DC HERO AT MARVEL

Anton expression was peculiar.

He wasn't particularly surprised. The chaotic and jumbled plots he'd encountered before had already made it clear that he was in a stitched-together Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Besides, the Fantastic Four were part of Marvel core, far more justified in appearing than things like Wanted or Transformers.

After all, the Fantastic Four were a milestone creation by Marvel father, Stan Lee.

In Marvel lean years, it was the Fantastic Four that kept the company afloat.

In a way, in the canonical Marvel Universe, the Fantastic Four should have been the saviors.

However, in the timeline of that original Earth, entering the 21st century, Marvel looked left and right and realized that most of its valuable superheroes had been sold off.

Scraping the bottom of the barrel, they reluctantly picked Iron Man for a do-or-die gamble, which ultimately paid off big, setting the trend and ushering in the age of superhero movies.

"So, how soon is John coming back?"

Anton asked.

The return of his conveniently designated father, John, meant that the Fantastic Four had already launched into space, and the plot was entering its initial stages.

Soon, New York would face a chaotic incident.

It was hard to say whether that incident would involve his father.

As for the villain? Without a doubt, it would be the infamous Victor Von Doom, better known as Doctor Doom.

Now, this was a genuinely formidable character.

Unlike the lackluster, forgettable villains from the Iron Man trilogy, Doctor Doom was a powerhouse.

In the comics, Doom originally had no superpowers but later gained immense magical knowledge through study and fortuitous events, making his magic skills rival those of Doctor Strange.

In the movies, Doom was reimagined as a college peer of Reed Richards, participating in the space mission as a billionaire sponsor, sneaking aboard the space station, and ultimately gaining unique superpowers like the Fantastic Four.

Of course, the movie version of Doom was far weaker than his comic counterpart, but he was still no pushover.

From a certain perspective, defeating Doctor Doom would likely yield a significant amount of Justice Points.

Anton hadn't had a major influx of Justice Points in a while.

Half a month ago, he'd apprehended Electro at an expo, but that had only brought him a measly 2 million Justice Points.

Tch.

Honestly, after earning a massive 10 million Justice Points from the Transformers incident, it was hard for him to get excited about anything in the low millions.

But the Fantastic Four incident was an opportunity.

Doctor Doom was a classic villain in the Marvel Universe. Even if the movie version wasn't as powerful, as Marvel had done by choosing the best among the mediocre, the system might still award him a decent amount of points.

"At the earliest, it'll still be another two weeks," the old man said. "Just because the job is done doesn't mean he can leave immediately. In any case, I'll let you know as soon as he back."

"Alright, let me know the moment he back," Anton replied, waving his hand.

Using John return as a timeline marker, the Fantastic Four plotline still left plenty of time to prepare for what was coming.

The beleaguered citizens of New York, who had just endured the Stark Expo incident not long ago and witnessed the Manhattan docks battle today, would likely face another major event within a month—the Fantastic Four incident.

This city really was something else.

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Anton returned to DC Enterprises to handle his daily work, temporarily putting the matter aside.

In the following days, he made a trip to Los Angeles.

The Wonder Woman movie had wrapped filming and officially entered post-production.

Since it was a film produced under Anton watch, Quentin Beck, the future "Mysterio," personally took charge of the special effects as a mark of respect for the boss.

The progress was swift.

Thanks to thorough pre-production and the support of a technical genius, the post-production process wasn't taxing.

Quentin Beck holographic technology was incredibly realistic, significantly aiding the filming process by eliminating the need for some post-production effects, thus speeding up the completion timeline.

Now, Quentin technology had become a staple in Hollywood, with his DC-affiliated special effects studio being valued at billions, though with no opportunities for external investment.

Holding a significant share of the studio, Quentin had risen rapidly, becoming a billionaire overnight.

Though it was just an estimated value, Quentin was thriving.

Of course, he hadn't forgotten his boss.

Entrusting Wonder Woman post-production to Quentin was a decision Anton was more than happy to make.

Anton was confident that with Quentin technological prowess, the final cut of Wonder Woman would far surpass the version featuring Gal Gadot from his original Earth.

Many were already predicting the film success.

Jim strongly advocated for preparing a production plan for a sequel to Wonder Woman, but Anton rejected the idea outright.

Anton had no intention of filming a second Wonder Woman movie.

First, the original timeline Wonder Woman 1984 was a disaster, with its power dynamics and storyline utterly collapsing. It was barely watchable.

Second, the release of this Wonder Woman movie would likely push the character fan base to over 30 million. By then, Anton could achieve his goal and unlock the Wonder Woman template. A sequel would serve no real purpose.

Earning money had never been the primary goal!

Fan points were the key!

As for why Batman had sequels, part of it was personal preference, but another part was to strengthen audience engagement, paving the way for Batman v Superman and generating more buzz for Superman.

Frankly, in this world, Superman character wasn't particularly likable.

In a world that had just faced an alien invasion, extraterrestrials weren't exactly seen as benevolent by the general public.

Under these circumstances, a superhero with an alien origin could only bring attention to the film but wouldn't foster deeper audience connection.

The growth in Superman fan points differed slightly from Anton expectations.

After some thought, he reached this conclusion.

Soon enough, Wonder Woman post-production was completed thanks to Quentin Beck tireless work.

The final cut was quickly assembled.

Anton, along with Jim and others, watched the completed film and was very satisfied with the result.

Jim immediately ramped up promotional efforts.

The promotional materials for the movie were being released at a rapid pace, spreading the word about the film and the character of Wonder Woman far and wide.

After a year of Anton leadership, DC productions were no longer considered obscure.

The inclusion of Batman, Cyborg, and Green Arrow—three superheroes who had appeared in the real world—had made fans feel a sense of pride, as if the heroes they admired had stepped out of fiction into reality, basking in the spotlight of the public eye.

This almost dreamlike crossover significantly boosted fan loyalty to DC works.

At the same time, news of the imminent release of Wonder Woman quickly reached organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D.

Coulson immediately dropped his current work to focus on the matter.

He had just managed to cover up the Ivan Vanko-related chaos sparked by Hammer Industries, and now a Justice League-related movie was about to hit theaters.

Coulson felt a headache coming on.

He dared not underestimate Wonder Woman from DC.

On the surface, it seemed like just another movie, but what mattered wasn't the movie itself—it was who was behind it and how its main character, Diana Prince, might connect to other figures.

The director of the movie was Anton Jameson.

The same Anton Jameson who directed Batman and Cyborg!

Under orders from Fury, Coulson had watched all of DC productions. He understood Wonder Woman position within DC works—or rather, within the fictional Justice League.

The daughter of Zeus, a literal god, Diana Prince possessed the blood of the Old Gods, extraordinary divine powers, and had once battled Ares, the God of War.

These stories sounded bizarre, almost like ancient myths.

As a senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Coulson had access to classified information, including ancient records that seemed unbelievable.

He wasn't certain if gods truly existed.

What he did know was that on ancient Earth, there were indeed beings with extraordinary powers, resembling the gods of myth.

Could Diana Prince, Wonder Woman in the film, be a descendant of such beings?

And then there were her connections in the movie—characters like the Flash, Cyborg, Batman, and even Superman.

In DC current slate of works, Batman and Cyborg had already emerged as real-world figures.

That terrifying alien, Superman, hadn't shown any signs of appearing in reality yet.

But who could guarantee Wonder Woman wouldn't be next?

Coulson couldn't shake the feeling that Batman and Cyborg wouldn't be the only ones.

In time, they would surely see more of these fictional superheroes brought into the real world, played by individuals who would inevitably cause massive waves of attention.

After some thought, Coulson picked up his phone.

"Tomorrow premiere… looks like I'll need to reserve a seat."

He dialed a number. "Hey, this is Coulson. Get me a ticket for tomorrow earliest showing of Wonder Woman.

"What? Why don't I buy it myself? Of course, I'm not using my own money. Watching the movie is official business—Anton new film…"

Time flew by.

The premiere of Wonder Woman was about to begin.

Anton, who had just arrived at the event, was immediately pulled aside by the old man to meet someone he had been anticipating for a while.

It was none other than the father of this body

"Anton, I was only out working for a little over a year, and I hear you've become a big-time director!"

A man who looked barely over thirty, but was actually nearing forty, opened his arms with a big smile and pulled Anton into a tight embrace.

"John, long time no see," Anton said, caught off guard.

Meeting for the first time in this way, he couldn't quite bring himself to say "Dad."

But with the memories of this body fully integrated, John warm embrace stirred a sense of familiarity in Anton mind. Looking at this face, both familiar and unfamiliar, he felt an emerging connection.

"You came back at just the right time. Is it for my movie premiere?"

Anton asked with a smile.

"Of course," John replied, grinning. "I've been looking forward to this day for a long time!"

"Let go. You're about to see an outstanding film."

With that, the two entered the premiere venue.

John headed straight to the main hall.

Anton made his way to the designated interview area, gave a brief interview, and then proceeded to the stage in the main hall for a round of introductions and small talk.

After the formalities were completed, the movie finally began.

Before stepping down from the stage, Anton scanned the audience, spotting a few familiar faces. A faint, unsurprised smile curved his lips.

Tony Stark and Coulson were here!

Though he knew they were here to gather intel, on some level, Anton appreciated their contribution to the event prestige.

Even if premiere viewings didn't count towards box office numbers!

But that didn't matter.

As long as they contributed fan points, they were his friends.

Coulson probably wouldn't add to Wonder Woman fan count, but Tony Stark, as a globally recognized playboy, would surely have a hard time ignoring Wonder Woman striking physique and beauty.

As a man, Tony subtle thoughts couldn't escape Anton sharp observation.

The movie began.

As the DC logo showcased its roster of heroes, a low, solemn voiceover from the protagonist filled the theater.

A tall woman with striking curves and long legs appeared on screen, instantly captivating the audience.

Everyone knew this was the protagonist, Wonder Woman, Diana Prince.

Diana began reminiscing about her past as she looked at an old photograph.

The photo, faded and yellowed, exuded an air of antiquity. Through the photo background, Coulson quickly pinpointed the era.

"War period?"

Coulson gaze lingered on the weapons in the photo. "This rifle was one of the most commonly used during World War I."

Soon after, Diana retrieved a note from a box. The name on the note was Bruce Wayne.

Coulson twitched slightly at the corners of his mouth.

To him, this was Anton way of emphasizing that Wonder Woman and Batman belonged to the same world.

Most viewers, however, wouldn't think much of it, simply seeing it as part of the story interconnected narrative.

The movie quickly transitioned to Diana childhood on Themyscira, the island of the Amazons.

Themyscira, the Amazonian island, was a unique kingdom populated entirely by women.

Its queen and subjects were all tall, strong women, each capable of becoming a formidable warrior. Their strength rivaled or even surpassed that of men.

Notably, the island was protected by Zeus magical barrier, granting its inhabitants immortality and making it a veritable paradise.

During this segment, the movie used Diana mother, Queen Hippolyta of Themyscira, to provide exposition about the world background.

Themyscira worshiped the Greek pantheon, led by Zeus.

According to Hippolyta, Zeus created humanity, but his son, Ares, the God of War, grew envious of them.

Ares incited rebellion among humans, spreading war and chaos throughout the world.

As the wars escalated, Ares grew increasingly powerful. Eventually, his ambition knew no bounds, and he killed the other gods in a bid to seize control of the world.

At the critical moment, Zeus struck Ares with a thunderbolt, thwarting his plans.

However, the effort cost Zeus his life. Before dying, Zeus left behind a powerful weapon and created the barrier protecting Themyscira, ensuring Ares, should he ever return, couldn't find it.

At this point, the plot became clear.

The story logic was straightforward, ensuring it would be easily understood by all viewers.

The ultimate villain was Ares, the God of War, and Wonder Woman would emerge as the superhero destined to defeat him and save the world.

Coulson appeared deep in thought.

Although the plot was simple, it presented a fascinating concept.

It bore similarities to the biblical story of God creating humanity!

In Wonder Woman, this perspective was subtly endorsed.

However, the creator of humanity was not the Christian God but Zeus, King of the Greek Gods.

Is this exposing mythology or hinting at reality?

Could humanity truly be a creation of divine beings?

Coulson recalled certain records in S.H.I.E.L.D. archives, narrowing his eyes as a series of reasonable doubts took shape in his mind.

If it were any other movie, Coulson wouldn't give it a second thought.

But this was a film directed by Anton.

What a headache!

Coulson had no idea what Anton was really thinking.

If Wonder Woman were to appear in the real world, was this movie essentially a preemptive autobiography for a hero about to emerge?

S.H.I.E.L.D. had investigated all the background elements in the Batman movie, feeling like they understood something, only to realize they still understood nothing.

At the very least, they had yet to figure out the origin of Batman advanced technology and specialized equipment.

Of course, thanks to the newly established Wayne Enterprises, S.H.I.E.L.D. had a vague idea.

Wayne Enterprises clearly had Batman technological backing.

Otherwise, the unique weapons designs and cutting-edge technology couldn't have been casually produced by a newly formed company.