What began as comic book competition became the defining entertainment war of the 21st century. In 1961, failing Atlas Comics challenged industry leader DC with the flawed heroes of Fantastic Four, sparking Stan Lee's "Brand Echh" campaign that revolutionized marketing. By 1972, Marvel had overtaken DC in sales, but success bred bitterness. Jack Kirby's 1970 departure to DC turned personal—he created villain "Funky Flashman" as vicious revenge against Stan Lee.

The rivalry exploded into Hollywood with Marvel's $30 billion MCU dominance versus DC's troubled $6 billion DCEU failure. Now James Gunn, who worked for both sides, leads DC's complete reboot. In July 2025, his Superman faces Marvel's Fantastic Four in the most crucial superhero showdown ever, with both films tracking for massive opening weekends that could reshape the entire industry.

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