DC eventually went on with their survey campaign to usurp the popular activity from Creed Comics.
Unfortunately, it resulted in hilarity as nothing came out of it. A DC train wasn't formed as people didn't really want to exert more effort into answering another survey.
They only considered the DC as a troublesome trend follower and just kept on with the Creed Survey train.
The problem of DC Comics was surfaced once again as the ones who were kind enough to answer their survey couldn't even catch on with the many stories to know and answer on.
The numerosity and sheer jumbledness of its stories, cross-overs, team-ups, alternate universes, uncoordinate art style, and clear-cut chaos was not something that many readers could stomach.
Creed Comics already gave them the ease of a continuous and flowing direction of a comic book. It could be seen just how having a better standard to compare on has troubled the DC titles with its incoordination being made apparent.
DC decisions makers could only cancel their popularity posters lest they make more mistakes than they already have.
'Sighing' editor could only sigh as his bosses clearly aren't too cut out with comic publishing management.
This was the downside of having a giant like Warner as their parent company, who only took them in for the movie potentials that their copyright of superhero characters had.
They didn't even hesitate to try selling the comic business off to Marvel when they had the chance.
For a Hollywood major studio that deals with millions in every project, their quarter-dollar sales of comic issues were nothing worth to be paid attention to.
Comic books were disposable commodities in the public's eye and it seems that it is the impression that Warner has on DC Comics.
'Sighing' editor could only give his commendation to Creed as it developed into a sustainable company that didn't need to try and appeal to snobby superiors. A very enviable independent status in his opinion.
Creed titles were prepared on point and each sales return is enough to enforce the next batch of printing while also gaining profit from breaking even.
From what he knows, Creed Comics only compose of a hundred or so people. If they keep up their sustained efficiency and momentum, a glorious comic book company is set to be established.
It was setting up its own golden age while the so-called Big Two are already waning into its twilight.
Still, this didn't dampen 'sighing' editor as he vows to make DC Comics great again. With the devious editor out of the way from the fiasco, there shouldn't be much pushback with his character unification.
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Of course with the DC lurkers making their move and failing, the patiently onlooking Marvel got that failure to learn from.
Clearly, making surveys and popularity polls was out of the question. Copying a powerful trendsetter is good and all but that is a low-level move that Marvel shouldn't go for.
For a company that somewhat 'copied' the DC archetype, it would seem that they were enlightened on the proper way of emulating their competition.
Still, they have to make their move. They were only number 1 on the market due to their newsstand advantage and Creed consciously limiting their number of released issues after all.
Unlike the Big Two that hope to sell any of their issues for an infinite amount of times, Creed limited their releases to within the 250,000 range and won out with 'rarity' value.
Most of Marvel are still resting on their laurels for their top ranking though and Stan Lee and Jim Shooter had to step up to the task.
"What do you plan on having the team do now, Jim?" Said the iconic shade wearing Stan. "The CCA won't work due to having their own established rating while their genius surveys and awesome popularity polls can't be replicated as DC learned the hard way."
"I know all that Mr. Lee, however, we could still work on improving a lot of our art, our storyline, and our release schedule." Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter knew what had to be done. "If we do all those things just right then we might just be able to catch up to Creed."
"You're right on that part. I even know that your already implementing the solutions." Stan Lee knew that this stoic man was right on track but he also had to voice out his concerns. "But you should know that your alienating and attracting hate from a lot of people, Jim. The strict deadlines and extreme standards are already taking a toll on a lot of people."
Jim also knew that his antisocial and work-driven personality was making problems but he could only sigh at Stan Lee's reminder. "It is all I could do after all. The strict deadlines and high-quality work that these Marvel bums are complaining about are done with ease by Creed Comics."
"If my heartless editorial methods are beyond normal, then those lazy artists we hired could only have Creed to blame for their abnormal way of doing things."
Legendary Stan could tell stoic Jim's distress and even he himself couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. "I never imagined that a comic company could be so far ahead in everything. Even I want to meet this Alexander Creed."
Stan Lee eventually shook himself from admiring the enemy as he wanted to move on so that he could help Marvel to the new trouble. "What about other options for expansion? Creed has a lot of exciting titles so maybe it's time for us to expand as well."
"I also thought of that option but we are still stuffed with Secret Wars collating all our characters." Jim reported what he knew. "We did have a commission from Hasbro again but that could be stashed to the dump as Creed already beat them to it."
"What did those toy people ask you for now?" Stan asked. "How could Creed even be related to it again?"
"Well, Hasbro wants to make a grand storyline for their transforming toys but you already know how popular Cybertronian Chronicles are, so they're stuck with their so-called Transformers dud now." Jim could only lament at the missed opportunity and felt pity for their commissioners.
"Excelsior to them and excelsior to us." Stan could only feel sympathy as he knew from DC's experience that following the trend of the Creed was no good news.
If Transformers are as Jim says they are, then Hasbro could very well move on.
Anyways, the trouble of another company was not their own. The two Marvel duo then talked more about their own points of improvement and to make their company stay afloat as the market champion.
Although it was just in technicality, being on top was always better than being second.
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Thus, the Big Two had given it their shots. DC missed badly while Marvel was still training themselves to an equal level.
As for Hasbro, they could only lobby with Creed HQ for authorizations. They probably knew that they lost out on the transforming robot identity.
As the saying goes, 'when one can't beat them, join them!'
When one can't beat The Cybertronian Chronicles, the most optimal option is to join them.