DC Comics

DC Comics, originally National Allied Publications, was founded in 1934 by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, a former U.S. Army cavalry officer. The company's first publication, New Fun: The Big Comic Magazine #1 (1935), is recognized as the first comic book with entirely original content. The name DC Comics derives from the enormously popular title Detective Comics, launched in 1937, which introduced Batman in issue #27 (1939). The company formally adopted the name DC Comics in 1977. The Golden Age of Comics is widely considered to have begun with Action Comics #1 (1938), which debuted Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

DC publishes a full line of monthly comic books, graphic novels, and digital content under several imprints. The main DC Universe line features core superheroes such as Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. DC Black Label offers mature-reader standalone stories, while DC Zoom and DC Ink target young adult and middle-grade audiences. The company also owns Mad Magazine, a satirical humor publication acquired in 1964. Beyond print, DC licenses its characters for film and television through Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Studios, video games such as the Batman: Arkham series, and consumer products including toys and apparel. The DC Universe Infinite subscription service provides same-day digital releases of new comics.

DC Comics is one of the Big Two comic book publishers in the United States, alongside Marvel Comics. While Marvel has held a larger market share in the direct market for much of the 21st century (often around 40-45% to DC's 30-35%), DC remains a culturally significant brand with a deep legacy. The company has faced controversies over creator rights, particularly the treatment of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (Superman) and Bob Kane (Batman), which led to decades of legal battles. The 2011 New 52 reboot was controversial among fans for erasing decades of continuity. In 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery appointed James Gunn and Peter Safran as co-CEOs of DC Studios, unifying film, TV, and animation under a single creative vision. A 2024 publishing initiative called DC All In introduced a new Absolute Universe imprint with reimagined origin stories for key heroes.[edit]