The Spectre – Marvel vs. DC: Frank’s Castle – MK Stangeland Jr.

An incident has resulted in a partial merging of the DC and MARVEL universes, with the METROPOLIS-NEW YORK-GOTHAM tri-city area being the ‘hub’ that currently connects the two worlds. It has also resulted in FRANK CASTLE, THE PUNISHER, becoming the new human host for THE SPECTRE.

This page takes place aboard the Justice League Satellite.

(5 Panels)

Panel 1: Interior view of the satellite command center. In the center of the room is the astral form of DR. STRANGE.

Surrounding the astral DR. STRANGE are CAPTAIN AMERICA, WONDER WOMAN, THOR, GUY GARDNER, BEAST, THE FLASH, CAPTAIN MARVEL (CAROL DANVERS), STEEL (JOHN HENRY IRONS), AGENT VENOM (FLASH THOMPSON), and BLUE BEETLE (JAMIE REYES). A text box stating their superhero identity should be present next to each of the characters to help ensure the reader knows who each of these people are in case they're not familiar with them all.

DR. STRANGE: I have a little good news, and a lot of bad news.

Panel 2: Close up on astral DR. STRANGE as he reports.

DR. STRANGE: We can’t stop Castle directly. The Spectre has made him far too powerful, and the focus of Frank Castle’s mind makes him more dangerous than you could possibly imagine.

DR. STRANGE (2): It’s been difficult enough to simply observe him without drawing his ire.

DR. STRANGE (3): Right now, he’s punishing the tri-city area one criminal at a time. He’s taking a sadistic amount of glee in watching each of them be punished for their crimes.

Panel 3: View of the observers that allows us to see both GUY GARDNER and AGENT VENOM.

AGENT VENOM: Sounds like Frank’s finally snapped.

GUY GARDNER: Guy dresses up with a skull on his chest and calls himself ‘The Punisher’?

GUY GARDNER (2): Doesn’t sound like he had much to snap.

Panel 4: CAPTAIN AMERICA points in the general direction of GUY GARDNER and AGENT VENOM.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: Shush it, you two.

CAPTAIN AMERICA (2): Strange, continue.

Panel 5: Close up again on astral DR. STRANGE as he continues to report.

DR. STRANGE: That, sadly, is the good news. It’s drastically slowing his progress.

DR. STRANGE (2): It is my suspicion that once he finishes with the cities, he will increase his reach and extend his punishment to the rest of the globe.

(END PAGE)

Dr Strange – The Doctor With The Weapon In The Royal Throne Room – Ryan K Lindsay

  
1. Strange is yelling at us, this panel is wide and thin.

Strange: For heaven’s sake, man up!
Strange: Attack me with more might than you’ve ever dreamed!

2. This can look like a continuation of the first panel, if you like, the first being Strange’s head and shoulders, this panel simply being his hands on either side of the page. If you want to get all crazy with the layout and have the hands be the sides of the panel and have his speech bubble link to his face above and the caption come below, and in the middle, that could possibly look pretty cool.

Strange: Or die!
Caption: Months training, preparing, and I don’t even know if I’ll survive.

3. This panel is an insert panel within panel 4, it’s on the bottom left of it. Strange stands with his hands arcing back, fingers splayed, black magic summoned forth through his mystic ways. I would think, in a very David Aja way, the personification of the magic could be circled by another panel, and his speech bubble could be in yet another panel. Consider them panels 3.1 and 3.2 – the black magic could be rearing up like a vicious animal, or it could just be all spiky.

Strange: Be better than yourself! Become!

4. The bigger panel; Davos, the Steel Serpent is jumping through the air, wicked Iron Fist-style pose in action, and around him the purple chi of the Steel Serpent is spraying out like water. At the tip of each flick there is red energy, barbed, dangerous. Note – the reader has seen Strange training this man but does not know who he is.

Caption: Lithe Faerie Dagger of the Many Unseen
Caption: The mystical arts worked differently in this mystical city. Certain aspects modified, multiplied, amplified.

5. Strange holds his arms in front of his face, he’s blocking Davos’ manoeuvre which is whirling all around him.

Caption: We worked in secret, away from others in his hidden home. A perfect plan.

6. Strange stands opposite Davos, who now looks a foot taller than Strange, he stands proud.

Caption: A bastard student trained for a specific purpose.
Davos: Let the blood flow.

7. Davos walks away, toward us, and we mainly see the Steel Serpent tattoo on his chest. Reference. The tattoo can have a slight glow coming from it, maybe some Kirby dots around it.

Davos: You’ve charged the weapon. Now aim true.
Caption: Assassination, a coup, but Attilan would be mine.

Doctor Strange - Blood Magic - Matt Duarte

Doctor Strange in “Blood Magic” by Matt Duarte

This page is six panels, Panels 1 and 2 are square and of the same size, in the first row. Panels 3 and 4 are wide and across the page. Panel 5 and 6 are the same size and shape as the first two.

Panel 1

Description: Doctor Strange is sitting in the middle of a round table, with the New Avengers. He is talking, the center of attention, and looks very serious.

DR. STRANGE: Magic is governed by a set of rules, as old as the universe itself. To prevent exploitation, no mortal but the Sorcerer Supreme has full knowledge of them.

DR. STRANGE: The most paramount rule to all magical beings is this: to grant something, you must get something in return.

Panel 2

Description: Doctor Strange has stood up. He is gesturing with his hands, explaining the situation.

DR. STRANGE: Demons are the most likely to enter in such pacts. They like to play with mortals, offering magical deals to people in return of powerful and unique possessions.

Panel 3

Description: A round-the-table shot, where we can see Spider-Man, Luke Cage, Ms. Marvel, & Iron Fist. Doctor Strange is on the right of the panel, he has just walked behind them all, and the speech bubbles trail behind him on top of the characters.

DR. STRANGE (speech above Spider-Man): Demons might want the life of a loved one...

DR. STRANGE (speech above Luke Cage): A first borne child...

DR. STRANGE (speech above Ms. Marvel): Your hand in marriage...

DR. STRANGE (speech above Iron Fist): Perhaps something as simple as a physical challenge.

Panel 4

Description: Strange is now standing next to a window inside the mansion, looking outside. The group is looking in his direction, puzzled.

DR. STRANGE: The point is that they ask for something that exists in limited quantities, or else they would not bother with it. Even blood magic, which is a quite common, yet powerful, technique. People can only sacrifice so much blood before they die and the deal is null.

Panel 5

Description: Wolverine is sitting in another chair, separated from the rest. He is very grumpy, as if he had just woken up hungover.

WOLVERINE: Thanks for the lesson, Strange, but get to point, would ya? Why did you want us all here?

DR. STRANGE (off panel): Logan, trust me, you want to pay attention. This involves your son.

Panel 6

Description: A shot of Daken. He is sitting in a pool of blood, surrounded by candles. There is a clearly open wound in his chest, and he is opening another one with one of his blades. He is glowing slightly with a orange/red aura around him. There is al smirk in his face.

DR. STRANGE (caption) : It seems that Daken, thanks to his regenerative powers, has found a loophole with blood magic.

DR. STRANGE (caption): And in his quest for power, he has broken one of the fundamental rules of magic.

NEXT: Blood! Sex! Sugar! Magic!

Doctor Strange - Fabric Doesn't Crack - Rol Hirst

Panel One.

Close on Dr. Strange’s hand. He is falling and his hand is reaching upwards. A playing card peeks out of his sleeve. It is the Ace of Spades.

CAP (Strange): Tuesday night poker game with the Omnipotent Oshtur did not turn out well.

Panel Two.

Pull out to show Dr. Strange falling through space – crazy Ditko dimensions of space with whirling pathways, nowhere doorways and snaky tendrils of sinister all around.

CAP (Strange): I should have heeded the Ancient One when he warned me never to play five card stud with an all-seeing Elder of the Universe. But I’ve felt so lost lately, my every endeavour doomed to failure and bitter recrimination…

Panel Three.

Pull out even further to show the scale of the insane universe Strange is falling through. It's a whirling maelstrom of Ditko madness… but an end to his fall is in sight. Along the bottom of the panel we can see the horizon of a planet – a small town landscape with buildings and shopfronts in silhouette. Having seen the ground rapidly approaching, Strange begins to cast spells to slow and break his fall.

CAP (Strange): I thought perhaps Oshtur could show me why. I should have known better. With her, nothing comes without a price…

CAP (Strange): And once again my arrogance has been my downfall.

Panel Four.

Strange’s efforts to slow his fall are only partly successful. While mystic bands of spellcasting energy erupt in the air around him, he still crashes to the earth with a painful bump in the middle of a deserted small town high street. It’s early morning, the sun is rising, and the Ditko dimension absurdity is fading with the final stars of night.

Strange: By the Craven Cushions of Caramagglio, I command cottony comfort--

SFX: SMACK!

Panel Five.

Bruised and battered, but not completely crippled by his crash landing, Strange sits up and looks around. He attempts some spells to heal his injuries, but his fingers give out little more than insipid sparks.

Strange: B-by the... ragged runes of... ah...

CAP (Strange): From Oshtur’s palace, I fell through a crack in the fabric of reality… I should have known then that something was wrong.

Panel Six.

Struggling to his feet, Strange staggers towards the entrance of a nearby building. It is a Doctor’s Surgery. We can tell this because a sign on the wall reads ‘Ordinary Medical Practice’, and in smaller, almost unreadable letters, ‘S.O. Nothing-Strange MD’.

CAP (Strange): Fabric does not crack. It tears. Wherever I am now, nothing works the way it should…

Panel Seven.

Strange enters the surgery. A receptionist greets him from behind her desk. She has no face. She has no face, yet still she is scowling. (Hey, I like to give my artists a challenge.) Faceless townspeople sit around in the waiting room, nursing a variety of everyday ailments.

Receptionist: Can I help you, sir?

Strange: Yes. Yes, I’m injured. I… I had a fall… I can’t…

Receptionist: Well, Dr. Nothing-Strange is very busy today…

Panel Eight.

Close on Strange’s face. He is angry. Preparing himself for a fight.

Receptionist (off-panel): Perhaps you could make an appointment for later in the week?

Doctor Strange - You Know You've Got (Casey's) Soul - Max Barnard

The Premise: Whoop whoop, that's the sound of a tease reminding the world about the events of Mark Waid and Emma Rios' Strange limited series (which is STILL, by the way, one of the most heartbreaking comics of all time) and the current situation poor Casey Kinmont is STILL stuck in.

Of interest script-wise, this is another instance where it occurs to me that outside of the constraints of a single page the final panel would totally be a one-page splash. Perhaps this occurring more than once for me is some sort of commentary on decompressed storytelling. Or I'm cheating and fitting it into a metaphysical SUPER-PAGE! Who knows.

--------------------------------------------------

Page 1 - 6 Panels

1.1
Stephen Strange (in his current 'costume' of... a suit) is in a darkened room, swirls of coloured magical mist surrounding him. He is in deep meditation, sweating slightly from focusing on a fiery orb in front of him, the orb itself being Casey Kinmont's soul.

Caption: It has been some time, and more effort than can possibly be known by lesser minds.


1.2
Stephen's eyes have snapped open, revealing them to be quite red and teary. Despite this, he has a slight smile on his face.

Caption: But I've finally found her.


1.3
Stephen waves his hand and summons Larry, the furry demonic beast, from the ether.

Stephen: Larry! Larry, my boy, I've found her! I know where she is!


1.4
Close-up on Larry as he folds his arms and raises what probably count as his eyebrows.

Larry: Casey? Where's she at, doc?


1.5
A close two-shot of Strange shaking Larry lightly in mad glee as he explains his discovery.

Stephen: Where else? Who else? Who would make sure to keep someone so important to me at a distance? It's simple...


1.6
We find ourselves in the surreal abyss that is the Dread Dormammu's realm, full of abstract shapes and mystical lights. Attached to a large parallelogram by some mystical chains is the beat-up and barely functioning body of Casey Kinmont, looking barely any different to when we last saw her in STRANGE, save for the lack of her glasses. Next to her on an ornate throne is the Dread Dormammu, drinking from a large goblet and laughing heartily to himself.

Caption: Dormammu has her!


Caption: ... to be continued

Dr Strange - Strange Days - Ben Rosenthal

1. Night in Central Park. Dr Strange is big, towering over a score of heroes who are in front of him. Spider-Man, Captain America, Thor and Iron Man are most noticble in the small pack, all looking up at the giant Doctor. Raw power crackles from Doctor Strange, his eyes flaming with magics. He looks evil/possessed, and is not is not dressed in his Sorcerer Supreme get up. The eye of Agamotto is nowhere to be seen.

CAPTION
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” – Lord Acton, 1887.

2. Front shot from our point of view of Spider-Man, Captain America, Thor and Iron Man running towards the Doctor.

CAPTION
“Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who posses it.” – William Pitt, 1770.

3. Same as Panel 2, however the ground has engulfed Thor, encasing him up to his neck in rock. Only his head is visible. The other heroes look on, shocked.


4. Iron Man is turned into a statue of iron, Captain America into a toy robot and Spider-Man into Spider-Ham.

CAPTION
“He who controls others may be powerful....”

5. Doctor Strange is smirking sinisterly, the magic around him flowing almost out of control.


6. Wong is standing in front of the Doctor. A look of determination is on his face.

CAPTION
“...but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.” – Lao Tzu, 534 BC.

7. Same as Panel 1, with Doctor Strange large and looking down. However, Wong is the only figure standing before him.

CAPTION
“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” – Jimi Hendrix, 1968.

Doctor Strange - Appearances Can Be Deceiving - Danial Carroll

(five panels)


PANEL 1. Close up of Namor, looking unimpressed as usual.

NAMOR:
You called me here for that?


PANEL 2. Mid-shot of Reed Richards, Doctor Strange, and Tony Stark, all looking down at something in front of them.

STRANGE:
You of all people should know that appearances can be deceiving.


PANEL 3. Namor, looking offended, is standing next to Medusa and Charles Xavier.

NAMOR:
What is that supposed to mean?

CHARLES:
I have utmost faith in Stephen's judgement, Namor. You should to.

NAMOR:
But it's just... a book.


PANEL 4. Close up of a large, old, leather-bound book, sitting on a table.

STRANGE:
This is not just a book, I'm afraid.

STRANGE:
It is the legendary Necronomicon.


PANEL 5. From above, we see the group standing around the table. The book is sitting in the middle.

MEDUSA:
So if we possess the book...

MEDUSA:

Why is it a threat?

STRANGE:
Because it's not the only copy.

PAGE ONE

Why Doctor Strange?

Have you ever travelled to the Dark Dimension and fought its demonic ruler, Dormammu, and won? Me neither, but Doctor Stephen Strange has... several times in fact. How can a mere doctor have achieved such a thing, I hear you ask. Well, you curious little scamp, it turned out that the skilled, yet arrogant, doctor was destined to become Sorcerer Supreme. Long story short, he's now lost that title--as well as the stylish medallion and cape that went with it--and is just a plain old sorcerer... and doctor.

So why does he deserve to grace the pixellated pages of Thoughtballoons? Why has it taken this long, is my question. It may just be me, but I sense a distinct lack of mysticism in its wordy portrayal of ones and zeros. This must surely be remedied, and quickly, lest the extradimensional forces of evil find a way to take advantage of weaknesses in any one of our scripts, and open a gateway to our world from within!