Author: If you like to interact more and learn more details, don't skip the notes at the end of the chapters.
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Year 2014. Second Earth.
Social Media
Incredible Entry: Matt Gold Takes the Comic Book World by Storm with His New Saga Titled 'Absolute'
Matt Gold, the celebrated director and actor behind the iconic action saga 'John Wick' and modern cult classics like Seven and Gladiator, ventures into the comic book industry with his reimagining of the origins and lives of some of DC's most iconic characters, recently acquired by the company under his name, 'Dark Film'.
This move has sparked significant interest and considerable speculation among fans and industry experts, given Matt's proven track record in storytelling, character development, and blending drama and action.
The "Absolute" saga represents Matt's bold step into the superhero genre, promising a fresh and dynamic narrative that combines deep character exploration with high-stakes action.
The comics, co-created with his friends and artists Jim Lee, current DC Chief Creative Officer, and the talented Bilquis Evely, mark Matt's transition from novels, scriptwriting, directing, and acting to comics.
This transition could be a significant event for the comics industry, which has faced challenges in recent years, especially DC, about whom it's safe to say Matt Gold has just rescued iconic characters from bankruptcy or an unwanted sale to major companies, following the decline of "The New 52" after its short period of success.
Matt Gold's entry into this field brings the potential for a major shakeup, as his storytelling prowess and ability to captivate audiences could breathe new life into the comics market.
All of this, combined with his creativity and management skills, amply demonstrated in managing stocks and running his own company.
Which brings us to the question...
Are we witnessing the Renaissance of the moribund DC?
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@MattGold
I'm excited to announce my new comic series, Absolute.
Teaming up with my friend and incredible artist Jim Lee, we're bringing you a story full of action, heart, and heroism. I can't wait for you to see what we've been working on!
#DCComic #NewBeginnings
Replies:
@WonderBat102
THIS IS HUGE! I can't believe we're getting a comic from the darling Matt Gold. If it's anything like your books, we're in for a real treat.
#DCComic
@Taraios12
I hope you stay true to the old comic book format.
@Mattfangirl
Oh my god, this is going to be epic! I'm already counting down the days until the release date!
@TradTim
I'll reserve judgment until I see the first issue. Success in the novels and movies doesn't guarantee success in the comics.
I'm still #Hopeful about this #NewBeginning from #DCComic.
@HypeMan
Yes! Finally, something new in the comic book world. I can't wait to see what it's like!
@CycChris
Everyone's excited right now, but let's see if the excitement lasts. I hope this isn't just another celebrity vanity project.
@Jonera123
I miss the good old days of comics. I hope this new series doesn't forget the roots of what made comics great.
@Thefanboy
Take my money now! When can we get a look at the art and story?
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Article by HéctorBlack
Matt Gold's new comic, 'Absolute': A game changer or a flop waiting to happen?
Apparently, Matt Gold is going to create a new comic series called "Absolute," chronicling alternate origins for Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. All stories are Matt's originals, illustrated by the company's longtime artists and new talents, such as Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Bilquis Evely.
Jim Lee will continue as DC's Chief Creative Officer, reaffirming his position at the company.
Personally, I'm very excited about this new phase and somewhat sad about the end of works that didn't go anywhere, but the question is, what do you think?
Comments:
Justinlang12
Just because I'm good at writing novels doesn't mean I can master comic book storytelling. It's a different ballgame, folks.
HeroLover
I think this is great news! The comic book industry needs fresh blood and new perspectives. If anyone can give it a much-needed boost, it's Matt Gold.
John345
You know the artist and the director, give him a chance.
Timothyera12
No Reason!
I'll stop giving my full support.
lopa123
Send me a direct message explaining everything, back to the beginning?
Innovatorlan
This could be the breath of fresh air we've been waiting for!
VisionaryVic
Let's give it a chance. Matt Gold has proven himself in other media.
Who's to say he won't do the same here?
FantheGoT:
Oh my God! I just imagined a Game of Thrones-style Wonder Woman issue set in Ancient Greece. We need it now.
Mattfanatic
He's the Chosen One; he'll save the industry and bring balance to the force.
Ingrat12
Let's see if he lives up to the hype.
Mattfanatic
Oh, he will, because he's the Messiah.
Dune33fan
I agree with the stranger.
Juan333
I think this is just his consolation prize because his company lost the Oscar two months ago.
Sheriff_dad
Oh, man! Let's not even touch that topic. End of story.
ForeverLeo
Let's talk about it! Leo's performance in The Wolf of Wall Street is one of the best in ALL HISTORY. Total injustice!
Pasivoksd7
Here we go again...
Crayciboy
Is it Friday? Hello?
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It was Sunday, the afternoon sun casting a warm glow through the windows of Matt's office. The sky was a clear blue, with only a few faint clouds in sight; it was a beautiful day.
Matt put his computer aside after reading some news and comments on social media with a calm smile, then turned his attention to the man sitting across the desk.
"You know, after learning how the Oscars work, they've really lost their appeal a bit," said Jim Lee, also putting his phone aside.
"Well, Jim, the Oscars do come with prestige, so our studio needs a couple of those immediately," Matt replied, taking a sip of his drink.
"So, we're pushing to win an Oscar next year?" He acted confused and looked at Jim curiously.
"Why should we push?" he questioned with a tight smile.
"Any masterpiece from our studio that I'm not aware of?" he persisted, half-seriously, half-mockingly.
Hearing this, Jim paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on Matt's shining eyes.
"At the party at your house to celebrate the acquisition and merger of DC and Dark, I saw Joaquin. I didn't say anything, but... he was thinner, much thinner."
"Then you two got lost in a conversation for almost half an hour by the bar," Jim observed Matt before continuing.
"That can only mean you're up to something cinematic."
Matt remained silent.
"Old Slick," those were his thoughts before he laughed.
He looked at him carefully; sometimes he wasn't used to working as a team, and the old man knew more than he let on.
"I didn't know you liked watching shirtless men and spying on them for half an hour," he finally broke the silence with a joke.
"Hahahaha, good intuition, old man," he laughed happily, but Jim's face was even more flushed with anger.
"It was easy to understand. Everyone knows your 'favorite actors,' and Joaquín is one of them."
"If after gaining weight, he started losing weight like crazy and starts engaging in long conversations with you in the middle of a party, it can only mean one thing."
Matt found Jim's words quite reasonable. If he noticed, surely more people at the party would too.
"Luckily, the project remains a secret, though not for long."
Matt looked at Jim. This guy was now a friend and one of his supporters, so he didn't have to deny it.
"Absolutely, we're going all out. We have a lot of possibilities for next year," he replied confidently.
"I guess we have to spend a lot, huh?" Jim muttered.
"You'll tell me what it's about at some point, or I'll have to figure it out on my own." Jim could be quite stubborn, and he was a little annoyed by the lack of confidence. He believed he had proven himself in this partnership.
Matt looked at Jim for a second and didn't respond directly. He leaned back in his chair and lit a cigarette without hesitation.
"Jim, have you heard any news about Marvel's 'Iron Man 2' and 'X-Men Apocalypse'?"
Jim, looking slightly distracted by the sudden change of subject, blinked a few times before nodding.
"Yes, they're still in production. They're aiming for a summer release next year," he replied.
Matt knew that in this world, the MCU had been significantly delayed, so he wasn't surprised, and he already had firsthand information.
As for the culprits, he had an alternate world as the main character, without a doubt, and he and Nolan as supporting characters.
Due to an unfinished idea and a couple of conversations between the two and some alcohol at boring events, Nolan opted for another hero instead of Batman, one very similar to the Marvel Batman, who was at his peak with the X-Men, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, and Blade, which ensured a nearly unlimited budget for a good story and better distribution.
Thus was born the masterpiece of the 'Devil's Trilogy', Daredevil.
This was an alternate world; things weren't quite the same as he remembered from his past life. Even the birth of the MCU morphed into landmark trilogies and the X-Saga and F4.
Iron Man was officially another of these trilogies, but I could feel something was changing. Marvel's creatives had been having too many meetings with executives lately, the end of X-Men was approaching, and I sensed the MCU idea was already established.
Marvel had been under Disney's thumb from the beginning in this world, and DC was the one surviving alone, at least until Matt gained the resources and power to make it his own.
"Marvel's idea is quite a gamble," he muttered, almost to himself.
"What did you say?" I asked.
"I said it's quite a gamble making a movie about a second-rate superhero. The best part was that it was successful," Jim clarified.
"Remember when we talked about jumping into making live-action superhero movies too?" Matt saw his expression change.
Jim sighed deeply, tired, the lines around his eyes deepening.
"Again with this, Matthew? I thought I told you, this whole plan of yours is..."
"It's a great plan, Jim. I assure you, that 'Iron Man 2' movie and the next one will soon become something else, it's going to be a game-changer, more so than Spider-Man, Blade, the X-Men, or even Daredevil," Matt interrupted before he could dismiss the idea completely.
"Think of what we could do with today's technology, Jim. There's enormous potential; our heroes are the most beloved, for the most part."
"Think of what we'll build together... If you join... I'm still going to do it, on my own if I have to."
"And if the movie flops? And then what?" Jim challenged, raising an eyebrow.
"Our financial situation is..."
"At its best," Matt interrupted, stubbing out his cigarette in the ashtray.
"You forgot, right? You think I bought DC and gave it an initial capital injection of $300 million just to publish my new comic book ideas?" Matt's voice came out a little harsher than he intended, but seeing Jim's expression, he knew it had worked.
"The superhero genre is going to dominate this decade and the next, just as it did last."
"We can adapt these characters in a way that not only attracts comic book fans, but also the regular audience, even the most vocal critics, to the Oscars," Matt said with conviction and determination.
"I want to see it, Matt, I really do, but... Maybe we'll get the comic book fans, but what about the casual viewer? Do you really think they'll see something like that?" Jim still had traces of doubt in his mind; 15 years of inactivity in theaters gave him a lot to think about.
"Yes," Matt replied confidently.
Jim paused, considering Matt's statement with a contemplative look.
"Are you so sure?" he finally asked.
"I have a plan. It's something that's been done before, but not on this scale." It was then that Matt saw a hint of a gleam in Jim Lee's eyes.
"What is it?" he asked, leaning forward.
"Here's the plan," Matt pulled a script out of one of his drawers and handed it to Jim as a visual and study aid.
"It'll be done in phases. For example, in the first phase, we make movies for each individual superhero—the big ones, like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman."
"Each movie introduces the character and their world. These stories will be standalone, but will have connecting elements that hint at a larger universe."
"I'm sure that's also Marvel's plan with Iron Man at the helm once the trilogy concludes," Matt explained, and Jim listened intently; his skepticism gradually gave way to interest.
"And after these individual films?" he asked with some caution and curiosity.
"Once we've established the characters and their settings, we bring them together for a massive crossover event. Think of it as a team, where all these heroes join forces to face a common enemy," I explained.
"Our Grand Justice League," Matt smiled. He opened his arms with an excitement he couldn't control.
Jim's eyes also sparkled with excitement as he imagined the comic book scenes brought to the big screen, television, PCs, and even our blessed cell phones.
Jim rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"That's... ambitious, Matt."
"And incredibly complex in terms of narrative and production logistics."
"But it's doable with the right planning and the right team," Matt added quickly.
"Each film sets the stage for the next, or not, creating anticipation and depth. In this way, audiences become invested not just in individual films, but in the unfolding story of the entire universe."
"And you think audiences will stick around for something so expansive?" Jim asked, his tone now one of curiosity rather than doubt.
"With compelling characters and captivating stories, yes. Plus, each film offers something different. The variety keeps the entire franchise fresh and engaging," Matt replied, emphasizing his strong views and beliefs.
Jim was silent for a moment, absorbing the idea.
"It's a colossal risk. The investment required... is enormous."
"The greater the risk, the greater the reward," Matt countered, as if he had a "valid" answer to every doubt posed by old Jim Lee.
"So, when can we start talking to Dark Film? They own the DC Comics characters. Maybe we could buy the movie rights, or even the entire company," Jim suggested, mocking Matt, who eventually accepted the proposal.
"We need to make moves before 'Iron Man 2' is released." Without responding to the old man's mockery, Matt continued the conversation.
"If it's as big a hit as I think it will be, we should be positioned to capitalize on that wave, not chase it."
"If that's what you want, then we need to get moving. I assume you already have a project ready on paper, right?" Matt asked, although it sounded like a full-blown statement.
"Exactly. I'll show you the script soon, but first I need to talk to the director I have in mind."
"And you, my friend, should talk to Michael. No one knows more about Batman than he does, and he has experience as a producer." Matt watched Jim's reactions with amusement.
"Michael Uslan, shall we start with Batman then?" Jim's question was more than valid.
"Not exactly, but it's close, very close to him." As he said these words, a terrifying smile formed on his lips.
Jim paled a little at the sight of his crazy eyes and macabre laughter, even his muscles trembled involuntarily.
"Matt, you... You're crazy, crazy to the bone," Jim said, finally managing to swallow.
"Hahahaha, that's the idea, Jimmy."
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While Jim Lee headed home, Matt sat at his desk jotting down some new notes on ideas that came to mind.
Creating a competitor to the MCU wouldn't be easy; fortunately, he had a lot of information in his head thanks to his two lifetimes of DC successes and failures.
It would be a fun project to work on. He also planned to write and direct; maybe he was taking on too many projects.
"I hope Lisa finishes her vacation soon." Matt was very independent, but... his secretary had an extra arm around his body.
"I guess tomorrow will be another busy day. Time to go home."
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Note: I welcome your ideas and suggestions in the comments. I'd like to keep in touch. I have the general idea in mind, but I'm open to changes, big or small. It's a fanfic, after all, entertainment and feel-good.
Note: I don't really want to specify how many years have passed; it's a pain keeping track of years, ages, and release dates and events.
Note: The protagonist is already 34-36. I want to write a Hollywood story from the beginning, but I've had the idea for the DCU for a while, and my thoughts quickly drift to DC plots, hence the time jump, straight to the point. The protagonist... you know... business, women, awards, some things will be mentioned, but otherwise, imagine he made whatever movies you want, your favorites.
Note: Jim Lee, creator of The New 52, in other words, put or tried to put an end to the mess that existed in DC comics with the reboot of the Justice League and Everything in general (although it didn't go well for long). I don't think he's at that level in real life, but in this story, he'll be the Stan Lee of DC. In real life, he also worked at Marvel; I don't remember the specific comics, sorry.
Note: Bilquis Evely stands out mainly for Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. I like her art and I'm hopeful for the next James Pistola movie.
Note: Michael Uslan, executive producer of virtually all of Tim Burton's Batman films since 1989, acquired the film rights to Batman in 1979 when no one else had faith in the character on screen. His vision was always clear: a Dark and Serious Batman, a bit relaxed when he interacts with other, more colorful characters.
Note: If you missed the detail, 3 dots below continue the story but change the topic or time period. And 3 dots below indicate nothing for endnotes or at the beginning and to indicate the beginning or end of the chapter.