Lions, ducks and spiders — oh, my!

Such is the future of fans of Mickey Mouse and Iron Man — Disney corporate executives convinced Marvel’s CEO to agree to a $4 billion buy-out deal this week, and the business and comic book worlds are abuzz.

Bloggers are already chatting about video games that pit Captain America against Daffy Duck in a Mortal Combat-type scenario. And theme park frequenters are licking their lips over the prospect of Spider-Man-themed roller coasters.

And although the potential is big, Marvel executives are probably relieved to have the weight of a slumping industry off their backs. Where Disney diversified into movies, TV stations, channels and networks, theme parks and high-end merchandise outlets, comic book giant Marvel stayed on course, running into financial peril in the form of bankruptcy filings in ’96.

Disney acquired nearly 5,000 characters and the prospect of a much larger audience base with the deal. Critics claim the company’s strength has rested in the young female niche of late, and that the deal was likely struck, in large part, as an attempt to reconnect with the young men of the world.

So dream yourself, and imagine the possibilities of a future that pairs mice and men in epic battles against and alongside one another.

And hope that Disney doesn’t screw things up, because both companies have legacies to protect and fan bases that have been handed down among generations, and we hope it remains for years to come.