Marvel and DC have sent their respective fans into a frenzy, whether from a new toy line, movie, or debate surrounding who would win in a fight: Superman or the Hulk.
© iStock.com/Adrian Vidal
Thanks to the blockchain, there’s a new battleground as people begin to compare Marvel and DC NFTs.
This new form of collectible has taken the world by storm. Marvel and DC jumped into the game early, so fans can now find a Superman NFT in 2D or 3D along with an animated version of Alligator Loki or Baby Groot.
While the companies’ Metaverse plans are a tightly kept secret, our comparison will give you a good idea of where each company stands in this exciting new space.
Marvel NFT Collections
When Marvel decided to start producing NFTs, they decided to go with a company that specializes in digital collectibles. VeVe is the exclusive place to purchase NFTs from Marvel along with other brands under Disney, like Stars Wars and Pixar.
Marvel NFTs are a mix of classic characters and newer ones. You won’t have trouble finding several versions of a Spiderman NFT or other popular characters, even if the collection only began in 2021.
The first Disney NFT was actually released under the Marvel brand when Spider-Man launched to celebrate the arrival of Marvel on VeVe. That initial release is beloved by collectors and was followed by the first Marvel NFT comic books.
Marvel has produced NFTs spanning multiple properties from the big and small screen. A few recent releases tied to movies include Thor Love and Thunder, Hawkeye, Loki, and the Eternals. They also have exclusive collectibles that are only available in digital form.
Marvel NFT comics span the history of Marvel and began with Marvel Comics #1. You can purchase classics like the Amazing Fantasy #15 NFT, featuring the first appearance of Spider-Man, or newer titles, like Young Avengers.
DC NFT Collections
DC arrived on the blockchain before Marvel, and their first NFT was also produced through VeVe. Todd McFarlane’s version of Batman was the NFT that launched VeVe and is also the first version of Batman on the blockchain.
Since the first Batman NFT, DC has made its presence felt in the NFT space. While Todd is another premium NFT on par with Spiderman, the company took a completely different approach than Marvel with DC NFT releases.
Like Marvel, you will also find DC properties from the Golden Age and modern times. What’s available depends on the platform, considering DC is set up with multiple NFT companies.
DC doesn’t lean as heavily on current films or franchises like Marvel does. They don’t have as many titles to pull from considering they simply don’t put out as many movies or TV shows, even though their overall catalog is massive. You can find NFTs from the new Batman film along with some unique hybrid options, however.
DC NFTs vary in format from 3D collectibles to trading cards and accessories designed for the Metaverse. They do not have digital comics at this time, although covers of certain books are available in collectible form.
Marvel vs. DC NFTs
At a glance, it may seem like DC and Marvel provide a similar experience for their fans in the NFT space. Well, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
While both companies have produced amazing NFTs, there are some considerable differences between the two—just like in the world of physical collectibles.
NFT Format
With physical goods, Marvel and DC merchandise can come in many forms. You can find keychains with cartoon versions of your favorite characters or life-size statues that cost thousands of dollars.
NFTs, on the other hand, are different, and there are only a few formats to keep track of—at the moment, at least. It’s also an area that’s close between Marvel and DC NFTs, considering both provide similar products in digital form.
Marvel has 3D replicas of figures available through VeVe, along with digital comic books and a handful of framed posters.
You can resize the figures or view them in augmented reality through the app, just as you can with their NFT comics. Marvel NFT comic books are readable through a built-in reader or through AR, which brings a unique twist to an older format.
DC also has 3D replica figures through VeVe, but no digital comic books or posters. While that may seem disappointing, they have physical trading cards with digital redemptions and Bat Cowls as an accessory geared towards the Metaverse
Marvel vs. DC NFT Quality
No matter how much you love Batman or Wolverine, no collector wants a figure with a poor design. The quality of Marvel NFTs and DC NFTs vary by platform, but also by designer and collection.
With 3D figures, DC has an edge over Marvel with most of their lineup, although that gap has grown narrower with each new Marvel NFT release. DC NFT figures are produced from physical versions of statues, which has a dramatic impact on quality. While some models are sharper than others, it’s hard to argue with the results.
Marvel 3D NFTs are designed by various studios, so the quality can vary from one release to the next. There are some gorgeous sculpts, like the Black Panther NFT and Spider-man, along with subpar models like Elektra.
Marvel’s comic quality is top-notch and the same goes for DC’s digital trading cards. Both companies have custom products as well. With Marvel, you’ll get custom comic book variant covers on most new issues. There are also a few collections like Marvel Mightys that were designed exclusively for VeVe.
While DC doesn’t currently have any VeVe customs, they have HRO exclusive trading cards. The initial release came with redeemable hybrid NFTs, and there have also been digital exclusives. All of the Bat Cowls through Palm come from a generative NFT collection so no two are alike.
Availability
This is where the two brands start to separate themselves.
Marvel NFTs are just as easy to acquire as a DC NFT, but you’ll have more options on where to purchase the NFTs through DC.
All Marvel NFTs are sold through VeVe and are not available outside of the platform. While that could change with interoperability, for the moment, they only exist on that platform. If you want to purchase a Guardians of the Galaxy NFT or Thor’s hammer, you’ll have to do that through VeVe.
People interested in purchasing the first DC NFT figure can do it through VeVe as well. DC NFT cards through HRO are a bit more open. These unique NFTs can be bought and sold through HRO, IMX, or OpenSea.
That’s an advantage, but the company’s Bat Cowl collection is locked down on another platform. The Palm marketplace is where you can purchase a custom Bat Cowl or one of the early Palm comic cover NFTs.
At the moment, DC has the edge over Marvel with availability, although some fans feel they are too spread out. The biggest perk is that HRO allows you to trade, buy, sell, or send them to another site.
NFT Utility
If you’re familiar with NFTs, then you understand how important utility is. Utility can send a bland NFT to the moon, but a lack of utility will have the opposite effect.
DC’s Bat Cowl NFTs are designed with a future in the Metaverse. They have already shown some utility through the release of districts, but are simply NFTs that can be used as PFPs for the moment. HRO is also big on utility with DC considering you can open physical packs of HRO cards and redeem them for a matching NFT.
VeVe allows users to view their Marvel or DC NFTs in augmented reality or place them in a virtual showroom. You can also read virtual comics from Marvel on the platform. We feel like that gives Marvel an edge, although DC provides more through other platforms.
Marvel vs. DC NFT Pricing
Wondering how much a Marvel NFT costs? Well, that depends on when it was released, the overall popularity, and a few other factors.
VeVe doesn’t have a standard pricing model for Marvel or Disney NFTs, although we do have a rough guideline of what you can expect.
Comics are typically priced at $6.99 on drop day when new NFTs are released. 3D collectibles, whether figures or accessories, can run anywhere from $20 to $80 on average. That’s for newly released NFTs, as the secondary market prices vary wildly from one product to the next.
DC NFTs on VeVe have a similar price point for collectibles but are sold by the pack on HRO instead of through blind boxes or tiered character drops. Pack prices also vary, but the Bat Cowls were released over days at a set price.
Given that companies frequently change pricing to match their audience, we could give this area to marvel or DC. Both have fair pricing for the NFTs they’ve produced with variable mint runs and scaled pricing based on demand.
NFT Cash Out
One of the biggest reasons NFTs became so popular is because they can quickly make someone rich. There were countless new millionaires created in 2021, and while things have slowed with the economy recently, probability can’t be overlooked.
You can sell Marvel NFTs from VeVe through their platform for gems, which is the company’s form of in-app currency. Each gem is the equivalent of $1.00 and is converted to currency when you decide to cash out.
At the moment, the options are somewhat limited on that front, although new options are being added every month. DC’s VeVe collectibles follow the same path, but things are a little different with DC on HRO.
Because HRO allows you to send NFTs to IMX, you have more ways to convert and cash out any profits. You can do it directly from HRO’s website, through IMX, or OpenSea if you decide to send your NFT from layer 2 to layer 1 Ethereum. Profits from Bat Cowls can be cashed out directly from the Palm marketplace.
Marvel vs. DC NFTs: Who’s the Winner?
The winner between Marvel and DC NFTs is the consumer. Both companies have put out solid products, and have plans for the Metaverse, so the future is bright.
With that in mind, Marvel has a broader range of NFT figures than DC, which only has a few collections. They don’t have any trading cards or costumes, but they do have readable comics.
DC has a head start with interoperability, and provides consumers more ways to cash out. It also comes down to what you’re looking for from an NFT and if you want it to be more than just a glorified digital collectible.
It’s too early to tell what these companies will do in the Metaverse but, rest assured, there will be Batman vs. Spider-man NFT debates in that virtual space for years to come.
