Starting from scratch, Batman crushed my dream of getting rich

Chapter 450 They will shout your name

Seeing this, Ma Zhaodi finally understood a little why Louise went to such extremes. Superman's death was sad, but the world after Superman's death was the last straw that broke her.

He saw Louis go to Kent Farm in Kansas to see Martha and Jonathan, who was lying in a coma in his hospital bed. They were heartbroken over Clark's death, and Jonathan was so ill that he seemed unlikely to wake up again.

They looked at each other in silence, only weeping silently.

Ma Zhaodi looked at Clark to the side. At this moment, even though he had a body of steel, he was already in tears. Even though he knew clearly that she was not his father and mother from that universe, nor his girlfriend, he still could not suppress his grief.

For Clark, the scene before him was sad enough, but for Ma Zhaodi, what was happening within this universe made him think about more things—such as things outside the universe.

"The Death of Superman"

He vaguely remembered that this happened in the last century, around 1992. At that time, Superman comics were not selling well. People were tired of the traditional story of heroes fighting villains and wanted to pursue something else—dark, profound, cruel things seemed closer to reality, rather than castles in the air.

So Superman died.

With a wave of its hand, the comic book editorial department created a super monster of unknown origin called Doomsday, which perished alongside the hero Superman. And this move certainly worked—in the comics, Superman's tombstone and statue were erected in Metropolitan Square; outside the comics, copies of "The Death of Superman" were snapped up.

On the day Superman died, more than three million copies of Superman comics were sold, just like the Superman costume merchandise that was selling like hotcakes in Metropolis at that time, just like the "Tomorrow Fund" that was all the rage for a time.

The death of a hero has become a lucrative business.

The phone at the DC office was bombarded 24/7, readers flocked to buy comics, and newspapers and radio broadcast the devastating news of Superman's death. People thought he was really dead until Superman was resurrected from the Life Matrix.

From this perspective, Superman can indeed be called the greatest hero of his time. The fact that people could grieve for a comic book character to this extent shows that he had already acquired some symbolic meaning in the hearts of readers.

It's hard to say whether creators have feelings for the characters they create, but according to Ma Zhaodi, after discovering that the deaths of superheroes could attract attention, there were more and more deaths and resurrections of heroes in DC comics. Perhaps for them, feelings are feelings and business is business—profit is above all else, which is the nature of a commercial company.

“We’ll save Jonathan, Clark.”

Ma Zhaodi patted Clark on the shoulder.

But time doesn't stop waiting for anyone, and it finally returned to the beginning.

That was during the battle between Superman and Doomsday.

boom!
Boom!
A deafening roar and terrifying shockwave swept across the entire metropolis. Some might mistake it for thunder from the heavens, but in reality, it was Superman and Doomsday locked in hand-to-hand combat.

The son of Krypton versus the monsters of Krypton. They are evenly matched, and no one can interfere with their battle. Even the aftershocks of their punches and kicks can shatter any ordinary person who gets close.

At this moment, Clark had no desire to watch any further.

For him, dying in battle was the least important thing at this moment. He never minded dying for the world, but felt that he should die in a more meaningful way.

"Have I really made the world a better place?" he couldn't help but wonder. "Is my fight truly meaningful?"

Don't you think so?

Upon hearing Ma Zhaodi's question, Clark looked at him in surprise.

“Your thoughts are written all over your face,” Ma Zhaodi added. “Anyone can tell.” “What do you think?”

"My opinion? Do you even remember when you first arrived in the Metropolis?"

"Emm, it's been almost three years now."

"It was 1938."

"What? I don't—"

“Metropolis at that time, or rather, America at that time, was not doing well, was it? Crime rates were high, the economic crisis had not yet subsided, and the threat of war was already visible to the naked eye.”

Upon hearing Ma Zhaodi's words, Clark was momentarily stunned.

He always felt that what Ma Zhaodi said was strange, as if it were an old story from a very, very long time ago.

But why does it feel so familiar, as if I have actually seen such a world with my own eyes, as if I have actually lived through such a period of time?

He clearly remembered that he had only stayed in the Metropolis for three years, but at some point, he felt as if he had spent a very long time with many people.

Ma Zhaodi's tone suggested that he had known her for more than just an afternoon.

"People need hope, they need solace, people needed a hero, Clark, so you appeared, Superman appeared."

"You wear a cape and a blue-gray bodysuit with a big S on your chest. Some people say you're a bird, some people mistake you for an airplane, but in the end, everyone knows you're called Superman."

"Everyone knows you can lift a car, knows you can fly, knows you can become an invincible hero just by taking off your coat."

"And then, more than forty years have passed."

"You have your own moral principles, your own principles of ability, your own human identity, and your own humanity—to this day, you are still a good person, still protect citizens, and still symbolize truth, justice, and courage. Oh, and of course, you also symbolize America—but I think it's a narrow understanding to say that these three qualities don't represent any specific country."

As Ma Zhaodi spoke, Clark subconsciously recalled his early days in Metropolis. He was right; when he first arrived, everyone seemed unhappy, with few smiles on their faces and a sense of unease in the air.

He gradually built a life for himself here, met Louis, joined the Daily Planet, and slowly added color to his life.

So, I've already accompanied the Metropolitan for such a long time?

“Look, Clark,” Ma Zhaodi said, “Heroes don’t appear out of thin air. People need a hero, and then they choose you. In that respect, you’re a lot like one of the monkeys over there.”

"Your qualities are exactly what a hero should have, and you truly inspired them like a hero. You taught them to be good people, and you solved problems with aliens, mad scientists, and all sorts of villains and crises."

“You were there for a lot of people during that difficult time, and they are doing well now, so they are starting to think you are a bit old-fashioned and want something more authentic.”

"But in reality, when people are in crisis and darkness, they will always call out that name and expect a hero's response."

They would shout: 'Superman!'

(End of this chapter)