Marvel was founded in 1939 as Timely Publications, and by the early 1950s had generally become known as Atlas Comics. Marvel's modern incarnation dates from 1961, with the company later that year launching Fantastic Four and other superhero titles created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and others.

No. DC's first comic book title was Detective Comics #1 (which is what "DC" originally stood for) in 1937. Marvel Comics #1 (featuring the Sub-Mariner and the Human Torch) was published in 1939, by Timely Comics, a few months after DC published Action Comics #1 (with the first Superman story). The company changed its name from Timely Comics to Atlas Comics in the 1950s, and to Marvel Comics in 1962.

DC Comics was originally founded in 1934 as National Allied Publications.The initials "DC" came from the company's popular series, Detective Comics, which subsequently became part of the company's official name in 1937.

Comics were burned and banned in the 1950s due to concerns about the content being inappropriate and morally corrupting for children. This was fueled by a moral panic that arose from the perception that comics were promoting violence, crime, and deviant behavior. This led to the development of the Comics Code Authority to regulate content in comic books.

Some styles evident in comics values are Golden Age (1930s-1950s), Silver Age (1950s-1970s), Bronze Age (1970s-1980s), and Modern Age (1985 to present). Factors like rarity, condition, and demand also greatly influence comic values. Key issues, first appearances, and story arcs can drive up the value of certain comics.