DC: Other

DC Comics (originally called Detective Comics, Inc. and later National Comics (1947) and then National Periodical Publications (1961)) is one of the largest American companies in comic book and related media publishing. more...

Today a subsidiary of Time Warner, DC is responsible for such famous characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and their teammates in the Justice League. For decades, DC Comics has been one of the two largest American comic book companies (the other being Marvel Comics). The initials "DC" were originally an abbreviation for Detective Comics, after one of the company's flagship titles, although the company is always referred to by the initials. DC Comics should not be confused with British comic publisher D.C. Thomson.

Originally located in New York City at 432 Fourth Avenue, and later at 480 and 575 Lexington Avenue,and even 909 Third Avenue, DC Comics moved to 75 Rockefeller Plaza (which is still Time Warner corporate headquarters) and then to 666 Fifth Avenue. Relocating at 1325 Avenue of the Americas in 1992, DC took over several floors when it moved to 1700 Broadway in the mid-1990s, and Mad abandoned its 485 Madison Avenue address at that time, relocating under the DC umbrella at 1700 Broadway.

History

The corporation is an amalgamation of several companies. National Allied Publications was founded by Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1934 to publish the first American comic book with solely original material rather than comic strip reprints). Nicholson followed that company with Nicholson Publishing and More Fun Inc. Beseiged by debt he took on Jack Liebowitz as a partner in Detective Comics, Inc. in 1937. The two sold that company to Harry Donenfeld after a year. Wheeler-Nicholson returned to pulp writing, but Jack Liebowitz and Max (Charlie) Gaines formed All-American Publications. The two companies merged in the late 1940s to become National Comics (later National Periodical Publications). Max Gaines was bought out and used his profits to start another comic company, Educational Comics, Inc. Although National Comics was the name of the company, "Superman-DC" was the brand and trademark used on all covers. The company became National Periodical Publications in 1961 when it became publically traded on the stock market.

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