Both sides had their champions (The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, Looper) as well as their duds (Ghost Rider 2, Battleship, Total Recall) and a few that films fell in the love/hate middle (Amazing Spider-Man, Prometheus). However, given the box office returns and critical consensus, it's easy to declare superheroes the winner this year.
But fear not, sci-fi fans: DC's 2013 tentpole Man of Steel is still a big unknown, and Marvel's "Phase Two" films (Thor 2 and Iron Man 3) have to prove that post-Avengers solo films will still be crowd pleasers.
Meanwhile, sci-fi will be getting heavy hitters like Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim; TRON Legacy director Joseph Kosinski's new film Oblivion; M. Night Shyamalan teaming with Will and Jaden Smith for After Earth; District 9 director Neil Blomkamp's new film Elysium and many other entries.
In 2013, we could have a different clear winner in this battle between genres...