Friday, January 15, 1993 – USA
While Zaboru was hard at work in Japan, across the Pacific, the American media had already caught wind of a potential acquisition: ZAGE buying Marvel. Whispers of the deal had circulated since earlier in the week, but no outlet had managed to confirm the story. One eager news outlet even attempted to question a Marvel employee, only to find they knew nothing—though the question itself planted seeds of curiosity.
Speculation continued until last night, when a major U.S. television station landed an unexpected scoop: a live interview with Mark Ackerman, Marvel's current owner—or so everyone thought. The interview quickly took an unexpected turn.
"Mark, is it true that ZAGE bought Marvel from you?" the presenter asked.
Mark chuckled. "Well, yes. As far as I know, I'm no longer Marvel's owner. Zaboru Renkonan of ZAGE is the owner now." Mark drop the bomb casually.
The presenter's eyes widened. "Why would Zaboru buy Marvel? Can you offer any insight?"
Mark shrugged, smirking. "I don't know. Ask him. Why asking me?"
Known for his eccentricity, Mark's response left viewers puzzled. The presenter, clearly caught off guard, awkwardly shifted the conversation to a safer topic, trying to regain control of the interview.
Following the broadcast, curiosity about ZAGE's motives skyrocketed. Marvel had once been a cultural titan from the 1950s through the '80s, but by 1993, it was a shadow of its former self. Most believed that even a moderately wealthy businessman could acquire it, but no one ever did. Why? Because reviving Marvel would be a monumental challenge—too risky, too uncertain. The brand had prestige, yes, but it had also become a burden that few were willing to shoulder. Yet, the young and visionary Zaboru clearly saw something others didn't. He acquired the 64% shareholding held by Mark Ackerman, securing a majority stake in the company. While the media spun the story as a whimsical purchase—suggesting Zaboru bought Marvel as a hobby—industry experts strongly disagreed. Many analysts insisted that such a move, driven purely by personal interest, was highly improbable. Instead, they speculated that Zaboru had a larger strategy in mind, one that only he could see taking shape.
Some speculated that Zaboru planned to reorient Marvel toward the Japanese market, potentially integrating its characters and stories into Japan's anime and gaming industries. Others believed he intended to transform Marvel into a dedicated video game company, leveraging ZAGE's technological prowess. Still, a more audacious theory claimed that Marvel would be completely absorbed into ZAGE, and make marvel nothing more. Speculation ran rampant. ZAGE fans and comic book enthusiasts alike buzzed with theories and speculation, dissecting every possible motive behind the acquisition.
Meanwhile, Mark quietly began acquiring the remaining 36% of shares. Many minority shareholders were happy to offload their stock from the ailing company, selling them to Mark for a total of around $5 million. When asked why he was buying, Mark replied that he simply loved Marvel, and money wasn't his concern. But in truth, Mark was making a calculated bet on Zaboru.
Let's see if you can fulfill your promise, young man, Mark thought, grinning. His instincts were humming. If Marvel's stock soars under Zaboru, I'll hit the jackpot.
Mark had always loved a gamble, and this was no exception. To him, $5 million wasn't a large sum—especially not when weighed against the potential upside. Even if he was wrong about Zaboru's plans, he had already pocketed $9 million from selling his Marvel shares to Zaboru, netting a tidy $4 million profit. It was a calculated risk, and Mark was more than comfortable playing those odds.
Elsewhere, people who knew Zaboru were also stunned. Bill Gates—founder of Microsoft and the man whose generous offer to acquire ZAGE had once been rejected read the morning paper with furrowed brows.
"What do you see in Marvel, Zaboru? I just don't get it," he muttered. Gates, despite his genius in technology and business, admitted to lacking an artistic eye. "Is this a fluke? Or something more? Whatever it is, I'll be watching. He's not the type to waste money—after all, he didn't build his company from scratch by throwing cash around needlessly." Bill Gates had always respected Zaboru. If there were an amount of money that could have convinced Zaboru to work for Microsoft, Gates would have gladly paid it. But Zaboru was a man of vision—a dreamer. He didn't want to work under anyone, not even one of the richest and most influential tech moguls in the world. Gates understood that, even admired it in a way. Still, he couldn't help but wonder what could have been if their paths had aligned.
He folded the paper, took a slow sip of coffee, and leaned back in his leather chair, eyes scanning the ceiling thoughtfully. "Let's see, Zaboru—this is the first global company you've acquired, right?" Bill Gates chuckled to himself, a mix of admiration and intrigue in his tone. "You're certainly not afraid of making bold moves."
Meanwhile, at the offices of Emerald Wings, Ryan and James exchanged knowing looks as they read the same news.
"So, James," Ryan said, grinning. "What do you think Zaboru's going to do with Marvel? You used to be a Marvel fanboy, right?"
James, casually munching on potato chips, shrugged. "No idea. But whatever it is, I'm excited."
Ryan took a sip of wine. "Same here. Zaboru's bound to do something incredible."
James nodded. "He said Marvel could rise again. Me? I'm curious how. From where I stand, the comic book industry looks dead."
"Then we wait. I don't know what kind of genius thinking he has planned, but all I can do is look forward to it," Ryan replied with a half-smile, his eyes still fixed on the article as if searching for hidden meaning between the lines.
The leaked news sparked a wave of fascination across the U.S., boosting ZAGE's profile more than ever. Rumors began circulating that ZAGE was planning to open its first U.S. office—in Los Angeles. American gamers, many of whom already had stable careers, suddenly found themselves dreaming of working for ZAGE.
Meanwhile, at Marvel Headquarters, Stan Lee sat in his office, eyeing the morning newspaper with a mixture of disbelief and disdain. "So this Zaboru brat is the new owner of Marvel? Let's see if he plans to ruin it," he muttered, taking a long puff from his cigar. "If he tries to destroy what we built, he'll have to go through me—even if it means fighting from beyond the grave."
Stan exhaled a plume of smoke, his eyes narrowing as he reread the headline. Deep down, he felt a stirring of something more complicated than anger: a strange sense of curiosity. What kind of man would dare take on Marvel at its lowest? What did Zaboru really want? Stan didn't know it yet, but fate had a peculiar sense of humor—and the paths of Stan Lee and Zaboru Renkonan were destined to cross once more in the future.
Meanwhile at Japan this news also went to many media....
To be continued.
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