Local Comic Book Fans React
Meg Felling
– Staff Writer-
On August 31, Disney acquired Marvel and its five thousand comic book characters, for approximately $4 billion. The news sent the nerd, geek and freak subcultures into a tizzy, as they spewed their fears, discontent and excitement out on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and other social networks. The horrible images of Mickey Mouse in Spiderman’s costume or Donald Duck Hulk have haunted the nightmares of comic book readers.
However, there has also been excitement. Disney opened up its heart that’s all stuffed with fluff for Marvel studios. It has also opened up its wallet that’s stuffed with a multi-billion dollar corporation, not to mention the youth of America under the age of 16 is somewhere in that massive pocketbook too.
Disney publishes books, games, toys and other memorabilia for their characters. However, usually the people interested in the Disney channel are not interested in what the comic lovers are reading.
Scott Samson, manager of the South County Fantasy Shop, said, “Time Warner has had D.C. for a long time now… It was probably about time Disney had a publishing arm that could get to the kind of audiences that they wanted.” Disney now controls two streams of entertainment from two different social demographics. This realization has left many comic readers scared what Disney could do with their favorite characters.
Cullen Bunn, a freelance writer for Marvel, said, “I have heard a lot of negative stuff, like Disney is going to change Marvel’s characters. I don’t think that’s going to happen.” Others are not so calm. Timothy Mann, who also works at the Fantasy Shop with Samson, explained how one of their customers called the Fantasy Shop when he heard the news. He was afraid one of his favorite comics would be canceled.
“I don’t think people realize what kind of broad spectrum of properties that Disney actually has. I don’t see them putting the kibosh on a comic book that was aimed at a mature audience,” said Mann. Why would Disney mess with a good thing? Marvel has been consistently profitable with its comics, movies, and other forms of media and merchandise; crippling that would be a bad business move.
“Disney bought Marvel because, Marvel makes money, and Disney wants Marvel to continue to make money,” said Samson.
Disney taking over Marvel may actually prove to be a good thing.
“Disney has the power to get comics into chain stores that can get comics out to a bigger audience,” says Bunn. Not only can comics reach a bigger audience, but also with Disney’s hold on the youth; the comic book audience is about to see a demographic it hasn’t seen in a while.
“One of the funnier comments I have heard so far is ‘Now that Disney owns Marvel, just how many variant covers for Hannah Montana number one will there be,’” said Samson. “It’s a chance to get to that tween/teen girl audience through the properties they already established, and get them into comics.”
The Internet may be full of blogs by horrified comic readers, but the Fantasy shop in South County is calm and hopeful.
“Mostly my feelings are positive because I think that means Marvel studios will have a larger budget for publicity for their films, as well as the Disney Machine,” says Samson
