Disney buys Marvel Entertainment

[Correction]

Ridiculously sweet deal for Marvel, but I guess Disney bought them just in time to cash in on Iron Man 2?

MarketWatch First Take: Spider-Man in Mickey Mouse's web - MarketWatch

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- In a meeting of icons, Mickey Mouse is set to pay $4 billion to acquire Spider-Man. That is, Walt Disney has reached a deal to purchase Marvel Entertainment.

For Disney's chief executive, Bob Iger, the move largely represents a pricey bet on the strength of the U.S. economy. At a time when media stocks are out of favor in the investment community, Iger is trying hard to drum up excitement by creating content. See full story for terms of the Disney-Marvel deal.

The takeover attempt represents one of the biggest deals in Disney's history. Skeptical views will abound.

What can Disney do to extend Marvel's name recognition? Is the Marvel brand worth $4 billion? Will Marvel's characters live up to Disney's objectives online and in retailing? And will there be genuine synergy here?

Further, can Marvel boost business in Disney's theme parks? Can Disney take advantage of the multitude of Marvel characters by creating lucrative new franchises in movies and across other platforms?

Iger is taking a sizable chance with his own reputation, too. So far in his tenure, he has been a darling of the investment community. With this decision, he expects that Wall Street will applaud his sense of adventure and willingness to take a risk.

Iger has been around long enough to recognize that iconic companies such as Walt Disney must swing for the fences to win the approval of the Street. Marvel represents a terrific opportunity for Iger to put his stamp on Disney in the 21st century.

Iger has made a stand. How will his move be judged in the short and long terms?

It looks like a shrewd move for Disney as a way to expand its breadth. If the economy cooperated, over time, Iger would emerge as a hero and a visionary. But if Wall Street ultimately failed to back what he's done, then Iger would be the proud owner of a $4 billion flop.

-- Jon Friedman

Marvel-themed stuff at Disneyland/world/etc. will be kinda neat, I guess.

[Qalbert]

Marvelous Hearts incoming. (Kingdom hearts spinoff)

[Kaslo]

I am scared of what this can mean... I mean look at what Disney did to Clerks the Animated Series...

[Celeste]

Comics now raised to 7.99 USD a pop.

[ZarakiKujata]

So does this mean disney is going to be releasing the movies, and what about other studios owning other distribution rights? i.e. Xmen/Spiderman are Fox no?

[BRP]

This thread is going to be full of people taking the very wrong perspective on this. CENSORSHIP! KINGDOM HEARTS! etc etc.

Anyway, it seems comics is a new battlefield for Warner vs Disney.


EDIT:

Xmen/Spiderman are Fox no?

Indeed. Nothing changing there.

[ravbane]

It's as if millions of comic book geeks all screamed at once and were suddenly silenced.

[Correction]

It's as if millions of comic book geeks all screamed at once and were suddenly silenced.

They should have been screaming the day one comic book became more expensive than a gallon of gasoline. The industry has been killing itself off quite well in the print business for at least 5 years already. Marvel pulled off an amazing feat by getting bought for 4 billion. Just wait till Disney finds out it's getting screwed by the most evil middleman in existence.

[BRP]

Diamond is a bastard.

But Comics are not dying yet.

[Demosthenes]

As long as they fire Quesada, I'm down with it.

[BRP]

Quesada is good for business. He made Marvel highly profitable after it was near self-destruction. I don't see it being advantageous to fire him.

[Day]

They should have been screaming the day one comic book became more expensive than a gallon of gasoline. The industry has been killing itself off quite well in the print business for at least 5 years already. Marvel pulled off an amazing feat by getting bought for 4 billion. Just wait till Disney finds out it's getting screwed by the most evil middleman in existence.

http://www.diamondcomics.com/public/...92_74153_1.jpg

[Ker]

As long as they fire Quesada, I'm down with it.

who is he? not comic fan.

Seriously this is really unexpected as never in million years anyone would think Disney would buy Marvel.

[Demosthenes]

Quesada is good for business. He made Marvel highly profitable after it was near self-destruction. I don't see it being advantageous to fire him.

It's a personaly thing. I've always been more of a DC person, however Quesada axed any reasons I had for liking Marvel at all.

[BRP]

who is he? not comic fan.

Seriously this is really unexpected as never in million years anyone would think Disney would buy Marvel.

Quesada is the editor-in-chief at Marvel. And these days that means he has more power than God when it comes to comics.

[Demosthenes]

who is he? not comic fan.

Seriously this is really unexpected as never in million years anyone would think Disney would buy Marvel.

The man that axed peter and mj with lol magic, turned the ultimate universe into a 616 clone. I can go on. Only tihng Marvel has these days that is of any interest to me is the new Thor series. Ultimate X-men is regular X-men. Ultimates 1 and 2, got turned into a 90s suckfest in ultimates 3. At least ultimate spiderman stayed good.

[Senoska]

Fuck Disney.

[Day]

Pixar > Comic Bewks

[Brill Weave]

So essentially Disney is paying 4 billion dollars for movie rights. And fuck Quesada he destroys everything he fucking touches. Although in comic book related news I wasn't aware that Megan Fox is playing Aspen in the movie Fathom. RIP Michael Turner.

[ZarakiKujata]

Pixar > Comic Bewks

plzplzplzplzplzplzplzplzplz The Incredibles cross over w/ Marvel Universe.