Disney buys Marvel

[Lumbering Jack (M'odd-R8-Tr)]

Fresh off AP wire!

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Walt Disney Co. says it is acquiring Marvel Entertainment Inc. for $4 billion in cash and stock, bringing characters like Iron Man and Spider-Man into the Disney family.
Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of 5,000 Marvel characters.
Disney said Monday that Marvel shareholders will receive $30 per share in cash plus 0.745 Disney shares for every Marvel share they own.
It said the boards of Disney and Marvel have both approved the transaction, but it requires an antitrust review and the approval of Marvel shareholders.

[Horn'd One]

I can't be as optimistic as you, Mark. I'm just glad I don't have any Marvel comics anymore.

Mark Sullivan said:

Horn'd One said:

Goodbye, Marvel. You only have yourself to blame.

Actually I think this is more a sign of how successful Marvel has been recently, especially their movies. I thought it was interesting that the press release doesn't even mention comic book publishing directly. Joe Quesada has already posted that nothing will change at Marvel Comics, but of course it's too early to know what might happen.

[the_original_b_dog]

I'm remembering a quote from Jim Shooter, that when he interviewed to be editor-in-chief in the '70s, she told the brass that Marvel could be as big as Disney.

He was right.

[Bienvenu]

[Doc Beechler (mod-MD)]

Horn'd One said:

I can't be as optimistic as you, Mark. I'm just glad I don't have any Marvel comics anymore.

Mark Sullivan said:

Horn'd One said:

Goodbye, Marvel. You only have yourself to blame.

Actually I think this is more a sign of how successful Marvel has been recently, especially their movies. I thought it was interesting that the press release doesn't even mention comic book publishing directly. Joe Quesada has already posted that nothing will change at Marvel Comics, but of course it's too early to know what might happen.

Man...that is one dark mood...

[Doc Beechler (mod-MD)]

"The best news for the comic book division of Marvel in all this is how unlikely it is that anyone at Disney will care much what they do as long as the department shows a profit. If it generates new properties that can be turned into movies and video games and iPhone applications, so much the better. But the future of Spider-Man has very little to do with the Spider-Man comic book. That hasn't mattered for a long time." - Mark Evanier today at his site.

[the_original_b_dog]

I agree. I doubt this will have much direct effect on Marvel's comic-book division. Remember, Time Warner bought DC decades ago, and I can't think of any direct it has had on the publishing division. Anymore, the comic-book divisions at these companies are the tails, and the licensing rights to the characters are the dogs. The stockholders are just going to care about the dog, and if the tail keeps waggin', that's fine.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

My lunchmates quizzed me on this topic yesterday and I responded much the same.

[The Baron]

Bienvenu said:

Awesome!

[ClarkKent_DC]

Somebody from one of the local TV stations did a report last night from the comic shop I frequent -- Fantom Comics, in Union Station in Washington! Yay!

I thought there would be a link to the video of the report, but what's there is just a transcript. I don't understand the headline, because it comes totally from nowhere, but at least it's not "POW! ZAP! WHAM!": "DC Comics Enthusiasts Split On Marvel Deal"

[the_original_b_dog]

ClarkKent_DC said:

Somebody from one of the local TV stations did a report last night from the comic shop I frequent -- Fantom Comics, in Union Station in Washington! Yay!
I thought there would be a link to the video of the report, but what's there is just a transcript. I don't understand the headline, because it comes totally from nowhere, but at least it's not "POW! ZAP! WHAM!": "DC Comics Enthusiasts Split On Marvel Deal"

DC meaning District of Columbia, no? Pretty poor word choice.

[Doc Beechler (mod-MD)]

http://superitch.com/

Jack Kirby's Mickey Mouse

[Doctor Hmmm?]

How big is this news? Last night, I had the following conversation:

Me: Today's business news is ...

The Lovely and Talented: Disney bought Marvel.

Trust me, it takes real work for comics news to get on TLAT's radar.