Cup O’ Joe: Political Controversy & The Heroic Age – Comic Book Resources

The picture in the comic was taken from a REAL SIGN at Tea Party rally!!

Classic!

Cup O’ Joe: Political Controversy & The Heroic Age – Comic Book Resources

The book was getting ready to go to the printer, it was on fire already from a deadline standpoint, but the editor on the book noticed that there was a small art correct that needed to get done. On the first page featuring the protestors, the artist on the book drew slogans into the protest signs to give them a sense of reality and to set up the scene. On the following page featuring the protestors again, there were signs, but nothing written in them. From a continuity standpoint, this omission stood out like a sore thumb, but was easily fixable. So, just before the book went to the printer, the editor asked the letterer on the book to just fudge in some quick signs. The letterer in his rush to get the book out of the door but wanting to keep the signs believable, looked on the net and started pulling slogans from actual signs. That’s when he came upon this one.

Art Imitates Life..

FOXNews.com – Tea Party Jab to Be Zapped From Captain America Comic, Writer Says

I hate to give Fox News any press, but I had to comment about this.

First I was shocked that those Tea Party people can actually read, let alone read comics.  Someone had to point it out to them i bet.  Second, I have something to say to the Tea Party group.  Grow up and get the fuck over yourselves!  If something as little as this hits a nerve, maybe you should take a long hard look at what you are doing and how you are doing it.

To Marvel: SHAME on you for falling under this kind of pressure from a bunch of lunatics.  Do you think these people are really going to hurt your bottom line?  Or did the Mouse force you to do it?

FOXNews.com – Tea Party Jab to Be Zapped From Captain America Comic, Writer Says

Tea Party Jab to Be Zapped From Captain America Comic, Writer Says

By Joshua Rhett Miller

– FOXNews.com

A “tea bag” reference in a recent Captain America comic book that has angered the Tea Party movement will be removed by Marvel Comics in future editions, the story’s writer told FoxNews.com.

Writer Ed Brubaker told FoxNews.com that Marvel Comics will remove a “tea bag” reference from future editions of Captain America No. 602.

A “tea bag” reference in a recent Captain America comic book that has angered the Tea Party movement will be removed by Marvel Comics in future editions, the story’s writer told FoxNews.com.

In issue No. 602 of Captain America, “Two Americas, Part One,” the title hero and The Falcon, a black superhero from New York City, stumble upon a protest rally in Boise, Idaho. They see scores of protesters carrying signs that say “Stop the Socialists!” and “Tea Bag The Libs Before They Tea Bag YOU!”

Captain America says the protest appears to be an “anti-tax thing,” and The Falcon jokes that he likely would not be welcomed into the crowd of “angry white folks.”

Ed Brubaker, who wrote the story, told FoxNews.com he did not write the “Tea Bag The Libs Before They Tea Bag YOU!” sign shown in the edition, insisting that the words were added by someone in “lettering or production” just before being shipped to the printer. It will be changed in subsequent editions, he said.

“I don’t know who did it, probably someone who thought it was funny,” Brubaker wrote in an e-mail. “I didn’t think so, personally. That’s the sign being changed to something more generic for the trade reprint, because I and my editor were both shocked to see it.”

But the change may come too late to placate a chorus of critics who noticed the apparent jab at the Tea Party movement and who accused Marvel of making supervillains out of patriotic Americans.

Michael Johns, a board member of the Nationwide Tea Party Coalition, said he felt the “juvenile” dig will ultimately do more damage to Marvel’s brand than to the Tea Party movement. He also disputed the insinuation that the growing movement lacks diversity.

“The Tea Party movement has been very reflective of broad concerns of all Americans,” Johns said. “Membership is across ethnic, religious and even political lines.”

Johns accused Brubaker of “blame-shifting” and questioned why an apology or retraction hadn’t been issued as soon as the writer or Marvel executives noticed the politically charged signs.

Brubaker, meanwhile, has made no secret of his political leanings.

He said he wrote the script “four or five” months ago, which was shortly before he posted critical messages on his Twitter account regarding former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and former President George W. Bush.

“Memo to Bachman and the rest of the tea crowd — We had a revolution already, it’s called an election,” Brubaker tweeted on Nov. 5.

Nine days later, he wrote: “What did we learn this week? That Sarah Palin is a lying idiot. Hey, welcome to 2008 again.”

But Brubaker was adamant that he did not intend to imply that the group of protesters in the comic book were Tea Partiers.

“I was simply using them to show the mood in the country in various places outside Captain America and the Falcon’s usual home, New York City,” he wrote. “It’s very similar to other things we’ve done in the comic, showing leftwing protest crowds back during the election season in 2008.”

A spokeswoman for Marvel Comics did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Herb London, president of the Hudson Institute, a think tank based in Washington, said the protest scene in the comic book is merely the latest attempt in a “systematic effort” to chastise the grassroots Tea Party movement.

“I was perplexed by this,” London said. “It seems to me there was a clear effort on someone’s part to undermine the Tea Party movement.”

London said the comic strip insinuates the protesters are “loonies,” and he questioned The Falcon’s reference to race.

“It involves sensitivities,” London said. “There’s no reason for something like that to be included.”

Marvel Begins Exciting New Direction in May 2010 | Marvel.com News | Marvel.com

This is long overdue in my opinion

Marvel Begins Exciting New Direction in May 2010 | Marvel.com News | Marvel.com

Marvel: The Heroic Age
Marvel Begins Exciting New Direction in May 2010

Posted: 2010-01-27 Updated: 2010-02-02 10:57:58

Marvel Comics is proud to announce The Heroic Age, the dawn of an exciting new era of heroism in the Marvel Universe! Beginning in May 2010 with the release of AVENGERS #1, The Heroic Age ushers in a brighter Marvel Universe and a bold new era for the world’s greatest super heroes as they emerge from darkness with a renewed sense of hope and optimism, leading to the formation of all new teams with new members…and brand new characters! Titles branded with the Heroic Age banner offer a perfect jumping on point for readers new and old alike, as the top comic book creators in the world deliver a Marvel Universe like you’ve never seen before!

Over the past few years, the Marvel Universe and its citizens have found themselves living in a dark age of despair. Beginning with the disbanding of the Avengers, the heroes of the Marvel Universe have been caught in a demoralizing downward spiral that has included the genocide of the mutant population, a divisive civil war between heroes, the assassination of Captain America, a worldwide subversive alien infiltration and invasion, and the media-fueled and publicly-supported ascension of the Green Goblin’s civilian identity, Norman Osborn, to power and control of the United States. Now, the heroes have united once again, stronger than ever and are prepared to face the dangers that lie ahead.

“Our heroes have experienced some of their greatest trials and tribulations recently, but now there’s going to be a renewed hope among their ranks,” said Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer & Editor-in-Chief Marvel Entertainment LLC. “As our heroes emerge from the darkness, the Marvel Universe is going to be a more optimistic place than we’ve seen in a quite awhile. But that doesn’t mean we’re making things easy for our characters!”

From the tone of the storylines, to the stunning new artistic look, The Heroic Age ushers in a dramatic new vision of the Marvel Universe. Marvel’s most elite characters will be at the center of The Heroic Age, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers and more!

David Gabriel, Senior Vice-President of Sales & Circulation, Marvel Entertainment LLC. added “We’ve been working out the details of THE HEROIC AGE for about a year now. The plan is to give old and new fans alike the perfect place to jump into the Marvel Universe without feeling like they’ve missed out on anything that’s come before. If there’s a Heroic Age banner on one of the books, we’re serious when we say ‘the Marvel Universe Starts Here!”

A new Age of Heroes dawns this May as THE HEROIC AGE begins and changes the face of comics as you know them! Join Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Jonathan Hickman, John Romita Jr, and more of the industry’s hottest creators as they bring a bold new era for the world’s greatest super heroes, with a stunning new look for the Marvel Universe!

Marvel On iPhone – Who, Where, Which, What And How Much? | Bleeding Cool Comic News & Rumors

Marvel On iPhone – Who, Where, Which, What And How Much? | Bleeding Cool Comic News & Rumors

Marvel On iPhone – Who, Where, Which, What And How Much?
Submitted by Rich Johnston on October 30, 2009 – 5:09 am (14) comments

appOkay, we were exclusive with this news for about quarter of an hour, before Comixology started tweeting, (and five and a half hours before MacWorld woke up) but still.

Marvel titles being made available for iPhone and iTouch users through the iPhone Apps systems. And not tied down to any one App provider, but spread out a bit. So what’s out there?

Comixology: (71 issues, $1.99 each)

Age of Apocalypse #1–6
Astonishing X-Men #1–24 (Full Whedon Cassaday run)
Captain America #1–30 (Brubaker, Epting)
Marvel Zombies #1–5
X-23 #1–6

iVerse: (37 issues, $1.99 each)

Age of Apocalypse #1–6
Amazing Spider-Man #519–524
Astonishing X-Men #1–12
Captain America #1–6 (Brubaker, Epting)
Invincible Iron Man #1–6
X-23 #1–6

Panelfly (84 issues, $0.99 each)

Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #1-25 (Lee, Ditko)
Amazing Spider-Man #519-524
Astonishing X-Men #1-24
Invincible Iron Man #1-16
X-23 #1-6
Age Of Apocalypse #1-6

Comixology gets the lion’s share of new content at $1.99 a title but no Iron Man or Spider-Man. iVerse also has a different lesser range for $1.99 with some Iron Man and Spider-Man but no Marvel Zombies and only a little Captain America. PanelFly has a stack, no Captain America or Marvel Zombies but much more Iron Man and a stack of Lee/Ditko Spider-Man. More importantly, they’re only charging $0.99. So if you want Iron Man, Age Of Apocalypse, NYX or Astonishing X-Men, it would be silly to get them from the rival providers.

But of course none of its new content, and none of them supply content to the UK.

Did I mention Civil Wardrobe and Watchmensch are on Panelfly right now under Brain Scan Studios? They did have the 33rd and 3rd most downloaded rating yesterday. I think that will be changing now…

Oh and just for boasting rights…proof

Stan Lee gives Disney-Marvel his blessing – Reuters

I just hope that Stan gets a little piece of that pie

Stan Lee gives Disney-Marvel his blessing

Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:55pm EDT

By Alex Dobuzinskis

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Stan Lee, who co-created many of Marvel Entertainment Inc’s most famous characters, gave Disney’s takeover bid a thumbs-up on Monday and waved off fears the entertainment conglomerate might undermine decades-old comics mythology.

Lee, who helped dream up some of the most enduring icons in popular culture from Spider-Man to the Fantastic Four, dismissed notions the core young male audience — notorious for attacking virtually every comic-book adaptation’s faithfulness — had anything to worry about.

“To me, becoming ‘Disneyfied’ is not a bad thing. I mean look at (Disney) movies like ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’” Lee, who parted ways with Marvel years ago, but remains its Chairman Emeritus, said in a telephone interview with Reuters.

“Disney knows how to do movies. They know how to do colorful characters and I think the fans, if they think about it, they’re going to love it.”

Disney agreed on Monday to buy Marvel for $4 billion.

Former Marvel executive Shirrel Rhoades said on Monday that some Marvel readers were worried the “comic books will get watered down in a Disney-like way.”

But for Lee, that spells great things ahead for his creations, such as Thor, the Norse God of Thunder who will anchor a big-screen adaptation in 2011.

The 86-year-old Lee is no longer involved in the day-to-day operations of the company he helped build into a comics titan from the unknown arm of a pulp-fiction publisher. These days he is the creative force behind his own media company, called POW! Entertainment, which itself has a business partnership with Disney.

In 2011, Marvel Entertainment plans to release the movie “Thor,” based on a Stan Lee character borrowed from European mythology.

“I was trying to think of something that would be totally different. What could be bigger and even more powerful than the Hulk? And I figured why not a legendary god,” he said.

To give Thor more rhetorical punch in the comics, Lee said he gave him dialogue borrowed from the Bible and Shakespeare.

Gareb Shamus, CEO of Wizard Entertainment and the organizer of several comic-book conventions, said Lee remains a legend in the comic book world and he described meeting Lee to coming face-to-face with a character from the pages of a comic.

“It doesn’t matter where he goes, anywhere around the world, he’s the man that created some of your best friends,” Shamus added.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; editing by Edwin Chan and Andre Grenon)

What Disney-Marvel Means for More Deal Making – Deal Journal – WSJ

What Disney-Marvel Means for More Deal Making – Deal Journal – WSJ

* August 31, 2009, 3:05 PM ET

What Disney-Marvel Means for More Deal Making

Walt Disney’s $4 billion acquisition of Marvel Entertainment represents the kind of deal that the global financial crisis had practically silenced.

Disney says its primary reason for acquiring Marvel–and for paying a hefty premium for the creator of Spiderman, Daredevil and other popular comic characters–is that it simply liked the company and wanted its assets.

“This was a company that we admired that we saw growing right before our eyes, that we were impressed with,’” Disney chief Bob Iger told investors during a conference call Monday. “So it was not driven by anything other than continued interest in what Marvel is and what they have done and a continued desire at this company to look for great creativity, great creative people, great intellectual property.”

He added: “We don’t have any…problematic strategic holes. We did not have any situation that in any way suggested that this was a must-do deal.”

Under most circumstances, there would be nothing unusual about Iger’s comments. But this is no normal year. Until Disney announced its bid for Marvel this morning, August had been the slowest month for M&A deal volume since researcher Dealogic began keeping records in 1995.

And many of this year’s deals have been driven by the interests of near-term survival, not primarily by long-term growth. Pharmaceutical giants have acquired bio-technology companies to replenish badly depleted drug pipelines. Mergers in the energy, agriculture and home building sectors have been driven largely by a belief that bigger companies are better able to weather a global recession and falling commodity prices.

Then consider Baker Hughes’ $5.5 billion acquisition of BJ Services, also announced today. Baker Hughes said it needed BJ’s pumping operations to better compete in the oilfield business internationally, while BJ Services determined it could compete more effectively when combined with a larger company. Baker Hughes paid a 16% premium to BJ Services’ Friday closing price. Investors, worried that Baker Hughes overpaid, sent the stock tumbling 8.5% in afternoon trading.

Disney didn’t do much to sugar coat the 29% premium it is paying for Marvel. “We are acquiring a premium company at a premium set of assets, and for that I think you have to pay a full and fair price,’’ Disney Chief Financial Officer Tom Staggs said on the call. Disney shares fell 3%, mostly on concerns that the cash-stock deal would be dilutive in the near term.

For Disney, the deal means it can use Marvel’s Spidey and Hulk franchises to tap into an older, male audience. (Girls tend to like Disney more than boys.) Of course, Disney may have overpaid for Marvel. After all, how many more blockbusters can be created from Marvel’s library of 5,000 lesser known comic book characters?

And one deal does not a trend make. Still, Disney may have broached a psychological barrier in M&A by completing a deal that neither company says it needed to do. And it could signal that other companies with sizable cash reserves and strong balance sheets may start switching back to offense from defense. Perhaps the old normal is back.

UPDATE: Disney To Buy Marvel Enterprises For $4 Billion – Dow Jones Newswires

By Nat Worden

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- Mickey Mouse, meet the X-Men.

The Walt Disney Co. (DIS) said Monday it agreed to buy Marvel Entertainment Inc. (MVL), the creator of Spider-Man, the X-Men and thousands of other characters, for about $4 billion in the company’s largest acquisition since it bought Pixar Animation Studios in 2006.

The deal opens a new chapter in Disney’s long history, adding a slew of new, globally recognized movie characters – such as Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor – to its deep bench of classic and contemporary icons. It also adds countless lesser-known storylines and characters that Disney hopes to introduce to the world.

The deal marks the first big media deal since companies began hoarding cash last fall during the global financial crisis. Aside from the economic downturn, Disney’s move amounts to a rare display of confidence in an industry that’s muddling though a daunting transition to digital media amid growing doubts about its traditional business models.

Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger said during a conference call Monday that Marvel was an attractive target for Disney despite the challenges facing the media industry, such as the decline of DVD sales, that has hurt profitability at major film studios.

“They’re not bulletproof. They are not immune from the changes that we’re seeing, but they have established a footing that we think is more solid than what you typically see in the nonbranded non-character driven movie,” said Iger.

Disney shares were down 3.9% at $25.80 while Marvel shares jumped 25% to $ 48.32. Shares ofDreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (DWA) were up 5% to $33.25 on the prospect of more acquisitions in media and entertainment.

“This is another sign that confidence is returning to the marketplace, ” said Miller Tabak analyst David Joyce.

The Disney-Marvel marriage fits with the strategy du jour for major media conglomerates such as Disney andTime Warner Inc. (TWX) of driving revenue from popular content over time across the globe and multiple technology and entertainment platforms.

Disney has a unique array of businesses to execute the strategy with its global sales and distribution infrastructure, its theme parks, its video game and merchandising businesses and its cable and broadcast TV networks. For its part, Marvel is a particularly attractive target for the company given its appeal to younger male audiences, while Disney has shown outsized strength with females through properties like Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers.

High Price For Premium Assets

Under the agreement, Marvel shareholders will receive $30 a share in cash plus about 0.745 Disney share for each Marvel share. Based on Friday’s closing prices, the deal is valued at $50 per Marvel share, about a 29% premium.

Miller Tabak’s Joyce noted that Disney is paying a steep valuation for Marvel, but he views the deal as a “good long-term strategic move” for the company.

“You can’t expect to pay a bargain price for premium assets,” said Disney Chief Financial Officer Tom Staggs. “Marvel is worth more inside Disney than outside Disney.”

During the conference call following the announcement, Staggs said the company will issue roughly 59 million Disney shares in order to consummate the deal, but the company plans to repurchase the same number of shares over the next year to avoid long-term dilution to its existing shareholders.

Staggs said he expects the deal to be dilutive to Disney shareholders in its fiscal 2010 by a a mid-single-digit percentage, but he expects it to be accretive to shareholders within two years.

The companies said the amount of cash and stock in the deal will be adjusted at closing so that the value of the Disney stock is at least 40% of the purchase price. Besides shareholder backing, the deal will require antitrust approval.

Moody’s Investors Service affirmed its rating on Disney’s debt despite the high cost of the deal, but said that its willingness to spend on acquisitions despite the uncertain economic outlook is inconsistent with the actions of its peers. The credit rating agency said that Disney is a weak A2-rated credit, but noted that the strategic benefit of the Marvel purchase and the ability to generate free-case flow should help improve the company’s debt profile.

Marvel has long-term production and distribution deals in place with Disney competitors, including Sony Corp.’s (SNE) Sony Entertainment, News Corp.’s ( NWSA) 20th Century Fox Films and Viacom Inc.’s (VIA) Paramount Pictures, which complicate the company’s strategic position.

News Corp., which is parent of Dow Jones & Co., publisher of this news service, declined to comment.Viacom and Sony weren’t immediately available to comment.

In many cases, it will take years before Disney can garner anything more than licensing fees from some key Marvel characters, but Staggs said those revenue are attractive and the company will have the option of ending those deals over time and integrating them into Disney.

Marvel Chief Executive Ike Perlmutter will continue to oversee the Marvel properties, which have branched out into animated television series and live- action films. Marvel earned a net profit of $206 million last fiscal year, up 47 percent from a year earlier, on revenue of $676 million.

-By Nat Worden, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2472; nat.worden@dowjones .com

(Mike Barris contributed to this report.)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires
08-31-09 1309ET
Copyright (c) 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Disney to Acquire Marvel Entertainment – MarketWatch

WTF?!?!?!?!

Coming soon Mickey and Spider-Man crossover

Disney to Acquire Marvel Entertainment – MarketWatch

Aug 31, 2009, 9:00 a.m. EST
Disney to Acquire Marvel Entertainment
Worldwide leader in family entertainment agrees to acquire Marvel and its portfolio of over 5,000 characters

BURBANK, Calif. & NEW YORK, Aug 31, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) — –Acquisition highlights Disney’s strategic focus on quality branded content, technological innovation and international expansion to build long-term shareholder value

–An investor conference call will take place at approximately 10:15 a.m. EDT / 7:15 a.m. PDT August 31, 2009. Details for the call are listed in the release.

Building on its strategy of delivering quality branded content to people around the world, The Walt Disney Company /quotes/comstock/13*!dis/quotes/nls/dis (DIS 26.84, -0.17, -0.63%) has agreed to acquire Marvel Entertainment, Inc. /quotes/comstock/13*!mvl/quotes/nls/mvl (MVL 38.65, +0.41, +1.07%) in a stock and cash transaction, the companies announced today.

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney on August 28, 2009, Marvel shareholders would receive a total of $30 per share in cash plus approximately 0.745 Disney shares for each Marvel share they own. At closing, the amount of cash and stock will be adjusted if necessary so that the total value of the Disney stock issued as merger consideration based on its trading value at that time is not less than 40% of the total merger consideration.

Based on the closing price of Disney stock on Friday, August 28, the transaction value is $50 per Marvel share or approximately $4 billion.

“This transaction combines Marvel’s strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney’s creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories,” said Robert A. Iger, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. “Ike Perlmutter and his team have done an impressive job of nurturing these properties and have created significant value. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney.”

“We believe that adding Marvel to Disney’s unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation,” Iger said.

“Disney is the perfect home for Marvel’s fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses,” said Ike Perlmutter, Marvel’s Chief Executive Officer. “This is an unparalleled opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant brand and character properties by accessing Disney’s tremendous global organization and infrastructure around the world.”

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Marvel including its more than 5,000 Marvel characters. Mr. Perlmutter will oversee the Marvel properties, and will work directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build and further integrate Marvel’s properties.

The Boards of Directors of Disney and Marvel have each approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, effectiveness of a registration statement with respect to Disney shares issued in the transaction and other customary closing conditions. The agreement will require the approval of Marvel shareholders. Marvel was advised on the transaction by BofA Merrill Lynch.

Investor Conference Call:

An investor conference call will take place at approximately 10:15 a.m. EDT / 7:15 a.m. PDT today, August 31, 2009. To listen to the Webcast, turn your browser to http://corporate.disney.go.com/investors/presentations.html or dial in domestically at 800-260-8140 or internationally at 617-614-3672. For both dial-in numbers, the participant pass code is 51214527.

The discussion will be available via replay on the Disney investors website through September 14, 2009 at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT.

About The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, interactive media and consumer products. Disney is a Dow 30 company with revenues of nearly $38 billion in its most recent fiscal year.

About Marvel Entertainment, Inc.

Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics).

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this communication may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements relate to a variety of matters, including but not limited to: the operations of the businesses of Disney and Marvel separately and as a combined entity; the timing and consummation of the proposed merger transaction; the expected benefits of the integration of the two companies; the combined company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical fact. These statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of Disney and Marvel regarding future events and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Neither Disney nor Marvel undertakes any obligation to update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences may result from a variety of factors, including but not limited to:

– legal or regulatory proceedings or other matters that affect the timing or ability to complete the transactions as contemplated;

– the possibility that the expected synergies from the proposed merger will not be realized, or will not be realized within the anticipated time period; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully;

– the possibility of disruption from the merger making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships;

– the possibility that the merger does not close, including but not limited to, due to the failure to satisfy the closing conditions;

– any actions taken by either of the companies, including but not limited to, restructuring or strategic initiatives (including capital investments or asset acquisitions or dispositions);

– developments beyond the companies’ control, including but not limited to: changes in domestic or global economic conditions, competitive conditions and consumer preferences; adverse weather conditions or natural disasters; health concerns; international, political or military developments; and technological developments.

Additional factors that may cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements are set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Disney for the year ended September 27, 2008, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on November 20, 2008, under the heading “Item 1A–Risk Factors” and in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Marvel for the year ended December 31, 2008, which was filed with the SEC on February 27, 2009, under the heading “Item 1A–Risk Factors,” and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings made with the SEC by each of Marvel and Disney.

Important Merger Information and Additional Information:

This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. In connection with the proposed transaction, Disney and Marvel will file relevant materials with the SEC. Disney will file a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that includes a proxy statement of Marvel and which also constitutes a prospectus of Disney. Marvel will mail the proxy statement/prospectus to its stockholders. Investors are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction when it becomes available, because it will contain important information. The proxy statement/prospectus and other documents that will be filed by Disney and Marvel with the SEC will be available free of charge at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov, or by directing a request when such a filing is made to The Walt Disney Company, 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA 91521-9722, Attention: Shareholder Services or by directing a request when such a filing is made to Marvel Entertainment, Inc., 417 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10016, Attention: Corporate Secretary.

Disney, Marvel, their respective directors and certain of their executive officers may be considered participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Marvel is set forth in its definitive proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC on March 24, 2009. Information about the directors and executive officers of Disney is set forth in its definitive proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC on January 16, 2009. Investors may obtain additional information regarding the interests of such participants by reading the proxy statement/prospectus Disney and Marvel will file with the SEC when it becomes available.

SOURCE: The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company
Zenia Mucha
Corporate Communications
818-560-5300
or
Jonathan Friedland
Corporate Communications
818-560-8306
or
Lowell Singer
Investor Relations
818-560-6601

Marvel’s most dangerous mutant has a deadly reunion with one of his toughest foes in WOLVERINE: MR. X | Marvel.com News | Marvel.com

Marvel’s most dangerous mutant has a deadly reunion with one of his toughest foes in WOLVERINE: MR. X | Marvel.com News | Marvel.com

Chicago Con ‘09: Wolverine: Mr. X
Marvel’s most dangerous mutant has a deadly reunion with one of his toughest foes in WOLVERINE: MR. X

Posted: 2009-08-10 Updated: 2009-08-10 11:16:06

Chicago Comic-Con ‘09
» Chicago Con ‘09: Assault on New Olympus
By Tim Stevens

Mr. X carved out a reputation in the world as an unstoppable assassin until he tangled with the man he modeled himself on and lost. Wolverine has lived his life trying to contain his berserker rage and working on being an honorable human being-he found Mr. X’s amorality repulsive and would have ended the man given the chance. You just knew the next time these two met, things would not be pleasant. January 2010 marks the end of waiting for the unpleasantness to begin.

WOLVERINE: MR. X, a one-shot written by Mr. X creator Frank Tieri and drawn by Paco Diaz Luque, chronicles this rematch and reveals what Mr. X has been up to between his devastating loss to Wolverine in “Bloodsport” and his re-emergence in THUNDERBOLTS.

On the surface, these nemeses seem to have quite a bit in common: both men for whom violence comes almost second nature and who have used these skills to great effect over the course of their lives. However, as MR. X editor Jeanine Schaeffer tells it, the deeper you dig into the characters, the more complicated comparing them becomes.

“They may be similar in strength and in the ability to kill, but Mr. X, psychologically, is Wolverine’s exact opposite,” she points out. “While Wolverine was created to be the ultimate killing machine, Mr. X worked to transform himself into such.”

Given the long hard road Mr. X traveled in order to rival Wolverine, his defeat at his role model’s hands came as a shock to the system that he needed to overcome before he could move on. Facing off with Logan once more may be the next step in that process for him.

“Mr. X was introduced as this guy who couldn’t be beaten, who couldn’t be stopped, and who couldn’t be matched-what we saw during ‘Bloodsport’ was that he was actually none of those things, especially as he relates to Wolverine,” Schaeffer recalls. “You want to talk about pride, this is it! The best moment in a character’s journey is when his fatal flaw trips him up, and it’s cool to see him realizing it, too, and how he reacts to that.

Internal struggles can often be difficult to portray artistically on the page. While Diaz recognizes this fact, it did not scare him away for the project. In fact, it only made it more attractive to him.

“Mr. X is a very psychologically complex character, something which is incredibly hard to portray,” the artist acknowledged. “If we then consider his traumatic past, his telepathic abilities and his deep knowledge of combat techniques, we’ll end up with a character that not only represents Wolverine’s perfect antagonist but also a stimulating challenge for any artist.”

Meanwhile, another factor entirely drives Wolverine in this battle.

“Wolverine feels responsible for this guy, because not only has Mr. X basically modeled himself on Wolverine, but Wolverine was stopped from killing him the last time they met,” Schaeffer reveals. “This is like tying up loose ends. Also, he probably just wants to beat the crap out of him out of total disgust that he even exists.”

With such evenly matched combatants fueled by such personal motives, no one has a clear advantage. Schaeffer credits this ambiguity with fueling the story and giving readers a glimpse of a Wolverine that most are not familiar with:

“I really think the meat of this story is in the battle of wills, and it forces Wolverine to confront his instincts in a way he’s not used to doing. I also like Wolverine when he’s dealing with the responsibility he’s saddled himself with, rather than the responsibility that comes with being an X-Man. Frank has really hit upon a side of Wolverine’s story that we don’t often get to see or explore: the mental will that it must take to be everyone’s favorite Canuklehead that I think readers will be really pleased with what comes out of it.”

Diaz also stresses that the story allows for these beats to be delivered not just through combat but also through the ever mounting pressure he portrays in his art.

“The tension between Wolverine and Mr. X grows after every scene. I’m definitely thrilled with this story and I hope we’ll be able to transmit that energy and enthusiasm to the readers.”

Look for more coverage of Chicago Comic-Con 2009 all weekend long on Marvel.com!

What’s in my next DCBS shipment? – 6/24/09

First I would like to plug Discount Comic Book Service, they have to be the A #1 comic mail order service that I have ever dealt with.? They certainly have the best customer service of any online retailer I have ever dealt with hands down.? They also have the best prices I have ever seen on a consistent basis, and unbelievable specials that can’t be beat by anyone else.

With that out of the way, here is what I have shipping out today, which usually show up on the Friday after.? DCBS ships fast!

DESTROYER #3 (OF 5) – Yeah that’s right a Marvel Comic.? Its written by Robert Kirkman, so that is why I ordered it.? Its a great series, and I am really enjoying it.? Especially after I learned more about the character, being Stan Lee’s first character and all.

STAR TREK WRATH OF KHAN #2 – KHAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNN!? Need I say more?

BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM #1 – I am still not sure about this comic, from what I have heard I probably won’t stick with this one, but the first issue was on special for real cheep so I will give it a try at least.

OUTSIDERS #19 – Peter Tomasi has been kicking ass on this title.? I love the concept and the characters on this book and look forward to reading it every month.

ACTION COMICS ANNUAL #12 – Greg Rucka has been doing pretty good with these characters and I have been enjoying the stories for the most part.? I am looking forward to this issue since its going into the origin of this version of Nightwing and Flamebird.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #600 – Yeah I know, another Marvel comic, and I also fell for the miscalculated renumbering sales scheme.? I was curious, so sue me.

SGT ROCK THE LOST BATTALION #6 – I really have been enjoying this series, and I have been sharing it with my Dad, he has liked it too.? He is a history buff so its right up his alley.

ZORRO #14 – Have been enjoying this comic, and sharing it with my Dad as well.? Though I have to admit its to get a “old hat” lately and not much really new for the character.

INVINCIBLE #63 – Consistently one of the best comics I read right now, Robert Kirkman really knows how to write comics that grab you and suck you in!

PROJECT SUPERPOWERS CHAPTER TWO #0 Except for the fact that this was cheap, I am not really sure why I bought this one.? Chapter One was interesting, but with today’s market and my need to cut down on what I buy, i doubt I will continue past this.

NEXUS AS IT HAPPENED TP VOL 01 I always wondered about this character, so I thought i would give this a try.? I didn’t catch that this was in black and white though, so I am kinda pissed I bought it, I don’t really care for b&w reprints.

SUPERMAN #689 – I never thought I would see Mon-El in Superman like this.? I am not too keen on how he is being written, but it does make sense on how they are portraying Daxamites the last few years.? I am still enjoying the story in any case.

SUPERGIRL #42 – I am so glad that they changed the direction of this character to what it is now, Supergirl is finally worthy of wearing the S.? I have been enjoying this story as well and how it plays with the other Superman stories.? Though I question the numbering now, it hasn’t really seemed to matter from what I have been reading.

GREEN LANTERN #42 – Geoff Johns is kicking some major ass on this comic! I look forward to reading this and the GL Corp every month and the more build up to Blackest Night I read, the more I think its actually going to be really good.? With Johns behind the wheel, I am confident it will be.

DETECTIVE COMICS #854 – Looking forward to reading more Greg Rucka in this comic.? He seems to be ideal to write these kind of stories and I am really interested to see what he does here with Batwoman.? The Question back up stories (I’ll call them what the hell I want, im paying for it!) should be great, I have really liked what he has done with this character so far.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #34 – No offense to Len Wein, but this title just went to the crapper thanks to editorial manhandling.? I am pretty sure this is my last issue, if not one more.? Just been ordering it out of habit.

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #28 – I already miss Geoff Johns on this book, his run was awesome.? Jerry Ordway really knows these characters, so I am willing to give him a chance.? So far I have liked what I have seen.

FARSCAPE DARGOS LAMENT #3 – I am a HUGE Farscape fan and I have really enjoyed what Boom has put out so far, but I am going to trades after this series.? The price of the single issues are just too expensive compared to the price of a trade.? I can even seeing my self selling/giving away my singles of what I have so far and getting the trades to replace them.? I want to support Farscape, but I don’t want to go broke doing it.

Well that is just about it, except the latest Previews in the box of course.? See you next time!

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