ICWI: DC and Marvel Merge

krinsbez · Jan 21, 2013

Just heard that the FTC or whoever handles this stuff has decided that the proposed merger between DC Comics and Marvel Comics does not violate antitrust laws and can go ahead.

Do you feel this was the right call by the govenrment? Do you feel that the merger makes sense for the two companies economically? How about artistically?

Do you think they'll keep the DC and Marvel Universes separate, or try to merge them in some fashion?

Torqumada · Jan 21, 2013

OOC: What year does this take place in?

Torqumada

krinsbez · Jan 21, 2013

Torqumada said:
OOC: What year does this take place in?

Torqumada

OOC: Now. Which, of course, indicates that one or both of 'em is not owned by it's current corporate master.

Torqumada · Jan 21, 2013

OOC: Then that requires a big and perhaps multiple POD, especially since publishing comics is not big business anymore. Top comics these days sell in the 100,000 range, sometimes 200,000 range, but most average in the tens of thousands. There was a time when a comic selling 100,000 issues would have been cut. They make much more money off of licensing and other media. Also, Marvel and DC have 80% of the market between them. If that is no different in your TL, there is no way the FTC could say it's a good merger in the public interest. How far back are you going for this change?

Torqumada

thekingsguard · Jan 21, 2013

Crisis on Infinite Earths gets even larger? The New 52 actually serves a perpose?

krinsbez · Jan 21, 2013

Torqumada said:
OOC: Then that requires a big and perhaps multiple POD

OOC: That was the idea, yes.

Rich Mullins · Jan 21, 2013

thekingsguard said:
The New 52 actually serves a perpose?

There was a purpose behind The New 52. It was to merge the Wildstorm Universe and the Earth 13 version of Vertigo with the main universe along with a few other reasons. Making the characters younger was necessary to make the merger with Wildstorm work.

Mr_ Bondoc · Jan 21, 2013

Already Dark Horse, IDW, Image and Boom Comics are calling for an appeal of the entire corporate merger. Todd McFarlane is already ranting on his blog about the entire matter, and hot it "reeks of corporate control..." If you consider why Liefeld and McFarlane formed Image Comics, you'll see the irony in this development, or at least how hypocritical it sounds....

thekingsguard · Jan 21, 2013

Cicero said:
There was a purpose behind The New 52. It was to merge the Wildstorm Universe and the Earth 13 version of Vertigo with the main universe along with a few other reasons. Making the characters younger was necessary to make the merger with Wildstorm work.

I'm aware

I like the New 52, but you gotte admit - merging Vertigo and Wildstorm AND MARVEL into one Universe? You thought the OTL New 52 made headlines, think of what this would do! Hell, it might save comics!

Rich Mullins · Jan 21, 2013

thekingsguard said:
I'm aware I like the New 52, but you gotte admit - merging Vertigo and Wildstorm AND MARVEL into one Universe? You thought the OTL New 52 made headlines, think of what this would do! Hell, it might save comics!

Good point. I mistakenly took your statement to mean you thought there was no purpose to the reboot. I apologize.

thekingsguard · Jan 21, 2013

Cicero said:
Good point. I mistakenly took your statement to mean you thought there was no purpose to the reboot. I apologize.

No problem - I love the New 52 personally, review it on my site every now and then. But this merger would make the New 52:
a) Bigger
b) Beyond Debate Needed
c) A move that might indeed save comics as opposed to deleying the further decline

krinsbez · Jan 21, 2013

thekingsguard said:
No problem - I love the New 52 personally, review it on my site every now and then. But this merger would make the New 52:
a) Bigger
b) Beyond Debate Needed
c) A move that might indeed save comics as opposed to deleying the further decline

This assumes that they'll try to combine them into a single 'verse, as opposed to keeping them separate, with crossovers (ala the old school JLA/JSA crossovers), which is what I would like to see.

thekingsguard · Jan 21, 2013

krinsbez said:
This assumes that they'll try to combine them into a single 'verse, as opposed to keeping them separate, with crossovers (ala the old school JLA/JSA crossovers), which is what I would like to see.

Fair enough, but still - I've seen workable joint universes - one was on this very site if I could find it.

The could always do Amalgam Comics mark 2 - Supersoldier and Nightclaw anybody?