Marvel Almost Owned DC Comics in the 1980s

In the 1980s, the comic book industry nearly faced a historic shift that could have changed superheroes forever. At the time, Marvel was thriving in sales while DC Comics was struggling to keep up. This led to serious talks about the possibility of Marvel acquiring DC.

Marvel’s then–Editor-in-Chief, **Jim Shooter**, even drafted a detailed plan on how Marvel would integrate and manage DC’s legendary heroes, including Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. The idea was bold and groundbreaking — one company controlling the two biggest comic universes of all time.

However, the plan didn’t move forward. Competing publishers protested, arguing that such a deal would create an unfair monopoly in the comic book industry. Eventually, the talks collapsed, and DC remained independent under Warner Bros.

If the deal had gone through, Marvel would have had complete control over both the **Marvel Universe** and the **DC Universe**, merging the two biggest superhero legacies in history. Fans can only imagine the endless possibilities — crossovers, shared stories, and perhaps a unified superhero world.