At the same time, in the Huaying Comics editorial department.
The people who got the first issue sample immediately couldn't wait to open the magazine. They had actually read these comics during the review stage, but it turns out that classic things can still bring people a pleasant reading experience even if they look back:
"When I read the script, I always felt that it was a bit too chuunib, but after reading the manga, I actually felt that it was not bad. The storyboards are also pretty cool, I like it!"
"I prefer Mr. Mu's Sherlock Holmes series," someone interrupted. Qiu Fengmao called him "Mr. Mu" as a joke at first, but later he found that Mu Suxing didn't mind, and everyone else felt friendly, so they quickly followed suit: "The original script is very well written. To be honest, Mr. Mu's performance also surprised me..."
He hadn't finished speaking when he seemed to realize what he had said inadvertently, and quickly changed his words: "What I meant is that the finished comic is better than I thought..."
Mu Xuxing smiled and didn't mind.
Strictly speaking, this is his first time to draw a comic book seriously - if you don't count the storyboards. After all, there are still some differences between comics and animations. The adaptation of Sherlock Holmes is also difficult, so it is natural for some people to have doubts.
The reason why the suspense and mystery theme is not popular in the comics field is not only because the theme itself is relatively unpopular, but also because of the limitations of comics themselves. It is not an easy task to create the specific atmosphere expressed in the original text on a flat screen, and Mu Suxing has no experience to refer to in this regard.
Fortunately, he has always been good at storyboards.
With Conan Doyle's god-level original work, Muxiuxing doesn't need to consider the plot. Although it is a comic, in fact, Muxiuxing almost draws it as an animation storyboard, and the specific effect...
Seeing the satisfied looks on the faces of the editors in front of me, I guess there's no problem
This is indeed the case.
Qiu Fengmao read the entire comic weekly carefully. After confirming any problems with the comic content, magazine paper quality, etc., he put the magazine down and shifted his attention to the four sets of bookmarks placed on the other side.
Just as they said before, the four sets of bookmarks correspond to "My Hero Academia", "Cardcaptor Sakura", "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" and "Expedition Girls". Each set of bookmarks has three books, and the characters selected are also popular characters from these four works.
"As for the peripherals," Qiu Fengmao thought about it and quickly made a decision: "Let's use this set for the first issue of the weekly magazine attached."
Mu Suxing glanced at the bookmark in his hand and had no objection to this choice. However, another editor asked in confusion: "Why "My Hero Academia"? Wouldn't it be better to change it to "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" which just finished recently?"
"If our target market is only the area centered on Xingning City, Magic Circle is indeed a good choice," Qiu Fengmao shrugged. "Magic Circle is very popular here, but if it is placed in the west, My Heroes has the most fans."
"Although it's just the first issue, we still need to make some preparations. We can't wait until the last minute to do it."
The selection of peripheral products for the first issue was thus finalized, and the next thing to consider was the publicity aspect.
Mu Xuxing did not interfere in what happened next. For him, drawing comics was his hobby, not a necessity. If he had to do everything himself, then why did he hire so many editors
After handing over all the remaining matters, big and small, to the relevant persons, Mu Suxing had just come to his senses when he received a text message on his mobile phone - saying that the seat he wanted had been booked and they were waiting for him to bring his people over.
"Shen Xing? Gone." Shen Xing was the comic book artist responsible for drawing "Taking Las Vegas".
When Mu Suxing suddenly called his name, Shen Xing was slightly stunned, but soon remembered the previous agreement - when the two of them were discussing comics before, Mu Suxing mentioned to him that in order to further improve the quality of the comics, he might take him to see a real card counting scene.
But in case he misunderstood, he still asked, "Where are you going?"
Shen Xing thought that this question was as normal as it could be. Mu Suxing smiled when he heard it. He put his hands in his pockets, his expression relaxed and natural, and said as if jokingly: "Save the world."
Of course Shen Xing didn't believe in such nonsense as "saving the world".
but…
Half an hour later.
As the car slowly stopped in front of a store, Shen Xing saw their destination through the open car window at a glance - a not-so-large two-story building. On the railing on the second floor, a sign with the words "Blue Sky Billiards and Card Room" was shining brightly in the sun.
Uh, this should be... planning to let him experience the meaning of blackjack up close
Just as this thought came to his mind, he was slapped in the face the next second. Mu Suxing, who got off the car first, whispered something to the shop owner, and then he led Qiu Fengmao who followed closely behind him and walked towards... the mahjong room without hesitation
Mahjong room
Shen Xing was a little confused.
Compared to his complete absence from the state, Mu Suxing seemed to be much more at ease. He and Qiu Fengmao found a seat at the mahjong table and sat down, casting an inquiring glance at his colleague who was still in a daze.
Shen Xing was a little confused. He just thought that his two superiors were addicted to mahjong, so with the mentality of socializing, he also sat down at the table.
"We are short of one," Mu Suxing smiled as he cast his eyes on the last vacant seat at the table. He tapped the mahjong tiles on the table with his index finger, and announced in a casual yet unusually serious manner, "Okay, let's call the last person now."
The last person? Who
Shen Xing was a little curious, but what surprised him was that after he said this, his two superiors shut their mouths in unison, and looked at him without blinking...
—
In a study room in Sanshui Villa District, Xingning City.
The table, the floor, the single bed... Everywhere one could see was a mess of manuscripts with unknown patterns scattered all over the floor. There was hardly a clean and tidy place. The owner of the room lowered his head, buried himself in the messy pile of papers on the table, and finished the painting with his right hand holding the brush.
a long time.
"Huh..." As the last stroke fell, the man exhaled deeply, his face showing a look of relief, joy, and reluctance. He cast his eyes on his masterpiece on the table and muttered to himself: "Thank God, it's finally finished. Now I should be able to take a good rest for a while, right?"
Zhuo Liming is a cartoonist.
To be more precise, he is one of the three mainstay cartoonists of the Baiyun Comics weekly. His ancient style comic work "Returning Home on a Snowy Night" has been serialized in the magazine for four years. During these four years, the popularity of "Returning Home on a Snowy Night" has always been high, and each issue has consistently ranked in the top three in readers' popularity votes.
As the plot of the comics gradually entered the 21st century, his work "Returning Home on a Snowy Night" has not fallen from the top of the popularity list for a long time.
Of course, this is all in the past.
No matter how stable the popularity ranking of "Returning Home on a Snowy Night" was before, everything has naturally come to an end as the story is announced to be finished. Zhuo Liming is reluctant to let it go, but he is more relieved and satisfied after the work is finished.
With this mood, he happily handed the draft to his assistants, who outlined and colored it before handing it over to the editor.
However-
"Finished? Teacher Zhuo, are you kidding?" Jing Huahao was not surprised when he suddenly received the finished manuscript of his cartoonist. He just felt puzzled and unbelievable.
As a comic work that has been firmly at the top of the "Baiyun Comics" popularity list in the past year, the popularity and money-making ability of "Returning Home on a Snowy Night" are unquestionable. As more game companies turn their attention to the IP market, its game copyrights have made Baiyun Culture Publishing Group earn a lot of money.
Such a comic book, which can be said to support half of the sales of "Baiyun Comics", is actually going to end
What a joke!
If "Returning Home on a Snowy Night" is really finished, not only will his year-end bonus be gone, the overall sales of "Baiyun Comics" will probably also decline. When the higher-ups blame them, won't he, the editor-in-chief, have to take the blame
How is this possible? !
Jing Huahao frowned, he concentrated, and said in a gentle tone: "Teacher Zhuo, are you under too much pressure from serializing recently? Well... How about this, I will give you a month off, and you can rest well at home and adjust your state during this month, do you think this is okay?"
Zhuo Liming said nothing.
Although the other party did not say it explicitly, the meaning of his words could not be more obvious. He pursed his lips and said in a deep voice: "I am in good condition, there is no problem, and it is not an impulse. Because it is time to end "Returning Home on a Snowy Night", I decided to finish it in this most suitable place, it's that simple."
"Teacher Zhuo," Jing Huahao began to get impatient, but considering that the other party was a popular cartoonist of Baiyun Comics, he suppressed his anger and tried to persuade him as calmly as possible: "Look, Returning Home on a Snowy Night is still the most popular comic in every issue, and readers are also full of enthusiasm for it. If you finish it at this time, wouldn't you be letting down the readers who are looking forward to it?"
Zhuo Liming insisted: "This is my work, and I have the right to decide when it will be finished."
His tone was firm and left no room for negotiation, which made Jing Huahao even more annoyed. His attitude suddenly became obviously cold: "Please be careful with your words. Don't forget that "Returning Home on a Snowy Night" is not only your "Returning Home on a Snowy Night", but also "Returning Home on a Snowy Night" of "Baiyun Comics" - I will not publish this completed manuscript. In the next issue, I will announce that you are unwell and will suspend publication for a week. You'd better think it over before making a decision."
After saying this, without waiting for Zhuo Liming's response, he hung up the phone mercilessly.
silence.
The cell phone went dark in an instant. Zhuo Liming gritted his teeth and kicked the chair beside the table. The chair suddenly lost balance and fell to the ground with a sharp sound.
"Old Zhuo? What happened?" The door of the study room opened. Facing his wife's concerned question, Zhuo Liming could not get angry anymore. He fell back on the single bed in the study room and said irritably: "I just contacted the editor-in-chief."
He didn't finish his words, but this obviously didn't affect his wife's understanding of his unfinished meaning: "They won't let you finish?" The woman frowned, and her face became a little ugly: "How dare they!"
Zhuo Liming said nothing, his slightly drooped eyes becoming more sinister.
Baiyun Culture has always been ruthless.
This is a publishing group that has been endlessly exploiting its comic book authors since a long time ago. This can be seen from the relevant systems of "Baiyun Comics".
Comic works with low popularity will be cut short, while popular works will not be allowed to be completed until the author and the comic are squeezed dry, and the works that were originally ranked at the top gradually decline to the cut-off range, and then they will be "forced" to be completed. What's worse, they may be thrown into the sub-weekly of "Baiyun Comics", and finally end up with a miserable end in their old age.
It's not that he had not thought about the possibility of being forced to continue drawing, but Zhuo Liming never expected that with his current status, he would not be able to become an exception for "Baiyun Comics".
Zhuo Liming twitched the corners of his mouth, feeling disheartened.
"What are they afraid of?" Zhuo Liming said coldly, with a hint of sarcasm and self-mockery on his face: "Anyway, this isn't the first time that Baiyun Comics has done something like this. Teacher Ye Lan's Red Moon was so popular back then, but what happened? Wasn't it squeezed to the point where it had no value left? So they kicked the sub-publication away like a beggar?"
If it weren't for that damn contract...
Zhuo Liming was feeling irritated. As a cartoonist, he was unwilling to add any unnecessary details to his already complete story, but he was also aware of the impact of Baiyun Culture's tactics. His contract also meant that he would not be able to contribute to other comics in the next one or two years.
The cell phone that he had almost forgotten rang at this moment.
Zhuo Liming didn't answer.
According to his understanding of Baiyun Comics, most of the editors in the editorial department lined up to persuade him to come. He didn't intend to answer it, but the phone kept ringing over and over again. He couldn't bear it anymore and picked up the phone. Before he could curse, a familiar voice rang over the other end:
"Teacher Zhuo, I...I'm Shen Xing, I used to be your assistant..."
Zhuo Liming narrowed his eyes.
He was in a bad mood at the moment and was not in the mood to play along with anyone. He was just planning to get straight to the point and hang up to continue worrying about his own things.
Unexpectedly, the other party threw out an invitation that was completely beyond his expectations and irrelevant: "Teacher Zhuo, we are short of one person. Do you want to play mahjong together?"