Disney buys Marvel comics

[al kusanagi]

So, yeah, apparently Disney just bought Marvel Comics for 4 billion dollars. I'm pretty damn worried about what this means, especially with regards to some of their better movie franchises. I really don't want to see Disney coming in a fucking up Iron Man 2 or the various upcoming Avengers related movies. Then again, if that means we can have Spider-Man in Kingdom Hearts 3, then I'm all for it!



PS. I also demand that Rocket Raccoon and Squirrel Girl get their own attractions at Disney World.

[eri]

Kingdom Hearts IV with Spider Man?



edit: I want to see Aeris fight with Jane Grey.

[Melon]

There's nothing to worry about. NOTHING AT ALL. Though the nerd tears are DELICIOUS, I must stop them.



First off, Disney owns a SHITLOAD of properties not related to Disney. For instance, Miramax films, Touchstone films, ABC, Lifetime, A&E, The History Channel, ESPN, and several more probably.



If anything, this merger will mean that Marvel Films (and possibly Marvel merch) will get the Disney distribution upgrade, which is the highest distribution upgrade you can get in the game of life.



Think of it as their relationship with PIXAR. Hell, even Miramax films (Kill Bill, No Country for Old Men, ect). Things will go as per usual. If anything, they may be able to take more risks with their comics and release something interesting again because Disney financing can back them up.



DC is owned by Warner. And they're still trucking along, same as usual.



And sorry Al, but Universal Studios will get to keep their Marvel theme park licensing too. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... iggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='=3=' />





[tinytext] this is all moot anyway, everyone knows Dark Horse Comics are the best comic distros. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />[/tinytext]

[eri]

I don't know - fun crossovers happen. Universal Studios Florida is building a Harry Potter Theme Park inside of it. Maybe we'll get a Wolverine Ride at Disneyland.

[al kusanagi]

The more I think about it, the better it gets. Come on! It's the perfect opportunity to bring back Darkwing Duck!



I will also kill one puppy for every day that I do not see Selena Gomez wearing a New Mutants team uniform.



Get on it, Disney. Only 100 Dalmatians left to go...

[al kusanagi]

And for the record, I was never worried about Disney doing anything to the comics themselves, but more worried about the film and animation side of things. I was relieved when I saw that most of the deals would stand as they are but some do seem like Disney might want to take a hand in them.



Hell, this will probably multiply international recognition of Marvel a dozen times over, especially in Japan where they worship Disney but don't know Marvel outside of Spider-Man.

[Ap2000]

[quote name='Al Kusanagi' post='68211' date='Aug 31 2009, 09:04 PM']Hell, this will probably multiply international recognition of Marvel a dozen times over, especially in Japan where they worship Disney but don't know Marvel outside of Spider-Man.[/quote]



I go out on a hunch and say the name Marvel is only well-known in the usa (plus, maybe Canada).

At least here in Europe nobody I know knows anything about noth american comics or at least more than the average Batman-And-Spiderman-Movie-Goer.

Disney however is very well known of course and everybody could draw a Mickey Mouse.

So maybe they'll try to publish some of the completely unknown stuff (and I'm sure there's a lot, though I know nothing about north american comics) here in Europe under the Disney brand and try to sell.



While I often read "Pixar's new movie (or whatever)" at american sites, whenever I read german articles it's "Disney Pixar's new movie". So maybe they'll try to do the same ?

[al kusanagi]

I don't know about all of Europe, but Marvel has a UK publishing house that reprinted their US books and eventually put out titles that weren't even available in the US until later.

[Tallgeese]

hardcore comic nerds are going abso-fuckin-lutely APESHIT over this (and I love it). From a business standpoint, this was absolutely brilliant on Disney's part. As for Marvel, they must have did the calculations and realized they couldn't do it all the movie stuff on their own, i.e. production, marketing, distribution, etc. I think it's the "hit or miss" nature of the movie biz. You hit it big and you're good. A string of flops, though, will send you downhill quick. I think it's something like one hit finances the 10 other flops for the year, so if you don't hit it big, you're not only ass out for your loss, but you're crimping financing for your next projects.

[Geof]

Marvel's got a loooooonnnnng history of biting off more than it can chew outside of the actual comics themselves. Before Sony made Spider-Man, pretty much any Marvel project that wasn't available Wednesdays on the New Issues rack was a half-assed effort at best. That's why DC/Warner's Batman & Superman movie franchises at least had good production value (if not necessarily good CONTENT, haha) while Marvel's movies were really movies in name only. Hell, even their recent animation projects have been just a touch above standard Saturday morning fare. I'm hoping that this acquisition will finally provide Marvel with the backing it's desperately needed for decades.

[Tallgeese]

[quote name='Geof' post='68249' date='Sep 1 2009, 01:17 AM']Marvel's got a loooooonnnnng history of biting off more than it can chew outside of the actual comics themselves. Before Sony made Spider-Man, pretty much any Marvel project that wasn't available Wednesdays on the New Issues rack was a half-assed effort at best. That's why DC/Warner's Batman & Superman movie franchises at least had good production value (if not necessarily good CONTENT, haha) while Marvel's movies were really movies in name only. Hell, even their recent animation projects have been just a touch above standard Saturday morning fare. I'm hoping that this acquisition will finally provide Marvel with the backing it's desperately needed for decades.[/quote]



yeah, any true old school comic fan who knows the history and business of Marvel would know that they're like a crack addict or hardened criminal unable to kick their habit, always crashing back into debt after a spurt of success. It's been boom and bust for several decades. i think this finally gives them closure, stability, and can really take them to the next level. the only real casualty will be a ton of half-assed titles that probably should have never made it past the editor's desk in the first place.

[al kusanagi]

Oh noes!!! The Disney buyout has already ruined Deadpool! Why, Wade, why?!?