Chapter 112: A Letter
2023-05-02 Author: Yue Shang Xintou
"Sir, this is the wooden block we made according to your design..."
Main World, Churchville.
Inside the Fisher Toy Workshop, Owen handed a rectangular wooden block to Colin.
"Thank you."
Colin took the block, examining the LEGO brick that was identical to the one in his memory.
He nodded, a satisfied look on his face. "Very good. Next, I want the factory to produce a batch of these building block toys with the same specifications."
Producing LEGO bricks wasn't a difficult task for Fisher.
However, looking at the unremarkable block in Colin's hand, Owen couldn't help but ask, "It may be a bit presumptuous of me to say this, sir, but I still don't understand the purpose of making these small wooden blocks. I mean, it doesn't seem to have any particularly special features."
For someone who had never encountered LEGO before, it was indeed difficult to grasp its charm at first glance.
Even more so in this era.
Putting down the single LEGO brick in his hand, Colin casually picked up the remaining blocks on the table and stacked them together.
As the pieces clicked and connected, a simple square shape quickly formed in his hand.
"Perhaps, that's the very advantage of this toy. It's precisely because it has no distinct features that it offers limitless playability." As he spoke, Colin disassembled the square he had built back into its original pieces. "When we were young, we all played in the sand at some point. Aren't these blocks just enlarged grains of sand? A single grain is meaningless, but when they gather together, they become an entire beach, a paradise."
At this point, Colin stopped what he was doing and pushed a simple-looking little LEGO house in front of Owen. "Clearly, these blocks work on the same principle."
...
"Sir, there's a letter for you."
After settling the manufacturing specifications for the LEGO bricks with Fisher.
Upon returning to the Newspaper Agency, Little John handed him a letter from Los Angeles.
"A letter for me?"
Colin took the letter from Little John with a puzzled expression. He glanced down at the address on the envelope, confirmed it was from Disney, and nodded slightly as he casually tore it open.
In the letter, Roy Disney informed him about Paramount's situation over the recent period.
"This month, Paramount released a new film, but it still couldn't reverse the Film Studio's losses. There are rumors that the district court is still investigating Paramount's operating conditions, and it's being widely said internally that Paramount's losses might be even more severe than imagined, possibly exceeding 15 million dollars. This is a huge problem. You might want to seriously reconsider the acquisition. Everyone in Hollywood knows Paramount's bankruptcy is a foregone conclusion..."
In the letter, Roy offered Colin a piece of advice.
Paramount's problems were much more severe than they appeared on the surface.
Colin didn't look too surprised by this. In fact, he knew more about Paramount's future development than Roy did.
Just next year, Paramount would be declared bankrupt by the New York Federal District Court due to conflicts in leadership and poor management. It wouldn't be reorganized until 1935, becoming the Paramount Pictures Corporation that the public would later come to know. And the time Colin was targeting was precisely that gap between the Film Studio's bankruptcy and its reorganization.
This was his only opportunity to get involved with Paramount.
Of course, all of this was predicated on him having enough capital to prove his capabilities.
Reining in his thoughts, Colin continued reading the letter.
"...Additionally, the person I contacted for you has replied. Surprisingly, he seems to have heard about Superman and is therefore quite willing to meet with you. However, you should be prepared; he's not an easy person to deal with. Even in Hollywood, he's known for being quite the maverick."
After returning to New York, Colin had written to Roy Disney to ask for his help.
He originally thought it would take some time, but he hadn't expected to receive news so quickly.
His gaze lingered on the last part of the letter for a moment. Colin folded it up, pondering the situation.
According to the letter, the meeting Roy had arranged for him was in a week.
It seemed like plenty of time, but considering the limited transportation options of the era, the schedule was actually quite tight.
Specifically, the trains of this period were generally not fast. The quickest train from New York to Los Angeles would take about four to five days.
This meant that if Colin wanted to reach his destination before the scheduled meeting, he would have to handle everything by tomorrow.
Then, he would have to depart immediately and catch the fastest train of the day to avoid missing the appointment mentioned in the letter.
Time was tight, yet Colin didn't appear overly flustered.
"Jacob."
"Sir, you called for me?"
Inside the Newspaper Agency, upon hearing Colin's summons, Jacob put down his paintbrush and responded.
"Here are the next few installments of the serialized story."
Colin took the comic manuscript for the upcoming issues of Superman from a drawer in his office and handed it to Jacob.
"No problem, sir."
Jacob reached out and took the comic manuscript from Colin. He glanced at the content, his eyes pausing on one of the story's issues for a moment before he looked away and replied. Since joining the Messenger Newspaper, he had already completed the coloring for several issues and was very familiar with the work.
Looking up at the fresh-faced boy and considering that his trip to Los Angeles might take longer than expected, Colin felt it was necessary to make some preparations in advance. "What are your thoughts on the 'Flameman' storyline, Jacob?"
"Sir, what do you mean?"
Jacob was initially confused by Colin's question, but he quickly understood, and his expression grew several degrees more excited.
"I'll be heading to Los Angeles for a while to handle some work matters. But on the other hand, the Superman serialized story needs to continue. After all, it's the key to why The Messenger Newspaper remains a bestseller, so..."
Although Colin didn't finish his sentence, Jacob already knew what he meant and immediately said with excitement.
"I'll work hard, sir."
"I need more than just hard work."
Colin wasn't reassured by Jacob's confident promise and maintained a strict demeanor.
"I will have 'Flameman' appear in Superman. However, whether this character becomes a recurring villain like Luthor or just a one-off character for a single issue—it all depends on your creation."
Thank you to book friend 20190527002920407 for the 500 Qidian Coin and to Cè Rán Qīng Tīng for the 200 Qidian Coin reward.
(end of chapter)