Chapter 191: Cleaning and Making Messes
The entire Anti-Creed Alliance could charge for the all-out attack that Kevin Eastman had envisioned but it had way too damaging consequences to be acted out.
Alexander Creed just being a kid is way too accursed for many reasons. The boy's creativity and talent are way too monstrous if his creation credits were to be believed.
His relatively small age was just way too ripe for any form of corporate and business-related matters to be associated with him. It was amazing if the boy was just relegated to the positive side of the competitive industry but it was quite troublesome if the boy was thrust into all the negatives.
In a sense, attacking Alexander the Kid can be likened to a hot potato that no one wanted to hold on to for much longer.
There was no stopping the Anti-Creed Alliance from doing what they had been doing but their identities need to be considered. With many of its members being tied to comic books and toys, the importance of appealing to children can be seen.
How could any of them think of continuing to be aggressive to Creed Comics and Alexander Creed when that means of livelihood, reputations, and business could be at stake? How could they still sell to children when they are exposed to being child harassers?
Frankly, it just wasn't in their best interest to continue haggling and messing with Creed Comics any further than they already are.
Some might think of it as a cowardly or demotivating move, however, it was the best course of action for them. After all, most of their motivation for the entire thing was just envy and whatnot anyways.
It's not like their grudge with the Creeds was that deep to the point where they have to bleed each other out towards destruction.
Of course, not everyone was petty-fuelled like the big business-ed members. The people who really had beef to settle with Creed Comics were the conceptualizers of TMNT, RoboCop, and Predator.
It was unfortunate that their sway was not big in the alliance and they became bound by the very decision that they thought would help them out.
The Mirage duo and the screenwriter foursome had to keep their trails and grievances even deeper down as their bigger alliance members kept a close eye on them. It was unfortunate to be unwitting pawns and Eastman's rallying outburst did nothing to change that scenario.
With most of their decision already set on 'not blowing things any further', the Anti-Creed Alliance quickly employed the solution that they collectively decided on.
The problem with their 'not blowing things any further' plan is that they had practically pulled the trigger first and started the entire commotion with guns blazing.
Even worse was Ace Attorney shedding the antagonizing spotlight towards them. Gunpowder was already spilled by their ablazed guns. Any decision they make could very well spark and "blow" things some more!
How does one de-commotion such a messy commotion has already been done? This was something the Anti-Creed Alliance had to answer and it was fortunate that they had it.
As for what the answer was... it was simply to do the reverse of what they had done.
Since they attacked with guns blazing, they simply retreated with silencers and plugs stuck into their barrels. They even tried hard to sweep the strewn gunpowders clean and tried to erase evidence that they were even there in the first place.
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The effect could be noted by the public.
In just a manner of days and for whatever reason, the attacks on Alexander Creed and Creed Comics suddenly became much quieter. It was way too quiet that people were starting to miss those irritating victim acts.
The print media and radio broadcast media that had been clamoring about Creed Comics' various atrocities stopped mentioning or publishing anything related to it.
Before, they were the ones that always brings it up and blows it up to whatever great proportions that they wanted it to be.
Now, they were silent and ignorant. It is as if they forgot about that Creed matter or considered that it hadn't existed at all.
Anyways, it was a weird shift and it was impossible to not be noticed. Even Creed Comics had to note and analyze why the competition was trying to act as if nothing was happening.
Was the Ace Attorney reversal that effective that the enemy had to tuck their tails in between their legs?
Alexander wasn't too convinced with that though. Fortunately, the 5th Ace Attorney issue was set to be released and the new reactions of the competition can be gauged from that.
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Ace Attorney #5 kicked off where everything left off. Although grandpa Kreid was cleared off the plagiarism fines and little Aleksei was saved from a sad outcome, the comic readers still wanted Marvella and her cohorts to get the punishment they deserve.
Although the comic industry was now heavily siding with Creed Comics for the lawsuit ordeals, they still can't help much in the lawful procession overall.
As such, they just wanted the Ace Attorney comic to show the fate of the evil schemers albeit it may just be in comic form.
Fortunately, issue #5 did just that and satisfied that pent-up frustration they had from not being able to truly help Creed out and the agonizing wait due to the 4th issue's cliffhanger.
The 5th issue simply showed Marvella Surprise and broker Eastman Laird losing their credibility in the comic strip community. Of course, they were now up for the trials as well and face the wrath of all the creators they've previously taken advantage of.
Detective Charlton, the boyfriend was not spared from those trials as well. The man even lost his job as a detective and prospects in the police force.
As for Bald Archie-bald, his dereliction hadn't suffered much but he was still in big trouble for lying while being under oath.
The Twin Bully group's notoriety was finally given light by the entire incident and the chances that Haz Bros, Thomas Bros, Newmer, and Miner causing trouble had become nil.
Perhaps the IPC lawyer had it much easier but the IPC law firm's high ratings have been affected by the court loss. The man was set up to go against Phoenix Wright in future renditions.
Aside from that antagonistic IPC lawyer, Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth was introduced as well to set up a friendship/rivalry that the readers can look forward to.
All in all, this 5th issue wasn't as gripping as the others but it pleased many people for the evil punishments that were laid.
The Creed fans can only hope now that the fate of the fictional counterparts would happen to the real-world parallels.
Of course, aside from ill-wishing the enemy, they put attention to little Aleksei, who was the extension of their favorite creator.
"Look at cute little Aleksei smiling! He's happy now and would probably make other comic strips as influentially inspiring as Calvin and Hobbes."
"Isn't Aleksei the kid version and representation of Mr. Alexander Creed? If we can help him get through the annoying lawsuits, then he can probably continue to produce much more inspiring stories for us."
"You're right. I hope that those messy and annoying companies would just fuck off and have Mr. Creed smile happily and brilliantly like the cute and handsome little Kreid."
"Aren't they already quieting down now? Do they already know that they're guilty and save themselves from the major embarrassment?"
"Haha! Probably! I guess Mr. Alexander Creed did it again! A bloody smiley beat the DC-Moore thing and Ace Attorney beat an elaborate scheme of many schemers!"
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If the Anti-Creed Alliance heard the public's praise and fascination for Alexander and Aleksei, then they would spurt blood.
If the ignorant Creed fans think that their favorite creator was shiny and sunny, then they better think again.
For the now Alexander-enlightened Anti-Creed Alliance, the boy was a cold monster whose every action was completely calculated to the point that they didn't even dare to casually fight back!
Just being an untouchable 'little boss' wasn't enough, his comic book creating tactics seems to just be directed at where it would hurt most.
The boy probably knew that their retreat, silence, and forgetting tactic meant that they can't haphazardly argue back.
As such, publishing a title like 'Ace Attorney #5: Get What You Deserve' was to probably mess with them!
How infuriating it was for one side to be keen on mess-cleaning while the other seems keen on mess-making?