205 KiShin Acquisition of Marvel Comics

Upon hearing Orio Masayoshi's words, Reggy Anderson furrowed his brows and questioned, "What does this mean? I thought you were here to assist Marvel Comics in promoting its characters."

Orio Masayoshi chuckled, shaking his head. "Not quite, Mr. Anderson. Marvel Comics, in my view, lacks the standing to engage in these negotiations on an equal footing, given its current struggles."

Reggy Anderson was taken aback by Orio Masayoshi's straightforwardness.

Then, Orio Masayoshi continued, "KiShin will either acquire the full rights to specific Marvel Comics characters or purchase Marvel Comics as a whole."

Pausing to savor his steak, he added, "The decision is yours." Continuing, he remarked, "Marvel Comics couldn't even compete with DC Comics. Last year, your company's comic sales were in a significant decline, especially with Batman dominating the screens at Warner Bros."

Reggy Anderson clenched his fists slightly, acknowledging the truth in Orio Masayoshi's words, though he knew there was little he could do in response.

Orio Masayoshi chuckled, adding, "Not to mention that Marvel Comics' former writers and artists established their own company. In 1992, just the previous year, Image Comics, founded by these ex-Marvel talents, actually surpassed Marvel Comics in sales."

Reggy Anderson, upon hearing this, became so infuriated that he gritted his teeth. The recollection of Marvel's former writers and artists forming Image Comics, which subsequently outperformed Marvel in sales, fueled his anger.

Both Reggy Anderson and his secretary recognized that Orio Masayoshi was underscoring the weakness of Marvel Comics in these negotiations.

Insulted, Reggy Anderson retorted, "Do you believe KiShin is the sole interested party in acquiring our company? Marvel Comics can be sold to other companies aside from KiShin."

Orio Masayoshi simply smiled and replied, "We'll make sure our offer surpasses any from those companies... should they even exist." Observing the gravity of Reggy Anderson and his secretary's expressions, Orio Masayoshi continued, "And, Mr. Anderson, you're not the sole decision-maker for Marvel Comics; your wife and the Goodman Family still hold stakes in the company."

Gritting his teeth, Reggy Anderson demanded, "What is KiShin willing to offer for Marvel Comics?"

Sipping his wine, Orio Masayoshi recalled Marvel Comics' current net worth and stated, "Given Marvel Comics' net worth of 85 million, according to our intel, KiShin is prepared to offer 95 million dollars. How does that sound?"

Reggy Anderson and his secretary weren't surprised by Orio Masayoshi's precise knowledge of Marvel Comics' net worth, even though it was a private company.

Reggy Anderson looked at Orio Masayoshi, responding, "Let me discuss this with the executives and the Goodman family." Despite being chosen as CEO by the Goodman family, Reggy Anderson himself held shares, along with his wife, allowing him to retain his position despite perceived incompetence.

Moreover, the executives within Marvel Comics sided with Reggy Anderson, despite their evident shortcomings in their work.

Reggy Anderson chuckled quietly, curious to witness whether, after the sale to KiShin, the company could thrive under these seemingly lax executives.

Even if KiShin decided to dismiss all executives, there remained an untalented group of writers and artists in their employ. Should KiShin opt for widespread layoffs due to incompetence, it would undoubtedly attract the media's attention.

Considering KiShin's lack of experience in the comic industry, Reggy Anderson devised a plan to sell the company to KiShin and observe how well they would truly fare.

Following that, Orio Masayoshi nodded and departed the restaurant, leaving Reggy Anderson to finish the meal paid for with Orio Masayoshi's money.

"Hmph. Let's see if they can handle the comics industry," Reggy Anderson thought as he indulged in dessert, with his secretary by his side.

In Reggy Anderson's view, if KiShin believed running a comic company was easy, they were mistaken. KiShin would soon realize the challenges of competing with DC Comics, backed by Warner Bros.

Even if KiShin had a successful first film named 'Jurassic Park,' many saw it as mere luck.

---

In just a few days after Orio Masayoshi's meeting with Marvel Comics CEO Reggy Anderson, KiShin successfully acquired Marvel Comics for 100 million dollars.

Following the acquisition, Shin instructed Orio Masayoshi to observe the Marvel Comics executives and higher-ups. After a few days of observation, Orio Masayoshi reported his findings to Shin, who promptly ordered the termination of almost all Marvel Comics executives.

Not stopping there, a significant number of employees were also let go, except for the writers and artists. The workforce at Marvel Comics was nearly entirely wiped out.

Meanwhile, Publishing and Editorial Director Stan Lee believed the actions taken by the new owner of Marvel Comics were beneficial.

Initially, Stan Lee harbored concerns about the fate of Marvel Comics after its acquisition by another company, given the company's existing struggles with lethargic staff.

To his surprise, Stan Lee witnessed KiShin's decision to dismiss the lazy executives and employees, and he found himself slightly taken aback yet supportive of the move. It felt akin to eliminating detrimental elements within the company.

With KiShin's mass layoffs, they simultaneously began recruiting capable individuals to rejuvenate Marvel Comics.

During this period, the terminated executives and employees from Marvel Comics found themselves being interviewed by various media outlets.

News of KiShin's acquisition of Marvel Comics had already stirred discontent in Hollywood. However, when the media covered the extensive layoffs, criticism against KiShin spread not just within Hollywood but across the entire USA.

"So harsh... Firing people like that is such a horrible thing."

"I used to be a KiShin fan, but I lost respect for them when they did this..."

"This is just bad..."

The news triggered discussions throughout the USA, with many expressing the sentiment that KiShin had made a poor decision.

However, KiShin remained silent when approached by several media outlets seeking their side of the story. Shin advised KiShin USA to refrain from engaging with the media, emphasizing that participating in the media's tactics would only escalate the situation and elevate the case's popularity beyond its current state.

Meanwhile, Shin, having successfully acquired Marvel Comics, felt a great sense of excitement. He also expanded the CGI company to meet the demand for producing Marvel character movies.