Chapter 78: Lurker Contingency

With the continuous rise of Creed sales and Creed fan excitement, the attention to everything Creed was at an all-time high in the comic book industry.

Surveys, story-making participation, and exciting poster takeaways were becoming the niche community's norm.

Even Big Two and other comic publisher fans were being swept up by the wave as they followed the majority and enjoyed the refreshing wave.

Customers were like a herd of sheep where the strays felt compelled to follow the grouped-up huddlers as they breezed through the grassy plains.

Even the Big Two extremists couldn't maintain their wolfish demeanor in front of the tidal wave of sheep that sought premium Creed grass.

The extremist wolves eventually adapted into a wolf in sheep's clothing strategy to blend in. It was too bad that it may not be long until their disguise became too real that they became impressionable sheep as well.

Marvel and DC that represent the 'mainstream' Big Two along with Creed, Archie, Comico, Eclipse, Charlton, Pacific, and all others that represent 'indie' publishers were essentially one of the same.

They tell visual stories and appeal to everyone that wants their cheap throwaway stories and exciting characters.

If the nerds, geeks, teens, kids, and parents found either of their published issues fun, then there was no way that they'd stop enjoying other company's releases.

As such nothing was stopping Big Two extremist fans from being fans of Creed Comics themselves.

Everyone who was familiar with the market knew the inevitability of things. And so, if their fans can't stop the ever-expanding Creed trend, then the companies themselves have to step up.

The lurkers have lurked on for long enough and it was time for them to come up with countermeasures to not get swept up by the Creed wave and hopefully takeover that tsunami-esque lead.

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In the headquarters of the Big Two's DC, comic book executives and editors were gathered as they analyzed what could be done and what to do.

"What are we going to do with Creed?" An editor sighed dished out the harsh facts. "It is now cementing its number 2 market status by overtaking us."

An executive scoffed and wanted to share their troubles with their Marvel rival. "Marvel would probably be weeping as well if Creed opens up to the newsstand market. The only way Marvel remains the market champion is due to their Secret Wars having a CCA standard."

"Can't we use the fact that Creed Comics doesn't use the Comics Code Authority to shut them down?" A devious editor deviously proposed.

"Why not? We can just rally some parent organizations and have them denounce Creed for being their children's brainwashers. I heard that a lot of complaints are being collated and ready for a protest movement."

"It would be stupid to act on that." A clearheaded comic book executive voiced out. "Those snobby parents won't probably stop with Creeds and turn their attention to DC as well. Don't you remember that painful comic-burning movement?"

"But we've already moved past that with the CCA as our shield!" The devious editor clapped back with facts.

"It is still pointless though." The sighing editor sighed again. "You should know that every Creed issue has their disclaimers and even have its own rating system."

"You mean that useless disclaimer that probably won't amount to anything or that movie rating-like system that goes through G, PG, and all that nonsense." An executive pointed out Creed weirdness. "Like that would be accepted by the courts."

"Sorry to spring it up on you but a Creed legal representative has requested for the Creed rating system and the disclaimer to be made official." The sighing editor could only sigh again. "Before we could make countermeasures, it has already been approved."

"What?! So does this mean that aside from the CCA, the Creeds finally have a defense for themselves? How did some of those people at the court even approve such a ridiculous thing?"

An executive was perplexed at this development. "The CCA creation had so much fanfare that it would be impossible for a Creed age rating system to be made happen."

"Legal forms just have to be filed and it seems that a man named Sullivan Creed has a lot of connections to speed up the proceedings." The 'sighing' editor could not sigh now as everything was already set.

"Who is this Sullivan Creed? All I know is that blasted Alexander Creed that is scarily publishing comic books left and right, even multiple times and nonstop."

The executives were ticked at the inevitability of everything and they were also quite curious at another Creed person that was pulling some strings.

The informed 'sighing' editor could only tell them what he knew. "From what I heard, Mr. Sullivan is the true owner of Creed Comics, and the Alexander that we all know about is just his nine-year-old grandson that he left the company management to."

"What kind of joke is that? Just say that this Sullivan person is the true mastermind. Don't dabble on misleading facts." Of course, no one would accept being beaten by a nine-year-old so they dismissed such hilarity.

Even 'sighing' editor knew the bogus of that 'fake' information so he moved on. "What can we do to fight against the Creeds then?"

"Why don't we set up our own surveys as well? Maybe we can ask the fans to name Superman's moves." The devious editor changed his protest strategy since it would be no use. Copying the enemy's strategy was the better devious choice now.

"Are you stupid? Would the fans even accept things such as Superman's SuperPunch or the already established Freeze Breath and Heat Vision?" The 'sighing' editor really disliked the devious editor.

"How about we let the fans name the next goon that Batman would catch or to let them name the next man that Flash would save?" The devious editor pushed on.

"Then what? Batman would have to say your under arrest 'STEVE', get ready for jail 'STEVE', and lookout 'STEVE'." The sighing editor really can't tolerate his competitor's stupidity.

While Creed Comics' survey questions were substantial and integral, it would be detrimental if DC would survey about pointless things such as power move naming and the name of a forgettable goon.

It was too bad that these lurking and lazy executives seem to like the DC survey idea and devious editor's move naming and goon naming became their questions.

'Sighing' Editor could only sigh again as he foresaw how their DC copycat move would fail and how their limping company sales would get another setback.

'Sighing' editor could only move on already and focus on the 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' pitch that he is fighting for.

At least when the lurker executives and devious editor finally realized the errors and failure of their ways, 'sighing' editor could fight back against Marvel's Secret Wars and Creed's dominance through a creative concept that would change the flow of the DC universe as it moves forward.