Just like every other comics editor, I have decided to discuss this week’s huge comic news, which, if you have been living under a rock on Pluto, is that Disney has purchased Marvel Comics. So what does this mean for Marvel Comics fans? Will their favorite characters be de-evolved into the pasty pastiche of what they were when the Comics Code Authority had a hold of them to be more like Disney’s flavor of pasteurized publicity? Will movies such as Iron Man fail to exist any longer, or can we even predict what will happen?

One can look at the Disney acquisition of Marvel Comics in two ways. Either as the end of Marvel as the fans know and love it, or the start of a brilliant new future, thanks to the minds behind some of the most beloved stories of all time. Nobody is certain as to how it will turn out, but there are definitely speculations to be made.

Let us take a look at the optimistic side of this debate. Disney is highly connected, well funded, and seriously popular across the world. Disney is always looking for the next big thing, and has brought to light some of the most beloved movies and stories the world has ever known. Award-winning and devoted to pure entertainment, Disney is a company we all know and trust, and eventually take good-natured pokes at. If Disney could bring this to Marvel Comics without damaging the pure grit and honesty of the comics they produce, it could mean a new generation of characters, stories, and series that will live for years to come. It could also mean comics would be easier to come by, and could expand the fan base beyond those who are considered “comic book geeks.”

Of course, the downside to all of this is the very real problem that Disney has a horrible track record in the world of graphic novels. The Kingdom Hearts series and the graphic novelization of The Nightmare Before Christmas have been panned not only by this editor but many other critics. Fast and easy to produce seems to be the motto of Disney Press, and that does not bode well for the rich pictures and slow storylines of some of the greatest comics Marvel has produced. There is also the terrible fear that Disney, once in control of titles like The Punisher and WonderWoman, will destroy the beautiful horror that is created in these stories that make readers come back over and over again. That Disney will tone it down, make it as dull as a broken razor blade, ready to do nothing more than tickle the skin and leave rough stubble behind.

Unfortunately, there is no telling what Disney’s plans are for Marvel Comics. I think the most we, as fans, can hope for is that Disney will see that they have a steady thing going on here, and will refrain from fiddling with it overmuch. If all goes well though, we can look forward to fresh stories, and new series that we will devour with the mental tenacity of those who read the very first story about Frank Castle and knew they had something special.