DC Comics

DC Comics, born in 1934 under the auspices of Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, is the granddaddy of the superhero genre, giving the world Superman, Batman and a pantheon of characters that have defined American pop culture. But despite its early triumphs, DC has spent much of its existence in a complicated dance with its more colorful, risk-taking cousin, Marvel. While the company produced milestones like the Crisis on Infinite Earths and Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, it also fumbled with the infamous New 52 reboot, which alienated as many fans as it attracted. Leadership shake-ups, most notably the revolving door of editors and creative heads, have left its cinematic efforts a mixed bag of critical hits and misses. Now part of Warner Bros., DC’s legacy remains untouchable on the page but consistently struggles to translate that magic to the screen. In the world of comics, they’re royalty; in Hollywood, they're still figuring out how to wear the crown.