Despite popular opinion …

With $65 billion in its till inclusive of merchandising, the polarizing “Star Wars” saga is not the highest-earning franchise in multi-media history.

That honor would go to “Pokémon,” with an unadjusted gross of over $92 billion.

See the below January 2019 infographic. Numbers are updated annually:

It is worth noting that neither 2019’s “The Mandalorian” on Disney Plus nor “The Rise of Skywalker” are figured into the above numbers. “Star Wars” is expected to climb on the list over the next decade, with some expecting its profits to ultimately challenge those of “Hello Kitty” for second place. Despite ongoing criticism of “Star Wars” in some small but vocal circles, the outcries of “Disney ruined my franchise!” do not appear to have had the effect intended. Sure, “Solo” was considered a surprise bellyflop that still earned $392.9 million worldwide in its theatrical release, and “Galaxy’s Edge,” Disney’s theme park attraction, has proven to be less than the financial smash intended. However, Disney Plus attained over 10 million subscribers by opening day, based largely on its marquee “The Mandalorian” series, the first live-action “Star Wars” spin-off produced for anything other than theatrical exploitation.

The franchise remains healthy, though it should be acknowledged that licensing sales have substantially fallen from its 1980’s heyday.

For the purpose of this series of articles, however, where I will attempt to elucidate the most important of all genre franchises beyond solely financial measures, I have objectively selected the following: “Star Wars,” “Star Trek,” “Game of Thrones,” “Harry Potter,” “The Lord of the Rings,” Marvel Comics and DC Comics.

Our round-robin tournament commences. Fans will vote for three of the six categories listed below that are not easily measured (Cultural Influence, Critical Reception and Your Personal Favorite), while considering the various iterations of each franchise. See the rules, here:

Then, taking all categories into consideration, you will justify your thoughts as to the winner of each round.

Onward.

Round One

“Star Trek’s” lifetime franchise gross, inclusive of licensed merchandise and grosses unadjusted for inflation, as of December 31, 2018 = $10.5 billion.

At first glance, this contest is a wash. How can one possibly compare a $65 billion-plus franchise, with another that has earned over six times less? Let’s consider the following:

Cultural Influence: Both “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” are among the most culturally influential of all science fiction franchises. After all, what is a cell phone but a “Star Trek” communicator?

When I was a child, my father and I used to watch “Star Trek” together. He once said to me, “One day, we’ll all have computers on our desks, just like Captain Kirk.”

My response: “Sure dad, whatever you say.”

In recent years, both Bill Gates and the late Stephen Hawking came out as big “Star Trek” fans, and credited the series for continued inspiration in their own work. Hawking, in fact, appeared as himself on an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” entitled “Descent.”

Further, the casts of each series in general were models of diversity. The first film historically portrayed one of television’s first interracial kisses, between Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Uhura, in a 1968 episode entitled “Plato’s Stepchildren.” I say “one of,” as of late the matter has come under dispute. “I Spy” featured a scripted interracial kiss between Eurasian France Nuyen and star Robert Culp, and “I Love Lucy” — featuring scenes of the Caucasian Lucy kissing her Hispanic husband Desi Arnaz — came before as well. Still, “Star Trek’s” first kiss between a Caucasian star and African American supporting star stands as a bold, historic statement.

The multiple “Trek” series inspired scientists and science fiction authors to search for the stars, and greatly influenced global space exploration. The Apollo 11 moon landing of July 20, 1969 added to the original program’s popularity, and though “Star Trek” (TOS, as it is commonly referred) lasted only three seasons, fan support continued to swell. In 1976, the first NASA orbiter shuttle, Enterprise, was named after the fabled starship.

NASA has also named several asteroids after elements connected to the series, and continues to partner with new and old “Trek” cast members for documentaries related to the space program. Indeed, Gene Roddenberry’s vision of “Wagon Train to the Stars” has proven prophetic.

Gene Roddenberry and original “Star Trek” cast members at the 1976 dedication ceremony for the Space Shuttle Enterprise.

“Star Wars” on the other hand (there was no “A New Hope” in 1977) revolutionized both blockbuster filmmaking and movie licensing. Like “Trek,” the series has also advanced technologies, such as sound (THX), gaming (Lucas Arts), and special effects (Industrial Light and Magic). Nary a sci-fi or fantasy fan as a youth who was alive back in 1977 will say anything less than the original film inspired their chosen career. Indeed, innumerable artistic careers as well were launched upon our first glimpse of a Star Destroyer.

The moment from 1977’s “Star Wars” that fired imaginations worldwide.

Jediism has become a true religion, and in 2005 the Temple of the Jedi Order was registered in Texas. It was granted IRS tax exemption status in 2015, a status accorded to bonafide churches.

I would like to hear from you which franchise, “Star Trek” or “Star Wars,” has proven to be the most culturally important.

For my vote, based solely on the scientific and technical breakthroughs credited to the series, I would have to declare this contest a win for the “Star Trek” franchise, by a hair.

Winner: “Star Trek”

2. Financial Success: One of two easy categories for this round. $65 billion-plus inclusive of merchandising vs. $10.5 billion inclusive of merchandising.

Winner: “Star Wars”

3. Critical Reception: Both “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” have seen their share of critical darlings and pariahs.

“Star Trek’s” first three series (“Star Trek,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”) were largely praised, though the first two of three seasons of the original series, and the latter seasons of “ST:TNG,” were the more well-received of those entities. “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” the third series, is considered by many to be the most consistent of the lot. “Voyager,” “Enterprise,” and “Discovery” have proven to be considerably more polarizing, as have been the J.J. Abrams films. The first “Star Trek” film based on the original series, “Star Trek: The Motion Picure,” was largely considered a turgid affair, while “Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan” is widely considered a science fiction classic. Other films have met with varying degrees of critical hosannas.

“Star Wars” burst onto the scene in 1977. It was a monster critical and commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing film in history ($322 million, unadjusted for inflation and prior to “Special Edition” releases) until supplanted by “E.T.” five years later. To date, adjusted for inflation, the film is — according to Box Office Mojo — the #2 highest-grossing film of all time (behind “Gone with the Wind”) with a cumulative domestic theatrical gross of $1,609,903,414.

“The Empire Strikes” back is globally renowned as one of the finest movie sequels ever made, and is largely included in lists of the 100 greatest films. “Return of the Jedi” followed and was not as highly praised. However, by the time of the prequels’ release, it was a beloved fan-favorite. Neither the prequel nor the sequel trilogy have attained such status (yet), though the latter has generally received strong reviews from critics.

Winner: Tie

4. Longevity: The second easy category for this round. NBC’s “Star Trek” debuted in the U.S. on September 8, 1966, but actually premiered two days earlier, on September 6, on Canada’s CTV network. As a previously-announced feature film remains currently mired in contract disputes, CBS All-Access (“Star Trek: Discovery” and the upcoming “Star Trek: Picard,” as well as short subjects and animated series in various stages of production) is the franchise’s newest television home.

“Star Wars” was unleashed into the world on May 25, 1977. Like “Star Trek,” this saga shows no signs of abating. We will always hear media quotes from Disney’s Robert Iger or other executives that the films will be “taking a break,” but time will tell in this regard.

Winner: “Star Trek”

5. Your Personal Favorite:

For me, this is a simple pick. “Star Wars” rocked my world. I saw the first film back in 1977, on a tiny screen in a run-down theater in Monticello, New York. When the end credits began and my family left for the lobby, I couldn’t move. My legs were totally numb. This near-religious experience proceeded to trigger something in me that led to a life-long compulsion to collect its licensed material, and also to spawn my career as a writer-producer in earnest.

I am also a huge “Star Trek” fan. I’ve watched all versions of the franchise, have my favorites (the original series, in my case) like anyone … but “Star Wars” holds the definable edge for me.

Winner: “Star Wars”

So there you go. None of this is a perfect science, of course, but please vote for your choice in the aforementioned three categories: Cultural Influence, Critical Reception and Your Personal Favorite.

I will be back soon with our results from Round One.

My Results: A Tie

Let’s break this logjam.

Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for Round Two: “Harry Potter” vs. “The Lord of the Rings.”

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