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Publisher: DC
Years in Operation: 1935 - ?
Disclose Detail
Country: Flag United States Web Site: http://www.dccomics.com/ Brands: 96 Indicia Publishers: 51 Series: 8478 Printings: 76507 (52694 Issues) Disclose Notes: The company commonly referred to as "DC" has a somewhat complex beginning. Its earliest predecessor was founded by Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson as National Allied Publications, Inc. Eventually, circumstances led Wheeler-Nicholson to form a partnership with printer Harry Donenfeld and eventually accountant Jack Liebowitz to produce his third title, Detective Comics. This partnership was Detective Comics, Inc. and was the first direct corporate predecessor of today's DC.

By 1938 mounting debts forced Wheeler-Nicholson to sell his share of Detective Comics, Inc. and then to declare bankruptcy, losing control of his own Nicholson Publishing Co., Inc., the final direct successor to National Allied. Donenfeld, Liebowitz and Donenfeld's silent partner Paul Sampliner promptly bought Nicholson Publishing's two titles at bankruptcy auction and transferred them over to Detective Comics, Inc.

Later, Max Charles Gaines would partner with Liebowitz to start up All-American Comics, sharing distribution and staff with Donenfeld's operation. Except for issues cover-dated 1945, All-American books would share the same logos and branding as Detective Comics, Inc. and its corporate siblings. For 1945, All-American behaved more as a separate publisher. Also during that year, Gaines published his first title using Educational Comics, Inc. as the publishing company with an "EC" logo. By the end of the year Gaines sold his share of All-American back to Liebowitz and Donenfeld and went on to build EC into a separate company.

Eventually, Donenfeld and Liebowitz consolidated all of their companies, including those from All-American, into National Comics Publications, Inc. Prior to that consolidation the companies group as follows:

Owned solely by Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson:
* National Allied Publications, Inc. (1935)
* National Allied Newspaper Syndicate, Inc. (1935 - 1936)
* More Fun Magazine, Inc. (1936)
* Nicholson Publishing Co., Inc. (1936 - 1938)

A few issues were published by "A.I. Menin, rec. Nicholson Publishing Co., Inc." during the bankruptcy proceedings in 1938.

Owned by Donenfeld, Liebowitz and/or Sampliner (Detective Comics, Inc. was initially co-owned by Wheeler-Nicholson and Liebowitz but the former was forced out in 1938):
* Detective Comics, Inc. (1937 - 1947)
* Superman, Inc. (1940 - 1947)
* World's Best Comic Company (1941 - 1947)
* Tilsam Publications (1943 - 1948)

All-American companies under M. C. Gaines and Jack Liebowitz:
* All-American Comics, Inc. (1939 - 1946)
* Jolaine Publications, Inc. (1941 - 1946)
* J. R. Publishing Co. (1941 - 1947)
* Gainlee Publishing Co. (1942 - 1946)
* Wonder Woman Publishing Co., Inc. (1942 - 1947)
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Brand Name View Brand Images Years in Operation Printings (Issues)
2000AD; DC ComicsView Brand Images 2004 - 2005 19
A Cliffhanger Picture MagazineView Brand Images 2003 - 2004 6
A DC PublicationDiscloseView Brand Images2
Note: The first DC brand. Followed by "A Superman DC Publication". It continued being used for "Picture Stories from the Bible" after the main titles had switched away.
1940 - 1944 160 (153)
A DC TV ComicView Brand Images 1976 - 1981 80 (75)
A DC TV Comic; WhitmanView Brand Images 1979 - 1980 2 (0)
A Superman DC PublicationDiscloseView Brand Images2
Note: Previously "A DC Publication" and followed by "Superman DC National Comics".
1941 - 1949 1325 (1320)
America's Best ComicsDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: This brand was planned before Wildstorm's sale to DC, but was only used under DC.
1999 - ? 212 (208)
An All-American PublicationDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Merged into "A Superman DC Publication".
1945 - 49
Bilal Library; Humanoids; DC ComicsView Brand Images 2004 - 2005 5
Cliffhanger!View Brand Images 1999 - 2004 107 (93)
CMXView Brand Images 2004 - 2010 396 (395)
CN Cartoon Network; DC ? - 0
Comico; DCView Brand Images 1993 - 2
Dark Horse Comics [chess piece]; DC [bullet]View Brand Images 1999 - 1999 2
DC [block]View Brand Images 1970 - 1974 51
DC [bullet]DiscloseView Brand Images2
Note: Commonly called the DC bullet. Designed by Milton Glaser. Replaced by the DC Swirl. It was briefly revived in 2011 for the DC Retroactive 1980s and 1990s titles.
1977 - 2011 13987 (12021)
DC [character]DiscloseView Brand Images
Note: For a few years in the early seventies each DC title bore a symbol in which the only constant was the letters DC, usually followed by the title of the book and positioned under or over a picture of the main character.
1970 - 1974 522
DC [circle]DiscloseView Brand Images
Note: The letters DC inside a circle, usually bold. Preceded the similar brand which added the text "The Line of DC Super Stars".
1972 - 1975 535 (534)
DC [peel]View Brand Images2 2012 - ? 2676 (1792)
DC [swirl]DiscloseView Brand Images2
Note: Replaced the DC "bullet". Followed by the DC "peel"
2005 - 2012 4643 (3638)
DC All StarDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Used on two series: All Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder and All Star Superman. All Star Wonder Woman was thought to be in the works.
2005 - 2008 43 (24)
DC and Marvel Present 1975 - 1999 1
DC Archive EditionsView Brand Images 1989 - ? 151 (148)
DC Blue Ribbon DigestView Brand Images2 1979 - 1985 177 (102)
DC Comics ? - 65
DC Comics Millennium EditionDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Brand logo appears as a gold foil seal on the covers of this series of DC reprint comics.
2000 - 2001 62
DC Comics PublicationsDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Used in May 1999 issues of Adventure Comics, All-American Comics, All Star Comics, National Comics, Sensation Comics, Smash Comics, Star Spangled Comics and Thrilling Comics. Used in 2000 for DC 2000 #1-2 limited series.
1999 - 2000 13 (12)
DC Comics Pulp HeroesView Brand Images 1997 - 14
DC Comics The Will Eisner LibraryView Brand Images 2000 - 2002 1
DC Comicsâ„¢View Brand Images 2012 - ? 0
DC Entertainmentâ„¢View Brand Images 2012 - ? 0
DC First WaveDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Short lived brand of pulp influenced comics.
2010 - 2011 14
DC National ComicsDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Mutt & Jeff #56-74 used a DC National Comics logo. The top half of the logo where Superman would be is blank.
1952 - 1954 19
DC Silver EditionView Brand Images 1992 - 1993 5
DC; DC ComicsDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: dc comics logo/DC logo. Both logos are used on #1,000,000 issues of November 1998 and Booster Gold #1,000,000 (September 2008). DC One Million 80-Page Giant #1,000,000 (August 1999) was the only #1,000,000 tie-in that didn't use this brand (it used just the DC logo).
1998 - 2008 17 (16)
DC; Homage ComicsView Brand Images 1999 - ? 1
DC; Teshkeel ComicsView Brand Images 2010 - 2011 6
DC; TSRView Brand Images 1988 - 1991 133 (122)
DCFocus; DC [bullet]View Brand Images 2004 - 2005 32
Elseworlds; DC [bullet]View Brand Images 1991 - 2006 194 (192)
Elseworlds; DC [bullet]; Marvel ComicsView Brand Images 1996 - 2011 1
Elseworlds; DC [swirl]View Brand Images 2005 - 2011 5
Factoid Books; [Paradox Press]View Brand Images 1996 - 1998 17
Hampshire Dist. Ltd.DiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Used for the Jack Kirby magazines.
1971 - 2
Helix; DC ComicsView Brand Images 1996 - 1998 92
Homage ComicsView Brand Images 1999 - 2004 42
Humanoids Publishing Comics 2004 - 2005 3
Humanoids; DC ComicsView Brand Images 2004 - 2005 31
!mpact ComicsDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Used for the MLJ superheroes that DC licensed from Archie.
1991 - 1993 116 (113)
Johnny DCDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: The brand continued to be used inside the issues later, but these are the years the brand was used on the cover.
2004 - 2008 140 (139)
Malibu; DCView Brand Images 1994 - 1995 3 (2)
Marvel Comics; DCView Brand Images 1995 - ? 7 (6)
Milestone; DCDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Actual years used: 1993-1997, 2000-2001, 2009.
1993 - 2009 269 (259)
MinxDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Per DC's website, "the first graphic novel imprint designed exclusively for teenage girls." DC Comics cancelled the brand in 2008.
2007 - 2008 13
National IND Humor GroupDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Actual years used: 1958 and 1960 for only a handful of issues. This might be "National Humor Group" with the "IND" being a stray "IND" distributor's mark, but for now it's being treated like the "Superman DC National Comics" case, which it closely resembles.
1958 - 1960 6
National Romance GroupDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Actual years used: 1957-1962 and 1970.
1957 - 1970 203
Paradox Graphic MysteryView Brand Images 1996 - 1999 2
Paradox MysteryView Brand Images 1995 - 9
Paradox PressDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Symbol combining a version of the common optical illusion consisting of three prongs with two P's, the first facing backwards.
1994 - 2003 38
Piranha MusicView Brand Images 1991 - 1994 1
Piranha PressView Brand Images 1989 - 1991 60
Superman ComicsDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: A test logo used only on variants for Justice League #3 and The Fury of Firestorm #61.
1987 - 2 (0)
Superman DC National ComicsDiscloseView Brand Images3
Note: Previously "A Superman DC Publication", and followed by "DC" (frequently with the title or feature character afterward).
1949 - 1970 7021 (7016)
Tangent ComicsDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Actual years of usage: 1997-1998 and 2007-2009.
1997 - 2009 19
The Joe Kubert LibraryView Brand Images 2010 - ? 4
The Line of DC Super-StarsDiscloseView Brand Images2
Note: This brand originally ran from from 1973 through 1977. It was briefly revived in 2011 for the DC Retroactive 1970s titles. The previous brand was "DC" (frequently with the title or feature character afterward), and was also followed by "DC", in this case the four star bullet.
1973 - 2011 946 (941)
Tim Promotions, Inc. 1942 - 1950 90
V2K; Vertigo; DC ComicsDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: 'I Die at Midnight' and 'Totems' (squarebound) have 'Vertigo / DC Comics' on spine. Other issues (saddle-stitched) have 'DC Comics' below 'Mature Readers' wording on left edge of cover.
2000 - 13
VertigoView Brand Images2 1993 - ? 2040 (1981)
Vertigo CrimeView Brand Images 2009 - 2011 11
Vertigo VeriteView Brand Images 1996 - 12
Vertigo VisionsView Brand Images 1993 - 1995 3
Vertigo VoicesView Brand Images 1995 - 3
Vertigo XDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Vertigo's tenth anniversary brand.
2003 - 2004 12
Vertigo; DCDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: This was a DC logo on top of a Vertigo logo.
1993 - 1998 784 (779)
Vertigo; DC ComicsDiscloseView Brand Images2
Note: This has the Vertigo logo on top of the DC Comics logo.
1998 - 2002 672 (665)
WB Family Entertainment Reading; DCDisclose
Note: Duration: July 1994 - August 1998
1994 - 1998 2
WB Family Entertainment; DCDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Duration: April 1994 - June 1994 Followed by WB Family Entertainment Reading; DC
1994 - 4
Whitman TV ComicDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: These were still listed in the indicia as being published by DC, but had the Whitman logo.
1978 - 1979 160 (0)
WildStorm Signature Series; DC [bullet]View Brand Images 2005 - 2 (1)
WildStorm Universe WSView Brand Images 2004 - 2006 110 (109)
WildStorm Universe WS; DC [swirl]View Brand Images 2005 - 2006 2
Wildstorm WSView Brand Images2 1999 - 2011 856 (787)
WildStorm WS Signature SeriesView Brand Images 2004 - 2006 98 (94)
Wildstorm WS; Dynamite Entertainment ? - 4 (0)
WildStorm WS; IDWView Brand Images 2010 - 2011 8 (6)
WildStorm WS; Marvel ComicsView Brand Images 2001 - 1
WildStorm WS; Trion Worlds 2010 - 2011 5
Wildstorm/DC Comics; Wildstorm Signature Series 2004 - 2004 1
Wildstorm; DCView Brand Images 2008 - 16
WS [Wildstorm]View Brand Images2 1999 - 2011 28 (26)
WS [Wildstorm] Eye of the StormView Brand Images 2003 - 2004 74 (67)
WS [Wildstorm] Eye of the Storm; DC [bullet]View Brand Images 2002 - 2004 2
WS [WildStorm]; Dark Horse Comics [chess piece]View Brand Images 2001 - 1
WS [WildStorm]; DC [bullet]; ElseworldsView Brand Images 2002 - 1
Zuda ComicsDiscloseView Brand Images
Note: Mostly online comics, but they also print collected editions.
2007 - 2011 6

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