BY MIL ARCEGA

VOA NEWS

WASHINGTON — The Walt Disney Company has announced an agreement to acquire Marvel Entertainment in a $4 billion cash and stock deal. The surprise agreement means the company that owns Mickey Mouse, could soon own the rights to Spiderman, Iron Man and thousands of other Marvel comic strip characters.

The company that introduced the world to Mickey Mouse, Cinderella and Snow White - is adding thousands of new characters to its roster of heroes.

The $4 billion-deal to acquire Marvel Entertainment will mean popular superheroes such as Ironman, the Incredible Hulk and the web-slinging Spiderman could soon become part of Disney's media universe.