The superhero genre is dominated by the Marvel and DC worlds. With games like Marvel's Spider-Man, Marvel's Avengers, and the upcoming Gotham Knights, comic brands take over movie screens, streaming platforms, and our favorite consoles.
For decades, we've watched our favorite superheroes and supervillains from both franchises battle it out in print, on-screen, and on our consoles, but who would win the fan favorite battle, and which multiverse would come out on top?
GAME.co.uk conducted a new study that will put debates to rest, analyzing Google search traffic throughout the world to determine which universe is the most popular among fans. Where does DC outperform Marvel, and which franchise has the largest global audience?
The study evaluated searches for superheroes and supervillains from both universes to select each country's favorite, from Spider-Man to Wonder Woman, Ultron to The Joker.
Marvel comes out on top in the poll, with a preference in 51 nations and an 85 percent share of the votes. Marvel has a number of tremendously popular film franchises, including Guardians of the Galaxy and The Avengers, which have made their blockbusters household names.
It's no wonder that this brand is the most popular, given their new premiere on Disney+, which includes exclusive programs Wandavision, The Falcon, and The Winter Soldier. Marvel is popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, Columbia, Greece, and India.
Since the release of big office smashes like Aquaman and The Flash, DC has grown in popularity. Despite the success of earlier DC films such as Birds of Prey, Joker, and Wonder Woman, the franchise only won in 9 nations. With a 15% share of the vote, DC slips behind Marvel in the contest for first place. Russia, Chile, China, and Ethiopia are among the countries that support DC.
THE MOST FAVORITE SUPERHERO IN THE WORLD
GAME examined the stats to find out which superheroes from the Marvel and DC universes are the most popular in each country.
With great power comes tremendous responsibility, according to the GAME research, Spider-Man is the most popular superhero on the planet. Spider-Man, the superhero alter identity of Peter Parker, was created by Stan Lee and has been the subject of comic books, film series, and video games, so it's no wonder that he's ranked first in 57 nations.
Second position goes to Wonder Woman, who is the highest-ranking DC superhero, with 15 countries looking for her! Since 2017, the heroine has been the subject of two Hollywood films, which has surely strengthened her international appeal.
The top three are rounded off by Batman, who is the most sought hero in 11 nations and has a 9.2 percent stake in the research.
Iron Man is the most popular in ten nations, making him fourth, while Superman is the favorite in six countries, placing him fifth.
When it comes to superheroes, Marvel reigns supreme, with six of the most popular characters in the survey hailing from the Marvel universe and four from the DC universe.
THE MOST FAVORITE SUPERVILLAIN IN THE WORLD
The GAME study dug deep into the world of supervillains to find out which characters from the Marvel and DC worlds are most popular in each country.
Thanos is the clear favorite, with 66 countries including Canada, Australia, Ireland, and South Africa ranking him as the most searched villain.
It's no wonder that Thanos is the most popular search term because he is one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel world, having battled heroes on screen in films like Guardians of the Galaxy and The Avengers, as well as video games like the LEGO Marvel Superhero series.
The Joker comes in second place. The Joker, who is known for being a rival to Batman, was the most sought-after character in 21 countries. Heath Ledger, Jack Nicholson, and, most recently, Joaquin Phoenix have all played the iconic clown-faced persona on the big screen, making him one of the world's most well-known supervillains.
Venom, a favorite of fans in 16 nations, rounds out the top three. Following the release of the 2018 live-action film centered on the Marvel villain, the character's popularity skyrocketed.
The rankings indicate that Marvel supervillains are the most popular, with only two villains from the DC universe appearing in the survey.
Source: GAME.co.uk
