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In a majorly unexpected turn of events, it seems that the Walt Disney Company has bought Marvel Entertainment for the lofty sum of $4 billion. The House of Mouse now has the rights to thousands of comic book characters, and Marvel has gained a marketing giant in the process.

Robert A. Iger, president of the Walt Disney Company, had this to say about the acquisition:

“This transaction combines Marvel’s strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney’s creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories. Ike Perlmutter and his team have done an impressive job of nurturing these properties and have created significant value. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney.”

It’s far too early to tell if this is a good thing for Marvel, who has a pretty solid track record as far as box office success and marketing campaigns. Their effort to interweave films, as seen in Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, may or may not continue under the leash of the Walt Disney Company.

Let’s hope the creative integrity of Marvel Entertainment isn’t soured in any way, shape or form by the Mouse. If we get more details, we’ll fill you in.