In the nineties, Marvel were in some dire straits. After the speculator market dropped out and they realised they wouldn't be making their billions on constant issue #1s with shiny covers that people would buy in droves, believing them to be worth something one day, the publisher was in need of some serious guidance. They were already nosediving into bankruptcy, which is the time where Wall Street maven and corporate raider Carl Icahn stepped in. Icahn started scooping up Marvel stock at an insultingly low price, looking to take control of the company and their considerable assets. In 1997 he became chairman of the company, hoping to gain responsibility for the entirety of Marvel's operation with the intention of strip-mining them for as much money as he could, leaving behind a burned-out husk where one of the world's most renowned comics publishers used to be. He entered a bitter war with other financiers and companies looking to own Marvel, having already forced the company into bankruptcy so he could become head of the board and replace all its previous members with his mates. The legal proceedings with his rivals were so long and drawn out that Marvel was left to rot, fading into obscurity, producing some of the worst work in their history and licensing their characters out to anyone and everyone. Cheers Carl!
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
