Marvel to be bought by Disney

[Dancanread]

I just wonder at what point do we start calling monopoly? I just feel like Disney is starting to become the NY Yankees of the entertainment industry, buying up anything remotely successful to be part of the team.

 

[Jaggyd]

I love the panic that Marvel's going to be made "family friendly", but people forget that Disney (through a subsidiary) released movies like Pulp Fiction and Dogma.


Tho i just had a funny thought, Disney now holds the rights to Miracleman.

I just wonder at what point do we start calling monopoly? I just feel like Disney is starting to become the NY Yankees of the entertainment industry, buying up anything remotely successful to be part of the team.

Disney has nothing on TimeWarner/AOL and News Corp.

 

[E]

So it basically boils down to this: do you trust Disney's claims that they trust Marvel management and will let them run themselves?

I'm conflicted. On one hand, I think having Disney money lets them open things up in a way they might not have before. I'm talking about movies of course - I don't believe that Disney cares one iota about the comics publishing division. On the other hand, there are plenty of Disney movies that sucked even though they were made with "Disney money."

On the other hand, I think it's pretty naive to suggest or believe that Disney won't want to get involved with things in some way. I kind of wish they would get involved in publishing from an editorial standpoint so we wouldn't have some of the crap they've been publishing lately.

Tho i just had a funny thought, Disney now holds the rights to Miracleman.

Heh. That was the first thing I thought of when I heard.

 

[SSJmole]

Nice could this mean a return of "power rangers" comics? Since Disney owns both Power rangers and Marvel now?

 

[Captain Canuck]

Spidey/Donald.

what about Howard the Duck/Donald?
or FF/Incredibles?
haha

I just wonder at what point do we start calling monopoly? I just feel like Disney is starting to become the NY Yankees of the entertainment industry, buying up anything remotely successful to be part of the team.

yeah, but ummmm...

Disney has nothing on TimeWarner/AOL and News Corp.

THIS


This will be interesting for sure. I think the pluses will be more organization and quality in the cartoon tv shows, more funding for the movies in the future, PIXAR superhero movies!

as far as the comic books, I really think they will be unaffected. I can't see Disney mandating changes to Marvel when Marvel has been running as a corporation for ages and is successful in its own right.

lets hope for the best!

*goes and reorganizes his DVDs and puts Marvel movies with Disney movies*

 

[compound]

I love the panic that Marvel's going to be made "family friendly", but people forget that Disney (through a subsidiary) released movies like Pulp Fiction and Dogma.

Honestly, that seems less of a testament to consumers' gullibility than it is proof of Disney's successful branding as a "family oriented" studio.

However, the Mouse can afford to take a "live and let live" stance with Pulp Fiction, Dogma, etc. because the content is inherently produced for adult audiences, to begin with. (Which is why I actually expect *more* support for the MAX and Icon lines, with the influx of "Disney money", ironically.)

My personal concern about Runaways stems from the fact that it's a book that's both about and for teenagers, primarily. That might be in direct conflict with the Disney brand identity, especially when the younger end of its target readership may conceivably be preteens who are starting to outgrow High School Musical, and are looking for more 'serious' fare. I could imagine the brand managers not wanting their market "transitioning" into a series that features pansexual aliens and sexually active Goth girls. (And yes, I *know* it's handled in a nuanced, human manner... That's why I still read it. But I'm not sure if I trust Disney's image police to see things the same way.)

 

[Jaggyd]

Honestly, that seems less of a testament to consumers' gullibility than it is proof of Disney's successful branding as a "family oriented" studio.

However, the Mouse can afford to take a "live and let live" stance with Pulp Fiction, Dogma, etc. because the content is inherently produced for adult audiences, to begin with. (Which is why I actually expect *more* support for the MAX and Icon lines, with the influx of "Disney money", ironically.)

My personal concern about Runaways stems from the fact that it's a book that's both about and for teenagers, primarily. That might be in direct conflict with the Disney brand identity, especially when the younger end of its target readership may conceivably be preteens who are starting to outgrow High School Musical, and are looking for more 'serious' fare. I could imagine the brand managers not wanting their market "transitioning" into a series that features pansexual aliens and sexually active Goth girls. (And yes, I *know* it's handled in a nuanced, human manner... That's why I still read it. But I'm not sure if I trust Disney's image police to see things the same way.)

Nah, don't forget, Disney is actually a very liberal company. Sure they put forth a face of "family", but they spent a lot of money to fight Prop 8 in California, have Gay Pride weekends, and actively produce shows like Desperate Housewives.

I'm not worried that they're going to censor things like runaways, because like it was said by several others. Like Pixar, Miramax, and Hollywood Films, Marvel will be left to its own devices.

 

[compound]

I kind of wish [Disney] would get involved in publishing from an editorial standpoint so we wouldn't have some of the crap they've been publishing lately.

I've got mixed feelings about this. Like you, I agree that Marvel has *plenty* of superfluous titles at the moment. I don't care much for Marvel Zombies, or Marvel Apes, or stuff like The Pet Avengers. All of that just dilutes the brand; even when they're creatively written, it's unlikely to win over any new readers or expand the audience.

Having said that, I hope there's a shift in Marvel's editorial direction, to reflect a new beginning with the change in ownership. But I want it to be an autonomous decision by Marvel management, NOT a gesture of willing servitude to their new corporate masters.

Then again, as Skotti has reassured us, there have been lots of de facto Disney releases that are both creative AND open minded in their approach. So maybe greater editorial involvement isn't necessarily such a horrible thing.

 

[Joe Kalicki]

So much for Marvel.

 

[J. Agamemnon]

I love Quesada. (also "Quesadilla" fails as an insult. He's Cuban, not mexican. ).Besides, they said they weren't doing anything too drastic.

I wonder, does this mean Marvel characters can show up in Kingdom Hearts?

wouldn't it succeed as an insult since cubans don't like being compared to mexicans?


and if it means that dirty mexican gets fired, then so be it.

 

[robje]

Holy ****! The internet is breaking in half over this! I made a list of the things people are speculating on the Disney/Marvel merger.

-Disney already airs Marvel cartoons such as 90's Marvel cartoons and Spectacular Spider-Man. Not much change there, other than we'll probably see more DVD sets if they haven't collected them yet.

-The case of Howard the Duck:
Disney also threatened to sue Marvel for infringing Donald Duck's copyright and enforced a different design, including the use of pants (as seen in the movie and some later comics).
Since Disney now owns the character they might let it go.

-Disney could go after scanners more vigorously (rabidly) than Marvel.

-Universal's rides could be taken down once the deal is over.

-Will Fox and Sony still deal with Disney to make the films they own the rights to?

-Disney now owns Marvelman, will they use the 50's version in cartoons?

-Kingdom hearts III. Wolverine being the party member for the marvel world and instead of claws he has tiny keyblades comming out of his arm.

 

[Zombipanda]

Interesting. I would have never seen this coming, just because Disney/Pixar has been using Boom Studios for their own properties, but I guess Marvel and Disney-oriented Boom books won't really be competing with each other.

I'm curious about what's going to happen with Marvel Studios. Will it be around? Will these films continue to be under Marvel's purview? I'd be interested to see what Disney or Pixar animators could do with Marvel characters.

Edit: Heh. Good point, rob. Is Universal going to have to redesign their rides to match Image characters?



The one thing I'm really curious about is distribution. I could see Disney taking the initiative to help Marvel move into the digital market, or find new distribution routes. OTOH, I guess they could also use their strength to push further on the Diamond distribution monopoly. I wonder if Disney might experiment with Marvel retail stores, like they have with the Disney Store.

 

[McCheese]

It's stories like this that make me wish I had a comic oriented blog to rant on.

AnTwan?

 

[robje]

I've got mixed feelings about this. Like you, I agree that Marvel has *plenty* of superfluous titles at the moment. I don't care much for Marvel Zombies, or Marvel Apes, or stuff like The Pet Avengers.

did you read pet avengers? best thing marvel has put out in over a decade.

Also:

that was fast.

 

[SSJmole]

Awesome Picture!

 

[DIrishB]

Nice could this mean a return of "power rangers" comics? Since Disney owns both Power rangers and Marvel now?

Of all the questions this buy-out could bring, only Mole would ask this one.

 

[SSJmole]

Of all the questions this buy-out could bring, only Mole would ask this one.

:lol::lol:

It's a valid question considering Disney owns both and the old Power ranger comics were done by marvel. And ... SHUT UP!

 

[DIrishB]

:lol::lol:

It's a valid question considering Disney owns both and the old Power ranger comics were done by marvel. And ... SHUT UP!

Honestly, is that TV show still on? Other than repeats...is it still airing?

 

[SSJmole]

Honestly, is that TV show still on? Other than repeats...is it still airing?

Yes but this is the last season. However Disney has plans to relaunch the original MMPR with released toys , the old show been shown again , maybe dvds (some sources say it'll even be cleaned up a bit for hd) So a comic series based on original helps that plus the original still has some nostalgia about it to gather some intrest comic wise.

 

[Ice]

I always wanted to see a Wolverine/Mickey crossover.

That was the first thing I thought of. :lol:

I love Quesada. (also "Quesadilla" fails as an insult. He's Cuban, not mexican. ).B

It's not an insult to his race, but just something people poke fun at because his name is close to the spelling of it. :wink: