DC Heroes in Marvel

After wrapping up affairs in New York, Anton is finally ready to launch his own business.

Jim is working at lightning speed, ensuring everything meets Anton's requests, and Constantine's crew has nearly completed the preparations. 

With that, Anton departed for Los Angeles to assist with casting.

As a world-renowned director, Anton's new film project has already caught the attention of numerous Hollywood stars. 

Entertainment tabloids have been quick to report on the development, dedicating extensive coverage, including feature articles and exclusive pieces. 

Even fans of DC—especially those devoted to the Justice League—are paying close attention to this project.

Everyone knows that whenever Anton directs a movie, there's speculation about the introduction of a "new member" of the Justice League. (Though, of course, "new member" is always up for interpretation.)

Netizens have their own theories. Since Anton founded DC and laid out so many superhero stories and concepts, they suspect these "new members" aren't new at all but are actually Batman's old comrades-in-arms. 

According to online chatter, the movies Anton produces are autobiographical tales based on these veteran allies of the Dark Knight.

Still, speculation is just that—speculation. No one can say for sure.

Regardless, the question dominating conversations online is: does Anton's new project signal the emergence of another one of Batman's former comrades? 

The buzz is intense, and discussions are growing more heated.

Meanwhile, some influential media outlets have managed to uncover details about the project, including its title: Hell Detective.

The name immediately grabbed attention, igniting a fresh wave of speculation.

Hell. The term alone is intriguing and needs no introduction. It suggests that Anton's film will be another mysterious and potentially suspenseful work. 

The title's genre doesn't quite align with a traditional superhero movie, leaving fans and critics alike curious about what Hell Detective will entail.

The news only fueled the hype.

Washington, D.C. — S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters

Coulson, now promoted to director, sat in his office reviewing a report handed to him. After skimming through the details, he frowned.

"Hell Detective?"

With S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources, Coulson had access to far more information than the entertainment media. 

He not only confirmed the title of Anton's new movie but also identified its connection to a specific character in DC's expansive roster of heroes.

"Constantine…" Coulson murmured, deep in thought.

John Constantine.

An Englishman born in Liverpool, Constantine had demonstrated magical abilities since childhood. As a magician, he rarely relied on magic, preferring to avoid its often painful costs.

 Instead, he employed tactics like reasoning, investigation, bargaining, and deception to resolve issues.

Coulson was fully aware of Constantine's story. After all, long ago, when Nick Fury was still director, he had tasked Coulson with studying all the works produced by DC—novels, animations, comics, and beyond. 

Ever since then, Coulson had been following DC's content closely.

"So, another story steeped in mystery…" Coulson muttered with a hint of exasperation.

Anton's last film, Wonder Woman, had already ventured into the realm of mythology, touching on figures like Zeus, the king of the gods, and Ares, the god of war. 

Now, it seemed Anton was diving even deeper into the supernatural with Hell Detective.

The most significant thing is that during the film's release, Thor appeared in New Mexico, bringing Norse mythology to life. 

This immediately confirmed the existence of gods—though, after making contact, it became clear that these "gods" were, strictly speaking, just highly advanced alien civilizations compared to humanity.

Interestingly, Wonder Woman seems to have some connection to Thor. Coulson, however, hasn't fully figured out the link. 

Meanwhile, Anton is preparing to shoot Hell Detective, a movie centered around Constantine.

What does Constantine represent?

Hell. Satan. God. 

In essence, Christianity is being reinterpreted.

From Coulson's understanding of Constantine, the story also features numerous angels and demons, including the archangel Gabriel and the demon Nergal. 

These characters are deeply rooted in ancient myths.

Gabriel, for instance, needs no introduction. In the Bible, Gabriel is one of the four archangels, often considered the leader of the angels and God's most trusted messenger, symbolizing wisdom and divine authority.

As for Nergal, Coulson recalls that this figure originates from Sumerian mythology. Nergal was the god of war, archery, and disease—often associated with fire and the zodiac sign Sagittarius.

 In mythology, Nergal led 14 demons in an attack on the underworld, originally the realm of the goddess Ereshkigal. To restore order, Ereshkigal married Nergal, who then became known as the King of Death.

The blending of these myths is enough to make Coulson's head spin.

Knock, knock, knock!

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. The former director, now deputy director, Nick Fury, walked in.

Seeing Coulson's frustrated expression, Fury smirked and said, "What's wrong? You look like you've got a real problem on your hands."

"Anton is making another movie," Coulson replied. "And judging by past patterns, it's highly likely something will happen—something you and I won't fully understand."

"Oh?" Fury said as he sat casually across from Coulson. "Since I became deputy director, I've realized there's nothing in this world I can't understand. After all, the big problems are for the director to handle, right?"

"Nick, I'd happily give you this position," Coulson sighed. "Just thinking about gods and demons gives me a headache. I thought Greek and Norse mythology were complicated enough. Now Christianity is being added to the mix. I'm starting to wonder what other secrets this world is hiding."

"So, Anton's next movie is tied to Christianity?" Fury asked, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Exactly." Coulson nodded, looking even more drained. "Anyway, what do you need from me?"

Noticing Coulson's clear fatigue, Fury decided not to press further. He leaned back in his chair and said calmly, "Harry has agreed to join the Avengers."

"Really? The military isn't blocking it?" Coulson asked, surprised. "Harry doesn't seem like the type to go against the military. After all, a lot of Osborne Industries' weapons contracts depend on military orders."

"I looked into it," Fury said. "Harry had a conversation with Anton before agreeing to join. It seems Anton and the military are working together to plant an observer in the Avengers. Harry's a perfect fit. And as you know, we need Osborne's resources right now, so we're not going to reject him. Plus, Harry was someone I wanted on the team anyway."

"Ah, so you'd already planned for this," Coulson remarked, shaking his head.

Coulson glanced at Nick Fury. His face was calm, but deep down, he felt a twinge of insecurity.

Though Coulson was now the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., his methods still felt immature compared to Nick Fury, the former director.

Especially when he thought about Fury's bold actions—using a fake death to lure out Hydra spies within S.H.I.E.L.D., sacrificing countless resources, and even inciting a clash between the Justice League and the Avengers in Washington just days ago.

If Coulson had been in Fury's place, he would never have taken such drastic steps.

"Coulson, I know you don't agree with my choices," Fury said, as if reading Coulson's thoughts. "But you're the director now. No matter what, you need to stand by your decisions."

Fury gave him a steady look, then turned to gaze at the sunset outside the window. His voice dropped, carrying a weight of experience.

"In this world, there are always things beyond your understanding. To achieve a greater goal, you can't fear sacrifice. Sometimes, you have to make hard choices."

Coulson was silent.

Los Angeles.

Anton wasn't deeply involved in the casting process.

After briefly reviewing the list of actors and the detailed information provided by Jim, he headed straight to Quentin Beck's special effects studio. 

Beck, better known as Mysterio.

Anton's purpose was clear: to use Quentin's holographic projection technology to enhance the movie's special effects during production.

Hell Detective didn't rely heavily on special effects, and the effects required were relatively simple. As an experienced director, Anton reviewed the schedule and budget Jim had prepared, estimating that the film would take about two months to complete.

By incorporating Quentin's holographic projection equipment into the shoot, Anton hoped to save significant time and effort by reducing the need for post-production effects.

Quentin, understanding Anton's vision, eagerly demonstrated his latest drone projection equipment.

Anton was impressed.

Though the projections displayed by the drones were a bit unpolished, Anton knew that, with enough time and fine-tuning, the expressions and movements could be refined to perfection.

"Beck, let's proceed with this plan. I'll send you the script so you can start creating the character models based on the story and the screenwriter's requirements," Anton said.

"This time, we're not just using holographic projections for filming. We're going to prove to Hollywood that holographic projection technology represents the future. This is the future you've been working toward."

"No problem. I'll give it everything I've got," Quentin said, brimming with excitement.

A few days later, under Anton's watchful eye, casting for Hell Detective was completed, and filming officially began.

To allow Quentin more time to perfect the holographic projection models, Anton prioritized scenes that didn't require special effects. 

All scenes needing holography were pushed to the second month of the shooting schedule.

Meanwhile, news of Hell Detective's production spread rapidly.

Constantine?

When audiences heard that the film centered around John Constantine, interest surged. Fans began revisiting the original novels and other DC cultural works featuring the character.

Discovering references to Christianity, God, angels, demons, and the supernatural, many were left in awe—and a little shaken.

If Wonder Woman represents the gods, does Anton's decision to film Hell Detective suggest that magic, gods, and demons truly exist in the world?

Netizens engaged in fierce debates over these questions.

More than a month later, Anton noticed the online arguments were still raging, with neither side backing down. 

Deciding to seize the moment, he approached Jim and instructed him to begin promoting the movie.

Jim was stunned at first but then realized the reason for Anton's confidence—the filming progress was shockingly fast.

Especially after Quentin's holographic projection equipment was introduced, the need for traditional special effects work was eliminated entirely, saving time, effort, and resources.

"It'll be finished in about half a month!" Anton said, sitting with the crew and feeling deeply moved. This was the smoothest and most effortless production he'd ever worked on. 

Once filming wrapped, only minimal post-production work would be required, and the movie could be released immediately.

While reflecting on the process, Anton glanced at the system panel displaying Constantine's fan value—it had already reached 15 million. He marveled at how quickly the character had gained popularity.

"Why is John Constantine attracting fans so fast?" Anton muttered to himself. "Is it because of his shamelessness?"

He shook his head, unable to figure it out.

As the production neared its finale, Jim introduced Anton to someone who had come to the set for a cameo appearance. The sight of this newcomer left Anton momentarily stunned.

"Anton, this is Johnny Blaze," Jim explained. "He's the most famous motorcycle stuntman in the United States. He even broke a world record by jumping over dozens of cars. I invited him to make a quick cameo—just a few seconds of footage."

After Jim finished, he noticed Anton's strange expression and grew nervous. "What's wrong? Do you think he's not a good fit?"

"No, no, not at all," Anton replied, scrutinizing Johnny Blaze from head to toe.

Suddenly, Anton laughed, then turned serious. "Mr. Blaze, are you interested in playing Satan? You have a... devilish aura about you."

…

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