National Comics Publications
American comic-book publishing company that became the direct corporate predecessor of modern DC Comics.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
National Comics Publications was an American comic-book publishing company and the direct corporate predecessor of modern DC Comics. Its corporate history grew out of two publishing operations established during the formative years of the American comic-book industry. National Allied Publications was founded in 1935 by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson and issued New Fun, recognized as an early American comic book built around original material rather than primarily reprinted newspaper strips. Wheeler-Nicholson later helped establish Detective Comics Inc. on December 31, 1936, together with Harry Donenfeld and Jack Liebowitz, creating the company associated with the Detective Comics title and the publishing infrastructure that would eventually become DC. Wheeler-Nicholson's financial difficulties altered the balance of control. He became heavily indebted to Donenfeld and Liebowitz, who petitioned National Allied into bankruptcy in 1938. Following the bankruptcy, Liebowitz assumed control and incorporated National Allied's operations into Detective Comics. This restructuring consolidated the businesses that had been publishing several important early comic-book properties. Although the formal corporate identity was National Comics Publications, the company increasingly used the public-facing Superman-DC branding during the 1940s, reflecting the commercial importance of Superman and the broader DC publishing identity. A further consolidation occurred on September 30, 1946, when Max Gaines's All-American Publications merged with Detective Comics Inc. The resulting company was National Comics Publications Inc. This merger brought together publishing operations associated with the National and All-American sides of the emerging superhero business. The company continued publishing comic books under recognizable title and character brands even as its legal and corporate names changed. In 1961, National Comics Publications changed its corporate name to National Periodical Publications Inc., while the comics business continued to be identified in the marketplace with National, DC, Superman, and related branding. Kinney National Services acquired National Periodical Publications in 1967. A decade later, in 1977, the company adopted the name DC Comics, completing the transition from the historical National corporate identity to the name by which the publishing operation is chiefly known today. National Comics Publications is therefore best understood as a predecessor corporation and historical brand identity rather than a currently operating standalone publisher.
History
National Comics Publications developed from the early comic-book publishing ventures of Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson. In 1935, Wheeler-Nicholson founded National Allied Publications, also associated with the National Allied Newspaper Syndicate name and later with Nicholson Publishing Co. The company published New Fun, an important early comic book because it emphasized original material rather than relying principally on reprints of newspaper comic strips. Wheeler-Nicholson subsequently joined Harry Donenfeld and Jack Liebowitz in founding Detective Comics Inc. on December 31, 1936. The new company published Detective Comics and became the more financially durable of the two operations. Wheeler-Nicholson's mounting debt to Donenfeld and Liebowitz led to a bankruptcy petition against National Allied in 1938. After the bankruptcy, Liebowitz took control and consolidated National Allied's operations with Detective Comics. The consolidated business used National and DC-related identities in its publishing. During the early 1940s, it began presenting itself publicly through Superman-DC branding, even though the formal corporate names remained different. On September 30, 1946, Detective Comics Inc. merged with Max Gaines's All-American Publications. This transaction created National Comics Publications Inc. and united major publishing operations from the National and All-American sides of the business. National Comics Publications later changed its formal name to National Periodical Publications Inc. in 1961. The company continued operating as a major American comic-book publisher while its public identity increasingly centered on DC and Superman branding. Kinney National Services acquired the company in 1967. In 1977, National Periodical Publications changed its name to DC Comics. That renaming marked the end of National Comics Publications and National Periodical Publications as the principal corporate identities, while the publishing operation continued under the DC Comics name. The company's historical importance lies in this chain of consolidation and renaming: National Allied, Detective Comics, All-American Publications, National Comics Publications, and National Periodical Publications formed successive stages in the corporate ancestry of modern DC Comics.
- 1977
The company becomes DC Comics
[1]National Periodical Publications changes its name to DC Comics.
- 1967
Acquisition by Kinney National Services
[1]Kinney National Services purchases National Periodical Publications.
- 1961
Corporate name changes to National Periodical Publications
[1]National Comics Publications adopts the name National Periodical Publications Inc.
- 1946
National Comics Publications Inc. is formed
[1]Detective Comics Inc. merges with Max Gaines's All-American Publications on September 30.
- 1938
National Allied is placed into bankruptcy
[1]Donenfeld and Liebowitz petition National Allied into bankruptcy, after which Liebowitz takes control and folds it into Detective Comics.
- 1936
Detective Comics Inc. is established
[1]Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, Harry Donenfeld, and Jack Liebowitz establish Detective Comics Inc. on December 31.
- 1935
National Allied Publications is founded
[1]Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson establishes National Allied Publications, which publishes New Fun, an early comic book built around original material.
Products and positioning
Historical American comic-book publisher and corporate predecessor of DC Comics.
Original-material comic book · 1935
New Fun
Published by National Allied Publications beginning in 1935, New Fun is identified as an early American comic book consisting of original material rather than primarily reprinted newspaper strips. It represents National Allied's initial contribution to the development of the modern American comic-book publishing format.
Detective and superhero comic book · 1936
Detective Comics
Detective Comics was the title published by Detective Comics Inc., the company founded in 1936 by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson with Harry Donenfeld and Jack Liebowitz. The title supplied the corporate identity that became central to the later National and DC publishing lineage.
Publisher branding
Superman-DC
Superman-DC was a public-facing publishing brand used during the 1940s. Although National Comics and later National Periodical Publications remained the formal corporate identities, the branding associated the company with Superman and the broader DC publishing operation.
Brand decisions
1977
Renaming as DC ComicsStrategyBackground
The company had long used DC-related public branding, including Superman-DC, despite operating under the formal name National Periodical Publications.
Action taken
National Periodical Publications changed its name to DC Comics.
Aftermath
The National corporate identity was replaced by the DC Comics name associated with the modern publisher.
1967
Acquisition by Kinney National ServicesM&ABackground
National Periodical Publications was operating as the successor company to the earlier National and Detective Comics businesses.
Action taken
Kinney National Services purchased National Periodical Publications.
Aftermath
The publisher became part of Kinney's corporate structure before adopting the DC Comics name in 1977.
1961
Adoption of the National Periodical Publications nameStrategyBackground
The company continued operating under a formal National corporate identity while using recognizable DC and Superman-related market branding.
Action taken
National Comics Publications changed its corporate name to National Periodical Publications Inc.
Aftermath
The business retained its historical National identity until its later transition to the DC Comics name.
1946
Merger creating National Comics PublicationsM&ABackground
Detective Comics Inc. and Max Gaines's All-American Publications were separate publishing operations within the developing American comic-book industry.
Action taken
The two companies merged on September 30, 1946, forming National Comics Publications Inc.
Aftermath
The merger created a consolidated corporate predecessor of the later DC Comics publishing company.
1938
Consolidation of National Allied into Detective ComicsOtherBackground
National Allied Publications had become heavily indebted to Harry Donenfeld and Jack Liebowitz.
Action taken
Donenfeld and Liebowitz petitioned National Allied into bankruptcy, and Jack Liebowitz subsequently took control and folded the company into Detective Comics.
Aftermath
The restructuring concentrated the predecessor operations that later formed part of the National Comics and DC corporate lineage.
Sources1 sources
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