The Mandarin - When The Mirror Speaks, The Reflection Lies - Niel Jacoby

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Panel 1: The Mandarin and Iron Man(RDJ version) are lying on the ground after their battle, near death.

Mandarin: WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT BATTLES, YOU AND I. I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU AS A WORTHY OPPONENT.

(link)

BUT HOW WILL THE REST OF THE WORLD REMEMBER YOU?

Panel 2: Flashback to a young Tony Stark meeting with the leader of a military junta in the Eighties, pre-Iron Man.

Caption(Mandarin): AS AN ARMS DEALER WHOSE WEAPONS CAUSED SO MANY NEEDLESS DEATHS?

Panel 3: Flashback to Tony Stark, haggard and battered, walking the streets of Manhattan after losing his company due to his drinking in the late Nineties.

Caption(Mandarin): AS A DRUNK FOOL SQUANDERING HIS FATHER'S LEGACY ON DRINK AND WOMEN?

Panel 4: Flashback to Iron Man founding the Avengers.

Caption(Mandarin): OR AS A SUPERHERO, BUILDING FANCY ARMORS AND QUINJETS WHILE PEOPLE STARVED ON THE STREETS OF YOUR OWN CITY?

Panel 5: A collage of internet reactions to Mandarin's death. We see tumblrs claiming that Mandarin is their headmate, hunky fanart, and tweets mourning his death.

Caption(Mandarin): I, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVE SCULPTED HOW HISTORY WILL REMEMBER ME, IF ONLY BECAUSE I'VE MADE SURE MY VISION OF MYSELF IS THE ONLY ONE THEY WILL EVER KNOW.

Inset Panel: Mandarin is holding up his left hand, and the ring on the ring finger is missing. We can see his face, and he is literally about to die.

Mandarin(pained): WELL, MISTER STARK...
(link)
...IT SEEMS...

Inset Panel 2: We see the ring that was on his ring finger attached to a satellite orbiting the earth, rays emanating from it.

Caption(Mandarin): ...I WIN.

The Mandarin - One Man's Revolution... - J.D. Coughlan

SET-UP: Germany, 1942. A younger Mandarin, just starting out on his road to world domination, has sought out the Red Skull with ideas of an alliance.

Panel 1: One of those mountain retreats the Nazis loved. The Mandarin and Red Skull sit on the veranda, talking casually, taking in the scenery, drinks on a small table between them. There are a couple of Nazi guards, nothing too intimidating. The Skull is, of course, in full mask and uniform. The Mandarin is dressed formally with subtle Chinese influences.

MANDARIN: I am afraid, Mr. Schmidt, that I have concluded an alliance between us would be impossible.

SKULL: Nonsense! You have power and influence I can use. And, aside from your Oriental heritage, we are quite similar.

Panel 2: Close on the Mandarin. He remains calm, as if talking to someone beneath him.

MANDARIN: No. No, we are not.

MANDARIN: You desire conquest. Dominion. I seek change, for the better.

Panel 3: Close on Red Skull. He glares angrily.

SKULL: One man's revolution is another man's hostile takeover.

Panel 4: The Mandarin, still calm, rises to leave. Red Skull gestures to the guards, who start to move towards Mandarin.

MANDARIN: Regardless of semantics, I shall take my leave...

SKULL: I don't think so, Mandarin.

Panel 5: The guards block Mandarin's exit. Red Skull stands up behind him, smug. The Mandarin remains calm.

MANDARIN: Mr. Schmidt, I realise that in western literature, we "Orientals" are often portrayed with a flair for the over-dramatic, but rest assured that I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say...

Panel 6: Close on the Mandarin's clenched fist. His rings are glowing.

MANDARIN (O.P.): ...you will let me leave.

END OF PAGE

The Mandarin. – He’s Got The Whole World. - Shaun Richens.

PAGE ONE – 6 PANELS.

Layout.

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1. Close up TONY STARK’s hand. He holds a whisky glass by the rim and gently swirls the iced whiskey inside.

CAPTION: Everyone has a flaw. A chink in their armour.

2. Pull out to show Stark pushing the glass across a table away from himself, he looks away from the drink as he does.

CAPTION: Only those brave enough to see their own…

3. Pull out further to show Stark, in a fine tailored suit, standing tall, the ARC REACTOR in his chest glowing bright.

CAPTION: Can carry the weight of the world on their shoulders.

4. Close up on the MANDARIN’s hand, he slowly pushes one of his rings on to his leathery finger.

CAPTION: Everyone has a flaw. A chink in their armour.

5. Pull out. The Mandarin holds his clenched fist across his chest. Five of his rings can be seen glowing.

CAPTION: Only those hungry enough to sacrifice it all…

6.Pull out to show the Mandarin sat on a large ornate throne. Carved Dragonheads on the arm rests and clawed feet at its base.

The mandarin wears a flowing dark green robe that falls away down the steps in front of his throne.

The Mandarin has his head looking down and to the side, his eyes closed as he rubs at his temples. He looks weak and frail in this single moment, even though his hands glow with the power of the impossible.

CAPTION: Can hold the world in their hands.

The Mandarin – Ring Wrath – MK Stangeland Jr.

(4 Panels)

Panel 1: A convention hall filled with a large number of characters from across the comic multiverse that have jewelry – rings specifically – as an important part of their costume/power set. Undoubtedly a large portion of these characters will be from the various lantern corps and the Legion of Superheroes.

In the foreground stand BOOSTER GOLD and SKEETS, THE PHANTOM, and CRUSADER.

CRUSADER: Booster Gold, was it?

BOOSTER GOLD (1): That would be me. The brains behind this little get together.

BOOSTER GOLD (2): And I’d say it’s worked better than I could have hoped!

SKEETS: Brilliantly, sir.

CRUSADER: Yeah, that said…

Panel 2: The three look over their shoulders to the background, where LARFLEEZE is using an assortment of constructs – including GLOMULOUS - to chase THE MANDARIN.

LARFLEEZE (1): You have ten rings?! I want ten rings! GIMMIE!

LARFLEEZE (2): GIMMIE! GIMMIE! GIMMIE!

GLOMULOUS: Rawr!

Panel 3: The three continue to watch as the scene inverts, this time with THE MANDARIN chasing LARFLEEZE as he fires an array of attacks from his assorted rings.

THE MANDARIN: Back! Back you barbarian!

THE MANDARIN: I will not be assaulted like this!

LARFLEEZE: Ow! Ow! Ow!

Panel 4: CRUSADER and PHANTOM look at BOOSTER GOLD. BOOSTER GOLD looks over his shoulder, worried, at LARFLEEZE and THE MANDARIN as they continue to fight off-panel.

LARFLEEZE: (Off-Panel) No one gets more rings than Larfleeze!

THE MANDARIN: (Off-panel) Fool! No one crosses the Mandarin and survives!

CRUSADER: Perhaps you should have put some more thought into the details first.

(END PAGE)

The Mandarin -Full Circle -Dan Hill

This is essentially a homage or play on the opening pages of Brubaker, Fraction and Aja's Immortal Iron Fist #1.

ONE

Panel 1: Wide panel: A panoramic shot of a paddy field nestled at the base of a mountain. We can see several WORKERS going about their business in the field.

1. CAPTION: Kun-Lun Mountain Range

Panel 2: Wide panel: DANNY RAND strides purposefully across the panel (from left to right) through the paddy field as the workers stop what they’re doing and watch.

Danny is in full Iron Fist costume (the updated Aja version). There are blur lines around his right arm suggesting the brisk pace he’s marching at.

2. CAP(MANDARIN): This village is insignificant...not even 300 wretched souls.

Panel 3: Wide panel: We’re looking slightly upward towards THE MANDARIN as he strides towards us with equal purpose. He’s dressed in modern combat gear (flak vest, etc). We can see the ten rings on his gloved hands glinting in the sun.

He’s surrounded on all sides by a cadre of men all dressed in similar gear. In the sky above them we can see helicopter gunships and drones.

3. CAP(MANDARIN): The armies of the Khan...

4. CAP(MANDARIN): Repurposed for a modern age. A modern Khan.

5. CAP(MANDARIN): Me.

Panel 4: 

Wide Panel:

The workers in the paddy field are in the foreground of the panel. They watch as Danny continues his march forwards towards Mandarin’s forces gathering on the horizon.

Clouds have started to darken the sky. Strangely, both of Danny’s hands have started to glow, though we can’t see how from this distance.

6. WORKER: <Father...who--who is that?>

Panel 5: Wide panel: Mandarin’s hordes, their back to us, fill the majority of the panel as they race across the plain towards the lone figure of Danny in the background.

7. CAP(MANDARIN): Who am I?

8. CAP(MANDARIN): I am The Mandarin. Descendant of the great Khan.

9. CAP(MANDARIN): Thorn in the Great Satan’s side.

Panel 6: Wide panel: Danny fills the majority of the panel in a kung fu pose. His left arm is thrust towards us, glowing with the unbridled power of the chi.

His right hand, brought up near his face, but pointing out towards us, is wearing a REPULSOR GLOVE from the Iron Man armour. It glows with energy, ready to fire.

10. CAP(MANDARIN): And everything old is new again.

The Mandarin - Lockdown - Ben Rosenthal

1.  FULL PAGE SPLASH  - The Mandarin is in the lower left of the page.  We can see his full body.  His hands are out stretched, all fingers at awkward angles.  They are clearly broken.  From the rings pour the ten alien spirits whom inhabit the rings.  They all are of a different species, but are coloured the same colour as the ring from which they are escaping.  They are bearing down on The Mandarin.  The Mandarin looks horrified.

CAPTION

--and that’s what the Mandarin didn't understand.  A prison of magic or a science is still a prison.

Eventually the inmates revolt.

The Mandarin - Pain to Come - R. A. Wonsowski

PAGE 22 Layout:
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Panel 1 - Background: TONY STARK, tied to a chair, obviously beaten, face bloodied, suit stained wth dirt and dried blood, drenched in sweat, tie askew.  He looks unconscious.  He is in a dimly lit cave-like room.  Foreground is a clear glass bowl on a wooden table.

NO COPY


Panel 2 - Same as above except a colorful golden ring is dropped in the bowl.

SoundFX:  TiNG


Panel 3 - Same as above as another ring is dropped in the bowl, TONY starts to turn his head toward the sound.

SoundFX:  TiNG


Panel 4 - Same as now 3 rings ar dropped in the bowl, TONY tries to open his eyes.

(off-panel):  Ah.  He stirs.

SoundFX:  TiNG ting TiNG


Panel 5 - Same; the other 5 rings are dropped into the bowl as TONY tries weakly to lift his head.

(off-panel):  I thought we would try something a little different, this time.

SoundFX:  TiNGting TiNG TNG tling


Panel 6 - Our p.ov. is now to look down on Tony, a shadow falls across his beaten face as helooks up into the face of his torturer.

(off-panel):  You without your weapons, I without mine.

(off-panel):  Tell me, Anthony.  Without our little technologies, who would inspire more fear.  You...


Panel 7 - Reveal of the MANDARIN.  He wears an olive green three-piece suit with a white silk shirt and a golden yellow tie.  He is cloaked in a black cape,and his long hair is wild.  However, his face is no longer human, but a thin humanoid version of a Chinese dragon, grinning toothily, hungrily.  His skin is a mottling of green and crimson.  His hands are elongated, sinewy, and clawlike that taper into talon-like finger nails.

MANDARIN:  ...or ME?

CAPTION:  Next Month:  The Mandarin Heralds The Beyond Dragons RETURN!!!

Why the Mandarin?

Because of his mad bling, baby....

Of all of Iron Man's enemies, armoured or otherwise, none inspire the sheer insane fear that the Mandarin does.

Evicted out of mainland China when the Communists took his family's wealth, the Mandarin (his true name unknown, and a descendant of Ghenghis Khan) stumbled into a lost valley where he discovers the ruins of a spaceship piloted by a dragon with ten powerful rings because COMICS!

The important thing here, however, is that the Mandarin now had the means to avenge himself upon the Chinese government, and later, ALL governments.  His study of the alien rings led him to realize that technology would not just be a means to terrorize, but to rule as well.  See, that whole "Fu Manchu" mystic ancient evil shtick is misleading to most.  The Mandarin has it in for Tony Stark because Stark's armor is a symbol - of protection, of technology at its most beneficial.  So too has the Mandarin used his ten rings as a symbol - of technology barely understood, and therefore lethal.

The Ten Rings from Iron Man the Movie

When the first Iron Man movie came out, the Ten Rings carried out that symbolism, but was even more insidious, particularly to Iron Fans.  As the Ten Rings terror cell stole Tony's tech, they corrupted it into a perversion of power to subjugate their own.  The Ten Rings, as an unknown quantity, were scarier than any alien power jewelry could ever be.

Now here we are finally at IRON MAN 3 (opening 3 May 2013 in theatres everywhere), and the Mandarin brings it all to Tony Stark's front door.

Sir Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin

This is the showdown that Iron Fans have been waiting for:  The Mandarin finally faces off against ol' Shellhead.  And we at ThoughtBalloons couldn't be more thrilled at the prospect of seeing this fantastic villain finally grace the silver screen.  We will do our best to show you why he is an evil to be reckoned with.  And don't forget, you aspiring writers-to-be out there can play along too.  In fact, here's a handy dandy tip sheet to help you work out the rings, if you so desire:

...ooooh....death-sparkly....

And we'll see you all at the movies!