Mei Man: I drew Superman during the Great Depression

Chapter 343
Da da da--

The sound of hurried footsteps kept ringing, and in the consciousness wrapped in time gem fragments, the sound of footsteps echoed far away in the silent silence, and countless vague conversations seemed to come, but even people with [Super Hearing] Colin still couldn't quite understand the content of these conversations.

As the consciousness continued to sink, the sound of footsteps and conversation gradually faded away, followed by a complete silence.

Just like that, after an unknown amount of time in the silent silence, the familiar green light pulled his consciousness back into the normal world.

"So, what exactly caused all this?"

Opening his eyes, Colin frowned, thinking about the situation he encountered during his sinking consciousness.

The truth behind the Stark City appears to be more complicated than it appears on the surface.

Even Colin, who possessed the fragment of the time gem, couldn't confirm the situation of the fragment in the first place.

However, one thing is certain is that the fragment must be in the hands of Tony Stark. After all, Tony, who is full of streets, is obviously not in a normal situation.

It's just, which Tony Stark, even Colin can't be sure.

The fragments provided by City of Stark are extremely vague, except for those footsteps and conversations, there is only a dead silence, which is in stark contrast to the bustling scenes he saw in City of Stark before.

"Why is there such a contrast?"

Theoretically speaking, what Ke Lin sees from the time shards largely represents the message of the owner of the gem shards, whether it is the anti-world Red Skull or the apocalypse of the mutant world, or even the extermination Badu once appeared in his broken picture.

However, in the city of Stark, it is [-]% sure that the time gem fragment is in the hands of Tony Stark in this world.

But the picture presented in Colin's consciousness has nothing to do with him at all.

This is obviously not a normal situation, but it is not known whether this abnormality comes from the ability of this time gem fragment, or Tony Stark of Stark City himself.

……

"Roy, welcome."

Later that day, Grand Central Station in New York.

Colin saw Roy Disney who had made a long journey outside the train station.

The other party hugged the suitcase and passed through the turbulent crowd. He was a little surprised to see the expression on Colin's face waiting outside the station, and then quickly greeted him with a smile.

"Thanks for your hard work."

Looking at Roy Disney with a tired face, Colin took the initiative to hug him and said.

"It's nothing, this is what I should do."

Shaking his head, Roy is more aware of the current situation of the Disney studio than Walt, who is focused on animation production. If it weren't for Colin's financial support, the studio might have been forced to shut down because of the broken chain of funds. , It is precisely because of this that Roy Disney will pay special attention to this trip to New York, personally escorting the celluloid film of the "Superman" animation.

"This is the animation film of the first episode of "Superman". The ending has been modified according to the drawing you left."

After handing the suitcase containing the celluloid film to Colin in front of him, Roy Disney let out a sigh of relief.

For the current Disney, what is contained in this suitcase is not only the animated film of "Superman", but also the future of Disney.

"As for the second episode of the animation, we are already working hard to speed up the production, including the content of the first minute of the title has been basically completed. According to the current progress, it may only take two weeks to complete the creation of the second episode of "Superman."

Rest assured, Roy Disney did not forget to tell Colin about the production progress of the second episode of "Superman" TV animation.

The purpose, of course, is to use this method to tell Colin that Disney has not neglected the animation production of "Superman" because of "Snow White", so as to prevent Colin's ideas from affecting Disney's follow-up funds.

"Really, I'm looking forward to the finished product of the second episode."

Considering that the entire Disney is currently engaged in the production of "Snow White", Colin does not expect the progress of the "Superman" animation.

"correct……"

After briefly chatting about Disney's animation production, Roy Disney suddenly thought of what Colin had told him, and hurriedly said.

"Not long after you returned to New York from Los Angeles, William Fox deliberately contacted Disney through his relationship and wanted to meet you again. I specifically investigated the current operating conditions of Fox Film Corporation in Hollywood. The investigation does not appear to be ending."

Of course it can't end, unless Fox is completely bankrupt.

Ke Lin knew the truth about the anti-monopoly.

MGM's anti-monopoly investigation against Fox Film Corporation, although there is an element of retaliation in it, is also a commercial means.

After all, in Hollywood, there are not a few practices like Fox Films, and even MGM itself is also a beneficiary of the monopoly industry.

The reason why Fox Films is under such tremendous pressure is, in the final analysis, because its own political power is not strong enough.

You know, the reorganized Paramount dragged on for nearly 30 years in the entire antitrust prosecution, and finally, under pressure, had to agree to separate the theaters.Of course, the main reason why Paramount was willing to make concessions was that Howard Hughes’s people bought RKO at that time, and the active signing of the consent judgment became a breakthrough for Hollywood studios.

It is also because of the rise of the TV industry that movies are no longer the main viewing channel. Paramount agreed to sign the verdict precisely because they saw the future of the TV industry.

Because of the monopoly lawsuit, Paramount was deprived of its TV management rights.

In the development of future generations, Paramount valued the prospects of the TV industry in the future and made concessions, but the current situation is very different. As the absolute market owner of the current TV market, Colin intends to rely on William Fox entered the film market.

The passage of the 21st Amendment has liberated the liquor market that had been blocked for nearly 14 years, and the Scotch whiskey and gin imported by Colin through London, relying on the advantage of foresight, immediately It seized a large vacant market.

Of course, there are also a large number of spot bootleggers in the hands of gangs.

However, bootlegs from underground cellars or small workshops may have remained popular during Prohibition.

However, with the development of the market, Ke Lin led the more high-quality wines with more affordable prices, which made these bootleg wines in the underground wine cellar completely return to their original positions and became unpopular low-quality wines.

After all, who's going to sneak into an underground cellar for bootlegging when there's cheap and easy access to imported Scotch and gin?

It is said that because of the abolition of the Prohibition Law, there were no fewer than five or six gangs in New York City alone who had conflicts due to capital turnover problems.

During the worst period, the New York City Police Department was on the scene almost all night.

And as Colin's "old acquaintance", Charlie Luciano, this time, did not have the luck of the past.

Moonshining, as one of the most important income industries for gangs during the Great Depression, disappeared in an instant with the abolition of Prohibition. Charlie Luciano had a headache during this period, trying to find the second one after bootlegging. The business of making money, wanting to maintain a huge mafia empire, is quite a money-burning business.

Charlie Luciano lost a lot of money because of the 21st Amendment, but Colin made a lot of money through this bill.

You must know that the contract he signed with the brewer in London was the sole importer contract, and the brewer at that time did not value the interests of the American market at all.

But now this contract has brought huge benefits to Colin.

It can be said that during the period when the prohibition was lifted, his wealth was increasing at an objective rate every day, and people's demand for imported alcohol was far from falling. According to Colin's estimation, this false The prosperity will last at least a month or so before it gradually subsides.

With a large amount of funds in hand, Ke Lin naturally has more confidence.

Especially during the Great Depression, money was often more valuable than in the past, and he continued to invest a small part of the funds in the stock market, allowing Rod Stone to continue to acquire oil stocks.

Except for the investment promised to Disney and the imported wine from the second batch of brewers, the rest is prepared to be used as the acquisition of Fox Film Corporation.

Although the current situation of Fox Film Corporation is not optimistic, the assets behind it cannot be underestimated.

If you don't have enough capital, it's not easy to take over this film company.

Please ask Roy Disney to help him deal with the follow-up meeting with William Fox. On the other hand, Colin did not forget to make arrangements for the "Superman" TV animation.

At present, the TV market in New York is not yet fully formed, but TVs can already be seen in some shopping malls, pubs and hotels.

Among these TV sets, except for a small number of TV sets produced by RCA, most of them came out of Colin's Messenger TV factory in Brooklyn.

Even, the American radio company thought that it would seize the TV market with him, but in fact, to a certain extent, it was also increasing [faith] collection channels for Colin.

After all, the collection of [Faith] doesn't matter whether your TV is from the Radio Corporation of America or from the Messenger TV factory.

With the previous live broadcast experience of "One Day in New York" TV, this time CBS is more familiar with the promotion of "Superman" TV animation.

Long before the animation was broadcast, CBS radio had previewed the situation of the animation in various broadcasts of the day, especially in the radio drama of "Superman Adventure".

"The first TV animation in the history of animation, the latest "Superman" animation produced by Disney who made "Steamboat Willie" and "Superman and Mickey"."

In this era, animation itself is quite a new existence, and TV animation is something unprecedented.

After all, from the development of television to the promotion of Colin, it has only been less than a year since television appeared before people's eyes as an entity.

Watching TV series on TV is already a novel experience for people in this period, and TV animation is an innovation based on this.

Not to mention, many people haven't even actually seen the animation.

Therefore, under the promotion of CBS, those who missed the live broadcast of "One Day in New York" before flooded into shopping malls, hotels and even pubs with TVs.

Judging from the photos taken by the reporter of "Messenger World", on the day when the animation of "Superman" was broadcast, figures crowded in front of the TV with three floors inside and three floors outside could be seen in the streets and alleys of New York. Merchants revealed that their customer traffic increased by three or four times just on the day the animation was broadcast.

Not all of these people in front of the TV are readers or fans of "Superman", and many of them are actually attracted by TV animation.

However, this does not prevent them from providing [Faith] to Colin.

"Have you started yet?"

"Not yet, I heard it will take a few minutes..."

"How long will we have to wait, won't it be a lie?"

"If you don't want to wait, you can give up your seat and let those who want to watch come in."

"Why, I managed to get a seat."

"Quiet, don't make noise, I can't hear the TV anymore!"

In front of the TV, crowds crowded the entire street, and even the nearby traffic was affected to a certain extent. Because of the long traffic jam, the New York Police Department had to arrange personnel to evacuate these crowds, but there were still people on the scene. A large number of people do not want to leave.

……

"At that time, the sensation caused by the "Superman" TV animation was beyond everyone's imagination. It can be said that the whole New York was caught in the mania called "Superman". In front of the tavern, they didn't come to buy things or stay, but to see the animation of "Superman"... The tavern was also full of guests. Because of the contact of the prohibition, the taverns of that period were everywhere. Drinking guests, but only on that night, compared to the fine wine in the glass, their eyes are more attracted by the pictures on the TV..."

"It is said that the New York Police Department had to send patrol officers to the scene because the crowds gathered too frequently. However, many of these patrol officers also joined the audience afterward. Charm.” —Documentary “Above the Sky: The Fantastic Story of Superman”

(End of this chapter)