Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... DC Comics is an American comic book company (with related media publishing businesses). ... Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...

1930s

1935-In February of 1935, Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson founded National Allied Publishing. Starting off with titles like "New Fun" which was changed to "More Fun" and "New Comics" which became "New Adventure Comics" which became "Adventure comics", Wheeler-Nicholson's company soon acquired debts, and by 1938, he was out of the business. the main reason National Allied Publishing wasn't destroyed by debt is that the businessmen Harry Donefeld and Jack Liebowitz entered a partnership with Wheeler-Nicholson, and later,when Wheeler-Nicholson quit, took control of the company.Donefeld and Liebowitz were also responsible for the introduction of "Spicy Detective Stories","Detective Comics" from which the name DC comes, and later, Superman. Face The 1930s (years from 1930–1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ... Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, a pulp magazine writer and entrepreneur, pioneered the American comic book, publishing the first such periodical consisting of all-original material rather than reprints of newspaper comic strips. ... More Fun is a webcomic created by Shaenon Garrity, Robert T. Stevenson and Roger Langridge. ... Superman is a fictional character and comic book superhero , originally created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian artist Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics. ...

1935-By New Fun 5 Jacquet has left the company and Wheeler-Nicholson is listed as editor. New Fun 6 contains Siegel and Shuster's first work: Henri Duvall & Dr. Occult.

1935-Nicholson expands, adding New Comics. begins, This book is done in the new, smaller Famous Funnies size (7 1/2 X 10 1/2), which was becoming the standard for all comic books. The early issues (1-5) were 80 pages long, but still sold for $.10 due to the smaller size. Still no glossy cover stock. Issues 1-4 feature Mr. Weed and J Worthington Blimp by Sheldon Mayer before he leaves because he doesn't get paid. Edited by William Cook and John Mahon; Vin Sullivan Asst ed. Although some stories are up to 4 pages long, the first issue still features 23 separate strips. 1936- Sheldon Mayer goes to work for Charlie Gaines, packaging comic booksfor the McClure Syndicate. Sheldon Mayer was an American comic book writer. ...

1936- New Fun becomes More Fun Comics with #7 and acquires a new publisher, More Fun Inc. (actually still Nicholson). 7-8 are still tab sized- but shorter, 10X12 (almost square) 44 pages, paper covers) .

1936-New Comics #2- Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster start Federal Men. Jerome Jerry Siegel a. ... Joseph Joe Shuster (July 10, 1914 - July 30, 1992) was a Canadian-born comic book artist best known for co-creating the DC Comics character Superman, with writer Jerry Siegel, first published in Action Comics #1 (March 1938). ...

1936-More Fun #8 Cook and Mahon have left the company and Wheeler-Nicholson is listed as editor, with Vin Sullivan and Whitney Ellsworth as assistants. Vincent Vin Sullivan (died on February 3, 1999) is an early comic book editor, artist, and publisher. ...

1936-Gaines packages Popular Comics for Dell. Sheldon Mayer is his editor. Popular Comics was followed by The Funnies and The Comics. Newspaper reprints included Skippy, Mutt and Jeff, Believe It or Not, Reg'lar Fellers and others.

1936-New Comics #6 is 68 pages, now published by Nicholson Publishing Co.

1936-Siegel and Shuster's Calling All Cars, later known as Radio Squad, begins a long run More Fun 11.

1936-Sheldon Mayer's Scribbly debuts in Popular Comics #6 from Dell.

1936-More Fun Comics 12 and New Comics 7 are the first Wheeler-Nicholson publications to feature glossy paper covers.

1937- New Comics renamed New Adventure Comics (#12) Mar Nicholson's printer Harry Donenfeld finances a new title for him. Detective Comics is published by Detective Comics Inc. co-owned by Wheeler-Nicholson and Donenfeld's business manager, Jack Liebowitz, and edited by Nicholson, Vin Sullivan and Whitney Ellsworth. Siegel and Shuster have two features in the book, Slam Bradley and Bart Regan, Spy. They are joined by Speed Saunders and Cosmo, Phantom of Disguise. Cover of Detective Comics #27 (May 1939). ...

1937- New Comics renamed New Adventure Comics (#12) Mar Nicholson's printer Harry Donenfeld finances a new title for him. Detective Comics is published by Detective Comics Inc. co-owned by Wheeler-Nicholson and Donenfeld's business manager, Jack Liebowitz, and edited by Nicholson, Vin Sullivan and Whitney Ellsworth. Siegel and Shuster have two features in the book, Slam Bradley and Bart Regan, Spy. They are joined by Speed Saunders and Cosmo, Phantom of Disguise.

1937-Independent News, Harry Donenfeld and Paul Sampliner's upstart distribution company, takes over Wheeler-Nicholson's distribution from McCall's (SM), beginning with Detective Comics 2, and New Adventure 15. More Fun Comics follows with #21 in June.

1937-they bought out Wheeler-Nicholson and launched Detective Comics,which was the first successful comic book with original stories around a single theme and the one which gave the company the name by which it has been known ever since.

1937- Wheeler-Nicholson puts together a black and white "ashcan" proposal for Action Comics, using interiors from Detective Comics #1. Wheeler-Nicholson reject Superman.

1938-Wheeler-Nicholson puts together a second ashcan, Action Funnies. New Adventure 25 and 26 and More Fun 30 and 31 are published by A. I. Menin as bankruptcy trustee.

1938- New Adventure 25 and 26 and More Fun 30 and 31 are published by A. I. Menin as bankruptcy trustee. Whitney Ellsworth leaves to pursue new opportunities in Hollywood (like actually getting paid).

1938-Detective Comics, Inc. moves from 432 Fourth Avenue to 480 Lexington Avenue, as Wheeler-Nicholson's name disappears from the masthead. Vin Sullivan is now sole editor. Bob Kane's Rusty and His Pals debuts in New Adventure. His Ginger Snap debuts in More Fun 31.

1938-Detective Comics, Inc. moves from 432 Fourth Avenue to 480 Lexington Avenue, as Wheeler-Nicholson's name disappears from the masthead. Vin Sullivan is now sole editor. Bob Kane's Rusty and His Pals debuts in New Adventure. His Ginger Snap debuts in More Fun 31.

1938-Jack Liebowitz acquires More Fun (32) and New Adventure Comics (27) for Detective Comics, Inc. at a bankruptcy auction.

1938-Sheldon Mayer and Charlie Gaines bring Superman to Vin Sullivan as a new feature for Action Comics. All four titles are now published by Detective Comics Inc. Donenfeld eventually buys out Wheeler-NIcholson's share of the company in return for ten year's royalties on the sales of More Fun. Cover of Action Comics #1, which featured the debut of Superman. ...

1938-Detective Comics 23's Statement of Ownership, dated Sept 1938 states that Harry Donenfeld is now sole owner of Detective Comics Inc.

1938-New Adventure Comics renamed Adventure Comics (#32)

1939-Superman newspaper strip begins. First complete origin of Superman showing Jor-El and Lara. Jor-El is a fictional character that appears in the Superman comics published by DC Comics. ... Lara may refer to: English meaning Famous Places: Lara State, a Venezuelan state. ...

1939- Charlie Gaines goes into partnership with Jack Liebowitz to produce new comic book titles. All-American Comics and Movie Comics begin, edited by Sheldon Mayer. All-American is mostly strip reprints, but does feature Mayer's Scribbly and Jon Blummer's Hop Harrigan. Many of the strips were formerly featured in The Funnies and other Dell titles that Gaines and Mayer had produced, including Ben Webster, Reg'lar Fellers, Believe It or Not, Skippy and Mutt and Jeff.

1939- Bob Kane is asked to create a new super-hero to capitalize on success of Superman. With help of Bill Finger he comes up with Batman who first appears in Detective Comics # 27. Bob Kane (born Robert Kahn, October 24, 1915 – November 3, 1998) was an American comic book artist and writer credited as the creator of Batman. ... Bill Finger (February 8, 1914–January 18, 1974) was an American writer best remembered (though not officially credited) as the co-creator of the character Batman with Bob Kane as well as the co-architect of the series development. ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ...

1939-Fox Comics publishes the only adventure of Wonder Man in Wonder Comics #1. Donenfeld and Liebowitz immediately secure an injunction preventing Fox from using Wonderman again as an infringement on Detective Comics' Superman. Fox Feature Syndicate (a. ... Wonder Man is a fictional character, a superhero and a long-time member of the Avengers that appears in the Marvel Universe. ...

1939-Bert Christman's Sandman begins in Adventure 40. and The Crimson Avenger's first run ends in Detective 29.

1939-The Black Bat appears in Black Book Detective, a pulp magazine published by Standard and edited by Mort Weisinger. Whitney Ellsworth is one of the early ghosts who signs to the name G. Wayman Jones. The Black Bat is a caped and cowled avenger of the night. After fevered negotiations between Ellsworth and Sullivan, the two companies agree not to sue each other. The Black Bat was the name of two characters featured in different pulp magazine series in the 1930s. ...

1939-Sum Gaines decides to put out a Mutt and Jeff collection. Purportedly Mutt and Jeff becomes his best selling title. Superman one shot album published, reprinting the first four Action stories. It goes back to press twice and sells so well a regular book is scheduled. More Fun Comics 51 Statement of Ownership lists Harry Donenfeld and Paul Sampliner as owners of Detective Comics, Inc, as of September 1939. Superman Sunday strip added. First appearance of the Daily Planet. The Daily Planet is a fictional broadsheet newspaper that appears in Superman stories published by DC Comics. ...

1939-Bill Finger writes a two page origin of Batman which is pasted on to the beginning of Gardner Fox's story in Detective 33. Gardner Francis Fox (May 20, 1911, Brooklyn, New York – December 24, 1986) was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. ...

1940s

1941-Between 1941 and 1943, Paramount Pictures released a series of animated Technicolor cartoons based upon the comic book character Superman. The first nine cartoons were produced by Fleischer Studios; in 1942, Fleischer Studios was dissolved and reorganized as Famous Studios, which produced the final eight shorts. These cartoons are seen as some of the finest, and certainly the most lavishly budgeted, animated cartoons produced during The Golden Age of American anima. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and distribution company, based in Hollywood, California. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... Fleischer Studios, Inc. ...

1941-Detective Comics,Inc.(DC Comics) sends Fawcett Comics a cease and desist letter over Captain Marvel. Whiz Comics #2, the first appearance of Captain Marvel, the companys most popular character. ... Captain Marvel may refer to: Captain Marvel (DC Comics), a young boy who transforms into a superhero by saying the word Shazam!; originally published by Fawcett Comics and currently published by DC Comics. ...

1941-DC Comics sues Fawcett for Copyright infringement. DC claims Captian Marvel is Copyright of Superman.Fawcett won and DC lost.this is first case of DC Comics vs Fawcett Publications.

1946-in Sept 30,All-American Comics and Detective merged into National Comics. All-American Comics was the flagship title for its publisher, also called All-American Comics. ... The current DC Comics logo, adopted in May 2005. ...

1948-2nd Case of DC Comics vs Fawcett Publication.

1948-William Woolfolk becomes the only person to write Superman and Captain Marvel simultaneously,(Superman 55) by submitting Superman scripts under his wife's name (Dorothy Roubichek Woolfolk).

1949-DC bullet changed to say "Superman-DC-National Comics" rather than "A Superman-DC Publication"

1950s

1950-Trial judge issues decision in Captain Marvel vs. Superman- actual copying occurred but Superman's copyright is defective due to improper notices on the Superman newspaper strip leading to the copyright being "abandoned". The decision was reversed on appeal a year later. This does not cite any references or sources. ...

1951-this is 3rd case of DC vs Fawcett.

1952- The Superman TV series The Adventures of Superman was broadcast in first-run from the fall of 1952 through the spring of 1958, a total of 104 episodes.

1953-the Comic Book Industry was in the middle of a great crisis, which brought to an abrupt end Golden age of the Comic Books, Fawcett decided to quit the fight. Fawcett make decision to stop one of the most successful and great contrive of the Comics Iconography for 400,000, that DC paid, but not only for Captain Marvel, but some other characters.

1958-The Adventures of Superman TV series canceled. The cast of The Adventures of Superman from 1953 to 1957. ...

1959-Otto Binder created Supergirl for DC Comics. Otto Oscar Binder (August 26, 1911 - October 14, 1974) was an American science fiction and non-fiction UFO author and comic book writer. ... For other uses, see Supergirl (disambiguation). ...

1960s

1961-National Comics becomes National Periodical Publications,a publicly traded corporation. The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ...

1966-Batman was the title of an exceptionally popular 1960s TV series based on the comic-book character Batman that aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) for 2 1/2 seasons from 12 January, 1966 to 14 March, 1968.

1966-Go-Go checks begin.A checkerboard stripe is added to top of all DC books to make them more readily identifiable on the newsstand.

1966-Jerry Siegel(Superman) quits,in anticipation of renewing his awsuit against National.

1967-DC was acquired by Kinney National Services. The following year Warner Bros. Studios was acquired as well. During the 1970's, DC tried to keep it's comic books relevant to current events. Topics covered included racism, feminism, pollution, and drug addiction. These were some of the first comic books in which the superheros seriously began questioning themselves and their motives. The horror and pulp comics were also reintroduced.

1969-Dick Giordano was hired by DC's then-publisher Carmine Infantino. While none of his titles (such as Bat Lash and Deadman) was a commercial hit, they were disapproving successes, but by the early 1970s Giordano had left DC, helping to set up Adams' Continuity Studios (which produced comics and commercial art).

1970s

1971-DC Comics revive Captain Marvel back in print again. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979. ...

1972-Fawcett licensed the characters to DC Comics. DC began planning a revival. Because Marvel Comics had by this time established its own claim to the use of Captain Marvel as a comic book title, DC published their book under the name Shazam.

1973-Super Friends is an animated series about a team of superheroes which ran from 1973 to 1985. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera and is based on the Justice League and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics. The title card for the first Super Friends series. ...

1974-"make a way for Captain Thunder" in Superman #276 a homage to Captain Marvel. originally,this is suppose to be first meeting of Superman and Captain Marvel crossover. Captain Marvel, as a comic book character name, refers to one of several fictional characters, listed here in chronological order: Captain Marvel (DC Comics) is a superhero created by C.C. Beck and Bill Parker; a young boy named Billy Batson who transforms into a man empowered with attributes of...

1974-A live action TV Shazam! on Sept 7 Satursday Morning. Michael Gray as Billy Batson,Les Tremayne as Mentor and Jackson Bostwick as Captain Marvel. Michael Gray (born August 3, 1974 in Sunderland, England), sometimes known as Micky Gray, is an English football player who plays for Blackburn Rovers as a full-back. ... Jackson Bostwick is an actor best known for playing Captain Marvel in the first season of the Shazam! TV series of the mid-1970s. ...

1974-Shazam # 15 A 100 pages. Lex Luthor Teams up with Mr. Mind to battle Captain Marvel. Superman cameo. Lex Luthor is a fictional DC Comics supervillain. ... Prominent members of the Monster Society Of Evil. ...

1976-Isis first app on TV Series for Satursday Morning. A Shazam/Isis hour. also in Shazam # 25 and Isis #1-8. Isis is a goddess in Egyptian mythology. ...

1976-When Jenette Kahn became DC's publisher in late 1976, she commissioned graphic designer Milton Glaser to design a new logo. Popularly referred to as the "DC bullet", the logo first appeared on the February 1977 DC titles. Although it varied in size and color and was at times cropped by the edges of the cover,or briefly rotated 45 degrees,it remained essentially unchanged for nearly three decades. Jenette Kahn is an American comic book editor and executive. ...

1976-The company was secure by Warner Communications (now Time Warner) in 1976. Warner Communications, formerly Kinney National Company, was the parent company for Warner Bros. ...

1976-Crisis on Earth-S Justice League of America # 135-137. JLA,JSA and Fawcett Heroes Battle against King Kull and Villains from Earths-1,2 and S. The first meeting of Captain Marvel and Superman! The Justice League is a DC Comics superhero team. ...

1977-Shazam!/Isis hour TV series canceled.

1978-Shazam! # 34 new look. this issue introduces a new art style in an attempt to raise sales. Penciller: Alan Weiss and inker: Joe Rubinstein. Shazam!#35 last issue

1978-Superman vs Captain Marvel: when Earths Collide. All-new collectors' Edition# C-58. Supergirl and Mary Marvel guest stars.

1979-Reeve's first role after Superman was as Richard Collier in the 1980 romantic fantasy, Somewhere in Time. Jane Seymour played Elise McKenna, his love interest. The film was shot on Mackinac Island in May 1979 and was one of Reeve's favorite films to shoot. Early reviews and screenings were favorable. However, the film did not do well at the box office. It was Reeve's first public disappointment and he immediately returned to London to shoot Superman II.

1980s

1980-Jerry Ordway first break in comics, when he inkted a Carmine Infantino-penciled story 'Mystery in Space', Ordway has grown quickly into modern comics . This article cites very few or no references or sources. ...

1980-In the early 1980s, the new management of publisher Jenette Kahn, vice-president Paul Levitz,and managing editor Dick Giordano decided to offer more pavement financial rewards to their capability and forte,such as royalties to support and inspire long term entrust and pledge to the company.

1981-Roy Thomas moved to DC after a dispute with Marvel's new editor-in-chief Jim Shooter. Here he created several titles, but his most significant work was a revival of the Justice Society of America. Roy Thomas (born November 22, 1940, Missouri, United States) is a comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lees first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. ... Cover image of Harbinger #1 from Valiant Comics Jim Shooter (born September 27, 1951 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American writer, occasional fill-in artist, editor, and publisher for various comic books. ... The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. ...

1985-Jerry Ordway inked George Perez's pencils on the Crisis on Infinite Earths minseries in 1985. As a writer he has worked on Adventures of Superman, Avengers and the Shazam monthly comic.

1985-DC Comics' 50th anniversary. The DC Universe is change forever as Earths-1,2,4,S and X is merged into one. Crisis on infinite Earths and tie in crossover

1990s

1991-Waid left editorial work for freelance writing assignments. His first work was for DC's short-lived Impact Comics line where he wrote The Comet and co-wrote Legend of the Shield. For the band, see 1990s (band). ...

1991-Waid left editorial work for freelance writing assignments. His first work was for DC's short-lived Impact Comics line where he wrote The Comet and co-wrote Legend of the Shield.

1994-DC plans Zero Hour mini series and crossover. recreated new DC universe.

1994-Jerry Ordway write and draw the Power ofShazam! Hardcover # 1 new Captain Marvel.

1996-Alex Ross teamed-up with writer Mark Waid for the DC Comics mini-series Kingdom Come, which tells of a future DC universe, in which Superman and several other classic superheroes return from retirement to tame a generation of brutal anti-heroes.

2000s

2000-Joshua Middleton started his career in 2000 as penciler for CrossGen's Meridian, but was fired from the title, to be replaced by Steve McNiven, after the first six issues, when he inform company interior information, rough comments and personal insults about CrossGen president Mark Alessi on the Wizard World message board under the alias bigdad. The 2000s are the current decade, spanning from 2000 to 2009. ...

2004-In December, Waid teamed again with Barry Kitson and returned to writing Legion of Super-Heroes for DC, a book he has both edited and written at different times in the past. The Legion of Super-Heroes is a DC Comics superhero team. ...

2004-DC compiled the coffee table book Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross, written and designed by Chip Kidd.

2005-On May 8, 2005, a new logo was unveiled, debuting on DC titles starting in June 2005. In addition to comics, it was designed for DC properties in other media, such as Batman Begins, Smallville, Justice League Unlimited, collectibles, and other merchandise. The logo, which some have dubbed the "DC spin", was designed by Josh Beatman of Brainchild Studios. Batman Begins is a 2005 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman. ... Smallville is a fictional town in the United States which Superboy protects and where most of his crime-fighting adventures take place. ... Justice League Unlimited (or JLU) is the name of an American animated television series that was produced by and aired on Cartoon Network. ...

See also

• DC Comics