Krypto – Juliet & John – Shaun Richens.

This will be the last entry for my attempt at an on going story here on Thoughtballoons. It was a fun weekly writing challenge and something I am glad to have tried, and I am also thankful for you guys putting up with it. However knowing the next few great picks, I can’t see a fun or interesting way of making them work without losing something of the character or the story I was trying to put together.

PAGE eleven – 7 PANELS.

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1. Krypto stands on all fours, head forward, eyes narrowed ready for anything.

KRYPTO: Tell me where it is Braini-Cat?

2. Cut to shot of Braini-Cat, Krypto’s nemisis.

Braini-cat is a rather fat ginger cat, she wears a along flowing purple velvet cape and a diamond collar. Around her head is a floating crown (made from an old Brainiac android’s mind) the crown grants her super intelligence.

Braini-Cat sits gracefully her tail curled up around her.

BRAINI-CAT: Foolish canine. No matter how super you may think you are, you are just as easily tamed as your average counterpart.

3. Cut back to Krypto now tighter on him, his eyes look sad.

KRYPTO: I beg of your Braini-Cat where have you hidden it?

4. Cut to close up on Branini-Cat an evil and sly grin on her face, her white pointy teeth showing slightly.

BRAINI-CAT 1: Poor pup. You will never find your bone now.

BRAINI-CAT 2: I have shrunken it to a microscopic size.

5. Pull back to reveal shieldwatch security agent J.D sat watching Krypto the Superdog: The animated show on a TV in the CCTV office.

The office is full of screens of all different sizes. The TV dead in front of security agent J.D shows the howling face of Krypto as he hears the sad news about his bone.

Either side of the TV are two screens showing events we are interested in. Screen one and Screen two.

Security officer J.D: Poor Krypto. That lousy cat’s always playing tricks on him.

6. Close up on screen one. We see a corridor in some other section of the shieldwatch HQ. John, Juliet and Hammer are running down it, Dead of Night and Lady Lightning in hot pursuit.

The panel has a film grain quality to it.

JOHN: Why are we running? Hammer Bamf us outta this mess.

7. Close up on screen two. We see the outside of the shield watch labs. Dr Parker stands on the outside of the glass doors leading into the lab, his back against the door trying to hold them shut. A sign above the doors reads LAB 316.

Green fungus and spores grow all of the glass.

The panel has a film grain quality to it.

DR PARKER: Peter you are even more useless in your current state than when I allowed you to keep this body.

(Ghost Peter doesn’t show up on film.)

And so we end on a cliffhanger.

See you next week when I go back to regular service. 

Hellboy – Juliet & John. – Shaun Richens.

PAGE TEN – 6 PANELS.

1. DR PARKER stands face aghast. GHOST PETER stands to his side a shocked look on his face.

At their feet is the smashed petri dish the green spore bubbling and growing vast in front of them, dark red veins now running through it.

DR PARKER: Dead or not Peter my boy I would suggest we both make haste.

2. Cut to a ruined temple, it has a mixture of Mayan and Egyptian architecture. HELLBOY sits atop the vast mass of a twisted cthullu like demon from the dark ages.

A great gleaming two-handed sword sticks out of the demons back next to HELLBOY, black blood runs from the wound.

HELLBOY wipes sweat from his forehead as he takes a drag from his cigar. 

NO COPY.

3. Pull in tighter on HELLBOY. A ring of smoke floats up from his cigar.

The stumps of his filed down horns have started to re-grow at an alarming rate.

NO COPY.

4. Even tighter on HELLBOY. The horns are almost back to their full huge length.

Hellboy is stubbing his cigar out on the demons back with one hand, his other reaches up to touch is horns.

NO COPY.

5. Close up HELLBOY, from the torso up. His hand touches his horn and he hangs his head down, his eyes closed.

HELLBOY: Something wickedly hellish has just been born.

6. HELLBOY stands on the back of the demon, both his hands now around the hilt of the two handed sword.

HELLBOY: Looks like I’ve got another job for you.

Unknown Soldier – Juliet & John – Shaun Richens.

PAGE NINE – 3 PANELS.

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1. Ext. Mid shot of the UNKNOWN SOLDIER, he sits, back against a thick tree. His eyes closed, head looking down at the floor, his palms resting against his temples

It’s the break of dawn and the sun is just rising. A yellow hue shimmers over the panel.

        CAPTION:

        672 Hours since Doctor Parker’s horrific discovery.

        CAPTION UNKNOWN SOLDIER:

For freedom, against terror. These are the causes men and women are given to fight.

2. Ext. Full shot of the UNKNOWN SOLDIER as he gets to his feet. One hand pressed against the tree.

The sun rises higher and the panel shifts into an orange hue.

        CAPTION UNKNOWN SOLDIER:

It’s all just politics though. Greed, hunger for more. These are the true ways of war.

3. Ext. We pull way back. The UNKNOWN SOLDIER stands alone in CENTRAL PARK NEW YORK CITY. The skyline of the city dominates the panel. Buildings burn all around, and smoke pours into the sky.

Military helicopters dot the skies; they are flying around like lost children.

The sun crests the horizon casting the panel into a hellish shade of red.

CAPTION UNKNOWN SOLDIER:

This time we just hunger to survivor. To out live what our greed has unleashed.

CAPTION UNKNOWN SOLDIER:

We fight so that we are not forgotten.

Superior Spider-Man - Juliet & John – Shaun Richens.

PAGE EIGHT – 5 PANELS.

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Dr Parker will be the name used for the Doc Ock in Peter Parkers body character.

Ghost Peter will be the name for the apparition of Peter Parker.

1. INT. Secret Underground Base of shieldwatch. We are a few floors lower down than the confrontation now taking place between LADY Lightning and JOHN STRANGE.

We are in the lab of DR PARKER. One of SHIELDWATCH’s leading scientists. Juliet’s DROP POD is suspended from the labs ceiling by lines of DR PARKER’s webbing. The dark green fungus spores seen on the underside of the POD in PAGE ONE have grown and spread and now cover a quarter of it.

         NO COPY.

2. DR PARKER is at his workstation underneath the hanging POD. He looks just like Peter Parker, however he wears DOC OCK’s goggles and a set of DOC OCK’s four robotic arms. Each one of the robotic arms holds a strange piece of scientific equipment. In DR PARKER’s actual hands he holds a small petri dish with a sample of the GREEN SPORE in it and in the other, a pipette half filled with a dark red liquid.

GHOST PETER stands to his side a puzzled look on his face.

         GHOST PETER:

Are we back in grade school? You have all this fancy equipment and you’re using a pipette and petri dish.

         DR PARKER:

You were always a lazy fool Peter. Science isn’t about the tools, but the results.

         (Link)

         DR PARKER:

         I am living proof of that boy.

3. Close up on DR PARKER’s hands as he squeezes the tip of the pipette sending a small droplet of the red liquid down towards the petri dish.

         DR PARKR:

         If this has the results I fear it might…

4. The red droplet splashes into the green spore in the petri dish.

         NO COPY.

5. The green spore engulfs the red liquid. The spore bubbles and grows out of the petri dish.

         DR PARKER:

         … You’ll be glad to be dead.

Nightcrawler – Juliet and John – Shaun Richens.

PAGE SEVEN – 7 PANELS.

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1. Close up on JOHN. He looks concerned about the situation unfolding in front of him.

         JOHN:

         Get me the hell into that room Hammer.

2. Cut to a close up of HAMMER.

         HAMMER:

         There’s no need to bring hell into this.

3. Cut to close up on JOHN’s hand as he grabs at HAMMER’s arm.

         JOHN:

         Now Hammer.

4. We are looking through one-way glass into a plain white interrogation room.

A small cloud of dark blue smoke floats in the air on our side of the interrogation room glass.

A steel table sits in the centre of the room. JULIET sits handcuffed to a steel chair on the right of the table; DEAD OF NIGHT sits opposite her. A thick steel door situated behind DEAD OF NIGHT is flung open and LADY LIGHTNING stands in the doorway, electricity leaping up and down her arms, which she has pointed towards JULIET.

         SFX (Around the smoke)

         BAMF!

DEAD OF NIGHT:

My dear Lady Lightning see if you can spark up some conversation here.

5. Cut to close up on LADY LIGHTNING. She has rolled her eyes back slightly as she can’t believe the awful puns I am making DEAD OF NIGHT say.

         LADY LIGHTNING:

         <Sigh>

6. JOHN and HAMMER appear in front of LADY LIGHTNING in a plume of dark blue smoke.

         LADY LIGHTNING:

         What the…?

7. JOHN’s fist connecting with LADY LIGHTNING’s jaw as he knocks her out.

         SFX (Around impact)

         CRAKK.         

Electro – Juliet and John – Shaun Richens.

PAGE SIX – 5 PANELS.

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1. INT. Secret Underground Base of shieldwatch. The base is located beneath New York City.

HAMMER stands to the left of panel JOHN to the right. They are both looking through one-way glass into a plain white interrogation room. A steel table sits in the centre of the room. JULIET sits handcuffed to a steel chair on the right of the table; DEAD OF NIGHT sits opposite her. A thick steel door is situated behind DEAD OF NIGHT. It is currently closed.

         HAMMER 1:

This is her. She crashed in some kind of escape pod in the Hudson. This thing has got tech onboard we’ve never seen before.

(Link)

HAMMER 2:

The pods down in the labs, we are still running tests on it.

JOHN:

What’s any of this got to do with me?

2. Close up on HAMMER.

         HAMMER 1:

Shieldwatch satellites picked up an anomaly just outside of Earth orbit before she crashed.

(Link)

HAMMER 2:

The portal she came through, it’s magical in origin. That’s why you’re here Strange. We need to know what she has to do with it. We need to know why she is here.

3. Close up on JOHN

         JOHN:

         So what is Trent doing in there with her?

4. Cut to INT interrogation room. DEAD OF NIGHT sits on his side of the table to the left of panel, JULIET on the right.

         CAPTION HAMMER:

Like his methods or not, Dead of Night knows how to get answers out of people.

DEAD OF NIGHT

So you don’t wanna talk to me. That’s ok. I mean I can talk enough for two.

(Link)

DEAD OF NIGHT 2:

I know your type; you’re all quiet and mysterious.

(Link)

DEAD OF NIGHT 3:

But answer one thing for me at least. Watt would it take to get you to talk to me?

5. The door behind DEAD OF NIGHT has opened; standing in the doorway is LADY LIGHTNING (An amalgamation of Electro and Livewire) she wears her blonde hair in a tall Mohawk, the sides totally shaved, she wears a SHIELDWATCH uniform but the arms are cut off at the shoulders and bolts of electrical energy leap up and down her arms. Both LADY LIGHTNING and DEAD OF NIGHT are looking straight at JULIET and the reader smiling.

         DEAD OF NIGHT:

         How about some shocking questions?

Enemy Ace – Juliet and John – Shaun Richens.

PAGE FIVE – 9 PANELS.

Layout

9 panel grid.

1. INT. The bar from pages 2 and 3. We are back with John Strange, still sat at the bar. We have pulled back to reveal the shadowy figure stood behind him to be Hans Wagner Hammer (An amalgamation of Hans Von Hammer and Kurt Wagner/ Nightcrawler.)  HANS WAGNER HAMMER has short greying hair and his face is wrinkled but he still looks in great shape for a man of his age, he wears the black and white armour of the SHIELDWATCH agents and around his neck hangs a crucifix on a chain. HAMMER stands behind JOHN his hand still on his shoulder.

         HAMMER:

         I’ve been sent to bring you in John.

         JOHN:

         Do I even have a…

2. Repeat of panel 1, however JOHN and HAMMER are now both gone, only a small cloud of dark blue smokes hands around the bar where they were.

         SFX(Around the smoke)

         BAMF

3. Cut to a shot of GRANT the barkeeper. He is just looking wide-eyed at the area JOHN and HAMMER had jut been.

         GRANT:

         New York gets stranger everyday.

4. INT. Secret Underground Base of shieldwatch. The base is located beneath New York City.

JOHN and HAMMER have just appeared in a long sterile white corridor very similar to the one Juliet was being taken down.

         JOHN:

         … choice.

5. Repeat of panel 4. JOHN is now looking at HAMMER rather annoyed.

         JOHN:

         I’ll take that as a no then shall I.

         HAMMER:

Look Strange you’re a Shieldwatch consultant and I was sent to bring you in. I’m just doing my job.

6. Close up on JOHN.

         JOHN 1:

         Just doing your job, like you did in the war?

         (Link)

         JOHN 2:

Say how do the German government feel about their old war hero working for an American agency?

7. Cut to close up on HAMMER.

         HAMMER:

I know you have your issues with me Doctor Strange, you feel that because I fought against the British in a war before you were even born that I am somehow your enemy. But I’m not.

8. Cut back to close up on JOHN, he is starting to look angry now.

         JOHN:

My only issue with you Hammer is that you used your mutant powers to survive in dogfights that honourable men had to die in.

9. Cut back to close on HAMMER, he is looking down towards the floor, he looks a little hurt by JOHN’s words.

HAMMER 1:

This isn’t about our issues Strange.

(Link)

HAMMER 2:

This is about a girl from another world. 

Deadpool – Juliet & John – Shaun Richens.

PAGE FOUR – 5 PANELS.

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1.INT. Secret Underground Base of shieldwatch (An amalgamation of Shield, the D.E.O and Knightwatch) The base is located beneath New York City.

JULIET is being lead down a long sterile white corridor. Her hands cuffed behind her back. She is being pushing from behind by the man who captured her and brought her in for the SHIELDWATCH. 

The man known by the name DEAD OF NIGHT or his alias Winston Trent (This character is an amalgamation of Deadpool and Midnighter) DEAD OF NIGHT wears midnighters classic black armor with black trench coat, however he wears a black and white version of deadpools mask. Around his waist he wears two pearl handled pistols in holsters and a katana sword is slung in its scabbard over DEAD OF NIGHTS shoulder.

         DEAD OF NIGHT 1:

         So you’re kinda hot for a space chick.

         (Link)

         DEAD OF NIGHT 2:

         Captain Kirk would have been all over you like a rash.

         (Link)

         DEAD OF NIGHT 3:

         Though space men are more my kinda thing.

         JULIET:

I want to speak to your superiors. You have taken a member of the UNSC as prisoner without the rights to do so.

DEAD OF NIGHT:

Darlin’ first I ain’t got a clue what a UNSC is. Second as far as anyone but a select few know you’re just a downed weather balloon. Right now I’m the best friend you have.

2. JULIET has thrown her head back connecting with the nose of DEAD OF NIGHT.

         SFX (around the impact)

         CRUNCH.

3. Close up on the cuffs around JULIET’s armored wrists, the chains are taut as she pulls to break them.

         SFX (Around the chain of the cuffs)

         SNAP

4. JULIET now with her hands free turns to face DEAD OF NIGHT. He teeth gritted, her face stern and full of rage. Her hands raised like a boxers ready for a fight.

         NO COPY.

5. DEAD OF NIGHT has pulled his mask off and holds it in his hand. His face is scarred and burnt like deadpools. With his free hand he is wiping blood from his nose, which has already healed. A huge grin has spread across his face.

Flanking DEAD OF NIGHT are a squad of SHIELDWATCH agents. They wear armored suits, the yellow sections are white however and they wear the SHIELDWATCH logo (A shield with an eye on it) on their chests. They are armed with high tech looking rifles, which are all trained on JULIET.

         DEAD OF NIGHT 1:

Don’t worry I’ve been greeted by worse than a broken nose before. I like your fire though. You’re guna need that down here.

(Link)

DEAD OF NIGHT 2:

Escort our young lady visit down to the holding room for me would ya boys.

(Link)

DEAD OF NIGHT 3:

Oh and try to find some better ‘cuffs.

Amalgam Comics – Juliet & John – Shaun Richens.

PAGE TWO & PAGE THREE DOUBLE PAGE SPLASH – 9 PANELS

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1. INT. A dingy bar New York City. DOCTOR JOHN STRANGE (John Constantine/Doctor Strange) sits at the bar drinking water from a whiskey glass. He has blonde hair with graying sides, he has a blonde version of Doctor Strange’s facial hair. He wears a white vest with an open Hawaiian shirt over the top, the shirt is blue, red and yellow. Over the shirt he wears Constantine’s signature trench coat. An old CRT Television hangs on the wall of the bar. We can’t see the screen. A balding barman GRANT stands behind the bar facing JOHN. Apart from JOHN and GRANT the place is empty.

         GRANT:

Everyday you’re in here John, and everyday you just have water. It’s not like I’m rushed off my feet in here so buy a damn drink will ya.

         JOHN:

         Booze is bad for my line of work.

         REPORTER (Coming from TV)

         This is your afternoon bulletin…

2. Close up on JOHN.

         JOHN:

         Hey turn that up Grant.

3. Frame filled by the old CRT Television. The picture is grainy. A young female NEWS REPORTER sits behind a desk, the New York skyline is the image behind her. A logo along the bottom of the screen reads DAILY FRONTLINE.

        

         REPORTER 1:

Welcome to Daily Frontline, channel six one six’s leading news outlet.

         (Link)

         REPORTER 2:

Earlier reports of a crash in the Hudson River have since been cleared up by local climate agencies as a downed weather balloon.

(Link)

REPORTER 3:

A clean up team is currently on site. In other news….

4. Cut back to close up on JOHN. A smirk on his face and an unlit cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

         JOHN 1:

         Bollocks was that a downed weather balloon.

         (LINK)

         JOHN 2:

         Hey you mind if I smoke in here?

5. Cut to close up on GRANT. He hangs his head slightly as if giving up on JOHN.

         GRANT:

         Sure, wouldn’t matter if I said no anyway.

6. Close up on JOHN’s hand, he holds his thumb and middle finger together ready to click them.

         SFX (Around his thumb.)

         Klik

7. Same as 6. However now a small blue flame has sprung into life in between his thumb and middle finger.

         NO COPY.

8. Same as 7. However JOHN now holds his cigarette in his other hand and lights it on the blue flame he holds.

NO COPY.

9. JOHN is taking a drag on his cigarette; he is looking down at the bar. A shadowy figure stands behind him. The shadowy figure rests a hand on JOHN's shoulder. 

         SHADOWY FIGURE:

         You really do need to quit Doctor Strange.

         JOHN 1:

         I wondered when you’d turn up.

         (Link)

         JOHN 2:

         A weather balloon? That the best you boys got 
         these days?

Halo – Juliet & John – Shaun Richens.

So begins my 2013 run on Thoughtballoons. This year I am going to try something a little different. An on going adventure, one page a week for 52 weeks.

This is where we start, lets see where we end up.

PAGE ONE – 5 PANELS.

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1. EXT. Deep space. In the dying moments of a planet that is imploding in on itself the UNSC halcyon class light cruiser KNIGHTFALL is being ripped in two by the sheer power of the dying planet.

         CAPTION:

         As one story comes to a tragic end.

2. INT. Escape pod section of the UNSC KINGHTFALL. Orbital Drop Shock Trooper codename Juliet stands in full ODST armour, minus helmet, a battle rifle slung over her shoulder. Juliet has one side of her head shaved; the other has long red hair. He face is still beautiful despite the many scars. The panel has a red tint to it emanating from the warning light flashing on the wall to her side.

         CAPTION:

         Another is just about to begin.

3. INT. JULIET sits inside one of the DROP PODS designed for her recon unit. She is strapped in and facing us. A look of steely determination on her face.

         NO COPY.

4. EXT. Deep space. The DROP POD fires from the belly of KNIGHTFALL away from the chaos and destruction of the dying planet. Around the base of the drop pod some kind of dark green fungus spore grows.

         NO COPY.

5. EXT. Deep space. The chaos of the KNIGHTFALL and the dying planet are but a colourful cloud of mayhem in the background. JULIET’s drop pod falls through space heading towards the swirling, whirlpool of an uncharted wormhole.

         CAPTION:

         Feet first into hell.