Is Spiderman more popular than Superman now?

..just wondering if Spidey has taken over the "people's champion" mantra from Supes. All the Spiderman films have grossed at least 750 million dollars, MOS got to about 687 million. The Superior Spiderman comic, which many fans boycotted, still sold 75,000 issues most months. Superman is obviously still a world famous icon, but a lot of people wearing Superman tops are actually my age (40s) and grew up with the Donner films.

..............is Spiderman actually the more loved character now and is the order of popularity now 1) Batman, 2) Spiderman, 3) Superman..

I might argue that Spider-Man is more popular than Superman now, and has been for several years. But, he will never be as iconic.

@jaken7: this

I always saw Spider-Man as more popular. In fact I see more Supes hate then anything else.

Spider-Man has always been more popular in the past couple of years. I find his character to be more relatable, enjoyable, and the character of Spider-Man just has a world full of potential to explore. Plus, Spider-Man excels in movies, TV shows and merchandise, so...

I think its because Superman looks too iconic and too strong. Spidey looks more like human.

He has been for a while now. He is number two behind the shadow that lives in the night.

Yeah, he is, but not as iconic.

I'd say he's more well liked.

Pretty much this to a T.

As of now, Superman has no chance of becoming more popular with the New Crappy-Two and the horrible staff of DC Executives.

....I thought this said Batman for a moment. No, I think Superman is more popular.

There's a difference between well-known and popular. Aquaman is more well-known than say..Thor. But he sure as hell isn't more popular.

Would say so

That's a damn good answer actually. Yep Superman is the most iconic of all and I have certainly loved the character for most of my life, but I feel that in many ways his god like, nice guy without flaws image is at odds with what people want from their heroes these days. Hence, Spidey, the less god-like, more relatable guy with flaws who tires and gets hurt and has his aunt do his washing is perhaps more popular now.

Sort of.

This

Only because of movies out side of that I don't think anyone really cares or even would have known about spidey

Amongst young adults Spider-man is way more popular but amongst adults and for iconic nostalgia superman hands down.

I think more people like spiderman than superman but superman is still more iconic and more widely known

Yes, Marvel has done a great job marketing Spider-Man. It will be interesting to see how they market Iron Man post-Downey, but I think Iron Man is about to fall from grace. I mean, as great a movie as Cap 2, the fact that Rio2 is giving it a challenge shows that Iron Man's popularity is not a function of the MCU, but the Iron Man property by itself. Maybe it was RDJ's doing or maybe it was just Iron Man's appeal.

DC has only market Batman and, unsuccessfully, Green Lantern since 2000. Superman hasn't had an animated series to compare to Bats and Spider-Man, no VGs, about to be disgraced in his own movie.

The gap between Spider-Man and Supes is huge and ever growing.

No

Unless we don't include entire generations of people who either don't know who Spider-man is or know who he is but never cared about him.

@superguy1591:

Yes, I think you're right. My own personal view is that the classic Superman character is out of touch now with the grittier/more relatable characters people seem to like these days. Somehow DC/WB need to make him more popular/relevant to audiences without alienating long standing fans. That's really hard, as we saw in the reactions to MOS. I was shocked when MOS failed to take more at the box office than ASM1, given that it was the first proper Superman origin film for 35 years and Spiderman was re-booted after only 10. I also think including Batman in MOS2 is a mistake, its almost like WB/DC are conceding that Superman needs help from the Batman to prop up the ratings.

These.

Superman is still the most iconic and most well known character throughout the world, I've visited many European, and Asian countries before and I would be wearing my classic Superman shirt and a bunch of people would always point it out or compliment me.

That S shield is about as recognizable as the flag of the United States.

I think Spidey is up there with Batman as far as being more popular than any other characters amongst the general public. Amongst comic book readers, Supes and Spidey are roughly equal. That said, as many people mentioned, Superman is the most iconic Superhero.

Spidey is more popular, better video games, better comics, better tv shows, and is more relatable to lots of young adults and teens. And I would say he is pretty iconic, I mean I can wear a shirt with the spider man symbol on it and people will recognize it anywhere

Agreed. Along with his new movie no doubt.

This

Actually MOS did fine and was the highest selling superhero blu-ray/dvd of 2013. People only look at as a failure because they didn't like it. Outgrossed all of Marvel's origin stories in the MCU. And what's wrong with putting Batman in a Superman film? People have been wanting that for years!!

Additionally, so far The Winter Soldier hasnt even made as much as Man of Steel.

Of course Spiderman is more popular than Superman at this time. Superman's popularity has been wading for years probably because he represents a very old idea of a America that doesn't exist anymore (the American dream, truth, justice and the American way.) I would also argue that Superman is less versatile than Batman and Spiderman, those two can echo whats going on in society at the moment, the time and the place (Spiderman could easily reflect the modern tech savvy teen, while Batman has been shown (particularly in the Nolan films) terrorism and the NSA.) It has nothing to do that Superman's iconism, its all down that we live in changing times as Superman hasn't caught up with those.

I agree, Superman is more iconic than Spider-Man...they even did a Superman reference in Raimi's Spider-Man when Aunt May said to Peter "You're not Superman, you know". That said, Spider-Man is more popular and currently more relevant.

The idea that Superman represented the old idea of America is in my eyes along the same lines as people who criticize Superman for being overpowered or a goody-two-shoes. They use concepts that were used for the characters in the Silver Age and just assume that that is what the character is like currently. Superman is no less relevant to the times than Batman, it's just that the Nolan films were able to tell a great Batman story while being able to illustrate a particular theme, Man of Steel did neither of those but it wasn't the fault of the character. Besides, there wasn't anything in the Batman character himself in the Nolan films that echoed whats going on in society with the exception of a brief exchange between him and Lucius Fox in TDK over surveillance.