Chapter 61: Demand Outstrips Supply
2023-05-02 Author: Yue Shang Xintou
"...Technicolor, Inc. invented a color film shooting technique that converted black and white films into color through three-color printing. Walt Disney is currently considering applying it to animation production to create the world's first color animated film..."
As Colin continued to flip through the newspaper, news about Walt Disney caught his eye.
At this time, Walt Disney had already started to make a name for himself.
A few years ago, Steamboat Willie premiered at a New York theater, achieving tremendous success. It was the world's first fully synchronized sound animation.
Steamboat Willie laid a solid foundation for Walt Disney's subsequent development. Walt, the founder, even designated November 18, 1928—the film's release date—as Mickey's birthday, symbolizing the birth of Disney.
Animation?
Colin had indeed thought about creating animation related to Superman.
However, limited by the era's development, animation technology during the Great Depression was far from as mature as in later generations.
The production cycle for an animation was often astonishingly long.
For example, Walt Disney's masterpiece Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, a long-form animated film that would be released a few years later, took a total of three years to produce from start to finish. During the film's production, Disney not only had to contend with technical obstacles but also overcome financial difficulties.
It is said that Walt Disney invested a total of 1.5 million to complete Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs back then, but the film's final completion was still nowhere in sight.
Currently, The Messenger and Messenger Comics in Colin's hands had brought him considerable profits, but they were far from enough to support his independent production of Superman animation.
Perhaps, he could consider cooperating with Walt Disney?
Looking at the newspaper's report on Disney, thoughts swirled in Colin's mind.
However, he quickly dismissed this idea.
At least not now. At this time, even Walt Disney was still in the exploratory phase of animation production.
Furthermore, with the success of Steamboat Willie, Walt Disney was clearly focusing more energy on the creation of his animated characters. At this point, even if Colin approached them seeking cooperation, Walt Disney would very likely refuse. They were already too busy with their current animations to find time for others.
Therefore, he needed to wait.
For the current Superman, animation was not the top priority.
Silently suppressing the idea of producing Superman animation, Colin continued to flip through the newspaper in his hand.
The reason he so frequently read the newspaper, aside from gathering information, was also to collect inspiration and material for his comic creations.
As a comic that was serialized weekly in The Messenger.
How to create the plots for Superman was also a test for Colin.
Considering the characteristics of the Great Depression era, many of the Superman comic stories were not suitable for this period.
Especially many 'correct' stories from later generations were, paradoxically, not correct during the Great Depression.
Fortunately, with the unlocking of [Super Brainpower], although this power was similarly restricted in the Main World.
However, relying on the convenience brought by his powers.
Colin consistently maintained a certain standard regarding creative inspiration for the Superman Comics.
At the same time, he would also incorporate hot topics from the Great Depression era into the comics. This method of breaking the illusion gave readers an immersive feeling that Superman was right there beside them.
It was highly popular among readers, with many fans even writing letters, adamantly claiming that Superman was near them.
His aunt, who lived far away in Washington, had once seen Superman on a Farm.
"Superman syndrome," also known as the "Clark Effect," was a psychological phenomenon that emerged during the Great Depression. Due to certain widespread stories, people lost the distinction between reality and illusion, mistaking the stories they saw in comic newspapers for real events.
According to a survey by Time Magazine, many people at that time believed they had seen the real Superman appear in reality. The subjects of these eyewitness accounts were either their friends or themselves; in short, Superman seemed to be everywhere in that era.
...
At the Messenger newspaper office, as Colin was intently flipping through the news on the newspaper.
Harry Donenfeld pushed open the ajar door and entered.
At this moment, his face was beaming with pride, completely devoid of his past anxiety and unease.
"The distribution of Messenger Comics' Inaugural Issue has exceeded 290,000 copies. It's time to publish the second issue."
Although the appearance of piracy had a certain impact on the distribution of Messenger Comics, the sales of the comics still greatly outstripped demand.
Perhaps, some people might find this difficult to understand.
But during the Great Depression, newspapers and magazines became the most important forms of entertainment for people, second only to radio.
The 10-cent price per copy of Messenger Comics might not have been cheap, but this did not hinder more people, especially comic enthusiasts, from eagerly pursuing and loving the comics.
Not to mention, Messenger Comics only set its single copy price at 10 cents. This didn't mean it had to be bought by only one person; Superman readers who were strapped for cash would often gather in groups of two or three, pool their money together to buy a copy of Messenger Comics from a newsstand, and then take turns reading it.
"So, the first issue of The Messenger is almost sold out?"
Putting down the newspaper in his hand, Colin glanced at the impatient Harry before him and casually remarked.
"Only a small number of newsstands still have a few scattered copies of Messenger Comics left. I've asked the owners of these newsstands, and while some are holding them because old customers specifically requested them, there are also owners who simply intend to keep them for their own collection."
At this point, Harry's gaze swept over Colin within the newspaper office, his eyes filled with admiration.
Originally, when Colin chose to print an additional 200,000 copies of Messenger Comics, Harry still had some hesitation, fearing that such an aggressive move would harm the comic book's original good momentum, or even worse, lead to the publishing house's bankruptcy.
Although Colin had approached them initially on the grounds of cooperation.
However, Harry and Jack both clearly understood that Colin was the true controller of Messenger Comics. Regardless of the comic's creation or distribution plans, the final decision was always made by him. Their roles were merely to provide channels and assistance for the comic's publication, printing, and distribution.
The combination of the publishing house and Messenger Newspaper was less of a cooperation and more like a disguised acquisition.
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