Poll: Americans think Iron Man would beat Captain America in a fight

At the center of Captain America: Civil War is a pertinent, divisive question: Whose side are you on?

There are only two possible answers — you have to choose between Iron Man and Captain America. But your response involves more than just a preference for Chris Evans's forearms or Robert Downey Jr.'s tech (which are valid criteria, don't get me wrong).

Picking Captain America represents choosing a beacon of freedom or, if you're an Iron Man apologist, a world where superpowered vigilantes run unchecked.

Picking Iron Man suggests a bias toward commonsense safety and regulation — the same type of logic that says drivers need licenses and police officers must undergo training. Or, of course, you could be a Captain America supporter who thinks Iron Man's plan to regulate superheroes doesn't safeguard against a fallible government.

In a poll conducted by Morning Consult and Vox, we asked Americans which hero they think is better and which one they believe in. And, well, this is Captain America's America; Iron Man is just living in it.

When asked which superhero is "better," 40 percent (± 2 percent) of respondents out of the 1,976 registered voters we polled between April 29 and May 2 preferred Captain America, while 33 percent chose Iron Man (28 percent didn't know or had no opinion).

When asked to name the "better all-around superhero," 42 percent chose Captain America, while 28 percent chose Iron Man.

(Vox/Javier Zarracina)

And when asked which superhero is "the better role model for kids," a whopping 59 percent chose Captain America, while only 14 percent chose Iron Man.

(Vox/Javier Zarracina)

Furthermore, it doesn't matter whether you sort the respondents by gender, income, or political affiliation — Captain America remains the hero of choice. In fact, the only demographic that prefers Iron Man to Captain America are 18- to 29-year-olds (of both genders), with 46 percent choosing Iron Man and 41 percent choosing Captain America.

Americans also believe that Iron Man has the better costume:

And that Iron Man had more exciting comics and movies than Cap:

Perhaps the most surprising finding is that Americans' preference for Captain America doesn't seem to be based on whether he can beat Iron Man in a fight; prior to Civil War's release, 41 percent of the people we polled believed Iron Man would win a matchup between the two. (If you happen to be a Morning Consult subscriber, you can head to the company's website to view the poll's full toplines and crosstabs.)

(Vox/Javier Zarracina)

So we live in an America that believes in Captain America. But Iron Man supporters shouldn't fret, because people view him as the stronger superhero. Of course, with a record-breaking box office haul in Civil War's sights, the true winner is neither Iron Man nor Cap — it's Marvel.

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