As September arrived, William White still needed to attend school. The filming of Johnny English was completed and was now in the post-production stage.
Life was quite leisurely during this time; he wrote, attended classes, and flirted with some girls alongside a group of rebellious types.
...
The arcade sales continued to be red hot. According to research reports, next year's arcade sales were expected to break the one billion dollars mark.
This news quickly set Wall Street abuzz.
What did one billion dollars mean? Even though Apple was hyped up, it only had a sales revenue of around three hundred million dollars at the time.
...
When it came to who had the largest personal loans in America, William White was at the top. Whereas the Hunter family might have large loans too, at least theirs were shared among several members. Even combined, they might not have much more.
Being the nation's biggest debtor didn't bother William White. In fact, the Japanese were keen to lend him more.
The reasons were clear: his earnings from gaming consoles alone were enough to cover the interest, and his comics were also quite profitable. With such reliable repayment capabilities, what were the banks worried about?
American banks had money too, but unfortunately, their interest rates were too high, and William White wasn't even interested in negotiating.
A 20% interest rate? Even if business was booming, it couldn't withstand that. Unless the government subsidized, forget it. Let them keep lending to Disney.
...
Regarding comics, William White was very pleased. A weekly magazine with a million copies sold was staggering data!
Not making money? You must be an idiot. Didn't you see their grape juice was even being sold in Japan? Now advertisers were going crazy. Who knew what the advertising summit at the end of the year would be like?
Marvel wasn't even considering acquisition anymore. They didn't want to provoke that impulsive youngster who could possibly buy them up instead.
Stan Lee was very curious about how this young man managed so much scriptwriting. Did he not sleep? It was said a new book would be released soon, a series at that, which was quite intimidating.
They found out William White only handled the framework and character designs. Other writers filled in most of the scripts. Only after cross-checking would they be submitted to him.
If he could make movies production line-style, he could certainly replicate this for comics.
Try imitating him? Not only is failure possible, but it's also certain the writers wouldn't accept it. These veterans cherished comics like life and couldn't accept such changes.
Poaching talent? Look at Warner's miserable state. The people they poached were mostly useless. Writers suitable for William White might not be suitable for others. They needed self-reliant individuals, not assistants.
William White's company was different, functioning like a large machine. Even without some parts, the machine's operation wouldn't be affected. Their reliance on individuals was nearly negligible.
...
Though disliked in the comic and film industries, Wall Street loved it. Such innovations minimized uncertainties, making it their preferred investment project.
Listening to his assistant's report, William White chuckled. Things weren't so simple. He mainly aimed to hide away. By doing everything himself, he'd likely be taken for study.
"Suzuki, notify the comics department to publish The Simpsons as a standalone book. Leave serialization to the newspapers."
"Okay, boss. Should I inform the newspaper?"
"Yeah, let them arrange the pages."
Ah, the Japanese clearly didn't like this art style. These satirical comics were best published in newspapers, at least to slightly boost sales.
William White couldn't do much since most of his sales came from Japan. Naturally, he needed to cater to them as they'd provided considerable funds.
...
When the newspaper started serializing comics, it actually marked the beginning of industry integration. William White had too many businesses on his hands, and he really didn't have the energy to take care of them all.
To put it another way, the guy just wanted to enjoy life. Burning the midnight oil was clearly not on his agenda.
The newly established White Media didn't just include traditional print media but also a so-called comic magazine, along with his White Films and some TV stations. This was essentially a smaller-scale version of Warner Bros.
Essentially, he was just a spoiled rich kid who was not at all skilled in daily company management.
Fortunately, he was self-aware and never dealt with daily company affairs. Yet, shamelessly, he would say, "Let professional people handle professional things."
And you know what, when you succeed, the things you said and did will be magnified by others.
Somehow, William White ended up with the title of a business genius.
Never doubt the media's integrity. The more they're praising you now, the more they'll despise you when you fail.
When you succeed, no matter how bizarre your strategies, people will laud you. They don't mind turning anyone into a legend.
It's a clear principle: no one is always successful, and no one is flawless.
Becoming a public figure requires a certain price to be paid.
...
"William, are you planning an IPO?"
"No way, George. Why would you say that? I'm just so busy, I can't manage all these companies."
"Haha, I figured as much. No worries, just asking around."
"Relax. If I need financing, I'll let you know."
"Alright, thanks, buddy."
"Haha, don't be so modest. Well, that's that."
Being from a political family, Bush Jr. naturally had his interests. His family's connections with investment banks weren't simple. Without a background, a political family would be a joke.
...
"It seems I underestimated myself. How could such a small move lead to so much interpretation?" William White mumbled to himself.
He certainly misjudged. If he successfully acquired NBC and Disney, he'd receive even more attention. A media group is no joke. Once these resources were integrated, no one dared to underestimate him.
After changing owners, the newspapers suddenly adopted a serious tone. Racial issues and religious issues were off-limits, but they could criticize the Donkey and the Elephant freely. If any issues arise, the newspapers got their back.
A few newspapers focusing solely on news surprisingly saw an increase in sales, leaving people speechless. As a result, these newspapers barely lost money. It wouldn't be long before some might even turn a profit.
Those who previously criticized him for being too young shut up. This time, they had nothing to say. For one thing, he ignored them. For another, he did well. The American Newspaper Association even welcomed new blood.
...
The most American style comics in his comic magazine undoubtedly was The Simpsons. It left American readers speechless when this comic discontinued. It wouldn't appear in the comic magazine anymore.
What was communicated was that the comic didn't end abruptly. It would be serialized in several newspapers, and the single volumes would soon hit the shelves.
*****
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