Cast of characters

A look at Walt Disney Co. and Marvel Entertainment Inc., which will become one after Disney's expected completion of its $4.2 billion acquisition of the comic-book powerhouse:

Marvel Entertainment Inc.

Famous characters: Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America

Year founded: 1939

Annual revenue: $676 million

Number of employees: 300

Earnings per share: $2.61

The Walt Disney Co.

Famous characters: Mickey Mouse, Snow White, the Muppets, Hannah Montana, WALL-E, Lion King

Year founded: 1923

Annual revenue: $36 billion

Number of employees: 150,000

Market cap: $60 billion