Other Marvel Properties?

[HRGMann]

Way back when (not THAT way back for some of us), Marvel did more than just the superhero comics. They also did titles based on literature or toy lines. Are these properties that Marvel can do anything with, or do licenses revert back after the comics end? The books I remember fondly (and would LOVE to see these in minimate form) are:

John Carter of Mars

Conan

ROM

Micronauts

and even Crystar, the Crystal Warrior

and though it's not Marvel, I read these first back then... Elfquest

Don't get me wrong, I really like the Marvel stuff that has come out, but with DC done, BSG done, Terminator over-done, and Ghostbusters winding down, it would be nice to know there's something... different on the horizon.

[Trekker 42]

Wow man... Good question. I would especially love to see some Conan and John Carter. I never even knew Marvel adapted John Carter. Niftyness!

[Mirymate]

it would be nice to know there's something... different on the horizon.

You mean besides all the MAX stuff proposed?

Most of those would have to be pursued as separate license as Marvel has long since lost the rights to almost all of them. I think the still have the rights to Crystar by default. They've so lost the rights to Rom they can barely use his name in text for handbooks, yeah they kinda regret integrating him as much as they did.

But as long as we're looking at Marvel license lost, let's not forget - (only counting ones that actually crossed over into the 616)

Godzilla

Shogun Warriors

the Tranformers (initially)

Dr. Who (who showed up in both the 616 and the Marvel Hasbroverse a few times)

I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting. Since DST has the rights for Universal Monsters a Marvel Monsters boxed set would be a great tie in.

[buttheadsmate]

Planet of the Apes, War of the Worlds,Tomb of Dracula,Deadly Hands of Kung Fu.........

BEAVIS & BUTTHEADSMATE

I can think of lots more but I'll let you lot have a go.

[HRGMann]

I completely forgot about Godzilla and Shogun Warriors! But, then again, These may not translate well to the 2" scale.

And no, I haven't forgotten about the MAX line, I'd just like to see more diverse, colorful characters. Micronauts, especially, would look great in mate form, plus they interacted with the Marvel Universe on multiple occasions (Captain Universe first appeared in Micronauts, and without him, we wouldn't have gotten that Spidey variant)

Hmmm... since there's going to be a Princess of Mars movie, maybe we can get them that way?

[Turtle]

I would like to take a moment to clear up some misconceptions. Most of the time, when Marvel publishes something, they own all of the characters in the story. Becasue they own the characters, they then are free to license those characters in whatever way they see fit. Occasionally though, Marvel (or whoever) doesn't own the characters. Instead they themselves have acaquired a license, and probably a limited one that, to publish stories. This right to publish stories does not give them the right to license the characters in other ways. Intellectual property is weird, and people tend to think of it as one lump. Occasionally it is, but more often it is not.

[Mirymate]

I completely forgot about Godzilla and Shogun Warriors! But, then again, These may not translate well to the 2" scale.

And no, I haven't forgotten about the MAX line, I'd just like to see more diverse, colorful characters. Micronauts, especially, would look great in mate form, plus they interacted with the Marvel Universe on multiple occasions (Captain Universe first appeared in Micronauts, and without him, we wouldn't have gotten that Spidey variant)

Well, they could do the Shogun pilots, which were Marvel created characters, and their villain, Dr. Demonicus. (whose still kicking around as a member of the Hood's gang) They can use all of the other Spaceknights and the Dire Wraiths which Marvel created for the Rom book, but not Rom himself. Likewise Red Ronni, which was created to fight Marvel's Godzilla using Shogun Warrior tech, could conceivably get a minimate... which would be weirder than the 2" Sentinels. Best chance would be the "Microns", the original characters Marvel developed for the Micronauts book.

Essentially a lot of the character's we've mentioned were toys Marvel had permission to make comics for to help promote them. (Remember Godzilla was a part of the Shogun Warriors line at the time) In some cases the success of the comics outstripped the actual toy, like Rom.

And then there's literary and TV tie in's. Marvel's long since lost Conan, Dr. Who, and most of the others. Star Trek and John Carter were briefly held by Marvel and DC alternately on a number of occasions. But like the toys, these are properties that would have to be pursued on their own and not because of their former Marvel ties.

For Marvel's part, for folks like Conan, Rom, and even Godzilla, they are allowed to mention them in text for handbooks, and allowed to mention them in dialog sparingly (think they have to pay a small fee) in comics. But they can not show images of them anymore. Which is the real reason Rom was transformed into a human at the end of his book, human Rom is considered a Marvel creation and not covered by the license.

Personally, since the Rom license has been in limbo for over 20 years, and Disney is deparately looking for boy centered programing, a Rom and the Spaceknights revival would seem a no brainer to pursue and aquire.

[NorthRaider]

IIRC the last remnant of the Micronauts' presence in Marvel these days is the character Bug, who is currently an active member of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

And some food for thought: Marvel is currently putting out comic tie-ins novelizations of things like The Wizard of Oz, Ender's Game and Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Obviously this might not necessarily translate to the possibility of Minimates of those properties, especially since they haven't been integrated into the main Marvel Universe yet. And then there's Army of Darkness, which did briefly crossover with the Marvel universe (kinda) in that Marvel Zombies oneshot...

And to put in my own two centavos (which costs much less than two cents) related to current goings-on in the 616: the events unfolding right now in Cosmic Marvel involving the Fault could possibly pave the way for Marvel's own original spin on

cosmic horror, as inspired by H.P. Lovecraft

.

And as for this revelation:

Dr. Who (who showed up in both the 616 and the Marvel Hasbroverse a few times)

My woefully predictable reaction: *sobs uncontrollably*

Edited March 17, 2010 by NorthRaider