The Justice League or The Defenders – which side are you on?

These two superhero teams are the focus of TV and Netflix shows made by DC comics and Marvel comics. Since Superhero movies have become the most popular movie genre, Marvel and DC started making tv shows about characters that haven’t yet been in film. DC has primarily put their shows on the CW network, while Marvel had elected to put the majority of their shows on Netflix. Even though Marvel has so far had a significant edge in movies, whether or not their series are more successful than DC’s is a much closer call.

Most of the TV and Netflix shows made by Marvel and DC have a significant following. For example, the four most popular TV shows on the CW are all based on comic books. These include The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow. However, DC also has shows such as Gotham and Lucifer airing on FOX, both of which are also based on comic books.

Meanwhile, Marvel’s Netflix shows are some of the most popular the streaming service provides. They currently have three shows on Netflix, and the most recent seasons of each are some of the most popular of any Netflix show; these include Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage. Marvel also has Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC, and a new show called Legion, on FX.

The most popular of these series is Daredevil, with 4.4 million viewers in its first 11 days of availability. The most popular superhero TV show is Lucifer, with approximately 3.76 million viewers per episode, but Gotham is narrowly behind with 3.47 million viewers. The CW’s four most popular TV shows are all comic book shows, while Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is the least popular show on ABC with just 2.567 million viewers per episode.

While millions of people watch the shows, the critic reviews for the shows are almost always great. Daredevil has a critic rating of 87 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and Jessica Jones and Luke Cage have incredible ratings of 93 percent and 96 percent, respectively. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. currently has a rating of 95 percent; even so, a Marvel show called Agent Carter lasted only two seasons, despite a rating of 88 percent. It had a much better score than shows like Legends of Tomorrow, which is in its second season, and Constantine, which was cancelled in 2015.

On the DC side, Supergirl and Arrow both have ratings of 97 percent, which is the highest of any superhero show. The Flash closely follows with a 94 percent rating. But the lowest rating by far is Legends of Tomorrow, with a 64 percent rating.

While they fall behind the CW shows, Fox’s comic book shows still have impressive ratings. Gotham has a 82 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while Lucifer has a 75 percent rating.

In terms of reviews, Marvel has an evident upper hand. None of their series have fallen below 87 percent, and the positive feedback on the shows has lead to an expansion of their TV and Netflix universe. Daredevil has been approved for a third season and second seasons of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage are on the way as well. They even have a show about a popular character in season two of Daredevil named The Punisher in the works. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is in the middle of its fourth season on ABC.

The success of Arrow is what sparked all the other DC shows, but they’ve carried themselves through multiple seasons. Arrow has been running for over five seasons, and The Flash is in the middle of its third. Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow are in their second seasons. All of the shows have been renewed for next year.

Gotham and Lucifer are in their third and second seasons and are waiting for renewals.

While Marvel easily wins in the reviews category, the ratings are a different story. Netflix’s viewership totals are approximate totals, but the Marvel shows seem to stay around 3.5 to 4.5 million viewers. But Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has only 2.567 millions views per episode.

While the CW shows are popular, the network’s DC show ratings aren’t as high as other networks. The Flash is the only one of the CW DC shows to be above three million in viewership. Supergirl has about as many viewers as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., while Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow have just over two million viewers. This may seem low compared to the other shows, but they are the four most popular shows on the network.

Overall, DC could have a slight edge in ratings. While they don’t necessarily have the viewership that the Netflix shows do, the CW DC tv shows are the most popular of the network, and the FOX shows are also popular. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is the least popular ABC show, however the Netflix shows are quite popular.

Taking both the ratings and the reviews into consideration, Marvel has the overall win. They have a big edge in reviews and in terms of ratings, they aren’t far behind DC.

Marvel’s next Netflix show, Iron Fist, premieres in March, and the network TV shows are shown on FOX, ABC, and the CW weekly.