Though the Marvel Cinematic Universe has proven itself mᴀssively successful, there are several things that it does worse than its Marvel Comics source material. The movies of the MCU have seen the franchise blossom into the most lucrative in the history of the movie industry, firmly establishing it at the box office and within pop culture. However, the MCU would simply not exist without the decades of Marvel Comics source material it draws upon.
Despite the franchise’s success, there have been many ways throughout the MCU’s movie timeline that it has struggled to live up to the source material. There are a number of inherent drawbacks to live-action adaptations versus the medium of comic books, as well as various creative missteps that have hurt the MCU. Though the franchise may have broken records and brought the Marvel Universe back to the forefront of pop culture consciousness, there are still many ways that the MCU is worse than Marvel Comics.
10
Defining Characters’ Abilities
Explaining How Abilities Work Isn’t An MCU Strong Point
The nature of the MCU’s storytelling means it’s often faster-paced than the comics. Though this in itself is not an issue, there is a specific way in which it hurts the franchise’s stories: exposition. The MCU rarely examines the finer details of characters’ abilities, and although that may not seem overly important, it actually leads to several narrative issues, both real and in terms of limiting the franchise’s future.
The franchise’s apparent inability to explain how different powers work has led to multiple MCU plot holes, with one especially prominent example being the inconsistent nature of Pym Particles. However, failing to do so also limits the ways in which characters can organically evolve, as is often the case in the comics. Where the comics often offer a greater understanding of the nature of Marvel characters’ powers, there comes better narrative continuity and increased scope for future development.
9
Establishing Major Villains
The MCU Has Developed A Villain Problem
It’s no secret that the MCU has developed something of a villain problem over the years. Primarily, this stems from the MCU killing off villains in their first movie, or generally ending their stories prematurely. In fact, there are very few Marvel villains who seem to survive their stints in the MCU, with only a handful still active after their big-screen encounters with the franchise’s heroes.
This issue seems much worse when compared to the Marvel Comics source material. The comics often give villains multiple major arcs, establishing long-lasting rivalries that in many cases span decades. This allows for further exploration and growth for Marvel’s villains, better fleshing them out as characters in their own right. The MCU largely seems to treat its villains as relatively disposable, which is especially frustrating seeing as its Marvel Comics source material handles the same characters much better.
8
Shared Universe Connectivity
The Comics Are Way Ahead Of The MCU In Terms Of Connectivity
The MCU built its success on bringing the shared Marvel Universe to life in live-action. As exciting and unprecedented as that proved, it’s still something that the franchise does worse than the source material. The MCU’s shared universe may have been expanding since it began in 2008, but being in its relative infancy harms an aspect of its potential, as do the limitations of the live-action format.
When connections are established between characters in the comics, it typically comes after the characters in question have been introduced on an individual basis. Establishing each character as unique ahead of setting up teams or making shared universe connections is something that the MCU finds far more difficult than the comics, due largely to the cost of creating a movie or TV show as opposed to a comic book. Even so, it’s another way that the MCU struggles to compete with the comics.
7
Violent & Brutal Story Developments
The MCU Has Too Often Shied Away From Brutal Moments
Since the MCU’s inception, one particular choice has helped establish the franchise as one of the most successful of all time. Making the movies and TV shows of the MCU as family-friendly as possible has enabled the franchise to appeal to a much wider audience, maximizing the potential of its projects to succeed in a financial sense. However, this has seen a number of moments cleaned up for the franchise, where the level of violence on display is either mitigated or altogether unseen.
The simple fact is that the Marvel Universe is built on violent conflict between heroes and villains. The comics have often featured moments that are brutal or graphic, shocking readers in their presentation to depict the violence at work within the wider Marvel Universe. While the MCU has featured some great fight scenes, and has begun to embrace on-screen violence, it still has some catching up to do in relation to the comics.
6
Engaging The Audience
The Medium Of Comic Books Has An Inherent Advantage Over The Movies
Another way that the MCU’s inability to compete with the comics is unavoidable stems again from the differences between the two mediums. The MCU continues to offer an expansive and ever-growing continuity to its audience, affording a depth to its shared universe that few other franchises can boast. However, in terms of pure immersion, comics will almost always come out on top.
The nature of reading a comic book requires the use of some imagination, in order for the reader to fill in the blanks between panels. This makes it a far more active form of consuming media than watching a movie or TV show, and for those who choose to immerse themselves in the comics, it becomes a far more engaging experience. Though there will always be those who prefer watching movies to reading comics, the latter is, by definition, a more immersive form of entertainment.
5
Expansive Rosters Of Characters
The Comics Can Depict Multiple Heroes Far More Easily
All of the biggest moments in MCU history have involved the many characters of the franchise coming together in epic moments. This has seen a number of occasions on which the heroes of the MCU have been depicted on-screen alongside one another, making for what has amounted to some of the most memorable moments in the franchise. However, this is something that the comics often do better than their live-action counterparts.
The nature of comic book visuals allows for easier distinction between heroes in a single story. Visually, it is often much easier to distinguish between characters even in moments featuring multiple heroes and villains, especially in cases where full-page spreads are dedicated to depicting a specific moment. By contrast, the MCU’s ability to bring these moments to life is more limited, due to the different scope of the medium.
4
Individual Character Development
Character Arcs Are Given More Time In The Comics
The MCU has often been praised for its handling of specific character arcs, especially those of its major heroes. The likes of Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Thor, and Loki are all notable examples of how well the MCU can execute satisfying narrative arcs for Marvel characters, exploring their evolution over multiple entries into the franchise. Though the MCU does this brilliantly, it still struggles to compete with its comic book counterparts.
In the comics, individual character arcs typically unfold much slower, with heroes evolving over decades from their creation to the present. The ongoing nature of Marvel Comics’ continuity necessitates a more sustainable approach to character development than that of the MCU. This allows the comics to build up to big changes and storylines far slower than the live-action franchise, making the eventual payoff all the more satisfying as a result.
3
Major Action Spectacles
The MCU’s Reliance On CGI Holds It Back
The movies and TV shows of the MCU have been widely praised for bringing the fantastical and occasionally outlandish stories of Marvel Comics to life in live-action. As doing so using solely practical effects is an impossibility, this has seen the franchise heavily employ CGI in many key moments, especially in its action scenes. The use of CGI may be unavoidable, but it highlights another way in which the franchise struggles to live up to the comic book source material.
Considering there have been several unconvincing CGI scenes in the MCU, the lack of visual consistency is far less of an issue in the comics. The nature of the medium leaves the creation of those moments to the artist, allowing for a more organic depiction of moments of superpowered action. CGI may be a necessity for the MCU, but it demonstrates one key way in which the franchise might never fully live up to the comics.
2
Visual & Stylistic Variety
Different Artists & Writers Can Transform A Story
The creation and continuation of the Marvel Universe has employed the creative talents of many writers, artists, actors, and filmmakers over the years. The combined imaginative powers of all those involved have helped the stories of Marvel Comics – and their movie and TV counterparts – thrive as a key part of modern pop culture. Through the years, the many voices who have contributed to those stories have left their own mark on the wider Marvel Universe.
The ever-shifting roster of writers and artists bringing Marvel Comics to life allows the comic books a level of artistic variety that the MCU will never be able to replicate. Live-action brings with it certain limitations, trading stylized and unique art for a more realistic presentation. This may make the MCU seem more visually consistent, but it loses some of the diversity of the comic book source material in the process.
1
Introspective Storytelling
The Comics Are Able To Examine Characters’ Inner Monologues
When it comes to movie or TV adaptions of any form of written media, something is usually lost in translation. Such is the case with the MCU, where the movies and TV shows in the franchise are less able to explore the internal monologues of their characters. The comics often explore the personal thoughts and feelings of their characters, offering readers a glimpse into the minds of the heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe.
Sadly, this simply isn’t possible in live-action. Having character’s thoughts declared in voice-overs has become hopelessly clichéd, leaving a level of the source material’s storytelling lost to fans who limit themselves to purely MCU releases. The way in which Marvel Comics makes use of the printed medium to explore the innermost workings of its characters is yet another example of something that the Marvel Cinematic Universe cannot compete with.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Created by
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Kevin Feige
- First Film
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Iron Man
- Upcoming Films
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ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, Blade (2025), The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Avengers: Doomsday (2026), Avengers: Secret Wars
- First TV Show
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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
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Upcoming MCU Movies
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Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday
- Release Date
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May 1, 2026
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Spider-Man: Brand New Day
- Release Date
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July 31, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
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May 7, 2027
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