DC Comics

DC Comics, Inc. (later simply known as DC) is an American comic book company. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery., which itself is owned by Time Warner. Its first well-known comics were such as Action Comics, Detective Comics, All Star Comics, and Sensation Comics. They introduced three well-known superheroes: Superman (1938), Batman (1939), and Wonder Woman (1941). DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies. It is best well-known for making "superhero" comic books. Their first comic under the DC banner was published in 1937, and is very famous in the modern art subject Graphics.

The majority of its publications take place within the fictional DC Universe and feature iconic characters such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Green Arrow, Shazam, Martian Manhunter, Starfire, Nightwing, Raven, Cyborg, Black Canary, Doctor Fate, Robin, Beast Boy, Zatanna, Plastic Man, Catwoman, Supergirl, Batgirl, the Joker, and Harley Quinn. The company has published non-DC Universe-related material, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Fables and many titles under their alternative imprint Vertigo and now DC Black Label.

The initials "DC" came from the company's popular series Detective Comics, which featured Batman. Originally at 432 Fourth Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, the company offices have been located at 480 and later 575 Lexington Avenue, 909 Third Avenue, 75 Rockefeller Plaza, 666 Fifth Avenue, and 1325 Avenue of the Americas. DC had its headquarters at 1700 Broadway, Midtown Manhattan, New York City. DC Entertainment moved its headquarters to Burbank, California in April 2015.

Its top rival is Marvel Comics (the publisher of Spider-Man and Hulk), acquired in 2009 by The Walt Disney Company, WarnerMedia's main competitor. They shared approximately 70% of the American comic book market in 2017, though this number may give a distorted view since graphic novels are excluded. With the sales of all books included, DC is the second biggest publisher, after Viz Media, and Marvel is third.

DC Comics has adapted its characters to different forms of media, including action figures, animated and live-action movies, animated and live-action television series, and video games, which have made them even more popular.