I’m usually a news monger on most days, but today was a very busy one at the office. I was stunned to come home and read that Marvel was being acquire by Disney! There’s been tons of speculation from pros to fans to Stan Lee about how all this will play out. I’m hoping it’s going to do for Marvel what Warner did for DC Comics, and not affect the publishing line too much. I found Marv Wolfman’s comments quite insightful—he’s worked for Marvel, DC, and Disney Publishing in his career.
What was really entertaining about today were all the Tweets. If I were constantly checking twitter all day, I would have known earlier.
Joe Quesada, of course, started off today with a bang:
“G' morning, Marvel U! Welcome to this moment in history. Everyone relax, this is incredible news and all is well in the Marvel U.”
“Everybody take a deep breath, all your favorite comics remain unchanged and Tom Brevoort remains grouchy.”
Then Warren Ellis chimed in:
“Why is everyone at Marvel making quacking noises today? It's horrible.”
“so I got this phone call from Joe Quesada and it was just the sound of him rubbing himself with money and now I am confused.”
Quesada replied:
“Hey, @warrenellis I hope you're wearing your mouse ears as we agreed upon when you post that.”
Ellis fired back:
“@JoeQuesada Yes. Am wearing the mouse ears. AND NOTHING ELSE.”
Then…the jokes about the Disney-fication of Marvel was launched in earnest.
“Deadpool is now called Alivepool.”
“Scarlet Witch Mountain.”
My favorite Wacker quote gets in another dig at the fans upset by One More Day: “Y'know I never thought Cinderella and Prince Charming shoulda gotten married...hmmm.”
“Stan Lee Presents Walt Disney's Spider-Man.”
"THIS MAN, THIS MUPPET!"
Can now officially have the Punisher target the entire cast of "Hannah Montana."
Please do Jason, my nieces torture me to death with that show!
if this merger has taught us anything is comedy writing isn't for everyone :)
OH MY GOD MAKE THE MARVEL/DISNEY JOKES STOP.
For some sobering thoughts, listen to Gerry Conway:
“This can't be good news. RT @TVWriterCom: Disney buying Marvel for $4 bil? I'm completely stupefied”
“Re Disney buying Marvel: Any time a small creative operation (which Marvel is, still, in general terms) is bought by a large corp, bad news.”
“Disney is a huge enterprise, Marvel is a small one; Disney will swallow Marvel's creative culture, whatever's left of it.”
“Being purchased by Warners was bad for DC for many many many years, and still is, in terms of movies made from DC properties.”
“Look how long it's taken DC to get many of their properties into film production because Warner is the sole gateway.”
“If Warner doesn't want to do a DC project, they can make certain it doesn't get done anywhere else, and they do.”
“Howard the Duck. RT @A_Daly: @gerryconway The possibility of Donald Duck appearing in the Marvel universe surely can't be a bad thing =D”
“Good example of the Disney/Marvel problem: Howard the Duck would never have happened. Never.”
Great point! Disney did sue Marvel to make them change Howard the Duck’s outfit…I think they made Marvel promise to have Howard wear pants. Steve Gerber’s MAX series had Howard changed into a rat to avoid the terms of the settlement. But on the other hand…if Disney owns both Howard and Mickey…maybe they’d let Howard come back in his original form?
“Guarantee: If Disney had owned Marvel, no "Death of Captain America." Can't mess with a valuable corporate asset.”
Not too sure about that. Warner Brothers let DC do Death of Superman. Although they would not have allowed DC to stretch it out 2-3 years.
“And with $4 bil invested, no way is Disney going to be a "hands off" silent partner, letting the kids do what they want. Civil War? Ha!”
To close out on a more cheerful note, there’s always Brian Reed with a handy zinger:
"Face it, Tigger, you hit the jackpot!"
At least, Marvel’s shareholders certainly have! For the fans of the comic books, we’ll have to wait and see a few years down the line. What happens whenever Joe Quesada leaves the company? I’m a bit concerned if that happens in a new corporate environment—Joe’s been a rock of stability for nearly a decade. Nuff said.
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