Disney buys Marvel comics for $4 billion

Announced this past Tuesday, Marvel Comics has been bought by the Disney Corporation for $4 billion. Reactions to the revelation range from extreme optimism to total doubt. Some say it will usher in a new age in the evolution of Marvel Comics, while others worry about Disney’s creative hand reaching too far into the Marvel universe. Will Disney let the Marvel tradition flourish or will they absorb it into their magical and sugary-sweet depths?

Disney just added about five thousand new faces to their pool of characters. With Hannah Montana and iCarly, Disney is king of the young girl demographic. The infusion of the additional Marvel properties could put the magic kingdom on top of the mountain for young boys. For Marvel this means a bewildering amount of increased publicity and distribution around the globe. With Disney’s money at their disposal, Marvel will also be able to gamble with lesser known characters without having to worry as much about the sales risks. Hopefully, not being focused on the bottom line could also help Marvel ease up on their current cover price increases.

Critics of the deal fear that Disney will cast too much creative influence over the contents of Marvel’s titles. They see it as a possible, if not eventual, softening of the Marvel universe. Will Disney’s whimsical influence lighten Marvel to the extent that they alienate the young male market? Where would characters like the Punisher fit into a Marvel universe where Disney’s wholesome, family fun has invaded, pillaged and conquered? Hopefully, Disney will treat Marvel with a long leash of independence like Warner Brothers does DC comics.

I tend to think that if both companies play their cards right, this could be the biggest thing to happen to Marvel comics since Stan Lee put pencil to paper. Disney wants to grab the attention of boys with Marvel’s catalog and Marvel will get the chance to finally interest girls in their secret comic book club. I see comics based on Hanna Montanna and High School Musical to be a positive step for Marvel, as long as aspects of the company like the Marvel MAX line are also explored to their potential.

If Disney can limit itself from influencing the established Marvel Universe, I think that everything will be fine. No one wants to see Launchpad McQuack leading the Avengers. They need to find the perfect balance of universe interaction, where elements from each one teasingly seep into the other but they are still recognizable as their own individual entity and brand.

Many of the aspects of the deal are still up in the air. Disney says that they want to utilize the Marvel characters in their parks and live-action film department. Who knows what this means for the Universal Studios theme park Islands of Adventure, who already have rides and merchandise licensed by Marvel? What is the fate of the X-Men, Spiderman and Ironman movies already being filmed by rival movie studios?

Will Disney show Marvel Comics brand new and exotic horizons or will Spiderman be locked away and forgotten in a secret, sub-basement housing powerful and frozen heads? Only time will tell. Just give me a Pixar Fantastic Four movie like the Incredibles and I’ll be content.

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