DC Comics relaunching most of its titles at No. 1

PHILADELPHIA — DC Comics is going back to the starting point in September, renumbering its entire lineup of DC Universe titles with No. 1 and retooling nearly all of its major characters, including Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman.

At the same time, the company, which has been publishing comics for 76 years, also said it would start selling digital copies of its printed ongoing superhero titles through apps and a website the same day they're released in comic shops, a move dubbed by the industry as day-and-date sales. That will affect the company's superhero titles.

That means DC is joining a movement already embraced by Archie Comics, which began same-day digital and print sales in April, along with other smaller publishers.

DC's rival, Marvel Comics, has not yet implemented such a move but has routinely held more market share every year since 2002, based on sales statistics from Diamond Comic Distributors.