DC HERO AT MARVEL

Currently, the system panel displayed Superman fan count at 37 million.

Since Man of Steel had finished its theatrical run, Superman fan growth had been agonizingly slow—nothing compared to the steady gains of The Flash thanks to its ongoing TV series.

On the other hand, The Flash had not only bolstered its own fan base but also helped Wonder Woman cross the 8 million fan mark.

In an upcoming episode of The Flash, Wonder Woman was set to make another appearance, a move guaranteed to create another spike in her popularity.

Combined with the imminent wrap-up of the Wonder Woman movie, its post-production, and subsequent release, it was only a matter of time before her fan count surged past the 30 million threshold.

Seeing the clear benefits of producing TV series to grow character fandoms, Anton decided to replicate the strategy for Superman.

After all, reaching the system requirement of 100 million fans to unlock Superman in the real world was an enormous challenge.

But Anton wasn't daunted.

Given the production timeline, Batman v Superman would take at least six months to complete and release.

While that might seem like a long time, it was just enough to steadily grow Superman fan base.

By the time the film premiered, even if Superman fan count didn't hit 100 million, it would undoubtedly come very close to the mark.

Superman arrival felt inevitable.

Energized by the prospect, Anton was eager to mobilize Jim and the team to kick off the new projects immediately.

Of course, while Anton might be ambitious, he wasn't entirely ruthless.

Jim was already swamped, juggling the final stages of Wonder Woman and overseeing The Flash.

Unlike Anton, Jim didn't have the luxury of a "cloning skill" to handle multiple projects simultaneously.

Pushing him further would be counterproductive.

So, for now, Anton decided to strategize and prepare, ensuring that when the team transitioned to the Superman TV series, everything would run smoothly.

"Wonder Woman will wrap up production soon. Once it does, I want you to dive straight into the Superman series," Anton instructed.

"In the meantime, I'll have Betty start laying the groundwork, and you'll oversee things when the time comes."

"No problem," Jim replied, relieved.

From the intensity in Anton gaze, Jim had feared a scenario where Anton pushed for multiple projects simultaneously, potentially working him to death.

"Alright, let leave it at that," Anton said, nodding.

"Get the plane ready—I'm heading back to New York. There something I need to deal with there."

"Got it. Good luck," Jim said, watching Anton leave the set.

New York, Daily Bugle

"Damn it, I finally found you!"

Phil beamed with a bright, almost childlike smile as he stared at the New York map before him.

After weeks of searching, he'd finally uncovered traces of Flint Marko.

Initially, Phil had thought that finding a small-time crook in New York wouldn't be too challenging, especially with the resources of the Continental Hotel and his own journalistic network at his disposal.

But once he got started, he realized just how murky the waters were.

There was clearly a mysterious force at play, erasing all traces of Sandman, Flint Marko.

There were no digital footprints, no transactional records—Flint had seemingly vanished into thin air, alongside Justin Hammer.

Indeed, Justin Hammer "kidnapping" had become international news, and the whole world knew the Hammer Industries CEO was missing, his fate uncertain.

Yet, in the two weeks since the abduction, there had been no ransom demands, no further communication—nothing but silence.

It mirrored the circumstances surrounding Tony Stark disappearance in Afghanistan more than half a year ago.

Speculation ran wild. Some even believed the group responsible for Stark capture might also be behind Hammer abduction.

But Phil, armed with insider knowledge from Anton, knew better.

The force suppressing all traces of Flint Marko came from none other than Hammer Industries itself.

Switching tactics, Phil hypothesized that Flint had assumed a new identity with Hammer Industries' help.

He then focused on Flint connections, pinpointing someone Flint could never abandon: his daughter.

Flint young daughter, gravely ill, had been left behind when her father disappeared. While she should have been waiting for the end in her hospital bed, Flint had deposited a significant sum of money into her account before vanishing, enough to cover her medical bills.

Thanks to this windfall, the little girl now had a new lease on life.

Phil was certain Flint wouldn't simply walk away from his daughter.

Even if the funds were sufficient for her treatment, as a father, Flint would inevitably find a way to check on her, ensuring her well-being—even if only from a safe distance.

Using his connections, Phil enlisted Donatello from the Ninja Turtles to help him discreetly monitor the girl hospital room.

For nearly two weeks, Phil waited. Just as his patience was wearing thin, Flint finally appeared.

It was late at night.

In the dead of night.

Flint Marko, transformed into a swirl of sand, drifted silently through the window into the empty hospital room.

Phil, having anticipated that Flint would likely avoid appearing during the day, had adjusted his schedule accordingly. He rested briefly during daylight hours and stayed glued to the monitors at night.

After enduring over ten nights of grueling surveillance and an upside-down circadian rhythm, his efforts finally paid off.

Phil was instantly revitalized.

He quickly headed to the hospital, donning his Demon Armor, and stealthily followed Flint as he left the hospital. He trailed him to the spot where Flint eventually vanished.

But Phil didn't act immediately.

For one, his extended period of sleepless nights had left him physically drained, making it uncertain whether he could take Flint down in his current state.

And then there was Flint unique ability to transform into sand—a power that made him nearly immune to conventional attacks. Without proper preparation, victory was far from assured.

More importantly, there was nobody around at night to witness Phil heroic debut.

Phil wasn't interested in being an unseen, shadowy figure like Batman. He craved the spotlight, imagining a grand entrance like Batman—but with an audience to cheer him on.

A "Dark Knight" vibe wasn't his style!

Even Anton, the mastermind behind the "Dark Knight" concept and Phil boss, was far from a quiet, shadowy figure himself.

After all, how many superheroes do you know who'd make an autobiographical film about their exploits?

And that wasn't just any autobiography. It was practically a vanity project, glorifying Bruce Wayne and painting Wayne Enterprises as the cornerstone of Gotham salvation.

Bruce Wayne had it all—an unparalleled fortune, the charm of a consummate playboy, and an unshakeable moral conviction.

It was every young person fantasy, including Anton Jameson own youthful daydreams of grandeur!

"When will I get my own solo movie?"

Phil imagination ran wild.

He vowed, "After I make my debut, I'll get the boss to create an Epic Demon standalone film for me!"

That thought sparked a flurry of ideas in his head.

Outside, the first rays of sunlight filtered through the windows.

A gentle morning breeze stirred the air.

It was rush hour—the most crowded time in New York City.

Phil grinned mischievously.

This was it.

The perfect stage he had been waiting for.