and incredibly loyal. He's also the only normal guy on a team full of gods and billionaires. I find him to be a very likable, compelling character. And Ollie is one of my favorite DC character, by the way. They fulfill similar roles, as the everyman trying to keep the gods honest. Though I think Hawkeye is a bit more repayable than Ollie the left-wing billionaire.

[KurtW95]

I don't know. I guess people like what came first.

[Heisennerd]

I really love the graphics of the poll. Seems to me like people like the character(s) that have gotten the most exposure & that they know better.


Superman vs Hyperion isn't even a fair popularity contest. This is an interesting exercise in originality vs intellectual property as well as abbreviated histories of characters that directly inspired other characters.

[dragonmp93]

Well...........................................

Catwoman and Black Cat:

I prefer Catwoman because her thing with Batman is much more amusing.

Hawkeye and Green Arrow:

Besides that Green Arrow has a tv show, i prefer Kate over Clint.

Green Lantern Corp and Nova Corp:

Oh come on, who doesnt want one of those rings ?.

[Arfguy]

I honestly think that the originality of the Green Lantern corp is what makes it a better corp for me than the Nova corp. However, if I had to read a book about Green Lantern or Nova, I'd definitely pick Nova.

As far as Black Cat vs. Catwoman...yep, Catwoman was the original, but I like Black Cat way more.

I think Superman > Hyperion...but then again, I think Gladiator > Superman. Yes, it can be argued that Gladiator is more a clone of Superboy than Superman, but honestly...Gladiator is a man, not a boy...hence, cooler than Superman!

No way is Green Arrow cooler than Hawkeye. Hawkeye's name alone is 100 X cooler than Green Arrow's.

[ImprobableQuestion]

Especially on the only two characters that are original at Marvel, Namor and Man-Thing. Over half of the Marvel fans think DC did a better job at Marvel's original concepts, with Aquaman and Swamp Thing. Okay, Swamp Thing, I can see, since Alan Moore hasn't written Man-Thing, but Namor??? Really??? Marvel fans want their sea king to talk to fish and be treated as a joke???

To a Namor fan this might seem like who Aquaman is. By a similar metric an Aquaman fan may see Namor as nothing more than a pointy-eared jackass in a speedo. But that isn't really who either character is. Namor has shown plenty of comradradery with Invader-era heroes. And in-universe commentary from early in Geoff John's run aside Aquaman has always been a serious character. Sometimes too serious. (And strictly speaking he doesn't talk to fish, they don't have brains to hold a conversation).

I may be biased, but I imagine a lot of people voted along the lines of costume, lore, and characterization. They also might only be considering the most recent versions of the characters. No single characters benefitted more from the DC reboot than Aquaman and Swamp Thing.

[dzub]

I may be biased, but I imagine a lot of people voted along the lines of costume, lore, and characterization. They also might only be considering the most recent versions of the characters. No single characters benefitted more from the DC reboot than Aquaman and Swamp Thing.

Cyborg too?

[Red_11]

I just want to know who the 92 lame-o's are who voted for Man-Thing over Swamp Thing.

[Reviresco]

It depends. Sure folks on the board that tend to know a lot about comics. But these days someone who is new to comics could consider themselves a Marvel fan. Or someone who isn't even a reader, but who enjoys the movies.

Then there is the question of how folks come across the poll. Where did you find it? Bleeding Cool?

I found Bleeding Cool doing a post about it. But, as I understand it, the percentages and comments on the graphics are from 1000 users on the comics reddit. The open voting (which doesn't appear to be reflected on the graphics) is from whoever is linked to that site -- though it is still pretty close to that.

And no, you can't vote more than once, though I'm sure there's ways around that.

Another thing when it comes to poles, users unionize for favorites often. Whereas they petition other users whether originally interested in the poll or not to vote a favorite up. A lot of factors such as this speak against the merit of such polls. I can't remember what it pertained to anymore but years ago someone brought a poll to characters defense (actually I'm pretty sure it was Marvel Vs DC). I just linked fifteen more poles all with completely different results. Surveys don't account for much in the way of proof at the end of the day.

I don't really give polls much merit, but I just thought it was strange that so many Marvel fans would be voting that DC does better versions of similar characters.

Of course, there's always the likelihood that they are voting more for character they like better of the two, which might explain Namor and Hawkeye's awful percentages of Marvel fans -- since they aren't what many consider likeable.

[dzub]

Of course, there's always the likelihood that they are voting more for character they like better of the two, which might explain Namor and Hawkeye's awful percentages of Marvel fans -- since they aren't what many consider likeable.

You already know why Aquaman is leading LOL

Hawkeye vs Green Arrow..i think it also might have something to do with Green Arrow having more media apperances ,especially his own TV Show be a factor?


IMO most marvel fans got into marvel through movies ,which is'nt a knock, i mean my first taste of comics were iron man cartoons. these fans might just have started reading comics and not be aware of the histories some characters have (namor)

[emac1790]

Especially on the only two characters that are original at Marvel, Namor and Man-Thing.

Man-Thing isn't all that original. Behold, the Heap,

http://www.comicvine.com/the-heap/4005-30639/

[ImprobableQuestion]

Cyborg too?

In terms of character development, sure. But if you liked Cyborg for his connections to the Teen Titans then (like everything else regarding TT fans in the reboot) you're boned.

[Username taken]

I'm a Marvel guy and I voted 7 out of 11 for Marvel. What's the big deal?!?! You can be a Marvel fan and like the other version of a character more and vice versa.

Quoted in agreement.

[ChristmasFnatic]

Just DC fans who keep re-voting so their characters can win!

[Trident]

I think one answer to your question about Namor is that in most appearances a casual reader would see him in, he's either working with the bad guys
or having a misunderstanding and either attacking humans or fighting a hero every time he pops up. There's also the fact that he acts like a dick. His fans
may consider that something positive or regal. To others, he's just a dick. Although Aquaman, at least the version a lot of us were first introduced to on
Super Friends, might be treated as something of a joke, he didn't ever act like a jerk. His characterization these days is more like Namor anyway, and he's
been powered up, but he doesn't have the years of bad things associated with him like Namor does. If you think about it, Namor is still making shitty choices
whenever he has options, all the way to current. I doubt he's gaining any fans, and it's a testament to the loyalty of his dedicated fanbase that they can
still rationalize that he has always been in the right. That's not to insult anybody, but it is the truth, and Aquaman doesn't have so much negative crap
attached to him.

Namors fanbase spent always think he is in the right. There are however multiple occassions with his position as a monarch that chocies were justifiable. Most fans just think that the "humans" are always right cause they are them but the citizens of Atlantist what Namor does in their name he is a hero.

It's a matter of perspective in most instances when dealing with Namor.