DC Heroes in Marvel

Although Aquaman isn't a true god, his half-human, half-divine body is every bit as powerful as one. 

Based on his performance in the movie alone, even without his army of shrimp soldiers and crab generals, Arthur Curry—lord of the seven seas—proves himself superior to the average Thor.

While Aquaman's domain is the ocean, Arthur still holds his own on land, showcasing raw strength comparable to Superman. Yet, with a fan value of 50 million, Anton had to pass.

The reason? Aquaman's current popularity, as reflected in DC's comic releases, was lackluster, with his fan value ranking among the lowest. 

Investing in Aquaman now would yield poor returns, making him an inefficient choice for Anton's next move.

The Flash was a more attractive option. As a second-tier hero within the DC roster, The Flash had decent popularity. However, the price—50 million fan value—was still too steep.

Anton mulled over the cost. Why was The Flash so expensive? He concluded it was likely due to The Flash's ability to travel through time and space—a narrative tool that had been well-established within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

If Anton unlocked The Flash, he, too, would gain the ability to manipulate time and space.

With The Flash out of reach, Anton shifted his attention to Green Lantern, whose fan value sat at a more manageable 40 million. But Green Lantern came with baggage. 

The Green Lantern movie from his past life was a notorious flop, forcing Ryan Reynolds to abandon the character and reinvent himself as Deadpool in the Marvel franchise. 

Only then did Reynolds redeem himself and rise to stardom.

Currently, Green Lantern's popularity within DC's comics was only slightly better than Aquaman's. 

Redeeming Green Lantern now didn't feel worth the effort, especially when a cheaper option—Wonder Woman—was on the table.

Why was Wonder Woman cheaper than Green Lantern? Anton guessed it had something to do with the second Wonder Woman movie, where her combat effectiveness took a nosedive. 

Even Gal Gadot's stunning looks couldn't save the script. The system, perhaps reflecting this reality, had reduced her fan value.

"Wonder Woman currently has 4.38 million fan value, only 25 million short…" Anton murmured as he stared at her panel.

A cold shiver ran down his spine as he briefly imagined himself disguised as Wonder Woman.

"But hey, it's just a clone!" he rationalized.

Then, another thought crossed his mind. "Honestly, having a female clone might not be… unacceptable," he mused, trailing off as his thoughts shifted elsewhere.

Anton's attention turned to the larger picture. With Thor's imminent arrival on Earth, Wonder Woman could serve as a counterpart to the God of Thunder—a powerful divine figure to rival him in both strength and presence.

Half a month passed.

The Dark Knight had grossed $1.42 billion at the global box office, further cementing DC's resurgence.

Meanwhile, Anton had finally steeled himself and decided to proceed with Wonder Woman. He contacted Jim to begin assembling the production crew and reached out to the gold-standard screenwriter, to discuss the script.

The blueprint for Wonder Woman was solid. In Anton's previous life, the first Wonder Woman movie had been a massive success, earning $822 million worldwide. 

While the plot relied on familiar tropes, it was executed well enough to leave a lasting impression.

With the right actress, Anton was confident he could recreate Wonder Woman's magic. The remaining 25 million fans would come easily—especially once the lead actress was announced, drawing in admirers by the millions.

News of Anton's decision to film Wonder Woman spread quickly. Surprisingly, the first response didn't come from Hollywood's entertainment press—it came from S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Wonder Woman?"

After receiving the information, Coulson went straight to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, heading for Nick Fury's office.

Inside, Fury—known to some as the spy king—was reviewing the latest intel. 

Based on their understanding of Anton, it was unlikely that the decision to film Wonder Woman was solely for DC's development. There had to be a deeper purpose.

In other words, was Anton preparing to bring another superhero to the Justice League? Could Wonder Woman be the next to appear in the real world?

"Although Superman hasn't shown up yet, we can't rule out the possibility," Fury said gravely.

When Man of Steel premiered, they'd anticipated Superman's arrival. Yet, to their surprise, no real Superman emerged. That said, Man of Steel wasn't directed by Anton, so Fury considered it an exception.

However, cyborg was a different story. The movie introduced Victor Stone, and soon after its release, the real cyborg appeared, gaining significant attention.

Now, with Anton planning to shoot Wonder Woman, Fury couldn't help but wonder: Was this Anton's way of signaling to the world, just as he had done with Batman and cyborg? 

Would the movie's release coincide with Wonder Woman stepping into reality?

Fury's cautious nature wouldn't let him dismiss the idea entirely.

 "Keep monitoring Anton. Let me know the moment you notice anything unusual," he ordered. "Also, investigate his crew. Wonder Woman—Diana Prince—may already be hidden among them."

"Understood," Coulson replied seriously before leaving the office.

Once alone, Fury leaned back in his chair, staring at the intelligence report on his desk.

"Diana Prince… Paradise Island… An Amazon born as the daughter of Zeus, the King of Gods, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons… Greek mythology," Fury muttered, frowning.

He'd always believed in the existence of aliens—science had proven it, and he'd seen it with his own eyes. But now, theology was entering the picture.

Could Greek mythology be more than just stories? Could Diana Prince, the supposed daughter of Zeus, actually exist?

Fury wasn't ready to accept it as truth, but he couldn't dismiss it either. After all, Batman, cyborg, and Green Arrow had appeared—figures once thought to belong solely in fiction. 

Despite S.H.I.E.L.D.'s extensive investigations, there were no clear ties between Anton and these individuals.

If gods did exist, could they actually be powerful aliens mistaken for deities by ancient civilizations? 

Thousands of years ago, humanity's lack of scientific understanding might have led them to view these beings as divine.

Fury's thoughts raced, but he ultimately sighed in frustration.

"This is getting too complicated," he muttered to himself. The challenges facing Earth were escalating, and the feeling of powerlessness gnawed at him.

"The Avengers initiative needs to be accelerated," Fury decided. "Our current personnel aren't enough. The Extremis Virus has potential, but it needs to be perfected."

He called in Hawkeye, Black Widow, and the newly recruited Dr. Otto Octavius, also known as Doctor Octopus.

"Nick, what's going on?" Black Widow asked as the three stood before him.

Fury didn't mince words. "What are your thoughts on the Extremis Virus?"

The question hung in the air for a moment.

Hawkeye was the first to respond, his voice resolute. "I'm willing to inject the Extremis Virus," he said, determination burning in his eyes. "I don't want to be a liability, and I'm tired of people like Arrow and Batman showing off in front of me."

…

patreon.com/Vks_sh