All the Marvels

It's a shame that Superman isn't in Marvel's (NYSE: MVL  ) roster of comic book superhero characters. Clearing tall buildings in a single bound has been child's play for Marvel lately. Phone booths could be used for skeptics to change out of their shorts. Wall Street could intersect with Lois Lane.

But getting back to those skyscraper leaps, Marvel's doing it anyway -- with or without Superman.

The company is raising its financial guidance for fiscal 2004. Revenue that the company originally pegged to fall between $315 million and $345 million will now be looking to clock in between $415 million and $435 million. Earnings will be coming in between $1.31 and $1.48 a share, also well above the company's earlier projections. The way Marvel's been upping its targets with every passing quarter, don't cast even those rosy forecasts in stone.

Since being featured in The Motley Fool Stock Advisor, shares of Marvel have been on a tear. With the theatrical translation of its comic book properties like Spider-Man and Hulk raining into various lucrative revenue streams, the company has been rolling in enough dough to fortify its balance sheet and establish itself as a credible growth stock.

Leading toy retailers such as Toys "R" Us (NYSE: TOY  ) and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT  ) certainly aren't complaining. Movie studios like Sony (NYSE: SNE  ) and Fox (NYSE: FOX  ) have been so impressed with Marvel's characters that they've made sequels.

Yes, Marvel's monetized library has been a gold mine. Maybe it's a good thing that Superman is the handiwork of DC Comics. There's no kryptonite to worry about that way.

Excited about the Blade and Spider-Man sequels coming out next year? Do you think Marvel will be able to milk more out of its nearly 5,000-character strong library or is this as good as it gets? All this and more -- in theMarveldiscussion board. Only on Fool.com.