Newsletter

December 11, 2000 - Jack S. Liebowitz,   founding co-publisher of DC Comics,   died today from natural causes.   He was born on October 10, 1900 in Russia.

Along with business partner Harry Donenfeld,   Liebowitz,  an accountant,  invested in the first comic books published by DC Comics founding father Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson.   Donenfeld and Liebowitz distributed the comics through their Independent News Company (later to become Warner Publisher Services,   one of the country's largest distributors of magazines and paperbacks.)   In 1937,   they bought out Wheeler-Nicholson and launched Detective Comics ,   which was the first successful comic book with original stories around a single theme and the one which gave the company the name by which it has been known ever since.

Not only did Liebowitz finance the early days of comics and foster the creation of the world's most popular super heroes,   he established comic-book publishing as a legitimate,   viable and profitable business.   So fervent in his belief of the future of comics that in 1939,   Liebowitz invested in and created another company called All-American Comics with M.C. Gaines, a printing salesman who also was an early pioneer of the comic book industry.  The two companies shared DC's distribution system, and eventually merged in 1946. Liebowitz went on to serve as President of National Periodical Publications, Inc.   (the public company that included DC, Independent News, MAD Magazine and Licensing Corporation of America) until it merged into Kinney Services.  From 1967-1991, Liebowitz served on the board of directors for Kinney Services and subsequently Warner Communications, which later became Time Warner.

"Jack Liebowitz was the best of his generation, one of the extraordinary entrepreneurs who not only helped found DC Comics but the comics industry itself.  In addition, he was the most successful of his generation, taking DC public in 1961 under the title of National Periodical Publications.   Mr. Liebowitz later pulled off his most foresighted coup, selling DC Comics to Steven J. Ross as one of the building blocks of his fledgling corporation, Warner Communications, Inc.   He remained continuously active, coming into his office at Warner Communications every day and serving on the Warner board until he was past 90.   We are forever grateful to Mr. Liebowitz for his risk-taking and prescience and will miss his life long commitment to the companies he helped launch," Jenette Kahn, President and Editor-in-Chief of DC Comics said.

Liebowitz coined the title "Action Comics" and asked then-editor Vincent Sullivan to find material to fill it.   Sullivan found "Superman,"   which DC had previously rejected,   and it was included in Action Comics #1. Superman,   created by teenagers Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster,   launched Action Comics in 1938 and became the most successful comic book property in history.

In a 1975 interview,   Siegel recalled a 1941 discussion with Liebowitz.   "(DC) sent us a release form, but prior to that I had met with Jack Liebowitz and others in New York, and he assured us that he would look after our best interests; that this was a firm that was going places and we would go places with them.  He sort of sold us on the fact that they would take good care of us, and so that's why we went ahead with the deal."

Siegel released two letters from Liebowitz that indicate there was discussion and some sort of understanding concerning licensing royalties between the parties.   On January 23, 1940,   Liebowitz wrote to Siegel:   "Get behind your work with zest and ambition to improve and forget about book rights, movie rights and all other dreams.   We'll take care of things in the proper manner."   On June 27, 1941,   Liebowitz wrote:   "Under the terms of our contract you are entitled to a percentage of net profits accruing from the exploitation of SUPERMAN in channels other than magazines.   These figures for the last year show that we lost money and therefore you are entitled to no royalties.   However, in line with our usual generous attitude toward you boys, I am enclosing a check for $500, which is in effect a token of feeling."

For 50 years,   Liebowitz was a founding trustee and board member of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center.   Private services will be held in Great Neck, NY on Wednesday, December 13, 2000.   Liebowitz is survived by his wife Shirley,   and two daughters Joan Levy and Linda Stillman.