I just read this on CNI's October sollicitations page and thougt was interesting.

"MARVEL ADVENTURES IRON MAN #6

Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Penciled by JAMES CORDEIRO
Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG

Iron Man dons his SPACE ARMOR to rescue a Stark orbital platform from his old enemy, the LIVING LASER – but during their zero-G battle they unleash an even deadlier threat: the all-new, all-terrifying SWARM! This sentient cloud of nanobots wants to consume and convert every bit of matter in its path – including Earth itself! Shellhead and Laser must forge an uneasy alliance to stop Swarm from laying waste to the planet."

Seems a bit familiar, dunnit?

yeah, just a bit. So, does Marvel own rights to the Swarm, is that it?

Someone call Simon Furman's Lawyer!

the Swarm, along with Death's Head and any other character created by Furman during his run with Marvel is still Marvel property. So they can do with it as they please.

Try not to have so much fun, Grim.

...fun with what?

Aha, but I wonder does Iron Man have aMatrix of leadership?

*Iron Man opens the Matrix to Stan Bush's "Touch" playing in the background*

What I understood is that Death's Head is owned by Hasbro, only because he appeared in some loose separate stories unconnected to Transformers first, which was done for the intent of keeping the character the character under ownership of Marvel. The Swarm did not have that, so it is technically owned by Hasbro, not Marvel. (Similar as how Primus, who first appeared in the Marvel Comics, still is Hasbro property)

exactly, that's why i thought it was weird that they're using almost exactly the same thing now.

I'm curious as to whether they will handle this in the comic, i think i might even buy it, just to catch a glimpse of this "new swarm"

I'd like to have a Marvel Legends of the Swarm. It'd probably be a bunch of metal shaving inside a bag.