In a mind-boggling merger, the Walt Disney Company has acquired Marvel Entertainment, the creator of such complicated superheroes as Spiderman and the Incredible Hulk.

What the ”¦ !!? This is a match that only Wall Street could love. It attempts to merge brands that occupy opposite corners of the entertainment universe.

Marvel is said to have a lineup of some 4,000 characters ”“ none of them cute or cuddly. The company has been willing to explore dark themes in comic books and movies in a way Uncle Walt could never have tolerated.

On the other hand, Disney productions are assembled and polished with refinement ”“ and financing ”“ far beyond Marvel’s capability.

So what could bring this odd couple together? The answer was in all the headlines: $4 billion in cash and Disney stock.

The deal is likely to help Marvel finance new film projects and will introduce its dynamic characters to Disney theme parks. We can expect the marketing geniuses at Disney to dig deeply into Marvel’s vault of stories and characters, licensing them for television advertising themes and consumer products.

It’s a huge contraction in the  shrinking entertainment world. The X-Men and the  Fantastic Four have been corporate employees for some time now ”“ they’ve just joined a bigger company.

Consolidation gives both companies a chance to earn far more money from their creative assets. The worry is that that creativity and independence will be left behind in the search for profits.

— Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen Schulze Muszynski or Nick Cowenhoven at 282-1535 or kristenm@journaltribune.com or nickc@journaltribune.com.