DC Comics
In 1938, DC published the first Superman story in Action Comics no. 1. The massive commercial success of that character was responsible for creating the costumed superhero genre, which has been a pillar for the comic book industry ever since. DC introduced many superheroes throughout the so-called Golden Age of comics, most notably Batman (1939) and Wonder Woman (1941). The success of those characters was amplified by Licensing Corporation of America, a division of National Periodicals. Licensing Corporation of America, which was created as Superman Inc., displayed various DC characters through a wide range of products, and it oversaw (supervise) the use of DC characters in other media.