Araña in “Totally Totem Teens” by Matt Duarte
This scene is set in current continuity, that means Anya is in her black Spider-Girl outfit. She and Rikki Barnes (Nomad) are staking out a place. This page is set up in six panels. The first one is a wide and small panel, across the whole page. Panel 2 and 4, 5, 6 are all square and similar size, with panel 3 being a small square panel joining 2 and 4.
Panel 1
Description: Anya and Rikki are laying down on a rooftop, with binoculars, looking at something in the distance. They are bored and killing time with random chatter.
NOMAD: Look, all I’m saying is the Kree must have done something to her, because there is no way those boots stay up by themselves.
ARAÑA: No, dude, when I was with Carol in the Initiative she told me what the secret is...
(OFF-PANEL CHARACTER, interrupting): ARAÑA!
Panel 2
Description: Anya and Rikki both have stood up and turned around. Before them (on the right of the panel), stands a guy, mid 20’s, lanky and tall, without much in the way of muscles. He is wearing a home made outfit, with antenna, some shell wings, and huge goggles. It’s supposed to look like a cockroach. This is a new character called LA CUCARACHA!
LA CUCARACHA!: Araña, al fin! Preparate a enfrentarte a tu nemesis mas mortal, LA CUCARACHA!
Panel 3
Description: Small panel, just a close up of Anya’s foot kicking LA CUCARACHA! in the face.
Panel 4
Description: A shot from farther back, we just see the silhouettes of Anya and Rikki, still standing in the rooftop, while LA CUCARACHA! is tumbling back.
NOMAD: What was that all about?
ARAÑA: No idea, but I hate cockroaches.
LA CUCARACHA!: Ay, ay, ay!
Panel 5
Description: Anya and Rikki are now looking down from the side of a building. On the street, there is an old car with antennas glued to the hood. LA CUCARACHA! has fallen on top of it, and he is laying there injured and convalescing.
NOMAD: Did that guy just fall on top of his own ride?
ARAÑA: Either that or he just ruined some poor exterminator’s car.
LA CUCARACHA!: Ayyyy...No puedo caminar...
Panel 6
Description: Rikki and Anya are swinging away from the rooftop now, with their backs turned towards the reader.
NOMAD: Dude, you really need to get some better villains.
ARAÑA: Oh shut up, isn’t your arch-villain like a giant dog?
LA CUCARACHA! (off-panel, mumbling): Araña... Soy solo el primero...
El Final?
Matt, is that you in the La Cucaracha suit?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if any of the other tenures wrote this script if it'd be racist in a thin stereotypical way...?
This page rockets along and provides the laughs. I dig it, Matt. I just wish there were sub-titles.
Well, yeah, the benefits of being a minority! I get to poke fun at my culture's own stereotypes coming off scot-free, you guys don't get an extra scan in airport lines.
ReplyDeleteI was originally going to put translations (and make LA CUCARACHA!'s speech longer) but the page is crowded enough as it is. Instead, I went with shorter sentences, and with words that are close enough to English that people would still get the meaning of what is being said.
I want more La Cucaracha! He even has his own theme song - and it's arguably even better than Spider-Man's. I want a 12 issue La Cucaracha vs. Squirrel Girl mini series. Now!
ReplyDeleteExcellent stuff, Matt.
I have no idea how to respond to this. I mean... BEST. SCRIPT. EVER.
ReplyDelete