I suspect, because it is part of the cost cutting measures Disney is taking, you will see layoffs among editorial and management-if it's part of Disney publishing, then you don't need the people in the Marvel graphic novel division to oversee publishing for instance. It might also mean more IP licensed to other publishers rather than in-house publishing as is the standard for Disney publishing. Collects the licensing fees reduce publishing cost sot make the bottom line better, which is the point of these cost-cutting measures that led to this move. It might also mean trimming the line and not taking risks on fringe books (much like DC shrunk to be Bat-focused instead of putting out fringe books) that do not help the bottom line. If it's Disney people, not Marvel people making decisions, well there will be a different impetus behind the decisions made. You might also see changes at the very top-Dan Buckley as publisher may be redundant (and too expensive) in the new structure. Does Disney want their own person as EiC or would they keep Cebulski? Restructuring means creating a lot of redundancies which creates positions to be eliminated. I don't think it's "Doomsday" for Marvel, but I do think it will mean significant changes in personnel and the way certain things are done.

One example-if Disney books not Marvel is making decisions on what reprint collections to release-do we need the same content available in 4 different formats-we are releasing Ditko ASM in omnibus, in Masterworks, in Might Marvel Masterworks and in Essentials? Are some of those lines redundant? If so which lines can be eliminated to reduce cost and maximize profit margins? Will eliminating one or two of those boost sales in the other lines for people looking to get the content? What benefit is there for 4 distinct lines collecting vintage material? Would one suffice? Oh and Taschen released high end versions of that same material we just collected licensing on but didn't incur production expenses-is that the route to go with our collected editions instead?

None of that is Armageddon, but it is potentially significant changes to the way Marvel does business.

Of course the biggest possible change is this-Disney books asking-why are we limiting our potential market to specialty shops? How profitable is that niche market vs. how profitable if we shift focus to the mass market book trade where YA GN is still growing after several years of sustained growth? Our Disney books do well in that market-shouldn't our Marvel output focus on that instead of single issues for the niche specialty market? If Disney books asks that question and decides to make a change, it would be a seismic shift for Marvel, and the industry as a whole. I doubt it happens, but it's possible. All depends how much of the current Marvel editorial and executive team is laid off and/or swept out and who replaces them. If the replacements have no attachments to the direct market and the way things have always been done, then most of the reasons why Marvel remains focused on the direct market will be gone. It is a result of the current regime's attachment to and experience with the direct market that keeps Marvel focused there.


-M