DC HERO AT MARVEL

The movie ended.

The audience gave high praise to the film.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. team sat silently in the theater for a moment, digesting what they'd just seen. Suddenly, Nick Fury turned toward Coulson.

"Director, is there something you need?"

Coulson, ever the loyal subordinate, immediately recognized that something was brewing.

"Coulson, I've got a task that perfect for you," Fury said after a moment of deliberation.

"Director, I'll do my best," Coulson replied solemnly, already sensing trouble ahead.

To Coulson, this moment felt suspiciously like the scene where someone says, "I'll come back to marry you after the mission," with a vibe that practically screamed noble sacrifice.

"You were the first to point out something unusual about DC Comics," Fury began. "However, despite combing through all the records on the company, as well as Anton personal information, we haven't found anything out of the ordinary. But after watching this movie, I realized we've overlooked something critical: the content of the works DC has released so far."

After a brief pause, he continued:

"Coulson, I'm giving you one week to review all their works and summarize the key points for me. Focus especially on Batman, Green Arrow, Cyborg, and now Superman. Look at how they're connected in these stories. If Anton is drawing from these characters to create his projects, there bound to be common ground between the works and reality."

"For example, the relationship between Superman and Batman doesn't seem particularly friendly…"

Beside him, Natasha eyes lit up with understanding.

She recalled the post-credits scene of the movie and extracted its crucial implication:

Batman doesn't trust Superman!

Could this be Anton hinting at the real-life dynamic between Batman and Superman?

Even though Superman hadn't appeared yet, considering the recent alien invasion and Superman extraterrestrial origin in the film, it was impossible for S.H.I.E.L.D. to let their guard down.

"I get it!" Coulson tense expression eased in an instant.

Assigned to read comics? Not bad!

At least it meant no fieldwork—practically a vacation!

For someone like Coulson, constantly busy and traveling, this assignment was as close to a holiday as it got.

Tony Stark exited the theater, scoffing at the Man of Steel movie.

Although he admitted that Man of Steel was a solid popcorn flick, it lacked deeper substance.

His main gripe? Its content flew in the face of scientific principles.

Even though he shared similar suspicions with S.H.I.E.L.D. about Superman potential existence, Tony simply couldn't accept such a being as real.

Meanwhile, Eddie, also leaving the theater, wasn't plagued by the same mental gymnastics.

Among all these people, Eddie was the most convinced that Superman would one day emerge in the real world.

"Clark Kent! A Kryptonian!"

Eddie pondered for a moment before having a sudden epiphany.

"No wonder Anton knew the mind transmission device was alien and that the alien Lang had been eyeing Earth. It must have been Superman who told him!"

Eddie, filling in the gaps with his own imagination, finally pieced together the narrative that made the most sense to him.

"The Justice League!"

A delighted grin spread across Eddie face as he thought,

"I've hitched myself to the thickest, sturdiest leg imaginable!"

Beside him, April caught sight of Eddie overly sycophantic smile and couldn't help but scrunch her face in mild disgust.

A day later.

Anton sat in his office at DC, surprised to see that Superman fan count had only increased by 1.3 million—from 6 million to 7.3 million.

The growth was markedly slower than what he had seen with Cyborg and Batman.

Too slow!

The box office numbers were impressive—slightly lower than Batman but better than Cyborg—so why was the fan count lagging?

"What going on?"

Anton went online to review public opinions about Superman.

Across the board, reviews praised the movie stunning visual effects, engaging plot, and overall value for money. Audiences seemed satisfied.

However, from the few scattered negative reviews, Anton gleaned the answer to why the fan growth was so sluggish.

Aliens—both a blessing and a curse!

The alien invasion by Lang had indeed generated immense interest in the Superman movie.

But audiences weren't drawn to the theater out of a love for Superman—they were merely driven by curiosity.

As a result, they weren't truly moved or inspired by Superman character.

Overall, Superman alien origin made it harder for audiences to connect with him.

People who had just suffered at the hands of an alien invasion were reluctant to believe that an alien would willingly protect humanity.

Even if this alien had grown up on Earth!

This skepticism significantly slowed Superman fan growth compared to Batman and Cyborg.

"At this rate, by the time the movie finishes its run, the fan count might not even reach 30 million."

Anton frowned.

"Looks like I need to fast-track the next movie!"

"Batman v Superman?"

It was an obvious choice. Just like Jim thinking, Anton had no qualms about milking Batman popularity to boost the Justice League other members.

After all, Batman status was already cemented—it was time to let the rest of the team share some of the spotlight.

Case in point: Green Arrow had gained unexpected popularity through such tactics.

Ring ring!

Suddenly, his phone rang, interrupting Anton thoughts.

Picking it up, he glanced at the caller ID.

The Old Man.

J. Jonah Jameson.

"What up, Old Man? Weren't you living it up on vacation in Hawaii, so much so that you didn't want to come back?" Anton teased as he answered.

"I didn't want to call you either," Jameson grumbled. "Life in Hawaii is way more exciting than New York. You have no idea how hard it is for me to get out of bed every morning."

"Sounds more thrilling than alien invasions," Anton quipped, catching the underlying meaning and feeling an almost palpable envy.

"Let get to the point," Jameson said, his tone shifting. "I'm back in New York."

"What?"

Anton was startled. "You dare come back to New York? The number of rich people fleeing this city lately might outnumber everyone you've ever met in your life."

"You think I wanted to come back?" the old man retorted. "Someone wants to meet you, and I had to return."

"Who important enough to warrant that?" Anton frowned slightly.

He wasn't particularly surprised by the statement itself but was already trying to deduce who the person might be.

As the owner of a major newspaper, Jameson wielded considerable influence in shaping public opinion. In American high society, he was well-known, especially among politicians.

While Jameson wasn't among the wealthiest elites, his standing in terms of influence rivaled those at the top.

After all, politicians need channels to project their voices, and Jameson business fit the bill perfectly. Their mutually beneficial relationships could be described as "hand-in-glove."

Particularly in New York, Jameson home turf, his extensive network of connections made him a prominent figure.

For someone to call Jameson back from Hawaii, the list of candidates was extremely short.

Even during Norman Osborn time, not even the head of Oscorp could have pulled this off.

Anton thought for a moment and came to a conclusion.

Whoever summoned Jameson wasn't just wealthy—they had power.

"This is someone you've seen before. At least on the news," Jameson sighed. "Secretary of Defense John Keller. He wants to meet you."

He paused. "I've sent Wick to pick you up. Be downstairs in ten minutes. I'll be waiting at my place."