Days of Future Past - Magneto - R.A. Wonsowski

Layout:

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Panel 1- Close-up, the eyes of MAGNETO. They are showing the strain and exertion of his power, as well as his age, the white brows furrowed from exhaustion.

CAPTION: Do you remember what I told you, Charles?

CAPTION: What would happen if they passed that law?

Panel 2- MAGNETO is levitating in an electromagnetic storm, above a mutant death camp. He is dressed in his olive green prison jumpsuit with the "M" marked over his left breast. His fists are clenched as he readies for attack. Behind him, a giant Sentinel is about to wrap its hands around him.

CAPTION: So much worse than chains and numbers. I never thought I'd see the ovens again.

CAPTION: We should have been gods striding the world, not marching toward smokestacks.

Panel 3- same as Panel 2, but the Sentinel has been taken apart, the components hanging in the air like a designer's exploded drawing. MAGNETO is calm before what he will accomplish next.

CAPTION: So if I am destined to face the extinction of Homo Superior...

CAPTION: I'll make sure Homo Sapiens marches right with us.

Days Of Future Past - 2099 Problems - Niel Jacoby

Panel 1: JAKE GALLOWS, the Punisher of the year 2099, and VICTOR VON DOOM in his 2099 incarnation stand before a portal. Gallows is uncertain, but Von Doom is resolute.

Gallows: YOU BETTER KNOW THIS, DOOM: WE AIN'T BROTHERS, WE AIN'T PARTNERS, AND WE AIN'T FRIENDS. ONCE WE'VE DEALT WITH THIS TIME-THREAT, I'M PUTTING A BULLET IN YOUR HEAD.

Doom: I AM WELL AWARE.

Panel 2: Gallows and Doom step into the portal.

NO COPY

Panel 3: Gallows and Doom exit the portal and find themselves in the year 2014.

Gallows: I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! CLEAN AIR, TREES, SUNLIGHT? THIS ISN'T ANY EARTH I'VE KNOWN.

Doom: YOU HAVE STUDIED YOUR HISTORY POORLY, JAKE GALLOWS. THIS INDEED WAS EARTH--BUT IF WE DON'T ACT FAST, IT MAY NOT BE MUCH LONGER!

Days of Future Past - Be Not Afraid - J.D. Coughlan

I haven't read the storyline, but as I understand it, Professor X is killed off quite early in this timeline. This is just before those events.

Three normal sized panels across the top, one large panel dominating the page.

Panel 1: Close up on Professor X. Over his shoulder, we see the gigantic leg of a Sentinel. It's probably not visible in this panel, but the mansion around him has been destroyed by the Sentinel, ripped open. The Professor is calm.

PROFESSOR X: I always knew this day would come.

Panel 2: Side view of the Professor. He remains staring ahead, almost not acknowledging the Sentinel. His hand is on the control for his wheelchair and he is slightly starting to turn.

PROFESSOR X: Throughout history, there have been people in power who seek to control or eliminate those who are different from them.

Panel 3: Close up on the back of the Sentinel's head as it looks down on the tiny Professor X, who is now half turned to face it.

PROFESSOR X: I have tried my whole life to show that such thinking is wrong...

Panel 4: Large. The giant Sentinel looms over Professor X, who now faces it, looking up, in the ruins of the mansion.

PROFESSOR X: But now that we are here...

PROFESSOR X: That those in power have deemed me too different to live...

PROFESSOR X: I am not afraid.

END OF PAGE

Days of Future Past – Doomed Either Way – MK Stangeland Jr.

(6 Panels)

PANEL 1: DR. DOOM crashes through the ceiling  - in typical DOOM style of feet first and arms proudly crossed - of a UN-type building in western Europe. A commotion erupts from the shocked and surprised delegates who are present.

SFX: CRASH!

PANEL 2: DR. DOOM lands at the podium at the center of the room, shoving aside the man who was standing there.

DR. DOOM: Representatives of the still free world. I AM DOOM! And I am now your lone salvation from destruction!

PANEL 3: A large holographic image appears behind DR. DOOM, displaying the state of SENTINAL-controlled USA.

DR. DOOM: Thanks to the short-sightedness of the PUNY RICHARDS’ home country, the world is threatened by pitiful machines that turn their eyes from across the ocean.

PANEL 4: Display of the EUROPEAN COASTLINE as a line of DOOMBOTS form a protective ‘boarderline’ around it.

DR. DOOM: The superior technology of my personal army of DOOMBOTS have already taken up position around Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa to protect against Sentinel incursions.

PANEL 5: DR. DOOM in front of a map of the world – the map is divided into two sections. One part is labeled as ‘Sentinel Territory’, while the rest of it is labeled as one big ‘LATVERIA’.

DR. DOOM (1): Obviously, DR. DOOM cannot provide such a gift to a world that could so easily undermine his generosity with simple squabbling and indecision.

DR. DOOM (2): Therefore, Latveria hereby annexes the rest of the free world so that DOOM may properly protect the world as if all were citizens under his rule.

DR. DOOM (3): Because now they will be.

PANEL 6: DR. DOOM floats up into the air above the podium – arms proudly crossed in front of him much like they were when he entered – as he prepared to leave without giving anyone a chance to respond.

DR. DOOM: DR. DOOM and LATVERIA hereby accept your own failure to solve this problem on your own as acceptance of these terms.

DR. DOOM: DR. DOOM shall expect you to deliver plans by which to turn over leadership of your nations by this time tomorrow.

(END PAGE)

Days of Future Past - Some Retcons Are More Necessary Than Others - Grant McLaughlin

This scene would take place in the Mongolian monastery immediately after Wolverine is sent back in time by the rest of the X-Men.  Forgive me if the logistics aren't quite right - seeing as the movie hasn't yet released here, I'm basing some of this on the Wikipedia summary.  Either way, the important thing is that these are the movie versions of the characters (including their respective actors).

1 - In said monastery.  Wolverine has just been sent back in time.  Professor X, Magneto, Storm, and Kitty stand around looking at each other with expressions running the gamut from hope to doubt.  Professor X is particularly serious as only Patrick Stewart can be.  Towards the left side of the panel, there can be a door leading to another room - the only important thing about it is that it be visible.

PROFESSOR X: Now all we can do is wait and see.

2 - Move the focus to that door mentioned in panel 1.  Nothing has appeared, but a distinctively yellow word balloon emerges from it, as someone (guess who) is clearly just off-panel.

DEADPOOL (off-panel): Don't worry guys, I'm here to help!

3 - Switch back to a focus similar to that first panel, but Deadpool has now entered the frame from the left side of the panel.  Unfortunately, it's the terrible Ryan Reynolds movie version who has no mouth, a bunch of random mutant powers, and has pretty much nothing to do with Deadpool.  That being said, he does speak in the yellow Deadpool word balloons.  The gang from the panel 1 looks towards him in complete confusion.

THE GANG: ...

4 - Repeat panel.  The X-Men are still confused, and Deadpool is becoming somewhat bewildered as well.  He gesticulates wildly as he tries to jog their memory.

DEADPOOL (1): Don't you recognize me?  It's Wade Wilson!

DEADPOOL (2): aka Deadpool!

DEADPOOL (3): aka The Merc with a Mouth that everyone knows and loves!

5 - Close-up of Kitty as she leans towards Professor X to ask him a question.  In the background, Storm and Magneto are unimpressed.

STORM (quietly, in the background to Magneto): Why would anyone call him that if he doesn't have a mouth?

KITTY: Professor, what is he?

PROFESSOR X: The very thing that Logan is trying to prevent from ever happening in the first place.

Days of Future Past - Complete - Ben Rosenthal

1.  A close up on Master Mold's eyes.  They are scanning something off panel.

MASTER MOLD
Scanning.


2.  Pulling out on Master Mold.  It has finished scanning.

MASTER MOLD
Complete.  Analysing molecular structure.


3.  Further out still, from Master Mold's chest, up.  He is in the process of changing from the traditional pink to a silver.

MASTER MOLD
Complete.  Upgrading.


4. Reveal - Wolverine's adamantium laced skeleton lays on a slab in front of Master Mold, the same silver colour that Master Mold now is.

MASTER MOLD
Complete.

  

Future Shock - X-Men: Days of Future Past - Simon McDonald

PANEL ONE
Present day Eva Bell - Tempus - is suffering from a nightmare, bathed in sweat. Her eyes crackle with temporal energy.

TEMPUS

Nnngh - -

 

 

PANEL TWO

Cut to the past, where Destiny has her crossbow aimed at Senator Kelly, as behind her, Tempus's temporal energy begin to flicker. Perhaps we can see a fraction of Kitty Pryde, hiding and watching the scene.

 

 

DESTINY

Do not try to evade my crossbow bold, Senator.

 

PANEL THREE

Destiny (who is blind, remember) seems to sense something, turns in the direction of Tempus' glowing ethereal form.

 

DESTINY

I will sense your plans a heartbeat before you even - -

Eh?!

 

PANEL FOUR

Kelly takes advantage of Destiny's distraction, lunges at the crossbow.

 

SENTATOR KELLY

I won't give you that satisfaction, witch!

 

PANEL FIVE

Pull back. Kitty Pryde comes out of hiding charging at the tussling Destiny and Kelly, while Tempus's temporal energy lights the scene in an eerie glow.

 

KITTY PRYDE

Senator, no!

 

SENATOR KELLY

Break your neck...

 

PANEL SIX

On Sentator Kelly's eyes, through his glasses, wide with shock.

 

SFX

Thuck!

 

SENATOR KELLY

(small)

Ah.



Why X-Men: Days Of Future Past

I hadn't read Days of Future Past until a couple years ago, when the film adaptation was announced. I'd read bits and pieces of the Claremont and Byrne run at that point, but honestly, I don't think that stuff has aged particularly well. Too much exposition, too many words cluttering the art. Sacrilege? Maybe.

Most surprising to me was that the storyline is so finite. Given its resonance in comics history, I'd figured Days of Future Past was a Stephen King Dark Tower-esque opus. But it's actually a tight three issue arc, taking place in the pages of Uncanny X-Men #141-142. In it, an adult Kitty Pryde transfers her mind to her younger self, and rallies the X-Men to prevent a fatal moment in history that will lead to a dystopian future founded on anti-mutant hysteria. High stakes stuff, huh?

Cut to 2014, and just a few days from now, we'll be watching Days of Future Past on the big screen. A very different version, sure, with Wolverine taking center stage - but with its core narrative seemingly intact.

This week, we're playing in the Days of Future Past sandbox. Utilizing characters from the original comics, or from the adaptation, the Thoughtballoons crew has the opportunity to play in one of the greatest X-Men sandboxes of all time.

See you on the other side.