Chapter 65: Comics Selection

This was a wonderful time; many comic book ideas hadn't been born yet, so William White could freely plunder the future world. His comic company wasn't targeting the American market, and anyone could see that. Some people mocked him for this, some dismissed it, but most people just watched coldly. You can't judge this choice by future standards. As weak as American comics might be, they're still number one in the world. Japan hasn't developed its future comic system yet. This was actually the last opportunity. At that time, Japan still greatly admired American culture, and full Westernization was more than just talk. Comics have no borders. As long as your content is compelling, it will attract everyone's attention. Why aren't American comics doing well? They've become too self-absorbed. Superheroes need a backdrop. If you were battling the Soviets now, you might have Captain America or Superman save the world. The wars lost in Asia were deemed unjust at home, described as wars fought at the wrong time. Superheroes can't appear during a period where the anti-war sentiment is mainstream. American comics are all about action and don't face CCA intervention for that, but other types of content face limitations, which restricts comic creators' imaginations. Japan is quite the opposite. Their comics cover a wide range of topics. Almost any theme you can think of, they have. By the end, the comic industry was essentially a form of cultural export. Comic characters have no borders, no language barriers, no color differences, and religion isn't an issue. Hollywood can't achieve that, but comics have no problem. Once people realized Japan's ambition, it was already too late. This was already a massive industry chain, from comics to TV and movies, along with various figurines and costumes, plus derivative games. It's no exaggeration to say animation, games, and action films are crucial support industries for Japan, creating job opportunities comparable to the automotive sector and generating immense economic value that can only be described as sensational. When Marvel was sweeping away all competition, its box office was calculated in billions of dollars, not trillions. Japan's comic industry had already surpassed a trillion. Alright, you might say their comic adaptations into movies were trash. But don't forget, they're a nation very good at learning. With so many IPs in hand, once they learn how to adapt comics into movies, Marvel might just get crushed. ... Of course, the first target was Dragon Ball. William White planned to make a comic weekly. A couple of stories aren't enough to sustain a comic, so he also set his wicked sights on Slam Dunk. This adaptation would be tricky. Too many black characters would alienate audiences, and nobody would watch it. By then, Americans could accept black and white pairings, and the female lead could be a mixed-race beauty. For the Asian market, an Asian face was also needed. So, it had to be Rukawa Kaede. This character could be a mix, with an exquisite face, or Asian readers won't buy it. The 'gorilla' character can only be called 'Big Shark.' If you dared call a black guy a gorilla in America, you'd get backlash. Even a positive role can't fly. This era's black community is quite sensitive. For now, basketball is the focus for the sports series. Captain Tsubasa would flop in America; baseball and tennis could be added later to create a big sports IP. As for the dark genre, Resident Evil was the one. Americans loved this theme, and Japan would probably welcome it too. For adventure, naturally, it was Tomb Raider. William White's comic world had huge ambitions. Once people understood his plan, it would surely give those comic giants a headache. Transformers definitely couldn't be abandoned. Even if the comic wasn't much, the toys sold well. Unfortunately, Gundam already had the mecha warrior angle, so that investment was necessary -- buy the toy rights first, then discuss. Fist of the North Star and Saint Seiya were considered as the fighting series. The background of Fist of the North Star was already like a western film. Was this a sort of poetic justice? Alright, William White was a bit shameless. Overall, this comic magazine was too passionate. CCA would likely give it a thumbs down. To make this magazine a bit more entertaining, The Simpsons was brought over. ... In this era, Japanese comics leaned towards the American style. William White tilted his head and thought, "Now they're excited about Japanese-style." Such a massive plan required at least hundreds of people. You couldn't recruit them all in a short time. Fortunately, he had enough time, and the American CCA was thinking of loosening controls. If they didn't, chaos would ensue, and underground comics could sweep the market, causing too much harm. His comic magazine was certainly an odd product, not quite in line with American comic styles, nor Japanese ones. Sales? William White really wasn't worried. Comics boil down to storytelling. If your story was captivating, other things didn't matter as much. Japanese comics were similar to their action films, mostly consisting of sound effects, and the language was coarse and easy to understand. William White naturally needed to use this style. If all you used were polite terms, there would be no visual impact -- just strange text. This was a cultural clash. Americans gave comics a peculiar mission, hoping they'd have an educational role. Japanese approached them purely for entertainment. How liberally they approached it didn't matter as they had a well-developed rating system. William White's comics would be released globally. Even if they didn't pass American censorship, it wasn't a concern. They could be delayed, or even sold secretly. With underground comics becoming an industry, he didn't have to worry too much. ... With the comic developments planned, William White started grouping them. Transformers and The Simpsons suited the American style, while other things were more in the Japanese creators' wheelhouse, as their artists were quite introverted, just perfect for this work. Looking at the pile of binders on his desk, William White exhaled. Finally done. Even though they were just outlines and background introductions, it was enough to be terrifying. These items were his greatest assets since his "journey." If his mind wasn't reliable, these things couldn't have been stored. Would producing so many comic characters at once lead to accusations of plagiarism? That was unlikely. Even if it did, having a chat with Stan Lee would settle it. William White had only a few comic characters, but that old fellow had over five thousand, each with a name, which was already daunting for William White to think about. "Fulton, put these in the safe." "Alright, sir. Don't overexert yourself; take care of your health," Fulton said with concern. William White could only smile wryly. "No worries, Fulton. I'm at cross roads now; things won't be so hectic going forward." Fulton was very pleased with the changes in his young master. This was how the head of a family should be; it was much better than before. His effort was relative, as there was a group of people serving him. It wasn't about stretching out his hand for clothes or opening his mouth for food, but it was close enough. When Hemingway was successful, he didn't even have such treatment. These things couldn't be dictated. ... Comic outlines were quite complex, requiring not just background description but also character depiction; the main cartoon characters had to be illustrated, which wasn't easy. Japanese comics were unique, especially in their portrayal of women, which was unlike normal humans. If anyone's eyes took up half their face, it would terrify people to the point of paralysis. You could surgically turn someone into a Barbie, and people did that later. Body depiction was also a bit excessive. The character's background as an adult was barely appropriate. If they weren't adults, it wouldn't work; the CCA would give you a thumbs down. Was it alright once they were adults? Don't be silly. Feminist groups would give you trouble, and you wouldn't escape the accusation of discriminating against women. This era was the budding period of feminism; they didn't have specific standards. Showcasing their wisdom wasn't an issue, but using their bodies as weapons wasn't done. These folks were just jumping on the bandwagon anyway. No matter how William White adjusted, some people's fragile hearts would break. No, having a female lead was worse. It was obviously too intense and outright gender discrimination. William White's plan was very forward-thinking. If America didn't allow sales, he'd sell abroad. They could do whatever they wanted. At worst, he wouldn't sell the magazines, just sell the single volumes. Were they going to ban all comic publications? If it came to that, he'd spin it as a global bestseller that America wouldn't allow to sell. In this era when counter-culture was popular, these comics' sales would be astronomical. Comics were his long-term plan for future IPs and had to resist external influence; it was a business of making money while lying down; losing it wasn't an option. America had many profitable sectors. Pharmaceuticals and insurance were evergreen fields but ultimately worthless, as getting involved could mean bad luck if mismanaged. The entertainment industry wasn't as visible. America didn't have a dominant media outlet, just regional influences. As for entertainment giants, they weren't worth much now. Even United Artists, as the weakest, had just a $300 million valuation, similar to MGM. ***** https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.