-So, Nike behaved well and didn't cause any issues, - Mike Richardson questioned over the phone hours later.
-Yes, they had a clear goal and didn't seek any apparent benefit. Is something strange? Are all negotiations this smooth? - Billy said.
-They aren't. Regarding your request to create a comic about Terminator, I spoke with my contact, and James Cameron gave the green light for the script to be adapted into a movie just as you proposed, - Richard said.
-Wow, you talked to James Cameron? - Billy exclaimed.
-It might sound like that. His assistant handles calls, and his agent deals with these kinds of matters, - Mike said.
-If you're working on the story, when will the comic be ready? - Mike asked.
-I'm working on it, but I'm struggling a bit with the respective plot. I'll show you the product when it's ready, - Billy said.
-That's good. Mrs. Halle added that she wants to have approval before it's produced, - Mike said.
-Any issues with that Mrs. Halle? - Billy questioned.
-No, just that James Cameron is usually demanding with the Terminator franchise. With your skills, there shouldn't be any problems. Remember the 40, 30, and 30 that I mentioned? With the popularity of the series, 40 percent of the revenue goes to James Cameron, 30 percent covers Dark Horse Comics' commission and distribution expenses, and 30 percent is profit for the writer. It's good earnings; Terminator is a series that sells quite well, with sales numbers reaching 50,000 per issue, - Mike commented.
-Alright, Mike. I'd like to move forward with the sponsorship for advertising. It could premiere alongside Pinky and the Brain, Samurai Jack, and Hellboy, - Billy said.
-The Pinky and the Brain series will be produced with color issues of 30 pages, especially enhanced, as a way to catch the attention of Warner Entertainment and Amblin Entertainment. Lux Animation has high hopes for the sale of this series to expand its coffers. Samurai Jack and Hellboy are different identities, with intriguing stories developed over five seasons of thirteen episodes in their animated series. The comics serve as a means to build relationships to create animation and reprint many more series. Terminator is a 1991 movie; in a comic containing shots from the film elevated to the square. Setting the future as an introductory prologue to spice up the volume, referencing both the past and the future, all done before James Cameron starts tweaking the effects, will be part of Billy's comic. Even if I have to cancel the Samurai Jack series for next summer, publishing the Terminator series is of vital importance. For the plan in the film industry, it's said that nepotism in Hollywood is evident, and relationships are an important part of an actor's development. Scaling from scratch is a long and tedious process, - Billy explained.
-Your drawings are amazing; I'm eager to see what design you'll come up with. I'm a faithful fan of Ghost in the Shell/Yu Yu Hakusho. It's on par with Akira, Astro Boy, and Sandman. I've read up to volume 8 that you advanced here in Oregon. I look forward to seeing the project drawn in advance, - Mike said.
-I'll consider it. It's better to surprise you instead of you knowing the entire course of the story beforehand, - Billy said.
-Hahaha, little Billy, don't keep me waiting too long, - Mike joked.
-Mike, no spoilers until June, - Billy said.
-Don't forget the Comic-Con at the end of August in San Diego. Last year started with the Eisner Award for best artist, best series, best editor, best artist, and writer, - Mike reminded.
-Among everything, you're your writer, editor, artist, and draftsman, all in one, -Mike said.
-Is there a chance to beat the big two? - Billy asked.
-It's complicated. DC and Marvel's design is a massive market share, and their teams are among the best in the market, but there's a possibility of winning one award over the others, - Mike said.
The award typically garners some recognition within the reader community. Positive success statistics are a significant draw for Americans seeking new entertainment reads, and even for entertainment companies. Those winners have evident popularity indices; word of mouth tends to spread among characters willing to invest.
-Those are fanciful ideas, Mike, but it wouldn't hurt to win the Best Artist award, - said Billy.
-Speaking of which, DC recently reached out to me, asking about purchasing Captain Atom. They're willing to shell out 20,000 dollars, - said Mike.
-It's too little. Captain Atom will help me later. Restarting the series isn't a bad idea. Tell me, what do you think about creating a world similar to Marvel or the Justice League, infusing culture and suspended animation into a new world written by our own hands to compete with the previous worlds created by those pioneers who marked the Golden Ages? - said Billy.
-It's interesting, - said Mike. - I'll pass on the negative response. But superheroes are being revalued. There's no need to focus on a bygone era. The novelty and intrigue of your series focused on everything but superheroes, is one of your strong points. The focus is shifting, and the stories are becoming more compelling. -
A shrewd comment from Mike Richardson, albeit mistaken because there are many mediums in which superheroes are loved and will continue to be loved. But he's not wrong; television series, beloved for the intriguing stories they can represent, don't lie.
-I'll think about it, Mike, - said Billy.
Certainly, the ambiguous world of superhero series has been lost, and new productions have become engrossed in different and unimaginable universes. - thought Billy - who, knowing the future, knows that series like V for Vendetta, Sandman, The Walking Dead, Saga... are many revalued ideas straying from the classic superhero formula.
For now, Terminator is a step in the carefully planned series he has for the next thirty years.