Chapter 235: Billion-Dollar Package

Words : 1119 Updated : Oct 12th, 2025

For Nastassja, William White was merely a stepping stone. Although she was captivated by him, she understood there wouldn't be any future between them. Like Madonna, she was a smart woman. Men weren't a necessity for them. Of course, for William White, such clever women were quite appealing. His forte was making direct progress; other skills were not his strong suit. "Sir, Atari's really in trouble this time. Warner has officially put it up for sale," said Filson. "Oh, Filson, how much are they asking?" William asked. "A billion dollars, but no one's biting. It's expected the price will drop again," Filson replied. "I reckon so. Right now, the valuation's at most eight hundred million. Let's wait and see." "Sir, does this mean you're interested in buying?" Filson asked. "Why not? Their arcade machines are pretty good. The quality might not match those from Japan, but they're better than most companies. By the way, how many employees do they have now?" "Less than ten thousand. They've been cutting staff for years." "Just keep an eye on it. Let me know if anything significant comes up." "Oh, and DC is also planning to sell." "Really? Aren't they about the same as Marvel?" "They were a few years ago, but not anymore. They want to sell to Marvel, but Stan Lee said not to even mention two hundred million dollars; even twenty million is too much." "Heh, that old fox is quite savvy. For Marvel, DC really isn't worth much. Their superheroes overlap, and the universes are different. As for the price, a little over a hundred million would still be a bargain." "If you're interested, I can dig around some more," Filson said. "Sure, ask about the film adaptation rights for Superman and Batman." DC's superheroes were still tempting. The Superman IP wasn't yet overexposed. By the time Superman III and IV hit theaters, it would be all over for the franchise. As for Marvel, they were on the rise. Without someone like the Vikings, Marvel would've been the sole comic powerhouse worldwide. Considering their track record of self-sabotage, William White decided to wait. He'd swoop in to pick up the pieces once they stumbled. ... "What? Five hundred million? Are you kidding?" questioned the executive. "No, sir. Even though it's a ridiculous offer, the company is not simple." "Oh? Who is it?" "William White." "Tsk, I see. There's sincerity in that, but the price..." "Sir, he is also interested in DC, so we could help Warner unload two burdens." As a senior executive at Morgan Stanley, Hegro certainly wanted this merger to happen. There weren't many properties William White could purchase, only companies at this level made sense for them to involve. ... After a significant dividend payout, it's believed he wouldn't opt for a self-financing approach. Thus, William White's shares would further dilute. To be honest, Morgan Stanley quickly grasped the situation. William White held too many shares. Diluting them in this manner likely pleased most shareholders. William White understood this as well. Retaining a majority of shares in the long term invited criticism and caused numerous problems. Hence, using his own funds wasn't feasible, as it would trigger backlash from many factions. Maintaining absolute control over the long term was detrimental to company growth. Both listed companies now were giants valued at over $20 billion. It's better to play by the rules. ... After news broke, it triggered a market frenzy, generally moving upwards. This indicated market optimism about the acquisition. At the same time, Warner's stock price began to stabilize, moving away from its previous downward trend. Even though things seemed rosy, Warner was hardly thrilled. Things had changed quickly. Warner once mocked him, but in the blink of an eye, they turned into giants, while they themselves became a tasty target. And then there was that accursed Superman. Being industry insiders, they knew that the badly received movie was doomed. They were anxious, wondering what if William White succeeded? People would then criticize Warner, saying, "Look, Warner couldn't recognize gold while holding a golden bowl." Actually, many believed it wasn't a matter of worry but an inevitability. When that time came, those present might become a joke. In reality, they overestimated William White. Superman's reputation crumbled, and the comics' style followed suit. Divergent timelines made no sense -- how could anybody comprehend it? Look, having Superman kick the butt of a certain leader wasn't an issue, but then he suddenly became a reporter. Sure, you could make these changes, but you can't leave everything unexplained. A group of aliens fighting in Paris was just as absurd. Consequently, nothing made sense. If they wanted to achieve something, they'd need to rewrite the whole timeline and that stupid universe concept. Starting early had its drawbacks. Look at Marvel; they handled it far more reasonably. Why? Because they identified DC's flaws. In some sense, Stan Lee wasn't wrong; DC was worthless, trash among trash. But Stan Lee wouldn't overhaul everything, whereas William White was unconcerned. He could just reassemble these comic characters. Heh, no revision needed. He could spawn everything directly from Marvel, starting anew. If Marvel fell apart under the same management, why not buy it back? Merge the two universes; it's no big deal. So, the same thing can appear different to different people. It's not just about spending over a hundred million; $300-500 million wouldn't be a big deal. ... Stan Lee sat in his office, feeling confused. He admired William White's imagination, knowing he wasn't one to be trifled with. Therefore, he had no idea what William White would do. He could see DC's shortcomings, surely William White could as well, but what would he do? Caught in a dilemma, these chaotic timelines left him perplexed -- how to fix them? In frustration, Stan Lee shredded the papers on his desk. Despite his age, his temper was still fiery. He felt indignant--if William White could do it, so could he. Wait a minute, as he tore up the paper, it hit him. Shocked by William White's audacity, he was also somewhat enraged. "Dammit, he's planning to start from scratch? That bastard plans to start over?" Stan Lee muttered, frustrated yet enlightened. Knowing it was one thing, but what could he do about it? William White could start anew, but he faced too many constraints. The cost of starting over was too high, and the board would never approve. ***** https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.

Chapter 235: Billion-Dollar Package

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