Shortly after the theater club debacle, Billy delved into studying Nike's request, pleting the maly as they had asked.

  The development of the Sm Dunk manga:

  Initially, the id manga samples faced several challenges due to handling bck, white, and gray colors. The prints didn't allow for special tonal adjustments. Manga printing until the year 2000, based oeology of the time, saw a ge due to the use of glossy paper. Although it increased ic assembly time, it added a bit more impressionism to the artwork.

  Through his previous experience as aor, inker, colorist, and indepe cartoonist in his former life, Billy mao improve the current poor image quality and adapt the ic to a practical bd-white design as much as possible. However, Mike Richardsoiohat an industrial printer allowed for more vivid colors. The issue? The price.

  For now, only a spectacur drawing was all they could offer.

  This success in selling ics from the Lux Animation pany was due to the innovative handling of shadows and the artistic approach of drawing to portray a more linear idea with plete ses. It caused a stir thanks to its design, ahead of its time, along with the increased quality of paper, using 45-gram offset paper.

  However, offset paper couldn't pare to the thicker, finer couche paper, which would increase total costs by 30 ts per ic.

  Retions improved due to talks with Mike. adian pany Domtar handled all the work, specializing in produg fine papers, weights, and formats, with a headquarters in Montreal, Quebec, ada, and expanding into the North Ameri market. The paper quality was different in terms of ink absorption.

  Although couched paper already had a special manufacturing process, it was used for printed publications, brochures, or business cards, and ted by the idustry in 1997 amid a progressive dee in sales, even though color printing covered excessive paper costs.

  For now, offset paper is the most suitable. A prompt update would require a few years back.

  -I still don't uand why I have to e to the tract signiing, - Billy said.

  -Nike doesn't have a headquarters in California, so the meeting was scheduled at The Sainte Cire, - Mr. Carsen said.

  Billy had never entered such a beautiful and elegaaurant in his two lives; this was the first time. The deserving hotel represented a ge in the way it made its ers feel. "The Sainte Cire" was a historic hotel located in downtown San Jose, near San Jose Diridon Station, and it was simply spectacur.

  Everything was very elegant, parable to an 80s movie, even though it was the early 90s. The waiters dressed professionally with gloves. A not very tall dark-skinned man and a on white man, both in standard business attire.

  In the distawo men iical bck suits observed the Carsons' arrival with a raised hand, a call.

  A pleasure to meet you, Thomas Carsen. I'm Peter Ruppe, Director of Marketing for Nike's Sportswear Division in the Uates, and this is Tom Crke, executive assistant manager of the sales division, - Peter Ruppe said with a friendly smile.

  -Pleasure, gentlemen. This is my son Billy, the cartoonist of Lux Animation. I'd like to call him writer, cartoonist, and designer of the Sm Dunk ic, - Thomas said to Peter and Tom, in a presentation that would astound anyone.

  Both stopped in surprise; it wasn't on. Their raised eyebrows said it all. A ic of such structure, with elements proposing a cssic, being designed by a young man—Ameris' precocity directed towards different social aspects. This was the new Richard Branson of the era.

  "Please, have a seat," Tom said.

  "We ordered a bottle of wine, but it seems that was a hasty decision," Peter Rupe mentioned jokingly. "But, I was expeg two adults; my apologies for the misunication," he added with a calm voice.

  -No problem at all, Mr. Crke. It's very kind of you. I'll order a burger for Billy. And I'll enjoy the wih you gentlemen, - Thomas said, signaling the waiter again.

  -It's appreciated. Now, as we've discussed in phoings, we have a framework of ideas for the expected advertising of these ics, but there are some doubts, - Peter Ruppe said with a hint of fvor.

  -There are some necessary events to determihe ongoing business we're proposing. I uand this is one of the few linear series in the industry. How long do you expect this series to be in print? - Peter Rupe asked, direg their gaze towards Billy.

  -At least eight years, - Billy ented, notg up. - No! Maybe ten years, - he corrected himself.

  -That calms our doubts. It will be put in writing. Additionally, if possible, could you dedicate a colboration page with Charles Barkley, John Sto, and Clyde Drexler? The average age of Sm Dunk series buyers is 12 to 23 years old. This has geed a sense of anticipation in these past two months. We have a perspective to iate for the duration of the series for a minimum of two years, - Peter Rupe said.

  -That's possible, - Thomas said. - In the series extension, we expect the publication time te from two to three years, not including post-pletion publication. -

  -As for the exclusivity proposed in cuse number 6 regarding the prehensive advertising of derivatives on ptforms outside of ics, the retionship and due payment are not detailed, - Thomas pointed out.

  -Ah-ha, - Peter aowledged.

  -The ic's design aims for this series to have some on-s appearances in television and ema. I'd like to extend the preferential right regarding the design to extend this cuse and gee payment attached to the produ pany, - Peter Rupe said.

  -Do you expect support from our pany for a possible audiovisual produ? - Thomas asked.

  -That's correct. We know it; future buyers will e sooner or ter, - Peter replied.

  -Well, we'll have a series. If Nike wishes, they create it, - Thomas remarked.

  -t the sponsorship deal for advertising; however, part of the animation is distant for Nike. But if it happens, it also implies that you notify us in case the said series is produced, - Peter responded.

  -That's fair, - Thomas agreed.

  Billy ate his cheeseburger with a gesture of disfort. Although fast food from the 90s has bee standardized, specialized burger joints are scarce. Fast-food s are associated with ey, speed, and avaibility on every er.

  The bad forth between Thomas aer Rupe was intense; every topic was meticulously studied by Thomas.

  -Billy, do you have anything to say? - his father asked.

  -Yes, I have the idea of releasing some collectible cards for the Sm Dunk series after showg some other characters. I like the idea of having cooperation in selling collectible cards simir to baseball cards, - Billy said to Peter and Tom, looking up from his burger.

  -You publish them without any invenience. Meanwhile, we'll think about possible activities that would be us as a pany and brand iure. If you have an idea, just let us know! - Peter enced.

  -Alright, - Billy replied, returning to his burger, ears atteo anything else.

  They poured anss of wine, now halfway through.

  -That's good, then there's no problem. We've reviewed the faxed copy of the tract; it's a pleasure to meet you both, - Peter Rubbe said.

  -Yes, we've read the tract. It's a pleasure to sign a cooperation agreement with Nike. I'll send it over whehing's finished. For now, we'll work on Nike's advertising as much as we , -Thomas said.

  -Very well. The initial payment of one million dolrs will be deposited at the end of this month, in te 1990, with the payment at the venience of fulfilling the agreement, - Tom, the other part of Nike, more responsible for the anizational side, stated. - It's the mistrust of closing a business of such capital without any invenience! -

  -Why was everything so easy, Dad? - Billy asked.

  -I don't know, son. One reason could be the eagero close the deal, - Thomas replied.

  For that reason, they would be eating into the market before it even maed itself. Maybe Adidas will be at my door month. Billy thought. But it doesn't matter anymore; an exclusivity agreement was signed. Winning now is more ve. It's possible that with the bidding of two sports pa py, the sum of advertising may increase, but I'm just a small ipany, backed by a ipany with only a few years in the market.

  ...