-Wake up. - said Thomas.

  -Today is the big day. We have a meeting in San Jose, it's an hour and a half by road. - Mr. Carson said, wearing a blue apron and a business suit.

  -Dad, five more minutes. It's too early, and the meeting is not until 10:00 a.m. - Billy said.

  When he didn't hear a response, Billy tinued.

  -I'm sleepy! - Billy shouted.

  -I told you not to stay up watg movies too te. - Thomas Carseioned.

  -Billy pondered his respo said, - Father, I needed inspiration, and what's more inspiring than watg the cartoons that have filled the lives of tless children with happiness? Besides, I couldn't sleep; I was a bit nervous.

  -Well, get up, take a shower, and I'll wait for you i in thirty minutes. - Mr. Carson said, leaving the room.

  -Okay. -

  Stretg in the m is always a strenuous job, Billy thought.

  I years, his father has been improving his cooking skills. He usually prepares simple dishes. He dated a woman from Peru for a few years, and ever since, his dishes have had an i amount of curry or pepper in them. Billy still doesn't uand where his father's pent for curry es from.

  As time passes, the meeting with Dark Horse id the dream, goal of publishing ics is near. About the staging of new ics that will ge the history of art, acc to the priotiation with Mr. Mike Richardson and Neil Hankerson.

  Both figures are the two main managers of the pany, and they have a retly established distribution . They are looking for new artwork for their publication. They have had a dispute with Marvel Studios and the property rights for Star Wars ics about lising permission, a signing is something they are searg for from the bottom of their hearts and pockets.

  Acc to Thomas Carson, the purchase of Charlton ics is a joint purchase. It would make them partners with Dark Horse ics, establishing a sed headquarters in San Francisco - and another in San Jose, an impossible dream.

  Dark Horse ics (DHC) already has a distribution throughout the Uates through a logistipany that charges them a shipping pertage nationwide. However, they do not have their IPs. Their sales development is based on lised works like "Terminator, Aliens, Robocop, and Predator."

  With that in mind, the idea is to purchase Charlton ics, which they couldn't part with at the time of their liquidation, the ic giants ate everything. However, the printing presses are still alive, and a few other things.

  They made a joint purchase of 80,000 for the special letterpress printiment for color ics.

  Charlton ics started in 1945, and at its peak, it had its main headquarters in ecticut, New York, and Derby. They had a giant printing press that allowed them to survive through their dark years until their total dissolution in 1984. After several iations, they gave us some special maes purchased in 1980 before the ic market went crazy.

  Thomas seems to have decided to i in his son's designs when he saw the talent. He may not know much about art, but he uands business, and now he's part of a small partnership with Dark Horse ics.

  In 1989, the pany Lux Animation was created, a ipany that will be uhe care of Dark Horse iarketing and distribution throughout the Uates, as the LUX bel of DHC. They will share operational ats for 30% of the sales.

  Today's meeting with Charlton ics is for the purchase of Captain Atom. The IP of Captain Atom is not highly valued at the moment, but it will be appreciated by Dics after the acquisition. The reason for this importance is its potential sales and its e to the Justice League.

  At the moment, the purchase of Captain Atom is valued at 15,000, and it won't be handed over to Warner ics as a separate cht sale. Despite using his st savings to buy Charlton ics, the purchase of Captain Atom is a loan that he will have to repay with the future profits from the uping series.

  Although his successful career as a wyer has given him the freedom to i, he is just as strict with Billy as his father and grandfather were. They don't give anything without imparting a lesson, in this case, about the dangers and costs of a business. 15,000 in this era is a ridiculous price, and in 20 years, the purchasing power of that 15,000 will be half of what it is today.

  Before the famous meeting with the CEO of Charlton ics, Thomas invited Mike Richardson to discuss the i in bringing Captain Atom into a creative colboratioweewo tthen the alliaween Dark and Lux.

  -What's the purpose of the meeting with Mr. Richardson? - Billy asked.

  -It's about the titles we'll be willing to publish: your series Sm Dunk and Ghost Report/Yu Yu Hakusho. They will initially be published in bd white due to our limited capabilities with color printing. But acc to your ideas, they won't follow the same pattern as Samurai Jad Hellboy, which will be your first works in color. - Thomas Carson said.

  -I still don't uand, Dad. I thought it was about a joint development. - Billy said.

  -You're right, but it's also a meeting nitioween the parties. It's good that Mike knows who you are and who's the mind behind Sm Dunk. - Thomas said.

  No errors at all!

  They agreed to 30% distribution for Dark Horse id 70% for Lux Animation, with a partnership tract of 6 years starting in 1989. After seeing the promising designs, Mike Richardson didn't refuse and was quite supportive. He's a ithusiast and not a typical businessman. Most other panies were demanding an acquisition of at least 80% of the cht and a 50% market share on sales.

  Mike only asks for 30% for the partnership, as well as the exclusive publication of your other i his pany during the six years of the tract. They're the kind of pany you're familiar with, advog for the prote of ic creators and seeking fair pensation, whether through buying the work or paying royalties.

  Thomas, sensing your doubts, responded.

  --I suppose that as more money es in and the ics gain a rger fanbase, merdise, TV, and film rights will bee highly profitable. If there are offers, we're fident that they will e. Dark ics has es with a Fox work producer, and visibility is in the air - said Thomas.

  This bes Dark ics as well because it allows them to sell the ics, and when they bee famous, they leverage their is to secure lises or deals.

  For now, the pany has started with the distribution of the Alien, Terminator, Predator, and Robocop series. Some Japanese manga like "Akira" are tributing to an acceptable market share in supermarkets and ic specialty stores. But it's not booming like it will be in the mid-'90s.

  -All right, we've reached our destination. - Thomas Carson said.

  They arrived almost twenty minutes before the scheduled meeting time, and Mr. Mike was already sitting in the café with a notepad oable, featuring sh sketches and notes in the margins, a habit acquired in his youth.

  -Mr. Richardson, - Thomas inquired.

  The gentleman sitting at the table smiled and got up to greet both Thomas and Billy, shaking their hands. His deep, cheerful blue eyes were quite a trast to Billy's memories of his younger self. Mike Richardson seemed to radiate a freshhat set him apart from many others, especially sidering he was nearing fifty.

  A pleasure to meet you, Thomas, Billy. Please, take a seat. - Mike said. - Although the steps have already been worked out, it's always good to meet my new partner in this venture. I've been pleasantly surprised by the drawings you've shown me and the future development of the characters.

  -That's right, the young Billy has been drawing for a year and a half, and these two series. I'm eagerly looking forward to the market boom after the joint release of these series. - Thomas Carsen added, his thick honey-colored hair emphasizing his features.

  -I wholeheartedly agree, especially with the Sm Dunk series. When I read the first two volumes, I could only excim, that in a try that cims basketball is a cultural sport, there are very few people who genuinely attempt to exploit this franchise as a ic tool. - Mike sighed. - What led you to e up with su innovative series? I see you're using cepts from Japanese manga in your drawings, but the bold and simpler lines give it harmony.

  -Anything to say, Billy? - Thomas Carsen asked.

  -I agree, sir. I enjoy watg sports with my father, and I'm ied iing an Ameri football series as well. The idea arose from how much fun it is to py basketball and not perform well. - Billy replied.

  -Have you started sketg the outlines for the uping arcs? - Lux Animation's partner asked again.

  -Yes, I want to imitate the famous Captain Tsubasa series, which is Japahe cept of achieving impossible feats never before seen in world sports, Mr. Richardson. - Billy said with a touch of excitement.

  -That only be good news for Dark Horse ics. - Mike stated.

  Thomas, who watched the versation with newfound vigor, chimed in. - Yes, with the tacts you've provided, Mike, the development of this hub as a publishing port for the entire try is perfect. We've implemented a special design for sales. We call it the "i-boon," a pition of ic issues in a special book that tains a special arc of the series. Because Billy mentiohe tinuity of the ics, the idea of bundling ten issues into a single book without limitations for all fans is perfect for business. - Thomas cluded with joy.

  He took out a blue folder from his briefcase taining data for approval. A market study had been ducted, and eaic would have a selling price of 1.99, while a i-boon would be priced at 10.99. Eaic printed in the garage had a cost of 10 ts, and each issue would sist of 30 pages, while a i-boon would pile 10 issues.

  edit.

  that′s chapter 4. Have a good week.

  discimer: This is a sce fi series.