Marvel Comics is an American comic book company that makes "superhero" comic books. Marvel was started in 1939 by Martin Goodman as Timely Comics, and by 1951 had generally become known as Atlas Comics. The Marvel era began in 1961, the year that the company launched "The Fantastic Four" and other superhero titles created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and many others. In 2009, The Walt Disney Company bought Marvel for US$4 billion. Its top rival is DC Comics (the publications of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman). 