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Marvel Vs. DC on TV: Which Comic Book Giant Reigns Supreme?

Find out which comic book TV universe comes out on top and which series fans prefer in the results from Rotten Tomatoes' Fall TV Survey.

by | November 2, 2018 | Comments

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Daredevil keyart and Robin from Titans character poster (Netflix; DC Universe)

When Rotten Tomatoes asked users about their television viewing habits in our Fall TV Survey, we got intel on how much TV they watch, how they watch it, and other details. We also asked them one very important question: Marvel or DC?

In the battle of the comic book titans, the percentage of RT users who prefer Marvel’s shows just barely edged out the diplomatic among you (a.k.a. the ones who prefer both). Interestingly, the number of users who prefer DC to Marvel is far lower. The RT user breakdown is 31.54% Marvel, 31.39% both, 26.63% neither, and just 10.44% DC.

Among Marvel viewers, the most popular show for RT users is also the No. 1-ranked show on the Tomatometer (which means the critics agree!): Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., with 19.85% of users saying it’s their favorite. Marvel’s Daredevil is next, with 14.56% of RT users saying it’s their favorite, followed by Marvel’s Jessica Jones with 11.43%, Legion with 8.10%, and Marvel’s The Punisher with 6.16%. Marvel’s Iron Fist comes in last among RT users (with 0.88% saying it’s their favorite) and on the Tomatometer (with a 37%, followed only by the one-season series Marvel’s Inhumans).

David Lee/Netflix

(Photo by Netflix)

Daredevil also ranks second among RT users’ favorite Netflix series (with 6.24% of users saying it’s their favorite, behind Stranger Things).

On the DC side, 11.64% of RT users said The Flash is their favorite, and 11.16% say they like Gotham best. Interestingly, while Black Lightning is in the top 3 DC shows by Tomatometer (with a 98% score, and a Certified Fresh first season), it comes in second-to-last among RT users’ favorites (with only 3.26% saying it’s their favorite). Krypton comes in second-to-last on the Tomatometer (with a 59% score, followed only by the one-season sitcom Powerless), and last among RT users’ faves (with 1.30% of respondents calling it their favorite).

Gender affected the Marvel vs. DC results by just a few percentage points, but in key ways: more women preferred neither (33.56%), then both (31.39%), then Marvel (24.77%), and finally DC (10.28%). Among male respondents, 34.49% prefer Marvel, 34.03% prefer both, 20.14% prefer neither, and 11.35% prefer DC.

The Flash -- "We Are The Flash" -- Image Number: FLA423b_0449.jpg -- Pictured: Grant Gustin as The Flash -- Photo: Shane Harvey/The CW -- 2018 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved

(Photo by The CW)

For DC fans, the top show among women was Lucifer (10.76%), then Gotham (9.26%), then The Flash (7.48%). For men, it was The Flash (16.39%), then Gotham (13.67%), then Preacher (9.45%). For Marvel fans, the top show among women was S.H.I.E.L.D. (19.27%), then Jessica Jones (13.61%), then Daredevil (6.89%). For men, it was S.H.I.E.L.D. (24.87%), Daredevil (19.43%), and Legion (9.02%).

Want to know where the series rank on the Tomatometer? Check out the Marvel and DC guides below!