After skimming through the report, I found it aligned perfectly with the system statistics. Leaning back in my chair, I stretched out my legs, feeling the satisfaction of seeing my plans coming together.
"Jason, do you really think *Iron Man* will sell?" Sabine asked, her voice tinged with concern. She stood nearby, her eyes watching me with a mix of curiosity and doubt.
I smirked, placing my feet on the table as I leaned back even further. "If you give me a shoulder rub, maybe it'll sell even better."
She rolled her eyes at my comment but walked behind me anyway, her hands hesitating for a moment before she began to massage my shoulders. "I don't understand how a lazy boss like you can create such great comics," she muttered, though I could hear the smile in her voice.
"Maybe it's because you don't understand genius," I shot back, closing my eyes as I enjoyed her touch.
"You're so thick-skinned!" she replied, but there was no real heat in her words.
---
Time flew by, and today, as comics faced the onslaught of modern media and various entertainment options, who would have thought a comic book would still be able to captivate so many hearts?
Outside the local comic book store, a line had formed early, snaking down the block. The store owner stood at the door, checking his watch and shaking his head in disbelief.
"I've had more customers this month than I've seen in the first half of my life," he muttered to himself. "Who would've thought comics could make such a comeback? *Iron Man*? They're all here because of how *Captain America* ended. I can only imagine how many people are anxiously waiting to see what's next!"
As the line grew, people started chatting with one another, their excitement palpable.
"Hey, Jake, didn't you say you'd only buy *Iron Man* if you jumped off the third floor? What are you doing here so early?" one man teased.
Jake chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah, well, didn't you say Marvel was just bundling it? So, what gives?"
"What do you think *Iron Man* is all about?" another person wondered aloud. "Marvel's kept it under wraps so well, I haven't heard a single leak."
"I don't care about *Iron Man*," someone else piped up. "I'm here to see how *Captain America* ends!"
---
"Alright, folks! The comics are on sale now. Please, stay safe and no pushing!" the store owner called out as he unlocked the door.
The reminder wasn't just a formality; the Marvel version of *Captain America* had become so popular that some stores had seen people get hurt in the rush to buy a copy. Today was no different—once the doors opened, the line surged forward, each person eager to get their hands on the latest release.
One of the first to grab a copy of *Iron Man* was a young boy. He quickly found a quiet corner of the store, flipping through the pages to find what he was looking for—the Captain America Easter egg.
An Easter egg in a comic book? Whoever thought of that idea was a genius. Although many fans had been skeptical, they all ended up buying the comic just to see how Captain America's story concluded.
The boy's eyes widened as he read the Easter egg: Steve Rogers, after crashing into the icy depths, didn't die. Instead, he was frozen in the deep sea, waiting to be found. Years later, an expedition team would discover him encased in ice.
"The Captain's still alive!" the boy whispered, his excitement barely contained. "That means there's more to come. They're going to keep drawing Captain America!"
He let out a sigh of relief, a weight lifted off his shoulders. The thought that Steve's story wasn't over filled him with joy.
But as he closed the comic, the boy felt a pang of nervous anticipation. What would come next? What would *Iron Man* bring?
Unable to resist, he opened the comic again, flipping to the beginning of the *Iron Man* story. The first page revealed a striking image: a red and yellow suit of armor, its chest glowing with light, flying over a cityscape.
---
Back in my office, I chuckled to myself. The launch of *Iron Man* had gone exactly as planned. And with Tony Stark set to face his own trials soon, the stage was perfectly set for the next chapter of Marvel's story.