Panel One.
Batman is fighting the Joker at Gotham City Zoo. They’re in the Aquatic Birdhouse where the Joker is trying to feed his deadly smiley-faced Joker-fish to the assorted birds… including swans, geese, pelicans, flamingo, etc. Batman is leaping towards the Joker to stop him.
JOKER: Come on, Bats – fish is good for bird-brains! Hahahahaha!
CAP: Breakfast – The Joker attacks Gotham Zoo…
Panel Two.
Batman is fighting Killer Croc in the sewers. A hole in the sewer wall leads through to a bank vault. Killer Croc has Batman in a bear hug, squeezing the life out of him.
CROC: Rarrrrrghhh! KILL YOU!
CAP: Lunch – Killer Croc breaks the bank… and almost does the same to my back. (Once was bad enough.)
Panel Three.
Batman is fighting the Mad Hatter amid giant Alice In Wonderland style teacups. The Hatter is throwing razor tipped Oddjob hats at Batman while a swirling hypnotic beam emanates from his own top hat.
MAD HATTER: Time for your afternoon nap, Batman, old chap – you’re feeling sleeeeepy!
CAP: High tea – of course, it had to be the Hatter…
Panel Four.
Batman is fighting Poison Ivy in a huge, plant-filled greenhouse. Batman is trying to keep himself from being chomped by a giant venus flytrap. While Batman struggles, Ivy blows him a poisonous kiss.
IVY: Darling – I could just eat you up!
CAP: Dinner - Poison Ivy’s latest creation debuts at Gotham’s Botanical Gardens.
Panel Five.
Batman is tied to a target / bullseye on top of a building as night falls on Gotham. The Joker is pointing a ridiculously huge gun at him and is about to blow him away. Batman is struggling to get free but his situation seems hopeless.
CAP: It’s relentless. As the day goes on, they begin to wear me down …
CAP: So that by the time the Joker returns for supper… he finally gets the better of me.
JOKER: Say goodnight, Gracie!
Panel Six.
Big SFX panel – BLAM!
Panel Seven.
The Joker stands with a smoking bullet hole through his chest. He’s staring at it in confusion. Batman is unharmed… staring past the Joker to where the Penguin waddles out of the shadows.
JOKER: Eh?
Panel Eight.
The Joker collapses. As the Penguin comes closer, we see that his umbrella is smoking from the shot he just fired at the Joker. Batman starts to struggle free from his trap.
BATMAN: Oswald…?
PENGUIN: I’ve told him before… He can do what he wants to you…
Panel Nine.
Penguin beats the fallen body of the Joker with his umbrella repeatedly.
PENGUIN: BUT HE - MUSTN’T – EVER – HURT – MY --
Panel Ten.
Back to Gotham Zoo as featured in the opening panel. Police and zoo-keepers clear up the mess from the Joker’s attack earlier in the day. Among the debris and Joker fish, a zoo-keeper holds the body of a dead penguin.
PENGUIN (CAP): FRIENDS!!!
The build up maybe goes a bit long, Mad Hatter could definitely be lost, but I absolutely love the voice of the Penguin here. Seems to be exactly right on, well in.
ReplyDeleteNice script, Matt. You did well to remember he has a fondness for all types of birds. Hey, Hawkman vs. Penguin could be interesting!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ryan there, you could probably loose one or two from the build up. Also, what a whimpy way for The Joker to go. Would this herald Oswald becoming the true No 1 Enemy to Bats?
ReplyDeleteAs for the story this page tells, well, it's excellent. I did not see the reveal coming, and you tied it in perfectly. Have read this piece a couple of times just so I could study the techniques used. Well done yet again Rol.
Ryan - but Mad Hatter's the only one who actually ties in to the menu pattern! ;-) My thinking was, it'd take a pretty full day to tire out Batman.
ReplyDeleteBen - I don't think Joker's dead. He'd been shot plenty times before. (I wouldn't want to be Oswald when he wakes up.) Thanks though.
Amd I just noticed I called Rol "Matt". Sorry about that. :P
ReplyDeleteAnd**
ReplyDeleteIvan - you're forgiven. I'm sure there are many days I'd rather be Matt.
ReplyDeleteAn original idea. My general instinct would be to keep to around four or five frames, six at the most.
ReplyDeleteHowever I like the concept.