Chapitre 59: Chapter 59 Spidey Debut
"Harry, nice to meet you. I didn't expect you'd be interested in the Batman films," Anton said, glancing at the young man in front of him.
It was surprising that Harry Osborn—a rich heir with no apparent ties to the film industry—had come to him voluntarily after hearing the news.
Harry Osborn.
The second Green Goblin, son of Norman Osborn.
Of course, right now, Harry was still a high schooler, the same age as Peter Parker. The two were childhood friends and best buds.
"I'm a huge Batman fan. When I heard DC was preparing The Dark Knight and needed funding, I volunteered," Harry said with a youthful grin. Despite his sharp suit, he still had a touch of immaturity.
"I heard from Jim about your terms," Harry continued. "I'm willing to invest $50 million for a 25% share of the profits. That should make me one of your most generous investors, right?"
With The Dark Knight's production budget set at $180 million, Harry's $50 million investment for a 25% stake was indeed generous—especially coming from the heir of Oscorp.
"Yes, you are the most generous investor I've met so far," Anton replied with a nod, extending his hand. "I accept your investment. Looking forward to working with you!"
"Wait, I have one condition—or rather, a small request," Harry added.
"What is it?" Anton asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'd like an autograph from Batman," Harry said, blushing slightly. "Like I said, I'm a big fan."
"Uh… about that…" Anton hesitated.
"Don't refuse, Anton. I know you can contact Batman—everyone knows that. If anyone knows his true identity, it's you," Harry pressed.
"Alright, deal," Anton shrugged.
"Great," Harry beamed. "Thank you, Anton."
Seeing Harry's eager, naive demeanor, an idea struck Anton: why not milk this cash cow while he could? Finding other investors would only be more time-consuming.
Besides, Cyborg and Superman weren't likely to disappoint someone like Harry.
"Since you're getting Batman's autograph, Harry, would you be interested in our other two projects?" Anton asked with a sly smile, wrapping an arm around Harry's shoulder and launching into a detailed pitch about DC's grand vision.
Two hours later.
Harry stumbled out of the DC office on the ground floor of the Daily Bugle building, dazed and confused. Somehow, he had agreed to invest an additional $100 million, bringing his total to $150 million.
Anton, grinning from ear to ear, saw Harry off. "Oscorp really is loaded," he muttered.
A high schooler like Harry could casually throw around $150 million without needing anyone's approval. Truly extravagant.
That said, Anton didn't feel he was taking advantage. He genuinely believed in the profitability of Cyborg and Superman, just as he'd trusted Batman Begins to make him a fortune.
Harry wasn't stupid, either. While Anton's pitch was persuasive, Harry had seen potential in the projects. Plus, his father, Norman Osborn, had once praised Anton in front of him.
Trusting his father's judgment, Harry made the largest investment of his life: $150 million spread across three films, with $50 million allocated to each.
With a total budget of $500 million for the three projects, Harry's contribution covered 30% of the costs. Anton planned to invest $200 million himself, leaving $150 million to be sourced elsewhere—a balanced and reasonable distribution.
This arrangement also freed up funds for Anton to expand into novels, comics, animation, and his long-planned Marvel Origin Network initiative.
After the deal was finalized, Anton contacted Jim, who was thrilled.
Jim was ecstatic that DC's first major project had secured backing from Oscorp. Partnering with a corporate giant like Oscorp promised numerous hidden benefits beyond the financial.
Back in New York, Anton left the DC office and headed upstairs to the Daily Bugle. Having rented the floor below the newspaper's offices for DC's operations, it was convenient to manage both.
"Anton, have you heard about the Spider-Man sightings in Queens?" Eddie asked, reviewing drafts from the reporters. His tone was peculiar.
"Spider-Man? You don't mean that Spider-Man, do you?"
Eddie nodded. "The one who helped you out during the Kingpin raid. He's been making waves in Queens."
"Of course, I remember. He's debuting in Queens now?" Anton replied casually, though he already knew who it was.
Queens. Spider powers. Who else but Peter Parker?
He recalled the young hero's nervous excitement when he'd called himself a Batman fan. Anton felt a small sense of pride.
"We decided in today's editorial meeting that tomorrow's front page will feature Spider-Man," Eddie continued. "He's been making a name for himself as New York's Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. People like him."
Eddie smirked. "That said, he's been stealing the police's thunder lately. Right now, it's not the criminals who hate him most—it's the cops."
"That's fine. Let him handle the small stuff. Every city needs someone for the minor leagues. But yeah, he's young—he needs experience," Anton remarked.
Of course, stealing the police's spotlight would ruffle feathers.
When police officers have less to do, people don't think crime rates are down—they just assume the force is incompetent. And to the officers themselves, Spider-Man's actions could feel humiliating.
"Wait, is this the best photo we have of Spider-Man?" Anton asked, flipping through the attached images. Most were side profiles or awkward angles, with the rare clear shot being blurry and unusable for a front page.
"These are screenshots from security cameras. The kid swings around skyscrapers like a real spider—it's nearly impossible to get a good shot," Eddie explained with a shrug.
"Publishing these would look unprofessional," Anton sighed.
"But not including a photo would make us look worse," Eddie countered.
"Can't we use the one from the Kingpin night?" Anton suggested.
"Not really. It's no better than these, and we've already used it. Reusing photos makes us look desperate, Anton," Eddie replied.
Anton thought back to Spider-Man's shy demeanor that night and couldn't help but chuckle.
A knock at the door interrupted their discussion. Phil Urich entered, followed by a thin, nervous-looking teenager.
"Boss, this kid claims he has exclusive photos of Spider-Man. Thought you might want to see them," Phil announced.
Anton and Eddie exchanged glances.
"Well, speak of the devil," Anton muttered. "Let's see what he's got."
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