Chapter 49: *Messenger Comics*
Main World, New York.
A delivery driver was driving a truck through the Lower District.
The streets in the early morning were deserted and quiet. The newspaper delivery truck sped along the road, weaving through the center of the street, illuminated by the dim streetlights on both sides.
Inside the truck were bundles upon bundles of newspapers and magazines, waiting for the delivery driver to distribute them to the newsstand owners in the Lower District.
Driving the delivery truck around the corner, the delivery driver saw the newsstand not far from the intersection, and the owner anxiously waiting beside it.
"It's a bit late today."
In front of the newsstand, the owner complained to the delivery driver.
"There was a small issue on the way; one newsstand changed owners, and the new owner is still getting used to things, so it delayed me a bit."
Getting down from the delivery truck, the delivery driver explained to the newsstand owner.
"These are today's newspapers and magazines."
Reaching out to take the bundled stacks of newspapers and periodicals, the owner skillfully counted them as he asked, "Are there no more *City Men and Women*?"
"No, there aren't. I heard the publishing house plans to switch to printing fashion magazines."
Hearing the delivery driver's reply, the newsstand owner couldn't help but show a regretful expression.
"What a pity. *City Men and Women* was quite popular with readers..."
After counting the magazines in his hand and confirming the count was accurate.
The owner pulled out the coins he had prepared from his pocket and handed them to the delivery driver beside him, casually asking, "By the way, are there any new newspapers and magazines out recently?"
"The newspapers are still the same old ones, always from those few publishers. But speaking of new magazines, there's a new comic magazine out."
"A comic magazine? Is it like *Famous Comics*?"
"Pretty much."
"Get me one to see."
Hearing the delivery driver's words, a spark of interest arose on the newsstand owner's face.
The delivery driver pulled out a magazine from the delivery truck and handed it to him.
Reaching out, he took the comic from the delivery driver's hand. The newsstand owner looked down, and what first caught his eye was the large "*Messenger Comics*" on the magazine's cover.
"*Messenger Comics*?"
Looking at the name on the comic magazine, the newsstand owner mumbled to himself, feeling like the name was somewhat familiar.
And then, right after that, following the name "*Messenger Comics*", he looked further down.
He saw that printed prominently on the Inaugural Issue of *Messenger Comics* (*Messenger comics*) was a proud and imposing figure wearing a blue bodysuit, with a red cape, and a large 'S' symbol on the shield-shaped emblem on his chest, holding a car high overhead.
"Superman!"
The moment he saw the comic cover, the newsstand owner couldn't help but exclaim.
He was obviously quite familiar with Superman.
"So, *Messenger Comics* is serializing the *Superman* comic content?"
"*Messenger Comics*, *The Messenger Newspaper*... I should have thought of the relationship between them earlier."
Holding *Messenger Comics* in his hand, the newsstand owner's face showed a look of sudden realization.
"Have you decided, boss?"
At the same time, the delivery driver spoke up from the side, urging him.
"I'm still rushing to make deliveries to the next newsstand."
"Give me fifty... no, one hundred copies of *Messenger Comics*!"
Facing the delivery driver's urging, the owner gritted his teeth and replied.
Because of the color printing, each copy of *Messenger Comics* was priced at 10 cents.
Such a price obviously couldn't be considered cheap for a comic publication that had just released its Inaugural Issue.
One should know that even *Famous Comics*, which was already available and had achieved some success at newsstands, had a single copy selling price of only 8 cents.
A difference of 2 cents was no small sum for readers.
Especially in an era like the Great Depression.
"I should have observed the situation first, or bought fewer copies to see how they sold. I shouldn't have been so impulsive..."
The delivery driver left the one hundred copies of *Messenger Comics* and drove away from the newsstand.
Looking at the small stack of *Messenger Comics* piled in front of the newsstand, a hint of regret flashed in the owner's eyes.
But now that it had come to this, regretting it wouldn't do any good. Gazing at Superman's soaring figure on *Messenger Comics*, the owner sighed. While organizing the newspapers and magazines, he unknowingly placed *Messenger Comics* in a relatively conspicuous corner of the newsstand.
***
New York in March still carried a slight chill in the air.
After organizing the day's newspapers and magazines, the owner sat inside the newsstand, waiting for customers to arrive.
As the streetlights on both sides of the road extinguished, the sky over the Lower District gradually brightened. Sparse pedestrians began to appear on the quiet streets, and piercing horn sounds further broke the tranquility of the early morning.
"Give me a copy of *World Daily News*."
Arriving in front of the newsstand, a pedestrian stopped. He glanced over the neatly arranged newspapers and publications on the shelf, his gaze lingering on the cover of *Messenger Comics* for a few seconds before speaking to the owner.
"All right."
Picking up a copy of *World Daily News* from the newsstand and handing it to the customer, the latter took the newspaper and placed the change in his hand. At the same time, he pointed at *Messenger Comics* in front of the newsstand and asked, "Boss, what magazine is this?"
"This is a comic publication, sir."
Hearing the customer's question, the newsstand owner hurriedly spoke up and replied.
"A comic?"
Hearing the newsstand owner's words, a spark of interest appeared on the pedestrian's face. He tucked the *World Daily News* he was holding under his arm, picked up *Messenger Comics* from in front of the newsstand, and flipping through its contents, asked, "How much is it?"
"10 cents."
The newsstand owner's quoted price made the pedestrian pause, holding *Messenger Comics*.
He lowered his head and glanced at *Messenger Comics*' color cover. A struggling expression flashed across the pedestrian's face, and he eventually put *Messenger Comics* back in front of the newsstand.
"As expected, it's still because of the price."
Sitting inside the newsstand, the owner watched the pedestrian's hurried retreating figure and couldn't help but sigh.
As the sky gradually brightened, the number of customers in front of the newsstand increased. Among these customers, although occasionally some were drawn by the Superman image on the cover of *Messenger Comics* and made inquiries.
However, after hearing the selling price of 10 cents per copy, they still seemed deterred.
After repeated instances, even the newsstand owner had already given up paying attention to *Messenger Comics*, tacitly accepting the possibility of the comic losing money.
"If I had known earlier, I would have ordered fewer copies of *Messenger Comics*."
Inside the newsstand, just as the owner was regretting it.
Suddenly, a pedestrian walked directly to the front of the newsstand and asked.
"Boss, do you have *Messenger Comics* here?"
(end of chapter)