In the next half month, Anton successfully completed the filming of Cyborg. The movie officially entered the post-production stage.
The special effects work had already started earlier, and with the help of Beck's new technology, the remaining tasks could be completed in just half a month. As for the soundtrack, subtitles, editing, and other post-production work, it was relatively straightforward.
The professionals Anton hired were all top-tier practitioners in their fields, and he chose to trust their expertise.
The reason Anton handled the post-production for Batman Begins himself was because he had seen the film before and had a professional understanding of it. This time, however, things were different—he was only the director.
And as he jokingly thought, "What does a director know about post-production? A director is just a tool to shout 'action' and 'cut.'"
After wrapping up the project, Anton returned to New York and treated himself to a vacation.
During this period, Stark Industries' stock plummeted by $56.5 per share, and its market value experienced daily roller-coaster declines. Following Anton's instructions, Betty purchased a significant amount of Stark Industries stock at its low point, which had been collectively sold off in panic.
Although the market outlook remained grim, Anton wasn't concerned. He knew that as soon as Tony Stark publicly emerged as Iron Man and gained popularity, the value of Stark Industries would recover to its original level—or even surpass it.
There was no real risk of loss.
This strategy was simply about taking advantage of the situation—profiting from chaos, as no one else dared to.
Even so, Anton understood that owning a chunk of Stark Industries stock didn't bring him closer to the "superpower" of Batman's wealth. Not yet, anyway.
Unless Anton could somehow grow DC into the equivalent of Disney within the Marvel world, there was still a long way to go. That idea, however, might just be worth exploring.
During his short vacation, Anton had his mind on something else entirely.
Tony Stark's return half a month ago marked the point at which this world had shifted onto its inevitable path. Danger was approaching step by step.
By Anton's estimation, there were only about a year or two before the Battle of New York would occur. In other words, the "novice village" phase of his journey was officially over.
It was time to step into the vast world, roll up his sleeves, and take action.
When it came to the Battle of New York, Anton doubted he could turn the tide or stop it from happening altogether. After all, Thanos—the Mad Titan—was a universal force, and Loki was merely one of his pawns.
Given his current resources and situation, Anton knew he couldn't stop Thanos, control the Chitauri invasion, or influence events tied to the Tesseract.
The Tesseract, after all, was firmly in SHIELD's hands. Even if Anton, as Batman, negotiated with Nick Fury, there was no way he could sway Fury's ironclad, secretive approach.
The alternative—breaking into SHIELD, stealing the Cube, and trying to change the course of history—wouldn't make the situation better. In fact, it would make things worse, creating unintended consequences that Anton wouldn't be able to control.
For now, he would focus on preparing for what was to come.
Besides, both belong to the Earth camp. Although Anton has no interest in S.H.I.E.L.D., there is no need for civil disturbance. When the Hydra issue is exposed, it will be time for Anton to take the lead.
What he should do now is prepare for the worst-case scenario.
During the upcoming preparations, Anton plans to redeem more DC heroes and integrate them with Earth's superheroes to achieve victory in a crushing manner. This is an absolutely achievable goal.
From this point of view, Anton's thinking at this time is actually very similar to Nick Fury's, who experienced the Kree invasion in the 1990s: form a team of heroes to deal with foreign invasions.
But now, the name of this team must change. It is time to cut the beard from the 'Motherfu*ker' spy.
"The name 'The Avengers' is too ugly, and its meaning isn't great... so it echoes from the beginning to the end, even Tony mentioned the same!" Anton touched his chin and muttered, "It's still the Justice League. Form the Justice League in the Marvel World!"
He was still a little excited when he thought about it.
...
"The 15-mile journey to Gulmira can be called a journey to hell... This is a new colony. A warlord, supported by a new force, has taken the farmers and herders living here from the quiet villages. They were driven from their homes..."
At this time, an international news broadcast was playing on the TV Anton had turned on. War footage about local conflicts unfolded one by one. The name of Stark Industries was printed on the weapons and equipment shown.
"Gulmira..." Anton concentrated, looking up at the war scenes on TV, feeling a bit. Gulmira was attacked. The birth of Iron Man was completely on the agenda.
As he thought about it, a clear plan formed in his mind. At present, in the Daily Bugle, Batman and Venom can be 100% identified as the founders of the Justice League. Additionally, the movie "Cyborg" will be released, which could provide an opportunity to redeem that superhero. Anton could also join them and become a co-founder of the Justice League.
Secondly, among the remaining Marvel native heroes, Daredevil and Spider-Man are currently in contact, bringing the count to five people.
Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Captain America have not yet appeared but will soon be known to the public. Black Widow and Hawkeye, who belong to S.H.I.E.L.D., are also possibilities.
Perhaps the military's Colonel Rhode, Tony Stark's friend, and the future War Machine, should also be added.
Among these people, Daredevil, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, and Thor are all potential candidates for the Justice League.
At this time, Captain America is still unknown—whether he has been dug out from the iceberg or not. If he can be reasonably convinced, it's not a big problem. After all, S.H.I.E.L.D. can recover Captain America but cannot control his thoughts.
As for Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Rhodes, it's estimated that these three will find it difficult to join the Justice League.
S.H.I.E.L.D. and the military, the two major factions, might have mixed feelings about the unofficial formation of the Justice League.
However, it's certain that even if these three (Black Widow, Hawkeye, and War Machine) don't join the Justice League led by Anton, they wouldn't stand idly by and let Earth be invaded by aliens.
In this way, even if the worst-case scenario unfolds and the New York War happens as expected, the alien invasion will still face 100% resistance.
Why? Because the Chitauri will encounter enemies from Earth like Batman, Venom, Cyborg, Spider-Man, Daredevil, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and War Machine.
That's a total of 11 superheroes, and each one is incredibly powerful in their own right.
This lineup of legends is more than enough to crush the Chitauri, who are being driven by Thanos to conquer Earth.
Anton smiled at the thought.
He reasoned that Venom was already part of his team, with Eddie Brock fully loyal and working hard for him. There was no need to convince Eddie—it would only take a word for him to join the fight.
Thus, Anton set his sights on his next target: Spider-Man.
Midtown High School
At this moment, Peter Parker was just finishing school and walking out of the building with Gwen Stacy beside him. A group of students watched the pair walk away, their gazes full of envy. But none dared to interrupt.
Ever since gaining his powers, Peter had undergone significant changes.
He exuded a quiet, confident aura, and combined with his reputation as a top student, he'd recently grown close to Gwen Stacy, Midtown High's resident's star girl. Their relationship had been progressing steadily, almost to the point where a confession seemed imminent.
"Peter, do you have time to come over to my house this weekend?" Gwen suddenly asked.
She looked up at Peter, her cheeks slightly flushed but her voice bold. "My dad wants to meet you."
"What?" Peter's eyes widened, and he took a sharp breath. "Your dad? George Stacy, captain of the New York Police Department?"
"Why do you look so scared?" Gwen teased, blinking curiously. "You're not a criminal, are you?"
"No, no, no," Peter stammered, quickly waving off the thought. "Of course, I'll come."
He gritted his teeth, knowing he couldn't refuse Gwen's invitation. But as he watched her walk away, he let out a deep sigh.
Why did visiting George Stacy's house feel as nerve-wracking as being hauled into the New York Police Department?
Moments Later
As Peter mulled over his predicament, a sleek sports car pulled up beside him.
Startled, Peter stopped in his tracks, watching as the car's window rolled down to reveal a familiar face behind the wheel.
"You're…" Peter began, trying to place the man's identity. Then, recognition dawned, and his eyes widened in surprise.
"You're the guy from The Daily Bugle that day!" he exclaimed.
The man smiled faintly, and Peter suddenly remembered his name.
"Anton Jameson!" Peter said, pointing at him. "You're the director of Batman!"
…
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