Chapter 10: Strategic Recruitment

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Dear readers,

I want to express my deepest gratitude for your support. Thanks to you and to me as well 😊, we have just finished the first ten chapters of this adventure. Your enthusiasm and encouragement have been an invaluable source of inspiration. I hope you will continue to accompany me through the dozens of chapters to come. I wish you an excellent read and invite you to respond to the survey at the end of this chapter. Your feedback is essential to continue improving this story. Thank you again and see you soon for the next installment!

With all my gratitude,

Your favorite author

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**William's Point of View**

Seated at my desk, I scan the scattered documents before me. The daily reports indicate that the expansion of the production chain, thanks to the merger and expansion, has brought our profit to $7.5 per book. The results are promising, but the road ahead remains long and fraught with challenges. Focus is paramount. Even if we earn over $7 per book, we need to sell them , because regardless of how much they report us and as long as they're not sold, they're just costing us money.

There's a knock on the door, and Charlize Theron enters with a natural elegance. At 21, she's a student from South Africa on a scholarship to study management in America. When she came in for a secretary interview, I couldn't ignore the striking coincidence. Charlize, one of my favorite Hollywood stars from my previous world, stood before me not as a celebrity, but as a talented and competent student. Her slender figure and natural confidence made her the perfect candidate. While her celebrity past adds a special touch, it's primarily her skills and potential that convinced me.

Charlize, dressed in a pristine black suit, strides in with a thick dossier in her hands. Her blonde hair frames her finely chiseled face, and her blue eyes are determined. She approaches the desk and places the dossier in front of me, her expression serious yet serene.

"William, as you predicted, Linda, our editorial department head, has jumped ship and taken six out of eight editors and thirty writers with her. They've joined Disney Publishing," she announces in a calm yet firm voice.

I lift my gaze from the documents, unperturbed and cool. "Very well. It was predictable. Her lack of ambition and resistance to change were obstacles. We'll find someone more competent to replace her."

Charlize nods, visibly relieved by my reaction. "Linda couldn't stand the idea of you getting so involved in editorial operations. She wanted total autonomy, and Disney seized the opportunity. They encouraged them to resign in hopes of destabilizing us and buying Majestic Publishing later. They know you have great influence in Canada and on the East Coast of the United States, markets where they sorely lack presence."

So it was indeed them targeting us these past three years, and now they're not even hiding it. Having one of the Big Five as our first opponent is quite a start.

I smile, disdainful of this low blow. "Disney is playing a dangerous game. They don't realize that their stunt only makes me more determined. Majestic Publishing will never sell, not as long as I'm here. We'll show them what we're capable of and why we're called Majestic."

I pause for a moment, my eyes fixed on the dossier before me. Linda's betrayal was predictable, but it doesn't make the situation any less irritating. Her resistance to change was a hindrance to our company. She rejected my story simply because of its originality and refused to follow instructions. And now, Disney thinks they can exploit that weakness to destabilize us. They underestimate our resilience and ability to bounce back.

"We need to act quickly," I say, breaking the silence. "Let's find a replacement for Linda who shares our vision and ambition. Someone capable of leading our editorial department with boldness and innovation."

Charlize takes a note, her expression serious. "I've already started convincing Nina Jacobson to join us, although I don't see how a small employee like her can take charge of the entire department," she says, perplexed.

"Good," I reply, leaning forward slightly, elbows on the desk. "Don't worry, I think she'll manage," I say with a smile. This will be my little revenge on Disney.

Nina Jacobson worked wonders in my previous world, producing hits like "Hunger Games" and "Crazy Rich Asians". But in this world, she went unnoticed, only an assistant editor in the backseat, discriminated against because of her gender. Her potential is immense, and Disney has underestimated this hidden gem. Here, she's more of an editor than a producer, and her talent can transform our company.

Charlize smiles slightly. "I knew you'd say that."

Charlize nods, then continues: "I also have good news. The authors and artists you invited have accepted your offer."

I relax slightly, satisfied. "Excellent."

I lean back, arms crossed. "And about the authors and artists, that's great news. Having such talent on board will allow us to redefine the standards of a new industry. I want you to organize a meeting tomorrow. Treat them well and make them feel at home; they'll be the core of our company."

When I met Charlize a month ago, I realized that I could never replicate all the masterpieces of my old world in this world alone, even in seven lifetimes. So I decided to hire the former artists and creators of these masterpieces in this timeline. I started investigating, calling detectives, and, supplemented with my own knowledge of the internet, I was able to find a good dozen of very talented artists who left their mark on their era and pop culture forever. It cost me $1.7 million in detective fees alone to find them, but it was easy to convince them to join me since they were really in shitty, very poorly paid, and uninteresting jobs. I take another look at the list on my desk:

1. Stan Lee (Author)

 - Best achievement: Co-creator of Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Fantastic Four, Black Panther, and Daredevil.

2. Jack Kirby (Author and Illustrator)

 - Best achievement: Co-creator of the Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Hulk. Creator of the New Gods for DC Comics.

3. Steve Ditko (Author and Illustrator)

 - Best achievement: Co-creator of Spider-Man and Doctor Strange.

4. Frank Miller (Author and Illustrator)

 - Best achievement: "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" and "Daredevil: Born Again". Creator of "Sin City" and "300".

5. Alan Moore (Author)

 - Best achievement: "Watchmen", "V for Vendetta", "Swamp Thing", and "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen".

6. Neil Gaiman (Author)

 - Best achievement: Creator of "The Sandman".

7. Chris Claremont (Author)

 - Best achievement: X-Men writer, including "The Dark Phoenix Saga" and "Days of Future Past".

8. Grant Morrison (Author)

 - Best achievement: "Batman", "All-Star Superman", "Doom Patrol", and "The Invisibles".

9. Geoff Johns (Author)

 - Best achievement: Relaunch of Green Lantern and The Flash. Major story arcs like "Infinite Crisis" and "Blackest Night".

10. Jerry Siegel (Author)

 - Best achievement: Co-creator of Superman.

11. Kevin Eastman (Author and Illustrator)

 - Best achievement: Co-creator of the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles".

12. Peter Laird (Author and Illustrator)

 - Best achievement: Co-creator of the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles".

13. John Romita Sr. (Illustrator)

 - Best achievement: Known for his work on "The Amazing Spider-Man".

14. Neal Adams (Illustrator)

 - Best achievement: Revitalization of "Batman" and "Green Arrow" with a realistic and detailed style.

15. Jim Lee (Illustrator)

 - Best achievement: Work on "X-Men", "Batman: Hush", and "Justice League". Co-founder of Image Comics.

16. Alex Ross (Illustrator)

 - Best achievement: "Marvels" and "Kingdom Come" with his realistic and painted style.

17. Todd McFarlane (Author and Illustrator)

 - Best achievement: "The Amazing Spider-Man" and creator of "Spawn". Co-founder of Image Comics.

18.George Pérez (Illustrator)

 - Best achievement: "The New Teen Titans", "Crisis on Infinite Earths", and "Wonder Woman".

19. Joe Shuster (Illustrator)

 - Best achievement: Co-creator of Superman.

I mainly focused on American comics because I have plans for them.

Charlize nods, her eyes shining with determination. "I'll take care of it immediately."

I smile in return, feeling a new wave of enthusiasm wash over me. "Perfect. Let's schedule a meeting for tomorrow. We need to start working on these projects right away. Every minute counts."

Charlize nods. "I'll take care of it. See you tomorrow, William."

She leaves, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I feel ready to face any challenges ahead. With a talented and dedicated team, Majestic Publishing will not only survive but thrive. Disney and all the others will soon see that we're stronger than ever.

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This chapter was particularly complex to write, but I really enjoyed creating it. I added Charlize Theron as a new character to the story. What do you think? Feel free to suggest other female characters for future chapters.

No. 1 Megan Fox

No. 2 Scarlett Johansson

No. 3 Cameron Diaz

No. 4 Keira Knightley

No. 5 Another suggestion

Thank you again, and see you soon for the next appointment!