Marvel and DC, two of the biggest comic book companies in the world, have a long-standing rivalry. Classic superheroes such as Marvel’s Spider-Man and DC’s Batman are constantly compared by comic book fans, leading to pointless “fan” fights.

These arguments over which comic book company is better are pointless. In terms of the way they portray their superheroes in the comics, DC and Marvel take completely different approaches and are therefore not in direct competition.

DC storylines usually emphasize that even for people with innate superpowers, struggles and hardships exist. Marvel, on the other hand, focuses more on superheroes that were born without superpowers and how developing powers alters their lives. The stories are more individualized and are more similar to that of the readers’ experiences.

The two companies are also different in terms of movies. For example, recent DC movies tend to be dark and gritty, revealing the complexity of humans and society as a whole while also exposing the ugliness of human nature.

In contrast, recent Marvel movies tend to be lighter and funnier, with the main purpose to entertain audiences. “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Deadpool” are such movies. With their eye-catching special effects, classic songs incorporated, and funny jokes, Marvel movies bring a roller coaster-like thrill ride to audiences all over the world.

Only when these two completely different styles peacefully coexist can comic book fans truly enjoy a complete and fresh viewing experience. Without variety, fans will soon be tired of the same style being recycled. Without one another, both Marvel and DC lose their magic.

Nonetheless, many of the online arguments comparing these two companies include extremely derogatory language.

This divides Marvel and DC fans even further. Many fans believe that these insults represent the other side as hostile bullies. Supposedly fun online comic book discussions become pathetic cyberbullying websites.

Many are already joining the effort to stop these pointless arguments. Even the companies themselves have attempted to build bonds with each other to stop the harmful arguments. Geoff Johns, president of DC, and James Gunn, director of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” came together recently on Twitter to promote unity between fans. The two men have praised each other’s good work and have advised the fans to quit fighting.

Marvel and DC recognize the contribution of the other side to the flourishing comic book industry. The tension between the two is simply nonexistent. If fans truly love the community and companies, they should follow the lead of Marvel and DC to promote peace and unity.

Furthermore, many fans on various social media are joining the effort to end the offensive fighting. There are many posts and comments on Facebook that promote unity and criticize pointless tensions. This further proves that the majority of true comic book fans acknowledge the great harms these arguments bring to their community as a whole and try their best to improve this.

The bond between the comic book fans should be unbreakable; it can only be strengthened, not torn apart because of their common interest. The solution to this problem is very simple: fans simply need to judge comic books and movies objectively and rationally. They cannot automatically like, or dislike a piece of work just because of the company that produced it. Fans should realize that the true purpose of online comic book discussions is to communicate about their enjoyment of comic books, not to attack those with differing opinions.

When reading a different opinion, comic book fans should explain why they disagree with someone else’s opinion, while avoiding swear words and derogatory language. This individualized effort might seem trivial, but when everyone does it, it becomes a strong, collective effort. This will not only increase the quality of such discussions, but also the qua of the comic book community.