DC Comics history

The character Doctor Occult, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in December 1935 within the issue No.

You may be wondering, "what does DC stand for in DC Comics?" or "Where did the name come from?" Well, in 1936, National Allied Publications was ready to release its third series, Detective Comics.

But cash flow issues caused the first publication of the crime anthology to be delayed until March 1937.

In June of 1938, Action Comics #1 was released, featuring a new type of comic book character archetype, the superhero.

Since the day they opened their doors in 1939, they have continued to produce content that has shaped the nation and the lives of readers for nearly a century now.

By 1940, the distinctive DC circular logo (for Detective Comics) was appearing on NAP and All American comics.

United States Nov, 1941 DC titles introduced an updated logoUnited States Nov, 1941 The November 1941 DC titles introduced an updated logo.

1 in January 1942 and Wonder Woman no.

Batman became McClure-syndicated in 1943.

In 1946, National Allied Publications merged with Detective Comics, Inc., forming National Comics Publications.

United States Nov, 1949 The logo was modified to incorporate the company's formal name National Comics PublicationsUnited States Nov, 1949 In November 1949, the logo was modified to incorporate the company's formal name, National Comics Publications.

George Reeves played Superman in the superhero's first feature film, Superman and the Mole Men (1951), serving as the pilot for the television series Adventures of Superman (1951-57).

Fawcett Publications, Inc.). Faced with declining sales and the prospect of bankruptcy if it lost, Fawcett capitulated in 1953 and ceased publishing comics.

In his polemic against the industry, Seduction of the Innocent (1954), Wertham charged that comics morally corrupt their impressionable young readers, impeaching Batman and Robin in particular for supposedly flaunting a gay lifestyle.

4 (October 1956) proved sufficiently popular that it soon led to a similar revamping of the Green Lantern character, the introduction of the modern all-star team Justice League of America (JLA), and many more superheroes, heralding what historians and fans call the Silver Age of Comic Books.

In 1958, Lois Lane got her own title--Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane&mdash did The Challengers of the Unknown (April-May). Two years later The Justice League of America debuted.

When the relaunched heroes came around heralding the Silver Age of comics, the Justice League was created in 1960 featuring the greatest of heroes that the company had to offer.

In 1961, Kirby and Stan Lee released The Fantastic Four; Donenfeld died; his son Irwin replaced him; and NCP changed its name to National Periodical Publications (NPP).

This character was created many years before but was brought back and updated to be placed in more popular times. It was during 1965 when the industry introduced a new super hero by the name of Flash.

The 1966 Batman TV show re-popularized superheroes.

In 1967, Batman artist Infantino (who had designed popular Silver Age characters Batgirl and the Phantom Stranger) rose from art director to become DC's editorial director.

NPP and Warner Bros. were purchased in 1968 by Kinney National Services.

In 1970 Jack Kirby—creator of Marvel’s Captain America, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Thor, Hulk, and Ironman—created new concepts, super villains, and universe expansions.

96 (May 1971), and after the Code's updating in response, DC offered a drug-fueled storyline in writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams' Green Lantern, beginning with the story "Snowbirds Don't Fly" in the retitled Green Lantern / Green Arrow No.

United States Jul, 1972 DC titles featured a new circular logoUnited States Jul, 1972 The July 1972 DC titles featured a new circular logo.

United States Dec, 1973 The Line of DC Super-StarsUnited States Dec, 1973 In December 1973, this logo was modified with the addition of the words "The Line of DC Super-Stars" and the star motif that would continue in later logos.

Jenette Kahn, a former children's magazine publisher, replaced Infantino as editorial director in January 1976.

In 1977, the company officially changed its name to DC Comics.

United States Jun, 1978 Raising the price from 35 cents to 50 centsUnited States Jun, 1978 In June 1978, five months before the release of the first Superman movie, Kahn expanded the line further, increasing the number of titles and story pages, and raising the price from 35 cents to 50 cents.

United States Nov, 1980 The New Teen TitansUnited States Nov, 1980 In November 1980 DC launched the ongoing series The New Teen Titans, by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, two popular talents with a history of success.Continue in Storyteller

Notably, New Comics #1 would run for a very long time, and prove to be a major part of the history of DC Comics. It would soon evolve into Adventure Comics, which continued for almost 50 years with its last issue being published in 1983 as issue #503.

However, with releases coming soon such as Aquaman, Shazam!, and Wonder Woman 1984, audiences are anticipating success in “The Worlds of DC”.

In 1985, DC cleaned house, consolidating all of its universes (including those acquired from Fawcett, Charleton, and Quality), but some heroes--Supergirl, Silver Age Flash, and Nighthawk--paid the ultimate price.

But the world of DC and comics changed forever with the release of Frank Miller’s iconic Dark Knight Returns in 1986.

In 1988, Superboy appeared in a live-action TV series (1988-91); Jason Todd as Robin died, being replaced by Tim Drake.

In March 1989, Warner Communications merged with Time Inc., making DC Comics a subsidiary of Time Warner.

During the 1990’s there soon became a lot of disinterest in comic books as their popularity began to decline.

The Flash starred in a TV series (1991), but DC was hard-pressed to catch industry leaders Marvel and Malibu.

The visually striking Batman: The Animated Series (1992–95) featured superb writing by Paul Dini and won an Emmy for outstanding animated program.

Far more enduring was DC’s Vertigo imprint, which began in 1993 as a home for mature-themed horror titles such as Hellblazer, Swamp Thing, and Neil Gaiman’s Sandman.

A second housecleaning came in 1994, with Hal Jordan's Green Lantern becoming the victim.

Batman Forever was the top-grossing film of 1995, and DC comics appeared in Waldenbooks.

In 1996, Superman joined Snuggle Bear, WB, Kids WB Network, and Six Flags' Magic Mountain in Best Western promotions.

Batman and Robin debuted in 1997.

In 1998, DC purchased WildStorm Comics, Jim Lee's imprint under the Image Comics banner, continuing it for many years as a wholly separate imprint – and fictional universe – with its own style and audience.

United States Mar, 2003 ElfquestUnited States Mar, 2003 In March 2003 DC acquired publishing and merchandising rights to the long-running fantasy series Elfquest, previously self-published by creators Wendy and Richard Pini under their WaRP Graphics publication banner.

On May 8, 2005, a new logo (dubbed the "DC spin") was unveiled, debuting on DC titles in June 2005 with DC Special: The Return of Donna Troy #1 and the rest of the titles the following week.

In 2006, CMX took over from Dark Horse Comics publication of the webcomic Megatokyo in print form.

DC licensed characters from the Archie Comics imprint Red Circle Comics by 2007.

In 2008 a Batman Begins sequel was released called The Dark Knight which wowed everybody and remains to this day as one of the highest ranking films.

It proved to be so popular that in 2009 DC decided to rejuvenate the series with a new line of Adventure Comics with its own original numbering.

The other units, animation, movie, TV and portfolio planning, had preceded DC Comics by moving there in 2010.

In 2011, DC comics relaunched all of their titles following the Flashpoint storyline by writer and DC president Geoff Johns.

In March 2012, DC unveiled a new logo consisting of the letter "D" flipping back to reveal the letter "C" and "DC ENTERTAINMENT". The Dark Knight Rises was the first film to use the new logo, while the TV series Arrow was the first series to feature the new logo.

On June 4, 2013, DC unveiled two new digital comic innovations to enhance interactivity: DC and DC Multiverse.

The Dark Knight film trilogy wrapped up, and DC’s cinematic focus was shifted to a shared universe like the MCU. Man of Steel was released in 2014, followed up by Batman v.

Perhaps the most obvious outward sign of this shift came in 2015, when DC closed its longtime New York City offices and relocated its headquarters to the Warner Brothers complex in Burbank, California.

The new logo was first used on May 25, 2016, in conjunction with the release of DC Universe: Rebirth Special #1 by Geoff Johns.

In 2017, DC released Wonder Woman which was the first female led superhero movie created.

In 2018 DC launched its Black Label imprint to serve as an umbrella for its adult-themed titles, and Vertigo was shuttered the following year.

Damon Lindelof’s stand-alone HBO miniseries Watchmen (2019) was a critical smash, and it won nearly a dozen Emmy Awards.

On February 21, 2020, the Co-Publisher of DC Comics, Dan DiDio stepped down after 10 years at that position.