Comic-ally Speaking: Introducing The Wonderful World of...Marvel?

Could Spider-Man and Mickey Mouse be the next big superhero team-up? 

Possibly, considering Disney just announced their intentions to buy Marvel Entertainment Inc. for $4 billion on August 31.  This has left many comic book fans, including me, wondering whether this will be good or bad for Marvel Comics.

I was pretty torn on this subject when I first heard about it.  On the one hand, it could mean that some of my favorite comic book characters get the “Disney” treatment and start singing Randy Newman composed show-tunes.

On the other hand, I own Marvel stock and it has more than doubled since this deal was announced and, as a stockholder, I’ll also get some Disney stock.  (I’m rich!)

But in reality, this is a great deal for all both companies, including their stockholders, employees, and fans.  Most likely, Disney will just be raking in the Marvel’s profits and will leave their creative team alone.  It should be the kind of equation that lets TV channels like HBO and Showtime have such great shows, where the network executives leave the creative people alone to be creative.  That is exactly how Disney should treat Marvel.  Let the writers, editors, and artists do what has made the company so popular over the past 70 years, without interference from the stereotypical corporate executive that wants to bleed anything that’s popular dry just to make money.

Also with funds from Disney, Marvel would be able to do so much more than they are now.  Usually Marvel may only get one to two summer blockbuster movies out every year, but imagine if they could produce even more movies, or even theatrical animated comic book movies to continue where the live action movies left off.  Marvel has already produced a handful of animated direct-to-DVD movies, but with Disney’s resources fans could possibly see some of Marvel’s best comic stories turned into animated movies. 

Not to mention, Disney’s resources would allow for Marvel to hire more talented writers and artists for their comics.  (Not that they don’t already have some of the best talent working for them.)

But let’s not forget that this deal is not to make Marvel more popular, but Disney.  Let’s face it, Disney attracts the attention of little kids and maybe some teenage girls.  But they have next to nothing to draw in the dollars of guys in middle school and high school.  So, mainly the Marvel purchase was so Disney could have a monopoly of kids’ money and attention from birth to high school.

I don’t know how well this deal will play out for either company.  Unfortunately, my super powers don’t include precognition, just the annoying power of wanting to express my opinion about everything (especially comic related topics).  So only time will tell if this is a good thing for my favorite comic book publisher. 

As long as Disney execs keep their noses out of Marvel's fine story-telling abilities, and we don’t see that aforementioned Spider-Man/Mickey Mouse team-up, I’m sure everything will eventually turn out for the best.