The Avengers – In The Hall Of The Mountain King – Shaun Richens

PAGE 10.

1 PAGE SPALSH.

We are in a great and huge Asgardian hall. Torches hang and glow brightly from all the walls. Sitting high in the centre of the hall is LOKI. He wears a magnificent golden crown atop his head. He is sitting confidently with his legs hanging over one arm of the throne. His long green cloak folds underneath him and spreads out in front of the throne. A huge grin plays across his face. One of LOKI’s hands is cupped holding an orb of pulsating and powerful magic.

Kneeling at the base of the steps up to the throne and facing LOKI are all the members of the AVENGERS. Their heads hang low as halos of LOKI’s magic encircle their heads.

LOKI: The easiest way to defeat an enemy is to make them believe they have already won. 

Why The Avengers?

"And there came a day, a day unlike any other,

when Earth's mightiest heroes and heroines

found themselves united against a common threat.

On that day, the Avengers were born

—to fight the foes no single super hero could withstand!"

If you really need an explanation for why they're showing up this week, either you're new around these parts or you haven't been paying any attention over the past 2 months. The Avengers, comic book icons, are finally seeing the culmination of years worth of build up that has all pointed to this. In some places, the movie is already out. For others, the wait is almost over. To repeat what I said when Thoughtballoons began this journey:

"So here we are, four years later. And with the summer of 2012 will come the debut of a film most of us no doubt thought would never see the light of day – The Avengers, on the big screen. 

Naturally, there was certainly the expectation that Thoughtballoons Would do a week for The Avengers, following the tradition Ryan unwittingly started when he picked Iron Man for the very first week of ThoughtBalloons on at least partial account of the second movie having been released recently.

However, thinking about this brought an idea to my head – as a film, The Avengers ranks somewhere between the biggest movie of the summer and the biggest superhero movie of all time. So why not do something extra special for it? My answer: Instead of a single week dedicated to The Avengers, why not several weeks dedicated to The Avengers - one for each major character from the movie?  

Since everyone else thought it was a great idea, that’s exactly what we’re doing. Starting today with Nick Fury, Thoughtballoons is launching it’s multiple-week ‘Avengersthon’ extravaganza, with each week dedicated to a different major character from the film, all leading up to the final The Avengers week when the movie actually comes out. Because a comic book movie this big deserves it."

And so we've come to what everything was leading up to - the final 'The Avengers' week. Because a movie this big deserves it.

But, of course, this wouldn't be a proper 'Why?' post without explaining what's so special about the team of the week - but even that's simple enough as pointing to the sub-heading that so often accompanies their name. They aren't just 'The Avengers', they're "The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes".

And that's what's the big deal about them - as I've heard it described elsewhere, while DC's Justice League is about putting the most popular characters they have together, The Avengers are about who can best defend the Earth. Not just anyone gets to be an Avenger. When you become an Avenger, you've made it. For years, the mainstays haven't been people like Spider-Man or Wolverine (which, I suppose, just goes to show how lax their recruitment policies have been in recent years). ((I kid, I kid)). No, when people read The Avengers, they expect people like Captain America - Super Solider and living legend. Or Iron Man - one of the worlds most intelligence engineers who drives one of the most powerful weapons in the world. Or Thor - the Asguardian with a hammer who inspired the myths of old.

They're popular characters, sure, but what's more important is what they can do - protect the Earth from threats, wherever they may come from. Because they're The Avengers - Marvel's premier Superhero Team and Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!

Iron Man’s Armour – In The Hall Of The Mountain King – Shaun Richens

PAGE 9.

6 PANELS.

Panel 1 is a page wide panel. 2,3,4 and 5 are small and tight panels showing just what they need to. 6 is another page wide panel.

1. The Avengers stand assembled. The destroyed outline of New York is behind them. CAPTAIN AMERICA is in the middle flanked by IRON MAN, HAWKEYE AND BLACK WIDOW. The HULK stands tall behind them.

2. THOR throws his hammer towards LOKI.

3. LOKI dodges to the side as the hammer sails past.

4. IRON MAN grabs LOKI around the waist and holds him tight. As only a man in a super suit can.

5. HULKS fist cracks LOKI in the side of his face. Leaving him bloodied and bruised.

6. LOKI lies on the floor looking up at the AVENGERS defeated.

         LOKI 1: I.

         LOKI 2: I… yield. 

Why Iron Man’s Armour?

Iron Man has already been looked at here on Thoughtballoons, but it is not the man who makes the hero but the iron. 

They always say it’s what’s on the inside that counts. However with Iron Man I'd have to say it’s all about what’s on the outside.

It's not Tony Stark flying through the skies or taking down supervillains, it’s the armour he wears. It's the armour that turns him from a mad scientist into a superhero, it’s the armour that lets him fly and take a punch to the face from the Hulk. This suit makes the man a hero. So lets all give the tech its dues and show off just how great it can make a man. 

Besides I mean any suit that can get you a job on a superhero team made up of a Super Soldier, a Hulk and a God is one hell of a thing. 

Captain America’s Shield – In The Hall Of The Mountain King – Shaun Richens.

PAGE 8.

7 PANELS.

Panels 1 and 2 take up the top of the page. 3, 4 and 5 are tall vertical panels that make up the rest of the page.

1. Tight shot on CAPTAIN AMERICA’S shield hanging on caps arm.

2. Pull back to show CAP from the waist up, he is holding the shield out in front of him as if preparing to receive a charge, his other arm is raised up in the air, his fist clenched and mouth wide open as he screams.

         CAPTAIN AMERICA: Avengers assemble.

3. A small shield aircraft is in the sky, its hanger doors wide open, the huge mass of THE HULK is crashing down towards the earth.

         HULK: Hulk is hero.

4. IRON MAN still carrying the BLACK WIDOW in his arms is lowering himself to the ground to land like a harrier jump jet.

5. A bloodied and bruised HAWKEYE is getting back to his feet using half of his broken bow to steady himself. 

Thor: Mjolnir – In The Hall Of The Mountain King – Shaun Richens.

PAGE 7.

4 PANELS

1. A page wide panel. THOR’s Mjolnir hammer spins and flies through the air, IRON MAN blasts along beside it arms out stretched.

2. Mjolnir has smashed LOKI in the side. He drops his grasp on BLACK WIDOWs neck.

3. IRON MAN grabs BLACK WIDOW in his arms and takes to the sky.

4. THOR stands proudly, Mjolnir back in his hands, he is ready to fight.

THOR 1: You have shamed all of Asgard with your actions here today brother.

THOR 2: I Thor shall not allow you to continue. We shall end this here and now. Man to man, brother to brother, god to god. 

         

Hulk – In The Hall Of The Mountain King – Shaun Richens.

PAGE 6.

3 PANELS.

PANELS 1 and 2 make up a thin top row. Panel 3 is a ¾ page splash.

1. NICK FURY stands onboard the Shield Helcarrier. He has his back to us his head down. He has reached a point he had hoped wouldn’t come.

2. Same as 1. But we pull back slightly we now see a heavily armed SHIELD GUARD facing us. NICK FURY has turned his head slightly to look at the GUARD.

         NICK FURY: Open the hatch. We need to talk.

3. We pull really far back. NICK FURY stands just off centre of the page outside a huge metal door. The door dwarfs him and the two SHIELD GUARDS stationed outside. A small section of the door at head height has been slid open and we can make out the face of Doctor Bruce Banner behind it. He looks nerves and his forehead is sweaty.

        BANNER: Please. I don’t think I can do this. I can’t control it.

        NICK FURY: Banner you’re the only one left who can stop this.

NICK FURY: It’s time to let the world see your other side. It’s time for the Hulk to be a hero.

Black Widow – In The Hall Of The Mountain King – Shaun Richens.

PAGE 5.

7 PANELS.

1. HAWKEYE is on his knees in front of LOKI arrows lie all around his feet. HAWKEYES bow broken in two lies at his side. LOKI looks down on him a hand on his shoulder.

         LOKI 1: You showed courage boy.

         LOKI 2: Not that it is worth much.

2. We are looking down the barrel of a gun from the shooters point of view. LOKI is the target in the sights.

3. Close up on LOKI an angry frown on his face. The first time he has shown any anger all issue.

LOKI: You think to kill me with your mortal weapons women? You insult me just as your companion did. At least his weapon took some skill to wield.

4. BLACK WIDOW holding her pistol out in front of her faces down the god known as LOKI. Shots are fired.

         SFX: P-TUFF. P-TUFF. (Gun shot)

5. Bullets crushed and spent now lay at LOKI’s feet along with the arrows.

         LOKI: HAHA. HAHA.

6. A page wide panel. BLACK WIDOW has thrown her gun to the floor and now leaps and back flips her way towards LOKI she is swift and graceful any normal foe would never be able to stop her approach and avoid her attack. LOKI is not a normal foe however.

7. LOKI holds BLACK WIDOW by the throat her feet clearly off the ground. Her hands pull at his fingers trying to loosen his powerful grip. Her eyes closed, pain all across her face.

         LOKI 1: Your spirit is strong.

        

         LOKI 2: Your neck less so little one. 

Why The Black Widow?

Because Natalia (Natasha) Romanova (Romanoff) is a fascinating character with a complex history that dates back to the time of Czarist Russia. She's been an assassin, a ballerina, a spy, a revolutionary, a double agent, a defector, an Avenger, a Champion, a sidekick, a leader and a heartbreaker. There's plenty of story material there for us thoughtballooners to get our teeth into!

For the definitive tale of the Widow's history, I'd recommend Paul Cornell's excellent Deadly Origin mini-series of a few years back. I'm still not convinced Scarlett Johansson is the perfect casting for any aspect of the character beyond the catsuit... but, once again, Hollywood failed to ask my opinion.

Hawkeye – In The Hall Of The Mountain King – Shaun Richens

PAGE 4

6 PANELS.

1. Hawkeye stands at the base of the statue of Liberty. He has one hand pressed to his ear as he tries to hear from his earpiece. In his other hand he holds his longbow.

         HAWKEYE: You hearing me Fury?

2. NICK FURY stands in the war room from the last panel of this page http://www.thought-balloons.com/2012/03/nick-fury-in-hall-of-mountain-king.html

NICK FURY: I heard ya, loud and clear. Now tell me, why on earth did the team split up?

3. Cut back to same shot as 1.

HAWKEYE 1: The Cap thought we’d cover more ground, and you put him in charge, so I did as I was told.

HAWKEYE 2: I have found the target though. 

4. Cut back to same panel layout as 4. FURY is looking even sterner than normal.

NICK FURY: Hold your position. I’ll call the others. You need to regroup before you engage.

5. Similar panel to 1. We are with HAWKEYE but pulled out further. We see a full long shot of HAWKEYE. He wears a look of concern on his face.

        HAWKEYE: Any chance you could hurry up that back up call?

NICK FURY (OFF PANEL THROUGH HEAD PIECE): What’s going on?

6. A side on shot. HAWKEYE has pulled his bow back with an arrow readied he stands to the right hand side of the page. Standing a few feet opposite him, on the let hand side is LOKI, a huge grin on his face.

        LOKI 1: My first subject come to bend his knee to me.

LOKI 2: Now put that toy of yours away boy. You think to use an arrow against a god. How little you know of my power.

LOKI 3: You do amuse me so. 

HAWKEYE: And I haven't even got to the punch line yet.

Loki – In The Hall Of The Mountain King – Shaun Richens.

Ok so this is only my fourth tenured piece for thoughtballoons and I am already going maverick and doing a two page splash. However I am going one long form story for our Avengersthon and having this two page splash here sets me up for all the page turns I want to hit and makes for an explosive first page turn in itself from my Fury page so I hope you will allow it for the sake of a better overall script and story.

PAGE 2 AND 3

A two-page splash. With two smaller panels inlaid. 1 is in the upper left hand side of page 2 and Panel 3 is inlaid in the bottom right hand side of page 3. With Panel 2 making up all of the other space.

1. Full length shot of Loki. He stands atop the balcony section of the statue of libertys torch. He is looking out towards the city of New York, although we can’t see this yet.

LOKI: Dawn breaks, and I take this city for my kingdom.

2. This is the money shot. This is the gut punch of the splash. We pull back to a shot from behind Loki as he looks out towards the famous cityscape of New York City. It stretches out before us, buildings crumble, smoke and fire billow into the sky, mechanical beasts made from gold and silver in the shapes of mystical creatures of legend rip at the very heart of the city. Loki has brought Norse God like destruction to the mortal realm and it looks horrifically beautiful.

3. A tight shot on Loki, he has a menacing grin playing across his face.

         LOKI: By this evening these mortals shall call me god.

Nick Fury – In The Hall Of The Mountain King – Shaun Richens.

This story is set in the Ultimate universe.

PAGE 1.

7 PANELS.

Panels 1,2,3 and 4 make up the top row. 5 and 6 are a second row, with 7 as the bottom half of the page.

All the captions on the page should just be white text overlaid on the panels. Like opening credits of a movie.

1. A flashing red alarm light is going off on the side of a wall. We are onboard the SHIELD Helicarrier. This alarm is a call to arms. The panel should be almost entirely red. We open on danger and never look back.

SFX: WEEW WEEW (alarm going off)

2. A black panel.

CAPTION: Marvel Comics Presents.

3. We see a pair of feet running down a corridor. They belong to a SHIELD agent. They are wearing a pair of black military boots.

4. A black panel.

CAPTION: In Association with Ultimate Comics.

5. Over the shoulder of the SHIELD agent as he stands outside a closed door. A sign across the door reads WAR ROOM.

6. A black panel.

CAPTION: In The Hall Of The Mountain King.

7. This panel should take up around half the page. The SHIELD agent has entered the WAR ROOM. He stands to the left of the panel with his back to us. He is facing NICK FURY, at the right of the panel, who is looking straight at us. FURY looks stern and serious. He is a man who, at this moment stands on the edge of something that will change the world forever.

CAPTION: Starring Nick Fury.

Shield Agent: His forces are nearing New York General Fury.

NICK FURY 1: I am aware agent. They have already been assembled. They are preparing to engage him at this very second.

NICK FURY 2: All but the good Dr. that is.

Why Nick Fury?

“’I am Iron Man’. You think you’re the only superhero in the world? Mr. Stark, you’ve become part of a bigger universe. You just don’t know it yet.”

“Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD. I’m here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative.”

And the crowds went wild.

When Marvel put together the first Iron Man movie, it was kind of a big deal. Even more so when they did such a great job with it. But what few suspected prior to its actual release that it was just the first building block of a much bigger picture. There were rumors Fury would show up, of course, but it was only after we got to see the movie itself and sat around through the end credits that we knew the truth.

Unholy $#*^! They’re doing an Avengers movie!

So here we are, four years later. And with the summer of 2012 will come the debut of a film most of us no doubt thought would never see the light of day – The Avengers, on the big screen.

Naturally, there was certainly the expectation that Thoughtballoons Would do a week for The Avengers, following the tradition Ryan unwittingly started when he picked Iron Man for the very first week of ThoughtBalloons on at least partial account of the second movie having been released recently.

However, thinking about this brought an idea to my head – as a film, The Avengers ranks somewhere between the biggest movie of the summer and the biggest superhero movie of all time. So why not do something extra special for it? My answer: Instead of a single week dedicated to The Avengers, why not several weeks dedicated to The Avengers - one for each major character from the movie?

Since everyone else thought it was a great idea, that’s exactly what we’re doing. Starting today with Nick Fury, Thoughtballoons is launching it’s multiple-week ‘Avengersthon’ extravaganza, with each week dedicated to a different major character from the film, all leading up to the final The Avengers week when the movie actually comes out. Because a comic book movie this big deserves it.

Which brings us to Nick Fury himself. It seemed appropriate to start with him, since in a way he’s the man who kicked off the four-year road to the Avengers movie with Samuel L. Jackson’s cameo in the first Iron Man movie.

Why Nick Fury? Because whether he’s from the classic 616 universe we’re more familiar with or the Ultimate Universe, Nick Fury is the flip side of the same heroic coin that is shared by Captain America – Both have been around since World War II, both have some kind of serum running through their veins, both are fighting for freedom against the would-be tyrannical forces such as HYDRA and AIM. They’re both artifacts from an earlier age, though artifacts in the best sense of the word.

But where as Captain America was frozen at the end of WWII and woke up to a culture shock in the modern era, Nick Fury’s been there all along to see the world as it’s changed. Where as Steve Rodgers is as much as a symbol as a one-man fighting force, fighting out in the light for everyone to see and be inspired by, Nick Fury does his job from the shadows – he does his job better when people don’t know what he’s up to. Where Cap is prohibited from doing things like killing supervillains in order to be the better man because that’s who he has to be, Nick Fury isn’t as concerned about what people think about him – he’s just concerned about keeping the world safe.

To borrow a comparison from DC, Nick Fury is the Batman to Captain America’s Harvey Dent. Harvey Dent specifically, mind you, taking Two-Face out of the equation. Where as Captain America is the White Knight that stands as a shining beacon of good against a backdrop of scum and villainy, Nick Fury is Dark Knight doing the dirty work people don’t like to talk about.

Nick Fury gets the job done. Does he make mistakes? Yeah, but who doesn’t? He’s still human. He’s just a human that does what has to be done to keep the world safe. Because he’s Nick Fury.

Spymaster.

Director of SHIELD.