Chapter 17 | Page 13b: Hard bargaining

Posted on April 2, 2026 by Brad Guigar

At Evil Inc, even labor negotiations can spiral out of control — especially when “hard bargaining” takes on a whole new meaning. Cassie Cruz just realized that the conference room she prepped for Dr. Muskiday’s… unconventional solution… is already booked for a high-stakes union negotiation. Unfortunately, it looks like Doctor Threat and the henchpersons may have already reached an agreement.

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Transcript

Panel 1
Cassie Cruz (angry):
“We are NOT having an orgy at our desks!”

Dr. Muskiday (calmly defensive):
“Of course not! I stocked the conference room with mattresses and lube.”

Panel 2
Cassie Cruz (panicking):
“The conference room?! Doctor Threat is scheduled to negotiate a new contract with the henchpersons’ union in there!”

Panel 3
Cassie Cruz (looking toward a slightly open door):
“Where’s Doctor Threat?”

Dr. Muskiday (matter-of-fact):
“I believe that’s him in the middle of — erm — ‘collective bargaining.’”

(Sound effects from behind the closed conference room door:)
“Hhh hhh”
“Plap Ngh Plap Plap”
“Hngh hhh”
“mmf mmf mmf”

Detailed Alt Text

A three-panel comic set inside an office at Evil Inc.

Panel 1: Cassie Cruz, a professional woman with short brown hair, red glasses, a white blazer, and a low-cut yellow top, stands beside her desk looking furious. A small pink “emotion cloud” with a skull icon floats near her head, indicating anger. She shouts that they are not having an orgy at their desks. Standing nearby is Dr. Muskiday, a short humanoid with a fly’s head—large red compound eyes, small body, and lab coat—who calmly explains that he already prepared the conference room with mattresses and lube.

Panel 2: Close-up on Cassie clutching her head in alarm. Her expression is wide-eyed and panicked. She exclaims that the conference room is supposed to be used for an important union negotiation between Doctor Threat and the henchpersons’ union.

Panel 3: Cassie and Dr. Muskiday stand in a hallway facing a slightly open conference room door. Cassie asks where Doctor Threat is. Muskiday gestures toward the door and awkwardly suggests that Doctor Threat is inside, in the middle of “collective bargaining,” implying something sexual. From inside the room comes exaggerated, comic-style sound effects indicating vigorous activity: heavy breathing (“hhh hhh,” “hngh”), rhythmic “plap” noises, and muffled sounds (“mmf mmf”). The implication is that the union negotiation has devolved into an orgy inside the conference room.

Comic Book Publisher Market Share: October 2009

Posted on November 10, 2009 by Brad Guigar

For the first time since 1968, DC snagged the top six spots in the top-ten selling titles of the month. Marvel Comics maintained its hold on the dominant market share in comics, according to Diamond Comic’s monthly sales report. But DC closed the gap from 14.84% to just under 2.5% by dominating the top six, best-selling titles of the month. Blackest Night #4 secured the Number One position, with four other Blackest Night themed titles and Batman and Robin shoring up the rest of the top six slots. Dark Horse held its firm bronze finish over both IDW and Image — who traded off fourth- and fifth-positions yet again. And Archie Comics crept into the Top Ten for the second month in a row, no doubt because of the “Archie marries Veronica” storyline that has been garnering a fair share of media buzz. Here’s a look at the numbers:

Percent of unit share, by publisher.

Publisher
July 09
Aug. 09
Sept. 09
Oct. 09
This month’s
Top 10
Marvel Comics
42.58
41.26
47.58
40.12
Marvel
DC Comics
34.14
32.06
32.74
37.69
DC Comics
Dark Horse
4.06
5.74
3.72
4.14
Dark Horse
IDW Publishing
3.72
3.29
2.58
3.15
Image Comics
Image Comics
3.21
2.91
2.93
3.93
IDW Publishing
Dynamite Entertainment
2.27
2.11
1.72
Dynamite
Boom! Studios
1.52
1.42
1.44
Boom!
Viz Media
0.76
1.61
0.62
0.79
Avatar Press
Avatar Press
0.68
0.92
Archie Comics
Aspen MLT
0.62
Viz Media
Tokyopop
1.15
Wizard Entertainment
0.95
0.45
Gemstone Publishing
0.92
Dynamic Forces
0.92
Archie Comics     0.95 0.90  


Top Ten Titles, Oct. 2009


1 BLACKEST NIGHT #4
2 BATMAN AND ROBIN #5
3 GREEN LANTERN #47
4 BLACKEST NIGHT: BATMAN #3
5 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #41
6 BLACKEST NIGHT: SUPERMAN #3
7 NEW AVENGERS #58
8 DARK AVENGERS #10
9 UNCANNY X-MEN #516
10 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #608

Data for Diamond’s sales charts — which include the monthly market shares and all top product charts — are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from a universe of over 4,000+ accounts, comprised of comic book specialty shops and other merchant stores and buyers. The shops are primarily located in North America, with a percentage of sales also to international stores and buyers located throughout the world. The account base includes brick-and-mortar comic book specialty shops, Internet merchants, and other specialty stores. Unit and dollars sales are calculated based upon orders invoiced and shipped to Diamond accounts during any given month, which comprises initial pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable.