Mickey Mouse Buys Spider-Man

US$4 billion is how much Disney is spending to buy Marvel Comics!

In case you haven’t looked at any other media outlet today, The House of the Mouse will now include spider-webs and adamantium claws as one of the biggest deals since Pixar’s sale has just happened. From CNNMoney.com:

Walt Disney Co on Monday agreed to buy Marvel Entertainment Inc for $4 billion in the biggest media deal of the year, banking on Marvel’s roster of superheroes to broaden its lineup of movie franchises that appeal to boys.

The deal is also expensive. The price tag values Marvel at 37 times its estimated 2009 earnings, and offers shareholders a 29 percent premium to Friday’s closing price. Standard & Poor’s reacted by placing Disney’s credit rating on its negative watchlist.

This is huge news for comic fans! The repercussions will be monumental: Does this mean Pixar will handle CG movies of Marvel characters? More Disney comic books from Marvel? Will Iron Man go drinking with Donald Duck? Will Disneyland now have a Marvel Town? Will Wolverine now need to get a hair cut to appeal to Goof Troop fans? The possibilities, both good and bad, are endless.

We’ll be tweeting more on the developments of this story as they are released

More links on the Disney/Marvel deal:

• Disney Buys Marvel Comics for $4 Billion (takepart.com)
• Multiverse In Uproar Over Disney’s $4 Billion Acquisition Of Marvel (npr.org)
• With great power. (bigcontrarian.com)
• Disney Buys Marvel for $4 Billion (pastemagazine.com)