WI: Donald Trump buys Marvel Comics in 1989?

While this isn't anything that was considered in reality, the idea that Trump could have ended up as the owner of Marvel Comics isn't the most ridiculous prospect in the world.

In 1989, New World Entertainment sold Marvel Entertainment to Ron Perelman for $82.5 million. It's well-documented that Jim Shooter got a group of investors to back him in his nearly-successful bid to buy the company. It's also well-documented that Perelman's ownership of Marvel played a large role in creating the comic book bubble of the 1990s that nearly killed not only the company, but the entire industry.

However, what if a different businessman had attempted to purchase Marvel?

Again, this isn't something that was actually considered, but it isn't a stretch to develop a scenario where Trump becomes interested in buying Marvel. After all, the late 80s was a time of expansion for him (Plaza Hotel, Taj Mahal Casino, Trump Airlines, etc). Again, one could handwave in a scenario where Trump purchases Marvel as part of this series of acquisitions.

So, assuming events went somewhat differently, and Trump had acquired Marvel Comics in 1989, what does the future hold for both? How would Marvel have fared under Trump and his business practices, and what would that have meant for the comic book industry generally in the 1990s and beyond?
 
So, assuming events went somewhat differently, and Trump had acquired Marvel Comics in 1989, what does the future hold for both? How would Marvel have fared under Trump and his business practices, and what would that have meant for the comic book industry generally in the 1990s and beyond?
He Would have make the best he knew...sub-delegated and make money via licensing, wait for a marvel theme suit in trump tower or some Slot Machines(maybe he licensed marvel pachinko for japan?) and he offering the the best bidder all the marvel movies right of dubius quality(imagine some good like blade, imagine more 1900 Captain America movie) if marvel raze itself to the ground like otl thanks to the dark age bubble bursting..either he just sold it back to the best investor(DC? Disney as OTL? Marvel? Universal) or just cutting down whatever make money and scrap the rest
 
You get a new superhero called "The Donald". :biggrin:

Trump-Is-A-Superhero.jpg
 
Honestly? Expect comics to be slightly to heavily racist. Add in a lot more american and russian superheroes. Expect storylines that focus on the heroes beating Mexican and Chinese villians. Expect more sexualized versions of heroines and lots of evil gal vilans. Expect the usuage of the lgbt+ community as jokes and villians. Expect a "Hero" based on trump with his slogan "Grab em by the bleep" And expect the american heroes to say "We will make america great again!" a LOT.
 
I think one thing to keep in mind is that Trump will be probably close to Perelman in the sense that I doubt he'd be particularly interested in the creative direction of Marvel, so long as he is able to profit off of the intellectual properties. I could see him encouraging the sort of actions that helped create the comic book speculator bubble.
 
Comics would *become more xenophobic, Islamophobic and sexist. Then the company would be bankcrupted.

In 1989 ? Back then, he had done some pretty shady racist things with black tenants and the like around that time, but I don't know about Islamophobia and xenophobia. Was Islamophobia even the same pre-9/11. There was only anti-Iranians and the like, but Donald Trump back then was a bit to the left politically, as I recall. Wasn't he a Democrat, too ?
 
Not much, likely.

I don't see Trump trying to force it to follow his personal opinions, even if it did, he's still sane. You can't project 2016 Trump back over on 1990 Trump.

If the Comic Book Bubble still happens, he's probably going to try and get rid of it.

Equally important, 1990s Trump is still a Sane Republican: Supported Reagan in the late 1970s, Considered himself a Republican in 1987, Potential George Bush VP in 1988.
Remember he tried to run on the Reform Party back in 1999, and he actually quit the party and was a Democrat from 2001-2008 (and he left because of David Duke, Pat Buchanan and Lenora Fulani).
 
As a longtime Marvel fan.....I don't even wanna think about it. He'd probably fuckin' ruin everything.

In 1989 ? Back then, he had done some pretty shady racist things with black tenants and the like around that time, but I don't know about Islamophobia and xenophobia. Was Islamophobia even the same pre-9/11. There was only anti-Iranians and the like, but Donald Trump back then was a bit to the left politically, as I recall. Wasn't he a Democrat, too ?

Trump was a Democrat at one point, but he wasn't a leftie-more like a pro-corporate Third Way Democrat.
 
This is 80s-90s Trump. I doubt he's going to be doing many of the things 2010s Trump is doing.

So if Trump took over Marvel, what would become of Stan Lee?

Through some connections, Stan manages to squeeze into an opening in DC Comics. Before too long he climbs up the ladder and manages to make his own story arcs and characters. In 1995 he becomes the publisher of Marvel Comics. Starting with Wonder Woman in 1999, Lee appears in cameos throughout several DC films.

After a successful career in comics, Stan Lee goes for his greatest feat and runs for the office of President of the United States in 2008, calling all 'true believers' to 'Make America Spectacular'.
 
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