DC Comics Closes NY Offices; Moving To Burbank

by Armand Vaquer

Above, DC Comics will be located near Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

DC Comics is closing their New York offices today and moving to Burbank, California.

Former DC president Paul Levitz posted the following at Facebook reflecting on the move:

DC is officially closing it's New York offices today, climaxing the progressive move to Burbank over the last few years. They've been kind enough to invite me to a final lunch at the office with so many old friends to commemorate the occasion. 

Rather than write about what the DC office in NY has meant to me personally, let me take today to write about what it's meant to NY, and vice versa. 

The various DC offices over the past 80 years have been a gateway for New York's young people, originally mostly from immigrant or disadvantaged backgrounds, to bring their gifts to entertain the world. Kids like Shelly Mayer, Joe Kubert, Carmine Infantino, Alex Toth, Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, Irwin Hasen--and in a later generation, Neal Adams, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, Howard Chaykin, George Perez, Denys Cowan--and so many, many more, came knocking on the doors and found an outlet for their talents. Based in a city that long opened its doors to the world, DC opened up to people with passion for creating stories and artwork, and to a generation or two of people who came to New York "to get into comics." It wasn't the only comics company that did this, but it was the most consistent presence--the only leader in the field to have stayed in the front of the pack for over 75 years, creating opportunities in the greatest city on our continent. 

It's not only writers and artists who came through the DC offices and prospered. A tally of the young New Yorkers who spent an early part of their careers at DC and went on to interesting lives would include publishing pioneer Byron Priess, a host of editors, leading licensing executives, and graphic desgners. 

The offices have also been a magnet for business change in the comics field. The idea that comics could be original periodicals was first made real and practical in a DC office, as was the first truly successful graphic novel publishing program in America. And would comics have been that same if NY English teacher Phil Seuling hadn't had easy access to offices to pitch his direct sales idea? The comic shop may have been born in California, but the systems that fed it started here. 

Has all this connecting been made obsolete in the era of the Internet and global interdependency? Maybe. There's certainly an argument that today you can run anything, anywhere. 

But New York won't be quite the same without a DC Comics, and as a New Yorker whose life was shaped by his city and by the DC offices, I can be sad about that.

During my days as a regular reader of DC's line-up of comics back in the 1960s, the address their editorial offices were located was 575 Lexington Ave., New York, New York. For some reason, that address always stayed with me.

Joanne Siegel's Plea To Time-Warner

by Armand Vaquer

Above, former DC Comics President Paul Levitz and Joanne Siegel in 2001. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The fight over the rights to the Superman character has been ongoing for years. Joanne Siegel, the widow of Superman co-creator Jerome Siegel, died of heart failure in a Los Angeles hospital at age 93 on February 12.

Last December 10, Mrs. Siegel wrote a letter to Jeffrey L. Bewkes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Time Warner Inc. It is unclear if she actually sent it (the article says she "prepared" it).



It is a very touching letter and it expressed hope that a resolution for all parties could be reached without further enriching the attorneys.

To read Joanne Siegel's letter, go here.

Right, an early-1960s issue of Superman.

DC Comics Becomes DC Entertainment; Paul Levitz Steps Down

Above, the gathering for "Superman Week" on July 10, 2001. Paul Levitz is on the far right. Photo courtesy of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.

DC Comics Becomes DC Entertainment; Paul Levitz Steps Down

by Armand Vaquer

In a press release, it was announced that DC Comics President Paul Levitz is stepping down and DC Comics will become DC Entertainment to be run by Diane Nelson, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, and Alan Horn, President & COO, Warner Bros.

Publishers Weekly.com posted in part:

Paul Levitz, who has served as President & Publisher of DC Comics since 2002, will segue from that role to return to his roots as a writer for DC and become a contributing editor and overall consultant to DCE. This transition will take place as expeditiously as possible without disrupting DC’s business operations.

In his new role, Levitz will be called upon for his deep knowledge and more than three-decade history with DC Comics, both as a comic creator and an executive. Besides serving as a writer on a number of DC Comics titles, he will be a contributing editor and consultant to DC Entertainment on projects in various media. Additionally, he will consult as needed on the transition and integration of the DC Comics organization into DC Entertainment and will utilize his unique experience, knowledge and relationships with the comics industry’s creative community to help achieve DC Entertainment’s goal of maximizing the value of DC properties. Further, Levitz will advise DC Entertainment on creative and rights-holder relationships, in particular regarding the legacy relationships that have been a part of DC Comics for decades.

On a more personal note, I met Paul Levitz on July 10, 2001 at the Los Angeles County Hall of Administration when we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Adventures of Superman television show starring George Reeves. Along with Levitz, we had actors Jack Larson, Noel Neill, Robert Rockwell and Jeff Corey participate in the celebration. Mrs. Joanne Siegel, the widow of Superman creator Jerry Siegel and their daughter Laura and Mrs. Betty Shayne, widow of Bob Shayne, and their daughter Stephanie, also participated.

Following the L.A. County ceremony, led by Supervisor Mike Antonovich, we headed to Cafe Pinot for a luncheon. I was the organizer of the event and luncheon, with a big assist by Jim Nolt, who secured the V.I.P.s.

I was dreading having to collect the luncheon tab from those who attended (plus some extra for the V.I.P.'s lunches), but Paul Levitz, unwittingly and unexpectedly, came to my rescue by picking up the entire tab for the luncheon. He mentioned to Lou Koza that he was grateful that we got Superman on the front page of the Los Angeles Times the day before (actually, it was the Daily News).

This event still is fondly remembered by those who attended. I would like to extend my best wishes to Paul Levitz for further success in his future endeavors and, also, another thank-you for picking up the tab at the luncheon.