Jenette Kahn
The world of comic book superheroes is filled with individuals who can fly, have phenomenal strength, run faster than the speed of light, and possess other amazing powers.
But even in this world of superpowered beings, Jenette Kahn is a titan.
First joining DC Comics in 1976 as the company’s Publisher, Kahn quickly distinguished herself as a woman of vision and talent, earning a promotion to DC Comics President in 1981. She immediately dove into revamping DC Comics into a sales and creative powerhouse. To encourage creators to do their best, she did away with the work-for-hire contracts that dominated comics at the time, forcing creators to sign away all rights to their work, and replaced them with royalties that paid creators more as their books performed better.
Inspired by the TV miniseries, which was just coming to prominence, Kahn and her staff introduced the concept of limited series to comics. At the time, most comics were launched with the intent that they would continue indefinitely, leading to numerous cancellations and creative stagnation. With this new format, creators could tell powerful stories, with stellar art, in just 3 to 12 issues, without having to commit years of their lives.
In 1989, Khan became Editor-in-Chief of DC, while keeping her President position. Under her stewardship, creators were given even more creative freedom to tell the stories they wanted to tell, tackling issues such as drug addiction, domestic violence, animal abuse, and more. Kahn also oversaw the formation of the Vertigo and Milestone imprints, which introduced new characters, more mature storylines, and most important, more diverse characters and creators.
Kahn left DC in 2002 after more than 25 years to work in film production, where she continues to this day. At the time of her departure, nearly half of DC Comics staff were women, a sharp departure from the decades before, and clear evidence of Kahn’s efforts to modernize the comics industry. For her efforts, Kahn was recognized as a Library of Congress Living Legend in 2000. Additionally, former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, as well as former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, all honored Kahn for her initiatives to raise awareness about land mines, gun violence, and other issues in DC’s titles.