Loki - The Best Idea - Matt Duarte

Loki in "The Best Idea" by Matt Duarte

Layout: First four panels are equal in size, taking up about half a page in a 2 x 2 grid. The last one is the biggest one, horizontal across the bottom of the page.

Panel 1

Loki (Ikol, Agent of Asgard version) is running through Hel, with a visibly angered Hela chasing after him. Hordes of the dead follow as well, ready to ravage their Asgardian prey.

CAPTION (LOKI): My name is associated with many things. Lies, destruction, mischief. Even death.

CAPTION (LOKI): I am trying to be different. I am rewriting my own story.

Panel 2

Loki is jumping in through the wellspring that leads out of Hel. The water is dark and ominous, though not nearly as dark and ominous as Hela's face, closer than ever.

CAPTION (LOKI): A little raven told me that Hela was planning to release the souls of all the creatures whose death I inflicted. Or rather, that the Old Loki inflicted.

CAPTION (LOKI): Obviously, something had to be done. She isn't very happy about it.

Panel 3

Loki is is trying to crawl out of the water. The dead are grabbing at him, pulling him back to the spring and back to Hel.

CAPTION (LOKI): As much as I hate those old stories that she is trying to bring back...

CAPTION (LOKI): You have to admit that the best idea I ever had was in them.

Panel 4

A close up on Loki, a knowing smile on his face. The well is behind him, the hordes of dead cannot come out of it.

CAPTION (LOKI): And as any good storyteller knows, good ideas are worth using again and again...

LOKI (dialogue) : Oh good, you are finally here.

LOKI (dialogue): Hela is still intent on releasing those souls. Time to stop her.

Panel 5

Loki is standing in front of The Avengers. Cap, Thor, Iron Man, etc. He is pointing forward, shouting.

LOKI (thought balloon): This might be my only chance to say it...

LOKI (dialogue): Avengers... ASSEMBLE!

Next: With Loki as their leader, the Avengers go to Hel!

Why Thought Balloons? - Matt Duarte

In retrospect, Thought Balloons was kind of a misnomer. In the time writing and reading for TB, I don't remember a single one of us ever using a thought balloon. The website really should have been called "Caption-Box.com" or "How-Much-Dialogue-Can-I-Fit-In-This-Tiny-Panel.com" or something along those lines. Thought balloons are for the most part out of vogue in the comics world. Of course, I know a thing or two about being out of vogue. At some unremembered point in the past 5 years, I fell out of the weekly Wednesday reading habit. It simply was too expensive and too time consuming for me to keep up. Changes in my life meant that I did not have the time to keep up with all the ever changing trials and tribulations of all these mainstream characters. I was kind of a continuity nut. Not the kind that argues forever about what happened in that one issue of West Coast Avengers from 25 years ago and how it conflicted with the current ongoing events of X-Force Forever. Instead, I was quite obsessed to always stay updated and find out what the latest version of a character was, current motivations and status quo, etc. That would all inform my writing for TB. Once I stopped keeping up with that, I knew I couldn't keep up with TB. Writing a different character every week is completely ruthless. Research, reading, thinking, some more research, some more reading, thinking and before you knew it, the deadline was upon you and you just had to write. Don't get me wrong, it was fun. The competition and camaraderie was absolutely amazing. The feedback and comments were great, something you wouldn't get anywhere else. And I am still proud of some of the scripts I produced. Sometimes I just come into the website just to look at what I wrote all those years ago, and I still smirk at my own jokes, admire what I created. In the end, though, I had to leave it. There are younger, hipper writers (do they have a lot of pouches? I don't know, but I hope they do) that replaced the old guard on here, and they are still keeping up with the weekly grind. Good for them. I know I can't do that anymore. I'm coming back for one last script for this celebration, this five year anniversary. Maybe I'll use some thought balloons in this one...

RKL - Nothing, Again - Matt Duarte

Ryan K. Lindsay in “Nothing, Again” by Matt Duarte

This page is a classic 9 panel grid.

Panel 1

Description: RKL is sitting in front of his desktop computer. He is hunched over and looking at the screen intensely. The computer screen clearly reads “Comics Publisher Does Something Different!” and underneath “People react violently to it”.

RKL (thought balloon): Again?

Panel 2

Description: Same as above. This time the computer screen reads “Long and Thoughtful Piece about Comic Publisher Doing Something Different by RKL” and underneath we can see in a smaller font “0 Comments”.

RKL (thought balloon): Nothing?

Panel 3

Description: Same as previous. This time, the computer screen reads simply “by Ben Rosenthal” and underneath a little set of symbols, with three out of 5 stars highlighted.

RKL (thought balloon): Yet again...

Panel 4

Description: Same as previous. This time the computer screen looks clearly like Google, and in the search bar we can see “Duane Swierczynski home sex tape” and underneath “0 Results found”

RKL (thought balloon): Nothing...yet.

Panel 5

Description: Same angle as before. A set of black crows, venomous snakes and giant spiders (who all share the same creepy red eyes) are crawling from inside the computer screen, attacking RKL, who is valiantly fighting back against them with his bare hands and feet. He is clearly struggling to save his own life.

RKL (thought balloon): Not again!

Panel 6

Description: RKL is sitting again where he was before, calmly using his computer. The screen reads “Time Management for Stay-at-Home Dads”. His clothes have numerous shreds and rips, and he is featuring several scarlet slashes across his body, but they don't seem to bother him.

(OFF-PANEL): Honey, I'm home!

Panel 7

Description: Jessica (Ryan's wife) has come in to the room, holding Parker (Ryan's son) in her hands. RKL has turned around with open arms, wanting to grab Parker. We can now clearly see that his shirt is barely holding together (revealing some of that Prime Australian Beefcake).

JESSICA: Did you do anything interesting today?

RKL: Oh, you know... nothing.

Panel 8

Description: RKL is now holding on to Parker, playing with him. Meanwhile, Jessica has bend down to pick something from the floor.

RKL (to Parker): Good to see you again, little buddy.

JESSICA: Hey! What's this?

Panel 9

Description: Jessica is now holding what is clearly a dead crow. RKL looks a bit of embarrassed and worried.

JESSICA: Have you been fighting with the Fifth-Dimensional Mind Beasts again?!

RKL: ...maybe.

JESSICA: Well, you better clean your office. It's filthy!

RKL: Again?!

The End

Matty Roth - OMFUG - Matt Duarte

Matty Roth in “OMFUG” by Matt Duarte

Note: Sorry, I haven't read any DMZ. Hope this doesn't go straight into the face of something established in the comic.

Panel 1

Description: Matty Roth stands in a crowd, holding his camera. We can't see many of the features of the people around him just yet.

CAPTION: Deep within the DMZ, there's a place that has remained unchanged by the upheavals going on outside.

Panel 2

Description: A photo. A bathroom is in a terrible condition, semi destroyed, with graffiti on the wall, and very unclean.

CAPTION: Precocious conditions. Wanton violence. Military boots stomping all over the place.

Panel 3

Description: Matty Roth again, taking a photo of a group of young people that seem to be in the middle of a fight, pushing each other. They are wearing ragged clothes with metal studs and tattered patches.

CAPTION: One would think that there is a war going on in here. It's not war...

Panel 4

Description: A photo. The same group from before, this time all within each other's arm, posing for a photo like the friends they are. We can see their shirts before, which sport logos of bands like Ramones, Youth of Today, Crass, Dead Kennedy's, etc.

CAPTION: It's just punk rock.

Panel 5

Description: Matty is leaving a building. Outside of it, there are more teenagers and young adults that look like the ones from the previous panels. He is waving to the doorman, who is waving back. Above him, we can see the sign that reads “CBGB”.

The End.

Apocalypse - For the Girl Who Has Everything - Matt Duarte

Apocalypse in "For The Girl Who Has Everything" by Matt Duarte

Panel 1

Description: The members of Generation Hope are under attack. They are scrambling behind cover in the outside of Utopia. Velocidad is running past Hope, who is taking cover behind a rock formation.

VELOCIDAD: To be fair, a supervillain attack is EXACTLY what I expected would happen in your birthday

HOPE: I don't even know this guy! Look, we'll distract him while you and Teon just try to flank his position.

Panel 2

Description: Apocalypse is walking in the direction of where the remaining members of Hope's team are. He is using Celestial technology to now hold Teon and Velocidad in the air. Both of them are hovering mid-air behind him.

APOCALYPSE: Sending children to fight me? You truly are Cable's daughter.

HOPE: What do you want here?

Panel 3

Description: Using the same technology as before, Apocalypse is now holding all the members of Hope's team in the air. He has also grabbed Hope by the neck.

APOCALYPSE: I am merely delivering a gift for you. A chance for you to rejoin your father in the footnotes of history of those who once defied the mighty Apocalypse.

APOCALYPSE: Happy birthday, messiah. I give you oblivion.

Panel 4

Description: A close up on Hope's face. She is seething in anger. In her eyes, we can see the outline of a fiery bird, burning with the fury of a sun.

HOPE: Burn.

Panel 5

Description: Apocalypse has been decimated to ashed. The members of Hope's team are back on the floor, looking at Hope with a mix of horror and awe. Hope looks calm and collected, looking around.

HOPE: Huh, he seemed tougher than he was.

The End

(with apologies to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons)

Judge Dredd - Legion - Matt Duarte

Judge Dredd in Legion by Matt Duarte

Panel 1

Description: Judge Dredd is walking through a particularly nasty area of Mega-City One. He's talking away on his communicator as he walks to a crowd of people.

DREDD: No signs of the graffitiers. Are you sure we have the right block, control?

CONTROL (out of panel): Yes, it's that one. We got several reports of it, but nothing on the cameras.

Panel 2

Description: Judge Dredd has stopped walking. He is standing and looking up at something we can't see. He is clearly not happy right now.The crowd around him look in the same direction, their faces mixed in awe, shock and horror.

DREDD: Let me guess, all the cameras from around the area malfunctioned.

CONTROL: ...yes, how did you know that?

DREDD: They were hacked. I know who we are dealing with.

Panel 3

Description: From behind Judge Dredd's back, he is staring at a huge public service announcement display. In it, there's group of judges looking sternly at the viewer, pointing their fingers in an accusatory way (think of the classic Uncle Sam poster). Underneath it, it says “Follow the law!”. However, the sign has been graffiti on it, it now has a few extra letters so that it reads “Follow the lawls”, and the Judges on it are now sporting troll faces.

DREDD: Send in reinforcements. We are facing a legion.

Next: Judge Dredd vs. Anonymous.

Nova - Just a Small Town Boy - Matt Duarte

Nova in “Just a Small Town Boy” by Matt Duarte

Panel 1

Description: Nova is flying through a gravimetric stargate (what he uses to travel around space, basically a giant wormhole). Behind him, open space flows by, peppered by hundred if not thousands of stars and other galactic bodies.

NOVA: You know, Worldmind, I still remember the first time my parents took me to Jones Beach to see the 4th of July fireworks.

NOVA: I was so scared, I asked them if those were the stars exploding.

Panel 2

Description: Nova coming out of the Stargate, rocketing across the vastness of space.

WORLDMIND (CAPTION): That's ridiculous, Richard. If a star exploded in such close proximity to Earth, the planet would be decimated by its aftermath.

NOVA: I was just a boy, you know?

WORLDMIND (CAPTION): And they did not teach you this in your educational facilities? In Xandar, Space Geography was one of the earliest subjects we would teach to our young.

NOVA: I don't think that was in the curriculum, no.

Panel 3

Description: Nova flying past a planet with several large space ships flying around. They are evacuating this alien planet.

NOVA: By the way, Worldmind, you can tell them to call off the evacuation, and inform them that I am responding to the emergency.

NOVA: Anyway, what I was trying to say...

Panel 4

Description: A huge star is glowing an eerie and unnatural red. Wild lashes of fire are going off in all directions. Nova is dwarfed by its enormity as he flies towards it.

NOVA: Now that I'm actually preventing a star from exploding, I have to say that the fireworks were more impressive-looking.

WORLDMIND (CAPTION): Why were you so impressed by simple explosive pyrotechnics?

NOVA: I guess you wouldn't understand, Worldmind. Back then I was just a boy from the unpopular part of New York. I would have never dreamed I'd eventually punch my way through a star.

Panel 5

Description: A close up on Nova's face. He is smiling.

WORLDMIND (CAPTION): We are not “punching” our way through it. We are tactically using gravimetrical force to release tension from the core of this very unstable star.

NOVA: Yeah, but my way sounds much more fun.

NEXT: What dangers await at the core of a star?

The Flash - Violence - Matt Duarte

The Flash in “Violence” by Matt Duarte

Panel 1

Description: A close up of The Flash's classic yellow boots, they are hitting the floor, pushing forward, as he is running.

CAPTION: Rubber hits the floor as the process starts. The ground breaks asunder in response to the incredible force of his muscles.

Panel 2

Description: The Flash is running. We can see his back as he makes his way through Central City.

CAPTION: He slices his way through the air, leaving an empty space in his wake. As particles rush violently to fill in the emptiness, a sonic boom announces his departure.

Panel 3

Description: The Flash is chasing a criminal in a futuristic looking motorbike, still through Central City. He is shouting at him.

CAPTION: His name is Barry Allen. He is the Flash. The fastest man alive.

CAPTION: With every one of his mercurial whims, he creates a plethora of catastrophes on the molecular and atomic level.

THE FLASH: Really, you are trying to outrun me? Not the brightest plan you've come up with, buddy.

Panel 4

Description: Once again the motorbike as the Flash is chasing it, this time though, we can see a tunnel of energy surrounding them both.

CAPTION: He has separated us from our friends. Wrecked our families. Shaken the very foundation of our lifestyles. He has destroyed countless of sub-atomic worlds. Something must be done.

CRIMINAL: I'm not outrunning you, I'm leading you to where they want you.

THE FLASH: Wha---?

Panel 5

Description: The criminal in the bike and Flash are now standing in front of a group of older looking men. One of them clearly has a higher status, standing taller than the rest, as he is the leader of them. This is one of the many subatomic worlds that exist all around us. It has some clearly advanced technology, which can be seen around the room. The men are a council of elders, who don't look particularly happy.

LEADER: Welcome, Flash, our violent and unpredictable God. We assure you, our vengeance shall NOT be swift.

Next: The Atomic Rogues!

Doctor Who - Eroica - Matt Duarte

Doctor Who in "Eroica" by Matt Duarte

Hello everybody! Breaking my radio silence to post a Doctor Who script. Truth be told, I have never watched the show, and I have only read one comic in which he starred, but I got an idea into my head for a script that needed to get out and this is the result. Hopefully I'll do him some justice.

Panel 1

Description: A large manor seen from outside. Gardens decorate the outsides. People are walking in and out of the manor, but we can see a man in particular walking towards the main entrance, with a big scarf trailing behind him. His outfit is particularly anachronistic as it doesn't look anything like what the rest of the people are wearing.

CAPTION: Bonn, Germany. 1770.

Panel 2

Description: A young woman is holding a young baby, almost newborn, in her arms. She looks worried and is perhaps cuddling the child with more than love, a certain fear that if she lets go, something terrible will happen. Her name is Maria.

MARIA: Thank you for coming on such short notice, Doctor.

MARIA: The matrons are quite worried...

Panel 3

Description: We can see the hands of a man, wearing a business suit, grabbing the baby away from her. She is reluctantly letting go of him but without moving her eyes away from him.

DOCTOR: Yes, the complications you mentioned from your previous pregnancy.

DOCTOR: Understandable, no?

Panel 4

Description: First point of view angle, as we can see the baby laying down on a bed. Once again, we can see the arms of a man, but this time they are holding an electric device, long and that opens near the top. The sonic screwdriver is beeping and glowing.

MARIAS: What... what's that?

DOCTOR: This? Oh, nothing, just a new device to run medical exams. You'll see every doctor carry one of them soon enough.

Panel 5

Description: First point of view again, this time the doctor is now passing on the baby back to the mother. The baby is holding a finger to his left ear, as if picking something.

DOCTOR: The good news is that he has an almost clean bill of health. He seems to be suffering from a mild ear infection, but nothing too serious. I will give you the appropriate medicine to give lil'...

DOCTOR: You haven't settled on a name for him yet, have you?

Panel 6

Description: The mother is holding the baby once again, close to her chest and neck in a loving embrace. Besides her is The Doctor putting his arm on her shoulder, in a reassuring way.

MARIA: I think I will name him Ludwig, after his grandfather.

THE DOCTOR: That's a charming name Ms. Beethoven.

The End.

DCnU Pitch - Elseworlds - Matt Duarte

Elseworlds – Monthly Series

Talent:

Matt Duarte – Writer

Rotating – Artists

The High Concept:

If there's one thing that DC's superheroes have over their marvellous counterparts is that there is a certain universality to them. Taking them out of their normal setting and placing them in a strange world or time to see what makes them tick, work, and explode.

Cast:

Various, depending on the story arc.

Overview:

The series will be divided into four issue story arcs (beginning, middle, elevation and conclusion), each starring a different character. Each story arc will feature one of the protagonists of one of the other 52 new series that DC is relaunching. Artists rotate every arc to fit the tone and setting of the story (and to keep deadlines). The stories do not take in a parallel Earth of any kind, so there won't be any crossovers into the “main” DCU at all or between them. These are purely imaginary stories (but then again, aren't they all?).

Outline:

First arc features Batman, as he is by far the most popular character in the stable of DC's characters. The setting in this case is the medieval ages, more specifically in the 12th century eastern Spain. The backdrop for this whole story is that of the Moors invasion of the area, as King Jaume attempts to drive them out of the territories. A young boy named Berenguer (our “Bruce”) witnessed the brutal murder of his wealthy parents by invading forces inside the very walls of their castle. Managing to escape miraculously, Berenguer trains his whole life to hunt down the men responsible for his parents' murder, particularly the leader of the group, a half-Moor, half-Christian (our “Two-Face”, a mercenary who sells out to the highest wage). Dressed in an outfit inspired by the stories of dragons in the Bible, Berenguer sets out to strike fear into the heart of these invaders and drive them from his land.

Second arc features Catwoman (a step down from Batman, but still quite popular) set in the backdrop of ancient Egypt. The Pharaohs of Egypt used to be buried in sacred robes, along with their most valuable possessions (and sometimes, even servants). Only a madman would dare try to steal from their crypts, as they are surrounded by deadly traps and unsolvable mazes. However, one woman that the empire has nicknamed Sahkmet (“the Lioness”) is somehow raiding their most sacred ancestors, robbing them of their luxuries in the afterlife. How does she manage to avoid all the traps built in by the engineers? How does she know exactly where to look for the valuables while in there? And why does she have a predilection for the cats buried along the Pharaohs? In his dying days, Amhenotep, the ruler of the Eighteenth Dynasty, wants to know, for if he is to be buried soon, he wants it to be with the knowledge that his grave will be safe from this thief.

Third arc would feature an alteration of the modern Blue Beetle story, where the Reach tried to invade Krypton. The Scarab has fallen in the hands (or spine, as you would have it) of a young scientist named Jor-L, who saw incredibly promise in the alien technological capabilities of it. He initially accepts with the hopes of retro-engineering it, but as he starts donning the Scarab armour more and more on scientific adventures, he no longer finds pleasure in theoretical studies. As he explores the world and universe around him, he wanders away from the solar system of Krypton, where he experiences two new feelings: one of incredible power, completely unrelated to the armour he is wearing, and two, his scarab armour rebelling against him, no longer obeying his thoughts and orders. Jor-El must fight his way back to Krypton, scarab or no scarab, to share these new discoveries, and warn the rest of the world about the impending doom coming from their seemingly benevolent “Reach” allies.

Batwoman - Old Money - Matt Duarte

Batwoman in “Old Money” by Matt Duarte

I obviously imagined this would be illustrated by J.H. Williams III, but in my mind, the layout for this would be like this: the first panel is roughly one third of the page with the second one as an inset of it. The third and fifth panel would take the rest of the page, with the fourth panel acting as a small transition in the middle of those two.

Panel 1

Description: An outside shot of Kane mansion, imposing and sprawling. We can see a figure jumping around the roofs, though we can't see who it is, there are two very familiar pointy edges on the head of this person.

CAPTION: The Kanes are old money. Old money means they won't notice something is missing until long after it's gone.

Panel 2

Description: The same figure as before is jumping gracefully through an open window, boots first, and this time we can see that it's a woman. Seen from inside the room, we can see lots of expensive decoration, worthy of a mansion.

CAPTION: I'm not proud of it, but it's not the first time I've raided this family's coffers.

Panel 3

Description: The same woman as before, trying to open a safe located in the room. From behind, we can see that she has short hair and is wearing some clothes that while somewhat baggy, still show her form.

CAPTION: I normally prefer a bigger challenge...

SPEECH (out of panel): I thought I saw a pretty cat...

Panel 4

Description: Small panel connection panel 3 and 5. The woman has turned around, revealing it to be none other than Selina Kyle, Catwoman. She is wearing her Darwyn Cooke-style costume, with the hood pulled down revealing her short hair and night goggles

CATWOMAN: Who...?

Panel 5

Description: The lower bottom of a woman's face. A set of striking red lips, smirking, showing her teeth only barely. Her skin looks unnaturally pale, particularly in comparison with the long red flowing hair by her sides. We can see the pointy end of a black mask just above her nose.

BATWOMAN: I did, I did see a pretty cat!

Next: Cat vs. Bat!

The Riddler - We Never Sleep - Matt Duarte

The Riddler in 'We Never Sleep' by Matt Duarte

Panel 1

Description: The Riddler calmly stands in an dark alley, leaning on his trademark cane. Before him, Batman (Dick Grayson) is swooping in from above.

BATMAN: End of the road, Nigma. I know you are back to your old habits.

RIDDLER: Please, “Batman”, you know I am not a common thug like the rest of the denizens of that crude asylum.

RIDDLER: My recent villainous acts have rhyme and reason to them.

Panel 2

Description: Batman is holding the Riddler by the neck of his jacket. He is clearly not in the mood for this, but Riddler remains as collected as before.

BATMAN: I'm sure you will explain it on the way to Arkham, as you always do.

RIDDLER: Riddle me this, Batman: What is pink but pretends to be red?

BATMAN: I don't care.

Panel 3

Description: The Riddler sits in the back of an Arkham Asylum van (the kind that would take the new guests to their premises), with shackles on his hands. Despite this, he is sitting comfortably, still smiling. We can see a small barred window where the drivers are.

RIDDLER: A pinkerton.

DRIVER 1: What? What did you say?

DRIVER 2: Remember the training? We are not supposed to talk to them.

Panel 4

Description: Same as before, but the Riddler has turned his head to talk to the drivers, but one of them is already closing a little hatch to the window.

RIDDLER (quietly): Hehe...

RIDDLER: Pinkerton detectives used to infiltrate unions and communist parties and pretend to be one of them to investigate them more thoroughly.

DRIVER 2: Thanks for the history lesson, but we don't care.

Next: A Private Eye in Arkham

R2-D2 - Learnt From The Best - Matt Duarte

R2D2 in “Learnt From The Best” by Matt Duarte

Panel 1

Description: Obi-Wan, Anakin Skywalker, R2D2 and C3PO are aboard a ship. R2D2 is connected to a wall outlet, in the background we can see a big door. The characters look sort of like they did around The Clone Wars, as this takes place shortly before those events. (Look, I'm a fan of Star Wars, but not a HUGE one, so this might not exactly fit in with the canon, bear with it). They look slightly worried about their situation.

ANAKIN: Hurry, R2, reinforcements could be here soon.

OBI-WAN: Patience, Anakin. I am confident we will avoid a confrontation.

Panel 2

Description: Same as before, except the door has opened to reveal a huge battalion of droids waiting on the other side. They haven't reacted to the intruders yet, but Anakin and Obi-Wan are reaching for their lightsabers.

ANAKIN: So much for that.

R2D2: Bee Bee Bop Beep

C3PO: Oh dear, he says wait! Wait!

Panel 3

Description: Same as before, except the droids have turned around and kept marching in a different direction. Obi-Wan and Anakin have relaxed their stance.

R2D2: Beep Beep Bop Bop

OBI-WAN: See? It all worked out.

ANAKIN: Well done, R2. What did you do?

Panel 4

Description: A close up on R2, still working connected to the wall.

C3PO: Master Anakin, I do believe he told them: “These are not the Jedis you are looking for”.

The End.

Captain Marvel - Disassembled - Matt Duarte

Captain Marvel in “Disassembled” by Matt Duarte

Note from the author: I totally blew my deadline on this one, so I am backlogging it into the time it was supposed to be up. Sorry for the delay.

Panel 1

Description: Captain Marvel is grabbing Dr. Sivana by the neck, holding him above the ground. Sivana is defeated, almost unconscious, but the Captain is not looking at him. Instead, he is looking down at his navel.

CAPTION: It's funny, it didn't start with lighting and thunder, just with a small rumble, barely audible.

CAPTAIN MARVEL: I'm... hungry?

Panel 2

Description: Captain Marvel is facing a really big version of Mr. Mind. There is actually fear in the face of the big red cheese, it looks out of place and abnormal.

CAPTION: It spread far too soon, and the next thing to fall was my self-confidence.

CAPTAIN MARVEL: You will not win this time, Mr. Mind! I will not let you succeed!

CAPTAIN MARVEL (in smaller font): I hope...

Panel 3

Description: Captain Marvel is in the rock of eternity, talking to the Wizard Shazam. Both of them look worried as they walk side by side.

CAPTION: At first I thought this all-too sudden influx of very human emotions and feelings was related to my alter-ego as Billy.

SHAZAM: I think what happening is very clear. If you can't see it yourself, it means that not only has the stamina of Atlas and the courage of Achilles, but the Wisdom of Solomon has left you as well.

Panel 4

Description: A close up of Shazam, talking direly to Captain Marvel, who is shocked by the revelation.

CAPTION: It turned out to be much worse.

SHAZAM: The powers are abandoning you because these men of legend and gods are being reborn into Earth.

SHAZAM: We must find them before someone else does. Time is of the essence!

Next: Billy Batson: Agent of S.H.A.Z.A.M.

What would follow after this is a story where Billy Batson/Captain Marvel can only access one set of powers at once, and at a much lower level than his normal state. It would ideally be a spy-like tale with magic elements of him globe trotting finding these legendary beings being reborn into Earth rescuing them from organizations that are trying to use them for their own advantage. Completely different tone from the usual Captain Marvel story? Sure, but I think it would be fun to see regardless.

Phonogram - David Can't Fail - Matt Duarte

Phonogram in “David Can't Fail” by Matt Duarte

Panel 1

Description: David Kohl is standing in a bar, cockily smoking a cigarette and holding a drink, as if about to take a sip.

CAPTION: Despite the oh-so-popular disaffected façade and natural contempt that Phonomancers tend to wear in each other's presence...

CAPTION: The truth is that in the weeks after the “Britannia Incident”, my name was spoken in hushed tones and awed reference by everyone I came across.

Panel 2

Description: David is drinking from the glass now, and behind him we can see two rather young girls looking at him from the far end of the bar. They are whispering to each other, and David probably knows this too as he smirks to himself.

CAPTION: Half of them wanted to shake my hand and pat my back. The other half wanted to punch me in the most painful place they could imagine.

CAPTION: Me? I was happy to take it all in.

Panel 3

Description: From behind David, as he is walking to the stage of the club he is in, which is little more than a couple of inches above the rest of the ground. On it, there's a guitar player, bass, singer, drummer, and a keyboard player. Standard band set-up. Around him, there's only about a dozen people.

CAPTION: If the whole music scene wanted to collectively stroke and/or bite my shaft, I was more than willing to let them.

CAPTION: Hubris? I don't know the meaning of the word.

SINGER: This next one goes out to David...

CAPTION: ...wait, what?

Panel 4

Description: Same layout as before, except some new members have appeared on stage: a saxophone player, a trumpet player, and a trombone player. Behind them, a large chessboard flag has dropped bearing a phonomancer sign. David is now freaking out, arms to his side. The people that were scattered before are now forming a circle around him.

SINGER: The biggest cunt in this city. Who killed one music revival already. We won't let you do it again.

CAPTION: Shit. Shit. Shit.

SINGER: PICK IT UP, PICK IT UP, PICK IT UP!

CAPTION: Another ambush. Weapon of choice? The only genre more ephemerally short-lived, banally narcissistic and purposelessly catchy than Britpop...

Panel 5

Description: A small in-set panel, showing only David's face, which is a mix of horror and despair.

CAPTION: Ska.

Next: Riding the Fourth Wave!

Captain America - Super Weapon - Matt Duarte

Captain America in “Super Weapon” by Matt Duarte

Note from the author: I know I kind of cheated with this week's script, as it is not so much about the character, than his importance to the world in where he lived, and more importantly his influence on the war effort. I hope you enjoy it.

Panel 1

Description: President Harry Truman sits in the Oval Office. He looks sombre and with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He has his hands crossed in front of his face, looking down. An advisor stands next to him.

CAPTION: April 21st, 1945

TRUMAN: Any word of Corporal Rogers?

ADVISOR: I'm afraid not, sir. All the units have combed the area to the best of their abilities, but found nothing.

Panel 2

Description: Truman has stood up, looking out the window. There is no sun coming through, only a drab grey and pale light.

TRUMAN: We have to assume he is dead.

TRUMAN: A shame, I would have liked to shake his hand.

Panel 3

Description: Truman has sat down again. His expression is even more dire now, if that's even possible. He is taking one of his hands to his forehead.

TRUMAN: The American people have lost their president AND their greatest war symbol.

TRUMAN: In the same month.

TRUMAN: Morale is clearly down. Our enemies will try to take advantage of this moment.

Panel 4

Description: Truman is now signing something on his desk with a pen.

TRUMAN: Call Project Manhattan. Tell them we lost one super weapon already, we will need the other one ready for use as soon as possible.

TRUMAN: And may posterity forgive us for our actions.

The End.

Atomic Robo - Tau - Matt Duarte

Atomic Robo in “Tau” by Matt Duarte

Panel 1

Description: A mid 50's man is walking through the street. This is mathematician Mike Keith (real person, he wrote the Cadaeic Cadenza). Behind him, there is a van opening with several hooded figures coming out, as if about to kidnap him. Mr. Keith is woefully unaware of what is going on behind him.

Caption: June 28th, 3:18 PM

MIKE KEITH: How I want a drink, alcoholic of course, after the heavy lectures involving quantum Mathematic!

ATOMIC ROBO (CAPTION): Team, here's what we know...

Panel 2

Description: Atomic Robo is standing in front of his science team. He looks serious and focused. Behind him, Jenkins stands leering at them.

ATOMIC ROBO: A group of Anti-Pi activists known as “Tau's Revenge” have kidnapped famed mathematician and author Mike Keith.

ATOMIC ROBO: They are reportedly torturing him by forcing him to write a paper denouncing Pi and proclaiming the supremacy of Tau instead.

ATOMIC ROBO: On top of that, they are holding him for a ransom of 6.28318 million Euros, to be paid in perfectly round coins.

Panel 3

Description: Same as previous.

ATOMIC ROBO: That's right, team. We are facing, for the first time ever, mathematical terrorists.

ATOMIC ROBO: We have to assume that compared with the rest of yahoos we go against, the members of Tau's Revenge will be much more...

ATOMIC ROBO: Calculating.

Panel 4

Description: The members of Robo's team have gotten up and are leaving the room. Some of them are face palming as they do so. Only Jenkins remains in place. Robo is raising his hands above his head, doing a desperate gesture.

ATOMIC ROBO: Oh, come on! That was very funny!

JENKINS: Boss, you don't pay us enough to put up with these puns.

Next: Tau's Revenge Get a Pi to the Face

Thunderbolts - A Force To Be Reckoned With - Matt Duarte

Thunderbolts in “A Force To Be Reckoned” by Matt Duarte

Panel 1

Description: The Thunderbolts sit in the briefing room of the Raft. Luke Cage is talking in front of them, with some computer screens in the back that we can't really see yet. Around the room we can see Juggernaut, Moonstone, and Fixer sitting down, while Songbird and Mach V stand to the side and Ghost floats on the back.

LUKE CAGE: Alright, next mission ain't going to be easy. We are not going against a random bunch of villains, or some mindless goons. We are talking about a highly trained and organized military group operating on American soil.

JUGGERNAUT: What? No way these geeks are doing this.

MOONSTONE: About time they grew some cojones, if you ask me. They could only play the victim card for so long.

GHOST: It is not surprising at all. All organizations turn corrupt in the end, so it was only a matter of time before they became just like their enemies.

Panel 2

Description: Close-up on Songbird, she looks concerned and questioning the wisdom of the mission before her.

SONGBIRD: Are we sure about this, Luke? How do we know we are not playing this to someone else's tune.

Panel 3

Description: Close up on Fixer. He is looking at some screens before him, not looking up as he talks

FIXER: The data checks out. We don't know how the higher-ups got hold of this, but the photographic and video evidence is damning. And gruesome.

Panel 4

Description: Turn around, revealing Luke again, standing directly in front of the previous computer screens. In them, we can see photos of Wolverine, Angel, Psylocke, Deadpool, and Fantomex, the members of Uncanny X-Force.

LUKE CAGE: No way around it, Thunderbolts. We are going up against these killers, even if we normally know them as the good guys.

LUKE CAGE: The X-Men have a lot of explaining to do...

Next: Thunderbolts vs. Uncanny X-Force.

Invincible - Doppelgänger - Matt Duarte

Invincible in “Doppelgänger” by Matt Duarte

Panel 1

Description: Mark Grayson, in his civilian clothes, is inside his local comic book shop. He is looking at some comics on the stands while another customer and the owner of the shop discuss in the foreground over the counter.

CUSTOMER: Listen, he doesn't have his own arch nemesis. Where's his Luthor, or Joker, or Green Goblin?

OWNER: Well what about his father? That's as bad as they come...

Panel 2

Description: Mark has joined the customer and the owner at the desk.

MARK: What are you guys talking about?

OWNER: Invincible. He doesn't think he have a decent rogue gallery.

CUSTOMER: Sure, the father thing is very poetic, but they only fought once, you know?

Panel 3

Description: Same as before, Mark is talking very solemnly, obviously trying to defend the honour of his alter ego.

MARK: It's not about building a rogue's gallery. It's about stopping criminals and putting a stop to them. When you think about it, the fact that these fictional characters have a rogue galleries that constantly come back to haunt them means that they are not doing their job right.

OWNER: …

CUSTOMER: …

Panel 4

Description: The owner and the customer have gone back to discussion, completely ignoring Mark.

CUSTOMER: You know what would be cool?

OWNER: What?

Panel 5

Description: Invincible stands by himself on the moon. Except this is Bizarro Invincible, his suit is purple and red, and he is badly scarred and with a bald head.

BIZARRO-INVINCIBLE: ME AM VINCIBLE!

The End

J. Jonah Jameson - Don't Mess With The Classics - Matt Duarte

J. Jonah Jameson in “Don't Mess With The Classics” by Matt Duarte

Note from the author: This page takes place in the not-so-distant past. Hopefully the page itself will give you an idea of when it takes place.

Panel 1

Description: J. Jonah Jameson is sitting on his desk, where we can clearly see a little metal plaque saying “Mayor of New York City”. There is all kinds of clutter on the desk, papers needed to be signed, a telephone, etc. His assistant is walking in through the door (note from the author: does he have a named assistant as Mayor? I don't really know.) carrying a group of newspaper.

ASSISTANT: Mayor Jameson, here's your daily dose of the fourth estate.

JAMESON: Yeah, yeah, just leave it on the pile. I have a budget to balance, New Yorkers to appease, and a certain wall-crawler to finally put behind bars.

ASSISTANT: As you please, hizzoner.

Panel 2

Description: Same as before, except the assistant is leaving the door, with the newspapers sitting on a big pile next to the desk. Jameson is concentrating on his work.

Panel 3

Description: Same as before, but this time Jameson has gotten up and is looking at the cover of one of the newspapers on the pile. He is laughing to himself.

JAMESON: Well, Bennett, I'll give you this...

Panel 4

Description: A close up from above Jameson's head, where we can see the newspaper he is holding. It is the The DB, and it is bearing a big photo of Jameson himself. The headline: MAYOR JAMESON: THREAT OR MENACE?

JAMESON: You know a good headline when you see it, you thieving jackass.

The End.