Spider-Man - Best Served Cold - James McNeill

Not much to say about this one! I imagine a teammate or close friend (or perhaps Aunt May!) has been subject to slander or some other kind of non-violent attack. Spidey, frustrated by his inability to do much to help it, takes out his frustration how he can.

Best Served Cold

1. Night shot. Spidey swings across a darkened street.

CAPTION:

Usually this isn't my kind of stunt.

2. Spidey, with his free hand, shoots webbing against the wall of a darkened house. He's hanging from the roof.

CAPTION:

But these are special circumstances.

3. Montage/action shot: Spidey laying down webbing in vague resemblance of an actual spider's web, all across the wall. This should take a third of the page.

CAPTION:

So for once I say to hell with maturity.

CAPTION:

Intentionally.

CAPTION:

It takes me the better part of the night, but it's worth it.

4. The wall, web complete, Spidey swinging away or hanging at the end. Light from a passing car reflects off of the still-wet webbing. In the style of Charlotte's Web, it reads: "SOME PIG".

CAPTION:

No one messes with my family.

Superman - A Question of Superiority - James McNeill

One of my favourite aspects of large comic continuities like Marvel or DC is the endless capacity for crossover. So this takes place somewhere toward the beginning (though not at the very beginning) of a Superman/Question miniseries. And despite my great and abiding love for Renee Montoya -- this one's Vic Sage.

I rather wish I were continuing this, now that I've begun.

A Question of Superiority

1. Foreground: Superman starts walking forward (out of the alley). Background: Question stares straight ahead, ignoring Superman. They stand in an alley in Metropolis, so it'll be fairly clean -- relatively speaking. Question looks a bit out of place.

SUPERMAN

Just think about it.

2. Superman looks back, having detected somehow that he doesn't have Question's attention.

SUPERMAN

I want us to be able to work together.

CAPTION

That's never happening.

3. Question turns away, further into the alley. This should be a fairly symbolic panel, with Superman toward the end of the alley and in light, and Question in the foreground, in shadow.

CAPTION

He's asking the wrong question.

4. From below. Question looks up as Superman flies off, bracketed by the buildings on either side of the alley.

CAPTION

It's his style I don't like.

5. From above. Question still looks up. He's standing on a copy of the Daily Planet, hands in his pockets. Under his coat we can see his suit and tie, a little bit of his alter ego showing through.

CAPTION

His style of journalism.

Doctor Doom - The Fall of Doom - James McNeill

It's still Saturday here!

This is another end of an issue, or possibly even a series of issues. I love stories about Latveria, which we don't often see except from the perspective of Doom's castle -- but it is a nation of people who may not love Doom, but seem to respect him as their leader. This takes place after a battle between some superhero group and Doom, which the people living nearest Doom's castle have been observing.

The Fall of Doom

1. Doom's castle, as seen from the woods below. This should dominate the first third of the page. No flag flies in the ramparts; no guards are on the walls. It's a sunny day, and the woods are green.

CAPTION

And as for Doom?

2. Front of the castle. Second third of the page. The gates are open but the courtyard is empty; to the side and in the background, walking back toward the town, is a large procession, carrying banners and dressed to mourn.

CAPTION

He did terrible things in his time. But yet...

3. Inside the courtyard, a statue of Doom. He stands in a stately pose, cloak flowing majestically behind him. A multitude of flowers lie at his feet and on the ground around the statue's base.

CAPTION

...in his own way, he did love his country.

Molecule Man - Head Games - James McNeill

This is the end of an issue that takes place in the nebulous near future. Earlier in, vehicles have been disappearing off of roads somewhere in rural middle America, and someone (Avengers-associated, probably, though possibly also X-Factor) has gone looking into it. In the end they found a few survivors who described their vehicles simply disintegrating around them. Back at SHIELD, Steve Rogers had his people look into what known beings possessed that power, and Owen Reese the Molecule Man was first on that list.

Victoria Hand, on the page previous, said "But with powers like his..."


MOLECULE MAN in "HEAD GAMES"
James McNeill

1. A residential road, lined with trees, in autumn. Red and yellow leaves line the pavement, and the trees are looking pretty bar. A man walks down the sidewalk, in a brown coat and purple scarf, looking subdued. His back is to us.

Victoria Hand (O.S.)
...I'd be halfway across the galaxy by now.

2. The man waves as two women walking their dogs pass him, they wave back, still deep in conversation.

3. Back in the SHIELD conference room. MARIA HILL, STEVE ROGERS, and CAROL DANVERS sit around the table; Victoria Hand faces them, silhouetted.

MARIA HILL
He's still a threat.

CAROL DANVERS
A threat that might not even exist.

4. They all stand up, gathering papers, other effects.

STEVE ROGERS
If he shows up, we'll take him down.

5. The man turns around and smiles, showing lightning markings on his face that reveal him to be OWEN REESE.

CAPTION: (Steve continuing speaking) "But for now there's no sign of him."

6. Owen waves a hand, and the two women walking their dogs begin to disintegrate -- still smiling and talking, not even noticing.

7. The road is mostly gone now, leaving only the trees behind, and there are almost no leaves at all. Owen walks through the empty land, the remains of the town fading away around him. He's still smiling.

OWEN REESE
Welcome home.

Iron Man - Life of the Party - James McNeill

(For context -- earlier on in this imagined issue, Tony as Iron Man prevented a lone robot from destroying the home of a business acquaintance, who had invited him earlier to a party. Back at Stark Enterprises, a small group of them have attacked Tony's labs, and Pepper Potts is on the scene.)

1. Tony Stark socialises at a swank party. He has a drink in one hand, almost empty. Though he's talking to an attractive woman, he looks at Happy Hogan, who stands in the background, waving him over.

WOMAN

...sure your bodyguard can't join us today?

2. Tony puts down his empty glass, Happy behind him. Tony looks apologetic. He is speaking to the host of the party.

TONY

-- very sorry. Business calls.

3. Outside, Tony climbs into the back of his car, waving, still smiling. Happy holds the door. In the far foreground, a man makes a phone call.

4. Inside the car, his entire demeanor changes. He slumps in his seat, undoes his tie.

HAPPY

Sorry to drag you out of there, boss, but Pepper said it was important...

5. Happy looks back, concerned as Tony raises the divider between front and back of the car.

HAPPY

Boss?

6. Tony pulls off jacket, shirt, and tie, revealing the chest-encasing underneath. His posture is tense; he's in pain. Next to him, covered partially by his jacket, is the Iron Man briefcase. Tony's sweating, reaching the end of his charge. He picks up his helmet to put it on.

TONY

Just drive, Happy.

TONY

I need a drink.

(To give you an idea of the rest of the story: the cover probably has a whole army of robots attacking Iron Man, who is of course hardly able to stand up straight, with some mysterious villain's silhouette in the foreground. "YOU'LL NEVER SAVE THE LIFE OF THIS PARTY NOW!" the villain cries.)