DC Comics

DC Comics, Inc. (founded in 1934 as National Allied Publications) is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner. DC Comics produces material featuring a large number of well-known characters, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Aquaman, Green Lantern, and the Flash, and such superhero teams as the Justice League and the Teen Titans, and such antagonists as Lex Luthor, the Joker, the Riddler, Catwoman, Sinestro, Penguin, Two-Face, General Zod, Gorilla Grodd, Brainiac, and Darkseid.

The initials "DC" came from the company's popular series Detective Comics, which subsequently became part of the company's name. The title can be considered a redundant initialism. DC Comics has its headquarters at 1700 Broadway, Midtown Manhattan, New York, New York. Random House distributes DC Comics' books to the bookstore market, while Diamond Comic Distributors supplies the comics shop specialty market. DC Comics and its major, longtime competitor Marvel Comics (currently owned by Time Warner's main rival The Walt Disney Company) together shared over 80% of the American comic-book market as of 2008.