In 2004, DC spun off its youth titles into Johnny DC. It also gained the license to publish 2000 AD and Humanoids. Dan DiDio is promoted to vice president–executive editor.
Kara Zor-El is reintroduced as Supergirl in Superman/Batman #8. After several non-Kryptonian versions - Matrix, Linda Danvers, Cir-El - DC finally hands the moniker back to Superman's cousin. It also introduces three new legacy characters: Lorena Marquez as Aquagirl, Jason Rusch as Firestorm and Owen Mercer as Captain Boomerang. Hal Jordan returns in Green Lantern: Rebirth (Volume 1).
Creators
The following creative talent passed away in the year 2004:
- Betty Bentley
- Bill Danch
- Bill Oakley
- Bob Haney
- Ed Moore
- George Kirgo
- Gill Fox
- Harry Lampert
- Irv Novick
- Irwin Donenfeld
- Julius Schwartz
- Leandro Sesarego
- Lee Orgel
- Noly Panaligan
- Richard Kinon
- Rudy Palais
- Seymour Robbie
- Vic Catan
Titles
The following comic titles debuted with a 2004 cover date:
- Adam Strange (Volume 2)
- Batman/Catwoman: Trail of the Gun (Volume 1)
- Batman: Cyber Revolution (Volume 1)
- Batman: Harley and Ivy (Volume 1)
- Bite Club (Volume 1)
- Bloodhound (Volume 1)
- Books of Magick: Life During Wartime (Volume 1)
- Cartoon Network Block Party (Volume 1)
- Catwoman: When in Rome (Volume 1)
- Challengers of the Unknown (Volume 4)
- Coup d'État (Volume 1)
- DC Comics Presents (Volume 2)
- DC: The New Frontier (Volume 1)
- Doom Patrol (Volume 4)
- Enginehead (Volume 1)
- Ex Machina (Volume 1)
- Firestorm (Volume 3)
- Fraction (Volume 1)
- From Eroica with Love (Volume 1)
- Green Lantern: Rebirth (Volume 1)
- Hard Time (Volume 1)
- Identity Crisis (Volume 1)
- JSA: Strange Adventures (Volume 1)
- Justice League Elite (Volume 1)
- Justice League Unlimited (Volume 1)
- Justice League: Another Nail (Volume 1)
- Kinetic (Volume 1)
- Land of the Blindfolded (Volume 1)
- Madara (Volume 1)
- Majestic (Volume 1)
- Manhunter (Volume 3)
- Michael Moorcock's Elric: The Making of a Sorcerer (Volume 1)
- Midnight, Mass: Here There Be Monsters (Volume 1)
- Monolith (Volume 1)
- My Faith in Frankie (Volume 1)
- Ocean (Volume 1)
- Plastic Man (Volume 4)
- Razor's Edge: Warblade (Volume 1)
- Richard Dragon (Volume 1)
- Robotech: Invasion (Volume 1)
- Rose and Thorn (Volume 1)
- Scratch (Volume 1)
- Seaguy (Volume 1)
- Sleeper (Volume 2)
- Solo (Volume 1)
- Superman: Secret Identity (Volume 1)
- Swamp Thing (Volume 4)
- Teen Titans Go! (Volume 1)
- Terra Obscura (Volume 2)
- The Authority: More Kev (Volume 1)
The following Comic titles were last published with a 2004 cover date:
- Arrowsmith (Volume 1)
- Astro City: Local Heroes (Volume 1)
- Bad Girls (Volume 1)
- Batman Adventures (Volume 2)
- Batman/Catwoman: Trail of the Gun (Volume 1)
- Batman: City of Light (Volume 1)
- Batman: Cyber Revolution (Volume 1)
- Batman: Death and the Maidens (Volume 1)
- Batman: Harley and Ivy (Volume 1)
- Batman: Shadow of Sin Tzu (Volume 1 (Digital))
- Bite Club (Volume 1)
- Caper (Volume 1)
- Cartoon Cartoons (Volume 1)
- Cinnamon: El Ciclo (Volume 1)
- Coup d'État (Volume 1)
- DC Comics Presents (Volume 2)
- DC: The New Frontier (Volume 1)
- Doctor Fate (Volume 3)
- Empire (Volume 1)
- Enginehead (Volume 1)
- Extinction Event (Volume 1)
- Formerly Known as the Justice League (Volume 1)
- Fraction (Volume 1)
- Gen 13 (Volume 3)
- Global Frequency (Volume 1)
- Green Lantern (Volume 3)
- Harley Quinn (Volume 1)
- ICandy (Volume 1)
- JLA Secret Files and Origins (Volume 1)
- JLA-Z (Volume 1)
- JSA: All Stars (Volume 1)
- Justice League Adventures (Volume 1)
- Justice League: Another Nail (Volume 1)
- Kamikaze (Volume 1)
- Kinetic (Volume 1)
- Lobo Unbound (Volume 1)
- Midnight, Mass: Here There Be Monsters (Volume 1)
- My Faith in Frankie (Volume 1)
- Red (Volume 1)
- Reign of the Zodiac (Volume 1)
- Robotech: Invasion (Volume 1)
- Robotech: Love and War (Volume 1)
- Rose and Thorn (Volume 1)
- Sandman Presents (Volume 1)
- Scratch (Volume 1)
- Seaguy (Volume 1)
- Sleeper (Volume 1)
- Smax (Volume 1)
- Superman & Batman: Generations III (Volume 1)
- Superman: Birthright (Volume 1)
- Superman: Metropolis (Volume 1)
- Superman: Secret Identity (Volume 1)
- Terra Obscura (Volume 1)
- The Authority (Volume 2)
- The Authority: More Kev (Volume 1)
- The Demon: Driven Out (Volume 1)
- The Legion (Volume 1)
- The Light Brigade (Volume 1)
- The Possessed (Volume 1)
- The White Lama (Volume 1)
- Thessaly: Witch for Hire (Volume 1)
- Thundercats: Enemy's Pride (Volume 1)
- Thundercats: HammerHand's Revenge (Volume 1)
- Touch (Volume 1)
- Two-Step (Volume 1)
- Wildcats Version 3.0 (Volume 1)
The following One Shots were published with a 2004 cover date:
- Advent Rising #1
- Adventures with the DC Super Heroes: Energy and Safety
- Astro City Special: Supersonic #1
- Astro City/Arrowsmith #1
- Astro City: A Visitors Guide #1
- Batman Beyond: The Animated Series Guide
- Batman/Poison Ivy: Cast Shadows
- Batman: Room Full of Strangers
- Batman: The 12-Cent Adventure #1
- Batman: The Order of Beasts
- Cartoon Network Jam-Packed Action!
- Catwoman: The Movie #1
- DC 100-Page Super Spectacular DC-6 Replica Edition
- DC Comics Presents: Batman (Volume 2) #1
- DC Comics Presents: Green Lantern (Volume 2) #1
- DC Comics Presents: Hawkman (Volume 2) #1
- DC Comics Presents: Justice League of America (Volume 2) #1
- DC Comics Presents: Mystery in Space (Volume 2) #1
- DC Comics Presents: Superman (Volume 2) #1
- DC Comics Presents: The Atom (Volume 2) #1
Characters
Selected 2004 character debuts. See all.
- Kara Zor-El (New Earth)
- Jason Rusch (New Earth)
- Lyla (New Earth)
- William Matthews (New Earth)
- Owen Mercer (New Earth)
- Lorena Marquez (New Earth)
- Katherine Spencer (New Earth)
- Sebastian Blood IX (New Earth)
- Joseph Hamill (New Earth)
- Darrin Profitt (New Earth)
- Javen (Wildstorm Universe)
- Samuel Register (New Earth)
- Alura In-Ze (New Earth)
- Darla Aquista (New Earth)
- Mi-Sun Kwon (New Earth)
- Sonja (New Earth)
- Zor-El (New Earth)
- Daniel Brickwell (New Earth)
- Spirit Taniguchi (New Earth)
- Jenny Fractal (Wildstorm Universe)
- Vera Lynn Black (New Earth)
- Chad Graham (New Earth)
- Preus (New Earth)
- Alexandra Kosov (New Earth)
- Erich Donnerstein (New Earth)
- Timothy Karnes (New Earth)
- Kemeny Zsigmond von Chaos (Wildstorm Universe)
- Arturo Rodriguez (New Earth)
- Travis Clevenger (New Earth)
- Paul Revere (Wildstorm Universe)
- Vortex (New Earth)
- Maat Shadid (New Earth)
- Linda Friitawa (New Earth)
- Casey Krinsky (New Earth)
- Damon Matthews (New Earth)
- Equus (New Earth)
- Lupé Teresa Leocadio-Escudero (New Earth)
- Ramsey Robinson (New Earth)
- Ashleigh Penzler (New Earth)
- Jonathan Horne (New Earth)
- Ishmael Gregor (New Earth)
- Naif al-Sheikh (New Earth)
- Sara Descarl (New Earth)
- Alexander Allston (New Earth)
- Anton Geist (New Earth)
- Geraldine Frank (New Earth)
- Alexandra Allston (New Earth)
- Johnny Rocketman (Wildstorm Universe)
- Barney Ling (New Earth)
- Jack Williamson (New Earth)
Teams
Selected 2004 team debuts. See all.