1. An overhead shot, looking down at the Kent farm in Smallville. Superboy (in costume) and Simon Valentine are standing in the middle of a field. The crops are dead. Cattle on nearby fields are dead, corpses decomposing. The ground is spewing green-glowing roots. It’s quite obvious: this is kryptonite-related. And although Superboy is less affected by kryptonite than Superman, he doesn’t look comfortable being surrounded by the substance.
SIMON VALENTINE
Oh my God...
2. Closer on the two, standing in the field. Their faces are pale. They are in shock. Realisation has dawned on what this means for the people of Smallville. Their farms are their livelihood. Without the, what do they do? Where do they go?
SIMON VALENTINE (1)
It’s all - -
It’s all dead, it’s - -
SIMON VALENTINE (2)
How?!
3. Tighter on Superboy. His mouth is a hard line and his eyes are glistening, threatening tears.
SUPERBOY
He warned me.
He told me something was coming, but I thought - -
I thought Parasite was the threat... or Poison Ivy - -
4. A flashback to the opening sequence from Superboy #1 (cover dated January 2011, by Jeff Lemire & Pier Gallo). Superboy sits atop a silo, the Phantom Stranger hovering beside him.
*The following dialogue comes straight from Superboy #1.
PHANTOM STRANGER
There is a darkness blowing in on these gentle Kansas winds...
5. Cut back to the present. We have pulled back from Superboy and Simon so we’re half focused on them, in the distance, and the sickly-glowing terrain, whereupon a crack has formed...
CAPTION
(PHANTOM STRANGER)
“Something sinister incubates within these rich old fields...”
6. Kenny Braverman – aka Conduit – thought to be dead after the events of Action Comics #711 (July 1995) is pulling his clawing his way out of the ground. His skeletal frame is quite obviously unhealthy; but it is his charred skin and the green glow of the veins beneath that is far more ominous.
CONDUIT
Kennnnt...
To be Continued...
You remember Conduit? You're so awesome. :)
ReplyDeleteFrom what I remember Conner never met Braverman, right?
Good stuff, Simon.
Hey Ivan, no I don't believe Superboy ever met Braverman. If I could've expanded on the story, I was thinking Conduit - in his current mental state - might look at Superboy and see a young Clark Kent, thus bringing back all those memories of Clark from their school days...
ReplyDeleteI've no idea who any of these characters are (apart from The Phantom Stranger), but that's certainly a powerful opening, Simon.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting, you're tying into a comic that was released just a few days ago. Impressive.
ReplyDeleteThis is a solid start, and a creepy image. Nice.
I'm actually a little scared of how well you've made this work. You took a VERY current story (HIGH FIVE FOR BOTH UTILISING CURRENT CONTINUITY IN SOME WAY. though my way was just background detail), used some well-thought out plot and character choices and it paid off dividends.
ReplyDelete... I hate you so much Sime. You top yourself each week and leave the rest of us in the dust. DAMN YOU!
But no, seriously, awesome
Yeah, great script Sime. I have no idea who the other characters are, but it all works. WHat's more, I'm enticed to find out who they are - which says something coming from a guy who does not enjoy Superman or any of his extended family.
ReplyDeleteI went and looked up who Conduit is after reading this, considering how big a deal you've made him here. Nice job building up a one-page interest-catching intro to what certainly feels like a big, important story.
ReplyDeleteAs with Rol and Ben, I have no idea who any of these people are, but I love the visual of the glowing green roots coming up from the ground and the dead farm. I'd love to see that drawn.
ReplyDeleteJust curious, did you remember this Conduit guy from the 90's, or was there a recent reading that brought him to mind?
Thanks for the praise, everybody.
ReplyDeleteDanial - I've never forgotten Conduit; but it helps I've got 'The Death of Clark Kent' trade sitting on my shelf, right next to me, which collects his entire story arc. Plus, I've always thought a guy radiating that much kryptonite wouldn't simply cease once he was dead - that nugget of an idea, coupled with Lemire's Phatom Stranger dialogue from Superboy #1 brought the whole thing together.
You just watch me fail at NEXT week's character, though!