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DC Comics

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DC Comics is a famous American company that makes comic books.

New Fun - The Big Comic Magazine (no. 1, cover)
New Fun - The Big Comic Magazine (no. 1, cover)

The name DC comes from a series called Detective Comics. Most of these stories happen in a place called the DC Universe. This world is full of many iconic heroes and famous teams. You might know Superman, who is a very enduring superhero.

Joe Shuster
Joe Shuster

Batman is also a very popular character. Wonder Woman is a global symbol of feminine power. Some heroes work together in the Justice League or the Teen Titans. Other groups like the Suicide Squad and the Legion of Super-Heroes are also well-known. Even villains like Lex Luthor and the Joker are famous parts of these stories.

Creating these stories involves many different kinds of characters. Some characters are heroes, while others are supervillains. For example, Darkseid is a significant villain in the cosmic stories. There are also antiheroes like Catwoman, who is a very famous figure.

Bob Kane 1966 photo
Bob Kane 1966 photo

Many stories use fictional cities to feel special. Superman lives in the city of Metropolis. Batman protects the city of Gotham. Characters often use special tools to do their jobs. Batman uses a Batarang and a utility belt. He also drives a car called the Batmobile. These details help make the characters feel real to readers.

The history of DC began in 1935. An entrepreneur named Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson started National Allied Publications. His first book was called New Fun: The Big Comic Magazine. It featured original stories instead of old newspaper strips. This was a new way to make comic books. In 1936, the group became Nicholson Publishing. Later, a new company called Detective Comics, Inc. was formed. This partnership helped the company grow much larger. The company eventually moved its headquarters to Burbank, California, in 2015.

Many important moments happened during the early years. In 1938, Action Comics #1 was published.

Jerry Siegel in Uniform ca1943 cropped
Jerry Siegel in Uniform ca1943 cropped

This book featured the first appearance of Superman. It helped start what people call the "Golden Age" of comics. Superman came from a planet called Krypton. He also met Lois Lane in this issue. In 1939, Batman made his first appearance in Detective Comics #27.

Gardner Fox by Gil Kane
Gardner Fox by Gil Kane

This was a big moment for the company. Batman was a masked vigilante wearing a caped suit. These early books are now very valuable to collectors.

DC Comics is still a huge part of the world today. In 2017, DC and Marvel Comics shared about 70% of the American market. As of 2025, DC is the second largest publisher in comic book shops. In bookstores, they are also the second largest publisher.

Sheldon Mayer self-portrait
Sheldon Mayer self-portrait

They also have special labels like Vertigo and DC Black Label. These allow them to publish different kinds of stories. Whether it is a superhero tale or a different kind of book, DC continues to share stories with people everywhere.

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🖼️ Images & Media (7)
File:New Fun - The Big Comic Magazine (no. 1, cover).jpg
New Fun - The Big Comic Magazine (no. 1,...
File:Maj. Malcolm Wheeler Nicholson LCCN2014713912.jpg
Maj. Malcolm Wheeler Nicholson LCCN2014713912.jpg
File:Jerry Siegel in Uniform ca1943 cropped.jpg
Jerry Siegel in Uniform ca1943 cropped.jpg
File:Joe Shuster.jpg
Joe Shuster.jpg
File:Bob Kane 1966 photo.jpg
Bob Kane 1966 photo.jpg
File:Sheldon Mayer self-portrait.jpg
Sheldon Mayer self-portrait.jpg
File:Gardner Fox by Gil Kane.jpg
Gardner Fox by Gil Kane.jpg
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