<P> The corporation was originally two companies: National Allied Publications, Inc. (also known as National Allied Newspaper Syndicate, Inc .) which was founded by Major Malcolm Wheeler - Nicholson in autumn 1934 to publish the first American comic book with all - original material rather than comic strip reprints, and Detective Comics, Inc., formed in 1937 with Wheeler - Nicholson and Jack S. Liebowitz, listed as owners . Wheeler - Nicholson remained for a year before being forced out in 1938, and Detective Comics, Inc. purchased the remains of National Allied Publications . </P> <P> National Allied and Detective Comics, Inc. merged to become National Comics Publications, Inc. on September 30, 1946, which absorbed Max Gaines' and Liebowitz's All - American Publications as well . National Comics was renamed National Periodical Publications, Inc. in 1961 . </P> <P> Despite the official names "National Comics" and "National Periodical Publications", the company began branding itself as "Superman - DC" as early as 1940, and it became known colloquially as DC Comics for years before the official adoption of that name in 1977 . </P>

When did national allied publications become dc comics