"Harry, meeting you for the first time, I didn't expect you to be interested in Batman movies." Anton looked at the young man in front of him, surprised with his arrival.
He wasn't known for being involved in the film industry, so his proactive approach caught Anton off guard.
Harry Osborn, son of Norman Osborn—the man who would become the second generation Green Goblin—was a high school student, still young, and a friend of Peter Parker.
"I'm a fan of Batman," Harry replied with a shy grin. "When I heard DC was working on a second Batman movie and needed funding, I jumped at the chance to help."
He looked somewhat eager, almost youthful at this conversation. He added, "I spoke with Jim already, and I'm prepared to invest $50 million for a 25% of the investment. That should make me one of your biggest backers so far, right?"
The cost of the Dark Knight movie was projected at about $180 million, making Harry's $50 million investment significant. Anton was impressed—Harry's offer was substantial, a true display of wealth.
"Yes, you're definitely the most generous investor I've spoken to so far," Anton said, smiling as he extended his hand. "I'll accept your investment. Here's to a successful partnership!"
But Harry hesitated, "Wait. I have one more condition—just a small request."
"What is it?" Anton asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I want an autograph from Batman." Harry seemed almost embarrassed as he confessed, "I told you, I'm a big fan."
Anton paused, surprised by the innocent request. "Ah…this…"
"Don't say no," Harry persisted. "Everyone knows that if there's anyone in the world who knows Batman personally, it has to be you, Anton."
Anton chuckled, realizing Harry wouldn't let it go. "Alright, you've got yourself a deal."
"Great! Thank you, Anton." Harry's face lit up with excitement.
Watching Harry's genuine enthusiasm, Anton had a sudden idea. Maybe he didn't need to search for more investors. He thought he could pitch Harry on his larger vision for DC's future.
"Since you're interested in Batman, what about investing in our other projects?" Anton put an arm around Harry's shoulders and started explaining his ambitious plans for DC's upcoming superhero films.
A rich tapestry of ideas began to unfold, and Harry listened, captivated with the speech.
Two hours later, Harry left the DC office in a daze, having committed a total of $150 million—a massive investment for a high schooler.
Anton saw him off with a satisfied smile, thinking to himself, 'OsCorp sure has deep pockets.'
Anton couldn't help but marvel at Harry's autonomy; not many people his age could make decisions involving that kind of money without seeking approval.
Yet Harry was no fool. Despite Anton's persuasive pitch, he had seen an opportunity and seized it.
Harry's faith in Anton wasn't blind; his father, Norman, had mentioned Anton's potential, which bolstered Harry's confidence.
Ultimately, he had made the largest investment of his life, trusting both Anton's reputation and his father's endorsement.
Now, with a significant portion of the initial $500 million budget covered, Anton could focus on developing Batman, Cyborg, and Superman.
With Harry's $150 million, Anton only needed to secure an additional $150 million, which felt more achievable as he would fund the rest.
He still had enough of his own funds to support promotional efforts and branch into novels, comics, and other media, creating a foundation for DC to grow.
Satisfied, Anton called Jim in Los Angeles. Jim was thrilled with the news. Since DC's founding, its first major project now had the backing of a giant like OsCorp, which brought not just financial security but also invaluable connections.
Anton soon stepped out of the DC office and walked up one floor to The Daily Bugle, where he also rented space. By placing DC and the Bugle offices close together, he streamlined the management of his projects.
"Anton, have you heard about Spider-Man in Queens?" Eddie, one of the Bugle's editors and chief editor at that, asked with an amused expression as Anton entered.
"Spider-Man?"
"Don't tell me you've already forgotten him." Eddie's tone was a mix of amusement and disbelief. "He's the one who helped you that night when you caught Kingpin."
"Oh, I know him. He's debuting in Queens now?" Anton replied, although he knew very well who Spider-Man was.
Spider-Man could only be Peter Parker, especially given the mention of Queens. Anton smiled inwardly, recalling Peter's excitement the night he helped him capture Kingpin.
The young man had even confessed to being a fan of Batman.
"We've decided to make Spider-Man the front page story for tomorrow's paper," Eddie continued. "He's been pretty active lately, and people seem to like him. Some have even dubbed him the 'Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man.'"
But Eddie couldn't resist a smirk. "Though not everyone is a fan of him playing vigilante. Right now, the police probably dislike him more than the criminals do."
"It's kind of perfect, isn't it?" Anton mused. "We handle the big stuff, and he can focus on the smaller cases. Though, judging by his age, he'll need some time to learn the ropes."
It wasn't just the criminals who were frustrated with Spider-Man; the police, too, were feeling the strain.
Despite their best efforts, Spider-Man's swift interventions sometimes made them look ineffective. No one would conclude that the city was suddenly crime-free after someone solved a sudden case, only that the police were struggling to keep up with this new "hero."
Anton glanced at the front-page mockup. Most of the photos were poor quality, taken from surveillance footage at awkward angles or blurry close-ups.
"These are a bit too rough for the front page," he commented with a sigh.
"Well, he's always swinging between high-rises. It's hard to get a good shot," Eddie replied with a shrug. "We either use these or skip the photos altogether, which would look even worse."
"Can't we use the one from the Kingpin capture?" Anton suggested.
Eddie scoffed, "Those are hardly better than these. Besides, we don't want people thinking we're recycling old shots because we can't get anything new."
Anton was about to reply when there was a knock at the door. Phil Urich, one of the junior editors, entered, followed by a young man with a nervous expression and a camera hanging around his neck.
"Editor, boss," Phil greeted them, "this kid says he has some exclusive photos of Spider-Man and wants to know if we're interested."
Anton and Eddie exchanged glances. It seemed like they'd found exactly what they needed.
….
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