Planetary - Arrival - R.A. Wonsowski

PAGE 22

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Panel 1 - Head and shoulders shot:  ELIJAH SNOW, his head on a pillow, wakes up, one hand's fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, eyes shut in exhaustion, his other hand's fingers prying open the blinds near his bed.

SNOW (small lettering):  bugger...


Panel 2 - Zoom in for head shot.  SNOW holds blinds open, his face close to them.  His eyes are wide in shock.

SNOW (regular size lettering):  Bugger...


Panel 3 - Wide shot:  the Village.

SNOW (from one of the windows):  BUGGER!!!


Panel 4 - SNOW, now jumped out of bed, touches his lapel, and sees the penny-farthing button on it, the number "6" in red in the center:

SNOW looks furious.

SNOW:  Bugger!


Panel 5 - SNOW turns his head, hears a knock on the door.  He looks as if he's ready to beat seven shades of crap out of whoever took him Prisoner.

SoundFX:  tok tok tok


Panel 6 - SNOW opens the door to reveal the new NUMBER 2 of the Village (who looks a LOT like the old Number 6).  The new NUMBER 2 (as we know from his button) is raising his right hand, held in an "okay" sign, up to his eye.  SNOW looks surprised again, as this was the last person he expected to see.

NUMBER 2:  Good morning, Number 6.  I bear a message from our old friend, Dowling - -

SNOW:  Drake?!?

NUMBER 2:  "Be seeing you."

SNOW (small lettering again):  Bugger...

CAPTION:  Next Issue: 21st Century Schizoid Man!

Planetary: A Dangerous Undertaking - Niel Jacoby

Panel 1: The Undertaker debuting at Survivor Series 1990 as the mystery member of Ted DiBiase's team.

Caption: FOR 23 YEARS, HE HAS WALKED THE EARTH.

Panel 2: Undertaker defeating Superfly Jimmy Snuka at Wrestlemania VII

Caption: HE HAS BEEN A FORCE OF DESTRUCTION TO BE RECKONED WITH.

Panel 3: The Undertaker walking to the ring with Paul Bearer.

Caption: HIS NATURE IS EVER CHANGING: FROM AN UNSPEAKING UNDEAD MONSTROSITY-

Panel 4: Undertaker preparing to marry Stephanie MacMahon as part of the Ministry of Darkness angle.

Caption: -TO A MYSTERIOUS, INSIDIOUS, DEVILISH CULT LEADER-

Panel 5: Taker riding his motorcycle down the entranceway in his American Badass gimmick

Caption: TO A MOTORBIKE-RIDING AMERICAN BADASS-

Panel 6: Undertaker revealing himself at the 2013 Old School Raw where he returned to set up his Wrestlemania 29 match with CM Punk.

Caption -TO WHAT WE KNOW HIM AS TODAY, AN UNDEAD MONSTER WHO RISES EVERY YEAR TO CHALLENGE THE LIVING AND FIND THEM WANTING.

Panel 7: The Planetary crew in the stands of a Raw taping, all watching the people in the crowd, except for the Drummer, who is watching the in-ring action, a bag of popcorn in hand.

Caption: THIS MONSTER HIDES IN PLAIN SIGHT: PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING, WHICH IT'S NO SECRET IS PREDETERMINED, FAKE, IF THAT'S HOW YOU CHOOSE TO PHRASE IT.

Caption: BUT THE UNDERTAKER IS ALL TOO REAL.

Snow: YOU ENJOY THIS STUFF?

Drummer: IT'S ALRIGHT. I PREFER WORLD OF SPORT, THOUGH. CAN'T BEAT GIANT HAYSTACKS AND KENDO NAGASAKI IN MY BOOK. BUT THIS'LL DO.

Planetary – New Archaeologists For A Whole New Dig - Shaun Richens.

PAGE ONE – 4 PANELS

Layout.

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1. A MAN sits in shadow behind a desk. Only his hands clasped together on the desk in front of him and the eerie white glow of his eyes can be seen through the shadow.

The desk is expensive and lavish, made of dark wood.

The man’s eyes look straight at us, straight through us.

THE MAN: Roswell, global warming, the moon landing, all that giant monster shit in Tokyo…

2. Repeat panel. However the mans face has moved forward slightly. We can see his jaw line and his pearly white teeth as a grin moves over his face.

THE MAN: It’s all true. No bullshit.

3. Repeat panel. However now the man’s smile has faded and his eyes narrowed.

THE MAN: The only reason the world knows anything about this is because the government wants them to.

THE MAN: Scraps of information to keep the people busy.

THE MAN: Lies hidden with truth.

4. Repeat panel. However now the man has his hand out stretched towards us, ready to shake our hands.

THE MAN: Welcome to Planetary. I hope you can handle the real truth ‘cus you wont be quitting. 

Planetary – Sleep Therapy – MK Stangeland Jr.

(6 Panels)

Panel 1: Long panel in the swamps of FLORIDA, where the top of CTHULU’s head can be seen poking up over the treeline. Off to one side, where the swamp is less forested, a PLANETARY vehicle of some kind that would be appropriate for this kind of thing is parked, with a touch of SCIENCE! instruments set up nearby. JAKITA WAGNER and THE DRUMMER are standing nearby, with DRUMMER looking at the instruments and JAKITA standing nearby.

Panel 2: ELIJA SNOW exits the thickest part of the swamp – he is removing goggles from his face. JAKITA and DRUMMER sit up and take notice as ELIJA approaches.

JAKITA: ItsAboutTimeYouGotBackDoYouHaveAnyIdeaHowLong…

DRUMMER: Jakita, you’re doing the run-on thing.

JAKITA: So tell me what happened in there already!

Panel 3: ELIJA takes the goggles off his head and points with his thumb over his shoulder.

ELIJA (1): Good news – big, green, and ugly’s reputation is overexaggerated.

ELIJA (2): All he really wants is to hit the snooze alarm and fin a place to sleep where people will quit waking him up.

ELIJA (3): Bad news – we have to figure out how to put Cthulu back to sleep.

Panel 4: ELIJA tosses the goggles to DRUMMER, who sloppily catches them.

ELIJA: Also, Drummer, your tech wasn’t worth $#*^ in there.

ELIJA: I’m pretty sure I still went crazy while talking to him.

Panel 5: DRUMMER looks at the goggles.

DRUMMER: So how do we put Cthulu back to sleep?

Panel 6: JAKITA and ELIJA both look at DRUMMER.

JAKITA: You’re the information guru, Drummer. You tell us.

(END PAGE)

Planetary- There May Be Trouble Ahead -Dan Hill

PAGE ONE

1.1

Wide panel : Day. An establishing shot looking out over the tops of a an oppressively hot looking jungle, stretching as far as the eye can see.

CAPTION: Brazil.

BLUE CAPTION: “I think I’ve found the opening, control.”

RED CAPTION: “Is the signal still going strong?”

BLUE CAPTION: “Roger. Fifty two pulses. A pause. Then the whole cycle starts afresh.”

1.2

Wide panel: We’re somewhere underground now. It’s dark, with a single shaft of sunlight firing through a crack in the ceiling. Through this same crack is a rope, down which JAKITA WAGNER is lowering herself. She’s dressed in tactical gear suitable for a jungle environment, a flashlight attached to her breast pocket.

The panel is mostly shrouded in shadow, but the bits we can see suggest this is some kind of abandoned temple.

BLUE CAPTION: “There’s something else.”

RED CAPTION: “Repeat that last message. We’re getting some feedback this end.”

BLUE CAPTION: “The pulses. They're getting closer together.”

1.3

On Jakita, now off the line, as she begins to take in her surroundings. We can see she has a radio headset on and holds a handheld device that looks a bit like an iPhone.

RADIO (JAGGED): When did this start happening?

1.4

From Jakita’s POV. She’s flicking the flashlight around, pointing it into the recesses of the temple as she walks.

The flashlight reveals a piece of stone wall. An intricate carved pattern is set into it, all thick lines. The pattern depicts two spheres, possibly planets, in close proximity.

BLUE CAPTION: “

About five minutes ago....

”

1.5

Tight on Jakita’s feet as she continues to walk deeper into the complex. The floor beneath her is also stone, but there's a strange circuit board pattern carved into it that has begun to pulse with a blue light.

JAKITA: Control, the pulse is coalescing. It's a voice.

1.6

On Jakita, the temple suddenly lit up in a blue light, not too dissimilar to the blue in a flame. We’re tight on her so can’t see much of her surroundings at the moment.

JAKITA: I’m switching the scanner to audio output.

JAKITA: You’re going to want to hear this...

1.7

Large panel: A crane shot from behind Jakita. She’s in the large, main chamber of the temple complex.

The chamber itself is a perfect cube, the walls rising fifty feet straight up. They, and the floor , are all marked with the same intricately carved patterns-- all thick lines and circuit board lines. All of the lines pulse with the same pale blue light.

In front of Jakita, in the centre of the panel and towering towards the top of the chamber stands a statue of Darkseid.

SCANNER: All have fallen, only one remains...all have fallen, only one remains...all have fallen, only one remains...

Planetary - Cold Comfort - Grant McLaughlin

Panels one through three make up the top row.  Panels five through seven make up the bottom row.  Panel four is the focus of the page.

PANEL ONE
Drums sits at a computer, calmly doing his drummy thing with the search for information and the like.

NO COPY

PANEL TWO
Similar panel.  Drums takes a drink of his bottle of soda (I seriously can't remember if this was a one time thing or not.  If no, he's drinking that; if yes, he's drinking some nondescript energy drink).  A look of revulsion is on his face.

(1) DRUMS: -blergh-

PANEL THREE
Similar panel.  Drums holds the bottle out, looking towards the people on the other side of the desk (who remain off-panel).

(2) DRUMS: Hey, could I get a little heat subtraction over here?

(3) DRUMS: Lukewarm cola kills my mojo.

PANEL FOUR
Switch angle to reveal that Jakita and Elijah are on the other side of the desk, fighting off some seriously intense killer robot dog contraptions.  Jakita is trying to prevent one robot's jaws from closing down on her.  Elijah is freezing a few others.  The battle is pretty intense and there are plenty more robots chomping at the bit to get at them.  Despite their predicament, Jakita has the presence of mind to look towards Drums.  She's P.O.ed.

(4) JAKITA: Drums, if you don't shut these down right now, I'm going to kill you.

PANEL FIVE
Back to Drums.  He holds his hands up defensively, a surprised look on his face.

(5) DRUMS: Fine!  Jeez!

PANEL SIX
Drums works away again, similar to panel one.

NO COPY

PANEL SEVEN
Repeat panel six.

(6) DRUMS (quietly): The things I suffer for you guys.

Planetary - Intergalactic - Ben Rosenthal

1. A close up of a pair of drumsticks tapping away on a bar. A few empty shot glasses are next to it. Off panel the bar tv is in a loop, simply saying the words 'intergalactic'.

CAPTION

New York City.  1997. A bar.

CAPTION (The Drummer)

Forced night off. I hate forced nights off.

Nothing to do but get drunk and mess with the locals.

SFX (drumsticks): taptaptaptap taptaptaptap

TV (off panel)

.....intergalactic.....intergalactic....

2. The Drummer is tapping away. The batman in the background soup on a stool hitting the tv as he cannot work out why it continues to repeat the same word.  The tv is showing a news reader doing a story on space travel.

BARMAN

Stupid piece of crap.

TV

.....intergalactic.....intergalactic....

CAPTION (The Drummer)

A bit of manipulating of the tv signal and I drive the bar owner nuts.

It's the small things that entertain.

3. We see three guys from behind as the approach and talk to The Drummer. He looks at the as the Tv in the bar behind him continues saying a single word on loop.

GUY 1

Hey man, we've been watching you tap away for the last half hour without dropping a beat.

GUY 2

We could use a guy like you. Want a job in the music biz?

CAPTION (The Drummer)

Ugh. Musicians.

THE DRUMMER

Thanks. Already have a job. I work for--

TV

.....intergalactic.....intergalactic....

4. Reveal of the four guys - it's Michael "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "MCA" Yauch and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz -  the Beastie Boys. All have an expression on their face as an idea has popped into their heads.

TV

.....intergalactic.....

THE DRUMMER (off panel)

--Planetary.

Planetary - The Meta Man - J.D. Coughlan

SET-UP: Tying up one of the series' biggest loose ends, the Planetary field team finally tracks down the fictional man who escaped into reality from issue nine. He has since killed several people.

Panel 1: Wide shot. The fictional man's (whom I'll call "Meta") hideout; a disused subway tunnel. Jakita has him pinned against the wall. Elijah stands behind her confidently. Drums clutches his head in confusion behind him. Meta is a small, unassuming bald man dressed scruffily.

META: It doesn't matter! I know the truth!

ELIJAH: The truth is, you killed 27 people. I don't care what you are, that makes you a cunt in my book.

DRUMS: Hey, I'm getting some weird vibes off this guy...

Panel 2: Close on Meta. He is staring upwards, smiling, as if seeing the light of Heaven. Jakita glares at him, if possible to include her.

META: They weren't real. You're not real. I'm not real.

META: As I was going up the stair, I meta man who was not there...

META: Hehehehehehe!

JAKITA: Goddamn it, Elijah, I know the philoscientists wanna check this guy out, but if I have to listen to any more of this New Age hippie crapola--

Panel 4: Wide shot, same as Panel 1, but now Jakita and Meta's positions are reversed. He is holding her pinned to the wall. Jakita is shocked. Even Elijah breaks his facade; his body language alarmed. Drums clutches his head, bent over in pain.

META: Once you know the truth, the fiction is easy to rewrite.

ELIJAH: Shit!

DRUMS: AAAAAHHH!

Panel 5: Meta throws Jakita into Elijah and the Drummer, knocking them both over. Again, he should be a small, skinny guy, so this should look impressive.

META: I thought I had escaped before, but this is just another level of fiction.

ELIJAH: UNFF!

Panel 6: Close on Meta. He is looking right at us, grinning, his eyes terrifying.

META: But I will break free. One page of script can't hold me.

END OF PAGE(?)

Why Planetary?

Welcome to Planetary.

No, I'm afraid you don't get a say in the matter. We only recruit the best and brightest, whether they like it or not. So you should feel flattered. Or else.

What is Planetary, you ask? Planetary is one of those super-secret organisations you're always hearing lunatics and conspiracy theorists (same thing, really) rave on about. Except, we're not trying to hide anything. We're trying to bring the world's secrets to light. We find that which has been covered up and uncover it, for the benefit of all humanity.

We are mystery archaeologists.

You'd be surprised at the things those in power want to keep from the masses: Ghosts, superhumans, magic, giant radioactive Japanese monsters -- it's all real, and more besides. The people in the shadows think we all need to be spoon-fed reality. Planetary treats you like an adult.

But it's a dangerous job. Those shadowy people, supposedly looking out for us all, will do anything to keep their secrets, because their secrets are the source of their power. Because of this, we have a rather exceptional field team to take care of such bastards:

Elijah Snow -- One of those curious "Century Babies" granted the power to freeze things and tasked to watch over the 20th century (and, apparently, the 21st). He's over 100 years old, and while you wouldn't know it from looking at him, as soon as he opens his mouth you can tell. Grumpy, cold-hearted git.

Jakita Wagner -- She's a "punch-your-brains-into-mush-first-ask-questions-later" kinda lady. Although absolutely charming if you don't piss her off. Unless she just gets bored. She's one of our best uncovered superhuman secrets; her own origins exotic and mysterious. But that's a story for another time. Or never.

The Drummer -- Perhaps the next evolution of humanity, perhaps just a dipshit who watches too much TV, Drums has the ability to "see" information. Mostly from electronic media, but he can occasionally decode the vast swirling matrix of information we call the universe, too. He's the first human being properly adapted to the digital age. And he's an annoying, lazy-arse whacko.

The Fourth Man -- [REDACTED]

If you're very, very, very lucky, you will pass your whole career here at Planetary without ever meeting the field team.

Your salary is $1 million a year for the rest of your life. Even if you quit tomorrow. Which you won't.

Because, aside from the sweet pay, there's something Planetary provides that you just cannot turn down, something nobody can resist, the very reason we were founded in the first place: The Truth.

Good luck, and remember the Planetary motto...