Biggest Comic Book Franchises

A little known fact to even the most avid of comic book fans is that the first known comic to even be published was The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck, hitting European shelves in 1837. It was no fast-paced Batman saga, but this 40-page, side-stitched comic was the start of what has become a not only profitable, but incredible industry. Today“s market is full of some fascinating stories accompanied by some beautiful artwork but the truth of the matter is that Marvel and DC have some of the highest-grossing franchises to date. Here, we“re exploring some of the best in more detail, so read on to find out!

Spiderman ”“ Marvel

We couldn“t start this list any other way than with the teenage swinger himself, Spiderman. First appearing in Amazing Fantasy #15 back in August 1962, we all know the story of the orphaned teenager living with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben who is bitten by a radioactive spider and gaining spider-like abilities as a result. Spiderman“s issue of Amazing Fantasy became one of the best-selling comics in Marvel“s history, and as a result, The Amazing Spider Man was released in March 1963 and went on to become Marvel“s best-selling comic series to date.

Today, we“re graced with 6 movies that split critic reviews straight down the middle, and a whole wealth of merchandise to enjoy and you can forget going to a convention without seeing at least a dozen men and women in skin-tight suits waltzing around. Spiderman“s popularity and success came in the Silver Age of comic books, but it“s lasted the decades and the web-spinning hero is still one of the world“s most loved.

The Hulk ”“ Marvel

He“s green, he“s angry and most importantly, he“s back. Yes, that“s right. The world“s favourite green giant is set to return in Avengers #684 very soon and the hype around such an event is definitely warranted. The Hulk has long been one of the biggest selling franchises to date. Just like Spiderman, this Marvel classic has had its fair share of movies, with two solo offerings as well as The Avengers movie series. He“s even appeared in Fantastic Four!

He“s an iconic character in popular culture and it“s practically impossible to avoid merchandise and more surrounding this very angry creation. He“s even had theme park rides crafted in inspiration!

Guardians Of The Galaxy ”“ Marvel

Much of Guardians Of The Galaxy“s success can undoubtedly be put down to its movies, however the comics certainly weren“t something to be ignored either. However, the franchise today sits at billions, with the first movie alone being worth over a whopping $774.18 billion. What“s more, the movie“s soundtrack has raked in the profits, with CD and Vinyl versions flying off the shelves.

The second film was as much of a hit as the first, with fans falling in love with the characters all over again ”“ Come on, who doesn“t have a soft spot for baby Groot? ”“ and the soundtrack for this movie did just as well as the first. The futuristic feel to the movies has inspired a new ride at Walt Disney World, and of course, the merchandise on offer is something the fans are eager for.

X-Men ”“ Marvel

Marvel“s X-Men was a hit among hits, and is well worth a position on this list. From the original comics crafted by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, to the countless television shows and films, there is certainly plenty to keep fans of X-Men happy, and the pockets of Marvel well-lined. Those who are fans of the team of superhuman mutants can even find that X-Men slot machines will be a long-time favourite, which is just one example of how the franchise is growing beyond the usual industries.

So far, the X-Men movie franchise has brought us 10 films, including the first initial trilogy which focused on Professor Xavier and Magneto, another prequel trilogy that follows Xavier, Magneto and a handful of other mutants in their earlier days, as well as spin-offs including X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Wolverine and Deadpool, with Deadpool 2 soon to be released.

Batman ”“ DC

Batman is, quite simply, a huge franchise. With a whole host of movies, cartoons, TV-shows and associated media, the caped crusader is one of the most famous and well-loved of all superheroes. Of course, Batman isn“t technically a super-anything. His abilities are entirely down to a few handy gadgets and a lot of money, and given his orphaned status, his popularity can be traced all the way back to the simple fact that he was oddly relatable. Of course, we“re not all rich, arrogant philanthropists, but the human status of this hero was one we at least wanted to relate to.

Batman“s Dark Knight trilogy was one of the highest grossing superhero movies of all time. With incredible performances from Christian Bale, the late Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman and national treasures Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman to name just a few of this star-studded collection, it“s no wonder generations young and old have picked up a love for the franchise.

Superman ”“ DC

2018“s SXSW saw the celebration of 80 years of Superman. Yes, really. Superman has officially been around for 80 years, and he“s still going strong. The first time a version of Superman graced the world, it was in a fanzine in 1933 created by a high school student by the name of Jerry Siegel and his classmate Joe Shuster. Of course, it didn“t sell particularly well, but in 1934, Siegel developed the character again, but with a hero status rather than a vagrant. A fight between the two due to Siegel claiming he needed a better artist led to a new development yet again, taking a human superman to being the hero we know and love today.

Merchandising, media and countless other references and homages have brought Superman to be the icon we know him as. Every store has had a superman icon somewhere within their range, and the sheer number of movies available to add to your movie marathon list is breath taking. There have even been TV shows ”“ Smallville, anyone? ”“ that can make up a good binge watch too. In short, there“s no limit to where Superman could go, even this long after its creation.

There are countless other franchises that we could“ve mentioned, including the amazing success of the Avengers, but for fear of listing every single character to have existed we need to stop somewhere! Today“s media has embraced the nostalgia associated with our favourite comic book characters and launched some of them to new heights of fame. Even those who wouldn“t have touched a comic book in the past have found themselves drawn in by the sheer prominence of heroes in the media, and rightly so. With new movies set to be released, theme park rides in production and so much more, there“s no telling just where this all could go.