David Chen arrived at the makeshift Marvel executive suite a sparsely furnished office, chosen for its anonymity rather than its view with two small, crisp stacks of paper in his hands.
He set them down on Duke's desk, these weren't sketches of Spider-Man or contracts for new film talent.
They were the logistical reports for the three-week period following the injection of the $50,000 into the worst performing state distribution hubs.
The last time Chen had delivered these reports, the mood had been bleak.
Now after diverting a chunk of the Jackson 5's promotional budget to hire local, trustworthy independent haulers in the key choke points of Chicago, Boston, and Atlanta.
"I need you to confirm these numbers, Duke," Chen said, his voice excited and devoid of his usual calm.
Duke picked up the first stack, labeled 'Pre-Intervention Returns July 1-21'.
The average return rate across the three target hubs sat at 62.5% a financial number that could have crippled a smaller publisher.
He then picked up the second stack 'Post-Intervention Returns: July 22 - August 11'.
Duke's eyes scanned the column marked 'Damaged/Unsold Units'.
In the Chicago zone, the rate hadn't just gotten better, it had plummeted, from a high of 68%, it was now sitting at 18%.
Atlanta showed a similar miracle, dropping from 60% to 15%.
Boston, had stabilized from 59% down to a still-high, but manageable, 25%.
"A seventy percent reduction in waste," Duke murmured, setting the papers down. His fatigue momentarily dissolved, replaced by a surge of vindication.
"Seventy point three percent, to be exact, on average across the three hubs," Chen confirmed, allowing a slight smile of professional satisfaction to pierce his reserve.
From 62.5% to 19.3% constituted a 70.3% drop in average return rate.
"The experiment worked. The premise holds true: the demand for the content is high. When the books successfully reach the newsstands, they move immediately."
Duke leaned back, pushing a hand through his hair.
This was the kind of victory Chen would not have even tried, as rooted as he was in balance sheets and depreciation schedules.
Chen had argued for prudent, slow auditing and contractual enforcement against Charlton.
Duke had argued for a high-cost, high-leverage fast move.
"So, the Jackson 5 will have a slightly less robust initial tour budget, but we don't have to lower the Marvel workforce and they get to keep their job, and the bank gets its payment." Duke summarized.
"The debt is serviced, and the model is proven. The short-term fix is a resounding success."
Chen nodded, but the expression of strain returned. "Yes, the short-term fix worked wonders. We've secured the margin we need to confidently launch the next seven titles which we desperately need to do soon."
Chen paused, letting the silence magnify the shift in tone. "But, Duke, this miracle is not scalable. It is not feasible long-term."
Duke knew this was coming. He waited for Chen to present the cold math that always followed every temporary win.
"The initial $50,000 covered the premium fees for those three hubs for approximately ninety days," Chen continued, tapping the desk with the corner of the report.
"To scale that kind of solution to an entire national network."
"to replace Charlton entirely with independent haulers in all fifty states we are looking at an operational cost of approximately $6.5 million per year."
Duke inhaled sharply. Six point five million.
That was more than the entire net profit of the film division since it was created.
They had no asset that could not generate that kind of liquidity to build a distribution system.
"Furthermore, we would lose control," Chen stressed, shifting from financial cost to structural vulnerability.
"We would be beholden to hundreds of individual contractors who have no contractual loyalty to Ithaca."
"If Kinney National decides to offer those same haulers a slightly higher rate, our entire distribution network collapses overnight, and we would be left with an even lower distribution rate."
"The only reason the haulers are reliable now is because we are paying them a premium rate that is unsustainable."
Duke felt the familiar pressure building.
He needed a permanent solution, but the two traditional options were financially prohibitive:
They could buy a fleet.
But a national fleet purchase, maintenance, union negotiation, and staffing would cost tens of millions in capital expenditure and instantly drown the company.
Or continue with the Premium Contract Model.
"So, we have a superior method of distribution that we cannot afford to implement, and an inferior method (Charlton) that we are contractually bound to use," Duke summarized, recognizing the irony.
"The creative power is infinite, but the logistical infrastructure is zero."
"Precisely," Chen confirmed. "The $50,000 worked, Duke. It bought us time and, a proof of concept."
"We now have verifiable data that proves the flaw lies entirely with Charlton's negligence, not with our product. We need to leverage that proof."
This was the moment for an strategic pivot.
Duke knew they couldn't just complain to Charlton; they had to force Charlton to spend their own money to fix the problem.
"We need to meet with Charlton's executive board," Duke stated, the focus in his eyes narrowing to a point.
"Not their logistics manager, but with their corporate head. We need to make them follow the contract."
Chen pulled out a third sheet a draft of a legal letter already prepared, detailing the breach of contract based on the damage reports.
This was why Chen was invaluable for someone like Duke, he anticipated the necessary documentation.
"Here is the leverage," Chen took over, tapping the report showing the 70% reduction in waste.
"We tell them that the three hubs currently managed by the independent haulers Chicago, Boston, Atlanta are now generating a massive, profitable volume."
"If they fixed their distribution we would be their highest-grossing account in those regions."
"And if they refuse to upgrade their infrastructure?" Duke asked.
"Then we permanently pull the hubs," Chen said flatly.
"We tell them that if they don't commit to a $1 million investment in new trucks and routing software for the rest of the nation within sixty days."
"We will start expanding the independent hauler model to a regional level, permanently peeling off their most profitable routes one by one. We don't have the resources for that but they don't know that."
"And the distribution fee?" Duke interrupted, outlining a second demand. "We will demand a 10% reduction in their per-unit fee for the remainder of the contract term."
Chen looked up, surprised. "Why the reduction? The fee is standard."
"Because we are doing their job for them," Duke explained, the calculation cold and precise.
"We had to spend $50,000 of our mone to fix their structural failure. We will recoup that loss through the reduced distribution fee."
"It also acknowledgement that we are constantly having to perform oversight and management on their distribution."
Chen took a moment, absorbing the strategy.
"It is a sound strategy," Chen admitted finally, allowing himself a satisfied nod.
"It is also hostile, but I will set the meeting."
"I will prepare the legal documents that detail the current profitability of the independent haulers versus the historical losses of the current Charlton model."
Duke felt a wave of relief wash over him, but it was quickly replaced by the exhaustion of constant trouble.
Every solution seemed to breed a new problem.
Duke rubbed his temples.
The Marvel situation was now momentarily stable. The Jackson 5 were secured. The film slate was moving.
He had a few hours before he had to shift gears entirely.
He had a premiere to attend.
----
He walked his way through the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
The premiere was for The Green Berets, John Wayne's unapologetic pro-Vietnam War statement, that most people in Hollywood didn't wanna touch with a ten foot pole.
It was a cultural flashpoint, released in the summer of 1968, a time when anti-war sentiment was boiling over, even as support for the troops remained strong in America.
The atmosphere outside the theater was a mess.
Polite applause from the establishment guests was drowned out by the shouts of a small but angry group of protestors chanting anti-war slogans just beyond the velvet rope.
Duke disliked events like this, but he needed to be seen.
John Wayne invited him to this Premiere when he learned that he was in New York and he needed to keep his True Grit star happy.
He also didn't mind watching the movie.
He was here alone; Barbara had stayed in LA working.
Duke was not the long-haired, anti-establishment figure his business ventures suggested.
He was, at his core, even at his past life, a very centrist man that advocated for higher taxes for the rich and free healthcare, but also for controlled low migration and tariffs on certain countries.
Watching The Green Berets, Duke appreciated the masterful commerciability of the production.
The film presented the war as a clean, moral fight with unambiguous heroes and villains, that was undeniably visually powerful and tightly plotted.
In short, the movie was good, translating the chaotic reality of combat into something structured and digestible.
He found a quiet corner near the bar, watching the crowd.
The irony of his situation was great.
He was about to make a fortune financing an anti-war, pro-drug film Easy Rider while personally admiring the moral clarity of the pro-war spectacle currently playing out on the screen.
It wasn't long before he was approached by a man Jack Valenti.
Valenti, the formidable President of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), was the ultimate D.C./Hollywood liaison.
"Mr. Hauser," Valenti greeted him warmly, extending a hand. "I've been looking for you. The buzz around Ithaca is deafening, particularly your move into the comic book arena. A fascinating vertical integration."
"Mr. Valenti," Duke replied, returning the firm handshake. "We focus on the audience, not the critics and Comic books have a great audience that we want to capitalize on."
Valenti chuckled, a sound like dry leaves rustling. "Indeed. But tonight, we are focusing on the flag."
He gestured toward the auditorium doors. "What are your initial thoughts on Mr. Wayne's effort? Leaving aside the artistry, which is always subjective, what is your reading on its commerciability?"
This was the question Duke was prepared for.
Valenti wasn't interested in box office projections.
He wanted to know if a major studio could safely invest millions in projects that aligned with the government's current interests.
"The film is going to make money, Mr. Valenti," Duke stated plainly, leaning against the marble bar. "A lot of it, actually and I'll tell you why."
Duke ignored the nearby conversation about the film's clunky staging and focused on the market forces.
"The major studios are currently chasing New York critics and the West Coast youth with ambiguous, low-cost films that criticize the system. That's a good niche, but it's small."
"The Green Berets serves the other half of the country, a massive, stable audience elsewhere in America who feel ignored."
Duke continued, drawing on his intimate knowledge of the market he was attempting to court with the Jackson 5 and regional theater deals.
"There is a deep, profound hunger in that market for simple, clear-cut heroism. They want to feel good about their country and their soldiers. They want resolution. Wayne gives them that."
Valenti listened intently, nodding slowly. "A pragmatic analysis. Would you see a conflict in having films appealing to both markets?"
"Conflict is irrelevant if the audience pays," Duke shrugged. "We are in the business of selling stories to demographics."
"As long, as this film is an economic success for Warner Bros, there will be more movies from studios trying to ride the wave on that market."
Valenti's eyes gleamed with approval. "Fascinating. Most young men like yourself are now exclusively aligned with the counter-culture, yet you seem to have a clear grasp of traditional values."
He paused, his gaze momentarily fixed on Duke's tailored suit, lingering where the booby trap had done its work years before. Valenti clearly understood the implication of a medically discharged veteran.
"Mr. Hauser," Valenti said, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "I run a very powerful organization."
"Remember, if you ever decide to produce a film, a quality, high-budget film that speaks to these fundamental values, that supports our institutions and our national interests... let me know."
Valenti reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a small, heavy card engraved with the MPAA seal.
"I have contacts at the Pentagon, at the IRS, Congress, even the White House. I could pull strings for government cooperation, perhaps even some specialized funding that might alleviate certain financial burdens."
The offer hung in the air, an offer to connect him to the ultimate source of institutional capital D.C. itself if Duke would commit to making a film that served the establishment narrative.
Duke took the card. "I appreciate the offer, Mr. Valenti. I will keep it in mind as we develop our forward slate."
He exchanged a final handshake and watched Valenti melt back into the crowd of tuxedos.
Duke left the theater shortly thereafter, the images of the staged heroism and the real, dirty memory of the war playing in his mind.
He stood on the sidewalk, the chants of the protestors now closer, louder a direct attack on the values John Wayne was promoting.
He had a clear choice. He could pivot, use Valenti's connections, make the patriotic film, and solve his crippling debt with ease.
That path would align his business with his personal ideology and secure Ithaca's financial future instantly.
Or, he could continue to follow the path of pragmatism: use the already arranged content to generate the cash flow, even if it meant endorsing messages he didn't personally believe in.
He crumpled Valenti's card slightly in his pocket, deciding not to call just yet.
The empire had to be built on merit, not on political favors, and right now, the greatest merit lay in the hands of the hippies and the comic book artists.
---
I'm having problems writing, IDK if i should like a couple of months timeskip