Yesterday DC Comics unveiled a new logo that is actually an old logo. DC Comics adopted the "DC Bullet" in 1976. In the end it would be DC Comics' most enduring logo. It would not be retired until 2005, meaning it was in use for twenty nine years. It was designed by famed graphic designer Milton Glaser, who also designed the "I Love New York" logo, the LaGuardia High School logo, the Brooklyn Brewery logo, and others. The DC Bullet is probably DC Comics' most famous logo of all-time and may well be Milton Glaser's most famous work besides the "I Love New York" logo. DC's president and publisher Jim Lee said of the return to the DC Bullet, "In the minds of many fans, that is the mark that defined the DC brand. It’s exciting to bring it back."
Of course, over the years DC Comics has had several different logo. Its earliest logo from 1940 consisted of two circles which read "A DC Publication." "DC" stood for Detective Comics, Inc. (the company being named for its flagship publication, Detective Comics), although the logo was also used on Detective Comics, Inc.'s sister company All-American Publications. In 1942 the logo was modified to read, "A Superman DC Publication." In 1946 Detective Comics, Inc. was merged with All-American Publicationsto become National Comics Publications, although it retained the logo.
The logo would be revamped by Irv Schnapp in 1949. Irv Schnapp was a graphic designer and letter who worked at DC Comics for years. Among other things, he revamped the Superman logo in 1940 and created or revamped many other logos at the company over the years. Ira Schnapp's logo differed from the earlier DC logos in that it read "Superman" at the top with "DC" in the centre and "National Comics" at the bottom. Often the "Superman" and "DC" in the logo would be in the colour red. After the DC Bullet, Ira Schnapp's DC logo is the longest lasting of DC's logos. It was adopted in 1949 and remained in use until 1970, a full 21 years. Here I must point out that while the official name of the company was "National Comics Publications" and later "National Periodical Publications," The company was known informally as "DC Comics" for years, likely since the Golden Age.
After Ira Schnapp's logo was retired, DC Comics changed logos next frequently over the next few years. The next logo featured the main character of the title in a circle with the "DC" and the title below the circle. Adopted in 1970, it was abandoned in 1972. The next logo was a simple circle with the letters "DC" in it. Adopted in 1972, it was revamped in in 1974 so that the letters "DC" were surrounded by the words "THE LINE OF SUPER STARS." Of course, in 1976 the DC Bullet was adopted.
After the DC Bullet was retied in 2005, DC Comics went through another period where they changed the logo frequently, The next design would be known as the "swoosh," the letters DC in front of an oval design. It lasted from 2005 to 2006. DC Comic's next logo would become known by many as the "Peel." It featured a san serif "DC" in which the "D" appeared to be peeling back from the "C." The Peel was a sharp break from DC Comics' previous logos in that it entirely abandoned the circle motif. The DC Peel initially proved unpopular, although today there are those who look back on it fondly. Regardless, the Peel only lasted from 2005 to 2012. It was then replaced by a new, simpler logo that featured a serif DC within a circle. In many ways it recalled the DC logo of the early Seventies. Introduced in 2016, it has lasted until now.
I have no doubt that many fans will welcome the return of the DC Bullet. It was DC Comics logo from my early teens throughout my young adulthood. By the time it was retired, I was middle-aged. Entire generations grew up with the DC Bullet. If DC Comics had to change logos again, it would seem a return to the DC Bullet was a good idea.
Below is a handy graphic showing the DC Comics logo over the years that I snagged from Bleeding Cool.
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