After months of fighting, Tornante/Madison Dearborn Partners' deal to acquire Topps finally received the approval of the company's shareholders in September.Now former Disney (NYSE: DIS) CEO Michael Eisner, who controls Tornante, has a plan for Topps. In an interview with the USA Today, Eisner said that he has big plans for Bazooka Joe: "Bazooka Joe is my new Mickey Mouse."
Eisner points out that most movie heroes from the past few years have been old comic book characters: Spider-Man, X-Men, and Superman.
Depending on how you look at it, Eisner is one of two things: a visionary, or an idiot. The problem is that Bazooka Joe is just not as iconic as any of the cartoon characters that have recently had big resurgences. If they put together an amazing movie, anything is possible, but I just don't see anyone flocking to the theater to see the new Bazooka Joe movie -- unless that can get Zac Efron to play Joe. And if they can do that, Efron needs to fire his agent.
His other ideas for the company are more reasonable. Eisner believes that the trading card industry has been taken over by hardcore collectors, and that the company needs to focus on making cards fun for kids again, the original intended market.
One thing's for sure: Eisner has big plans for Topps. And if he can pull even a fraction of it off, the controversial Topps buyout is going to look like one of the greatest fleecings of minority shareholders in recent memory.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
11-05-2007 @ 8:53PM
Emily said...
I'm just putting in a comment bc no one else has- and NOTHING CAN REPLACE MICKEY MOUSE. You people just remember that...
11-05-2007 @ 9:33PM
Belle Starr said...
Will this movie be sponsered by bubble gum ?
I remember Bazooka Joe from the comic puns found in bubble gum packs .
11-06-2007 @ 10:49AM
kevinand21 said...
I'm just writing this to agree with Emily.
11-05-2007 @ 9:27PM
Tyler Jay said...
Ok, Eisner is an IDIOT! How dare you compare some lame marketing cartoon icon to one of America's most beloved family characters that was created to bring joy, not hawk products! Walt would be disgusted with you for even thinking they were similar.
11-05-2007 @ 10:20PM
Dee said...
If something's not broke, why try to fix it!
You can never replace Mickey Mouse!!
To this very date, he is the hit with the children, young and old. Why don't you ask them?
Joe Bazooka can't touch Mickey Mouse.
11-05-2007 @ 9:36PM
Olivia said...
Try to be adults here, Mickey Mouse is huge business and Michael is just saying that Joe is going to be as big. If he didn't think this way, he could never be in charge of Disney. CEOs are visionaries that can pull off the plan. Just watch, weather it works or not, it will gain Disney and its shareholders some free media coverage, not a bad tactic.
11-05-2007 @ 9:50PM
Someone said...
If Zac Efron plays Bazooka Joe, I will never buy the gum again.
11-05-2007 @ 9:54PM
Recie said...
Bazooka Joe can't hold a candle to Mickey Mouse. I grew up watching and adoring Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse and his friends. This idiot, M. Eisner, is trying tear down what this man worked so hard to build.
11-05-2007 @ 10:38PM
Christine said...
Eisner should stick to his new show "Conversations with M. Eisner".
I love my Bazooka, but can you see the theme park? PINK EVERYWHERE!!!! (Like that lame birthday cake idea on Cinderella's Castle for the 25th anniversary! It ruined my last trip to Disney!)
He's lost it!
11-05-2007 @ 10:18PM
Lor said...
Who is bazooka Joe anyways? No clue on my part. I have heard of the gum. So yeah I'm guessing that nothing will ever be as big as the beloved Mickey Mouse!
11-05-2007 @ 10:15PM
Brandon said...
What bad decision making. The thought that Bazooka Joe could rival the role of Mickey Mouse is like casting Rosie O'Donnell as Wonder Woman... Ok, maybe not that bad... oh dear god I need to get that picture out of my head.
11-05-2007 @ 10:16PM
Josh said...
Ok, I'm 30 years old, well, i will be in a couple weeks. All I have to say is...Who's Bazooka Joe?
Oh, and my birthday is the same day as Mickey Mouse. November 18th, get us a present.
11-05-2007 @ 10:29PM
Kelli said...
Michael Eisner is an idiot. I have thought so for a long time. He never shoudl have became a CEO at Disney because to him it is about the money and the fun. Most Disney Employees extremly dislike Eisner. Also who is Bazooka Joe? I do nto know of him. I am pretty aware of most characters but that one I do not know.
11-05-2007 @ 10:30PM
Linda S said...
Eisner has ruined what Walt did when he was alive.. why doens*t he just leave Mickey Mouse out of this..so many of the Disney World have complained to us while we were on Vacation there about Eisner we were literelly in shock.. he should put his head down in shame..and bring back the world of Disney to Families.. hes got enough money now so just get out.. we*ve all had enough of you..Walt Disney lives on...
11-05-2007 @ 10:33PM
richter said...
I knew Mickey Mouse. Mickey Mouse was my friend. And Bazooka Joe, you're no Mickey Mouse.
11-05-2007 @ 10:52PM
Brenda said...
Mike is an idiot for thinking about replacing Mickey Mouse, he is the one that should be replaced. When you replace Mickey Mouse you have destroyed everything Walt Disney created. Who does he think he is? Walt? I don't think so! He can't hold a candle to the vision Walt Disney had, that lives long after his death and it has every little to do with Eisner's vision or lack of.
11-05-2007 @ 10:52PM
connie said...
Bazooka Gum is very tastey but lost its flavor really fast so you had to chew and buy alot of it to keep the flavor...I actually perferred the hard grape balls that came in the economical 5 pack and the Zebra gum which gave you a variety of flavors to choose from...The Zebra would make a better cartoon character-he's cute and endangered...Bazooka joe is 50 and nobody knows who he is and nobody liked him when they were little either...
11-05-2007 @ 10:55PM
Tom said...
Mickey mouse can never be replaced, he is awesome, and is reallY cool
11-05-2007 @ 11:01PM
michele said...
Who is Bazooka Joe? Aside from that, Eisner is not out to replace Mickey Mouse. He thinks he can make this "Bazooka Joe" character just as popular. I've never heard of Bazooka Joe. Sounds like the name of a WWII bomber.
11-05-2007 @ 11:03PM
Richard Smith said...
Why not the Yellow Kid, Felix the Cat, Jigs and Maggie, Terry and the Pirates.....get the picture?
Why would Bazooka Joe be equal or greater then Mickey Mouse? How much are they paying this guy to make these decisions....I will work for half his salary and come up with better ideas then this.