Marvel and DC Comics have had long, illustrious histories as publishers of some of the finest superhero fare. There characters have gone on to make billions of dollars at the box office, and there's no sign that superheroes are going to stop being profitable any time soon. But there's one question that haunts comics fans: Marvel or DC?
The two companies have had a pretty public rivalry over the years that's seen smear campaigns and failed crossover comics. However, there have definitely been periods that have seen Marvel and DC's relationship become more amicable, and there's a good indication that most of that rivalry is for show. Going back to the Golden Age, the two companies didn't really have much animosity, due in part to the success of comics in the popular market. Although that definitely changed following the introduction of the Comics Code Authority, as it decimated the market, there's a lot to their histories with each other.
Check out the video below for more of the long history of Marvel vs. DC.
The two publishers still have fairly different styles, but they've always worked to push each other and the idea of what comics can be. Stan Lee, for example, defied the rigid rules of the Comics Code Authority when he penned a Spider-Man story about the dangers of drug at the behest of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. This lead to a weakening of the Comics Code's control over what appeared in comics.
Although DC's Carmine Infantino resisted at first, a later issue of Green Lantern/Green Arrow depicted the dangers of drug use, which was a big moment for DC comics. However, that issue was actually written before Lee's. DC refused to publish the story until Lee stood up to the CCA. Marvel's huge risk played off, though DC also received praise for its work.
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