American comics: You're asked to fish, but you catch a Superman template?

Page 542

What is unclear is that Xu Fu knew far more about the Tammany Association than he thought.

Luciano spoke to the crowd at the polo field with an indignant expression.

“If what you say is true, Mr. Luciano, then it is indeed my oversight.”

Having accepted Luciano's explanation, Xu Fu nodded with a serious expression.

"But as far as I know, the Tammany Association has always been quite controversial, especially after The New York Times reported years ago that the association's president and his associates had embezzled large sums of public funds."

“Indeed, as you said, Mr. Xu Fu, the Tammany Association has a bad past. Its former president, Tweed, led the association in the wrong direction because of his greed. But that is in the past. After the Tweed case, the Tammany Association began reform efforts to try to change its past bad image.”

Luciano seemed ready to meet Xu Fu's challenge. He took a puff of his cigar and then offered his explanation.

Chapter 609 Sealing Fee

"Is Luciano a member of the Tammany Association?"

Xu Fu was not worried about the veracity of Luciano's words regarding the reform of the Tammoni Association, but instead asked a rhetorical question.

"No."

Lucino shook his head cautiously, his lips twitching slightly, and said, "I was asked by someone, the current chairman of the Tammony Association, Hein, who happens to be very familiar with me, so he asked me to clarify the misunderstanding between them and you, Mr. Xu Fu."

Beginning in the 1930s, Luciano maintained frequent contact with the Tammany Society, openly communicating with its leaders at major political conferences, and successfully turning the Tammany Society, New York's most influential political and economic force, into his own protector.

Of course, in exchange, he needed to rid the association of some unnecessary trouble, such as Xu Fu's report in the *Messenger's Daily*, which was right in front of him. "103"

In fact, since the death of its former president and leader, Charles Francis Murphy, the Tammany Society has inevitably been in a state of shameful decline.

In particular, the Great Depression exposed some problems within the association.

Xu Fu's revelations about former Mayor Jimmy Walker's bribery scandal dealt a blow to the political landscape the association had built in New York City.

The association made great efforts to support the mayor of New York City in the first instance.

After briefly explaining his relationship with the Tammany Association, Lucino looked at Xu Fu in front of him and smiled: "Well, Mr. Xu Fu, as an important newspaper that exposed the mayor's bribery case, the Messenger has gained the public's trust. It is for this reason that the association hopes you can clarify the misunderstanding and clear the Tammany Association of its crimes."

Luciano twitched the corner of his mouth, trying his best to make his smile look friendly.

However, he did not mention that the scars on his own face made it impossible for him to do so.

Luciano's facial scars are the result of an injury sustained several years ago during a murder. He was kidnapped, beaten, and stabbed by three men before being dumped on a beach on Staten Island. Although he appeared to be dead at the time, he miraculously survived, only to be left with permanent scars on his body and joints, and his eyes were sunken, as the price he paid for the attack.

It was after this kidnapping that Luciano earned the nickname "Lucky Charlie".

As the media that first reported the incident said, Luciano was lucky to survive; only God knows how he survived such a deadly situation.

According to the stories Xu Fu knew, in the near future, the Tammany Association would completely disappear from New York City and from history as a result of the political landscape being blocked.

Therefore, choosing to help the Tammany Association at this time is not a prudent move.

In particular, from a certain perspective, he and the Tammany Association remain in a hostile relationship.

Therefore, when faced with Luciano's so-called demands, he did not offer much reassurance, but simply gave a calm answer.

"As for the Tammoni Association, I will take the time to investigate. If it is really as you say, Mr. Luciano, I will clear up the misunderstanding through the Messenger."

Luciano was not dissatisfied with Xu Fu's answer. He gestured with his finger toward the bodyguard behind him, who quickly came over with a paper bag.

Luciano took the brown paper bag and handed it to Xu Fu, saying with a smile.

"The Tammany Association would be delighted to be friends with such an impartial member of the media as you, Mr. Xu Fu."

The thin kraft paper bag couldn't stop Xu Fu's attention, even though his abilities in the positive world were weakened.

Through the paper bag, he could clearly see a thick stack of banknotes inside, which he estimated to be around 20 to 30 yuan.

Once Xu Fu accepted the money, it undoubtedly meant that he agreed to Luciano's claims and received the help of the Tammany Association to make things clearer or more transparent.

The situation at the time was that if Xu Fu became a malicious person, or simply accepted the money sent by the "Tamani Association", it would be a problem.

But the Tammany Society clearly overlooked the fact that it was not a legitimate newspaper.

The Messenger's profitable part wasn't its journalism, but rather the continuation of a series of Superman comics.

The Tamenne Association offered a lot of money, but it wasn't enough to change Xu Fu's mind, not to mention that he needed more than the 20 to 30 in the brown paper bag lying in front of him.

"if it is like this."

Xu Fu turned his gaze to the brown paper bag in front of him, looking at Luciano standing before him. "Please tell the Tammany Association that the Messenger newspaper has always pursued only the truth in its reporting, so please forgive me for refusing this gift."

Seeing that Xu Fu refused the brown paper bag offered to him without even looking at it, Luciano's lowered eyes twitched, and a slight change in expression appeared on his face. He glanced at the battered man standing in front of him.

Frankly, he was somewhat surprised that Xu Fu did not show any condescending attitude...

Few people can maintain such a firm stance under these circumstances.

Silently taking the paper bag from him, Luciano smiled as if nothing had happened: "In that case, I won't bother you any longer. I believe Mr. Xu Fu will find out the truth and give the association an answer."

After saying this, Luciano turned to his former leader standing behind him and made a gesture.

"Bring Mr. Xu Fu back."

Nodding, the leader walked over and gestured an invitation to Du Xufu.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Xu Fu, I have something to do the next day. I hope we can meet again in the future."

"I agree with Hope's point of view."

On the polo field behind them, the match was ending, and Xu Fu left the field without looking back when Luciano said goodbye to him.

"Boss, we are..."

0.9

Watching Xu Fu's departing figure, Lucio's bodyguard asked in a low voice.

"no need."

He shook his head, rejecting his subordinate's suggestion.

Luciano took a puff of his cigar, turned his attention back to the game on the field, and said slowly, "I've done my job; the next issue is something the Tamani Association should deal with, not us."

For Luciano, the Tammony Association was merely a facade he used to hide behind the scenes, rather than a genuine desire to engage with and participate in the association's affairs.

In particular, since the former mayor stepped down, the Tammany Association has lost much of its weight and influence in Luciano's mind.

If the association itself doesn't maintain significant political influence in New York City, Lucino may already be considering the umbrella's next target.

Chapter 610 Exclusive Publication

After leaving the polo field, Xu Fu successfully returned to the newspaper's newsroom.

As he looked in the direction the car had gone, he still felt regret.

People might have expected Luciano to make arrangements along the way, but who would have thought that he would simply be sent back safely?

All we can say is that Luciano, as he should have, was quite "lucky," and of course, cautious enough.

Xu Fu shook his head, looked away from the back seat of the car, and turned to push open the door of the newspaper office.

Clang-

The people gathered at the newspaper office looked up when they heard the door open.

Good morning, Mr. Xu Fu.

Jacob put down his paintbrush and greeted Xu Fu at his workbench.

Walking to his desk, Xu Fu picked up a letter, glanced at it, then looked up and nodded to the newspaper staff, "Good morning, gentlemen."

"The latest issue of 'Messenger Comics' has begun printing..."

　11 Just as Xu Fu was sitting at his desk, Harry Donaldfield walked up to him with the latest issue of "The Messenger Comics".

Xu Fu reached out and took Harry's comic booklet, casually flipping through its contents.

Due to the success of "The Messenger Comics", the number of copies of this picture book has remained relatively stable at around 50 per issue.

This is an astonishing number for any publisher.

This means that in New York City alone, five out of every seventy people buy the Messenger comics, not counting piracy.

Currently, the material published in the Messenger comic is based on a series of reprinted episodes from the Messenger newspaper.

It can certainly save energy, but for Xu Fu, it's still too slow whether it's collecting [faith] or enhancing those abilities that are still at the [Iron] level.

Therefore, after thinking about it for a while, Xu Fu came up with a rough idea.

"The sales figures for The Messenger Comics have now stabilized, but Superman is much more popular. Perhaps we should try to develop a new issue of the comic and print a quarterly magazine dedicated to Superman, so that readers who missed The Messenger and The Messenger Comics can see the superhero's story in the Superman quarterly."

"A publication specifically for Superman?"

In this era, publications like Messenger Comics are an innovation in themselves.

Xu Fu said that the publication specifically for Superman is an upgraded version of "Messenger Comics".

Of course, if you look at the sales practices of later generations, you will find that this so-called exclusive publication was actually just a form of peripheral marketing.

With the release of this season, Superman will become the first hero in superhero comic book history to have his own dedicated publication.

"exactly."

Xu Fu nodded, pointing out that the idea behind Superman Quarterly was certainly not limited to reprinting the original series for profit.