Date:         Thu, 9 Jun 1994 22:52:06 CDT
Sender: COMICS Discussion List <[COMICS L] at [UNLVM.UNL.EDU]>
Subject:      Volume 4 Issue 20 Part 4

June 9, 1994            The Comics List Weekly       Vol. 4 No. 20 Pt. 4

This Week:

Marvel         : Marketing -  Harvey Acquisitions shows Marvel's intent
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Date: Tue, 07 Jun 94 07:55:44 EST
From: James Williams <[James Williams] at [ESS.NIAID.pc.niaid.nih.gov]>
Subject: Marvel and Harvey

>Marvel has purchased Harvey Comics characters which include Richie
>Rich, Wendy the Good Witch, Caspar the Friendly Ghost, and Baby Huey.
>A big thanks to James Wiliams and Don Rosa for the news.

Not exactly.  Marvel bought the comic book rights to all of the classic
Harvey characters, but Harvey still owns the characters.  This is an
important distinction because if the Richie Rich or Casper movies or
the Baby Huey cartoons actually happen, Harvey gets a percentage not
Marvel.  Marvel has announced four titles: Richie Rich, Casper The
Friendly Ghost, Wendy The Good Little Witch, and Baby Huey.

Without attracting any attention, Marvel has become the #1 publisher of
children's comics.  They now have 10 monthly children's comics (that is
more than ANY other US publisher).  They have four montly Disney titles
(that is more than Gladstone and remember Gladstones newstand
distribution is done by Marvel).  They have five monthly titles geared
towards little girls (that is more than Archie Comics).  This doesn't
count the unannounced titles like Disney's Gargoyles, the second
wave of Harvey titles, or The Snow White Special.  These comics
will attract a whole new audience to comics and as they mature they
will move from Marvel's children's comics to Marvel's mainstream
comics.  DC has made a crucial mistake by going after older readers
(i.e. Vertigo) and ignoring children's comics.

-----

I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that Marvel will also
end up with the licenses to publish and distribute Hanna-Barbera's
characters.  Harvey Comics holds those rights currently, but I really
think Harvey is going down for the count.  Don't believe me.  Pull out
last months previews and take a look at the entries under Harvey comics.
Done? Good.  Now, pull out this months previews and do the same.
Notice something.  Harvey isn't solicting the HB properties this
month.  In fact all they are solicting are the properties which are
being turned over to Marvel.  Me thinks we will be seeing Sid Jacobson
returning to Marvel Comics any day now.

James Williams

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