Since James Gunn and Peter Safran announced their vision of the new DC Universe, people have been asking themselves whether this re-launched franchise would fall into the same traps that the MCU did at the beginning of its success.
Amazingly, DC appears to have already avoided one of the largest structural problems of Marvel, which is the issue of power scaling and consistency, and it has done so even before the release of its first three films.
DCU Solves MCU’s Power-Scaling Problem With A Smarter Launch Strategy
Phase 1 of Marvel was revolutionary, and there is no doubt about it. However, a major and long-running criticism was how some of its characters were strategically nerfed or watered down to suit the grounded tone of the early MCU. Thor, Hulk, and even Captain Marvel could not shine to their full comic potential until the franchise became large enough to support them. The DCU is, however, taking a completely different point of departure, and it is already paying off.
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One of the most refreshing decisions Gunn’s DCU has made is to introduce heavy hitters immediately, not slowly build toward them over a decade. As we know, ‘Superman’ shows Clark Kent many years into his heroic life. He is not a bewildered farm boy who has just learned about his heat vision. This Superman is quick, talented, kind, and able to accept giant dangers without any hesitation. And the movie does not hesitate to display it.
What makes the DCU feel even richer, though, is that Superman is not the only powerhouse in the room. Other powerhouses like Green Lantern and Mr. Terrific were also introduced in the same film. This ensures that power doesn’t need to be “toned down” to fit a grounded narrative because the world itself is already established as extraordinary.
‘Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow’ To Further Pick Up The Pace
‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,’ which releases in 2026, takes the DCU even more into the cosmic realm. Kara Zor-El, who is frequently depicted as being even more powerful and violent than Clark, will have her abilities fully on display. The movie is based on the legendary Tom King comic. The comic includes alien scenery that is brutal, unattainable, and the unrefined Kryptonian power of Kara in full action.
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It is daring, and frankly, invigorating. The DCU is introducing heroes who don’t need training. Additionally, even ‘Clayface’, which focuses on a villain, contributes to the power-scaling clarity. Matt Hagen’s shape-shifting horror is a great benchmark for Batman’s capabilities. Conventionally, Clayface is not even the most formidable opponent of Bruce. However, his strength is still ridiculously high.
The fact that Batman is shown dealing with a threat as complicated and visually difficult as Clayface, early on, silently tells the viewer how competent the Dark Knight is going to be. This avoids the MCU’s issue of characters feeling inconsistent in strength depending on which movie they’re in. DC is not wasting time and providing the fans with what they actually desire.
