Let's start out with guiding you to my close friend's blog about why he's DC (Unsuper) which is the reason I've decided to comment.Now let me preface by saying I love Superman and Batman (and am in love with Robin) and Wonder Woman, but I have an affinity towards the Marvel Characters. Ever since I was younger my Sunday mornings (when I would worm my way out of church) would be filled with the fantasy world of Fantastic Four and Spider Man (reruns of the 60's shows) (Sometimes Iron Man and more sporadically Spider Man Team Ups). I'd get up extra early to enjoy these old cartoons and little did I know they were in comic books! The plots would intrigue me and the characters would keep me coming back for more.
I cast away my Marvel friends for Power Rangers as I went through Middle School (yeah, I had few friends). But then in high school, something happened: I realized I was gay. And as I was struggling with my duel identities and both internal and external homophobia, so were Peter Parker and the mutants of X-Men.
Daily, Peter struggled to keep his life as Spider Man a secret and "in the closet." It was hard. It was dangerous. He was doing great things as someone he wasn't. (This argument can be played between Clark Kent and Super Man, but I always felt he was more well adjusted and comfortable in his tights than Spidey will ever be - this insecurity between CK and Supes would be played out more in WB/CW's Smallville.) I struggled for 2 years with my sexual identity and here was Peter struggling with his secret identity too!
The X-Men on the other hand represented the fear and hatred of the "other" and I would rush home from high school to watch re-runs of this fabulous series. The mutants were going through what I feared: scorn because of how I was made, verses understanding of who I was.
Then for a few years I left comics and American superheroes for Anime (particularly Sailor Moon). But just a few years ago I decided to turn my attention back to superheroes in tights, and FINALLY buy a comic book to experience the magic that way (I couldn't find the old series on television). I did my research and decided Ultimate Marvel would be the best place to start because it was the shortest run and I wouldn't have to deal with decades of back stories.
I've fallen away from Comics for a while (though I LOVE going to comic-con). And will probably pick back up soon (although it won't take long to catch up with Ultimate Marvel because it's such a few lines).
But, I am Marvel, because Marvel was about real people doing extraordinary things because the things were forced upon them. DC takes the extra-ordinary things and gives it to extra-ordinary people (Batman withstanding). Marvel reflects the "everyday-ness" of being a superhero and how it affects all aspects of ones life.
(Now give me more of this and I'd switch over... lol)
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