ENTERTAINMENT

Marvel to Acquire Trading-Card Firm: Comic book publisher Marvel Entertainment Group Inc. plans to put super heroes and sports heroes on the same team by buying trading-card maker Fleer Corp. for about $265 million, the companies said. Marvel Chief Executive William Bevins said the combination will allow the two companies to promote each other’s products and exploit a broadened distribution network. Marvel already licenses popular comic book characters for its Marvel Universe trading cards. Mt. Laurel, N.J.-based Fleer makes Dubble Bubble chewing gum and has about 20% of the $1.2-billion trading-card market.