Masks and Mobsters - Investigative Reports - Niel Jacoby

Panel 1: A trio of bank robbers in domino masks, pinstripe suits, and hats to match are holding up a bank. One, black-haired, has a full beard, one, a redhead, has a John Waters moustache, and the third, blond, is clean-shaven. The one with the full beard is threatening the teller while the other 2 keep watch.

Caption(Newspaper): "THE DIMELLO CRIME FAMILY OPERATES ON A TIGHT OVERHEAD. CHEAP SUITS, CHEAP MASKS, FAKE GUNS. LUCKILY, WE NEVER NEEDED TO FIRE A SHOT, AS THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE WAS ENOUGH TO PREVENT IT."

Panel 2: The three divvy up the loot into four piles, one for each of them and a larger pile for the boss. A black Packard burns in the background.

Caption(Newspaper): "WE DESTROYED THE EVIDENCE, SPLIT THE TAKE, AND WENT OUR SEPARATE WAYS. WE MADE SURE TO LEAVE WELL MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR THE BOSS. WE'RE GOONS, NOT FOOLS, YOU KNOW."

Panel 3: We see the redhead in his office, typing away on a typewriter. The suit, hat, and mask are on a coatrack, and the false moustache is laid on his desk next to the typewriter. He has a hand-rolled cigarette in his mouth, and a thin trail of smoke fills the air. A small audio recorder has been taken from a pocket in the suit and lays on the desk.

Caption(Newspaper): -EXCERPTS FROM "I WAS A MOB TRIGGERMAN--FOR A DAY", PULITZER-WINNING EXPOSE FROM GOLDEN CITY SENTRY REPORTER JAMES OLSEN.

Krypto the Superdog – “Lex Luthor’s Vat Tuesday!” – MK Stangeland Jr.

(For the best effect, imagine this page as if it was done in a classic Silver Age art style.)

(9 Panels)

Panel 1: SUPERMAN is in the bottom of an empty chemical vat. He looks weakened from the effects of an unseen source of Kryptonite. LEX LUTHOR stands on a walkway overhead, looking as sinister as possible as he laughs in an evil fashion over the expected demise of his arch-nemesis.

TEXT BOX: Meanwhile, SUPERMAN has found himself trapped by Lex Luthor’s latest scheme!

LEX LUTHOR: Muah ha ha, Superman! This vat used to hold liquid Kryptonite! Soon, it shall also hold your dead body!

Panel 2: Panel of a weakened SUPERMAN inside the vat. He looks like he’s struggling. A music note comes from his mouth.

SUPERMAN: (Thought Balloon) He’s right! Power…failing…only hope…my super-whistling power…to call for help!

Panel 3: KRYPTO, flying through the sky, has a turned head as he reacts to the sound of SUPERMAN’s SUPER-WHISTLE.

TEXT BOX: Meanwhile, over the skies of Metropolis...

KRYPTO: ?

Panel 4: KRYPTO is seen flying towards the DAILY PLANET.

TEXT BOX: Hearing his master’s plea for help, KRYPTO the SUPERDOG flies to get assistance!

Panel 5: KRYPTO lands in front of LOIS LANE and JIMMY OLSON. KRYPTO barks to let them know that SUPERMAN is in trouble.

JIMMY OLSON: It’s Superman’s dog, Krypto!

KRYPTO: Woof woof! Arf arf!

LOIS LANE: What’s that boy? Superman’s in trouble?

JIMMY OLSON: And he needs our help! Let’s go!

Panel 6: Back inside the location with LEX LUTHOR and SUPERMAN. KRYPTO bursts through the ceiling.

SFX: Bam!

KRYPTO: BARK!

LEX LUTHOR (1): Krypto!

LEX LUTHOR (2): You mangy mutt! Soon you’ll suffer the same fate of your owner!

Panel 7: LOIS LANE and JIMMY OLSON are at a control panel.

TEXT BOX: While Krypto keeps Lex Luthor busy, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olson free Superman!

JIMMY OLSON: We need to get Superman out of that chemical vat!

LOIS LANE: I think this should do it!

Panel 8: The chemical vat holding SUPERMAN flips on its side, allowing SUPERMAN to roll out.

SFX: Thunk!

LOIS LANE & JIMMY OLSON: SUPERMAN!

Panel 9: LOIS LANE is kneeling on the ground next to SUPERMAN, while JIMMY OLSON stands next to both of them.

SUPERMAN (1): Thank you, Lois and Jimmy! I can feel my strength returning already!

SUPERMAN (2): Now I need to help Krypto and stop Lex Luthor!

(END PAGE)

Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen – Jimmy and Kal-El – By MK Stangeland Jr.

(For the best mental image of this script, picture it as being drawn by either Bill Watterson or Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani.)

(8 PANELS)

Panel 1: JIMMY OLSEN is writing something on a cardboard box with a marker. SUPERMAN lands on the ground next to him.

SUPERMAN: Hello, Jimmy! What are you working on so intently?

SFX: (From marker writing on box) Squeek squeek squeek.

Panel 2: JIMMY OLSON holds up the box in front of him.

JIMMY OLSON: I finally figured out a way to discover your secret identity, Superman!

SUPERMAN: A box?

JIMMY OLSON: Not just any box, a magic box!

Panel 3: Close up on the box and JIMMY OLSON pointing to the word ‘Superman’ that’s written on the side with an arrow pointing to it.

JIMMY OLSON: When I push my special magic button, it’s going to turn me into you! And then your secret identity is all but mine!

Panel 4: JIMMY OLSON holds his magic box over his head and lets it drop on top of him.

SFX: (From JIMMY OLSON) He, he, he

JIMMY OLSON: It’s foolproof! And there’s nothing you can do to stop me!

Panel 5: Double panel, with the top half showing a close-up on SUPERMAN’s eyes and the bottom half matching the first, except that SUPERMAN’s eyes are red to indicate he’s about to use his laser vision.

Panel 6: Double panel. The top half shows SUPERMAN’s lasers writing something on the box in front of the word ‘Superman’. The bottom half shows that the arrow on the box now reads ‘NOT Superman’.

Panel 7: JIMMY OLSEN takes the box off of him. He now looks like BIZZARRO by way of JIMMY OLSON.

Panel 8: The BIZZARRO/JIMMY OLSEN hybrid stands in the same place, with the box behind him and SUPERMAN hovering above the ground next to him.

JIMMY OLSEN: Me Jimmy no think that didn’t work like it was supposed to.

(END PAGE)

Jimmy Olsen – Copy Editor – Ryan K Lindsay

The following is a complete front page from The Daily Planet. I won’t set it out in panels, I’ll set it out in articles. It’s something different. Enjoy.

THE DAILY PLANET banner runs across the top.

Forecast - Rain, Lots of it. Lotto #s - 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42

Headline – DOWNTOWN HOSTAGE SITUATION WORSENS

Main cover image – a building with windows blown out in a circle, the window in the middle is still intact and shows a room full of hostages with hands tied behind their backs and faces pressed to the glass. They are all crying.

Small article inset of image reads – A partygoer Tweeted, “New arrival looks messed up. Dripping water everywhere. Going to be a night.” The accompanying photo reveals what the man thought was a costume but may in fact be a rogue Atlantean now holding the entire party hostage. Details PAGE 4-5

Small photo accompanying article, still inset of image – a grainy iPhone 3 shot of a grey Atlantean shambling through the door. A waiter is trying to serve him a complimentary champagne.

Smaller article headline– Planet’s Own Lois Lane Wins Arm Wrestling Comp. Pics on P7

Smaller article headline - Superman Last Seen Underground. Luthor's Litany on P3

Advertisement – Be Superman’s Pal – Buy A Watch Today
Image of a smiling Jimmy Olsen cartoon giving a thumbs up

The next page would be Jimmy holding this newspaper, natch.

Jimmy Olsen - Incorporated - Sime McDonald

PANEL ONE

Jimmy Olsen is standing rigidly atop the Daily Planet rooftop, looking out over the City of Tomorrow, his back to three operatives of N.O.W.H.E.R.E, all of whom have handguns trained on him.

CAPTION

"You've had offers from elsewhere.

Camdus.

S.H.A.D.E.

N.O.W.H.E.R.E."

N.O.W.H.E.R.E. OPERATIVE 1

Olsen!

Time's up!

N.O.W.H.E.R.E. OPERATIVE 2

You're either with us - - 

N.O.W.H.E.R.E. OPERATIVE 2

- - or against us. 

PANEL TWO

Tight on Jimmy, rolling his eyes.

JIMMY OLSEN

(small)

Ugh.

Cliche, much?

CAPTION

"You're an anomaly, James Olsen.

But an asset nonetheless."

PANEL THREE

Jimmy's turned to face the operatives. No fear. Smug. 

JIMMY OLSEN

I'm afraid you're gonna have to take this up with my CEO, boys.

CAPTION

"Photographer.

Reporter.

Scientist.

Adventurer."

PANEL FOUR

Jimmy grins. And he's got something in his hands.

Weapons.

Shaped like bats.

CAPTION

"A potent combination. 

Just what I'm looking for."

PANEL FIVE

Dynamic shot of Jimmy expertly throwing the Batarangs at his foes. 

JIMMY OLSEN

I'm incorporated now!

Jimmy Olsen - More Snakes Than Ladders - Rol Hirst

Panel One.

Jimmy Olsen is as tall as the Daily Planet building. His skin is purple with yellow spots and he has Chameleon Boy style antennae. His familiar geek-chic clothes are torn and dirty but his bowtie is intact (if wonky). He’s being fired upon by tiny spaceships filled with alien invaders. He’s trying to stop them while also keeping the property damage to a minimum. Chloe Sullivan is standing on the roof of the Daily Planet building, shouting at him. She looks cute but mad.

Chloe: Careful, Jimmy – you nearly stepped on another taxi cab!

Jimmy: Hey, Chloe, it’s kinda difficult watching your footing when you’re a gazillion feet tall and being blasted to bupkis by a fleet of Lepre-Borgs!

Jimmy: Oww! Stop that!

Panel Two.

Jimmy Olsen sits up in bed, suddenly awake following a nightmare. He’s wearing cool silk pyjamas. This is the new look Jimmy – reddy-brown hair cut all Bieberish, no freckles, not the Jimmy we knew… nor the one we were watching in the previous panel. He looks shocked, sweating, freaked out.

Jimmy: Woah!

Jimmy: Not again. That’s every night this week.

SFX: Knock-knock-knock! Knock-knock-knock!

Panel Three.

Jimmy gets up and heads out of the bedroom towards the front door of his apartment. He’s running a hand through his hair, trying to wake himself up properly.

Jimmy: Horrible, horrible… why do I keep dreaming… I’m a ginger!?

Jimmy: The girl’s cute though. I wonder…

SFX: KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!

Jimmy: Alright – I’m coming!

Panel Four.

Jimmy opens the door to find the Psycho Pirate, in full costume. He’s holding out a hand, a look of terror on his face.

Jimmy: Who?

Psycho Pirate: It’s happened again! Why does it keep on happening? You remember, don’t you? Tell me you remember?

Psycho Pirate: You were a success – you were making something of your life – you were happy. Why did they take all that away from you again?

Psycho Pirate: Why do they always take it away?

Panel Five.

Jimmy cover his face with a hand: an "oh brother!" expression.

Psycho Pirate (off-panel): The new 52! The new 52!

CAP (Jimmy): Great. Now the nutjobs can't even wait till I get to work. My life sucks...

Jimmy Olsen - Old New School - Ben Rosenthal

1. The iconic image of Clark Kent opening his suit shirt to reveal the Superman costume underneath.

2. This panel revels that the image in the previous panel is actually a photo. A hand is holding the photo. A watch-like device is visible on the hand’s wrist.

JIMMY OLSEN (off panel)

Oh man.

3. A shot of Jimmy Olsen’s face from front on. He is looking at the photo he has had printed out. The hand that is not holding the photo is resting on his forehead. Jimmy is conflicted.

SFX: BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRING

4. We are looking at the photo once again, but further back than in Panel 2. We can now see the photo, Jimmy’s hand holding the photo and the watch-like device on his wrist. We can also see on the table a note pad and pencil, and Jimmy’s mobile phone, which is ringing. We can see than name of the caller on the mobile screen: Lois.

SFX: BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRING

JIMMY OLSEN (off panel)

Ohmanohmanohman.

Jimmy Olsen - Love Hurts - Grant McLaughlin

Three rows of panels, each taking up a third of the page. The first two rows both have three panels, all of equal size. The last row is a stand alone panel, taking up the remainder of the page.

1 – Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane are walking down the street, carrying some bags and supplies. Jimmy has his arms crossed and visibly upset. Lois is calm and nonplussed, giving his displeasure no mind.

JIMMY: I can't believe you talked me into this.

LOIS: Jimmy, everyone from the Daily Planet is going to be there.

2 – Jimmy is getting animated, trying to argue his point. Lois will have none of it.

JIMMY: Well then why don't they wear the costume? Steve could do it. Or Clark. He could manage it if he just took of those glasses.

LOIS: Steve said no. And Clark's busy -

JIMMY (quietly): Clark's always busy.

LOIS: And besides, you already agreed to do this.

3 – Jimmy is in front of Lois, pointing at her casually. For some reason he's under the impression that what he's about to say will make things better.

JIMMY: To be fair, I wasn't really listening when you suggested it.

4 – A shot of only Lois. She is glaring in the direction of panel 5. No dialogue.

5 – A shot of Jimmy. He is apprehensive, backed in a figurative corner. He has his hands in the air, miming surrender. He is faced in the direction of panel 4.

JIMMY: All right, all right. I'll do it, but I just want you to know that this is going to be embarrassing for all of us.

6 – Back to Lois. She wears a sly grin.

LOIS: I don't know about that, Jimmy.

7 – A convention-type situation. Feel free to include as many of the Daily Planet's staff as you want (except for Clark, who is busy). They are set up in a booth with a large banner that reads “You'll love the Daily Planet's Valentine Day's subscription sale!”. The booth is decorated in various Valentine's Day paraphernalia: hearts, pink, and so forth. There's a table where Lois (and perhaps a few others) are set up, taking down people's information and so forth. Finally, standing on the table is a rather unhappy Jimmy Olsen, wearing an ill-fitting Cupid costume. He looks rather miserable, half-heatedly doing some type of Cupid pose. Aiming his bow or something. Many onlookers smirk derisively in his direction, including a very obvious Steve Lombard.

CAPTION (LOIS): ...I'd say it will mostly be embarrassing for you.

Why Jimmy Olsen?

This is mostly Nick Spencer's fault. Granted, Jimmy Olsen has been up to his fair share of wacky shenanigans over the years, but it was Nick Spencer and RB Silva's brilliant Jimmy Olsen series of backups in Action Comics (which eventually became the 80 page one-shot simply titled Jimmy Olsen) that reminded just how much fun this character can truly be.

Jimmy may be Superman's #1 fan, but he has a proven track record of quality stories behind him (as shown by the aforementioned one-shot and the ridiculously long-running Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen). Therefore, I am eager and excited to see what kind of zany pages we can come up with for the Daily Planet's young photojournalist.

That being said, don't feel beholden to compose a lighthearted piece should you have a perfect poignant page. Just because I intend to be irreverent with my script, doesn't mean you have to do the same. Part of James' charm is certainly his ability to support any type of story, silly or serious, so let's do this.

Is Jimmy going to be an astronaut?  A wizard?  A talking gorilla?  A regular ol' boring photographer?  The options are endless, and it's all up to you!

So let's forget about Superman.  It's Jimmy's week to shine. Let's make sure it's as bright as it can possibly be.