Crime, horror, science fiction and adventure are all fodder for comic book publishers. The 20th century saw the introduction of superheroes and the villains they had to face. Comic books have a loyal band of fans and their characters have spawned TV shows, movies, video games and other merchandise. The secret to a successful edition is an imaginative plot, well-executed artwork and staying faithful to the characters. Two publishers have dominated the industry and they are DC Comics and Marvel Comics.

DC Comics is a subsidiary of Time-Warner and the company made its name, largely due to Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Interest in Batman, which began in 1939, is still going strong today as a result of the movie, Batman Begins. Superman was introduced in 1938 and that character has also been re-invented in a film, in Superman Returns. Each incarnation boosts sales for the comic book publishers, as DC found when the Batman television series ran in the 1960s. In 1986, writer and artist Frank Miller wrote Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. These were tales of a dark, gritty nature. The new Batman film, to be released in 2008, is called The Dark Knight and is eagerly anticipated. Other DC characters include the Green Lantern, Supergirl, Batwoman and Bat-Girl.

Rival company Marvel Comics has an impressive list of characters and they have enjoyed a lot of exposure on the big screen in recent years. Any comic book publisher would be pleased to be associated with Spider-Man, the X-Men, The Fantastic Four, The Hulk, Captain America, and Daredevil. Marvel has greatly benefited from commissioning the best writers and artists in the genre. The first Marvel superhero to appear was The Human Torch. Joe Simon and artist, Jack Kirby created Captain America and Kirby also co-created The Fantastic Four with Marvel's most famous contributor, Stan Lee. Lee and Steve Ditko created probably the most successful Marvel character in Spider-Man. Of all the comic book publishers, Marvel had a reputation for tackling serious issues. A Spider-Man story about drug abuse appeared in the 1970s.

The independent, Dark Horse Comics publishes licensed comics with titles that include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens and Star Wars. They were also successful in publishing Sin City, the cult story by Frank Miller, and Hellboy. Dark Horse is a comic book publisher that has moved into other fields. Their film company, Dark Horse Entertainment, has produced films based on comic book characters, such as The Mask. The company also publishes novelisations of some of their stories, including Aliens and Predator.