What if Marvel took over DC in 1984

[samurainoir]

Jim Shooter: SUPERMAN First Marvel Issue!

Two years later, John Byrne would write and draw Superman, including elements of the movie he'd watched thousands of times.

[Blue Meanie]

Jim Shooter: SUPERMAN First Marvel Issue!

Two years later, John Byrne would write and draw Superman, including elements of the movie he'd watched thousands of times.

At one point during the 60's it was rumored that DC was either printing or distributing Marvel. I'll ask my friend who has had a comic store for the past 33 years. He knows all about that stuff.

[ctc]

>What if Marvel took over DC in 1984

"Crisis" would have been 24 issues, and we'd be getting TWO reboots a year; one where the universe changes, and another where everyone mopes about it between fight scenes.

Don C.

[samurainoir]

At one point during the 60's it was rumored that DC was either printing or distributing Marvel. I'll ask my friend who has had a comic store for the past 33 years. He knows all about that stuff.

DC/National distributed Marvel in the sixties, but limited the number of titles per month (around six?), which was why they had bimonthly and split titles like Tales of Suspense with cap and iron man.

This arguably was one of the factors that often gets overlooked when discussing Marvel's success out of the silver age. These limitations kept things tight at marvel for the most part, and the overall quality control high. Even if most folks can't agree on Stan's overall contributions... As an editor the product really was of a very high standard overall (even if it did seem a bit rough and tumble compared to DC).

[boynightwing]

Was DC with Warner at that point? If so, would they really have wanted to part with their characters so easily? I'm surprised. I grew up with the DC characters starting with reruns of Adam West and Burt Ward and then on to Superfriends etc. The only Marvel I knew was Spider-Man and Hulk...maybe Captain America. I really got in to Marvel as I got older (around 1987-88) and got in to X-Men.

[thunderbolt]

Jim Lee would have gotten to do his redesigns 20 years earlier and they would have looked more cutting edge back then.

[samurainoir]

Was DC with Warner at that point? If so, would they really have wanted to part with their characters so easily? I'm surprised. I grew up with the DC characters starting with reruns of Adam West and Burt Ward and then on to Superfriends etc. The only Marvel I knew was Spider-Man and Hulk...maybe Captain America. I really got in to Marvel as I got older (around 1987-88) and got in to X-Men.

Dc has been owned by Warner brothers (and the Warner sister, Dot) since the seventies. Comics were losing money hand over fist, but licensing was their big money maker. They proposed to Marvel that they license the characters and take over publishing (just like Marvel published other licensed comics like Micronauts, Star Wars, GI Joe, and Team America).

marvel had 70% of the market share in '84 according to shooter, DC held %18

[Bionic Joe]

it would have been the biggest trainwreck ever even bigger then Heroes Reborn

[johnmiic]

marvel had 70% of the market share in '84 according to shooter, DC held %18

The other 12% was held by the booming independents like PC, First, Eclipse, Comico as they pummeled Marvel and DC with E-Man, Jon Sable, American FLAGG, Nexus, Shatter, Rocketeer, Love & Rockets, Captain Victory, Twisted Tales, Alien Worlds, Concrete, Mars, DNAgents, TMNT's?

[Bionic Joe]

The other 12% was held by the booming independents like PC, First, Eclipse, Comico as they pummeled Marvel and DC with E-Man, Jon Sable, American FLAGG, Nexus, Shatter, Rocketeer, Love & Rockets, Captain Victory, Twisted Tales, Alien Worlds, Concrete, Mars, DNAgents, TMNT's?

How could you not mention the best of em all Badger

[kingdom warrior]

Oh thank God that didn't happen............

[jwyblejr]

Dc has been owned by Warner brothers (and the Warner sister, Dot) since the seventies.

Of course if those three were really running things,DC's comics wouldn't be the big pile of garbage they've become. Heck,DC would be better if Slappy Squirrel was running things.

[ctc]

>DC would be better if Slappy Squirrel was running things

ANYTHING would be better if Slappy Squirrel was running it.

Don C.

[bobws]

This is amzaing to hear,especially when reading DC stuff back then you heard how Titans were keeping up with the X-men.

[thunderbolt]

Oh thank God that didn't happen............

Why? Outside of Titans, Swamp Thing and maybe Legion, what did DC have going on then that was noteworthy? The Marvel creative staff at that time would have provided a shot in the arm for a pretty sorry line of books.