The past year has seen Marvel suffer countless defeats at the hands of DC Comics, from DC stealing the top-grossing superhero movie of the year to Marvel losing ground in comic market share. Now, Marvel faces yet another loss to its publishing rival at the latest Ringo Awards, with the score standing at 3-0.
For those unaware, the Ringo Awards, officially known as the Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards, are annual honors that celebrate creative excellence in the comics industry. This year’s ceremony took place over the weekend at Baltimore Comic-Con, with voting on the 2025 Final Ballot limited to members of the comics creative community.
With the results now in, it is clear that DC is officially beating Marvel in yet another area of their shared domain, as DC walked away with three awards while Marvel earned none.
DC Wins 3 Ringo Awards: Best Single Issue, Best Webcomic, and Best Humor Webcomic
Main Cover by Moy R. Marco & Monica Kubina for Nothing Butt Nightwing #1 (2024)
There were nearly two dozen categories in which voting took place, some focusing on creators and others on comic titles. DC took home awards in three: Best Single Issue or Story, Best Webcomic, and Best Humor Webcomic. Batman and Robin Year One #1 won Best Single Issue, while Renaissance of Raven and Nothing Butt Nightwing respectively won Best Webcomic and Best Humor Webcomic.
Shockingly, out of more than ten comic title-centric categories, Marvel failed to land a single nomination. In contrast, six DC titles across four categories were featured, with DC winning in three of the four. This speaks volumes about the current state of comics, suggesting that DC is steadily on the rise while Marvel continues to fall behind.
Marvel’s Reign Ends as DC’s New Golden Era Begins
Main Cover by Vasco Georgiev for Renaissance of Raven #1 (2024)
In addition to being shut out of this year’s Ringo Awards, Marvel has suffered multiple losses to DC in the past year. One of the biggest came at the box office, where Superman earned $615,984,465 worldwide, beating Marvel’s top-grossing film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which made $521,854,182. This marks another major win for DC in their ongoing rivalry.
DC has also dominated in comics, consistently claiming the monthly best-selling spot with its Absolute Universe titles while pushing Marvel releases further down the charts. Marvel has also lost market share to DC. Additionally, 2024’s best-selling comic went Absolute Batman #1 by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta, further cementing DC’s current supremacy in the industry.
For years, Marvel has reigned as the top dog in the superhero space. However, it seems DC is on the verge of reclaiming its crown if these trends continue. With DC’s new cinematic universe just beginning and Marvel’s Phase Five in decline, the tables have turned. Furthermore, Marvel’s Ultimate Universe is ending, while DC’s Absolute Universe continues to surge, signaling a new golden era for DC.