The Profile - What Others Are, What I Am - Ryan K Lindsay

1. Profile stands before Captain America, Cap’s fists are clenched, Profile’s hand holds a lady’s handbag.

Around Cap we get the following reads:
is perfect but knows he’s not perfect, always flosses, surprisingly worries about grey hairs, consummate gentleman, only listens to music from 1967 and before, awkwardly adopting boxer briefs, once used his shield as a pillow
Caption: Meeting someone like Captain America is boring.
Caption: And you only leave feeling worse about yourself. That’s the ideal he spreads, that you aren’t good enough.

2. Profile is on his knees before Power Man and Iron Fist on a rooftop. Rain is drizzling down.

Around Power Man we see the following reads:
strives for more but will accept slightly less, loves Jessica unconditionally, doesn’t mind that he misses chasing the old capes, once beat up a car, is considering getting a tattoo of a golden tiara somewhere on his arm, carries a lucky comb in his back pocket at all times, once beat up a dog, never carries money
Around Iron Fist we get the following reads:
doesn’t miss a day to think of his parents, hates spiders, doesn’t miss a day to do a thousand crunches, wonders what he’d look like with long hair and a beard, knows he’ll always come back to Misty, favours his left foot for kicking
Above them both we see a big read, in pretty colours, that reads:
true brotherhood
Caption: Then you meet a duo like this and you suddenly feel alone.

3. Profile is running from Wolverine. Logan stands with his claws out and his trademark jacket and hat on.

Around Wolverine we see the following reads:
what he does isn’t very nice, has killed before, will kill for what he knows is right, will kill because he knows you’re wrong, probability of killing today: 78%, will only punch you for drinking light beer, is the best there is at what he does, keeps the pickles on his burgers
Caption: Murdering psychos like this lunatic make you want to be alone.

4. Profile sits amongst the trash of an alley in Hell’s Kitchen. We see a shadowy figure of Daredevil walking away.

His reads are faint but we can make out:
loves Elektra, loves Karen, loves Dakota, loves too much, hates himself
Caption: But eventually you see that there’s always someone worse than you.
Caption: And maybe you should start to do some good with what you can do.

The Profile - From The Bottom - Matt Duarte

The Profile in “From The Bottom” by Matt Duarte

This page is to be set up in six panels. The first two are on the first row, the third one is a long page-wide panel. Fourth and fifth are like the first two, and the sixth is like the third one.

Panel 1

Description: An Iranian old man is sitting inside a yellow car, which happens to be the taxi he drives. He is wearing a turban and he has a rather long and full white beard. He is annoyed, almost shouting.

(OFF-PANEL VOICE): Give me your license and registration.

DRIVER: I have been driving in New York for twenty years. Taking people all over the city, but the moment I park in a nice neighborhood to rest, some police man immediately thinks I am some terrorist waiting to explode!

(OFF-PANEL VOICE): Uh-huh, right. Step out of the vehicle.

DRIVER: [And why don’t you f&*# a goat and call it Farah?]*

*Translated from Persian

Panel 2

Description: The man has stepped out of the taxi, and he is angrily pointing at the other person (who has his back to the reader), who is wearing a long trench coat, the kind a detective would wear, and sunglasses, even though it’s the middle of the night.

DRIVER: Do you think I am stupid? I know exactly what this is and it is illegal too!

Panel 3

Description: We can now see the man from earlier, he’s pulling his sunglasses down, slightly below his eyes. The glasses are a deep red, and this is obviously The Profile. He is cracking a dastardly smile.

DRIVER (Off-panel): This is profiling!

THE PROFILE: You have no idea how right you are.

Panel 4

Description: We can now see the taxi driver through The Profile’s view and everything is tinted red. The driver is visibly worried, and around him there are all kinds of words like “Unpaid parking tickets”, “four children”, “escaped Iran during 1979 Revolution”, “secretly loves bacon”, etc.

DRIVER: Wait a minute... you are not a police man, are you?

THE PROFILE: No, but I play one in movies. Now, here’s how things are going to play out...

Panel 5

Description: Same as previous panel, except that now there’s one set of words that is looking bigger than all the others, it says: “HIT AND RUN LAST SATURDAY”.

THE PROFILE: You are going to tell me everything you know, and I won’t inform the REAL authorities that it was you that ran over that boy last week in 53rd and Park avenue. He’s still in critical condition, did you hear?

DRIVER: Wh-what do you want to know?

Panel 6

Description: Close up on The Profile’s face. He is grinning through his teeth, with the sunglasses now completely covering his eyes.

THE PROFILE: You worked with a man, years ago, and let’s just say we have unsettled business...

THE PROFILE: What can you tell me about Jake Lockley?

Next: Vengeance of The Profile!

The Profile - Eyes on the Street - Sime McDonald

1. We are looking at The Profile’s eyes. They are clouded over; damaged. Scarred . But there is no hiding the fear in them.

PUNISHER

(off panel)

I am going to explain your situation.

2. Punisher is leaning over Profile, who is strapped to a bed. An elderly, frail looking fellow – a Doctor Bryant (new character, no reference) – is standing to the side, purposefully attempting to appear disinterested. He doesn’t want to overhear anything that might get him killed.

PUNISHER

I’ve degenerated the photoreceptor cells in your retinas.

Instigating photochemical injuries is becoming a favoured pastime of mine.

3. Profile turns his head away from Punisher as he leans in closer, sensing his presence, feeling his breath.

PUNISHER

I’m sure you’ll attest to my aptitude for it.

4. A smile plays across Punisher’s lips. He’s quite proud of himself.

PUNISHER

Right now, you’re scared.

You should be.

I am not a nice man.

But I don’t want to hurt you any more than I have.

5. Tears stream down Profile’s cheeks. He’s quite a pathetic sight. Punisher basks in it.

PUNISHER

You’re a weapon, Profile.

You’re going to be my weapon.

6. Profile clenches his teeth, a rage boiling up over his fear.

PROFILE

You took away all that I am!

7. Punisher looks across the room at the doctor, standing with his hands in his pockets, impossibly passive.

PUNISHER

Doctor Bryant.

Get over here and explain to this man what it is you do.

Tell him about your prosthetic retina research.

8. Punisher leans back in over Profile, growling.

PUNISHER

You’re going to be my eyes, Profile.

You're only going to see what I want you to see.

Continued...

The Profile - Risk Assessment - Rol Hirst

Panel One.

The Profile is waiting in the plush reception of Tony Stark's latest company, Stark Resilient. A secretary in her 40s smiles at him from behind her desk. Her profile reads: “Bored housewife, likes Tom Selleck movies and Nick Cave, still a go-er. Would give her right arm for one night with the boss.”

Secretary: You can go through now, sir. Mr. Stark will be with you shortly.

The Profile: Thank you, Susan.

Panel Two.

The Profile walks into a huge, luxurious penthouse office. The window shows a vast panorama of New York city.

CAP (The Profile): Usually when I take a case, I like to know who’s hired me… but when it's just a straightforward read - and the money’s this good…

Panel Three.

Still standing, the Profile turns as he hears a voice behind him.

CAP (The Profile): …I’m prepared to take a flyer.

Stark (off-panel): So, what can I do for you, Mr… Rockwell, wasn’t it?

Panel Four.

Tony Stark steps forward and offers a handshake. The Profile looks distressed as he tries to get a read on this man… he’s being bombarded with masses of information, more than he’s ever received from one person before, much of it contradictory. Stark’s profile fills the page around them, concentric circles bleeding off the panel: “American citizen, Russian aristocrat, Founding member of the Avengers, Common criminal, Never been in trouble with the law, Liar, Thief, Kind to small animals, Wanted in 27 countries, Fearless newspaper editor, President of the USA, Serial killer, Strangles kittens, Married to a super-model, Coffee shop barista, Lone bachelor, Family man, Psychopath, Gigolo, Arachnophobe, Crusading reporter, TV star, Eats sushi only on Thursdays…”

The Profile: I… yeah, I mean… Rockwell is my… er...

CAP (The Profile): What’s… what’s going on? So much... can’t process… can't...

Panel Five

The Profile collapses while Stark stands watching, his hand now reaching up to touch his head… tugging at his hair as he starts to pull off his ultra-realistic face mask. Meanwhile, Stark’s profile continues to explode in the air around him. “Hunter of men, super-scientist, Soviet double agent, Hates sushi, Plays guitar in Bon Jovi, Unemployed photographer, Substitute teacher, Illuminati member, College drop-out, War hero, New York Crime Lord, Reformed alcoholic, Mentally unstable, Kidnapper, George Clooney’s stunt double, Murderer, Sous chef, Web designer, Good looking man about town…"

The Profile: Who the hell… are you…?

Stark: Someone who just had to be sure…

Panel Six.

Stark pulls off his mask completely to reveal he’s actually… The Chameleon. He stands over the fallen body of the Profile, looking blank-faced but victorious. The Profile is wide-eyed (his glasses have fallen off) and dribbling - a basket case.

Chameleon: …you didn’t pose me any kind of threat, "Profile"...

Chameleon: That's why I asked you here today.

The Profile - Visualise - Max Barnard

The Premise: So... The Profile... The visualisation of his powers is pretty similar to Amadeus Cho's, yes? I want to do something with that. For the setting, set your mind back to Dark Reign, when The Profile was used to help hunt Moon Knight. Except now he's giving information to Osborn about some other particular nuisances in his side.

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Page 1 - 6 Panels

1-- The Profile is sitting in an interrogation room (plain walls, small table and two chairs at opposite ends, that sort of dealio.). Norman Osborn is entering the room via a small door directly behind him.

SPEECH BUBBLE/NORMAN OSBORN - So, "Profile", I understand that you have a particular talent for understanding individuals, yes?

SPEECH BUBBLE/THE PROFILE - So I'm told. I'm also told that you require my services to deal with some nuisance.


2-- Norman is now beside The Profile, placing some files open on the desk in front of him. The Profile is looking up at Norman's face. Around Norman's head are Profile's visualisations, saying things such as "HATES BEING CALLED GOBBIE", "SUPERIORITY COMPLEX", "FEARS GOING BALD" and "EROTIC SPIDER-MAN FIXATION", dependant on how much you can fit in.

SPEECH BUBBLE/THE PROFILE - heh.

SPEECH BUBBLE/NORMAN OSBORN - Correct. These two, the 'god' Hercules and his sidekick brat Mr. Cho have been causing me no end of minor grievances, and I want you to tell me how to best return the favour with, shall we say, minimal effort.


3-- The Profile is looking down at the files photos on the desk as Osborn looks on.

SPEECH BUBBLE/THE PROFILE - Well Hercules is a cinch. Just exploit his feelings of masculinity, maybe take pokes at him for the young boy sidekick, the whole caped crusader angle. As for Cho... Well... Um...

SPEECH BUBBLE/NORMAN OSBORN - Yes?


4-- The Profile has gotten up and is throwing the files off the side of the table in a huff, with only the Amadeus Cho file photo remaining (whether this is evident or not really isn't that important, our readers will figure it out, they're smart people). Norman Osborn I leaning slightly away, sneering in a combination of mild shock and disgust, as is his way.

SPEECH BUBBLE/THE PROFILE - I CAN'T WORK UNDER THESE CONDITIONS! CALL ME AGAIN WHEN YOU WANT ME TO DEAL WITH SOMEONE LESS... LESS... RARGH!


5-- The Profile has left the room, slamming the door behind him. Norman Osborn is leaning over the desk and looking at the picture of Cho left on the desk.

SPEECH BUBBLE/NORMAN OSBORN - Well... I wonder...


6-- We now show what The Profile was seeing when he was looking at Cho's picture on the desk earlier (tint the panel red to make it clear that it's being viewed through his sunglasses). Around Cho's mugshot are TONS of his trademark equations (which as we know are usually invisible to the naked eye) and a single line of text in The Profile's powers' style, saying "FAIL. RETRY/ABORT?"

CAPTION/NORMAN OSBORN - ... Just what did he see to make him do *that*.

The Profile - 3.5, 10, 3.5 - Ben Rosenthal

I'd like to dedicate this script to Rol.


1. A young man stands at a cash register in a small coffee house. He is wearing a short that is obviously too small for even his skeletal frame, with a picture of Che Guevara on it. His matted, unkempt hair is only slightly visible from underneath a beret. The coffee shop itself is a hip, funky place, trying its hardest to be cool. Surrounding the man at the cash register are the words “Plays World of Warcraft”, “never been kissed”.

YOUNG MAN
Ok, one latte – 3.20. Head down to Brittney on the machine and she’ll make it for you right now.

2. We now see Brittney standing behind the coffee machine. Brittney is an extremely attractive girl, wearing a simple black top with a somewhat low plunging neckline. Surrounding her are the words “likes being single”, “hates underwear”.

BRITTNEY
Off to work, hun? What do you do?

3. The Profile has a sleazy look on his face. He is obviously thinking one thing.

PROFILE
I guess you could call me a Profiler.

4. A side panel, showing Brittney behind the coffee machine, with The Profile on the other side peering over the machine, obviously trying to look down her top. The words “open to new experiences” circles Brittney.

BRITTNEY
Oh, like on those TV shows where they catch criminals?

PROFILE
Something like that.

BRITTNEY
Well, I’m somewhat of a Profiler myself!

4. Same as panel 2. Brittney is still smiling. The speech bubble is taking up most of the panel – somewhat like a Kevin Smith panel.

BRITTNEY
You see, most espressos are purpose blended for an overall flavor. To brew these, roasters call out a brew temp, assume the machine is set to 9 bars of pump pressure, and suggest a time factor for extraction, usually around 25 seconds. However, what roasters and baristas are finding is that even existing blends have totally new horizons of possibility that we didn’t know existed before, when pressure becomes variable. It is fun to discover these, and is not hard to imagine that someday blends could be created purposefully to utilize a certain coffee machine’s flavor amplification potential. Delicate single origins also play well under these conditions too.

5. The Profile is staring blankly. His sleazy smile is gone, replaced but a dumbfounded look of annoyance. Brittney continues her explanation off panel.

BRITTNEY

I've been identifying my brew parameters like this - 3.5 bars -16 seconds, 9 bars -7 seconds, 3.5 bars – 4 seconds, off. Then 2.5 bars – 10 seconds, 10 bars-18 seconds, off. This format represents an initial brew pressure and time, a full pressure brew and time and a return pressure and time, which includes a tailing off of pressure. The shots pulled on certain coffee machines tend to be longer than the prescribed 18-23 second range. I'm finding results in the 30-35 second range on this machine.

6. Back to the panel of Brittney, who is still all smiles. The words surrounding her now are “coffee”, “coffee”, “coffee”.

BRITTNEY
The two profile samples produce significantly different results from the same coffee. Yet either espresso would be considered excellent, though one has a more chocolatey, full body, while the other has more flower essences, and a lemon finish.

7. A side panel showing Brittney behind the coffee machine and the Profile on the other side, similar to panel 4. They are looking directly at each other. The only words surrounding Brittney are “likes girls”.

BRITTNEY
So by profiling our shots, we get a more interesting cup. One that fully explores the...

PROFILE
Just give me my damn coffee.

The Profile - Tell - Danial Carroll

PANEL 1. Close-up of The Profile, holding a hand of cards close to his face.

CAPTION:

So this is how I make an income.

PANEL 2. We see the rest of the poker-table's players with various descriptive writing surrounding them. It doesn’t matter what it says, as long as the closest and most pronounced of each, mention their poker status--words such as "bluffing", "two pair", and "one card off a straight" etc.

CAPTION:

No surprise really.

CAPTION:

With a gift such like mine, it's easy money.

PANEL 3. The Profile is being thrown out a back door into a dark alleyway.

CAPTION:

However, I learned early on in my career--

PANEL 4. Close-up of The Profile being punched in the face by a large, suit-cuffed fist. His trademark red glasses are cracked from the blow.

CAPTION:

--that to avoid taking one to the face--

PANEL 5. From The Profile's POV we see that he has a royal flush.

CAPTION:

--you sometimes have to take one on the chin.

PROFILE (OP):

I fold.

Why The Profile?

Being a newcomer to the world of comics, I felt it only fitting that I should choose a fairly new character as my Thoughtballoons debut. Enter, The Profile...

The Profile was introduced in the 2006 Moon Knight run, and having only recently read that, he quickly became a favourite of mine. To begin with, David Finch drew him looking like Sam Rockwell--which was just awesome--but also, I just thought he was a really unique character; one that I’d never seen before anyway.

The Profile’s “super” ability, as his name implies, is that he can profile people at a glance. In other words, he can tell every single trait, habit, and behaviour, just by looking at someone. What I particularly like--at least in Finch’s work--is the way this is shown to the reader:

In Vengeance of the Moon Knight, they took the lazier route of just having words snake around the character’s outline, but it still got the point across, and it was particularly amusing when Norman Osborn’s included, “Drowns kittens.”

If anyone is unfortunate-enough to have never read Moon Knight, don't be too alarmed, The Profile is actually a very simple character--basically just a sleazebag; a card-shark. The fun in writing him, I believe, will be more in the descriptions than the dialogue. So I hope you can all have fun with this, and I look forward to seeing the weird and whacky “profiling” that ensues :)

P.S. Here’s a few visual aides if you need them...