Casanova Quinn - Performance Anxiety - Danial Carroll

[I just need to point out that I have absolutely no knowledge of this character at all, so if his "voice" sounds wrong or whatever, it's not my fault :)]

PANEL ONE

Inside a seedy-looking bar, we see the silhouette of Casanova Quinn, sitting on a chair with his back to us. Before him stand four amazingly hot women, all smiling, somewhere between cheeky and evil.

CAPTION: This might look like heaven.

PANEL TWO

From over the shoulder of the middle two girls, we can see Casanova, his lower half is still in darkness. The part we can see has no trace of clothing, implying he is naked.

CAPTION: Sitting stark naked in front of... well, you saw them--

CAPTION: They don't come much hotter!

PANEL THREE

Close up on Casanova's face, the whole thing looking rather... saggy. There's even a line of drool from his open mouth. His eyes are looking to the left.

CAPTION: But I can assure you...

CAPTION: It's hell.

PANEL FOUR

A Bartender is leaning one elbow on the bar, wiping with a cloth in the free hand. He is staring at us and smiling, clearly amused at the scene.

CAPTION: Would never have suspected that the 'tender would slip me a mickey.

PANEL FIVE

A wide view of the scene, with Casanova on the left, the row of girls on the right, and the bartender between them all in the background.

CAPTION: I don't know who they are.

CAPTION: Why they've done this to me.

CAPTION: I don't even know their intentions.

CAPTION: Though frankly... I don't really care.

PANEL SIX

Close view of all the girls.

CAPTION: With a view like this, there's only one thing bothering me.

PANEL SEVEN

Close on Casanova, his eyes looking down.

CAPTION: I wish the drugs hadn't paralysed my entire body.

Casanova Quinn - Paint It Black - Matt Duarte

Casanova Quinn in “Paint it Black” by Matt Duarte

This is not the Casanova Quinn that we know, this is one from another reality.

Panel 1

Description: Casanova Quinn is attending a large funeral. He is wearing a suit, and he is surrounded by his family, his father Cornelius Quinn, his sister Zephyr, and even his mother Anna. They are all sad, but it is clear that Cass is the one that is suffering the most. The love of his life has just died, and he is visibly crying.

CASANOVA (CAPTION): I see a line of cars and they're all painted black. With flowers and my love both never to come back.

Panel 2

Description: Cass is now walking around the streets of Hawai, slumping and clearly a broken shell of a man. Around him, people are enjoying a beautiful day. Off into the distance, there is a volcano.

CASANOVA (CAPTION): I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes. I have to turn my head until my darkness goes.

Panel 3

Description: Cass has just dropped himself (not jumped) into the volcano we saw in the previous panel. It is active, and there is a lot of lava in the bottom.

CASANOVA (CAPTION): Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts. It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black

Panel 4

Description: Cass is in an E.M.P.I.R.E. hospital, he is badly burned in all of his body, and his face is particularly disfigured. He was rescued from his suicide attempt, and is now recovering. Next to him is his father, not really at terms with what his son has done.

CASANOVA (CAPTION): I see people turn their heads and quickly look away. Like a new born baby, it just happens every day.

Panel 5

Description: Cass has jumped out of his bed, and is badly beating his father into a pulp.

CASANOVA (CAPTION): I look inside myself and see my heart is black. I see my red door, I must have it painted black.

Panel 6

Description: The body of Cornelius Quinn lays in the floor, Cass has reached to a medical supply kit that was in the room and has taken out some bandages.

CASANOVA (CAPTION): I wanna see your face, painted black. Black as night, black as coal.

Panel 7

Description: Cass has covered his whole face in bandages. We can see his eyes, just before he is about to put some big dark sunglasses.

CASANOVA (CAPTION): I wanna see the sun blotted out from the sky. I wanna see it painted, painted black. Yeah!

The Beginning.

Note from the author: If you've read Casanova before, you can probably see where I am heading with this, but just in case you haven't or you are a bit slow on the uptake (but we love you anyway!), I'm turning Alternate Cass here into Newman Xeno. I actually think that it's a very logical choice, and Matt Fraction could actually already be building up to this if you think about it. 

Casanova Quinn - White Out - Sime McDonald

I will admit, I have not quite captured Casanova with this script; couldn't quite capture the right voice, the right tone. It just feels... wrong. A damn shame, because I love the series - but sometimes you've just gotta bow to the master, admit defeat, and strive to improve for next time. Cheers - Sime.

1. SMALL PANEL. We're looking at a cylindrical explosive device; something futuristic, something sleek - something dangerous. A digital timer is counting down. It's display currently reads: 00:00:39

CAPTION

When people fall under the spell of a charismatic figure,

parts of the brain's prefrontal and anterior cingulate shut off.

2. Casanova and the being he's kidnapped - Thursisaz, a military dictator on this planet - are making a dash for the intergalactic spacecraft parked on the tarmac. Note: Thursisaz is a new character, no reference available for him; although in the Germanic tongue and in Old Norse it means "giant," so he should be a powerfully built being, albeit one with three head (the other members of the planet's 'parliament.') Casanonova is firing his gun at opponents we cannot yet see, a smile plastered on his face. He is loving this shit. Thursisaz's faces are contorted into rage.

SFX

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

CAPTION

What I'm saying is, the shit in your head that controls skepticism and vigilance just goes kaput.

Somewhere in the panel we should see the digital timer display, still ominously counting down: 00:00:32.

3. BIRDSEYE PERSPECTIVE. Casanova and Thursisaz are in the spacecraft. Its engines are ignited. And, running at the craft, is an army of warriors.

CAPTION

And this fucker I'm escorting off-planet has charmed his people

into going to war. 

Somewhere in the panel we should see the digital timer display, still ominously counting down: 00:00:26.

4. In the cockpit, Cass is at the controls. Thursisaz is bound to the co-pilots chair. The world outside is a blur; they're racing down the tarmac.

CAPTION

E.M.P.I.R.E.'s diplomatic option failed.

Cue me.

THURSISAZ

(all heads)

This is my planet!

I'll be back!

I will be shitting on your grave this time next week, you - -

Somewhere in the panel we should see the digital timer display, still ominously counting down: 00:00:21.

5. Casanova flashes a smile full of bravado at Thursisaz.

CASANOVA

You don't get it.

You're not coming back.

You can't come back.

Somewhere in the panel we should see the digital timer display, still ominously counting down: 00:00:17.

6. On Thursisaz's faces; they've got pale, eyes opened wide.

CASANOVA

(off panel)

In thirteen seconds, the WHD I planeted thirty minutes ago

is gonna detonate. 

Somewhere in the panel we should see the digital timer display, still ominously counting down: 00:00:13.

7. The spacecraft is rocketing into space.

CAPTION (1)

WHD.

White-Hole-Detonator.

 In a few seconds, Thursisaz's homeworld's gonna be

a region of spacetime that can't be entered from

the outside. Anybody who leaves won't be able to return.

 CAPTION (2)

This is as close as Thursisaz is ever gonna get to his world again.

Let's see how his world get's on without

him at its helm, eh?

 Somewhere in the panel we should see the digital timer display, still ominously counting down: 00:00:07.

8. SAME AS PANEL #1. 

Only now the timer reads: 00:00:00.

END.

Casanova Quinn - Speed Dating With Casanova Quinn - Rol Hirst

I’m not going to apologise for lots of small panels this week, firstly because they’re mostly talking heads… and secondly because it’s Casanova. Just imagine page 2 of this story involves a big splash with lots of violence and a witty one-liner or two.

Panel One.

We’re in a speed-dating bar, moving round the tables with Casanova Quinn. Most of the panels are head and upper body shots of the women he’s speed-dating.

Date #1 is a Marilyn Monroe type, all low-cut bust and beauty spot pout, beaming as she introduces herself. A lock of perfectly blonde hair curls down her forehead. There is a badge pinned to her dress, handwritten with her name: Marrimee. She points to this as she introduces herself, giggling.

Marrimee: Hi, I’m Marrimee, but I guess you can see that already (giggle).

Marrimee: I’m 22, 38 – 21 – 36, 58…

CAP (Casanova): She’s lying about her age, her vital statistics, and her number of confirmed kills…

Panel Two.

A bullet speeds towards Marrimee’s brain through the bullseye on her forehead created by the lock of blonde hair. In this panel it’s caught in the split-second before piercing her skull. Her eyes look up at it with confusion.

CAP (Casanova): This is going to be a long night.

Panel Three.

Casanova brushes brain splatter from his otherwise impeccable dinner jacket and prepares to move on. He’s holding a smoking (and I mean SMOKING!) gun.

CAP (Casanova): Speed-dating – I’d rather finger-bang a Neo-Lovecraftian Love-Piranha. Again.

CAP (Casanova): I only agreed to take this assignment if they let me kill everyone but the target, who must be taken alive at all costs if the universe is to continue expanding exponentially after Thursday.

Panel Four.

Casanova’s next date is another pretty lady, with dark green hair, seductive eyes and a body to die in prolonged agony for. The only slightly odd thing about her is her enormous Joker-esque too-much-lipstick-and-teeth smile. Her name tag reads: Jill Ingjoke. She’s sitting in front of a window that looks up into the night sky where one star blinks brighter than all the rest.

Jill: The main thing I’m looking for in a man is a GSOH…

Panel Five.

The star is actually a death-satellite which now fires a concentrated laser beam down to earth, through the window behind Jill and straight through the back of her head, emerging between her eyes as a needle of light that continues on through the table she’s sitting at. Casanova steps away, holding a small button box with which he’s just activated the satellite death laser.

Casanova: Geo-Synchronous Orbital Homicide? Happy to oblige.

Panel Six.

Casanova’s next date is a green alien woman with huge black eyes and a not unsexy snout. Hey, I just write these things. Her name tag reads: Greeda. She offers her hand to Cass and is somewhat surprised when he offers his gun in return.

Greeda: Hi, my name’s—

CAP (Casanova): If I learnt one thing back in 1997, long before I ever became a spy…

Panel Seven.

Close on Cass’s gun firing green alien death.

CAP (Casanova): Never trust a green alien not to shoot first.

Panel Eight.

Leaving the smoking corpse of the green alien woman behind him, Cass moves on to his next date… but stops in his tracks when he sees who it is.

CAP (Casanova): It’s the only way to survive in this game: be ready for anythi—

Casanova: No… way.

Panel Nine.

Looking over Cass’s shoulder we see his next date, a startling woman with an Elsa Lanchester beehive and a dress that would turn heads in a neckbrace test group. She’s smiling a wicked, I’m-going-to-kill-you-very-slowly smile. Her nametag reads: Your Presumed Dead (Because You Tried To Murder Me, Three Times, You Bastard) Ex-Wife, Sandra.

Sandra: Hello, darling…

CAP (Casanova): The worst of this is, I think I just identified my target…

Casanova Quinn - I have no $#*& and I must %&@* - Max Barnard

The Point Of It All: I don't really know... much of anything about Casanova (despite reading the first hardcover like 3 times, I swear I'm thick as anything), but I like to think I'm on the ball enough to make this strip about Ellison-style grim sci-fi crossed with a complete lack of basic understanding of the character entertain. a bit.

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Page 1 - 5 Panels

1-- A dark moving mass pulsates beneath a dark red light. Standing atop this pile of mystery mass (hint: it's people) is the silhouette of one Casanova Quinn, standing quite plainly.

NARRATION/CASANOVA QUINN - I find myself today in a dark world, dictated by forces beyond my comprehension.


2-- The red light is brighter now, illuminating the mass below Quinn, revealing it as a writhing mass of people having a very intimate time. Quinn himself is only slightly illuminated, with his face visible and the rest of him still in shadow to hide his missing genitalia.

NARRATION/CASANOVA QUINN - It COULD be the greatest world. Deceitful whores and pitiful shysters in a constant, writhing union under the command of a sinister artificial intelligence. Almost perfect.


3-- Close-up of Quinn's face, as he looks solemn and defeated.

NARRATION/CASANOVA QUINN - But the A.I. doesn't like me. I think E.M.P.I.R.E. knew this when they sent me here. Sexiled, even.


4-- Even CLOSER-up of Quinn's face, focused on his brow as sweat rolls down it.

NARRATION/CASANOVA QUINN - It can control all that is, it seems. Which is why... Why... Why...


5-- Fully illuminated shot of Quinn now, as he curses the universe, screaming to the sky. Where his genitals should be (and his arse if it fits into the picture at all) there is just a smoothed over area.

NARRATION/CASANOVA QUINN - WHY DID IT HAVE TO TAKE MY JUNK?!

Cassanova Quin - A Day in the Life - Ben Rosenthal

1. Cassanova Quin and a scantily clad attractive female are running towards us. They are being chased by humanoid looking robots, in what looks to be the cargo bay of a spaceship or such.

FEMALE
How can I ever repay you?

CASSANOVA
I’m sure something will come up.

2. Cass is having sex with said lady in a cheap looking motel room. Go with any positioning you like, although one with Cass be dominant would suit best. He has a smirk on his face.

FEMALE
Oh, YES! SO GOOD!

3. A white panel with text. In between the two lines of text is Cass’ head, talking to the reader. It’s a soliloquy.

TEXT
So I rescue the damsel and we get it on. We fall asleep, I leave and everyone lives blissfully ever after, right?

TEXT
Yeah, that’d be nice.

4. Still in the same hotel room, Cass has his knife in hand and fighting with the lady whom is actually a robot. She looks to be of the same model as the robots that were chasing her and Cass in the first panel. Her features are the same, but she now had electric swords protruding from her forearms. Go wild with the rest of her look.

5. Another white panel with text. This time, the head of Cass is winking.

TEXT
Yup, I totally fucked a robot.

Casanova Quinn – Admitting You Have A Problem – Ryan K Lindsay

1. Zephyr Quinn walks out of an orgy hall, it’s a room full of writhing, naked, men and women. The room has an animal theme, people with fake ears, tails, someone wearing an elephant trunk (though nothing else).

Caption: Nothing, just a bunch of pages. Waiting to be turned, to be forgotten or burned with the rest of history written by the wrong winners. Tragic like a clown with a limp dick.
Zephyr: You’re just so desperately shit at life.

2. Zephyr stops at a patio facing an Italian vista of glorious beauty.

Caption: I’m going to need Cass, not these peons.

3. Close on Zephyr’s face, she’s smiling like she just figured out what an orgasm is.

Caption: Because no less will sate me, I’ve gone to the 666.

4. Zephyr still stands at the patio but now we can see a table setting out there, and a wild looking Casanova Quinn sits there with a Mint Julep in front of him. He’s got slightly longer hair than the usual Cass, and longer sideburns. He’s wearing a shirt with rolled up sleeves below a vest and nice tie. We can see tattoos down his left forearm.

Caption: Yeah, I learnt a thing or two rolling with Xeno. I got me some Fakebook skills. I don’t like to brag.
Zephyr: You ready?

5. Casanova stands up and has a blade drawn in his hand, there is a spread of psychic squid coming out from around him. Zephyr has her psychic snakes at the ready behind her.

Caption: This will be my fifth Cass this month. I’ve got a problem.
Casanova: Ha, vile strumpet, are you?
Casanova: I’m going to leave you only feeling the vibrations of music because to have it enter any orifice will simply hurt too much.
Caption: And I love my sexy fucking problem.

Why Casanova Quinn?

Why? Because the genre demands it! That's why.

I first read Casanova in the trade of his first arc. I was instantly won over on this comic. It's high art, but maybe it's really low in disguise, and in the end it doesn't matter if it entertains you and gives you plenty to think about. This comic does both and in large parts manages it due to the lead character.

He's the lost sperm of Mick Jagger and Dominic Fortune and he's surrounded by a world that feels like Philip K Dick if he had 72 channels to surf while tripping instead of just being in his shed with a typewriter.

Cass is amoral and funny and determined. He's also a true bastard, a gentleman of some new school, and extremely intriguing as a human and a four colour character. He'll do just about anything and it's this internal anarchy that makes him so compelling.

I've picked him for this week's character because I feel you could do just about anything with him. It's just whether you do it well or not that's the true question. I hope I manage something halfway decent. Cass deserves nothing less.

If you've just joined us due to the media attention from The Weekly Crisis, and then CBR's Robot 6, then welcome, have a look around, and please contribute your own script in the comments section of this post, we always welcome Play-At-Home pages to be delievered.

If you haven't read Casanova before then you need to buy the trade below. It's required reading, seriously.

Casanova, Vol. 1: Luxuria