AN: Slightly fast paced than usual.
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[Titan Comics HQ – Main Showroom Floor]
The comic book bloodbath began the second the trailer ended and the cheers died down.
The showroom floor shifted from awe-struck silence to full-blown adrenaline convention mode like someone had flipped a switch. Security had trained for this. Literally. They stood at key points with earpieces, managing foot traffic like they were coordinating an Olympic event or a KISS concert in a toy store.
A massive sign above the retail zone read:
"TOKEN HOLDERS ONLY – PLEASE STAY IN LINE – NO PUSHING OR YOU'RE OUT."
The system worked like a charm:
Everyone who pre-ordered their entry token over the past week had it color-coded and scanned at the door. Each token gave a number. That number determined when you could go in. No token? No entry. No cutting, no bribing, no black-market comic snatching.
The top ten token holders?
Straight legends. They were ushered in first, like VIP royalty. Each got handed a matte-black box with the Titan Comics logo in silver foil, sealed with a wax stamp. Inside:
The Golden First Editions of:
Captain America: The First Avenger, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, and The Incredible Hulk
A hand-numbered certificate of authenticity signed by Alex Wilson himself.
Exclusive Titan merch, including a varsity jacket, enamel pins, and a collector's watch engraved with the words:
"The Avengers SE – 2005"
But that wasn't all.
At exactly 10:20 AM, a glass garage-style door rolled open to reveal ten custom-designed bikes lined up like candy-colored war machines. Each was themed to a different Marvel hero...
The red-and-gold Iron Man bike had LED lights under the chassis.
The Captain America bike had a shield built into the rims.
The Black Widow bike was matte black, with crimson accents that glowed in the dark.
The Hulk bike was neon green, which glows in the dark with slight purple splashes.
The Thor bike was completely silver with splashes of lightning design, and just like the others, it glows in the dark.
The Spider-Man bike has unique custom-made rims and tires with red and blue accents.
The crowd gasped.
"OH MY GOD!" someone screamed. "Is that real chrome?!"
"LOOK AT THE HULK BIKE! It's glowing!"
"SPIDER-MAN HAS WEBS ON HIS TIRES! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
The top ten winners were shaking. One girl just kept whispering, "I'm not crying, you're crying," while wiping her eyes and clutching her Black Widow edition jacket like it was a newborn.
A teen boy named Dylan, who'd stood in line at 4 AM seven days ago to get Token #2, was now wheeling his Captain America bike in circles, trying not to collapse.
"I'm never selling this," he told the crowd. "I'll die before I put this on eBay."
His friend yelled, "Bro, you don't even ride bikes!"
"I do now!"
People began reading comics on the spot, like it was sacred text dropped from space.
One man, in a denim jacket and Metallica tee, was visibly trembling as he flipped through The Incredible Hulk #1.
"This... this origin story. It's perfect. It's sad and angry and... what the hell, I think I get the Hulk now. Damn that General Ross. Just smash him."
Kids were huddled in corners, trading pages and arguing over characters.
"Iron Man's obviously the coolest," said one.
"No way, Spider-Man is more real," said another.
A third held up Black Widow #1. "She doesn't even have super powers and she's kicking ass. That's badass."
Some people were already organizing unofficial fan theory huddles in corners. A group near the back started a chalkboard list titled:
"WHO IS NICK FURY, AND WHY DOES HE KNOW EVERYONE?"
Meanwhile, the retail lines were long but calm.
Tokens were called out in clusters:
"Tokens 11 through 30, please proceed to Zone A."
"Tokens 31 to 50, Zone B. Limit 5 comics per person. No returns. No whining."
The staff wore matching Titan T-shirts with comic panels printed on the sleeves. They were fast, efficient, and surprisingly chill for people handing out the first Marvel comics to ever exist in this universe.
The smell of ink and glossy paper hung thick in the air.
Cameras flashed. Local news crews interviewed fans holding up their first purchases like trophies.
"Sir, how does it feel to be one of the first people on Earth to own Spider-Man #1?"
"Better than my wedding day. Sorry, Donna!"
Up on the mezzanine, Max watched the scene below and whistled low.
"This is wild. Like, 'Black Friday at Toys R Us' but with capes."
Caroline sipped her mimosa. "I haven't seen this many straight men happy at once since... okay, no, I've never seen that."
Max grinned. "And this is just comics. Wait till they get a taste of live-action."
Down below, Alex moved through the crowd. He shook hands, signed a few copies, and gave out a few hugs. His security guards kept a close eye on him and the people around him.
The world of superheroes had just been reborn.
...
By the time the clock hit twelve, the showroom floor had transformed into a full-blown consumer frenzy disguised as an art gallery. People weren't just buying, they were worshipping. Holding up comic books like they were ancient relics. Snapping photos of each panel. Whispering origin stories like gospel.
Alex was jumping in joy in his heart to see the success and he was gonna make a shit ton of legal money.
And then the real wave hit.
The first buyers had read enough. They knew what they wanted now.
The merch tables, initially swarmed with curious glances, suddenly turned into feeding frenzies.
Titan-brand tote bags disappeared in under fifteen minutes. The "Team Cap" and "Team Iron Man" enamel pin sets sold out even faster. People were actually running between merch booths with laminated checklists, trying to complete sets like it was a scavenger hunt powered by caffeine and nostalgia.
The action figure wall was its own war zone.
Limited edition figurines with ridiculous levels of detail—flexible joints, fabric capes, glowing LED eyes. There was Iron Man in his Mark I armor. Thor with a detachable Mjolnir and lightning base. Hulk came in two poses: "Roar" and "Mid-Slam." Black Widow came with six different weapons and a sticker that read "No capes. Just kills."
A mini-Black Widow statue was bought by a woman in her sixties who simply said, "She reminds me of me when I still gave a damn."
The jackets flew off the shelves. The "SHIELD Tactical Windbreaker" sold out in eight minutes. The Hulk compression shirts came with the tagline "Rage responsibly" and a free gym towel.
Kids begged their parents for the Titan backpacks. Each one themed to a character. The Thor version had lightning bolt zippers. The Captain America one had a shield-shaped lunchbox built into the back.
Caroline, still sipping her mimosa like a vacationing Bond villain, watched the chaos unfold from the mezzanine.
"They're treating the merch like it's oxygen," she said, eyes wide. "We need to franchise the bakery into one of these things. Sell cupcakes with capes."
Max didn't answer. She was already writing names down in her phone.
"What are you doing?" Caroline asked.
"Brainstorming merch ideas. 'Iron Muffins.' 'Black Whip-dow.' 'The Inedible Hulk Cupcake.' There's gold in this."
Down on the main floor, Alex moved through the chaos like he was born for it. Shaking hands. Signing comics. Always smiling. Always listening. The usual...
He looked up. His eyes met Max's.
She gave him a slow nod and a mock salute. Caroline simply raised her glass like a toast. Alex gave them both a subtle nod and a smile.
Then he turned, shifting his attention.
Around fifteen minutes later...
Alex went back to the VIP area.
Max and Caroline were busy devouring the free food and drinks. And his celeb friends were there too.
Evangeline Lilly was the first to notice him. She stood near the drinks table in black jeans and a sharp-cut blazer, sipping peach-flavored sparkling water like it was wine. She didn't smile... just arched a brow, eyes following Alex like a cat sizing up a rival.
Alex gave her a sly smile and a little wink, nodding toward Max and Caroline. Lilly narrowed her eyes as if saying, 'I'll find you and suck you dry before those two get the chance.'
Across the room, Scarlett Johansson wore a minimalist white shirt tucked into her blue jeans. Effortless and elegant, as always. She was mid-convo with two journalists but looked up the second Alex entered. Her smile was subtle, genuine.
Alex smiled back at her with a slight nod.
Leaning against the back wall in Doc Martens and a ripped tee was Vanessa Johansson, sipping from a red Solo cup like she was there to stir chaos and steal her sister's boyfriend.
"Finally," Vanessa called. "The man of the hour arrives. Can we all calm down now, or are we still pretending to be shocked he pulled this off?"
Alex chuckled. "Good to see you too, Vanessa."
Jeremy Renner was perched on a couch, flipping through a Thor #1 like it was a menu at a steakhouse. "This is either genius or you're completely out of your mind."
"Can't it be both?" Alex replied.
Jeremy raised his glass. "Then cheers, lunatic. You just created something awesome."
Scarlett stepped away from the reporters, her heels silent on the tile. "You broke the internet. And possibly the laws of comic physics. Congrats."
Alex gave a modest shrug. "Just doing my part. Never thought it'd be this big and well..." His eyes went down the gallery. "The superhero genre is back to life again."
Evangeline finally approached, glass still in hand. Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Congrats. Mr. Wilson," She extended her hand with a sly smirk.
Alex shook her hand, "Thank you. Miss. Lilly."
"You've done well," she said, voice light but edged. "Big stage. Big launch. Big... everything." She gave a glance toward his pants. "Comic books. Obviously."
Alex smirked. "Glad we're on the same page. Especially about the comics."
"So," she said, sipping her drink, "how does it feel knowing you've just unleashed a generation of fanboys who are going to tattoo Thor's hammer on their butts?"
Alex smiled. "Honestly? I'm just glad they haven't figured out how to tattoo sound effects yet. You know there's a 'KRAKABOOM' butt cheek out there waiting to happen."
Vanessa snorted from behind her cup. "If that doesn't end up on a BuzzFeed list, I'll be disappointed."
Evangeline tilted her head. "So what's next, Wilson? You already dropped your comic nuke. Gonna casually reinvent cinema tomorrow?"
"Maybe," Alex said with a grin. "Or maybe I'll take a nap. Haven't decided yet."
Scarlett walked over with a little smirk playing on her lips. "He's lying. He's already storyboarding the next ten films in his head."
Alex looked at her, eyes playful. "Please don't expose me in public. I have a reputation as a chill guy to maintain."
"You've never been chill a day in your life," Scarlett replied. "You storyboard brunch plans."
And so, they began to chat and joke...
[Meanwhile...] [Food area]
Max and Caroline were deep into plate number two at the food spread. Max was lounging sideways in a chair, legs crossed, picking olives off a skewer like it was her job. Caroline sat upright at the glass table, trying not to spill salad dressing on her expensive clothes while low-key eyeballing the dessert cart.
"This caviar tastes like a rich guy's fridge," Max muttered, sucking a tooth. "Not bad. Just judgmental and salty. No idea why people like this bubbly salty pops."
Caroline didn't look up. "Eat your smoked salmon and try to act like we belong here."
"I belong anywhere with free food and air conditioning," Max said, popping a cracker into her mouth. "You're the one sweating over napkin etiquette like there's a royal inspection coming."
Caroline was about to snap back when she noticed the subtle shift in the energy of the room. Not loud. Just... sharper. People straightened up. Voices dropped to polite tones.
Max noticed it too. "What, did someone important just show up, or did a room full of rich people suddenly remember deodorant exists?"
Caroline followed the line of attention and froze.
Standing by the drinks table was Scarlett Johansson.
Talking to two reporters was Jeremy Renner.
And just behind them, leaning against a sideboard with a drink in hand, was Vanessa Johansson, her hair loose, her boots scuffed, and her vibe pure 'don't talk to me unless it's funny.'
Then there was Lilly, who was looking at them with a piercing gaze.
Caroline nearly choked on her water. "Oh my god."
Max looked over and nodded slowly. "Yep. It's a celebrity safari. We're the underdressed wildlife."
Before either of them could bolt or pretend to be furniture, Alex walked back into the lounge, scanning the room. When he saw them, his expression shifted... easy smile, eyes lighting up just a bit. He walked toward them.
Scarlett looked up mid-conversation. Her gaze followed him, then went to Max and Caroline. She smiled, polite but curious. 'Who are they? And why does that big boobs girl look that beautiful? A potential rival? Eh?! No, no, no... What the hell am I even thinking? But. What if? I think it's better to meet new people outside the industry, right? Yeah. New friends. No need to jump to conclusions. I ain't jealous or anything. Why would I be jealous?' She began to walk toward them.
Max whispered, "She's walking over. That's... that's Scarlett Johansson. That's freaking Scarlett Johansson. She's pretty famous in Hollywood. Now with Alex's movie on the way, she'll become even more famous."
Caroline's hand shook as she set down her glass. "Be normal. Don't say anything weird."
"You mean don't ask her if she's into women and Alex? Too late, I'm already thinking it."
Scarlett reached them with a smooth, no-pressure confidence that made it clear why people paid her to be on camera.
Alex introduced them casually, as if this wasn't a fever dream. "Scarlett, this is Max Black and Caroline Channing."
Scarlett extended her hand. "Nice to finally meet you."
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AN: Here we go. SJ meets the Cupcake girls. I wanted to write a bit more, but I think I'll save the complete conversation for the next chapter instead of leaving you all hanging in the middle. Well, see you all on Sunday night. And thanks for helping me keep the book within the top 10 ranking. Oh, I know I have added a little too much smut back there, so I'll try to tone it down a bit so it won't get repetitive. 🫡👍
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[5 advance chs] + [12 chs of Two and a Half Men: Waking up as Charlie Harper] [All chs available for all tiers]
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