The two biggest comic publishers have almost always been Marvel and DC. They're collectively known as the Big Two, though as the two companies have grown over the decades, so has the usually friendly but still competitive rivalry that sometimes extends towards the characters being created.
There are quite a few examples of DC characters who have incredibly similar counterparts in the Marvel universe. These correspondences are sometimes coincidental or even created as homages, though in other cases they're exact rip-offs that have led to numerous debates among fans. So today we'll explore a few of the biggest examples of DC heroes with Marvel counterparts.
10 Green Arrow And Hawkeye Are Both The Archers Of Their Respective Superteams
Oliver Queen became a highly skilled archer after he was stranded on an island and forced to survive for years before he became Green Arrow and joined the Justice League with his arsenal of gimmick arrows.
Clint Barton fills a similar role with Marvel's Avengers as the archer named Hawkeye, who also uses high-tech arrows of various kinds as his universe's greatest archer. Hawkeye was even briefly married to Mockingbird, which reflected Green Arrow's own relationship with Black Canary to further tie the two characters together.
9 Swamp Thing and Man-Thing Are Both Supernatural Plant Monsters
What's really interesting about the similarities between DC's Swamp Thing and Marvel's Man-Thing is that both characters debuted in 1971 and shared similar origins as scientists who were betrayed and transformed into monstrous protectors of the swamp.
With such a close introduction there's a lasting debate over which character is a rip-off of the other, though over the years Swamp Thing has reclaimed his title as protector of the Green while Man-Thing has become more known for protecting the Nexus of All Realities to try and put some distance between the swamp monsters.
8 Aquaman And Namor Are Both Human/Atlantean Kings Of The Seven Seas
While Aquaman is likely better known among mainstream fans due to a high-profile membership in the Justice League that has led to numerous animated and live-action appearances, Marvel's Namor the Sub-Mariner actually appeared in the comics first. Both characters are the offspring of a human and an Atlantean, which in Namor's case also made him a mutant.
Aquaman and Namor both grew up to take the throne of Atlantis and rule the seven seas, and these numerous similarities brought the characters into conflict during Marvel vs. DC which saw Aquaman take the win using his superior ability to communicate with sea life.
7 Red Tornado And Vision Were Both Androids Created By Villains As Spies
The Red Tornado is a follow android who was created by the evil scientist T.O. Morrow as a spy to infiltrate the Justice League by posing as a hero in order to destroy them, though he decided to join them instead after he gained sentience from a wind elemental that possessed his body.
Now take the exact same origin story but replace Red Tornado with Marvel's Vision, T.O. Morrow with Ultron and a wind elemental with the brain patterns of Wonder Man and you'll get a small glimpse into the many similarities between the two robotic characters.
6 The Atom And Ant-Man Are Both Size-Changing Scientists With Legacies
Scientist Ray Palmer was technically the second DC character to use the name of The Atom, though he was the first size-changing version after he discovered how to harness white dwarf energy in order to shrink to subatomic levels.
Hank Pym invented a size-changing Pym Particle that allowed him to shrink and grow as Ant-Man, though the role has been passed on to other characters over the years. The legacy of The Atom was further extended when Ryan Choi took over the mantle, making Ray Palmer and Hank Pym even more similar.
5 Deathstroke The Terminator Even Shares A Civilian Surname With Deadpool
Slade Wilson was experimented on by the government which unlocked his physical potential and gave him an advanced healing factor that made him one of the deadliest mercenaries in the DC universe as Deathstroke the Terminator.
Marvel's version even has a similar name, as Wade Wilson underwent genetic manipulation to cure his cancer by having a mutant healing factor implanted in his body. This mentally destabilized him and set him on a new path as the Merc-with-a-Mouth known as Deadpool with a fondness for breaking the fourth wall, a trait Deathstroke doesn't share.
4 Catwoman And Black Cat Are Both Feline-Themed Cat Burglars Who Became Heroes
There is no doubt over which feline-themed cat burglar appeared first given that Selina Kyle/Catwoman's debut in 1940 was decades before Felicia Hardy's first appearance as Black Cat in 1979, though there are still quite a few similarities between the characters.
Both Catwoman and Black Cat first appeared as villains, though they each developed relationships with their respective crime-fighting vigilantes that led them to the more heroic path they now both follow. Of course, both Catwoman and Black Cat have frequently returned to their original professions over the years.
3 Doctor Fate And Doctor Strange Are Both The Magical Protectors Of Their Universe
The powerful mystical character known as Doctor Fate is one of the most magically gifted heroes in the DC Universe whose enchanted helmet, amulet and cape transform a chosen human host into a servant of Order and Chaos and a protector of the magical realms.
Doctor Strange was a gifted but injured surgeon who began a new life as Marvel's Sorcerer Supreme, who used powerful magical amulets and a levitating cloak to aid him as the defender of his reality. While there are many similarities, Doctor Fate is controlled by the possessive Nabu who rarely leaves his hosts in good condition while Doctor Strange willingly chose his path.
2 Superman and The Justice League Are Mirrored By Hyperion And The Squadron Supreme
Marvel has a couple of characters like The Sentry who are counterparts to DC's Superman. However, it's the powerful Hyperion who shares the most similarities both in their powers and origins as well as the teams they formed around themselves.
Superman leads the Justice League alongside DC's other most popular heroes while Hyperion is the leader of the Squadron Supreme, a team that homages the character archetypes of the Justice League to introduce other similar counterparts like Wonder Woman and Power Princess or Batman and Nighthawk.
1 The Flash And Quicksilver Are The Fastest Men Alive In Their Respective Universes
A lot of the various DC and Marvel counterparts we've looked at today have a number of similarities beyond their abilities and origins that further tie them together, though characters like Barry Allen/The Flash and Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver are a bit of an exception.
Both characters are speedsters who earned the titles of the fastest men alive in their respective universes, though Barry far outclasses Pietro when it comes to speed. They also have incredibly different origins and paths as heroes, though they are continually compared to each other due to their speed-based abilities.