The Premise: Despite the fact I'm a vocal hater of soapbox scripts, more than half of my material on here has had a whiff of the ole personal opinion shout-out to them. This is no exception, as Jubilation Lee has basically been horrifically destroyed by comic stories in the last few years, and I feel like complaining about it somehow. So here's a story where Gen-X era Jubilee is given a glimpse into what's to come for her. Enjoy.
(Also bonus points for anyone bright enough to know what band's song I've paraphrased for the title)
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Page 1 - X Panels
1-- Gateway and Jubilee (in her Generation X uniform) have teleported into a dark cave, appearing in a misty swirl. Other than them and the teleport effect all that is visible is a fire and the dimly lit walls of the cavern. Jubilee appears surprised.
SFX/TELEPORT - FWOOP!!
SPEECH BUBBLE/JUBILATION LEE - Wha?!
2-- The teleport effect is now gone and Gateway is seating himself in front of the fire. Jubilee is now appearing even more shocked, pointing at Gateway with her other hand to her mouth.
SMALL SPEECH BUBBLE/GATEWAY - ... sit
SPEECH BUBBLE/JUBILATION LEE - YOU CAN SPEAK?!
SPEECH BUBBLE/GATEWAY - ... Sit. I must show you the horrors that are to come.
3-- Jubile is now seating herself in front of the fire as well, right next to Gateway. As she is doing this smoke is rising into a spherical shape.
SPEECH BUBBLE/JUBILATION LEE - What's to come? Geez, you speak to me for the first time and it's that much of a downer? Something tells me we aren't going to get along that well, Gates.
SPEECH BUBBLE/GATEWAY - Silence. The future is forming before our eyes.
4-- We're now viewing the sphere of smoke from over the shoulders of Jubilee and Gateway. In the sphere we can see Jubilee in her Robert Kirkman days, where she gained huge slitty eyes and incredibly yellow skin.
SPEECH BUBBLE/JUBILATION LEE - What the hell! How did I become such a charicature? I'm cute as a button dammit! And my *ahem* assets really stay this small? That sucks!
SPEECH BUBBLE/GATEWAY - We're only beginning Ms. Lee. Let us continue.
5-- The same view, with the image in the sphere changing to Jubilee in her New Warriors-era guise, where her breasts grew to be larger than her head.
SPEECH BUBBLE/JUBILATION LEE - Now THIS is what I'm talking about, G! Though... Those are KINDA big... My back must hurt like hell!
SPEECH BUBBLE/GATEWAY - You've also lost your powers at this point.
SPEECH BUBBLE/JUBILATION LEE - WAIT WHAT?!
6-- Same view, though Jubilee is now facing Gateway and yelling at him. The image in the sphere is now her in Gischler's X-Men, covered in blood from the vampiric suicide bomber.
SPEECH BUBBLE/JUBILATION LEE - WHAT DO YOU MEAN I LOSE MY POWERS?!
SPEECH BUBBLE/GATEWAY - Hush, child. Observe the fate you are doomed to.
SPEECH BUBBLE/JUBILATION LEE - WHY AM I COVERED IN BLOOD?!
7-- Jubilee is now holding Gateway by the shoulders, shaking him violently. The image in the sphere has changed to a scene from X-Men issue 2, namely the one where Jubilee says the truly awful line I'll be referencing in the speech.
SPEECH BUBBLE/SMOKE SPHERE - "--Like pure desire coursing through my veins. And I'm afraid. Afraid to touch the DARKNESS, but I can't stop myself."
SPEECH BUBBLE/JUBILATION LEE - WHY AM I SAYING THAT?! IS THIS EVEN ME?! I'M LIKE A HAMMER HORROR REJECT! SHOW ME HOW TO CHANGE THIS, GATEWAY! SHOW ME OR I'LL END YOU RIGHT HERE!
8-- Gateway is pushing Jubilee away from him and is getting up from the fire. The sphere is dissipating back into ordinary smoke.
SPEECH BUBBLE/GATEWAY - There is no way. I just felt you ought to know. Now we shall leave.
SPEECH BUBBLE/JUBILATION - NO! Don't do this to me, G! Please just do--
NARRATION BOX - And Jubilee was teleported back to her ordinary life with Generation X mid-sentence. Somehow she forgot all this by the time all the awful things happened to her, but isn't it nice to know that really, deep down, she saw it all coming? Lessens the pain some, yes?
NARRATION BOX - Fin (with apologies to years of comics history)
Wow, you really are angry, aren't you? I like a little fire in your belly but I was hoping you'd show us how well Jubilee could be used not how poorly she has been used. Lead by example, my good man. Show us Jubilee at her best.
ReplyDeleteoh I will come wednesday. I just wanted to get this one out first on here... which is admittedly not the best order to go with eh ahaha
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ryan, but will add that you have captured the voice of Jubilee rather well. I loved "Geez, you speak to me for the first time and it's that much of a downer?"
ReplyDeleteBonus script from website now included here too:
ReplyDeleteJubilee - The First Fourth of July - Max Barnard
Page 1 - 7 Panels
1-- Jubilee is standing against a night sky, stretching and cracking her fingers in front of her. She's dimly illuminated by a light source somewhere in front of her (Chamber/Jono Starsmore), showing her in her classic yellow jacket grinning widely.
TEXT BOX/NARRATION - July 4th 1994
SPEECH BUBBLE/JUBILATION LEE - 'kay... You guys ready to be blown away?
2-- We've now pulled back to show the rest of the Generation X crew (Penance, Husk, Chamber, Synch, Skin, M) sitting in front of her (by a fair few metres? I mean you shouldn't be near fireworks when they're lit, yes?). All are sat legs crossed, though Penance has her hands to her face in fear and Husk has a fist raised in the air. The light source used earlier is now clearly Chamber's chest energy stuff, illuminating the students in what is essentially just an open field. Nothing else is visible.
SPEECH BUBBLE/M - Get on with it.
SPEECH BUBBLE/Husk - WOO! DO IT GIRL!
SPEECH BUBBLE/Chamber - ... You guys know I don't sodding care about the fourth of July, right? I mean it's celebrating you Yanks beating the UK and all that.
3-- Jubilee has raised her hands to the sky, ready to use her powers. Penance has lowered her hands and leant forwards expectantly and Husk has lowered her arm.
SPEECH BUBBLE/JUBILATION LEE - OKAY, OKAY! Prepare for spectacular awesomeness unlike any awesome you've ever been awesomed by before! Time to bring the FIREWORKS!
4-- Some meagre little lights spurt from Jubilee's fingers. Penance has jumped up, cowering and peeking through her fingers at Jubilee.
SFX/JUBILEE'S FINGERS - fzztleflit--
5-- Jubilee is now sad, shoulders slumped in defeat. Penance is dashing off panel. The other students are all laughing.
SPEECH BUBBLE/STUDENTS - AHAHAHAHAHAHA!
SPEECH BUBBLE/JUBILATION LEE - *sigh*
6-- On one side of the panel Synch has gotten up, with his arm round Jubilee's shoulder. Jubilee is looking at him with a faint smile on her face. On the other side of the panel the other students are either playing with sparklers (Skin, Husk, a VERY cautious Penance) or sitting down watching the others play (M, Chamber). The three sparkler users have "G" "-" and "X" from left to right. Because that's just how they roll.
SPEECH BUBBLE/SYNCH - Hey, don't worry about it. Just do it again next year when you've learnt to better use your powers.
SPEECH BUBBLE/JUBILATION LEE - ... Yeah. And every year I'll make it an even better show for everyone. Thanks for cheering me up Ev, you're a good buddy.
SPEECH BUBBLE/SYNCH - No problem. Things can only get better for us, I'm sure of it.
7-- Close-up of Synch and Jubilee, both looking at the reader suspiciously.
SPEECH BUBBLE/SYNCH - ... Right?
TEXT BOX/NARRATION - The End.
Yay, retcon!
ReplyDeleteAmazingly, this is also close to another idea I toyed with (mine would have involved Destiny, not Gateway) but rejected because I didn't know or care as much about the character as you obviously do, Max.