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1996 Fools: [NEWS] Marvel buys Viz
Article 20397 of rec.arts.manga: Path: news.jhu.edu!paladin.american.edu!gatech!newsfeed.internetmci.com!in2.uu.net!noc.nyx.net!nyx.cs.du.edu!not-for-mail From: wsantoso@nyx.cs.du.edu (Widya Santoso) Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime,rec.arts.manga Subject: [NEWS] Marvel buys Viz Date: 31 Mar 1996 12:48:18 -0700 Organization: Nyx.net, free public access to the Internet Lines: 48 Message-ID: <4jmni2$qk7@nyx.cs.du.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: nyx.nyx.net X-Newsreader: TIN [UNIX 1.3 950824BETA PL0] Xref: news.jhu.edu rec.arts.anime:232058 rec.arts.manga:20397 In the week's Comics Buyers' Guide is an article about the acquisition of Viz Communications by the Marvel Comics Group. Written by staff writer Paolo L. Fri from a press release issued by Marvel. Briefly this statement comes after several months of negotiation with Viz Communications' parent company in Japan, Shogakukan. Shogakukan already has a distribution agreement with Marvel to market Marvel properties, such as Spiderman, the X-Men, in Japan. This deal cements the international relationship the two companies share. The deal basically gives all publishing and distribution rights formerly held by Viz to Marvel and related companies. This includes translated manga, such as Ranma 1/2, Maison Ikkoku and Battle Angel Alita, videos (Ranma 1/2, etc.), Animerica the magazine of anime and manga in the US, and Cadence books (Magic 3D books.) Marvel's plans for Viz are to subsume Viz into Marvel's corporate structure. Manga would come under a new imprint, Viz. Videos would be included as part of Marvel Entertainment P/L, the multi-media subsiduary of the Marvel Comics Group, again as Viz Video, as will Animerica. The book section would be sold off. A spokesman for Marvel said: "This acquisition will be a very exciting time, not only for Marvel, for anime fans, but for the comics reading public at large. For the first time, the wide range of manga will be available for the general public to read. The superstars of manga will become as well known in America as they are in Japan. We will be looking to acquire more manga to appeal to a wide range of markets, such as the girls and women audience." Marvel recently divested many of its licences, such as the Disney line of comics, Spumco comics, Barbie, etc. in a move dubbed Marvelution. It will introduce a new line, Paramount Comics, publishing a new line of Star Trek comics. Industry analysts speculate the divestment of old licences and the pick up of new licences is a move to consolidate profits from a dedicated market, eg. the Trek fan and the anime fan. Viz's share of the translated market is estimated to be between 50-70%. Marvel's profits are expected to be garnered mainly via the home video market. Ranma 1/2 will become a part of an aggressive marketing blitz to infuse anime into the general public. Rights of popular series can also be expected to be purchased, with the strong financial clout of the Comics Group. -- Widya Santoso wsantoso@nyx.cs.du.edu +61 6 288 0405 "In the turn of the phrase, in the spin of the word, in the flip of the letter, is the truth" - Ann G. Ramme -- Unit 3/12 Araluen Street, FISHER ACT 2611, AUSTRALIA --
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