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Netflix's First Takeover: a Comics Firm (bbc.com)

Posted by msmash on from the interesting-moves dept.

Netflix announced today that it is acquiring Mark Millar, a well-known name in the world of comics. As part of the deal, the on-demand streaming company said, it will be creating original movies and TV shows from the content. It's Netflix's first acquisition. From a report: Millarworld, founded by Mark Millar from Coatbridge, includes his portfolio of characters and stories such as Kick-Ass, Kingsman, and Old Man Logan. Mr Millar said he was still "blinking" over the news. He said it was only the third time a comic book purchase on this scale had ever happened, with Warner Bros buying DC Comics in 1968, and Disney buying Marvel in 2009. Mr Millar, who lives in Glasgow, started Millarworld as a creator-owned comic-book company nearly 15 years ago. He runs the company with his wife Lucy Millar. It is the first ever company acquisition in Netflix's history. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Mr Millar said: "I'm so in love with what Netflix is doing and excited by their plans. Netflix is the future and Millarworld couldn't have a better home."

37 comments

  1. old man logan by ganjadude · · Score: 2

    old man logan is probably the best comic out there right now. looking forward to see what happens with this

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    1. Re:old man logan by MightyMartian · · Score: 1

      And congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Millar. It sounds like a good news story all around!

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      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    2. Re:old man logan by Robyrt · · Score: 2

      Millarworld does not own the rights to Old Man Logan, and Mark Millar is not involved with the current Old Man Logan comics. Millar wrote the original miniseries for Marvel, but only his original properties now belong to Netflix.

    3. Re:old man logan by ganjadude · · Score: 1

      i knew he didnt own old man logan but i didnt know he wasnt doing the current run. thanks!

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    4. Re:old man logan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      OML is also solidly in Marvel 616 timeline now, having traveled timelines during the Batteworld reset. Since he replaced the standard wolverine (who died), I doubt Marvel will give him up.

      Marvel also published Kick-Ass.

      The Secret Service (Kingsman) was published by Icon.

      Millarverse is bupkis.

  2. Old Man Logan? by Anubis+IV · · Score: 4, Informative

    Millarworld, founded by Mark Millar from Coatbridge, includes his portfolio of characters and stories such as Kick-Ass, Kingsman, and Old Man Logan.

    While Millar certainly wrote the Old Man Logan storyline, I don't see how Millarworld could own the rights to it, given that he did the work for Marvel and used their characters extensively in the story. Seems like the BBC is reporting things incorrectly, but am I missing something?

  3. Creative freedom? by jellomizer · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Sometimes a purchase will help expand the brands, such as Marvel + Disney. Sometimes it will hurt the brand Marvel + Sony/Fox.

    I tried a lot of the Netflix original series, for myself personally, they just seem to push the dark parts of the stories a bit too much. But that is me, who after a tough day, I usually want to watch something more fun then deep.

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    1. Re:Creative freedom? by Jason+Levine · · Score: 1

      The Marvel Netflix originals certainly are dark, but there are other shows that are much more varied in tone. There's a Voltron series that has some fun callbacks to the original while being a very nice recreation. There's the sitcom-ish (but in the best possible way) Kimmy Schmidt. My boys even love the Croods animated series and The Worst Witch - both of which are much lighter in tone. (The latter is sort of like a female Harry Potter without the death that Voldemort brings. There's still conflict, but in a you'll-get-expelled-from-school sort of way, not in a dementors-will-suck-out-your-life sort of way.)

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    2. Re:Creative freedom? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I dunno, I almost feel sorry for Netflix. Buying a comics company for its IP in the middle of what anyone sane would have to think is the high water mark for comics-based entertainment. I'm not sure you can convince me there's room for any more production in that genre. I'm sure I'm not the only one here that would worry about the state of my geek membership if it ever got out that I'm becoming bored by heroic-persons movies.

      I'm not bored by the idea that SUPERHERO is a trademark. If I ever win the lottery that's one thing I'll waste my money on killing.

    3. Re:Creative freedom? by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      It's less well known IP, so it may not count as "comics stuff" when they do it.

      By count as, I mean be perceived as comic book properties.

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    4. Re:Creative freedom? by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      While I have seen some of those, they are still mostly targeted as a Kids show. While adults can defiantly enjoy them, as today cartoons, are being written for a more general audience.

      However there should be some engaging shows targeted towards a more of an adult audience, that can still make us laugh, and just have a good time.

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  4. NETFLIX + KINGSMAN by InfiniteBlaze · · Score: 1

    THIS IS WONDERFUL NEWS!!

    1. Re:NETFLIX + KINGSMAN by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What happens to the current/existing movies now? Will the Golden Circle be the last of it and Netflix reboots it? Will our beloved Eggsy come to Netflix?

    2. Re:NETFLIX + KINGSMAN by MightyMartian · · Score: 1

      I'm sure 20th Century Fox has a pretty tight contract that means they'll produce Kingsmen films for a while yet. i suspect there won't be any small screen adaptations of that IP, though I suppose now that Netflix owns the IP, it will be getting some nice fat royalty checks from Fox.

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    3. Re:NETFLIX + KINGSMAN by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

      I didn't realize Kingsman was a comic but I found the movie pretty enjoyable. The second film could be interesting. However, how did I not know that they released a Kingsman/Archer crossover short earlier this year?

      --
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  5. Manners maketh man. . . . by Salgak1 · · Score: 1

    . . . . I could enjoy a "Kingsman" universe series on Netflix, or even a mini-series, like the Starz network did for "Torchwood" out of the Whoniverse. . .

  6. They bought a person?? by Topwiz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Summary says "Netflix announced today that it is acquiring Mark Millar, a well-known name in the world of comics."

    Should say "Netflix announced today that it is acquiring Millarworld, a well-known name in the world of comics."

    1. Re:They bought a person?? by kamapuaa · · Score: 1

      "Millarworld" is a proper noun, not a name.

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    2. Re:They bought a person?? by freeze128 · · Score: 3, Funny

      I was more confused by this line:

      Mr Millar said he was still "blinking" over the news.

      If Millarworld was founded by Mark Millar, and he currently runs it with his wife, then he really should have known that Netflix was bidding to buy it, and this should really not come as a surprise to him... unless "blinking" means that he got some cocaine in his eye during the acquisition party with all the hookers.

    3. Re:They bought a person?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      His wife really does throw the best parties.

    4. Re:They bought a person?? by Topwiz · · Score: 2

      Mark Millar is the person's name, the name of his company is Millarworld. The summary says they bought Mark Millar (the person) while the article correctly states that they bought the company: "Netflix buys Scots comic book firm Millarworld". Submitter msmash made a mistake creating the summary.

    5. Re:They bought a person?? by painandgreed · · Score: 1

      I was more confused by this line: Mr Millar said he was still "blinking" over the news. If Millarworld was founded by Mark Millar, and he currently runs it with his wife, then he really should have known that Netflix was bidding to buy it, and this should really not come as a surprise to him... unless "blinking" means that he got some cocaine in his eye during the acquisition party with all the hookers.

      Considering that Millar has extreme success with turning his comics into movies, I suspect this is a case of being surprised all of his work and effort to get tied into the film industry (where all the money is) has finally come to pass in such a good deal.

  7. Let me be the first to say... by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 1

    OH DEAR GOD NO WHYYYYYY? We have enough god damn movies based on comic books, in fact it seems that pretty much all recent big budget action flicks are based on comics. And they suck, one or two notable exceptions aside. What the hell, is the writer guild strike still on or something?

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    1. Re: Let me be the first to say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes there are too many but since it's netflix then the characters will be black, queer or stronk womyn.

      That makes it different /s

    2. Re:Let me be the first to say... by MightyMartian · · Score: 2

      Well, you don't have to watch them.

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    3. Re:Let me be the first to say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This. The market for cartoon books for little boys is already flooded. Even worse, it's low quality garbaged like that T-Whore or Doctor Stupid shit. Thor was a Norse God, but those children's books turned him into a joke. Why not create characters instead of spewing lies about them?

    4. Re:Let me be the first to say... by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 1

      I can only presume you mean 'superhero comics', since basing a movie off a comic really doesn't limit the subject matter at all. Its like saying 'enough damn movies with stories'.

      Not that I can blame you since the big comic companies have been milking that decaying body since before time began, but in the larger world comics are just a medium for any kind of story.

    5. Re:Let me be the first to say... by Cro+Magnon · · Score: 1

      Writer's strike? What are you talking about? This is prime movie stuff! It's as good as it gets!

      Yeah, that depresses me too. :(

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  8. Saw a rumor on YouTube... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

    That Disney might buy Sony's movie studio to get back the rights for Spider-Man.

    1. Re:Saw a rumor on YouTube... by Spy+Handler · · Score: 1

      No doubt so they can reboot Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends!

    2. Re:Saw a rumor on YouTube... by fallen1 · · Score: 1

      Fuck Sony and Spider-man. Disney needs to acquire Fox and get back all of the X-men so that they can do some movies correctly AND use the word mutants to properly describe those who carry the natural X/mutant gene. I mean, what the hell? Let's make all super-powered people Inhumans on Marvel-run TV shows because we can't say "mutant" due to Fox??

      Inhumans are not mutants in the X-way, but by way of advanced technology and experimentation by the Kree.

      Give us Professor X, 1407 Graymalkin Lane, Phoenix, Wolverine, Kitty Pride, Angel/Archangel, and all the rest and call them what they are -- X-men and mutants.

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  9. Netflix logevity? by future+assassin · · Score: 2

    I got Netflix (Canada) and do like some of their original stuff but atm I've hit a wall (my wife says the same thing). I've watched everything I wanted to watch and now I see no more benefit to Netflix vs my DVD collection (Aprox 700-800) Also with the long waits between new seasons and the ability to binge watch I've lost interest in following many shows. What's the point of 8-13 episodes and then having to wait for 12+ months for another season, that does nothing to keep me excited for when the season starts again as its been so long vs normal 24-26 episode seasons and then 6 months wait for the new season.

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    1. Re:Netflix logevity? by Target+Drone · · Score: 1

      The issue I've run into (Canadian as well) is the new rating system. Netflix has always had a large catalogue of stuff I've never heard of but the old rating system let me quickly weed though it and find the good stuff. The new rating system seems to match almost all Netflix original content in the high nineties even the stuff no one including myself likes. The other stuff seems to have a bit of a random number assigned to it which doesn't correlate well to how I'll end up rating it. I find that I now have to google each of the shows to get the IMDB/Rotten Tomatoes/Metacritic rating before watching it. But with this extra hassle and uncertainty I often just do something else instead.

    2. Re:Netflix logevity? by future+assassin · · Score: 1

      My situation is even worse, I'm in WD TV live (too lazy atm to build an HTPC or get a better media player) and the star ratings are all hooped so like you I have to search out the ratings on websites.

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  10. That's the benefit Netflix brings by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    The great thing about Netflix owning new comic IP is that Netflix has traditionally offered a ton of creative control to producers, and the content has been better for it.

    Furthermore they are not limited in scope. Perhaps one thing is better as a movie, but another is better as miniseries or just a four part show (like they do with some BBC police dramas).

    I think the comic realm seems over-done mostly because we are seeing the SAME SUBJECTS all the time. The Marvel stuff is getting kind of old, the XMen stuff is old, even the DC Batman/Superman stuff feels old because it's so similar to Marvel... Spider-Man feels old because they KEEP REMAKING SPIDERMAN.

    But with really new stories, I think the stuff Netflix produces could be a lot of fun and really much fresher. KickAss was great, so I'm looking to seeing what else they have to offer.

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  11. "And if this trend continues... Eyyyyy!" by sheramil · · Score: 1

    I can't wait to see what kind of shows Netflix makes after acquiring Shadman, Kamitora, Dr Graevling and Modeseven.

  12. First? by DaTroof · · Score: 1

    It's Netflix's first acquisition.

    I guess you're using a very narrow definition of "acquisition." They've been acquiring IP, including the rights to produce new content based on existing IP, for like a decade by now.