Almost everyone has their favorite superhero, it could be Marvel’s poster boy Spiderman or DC’s brooding Dark Knight. Maybe you find yourself rooting for lesser known characters such as the mutant powerhouse Colossus or the cosmic beauty Starfire. The one thing that almost all fans can agree on as of late, is that the MCU is doing everything that the DCEU is not. Making the situation more frustrating is that both superhero giants have been blessed with great storylines to work from. Even with origin stories and even the actual abilities of the characters often being rewritten, they never seem to lose their appeal. A perfect example would be of how captivating the DC animated movies can be. Batman: The Killing Joke (2016), Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010), Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013), and Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010) are all movies that rank well above all of the current live action renditions (except Wonder Woman) of the well-known superhero team. This leaves the persisting question of what is Marvel doing right, and even more importantly what has DC been failing to do.
1. They Have NO Idea What to Do With Batman
Skipping over the “he’s not really a superhero argument,” Batman is the most popular and most versatile character in the Justice League. His lack of powers is what draws the majority of the criticism he receives, but also is why he is such a great member of the team. Batman’s humanity is what essentially makes him the wild card of the group. If any other person with his skillset was matched on a team with the likes of Superman, they would be immediately forgettable. Which is exactly what the DCEU has managed to do to the caped crusader. Batman works best not when he’s filling in the blanks so you still remember he’s there while everyone else fights an unstoppable villain. Instead, he is the unpredictable factor that gives the team the edge over opponents like Darkseid. More focus needs to be put on the biggest draw of Batman’s character; the beautiful part of humanity that under extreme odds allows us to push past our limits and become something greater.
2. They Are Choosing (or Casting) the Wrong Villains
Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) was not the complete failure that some made it out to be. The problems began with Jesse Eisenberg’s manic portrayal of the cold, calculating, and intimidating Lex Luthor. The very few who thought highly of his rendition were likely non-comic book fans desperately looking for another Heath Ledger style villain. A dark character with just the right amount of lunacy, that made the Dark Knight (2008) version of the Joker forever immortalized. This combined with the much too early debut of Doomsday and extremely forgettable Steppenwolf, have left fans scratching their heads. Leaving all of us saying “Yeah he wants to destroy everything, but why should I care?”
3. The “Team” Feels More Like a 90s Boy/Girl Band
With the understanding that Justice League is literally the first time most of the characters have met each other, the team aspect of the franchise is almost non-existent. A large part of this is due to the lack of foundation resulting from there not being a solo film to introduce each character before their joining on the big screen. Instead of knowing the characters and learning how they will integrate their personalities with the other members of the team, we are being forced to do both things at the same time, repeating the “Why should I care” feeling that is steadily the major pitfall of the universe thus far. Instead of familiar faces forming together to make a super group, we are given six talented heroes pushed on us all at once. The result is a feeling of strong detachment between the fans and the characters.
4. Could Not Keep Things Moving With Wonder Woman
For all the things Batman vs. Superman did wrong Wonder Woman (2017) gave long time DC fans hope that the franchise could bounce back. The film did everything the former failed to do, and gave fans a wonderful story with likeable characters that fit the world they live in. The story was built and told perfectly, while it kept fans engaged throughout the enitirety of the movie. It built a connection between DC’s favorite female superhero and the fanbase, giving them the “why” that the other two films have failed to establish.
5. Trying Too Hard to Be Like the Avengers
Of all the problems the DCEU is battling, this is by far the most damaging and obvious. Many fans of the MCU complained that Batman vs. Superman was too “dark’ with “not enough humor.” Something that was bound to be said considering how well the Avengers film series has perfected being the polar opposite of thsse statements. However, the problem is that Warner Bros. actually listened to these complaints. The dark/gloomy feeling to the Dark Knight trilogy is a large reason as to why the series did so well. The ability to tap into that emotion/mood setting would have been the only thing the studio could have done to make the movies completely their own. Allowing them (slightly) to step out of the ever growing shadow of the MCU. Instead, fans are left with Batman behaving like an Iron Man knock- off, making statements such as his super power is “being rich.” Arguably this is Bruce Wayne’s one true super power, but it is something his character would never, ever say. This alongside a “frat party bro” version of the King of Atlantis are the results of the studio trying to hard to imitate the family focused humor that their rival has mastered.
