Disney Bought Marvel 13 Years Ago Today… How Successful Has it Been?
More than a decade ago our beloved Marvel brand was taken over by one of the most successful corporations in the history of the planet, and with some perspective and hindsight we look back; as Disney bought Marvel 13 years ago today, just how successful has it been?
There is no denying that more than a decade removed from the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and it currently stands as one of the biggest and most successful film enterprises in the current cinema landscape; with very few peers to share the distinction with.
Source: Marvel Studios
Yet, with all of the immense success that Marvel has achieved in the near millennia of existence, there is no shortage of poor decision-making in their past that has deviated their success to some of the lowest times that the publication had ever encountered, and was unable to walk away from unscathed.
The publisher dominated the medium in the 60s and 70s with some of the greatest creations that the industry had seen; with Marvel’s first family- The Fantastic Four- and Spider-Man all still being relevant as some of the most legendary and beloved heroes in comics.
Source: Marvel
But the 1990s were a time of uncertainty and turmoil when the entire comic book industry was falling under the pressures of growing entertainment options, and Marvel was forced to sell most of its characters to simply be able to keep the doors open.
Then, when all was bleak, and many feared for the worst, Marvel was acquired by one of the most successful corporations ever formulated; 13 years ago today, Disney bought Marvel, and orchestrated what may well be defined as the most prominent age in the history of the brand.
Photo: Getty Images
Now, there is no denying that Marvel as a comic book publisher is nowhere near the standard of excellence that existed when legends like Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Chris Claremont, or even Jim Lee were penning issues for the company, but in every other facet, this is Marvel’s golden age.
Marvel Studios isn’t just success as a filmmaking endeavor; in 2022, they are perhaps the most powerful, prevalent, and successful studio to be producing films in a post-COVID-19 world that has nearly crippled the entire industry.
Source: Marvel Studios
The power of those characters, and those stories, have elevated the brand that is Marvel to be more successful than it could have ever dreamed of, transitioning from the comic book behemoth that had few equals, to a pop culture phenomenon capable of being the subject of a million online publications.
There is no question, and there is no quarry; 13 years ago Disney bought Marvel, and it was maybe the greatest thing to ever have happened to the company.
Source: Marvel Studios
