Chapter 259: Theatrical July’s Curtain Close

Wednesday. July 31st of 1985.

This could be one of the usual days as another witty 'Calvin and Hobbes' joke had popped for the day.

Of course, it is also new comic book day with comic book publishing companies popping up fresh content for the comic book-reading populace to read.

Granted, there are a lot of other things that happened on this day like weddings, marriages, deaths, births, and whatnot. Perhaps they are events of bigger importance than a strip in the funny pages or comic book publications.

Anyways, since Creed is a major proponent and its business is in comics... 'Calvin and Hobbes' and comic book publications are something they take seriously.

Of course, they also take a certain movie seriously as well... and have kept track of its records to this very day!

That film is called Back to the Future! A film that Creed Pictures produced and is part of the whole Creed ensemble as well.

Anyhows with how the film has been doing, they only have to look at its past to see glimpses of its future.

$11,152,500 for its first 3 days in the theaters.

$20,714,477. This was Back to the Future's second-week box office. With more than double the days... it was quite good to be near double compared to its 3-day debut.

$22,642,485 was what came for its third week with an obvious increase from what it had been.

$21,542,370 is what it came to be for its fourth week from the 22nd to the 28th of July. A decline could be noted here... and it was no doubt in due part to National Lampoon's arrival and the array of slanders that the film had gone through.

Garnering $76,051,832 so far... and to complete its whole month's journey... $4,691,665 was added from the box office on 29th, 30th, and the tentative of this day- the 31st of July.

To that end... a total of $80,743,497 in box office for the whole of Theatrical July as Alexander calls it!

With this high box office record being set in July... it is already indicative of what Back to the Future would be like in the coming months!

-----

With these numbers being set in stone... a celebratory mood had swept up CREED HQ on this day.

Granted, it was just a culminatory final day to the celebratory mood that they had throughout this month.

Huzzahs and hurrays were needed all around... but given their little's propensity to not do that... maybe they'll have to hold it in.

They're adults... how could they be in an excited and partying mood when a child could just be cool and calm throughout all of this?

Granted, at the start of this month they did see their little boss's rare smile but that was about it. Well... mostly it.

After all, there was also the rumored nervousness before the smile as well.

However, the little boss' nervous ticks were rarer and perhaps even something that only his grandfather could notice.

It's quite understandable to panic or be tense when it comes to being a major player in an upcoming movie to be released in theaters... especially when it's your first time doing it.

Anyone else in that position would be stressed... and a number of people would probably be crumbling. Only their little boss can bear it without it being noticeable to anybody else.

Even they, themselves, as just employees under the Creed banner, were swept up in a nervous fever... and had been quite sloggy as they worked but the little boss was the same as always. If the old boss didn't blab, they wouldn't even know there was something.

Then there was the unforgettable chill week as well.

The publicity department under Mr. Advertisement had to tread lightly during all that... as Alexander Creed's secret needed to be kept while his name and achievements should be the only ones to be spread.

Fortunately, they were able to pull off such ridiculous tasks... and the chilling gloom receded to the calm indifference they were familiar with.

With the ups and downs of Back to the Future-related news... from the President's BttF vouching, to DeLorean's inventor and car fanfare, up to the array of attacking movements that were against BttF's success.

They half-expected to see more shades of emotions from their little boss... but wonder-kid had pretty much taken it all with stride.

Little boss's mood reacted accordingly... and that was calm, collected, and static-ly indifferent as usual.

their little boss' countenance and oozed charm had their own ups and downs as well.

From cool, calm, and indifferent and then to cold, emotionless, and detached. Vice versa from there and sometimes a mix of any of it. It's not like there are many distinctions between them at all.

However, it was clear that none of them was the celebrating kind. The smile should have been a sign but that didn't appear anymore...

As celebratory as they should be... they'd lose their adult advantage if they do it! That was pretty much the advantage they had against their little boss and they should cherish it.

As it would seem... aside from keeping track of their jobs and Back to the Future's theatrical projects... a purview of emotions was being noted as well.

At the end of all this though, it was completely clear that their little boss was built differently.

-----

"Oh what a month it has been." Old Sullivan commented as he looked back on it. They'd made a lot of advancements and they were in a pretty good spot.

Even though it had only been a month... it was quite eventful and full of experiences to cherish and learn from.

Alexander's sentiment was the same as his grandfather but he was more inclined to move on from it.

In all honesty, as productive Theatrical July had been... it was quite turbulent to his liking as well.

As much as he took pride in himself for being a calm man... his entire past life hadn't exactly prepared him for the extremes of pop culture.

It was easy for him to acclimatize into comic books, comic strips, and toy designs since it was a straightforward product-making like programming... and he just had to plunder well.

Film was a totally different level than he expected... as it was more public and engaging than comic-making had been.

Comic books can accrue buyers. Comic strips are an out-there product that people would find hard to escape from.

Cinema was a total crowd-pleaser and popularity contest that had way too many factors to keep track of.

It was also a limited-time engagement that spans a theatrical run. One wrong move and the product could be a failure.

He'd already dealt with criticisms and perks of comic-making... but involvement in a theatrically-released film seems to have its way of hitting a person differently.

Nervousness, smiles, gloom, and distaste for the political association. Sinking in any of this could spell doom and fortunately, he had gathered himself back when it came to nitpickers and slanderers.

Anyways, from all of this... he had to admit that he wasn't as prepared as he thought he was.

Now that he knew what film had to offer though... he could better adjust himself the next time around.

Anyways, there was still tomorrow to come and a lot to be prepared for. After all, they were still at their first film endeavor and there were still things to do.

"What's on your mind, Alex?" His quiet and the calculative glint in his eyes was noticed by Old Sullivan though and the old man made some assumptions. "Are you worried about all those last-minute protests and outcry of complaints?"

"Something like that... but my thoughts are more on moving forward from it." Alexander stayed true to his forward thinking. "Our next major agenda is coming up tomorrow. Are the preparations ready?"

"I always expected August to be another eventful month... but I didn't notice that we are already on the cusp of it already." Old Sullivan had this to say though.

"I hope that means good news, grandpa?" Alexander really put quite some importance on this.

"Haha! Of course, everything is good." Old Sullivan appeased this almost-always serious grandchild of his. "As soon as the first of August comes around... Creed Entertainment's focus would be in SDCC with comic books, toys, merchandise, our first film... and then set some ground for music and animation!"

"Oh what a month it would be!" Old Sullivan had high expectations for it but he still turned on his little partner. "Any expectations on our August endeavors?"

"If it's ready as you say it is, then my expectations are the same as yours." Alexander only had that to blandly say but the glint in his eyes also meant that he was quite looking forward to it.

-----

Anyways, as abrupt of an end is that... the curtains of Theatrical July would always close eventually.

Whether it be the drama of life or the suspense of the cinemas... it was a month that is theatrically focused as can be...

With its curtains closing though... a new play is set to take the stage and perhaps August is when the next thing would pop up!