Through acquisition of award-winning animation studio Pixar and the classic Marvel comics brand, Disney ensured its continuing relevance to kids of all ages.
It makes sense – Amazon makes Prime Originals for video, so why wouldn't its digital comics brand make its own comics?
The idea behind firms like Raine, which is modeled, in part, on the boutique investment bank Allen & Company, is that their deal-making contacts will give them exclusive access to prospective investments, which could include global comic book brands and new sports leagues.
The popularity of conventions has exploded worldwide, but just in Australia, the Oz Comic Con brand has expanded operations from two cities in 2012, to three in 2013, to five this year.
The musical, which marries a hugely popular comic book brand with music by Bono and the Edge of U2, is grossing about $1.3 million a week in ticket sales, the most of any Broadway show except the blockbuster "Wicked," despite relatively little advertising and no major reviews yet.
— Marvel's first foray into network television since Walt Disney Co. bought the comic book brand in 2009 — drew more than 12 million viewers to its original telecast, according to Nielsen. .
Like the ancient Greeks, Americans today are fascinated by heroic superwomen: Katniss Everdeen of "The Hunger Games" strides at the head of long line of female heroes from Wonder Woman to Marvel Comic's brand-new hammer-throwing female Thor.
But better still was the row of young men reading manga, those phone-book-thick Japanese comics whose brand of pornography can be especially vile.
In the meantime, there will presumably remain many sketch comics, like Brand back in the day, eyeing standup with a certain fascination, but not yet ready to put their "real" selves centre stage.
In the Oath Anthology of New Heroes, we'll showcase the work of queer creators and comics featuring brand new LGBT superheroes.
