# Fifty Who Made DC Great

Fifty Who Made DC Great is a one-shot published by DC Comics to commemorate the company's 50th anniversary in 1985. It was published in comic book format but contained text articles with photographs and background caricatures.

## Publication history

As explained by DC's then-President and Publisher Jenette Kahn, the profiles were of "fifty people and companies who have helped make DC Comics great. [W]e have chosen representatives from those who have pioneered new territory and who, by doing so, have shaped our past or our future". The articles were written by Barry Marx, Thomas Hill, and Joey Cavalieri and caricatures were provided by Steven Petruccio. Barry Marx was also the book's editor. Neal Pozner was the design director. The cover art, featuring Clark Kent holding the "DC Bullet", was drawn by Curt Swan, Murphy Anderson, and Arne Starr.

## The Fifty

| Name | Field | Notes |
| M. C. Gaines | publisher | Co-owner of National Allied Publications. |
| Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson | writer, entrepreneur | Founder of National Allied Publications, the precursor company to DC Comics. |
| Harry Donenfeld | publisher | Co-owner of National Allied Publications. |
| Jack Liebowitz | publisher | Co-owner of National Allied Publications. |
| Jerry Siegel | writer | Co-creator of Superman. |
| Joe Shuster | artist | Co-creator of Superman. |
| Bob Kane | writer, artist | Co-creator of Batman. |
| Bill Finger | writer | Co-creator of Batman. |
| Warner Publishing Services | distribution company | DC sister company responsible for newsstand distribution, formerly known as Independent News Company, Inc. |
| Sheldon Mayer | writer, artist, editor | Creator of Sugar and Spike. |
| Sol Harrison | executive | DC's president 1976-1980. |
| Erwin M. "Bud" Budner | distribution agent | Founder of Delmar News Agency. |
| Gardner Fox | writer | Co-creator of the Justice Society of America and the Justice League of America. |
| William Moulton Marston | writer | Co-creator of Wonder Woman with his wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston. |
| Emile Keirsbilk | publisher | Publisher of DC Comics in France. |
| Carroll Rheinstrom | publishing agent | Responsible for licensing DC's international publishing rights. |
| Fleischer Studios | animation studio | Produced the 1940s Superman cartoons. |
| Bud Collyer | actor | Portrayed Superman in the Adventures of Superman radio program, the Fleischer Studios 1940s cartoons and in the Filmation The New Adventures of Superman television series. |
| Kirk Alyn | actor | Portrayed Superman in the 1948 film serial Superman, and its 1950 sequel Atom Man Vs. Superman. |
| Mort Weisinger | editor | Editor of Superman during the mid-1950s to 1970; co-creator of Aquaman, Green Arrow, and Johnny Quick. |
| Whitney Ellsworth | writer, editor | Producer and story editor on the Adventures of Superman television series. |
| George Reeves | actor | Portrayed Superman in the Adventures of Superman television series. |
| Wayne Boring | artist | Artist on Superman from the late 1940s through the 1950s. |
| Curt Swan | artist | Artist most associated with Superman during the Silver and Bronze Ages of comic books. |
| Bernard Trout | editor | Editor of DC Comics in France. |
| World Color Press | printing company | In 1985, the largest player in the comic and newsstand special-interest publication market. |
| Robert Kanigher | writer, editor | Co-creator of Sgt. Rock. |
| Julius Schwartz | editor | Oversaw the revival of characters such as the Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, and the Atom; longtime editor of the Batman and Superman comic book lines. |
| Jerry Bails | popular culturist | A primary force in establishing 1960s comics fandom. |
| Roy Thomas | writer, editor | Co-creator of All-Star Squadron and Infinity, Inc. |
| Adam West | actor | Portrayed Batman in the 1960s television series. |
| Burt Ward | actor | Portrayed Robin in the Batman television series. |
| Licensing Company of America | licensing company | Merchandising rights for DC's characters. |
| Carmine Infantino | artist, executive | Co-creator of the Silver Age Flash; editorial director and publisher. |
| Neal Adams | artist | Artist of Batman and Green Lantern/Green Arrow features of the 1970s. |
| Denny O'Neil | writer, editor | Writer of Batman and Green Lantern/Green Arrow features of the 1970s. |
| Adolf Kabatek | publisher | Publisher of DC Comics in Germany. |
| Hanna-Barbera Productions | animation studio | Producer of the Super Friends television series. |
| Ilya Salkind | film producer | Co-producer of the Superman film series. |
| Alexander Salkind | film producer | Co-producer of the Superman film series. |
| Christopher Reeve | actor | Portrayed Superman in the film series. |
| Lynda Carter | actress | Portrayed Wonder Woman in the 1970s television series. |
| Phil Seuling | distributor, fan convention organizer | Developed the concept of the direct market distribution system for getting comics directly into comic book specialty shops. |
| Bud Plant | distributor | Early direct market distributor. |
| Marv Wolfman | writer, editor | Co-creator of the New Teen Titans, writer of Crisis on Infinite Earths. |
| George Pérez | artist | Co-creator of the New Teen Titans, artist of Crisis on Infinite Earths. |
| Frank Miller | writer, artist | Creator of Ronin. |
| Helen Slater | actress | Portrayed Supergirl in the 1984 film. |
| Superman Peanut Butter | product | DC's first food related licence. |
| Kenner Products | toy manufacturer | Manufacturer of the Super Powers Collection toyline. |

## Celebrity reminiscences

Brief statements made by several prominent individuals were included as "Celebrity Reminiscences". These included comments by Daniel P. Moynihan, Richard Corben, Ray Bradbury, Gloria Steinem, Mort Walker, Milton Glaser, Walter Koenig, Gene Siskel, Stephen King, Gene Simmons, Jim Henson, David L. Wolper, Stan Lee, Susan Stamberg, Roger Ebert, Brooke Shields, Carol Bellamy, and Whoopi Goldberg.

## Legacy

Fifty Who Made DC Great has been used as a cited reference source for several books. Among these are the following:
* The All-Star Companion Volume 1 by Roy Thomas.
* Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America by Bradford W. Wright.
* American National Biography: Supplement by Paul R. Betz and Mark Christopher Carnes.
* Of Comics and Men: A Cultural History of American Comic Books by Jean-Paul Gabilliet, Bart Beaty, and Nick Nguyen.
* 75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking by Paul Levitz.