As William White looked at the stack of comics in his hand, he couldn't help but appreciate their value, whether they were from Marvel or DC. They were truly coveted treasures.
It's interesting how DC's comics are excellent, yet Marvel seems to lag behind. DC has Superman, so why doesn't Marvel have its own version of Captain America? DC has Batman, so why not a counterpart like Spider-Man?
In his previous life, some comic fans even suggested that Marvel should acquire DC, leading to an epic crossover where the Avengers would face off against DC heroes. They believed this crossover would be a goldmine in terms of intellectual property.
But those individuals were likely pseudo-fans. If such a crossover had real value, cooperation between the two companies wouldn't be too difficult to achieve. You just had to understand Hollywood's operating model. Film companies in Hollywood were essentially empty shells. They lacked the financial resources for major productions and relied on investors to provide funding.
Strangely enough, they were scared off by big productions, like "Pearl Harbor," "The Postman," and "Heaven's Gate." These were all notorious examples of major productions that had disastrous outcomes and led to the collapse of film companies.
Don't think that "The Karate Kid" or "Titanic" achieved immediate success. "Titanic" was released for a week with poor box office results, causing panic. The studio planned to close down, and even director James Cameron considered going back to driving trucks.
If it weren't for word-of-mouth and the video rental market, some films, like "The Karate Kid," would have left the studio bankrupt.
"The Silence of the Lambs" was critically acclaimed and won Oscars, but the studio behind it went bankrupt overnight.
Given these painful lessons, the Hollywood model shifted towards crowdfunding. Film companies began to provide scripts, directors, and distribution channels, allowing investors to choose their level of involvement and capital investment. Whether you had one million or ten million dollars, you could participate.
During Hollywood's peak, capital from around the world poured in. However, several major studios realized they were vulnerable to risks, leading them to become more cautious.
Of course, these capital investors had various motivations. Some aimed to make profits, some sought to promote their brands, and others aimed to attract A-list stars.
Yet, some wealthy individuals also had ulterior motives involving certain stars. This was an open secret in Hollywood. The rich were the patrons, and as long as you could provide enough dollars, Hollywood was your playground.
First, European capital flowed in, but then these investors decided to manage the productions themselves.
Next, there were international financiers from various backgrounds who invested. These individuals mainly sought profits, and the Chinese market became a significant target for investment.
The Chinese audience loved visual spectacles, so Hollywood cinema chains became the favorite business for Chinese entrepreneurs. Chinese investment in U.S. cinema chains was a win-win situation.
Hollywood cinema chains remained highly profitable, and without excessive bank loans, running a cinema business in the U.S. was a lucrative venture. However, it puzzled many why the local American studios couldn't manage such a straightforward business.
Despite their financial success, Hollywood's major studios often ventured into cross-industry businesses and often made unreliable investments. Except for a few successful transformations like Disney, most studios struggled.
Managing a movie theater business in the United States, with no significant debt and efficient operations, was indeed a good business. The real mystery was why the old American studios couldn't manage such a simple operation.
Even without China's financial support, Hollywood had to cater to the Chinese market, which had become the second-largest box office in the world. The shift was evident. Once surpassed by China, Hollywood's focus on catching up with China's market dominance waned.
It seemed that China might soon replace the United States as the largest box office market. If not for some sensitive political factors, Hollywood might have considered moving its base of operations to China.
Implanting Chinese elements into films had been relatively successful, but the degree of implantation was sometimes exaggerated, leading to certain stereotypes.
This was likely due to arrogance and prejudice. Whenever China appeared in a movie, it was often depicted with a dark and gloomy atmosphere. Many so-called "Chinese" characters in Hollywood movies were played by non-Chinese actors. The portrayal was inconsistent with the actual facts.
There were indeed fewer Chinese people in the country compared to other ethnic groups. However, Chinese immigrants were often united and built strong communities.
Another characteristic of Hollywood's portrayal of China was an obsession with money and greed. While Chinese people believed in benevolence and making money through legitimate means, Hollywood often portrayed them as ruthless.
William White found this portrayal problematic. Chinese people usually practiced benevolence and profited through legitimate channels. If extorted, as long as it wasn't excessive, they usually paid to avoid trouble.
However, for some reason, Hollywood often depicted Chinese characters as ruthless and unscrupulous individuals who were willing to kill for a pack of gum. This was far from accurate.
In reality, the major chaos that engulfed Los Angeles in the 1980s was triggered when a Korean store owner shot a black girl. But there were other contributing factors, such as high unemployment rates among black men and a lack of social safety nets.
In the end, the Korean community was blamed for the unrest, and Los Angeles' Koreatown was nearly burned to the ground. The direct losses amounted to hundreds of millions of dollars.
After this incident, the Korean community became wary, and no one dared to provoke them. To protect their assets, people would resort to violence if necessary.
This situation was unrelated to all Chinese people and reflected only the actions of a few individuals. However, this episode served as a warning.
William White was torn about acquiring Marvel. He was concerned about how his involvement might influence Marvel's development trajectory. Even though it was the Bronze Age, there were still many valuable assets to explore.
Stan Lee, the beloved creator behind many of Marvel's iconic characters, was an irreplaceable figure. Losing him could potentially impact Marvel's future development.
The golden age of American comics was primarily driven by their creativity. It was intriguing how comics, which were initially intended for children, inadvertently played a role in shaping the industry's history.
Many comics were not suitable for children, and personal preferences often shaped the industry's direction.
Political factors also played a significant role. The Comics Code Authority, imposed in response to criticism that comics were harmful to children, led to restrictive content guidelines. This inadvertently harmed the industry.
If not for the Comics Code Authority, American comics could have continued their systematic development from the 1940s. The comic book market in the United States had a spending power in the billions, and it held immense potential. However, their own actions disrupted this thriving industry.
Comic books, much like films, could have been rated. Children's comics could be sold in bookstores, while adult-oriented comics could be sold in specialized stores. By implementing ratings, the industry could have ensured that inappropriate content didn't reach children.
Comic book grading, just like film ratings, could have been established. The comic book industry was significant, not only from an economic perspective but also from a cultural standpoint.
American comics, with their vast universe of characters and stories, could be beloved worldwide, just like "Dragon Ball" in China. Yet, there was a noticeable disconnection between the two worlds. Why did it seem like there was no connection between Sun Wukong and the Marvel Universe?