3 Years Ago, the DCU Retold One of Marvel’s Biggest Stories (& Did It Better Than the MCU)

James Gunn’s DC Universe is working hard to differentiate itself from the way its competitor, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, operates. For starters, it’s choosing to drop its characters right into the middle of the action, eliminating the need for origin stories. Gunn also isn’t using post-credits scenes to tease what’s to come, which is a staple of Marvel Studios productions. The hard work is paying off so far, as Superman is winning big at the box office, knocking off another MCU heavyweight each week on its way to becoming one of the biggest success stories of 2025. However, while the DCU is sure to continue to distance itself from its friends at Marvel, it owes some of its success to them.

Gunn was brought into the fold at DC before gaining total control, with his first task being to redeem Task Force X on the big screen with The Suicide Squad. The movie, while not being a box office hit, was a critical darling, paving the way for the spinoff series, Peacemaker. The John Cena-led show was unlike anything seen before in comic book media, but it did borrow a page out of Marvel’s playbook when it came to its villains.

The Butterflies Secretly Invaded Earth in Peacemaker

After surviving the events on Corto Maltese, Christopher Smith returns home and tries to move on with his life. However, freedom slips out of his fingertips when A.R.G.U.S. comes knocking and forces him to join a mission called “Project Butterfly.” The team’s task is to learn more about the extraterrestrial being known as Butterflies, which are popping up all over Earth. Using some unsavory means, Peacemaker learns that the minds of influential people around the world are being taken over by the aliens, who are planning to take control by whatever means necessary. While Peacemaker’s first instinct is to kill them all, it soon comes to light that Clemon Murn, his boss, is under the control of a Butterfly that doesn’t want to hurt anyone. There are good Butterflies that are trying to stop the rogue members of their race, but they need help.

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The DCU Is Already Doing Something Better Than The MCU Ever Did

Murn dies before he can claim victory, but Peacemaker and the rest of his allies get the job done in the Season 1 finale. The members of the Justice League even show up after the fighting is over, leading Peacemaker to scold all of them for being useless. It’s a hilarious end to a great story that borrows several beats from Marvel Comics’ “Secret Invasion,” which sees the shape-shifting Skrulls replace major characters in an effort to take control. Unfortunately, because DC beat Marvel Studios to the punch, the MCU’s version of the story never had a chance.

The MCU’s Secret Invasion Is Too Serious for Its Own Good

Alien invasion stories are inherently ridiculous, and Peacemaker is well aware of that, playing up the hilarity of the situations the characters find themselves in. Secret Invasion takes a different approach, aiming to be a serious thriller that forces the audience to question whether people are who they say they are. The only problem is that the show never takes any big swings. The major bombshell it drops is that James Rhodes has been a Skrull for years, which puts all of his actions after Captain America: Civil War under the microscope. However, he’s barely in Secret Invasion and has yet to return to the MCU in another project, making the reveal fall flat. The wildest thing the show does is introduce the idea of the Harvest, a collection of DNA that enables G’iah to become a Super Skrull with the powers of several major MCU heroes. But once again, G’iah doesn’t appear to be a priority for the franchise.

On the flip side, Peacemaker Season 2 is surely going to touch on the events of the first season, even though it’s going to work to fit itself under the DCU umbrella. The approaches couldn’t have been more different, but both Marvel and DC attempted to tell worthwhile alien invasion stories on the small screen, and the company that had the leg-up somehow failed to deliver.

Peacemaker is streaming on HBO Max, while Secret Invasion is streaming on Disney+.

Were you disappointed with the Secret Invasion series? Do you think Peacemaker told the story better? Let us know in the comments below!