J. Jonah Jameson - Don't Mess With The Classics - Matt Duarte

J. Jonah Jameson in “Don't Mess With The Classics” by Matt Duarte

Note from the author: This page takes place in the not-so-distant past. Hopefully the page itself will give you an idea of when it takes place.

Panel 1

Description: J. Jonah Jameson is sitting on his desk, where we can clearly see a little metal plaque saying “Mayor of New York City”. There is all kinds of clutter on the desk, papers needed to be signed, a telephone, etc. His assistant is walking in through the door (note from the author: does he have a named assistant as Mayor? I don't really know.) carrying a group of newspaper.

ASSISTANT: Mayor Jameson, here's your daily dose of the fourth estate.

JAMESON: Yeah, yeah, just leave it on the pile. I have a budget to balance, New Yorkers to appease, and a certain wall-crawler to finally put behind bars.

ASSISTANT: As you please, hizzoner.

Panel 2

Description: Same as before, except the assistant is leaving the door, with the newspapers sitting on a big pile next to the desk. Jameson is concentrating on his work.

Panel 3

Description: Same as before, but this time Jameson has gotten up and is looking at the cover of one of the newspapers on the pile. He is laughing to himself.

JAMESON: Well, Bennett, I'll give you this...

Panel 4

Description: A close up from above Jameson's head, where we can see the newspaper he is holding. It is the The DB, and it is bearing a big photo of Jameson himself. The headline: MAYOR JAMESON: THREAT OR MENACE?

JAMESON: You know a good headline when you see it, you thieving jackass.

The End.

J. Jonah Jameson – Man Of The People – Ryan K Lindsay

1. This page is kind of like an 80% splash page of high school kids sitting in a classroom, we are at an angle so as the panels break this single image up we go down the room and look at different students. JJJ’s speech will connect across them all. The first panel, the top left of the page, shows a jock up the back of the class with his feet up.

JJJ: You’re problem is you just don’t care.
JJJ: Yes, not caring is a problem, you slackers.

2. There is a girl doing her best to act like she’s not trying to see if the jock is looking at her.

JJJ: You put your brains in your pants and wonder why you have diseased thoughts.

3. Two druggies sit together giggling – maybe at JJJ, maybe at their nails.

JJJ: You think a patchwork of grass and LSD is going to expand your horizons when all it does is limit your possibilities.
JJJ: I’ve never eaten in a Soup Kitchen, myself, and I doubt having the honour of soiling myself while there three nights in a row is a truly enlightening experience.

4. A loser sits staring at the front of the class with a finger launched up his nose like he’s got an itch on his medulla oblongata.

JJJ: You couldn’t find your backsides if your fingers were noses.
JJJ: That’s why you have to vote for me.

5. The splash ends and we see what the students have been staring at, it’s a 17 year old JJJ running for Class President. He’s missing the ‘stache but he’s got the same hair and a short sleeve shirt with a thin black tie. On the board behind him we see ‘Class President Speeches’.

JJJ: All the way with JJJ.
Uncredited Class Clown: WHATEVER!

J. Jonah Jameson - JJJ 1 Million - Maxy Barnard

What will J. Jonah Jameson be like 1 million years into the future? In the Marvel timeline I mean. I know full well that fans wouldn't ever allow him to change properly no matter how far into out future we look, that being the curse of big two comics characters. But I digress. Have fun with this backdated script.

Alt. Script: we look 1 million years into the future and see that, yes, he's decomposed and probably fossilised. Less interesting, but you'd have to admire the realism or whatever.

----------------------------------

#.1
A levitating, cyber-punk, spikey and dark, oily Daily Bugle is floating in a futuristic land of airbound buildings and flying taxis. The Daily Bugle sign on the front of the building is bright neon, as any sign in the future should be (natch).

JJJ(inside building): ROBO-BRANT! ROBO-BRAAAAAAAAAAANT!


#.2
Inside JJJ's(as he shall be referred to in this future timeline, because initials are futuristic as all balls) office, we have a darkened chair in a black-lit room, with a floating table in front of it. The true nature of JJJ's appearance is to be completely unnoticeable in this panel, to save for the reveal at the end of the page (which I'll hold out on you till then as well, for simplicity's sake). Entering the room (perhaps just in front of us, presenting an over-the-shoulder view) is Robo-Brant, an angular femdroid, a cross between a ventriloquist's dummy and an 80s businesswoman viewed through the filter of chrome robotics.

Robo-Brant(spiky balloons and robotic text): YES.MR.J.J.J.?

JJJ(chair): COFFEE! ROBO-BRANT! COFFEE!


#.3
Robo-Brant dutifully bows her head and moves out of the room. JJJ's desk starts to glow, illuminating the silhouette of the man's current appearance, best described for this panel as Robofish from the Timesplitters series of video games, with finer details to come with the final panel.

Robo-Brant: COMING.RIGHT.UP.SIR.ANYTHING.ELSE.WHILE.I.AM.AT.IT.?

JJJ: YES!


#.4
The full reveal. Illuminated by his desk we see JJJ as he truly is. An orb, containing his brain, wires and various fluid, on a frail robotic body. The orb has JJJ's classic flat brush haircut, and the thin chaplinesque moustache stuck dead centre on the middle of it. The liquids are bubbling and glowing green as he declares his ultimate desire.

JJJ: ROBO-BRANT! GET ME A CAMERA! AND A MAN! TO GET PICTURES! PICTURES OF SPIDER-PEOPLE! AND MORE COFFEE!

J. Jonah Jameson - Eulogy - Ben Rosenthal

1. A podium sits on a small intimate stage. Flowers line the walls, and cover the coffin in the back ground. Behind the podium is J. Jonah Jameson. His head is down, hand to his mouth as he clears his throat. His shoulders are slumped, as if he is a defeated man.

2. Jameson has the same posture, but now grips a sheet of paper with two hands, which we can see just poking out from the top of the podium. His head still bowed as he reads.

JAMESON

Marla was a good person.

3. Same as Panel 2, with Jameson once again clearing his throat.

4. Same as Panel 2, with Jameson looking longingly at the coffin to his left.

5. Same as Panel 2.

JAMESON

Marla was a good person. She gave her kindness and love freely. Her affection and caring for her friends and family was beyond reproach, and we will never see another like her.

6. This panel is framed in the same way as all previous panels. Jameson is standing away from the podium, side on with the coffin. His hand placed on it.

JAMESON

I won’t.

7. The same framing as all previous panels, however the stage is empty.

For those of you wondering, Marla’s last words to Jonah were "Don’t waste any more of your life on hate… I love…” She died in his arms.

J. Jonah Jameson - Meet The New Boss - Rol Hirst

Panel One.

A corridor in the White House. J. Jonah Jameson sits waiting to be seen by the President. He sits stiffly in his chair, hands folded on his lap, scowling at the world. A white house aide speaks to him from off-panel.

Aide (O/P): Mayor Jameson? Commander Rogers will see you now.

Panel Two.

JJJ gets out of his chair and starts barking at the aide. He’s already pissed off at how long he’s been made to wait… and now he isn’t even getting to meet the president!? The aide shrinks away from Jameson’s outburst.

JJJ: Rogers!? I thought I was supposed to be seeing the President! I didn’t come all this way to see Steve Rogers – on a Monday! I have a city to run, I can’t be—

Steve Rogers (O/P): Jonah…

Panel Three.

Steve Rogers stands in the corridor before Jameson and holds out his hand. Jonah reluctantly shakes it. Steve is smiling, patiently, it’s not the first time he’s faced up to one of JJJ’s explosive rants. Steve is in his Super Soldier outfit. (Yes, continuity freaks, this story takes place before he puts the big A back on.)

Steve: Good to see you again. Thank you for coming.

JJJ: Harrumph!

Steve: The President apologises that he’s been called away, but he’s put me in charge of the briefing.

Panel Four.

Steve leads Jonah through into a large state room. At the far end of the room is a large desk. A figure sits in the desk, facing away from Jonah and Steve, looking out across the White House gardens.

Steve: As you’re aware, in recent months New York City has become the target of increased activity by so-called Science Terrorists such as A.I.M., the Zodiac Cartel and the Intelligencia—

JJJ: You don’t need to tell me – it’s my town! I’ve been petitioning the President to set up a task force and put someone big on this – Reed Richards or Tony Stark or—

Steve: Yes, Reed and Tony will be involved, but they’re both busy men. You’ll be pleased to know we’ve selected another leading New York scientist, from Horizon Labs, to run the operation on a day-to-day basis…

Panel Five.

Now we’re looking at the scene from the opposite side of the room, from behind the desk. The figure at the desk has turned his chair away from us so we still can’t see who it is, now they’re facing Steve and Jonah. Steve is gesturing to the figure in the chair. Jonah’s jaw has dropped to the floor.

Steve: I trust you’ll give him every assistance…

Panel Six.

Who’s in the chair? Go on, you guessed it. It’s only Peter Parker – wearing a snazzy suit too! He’s grinning a big toothy grin at Jonah.

Jonah: Parker!?!

Peter: Jameson… you’re hired!

Why J. Jonah Jameson

Because the last thing thoughtballoons needs is any more of those @#*$! costumed vigilantes! What this site needs is a real hero!

A pioneering journalist and moral crusader!

The proud father of a courageous NASA astronaut!

An influential and respected political figure - the current Mayor of New York City!

The only comic book character to ever have been brought to life with 100% success on the silver screen!

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... J. Jonah Jameson!

"Miss Brant, get me a ham on rye - and tell Parker he's fired!"

The Crew At Supanova Con 2011

This site is a strange beast in that we all hail from such different places. The Australian contingent is surprisingly high - and I say that because though I am Australian this site was created online. I had the whole internet (or my Twitter pals) to choose from and yet there are 4 Aussie tenures. The rest hail from Europe and while we lost out American connection we've now gained it back and got a Canadian to boot in the trade.

But with such space between us all, even the Aussies are anywhere from 3 hours to 12 hours apart, the odds of getting all the Tenures in a room together is slim at best.

And while we didn't get everyone together recently, we did get 3 Tenures together and it was a blast.

Supanova is a comic convention held annually across four Aussie cities and I was given a leave pass from the wife and kid to go up for a day. It's a 3 and a bit hour drive but I knew I'd be catching up with Ben and Sime while I was there. It was totally worth it. I packed into the car with @g0ofgnewt and a mate from work and the road trip was a blast.

After arriving at the con, and wandering the floor for a little bit, I finally managed to corral Ben and Sime into the same space. It was pretty awesome meeting these lads in person, finally.

So...many...jokes...

Sime really is the brooding heart of thoughtballoons (except for the fact he smiles all the time) and Ben didn't disappoint. He walked up to me, deadpan, with this massive brown leather duffel bag in hand. I wasn't sure if he had the tools with which to kill me or just Gwyneth Paltrow's severed dial full of head cheese. Creepy or awesome...I think you know the answer.

These blokes were a blast to hang out with, though I was only available for a few hours. We talked plenty of comic smack, so here's some eclecticisms on what went down:

• Ben owns an arcade machine. Did you know that?
• Sime wants to buy every DCnU #1 - whether he will, or can find the time to read them all is another question but at least he's got a goal.
• I told Sime he could write a massive The Weekly Crisis post full of paragraph reviews of each of the #1s. The offer still stands.
• Ben owns an arcade machine. You knew that, right?
• I am indecisive and don't spend enough money at cons.
• Ben knows how to spend plenty at cons.
• Sime was there to see me back issue dive for ages and come up with just one issue.
• Yes, the issue was Daredevil. It was issue #380 - actually excited to read it.
• I bought Dave Johnson's sketch book and a wicked Marvel print from him.
• Dave Johnson was the nicest guy ever. So extremely nice.
• I chatted with Ben Templesmith and he's also very cool.
• It wasn't until too late I realised I need to get Templesmith to sketch Franken-Castle for me. One day.
• Ben commissioned a very cool Deadpool sketch from Dave Johnson. You can peep it below.
• Sime is off on a work funded international jaunt. Lucky bugger.
• I managed to chat with an artist and actually get his details. Another nice bloke.
• Ben is hilarious and I need to make more time for the man. Much more time. Sleepovers are called for.

That was the con. Shooting the breeze with other comic writers and really enjoying it. There aren't enough peope in my life that 'get' this passion of mine so it was nice to sink into the nerdfest and just enjoy it. Oh, and since this is a script site here's a little script of just one thing that went down while at Supanova.

Ben, Ryan, and Sime in Peer Pressure

Sime: I'm going to buy all the DC #1 books.

Ben: I'm getting a few.

Sime: You getting Morrison's Action Comics?

Ben: No.

Sime: Seriously?

Ben: No.

Ryan: Aren't you getting Action Comics?

Ben: No.

Ryan: Even I'm getting that one.

Ben: I don't want to.

Ryan: Go on, get it.

Sime: Yeah, get it.

Ryan: Come on, Ben, get it.

Sime: Get it.

Ryan: Seriously, get it.

Ben: Alright, I'll get it.

Scene.

I propose a thoughtballoons writer's workshop next year. Whether official or at the pub, I've already put in for my overnight leave pass and we'll see what we can drum up. Maybe Supanova would be interested in what we have to say - or maybe a coffee shop wants to put us up for a few hours while we laugh and scratch the pads. I say coffee shops because it seems none of us are realy drinkers.

One year from now if you are at Supanova you should track us down. We'll be there, shooting from the hip, where will you be.

Oh, yeah, and the Rev Johnson's Deadpool. Really makes me jealous I didn't invest in an Iron Fist.

Green Lantern – I Am Hal's Seething Revenge – Ryan K Lindsay

1. Hal Jordan lies on a hospital bed. He has a smudge of yellow paint on his chin and a bandage around his neck.

Caption-Hal: I’m just a fool.
Caption-Hal: They think I don’t know that?

2. Hal’s chart sits at the end of the bed, the major aspect we take in is that he won’t speak again.

Caption-Hal: But a fool is happy.
Caption-Hal: He rolls in his ignorance like a fat boar in his own squalid filth.

3. Carol walks into the room, she wears a trench coat over a dress. She’s gorgeous.

Caption-Hal: They see me a fool happy with his eyes sown shut.
Caption-Hal: Ha. A smarter man would be frozen with thought.

4. Hal’s eyes furrow, he’s determined, he’s angry.

Caption-Hal: No thought’s going to slow me down.

5. Carol holds her hand open for Hal. In her palm is a red ring.

Caption-Hal: I’ll break the sky over their heads.
Caption-Hal: My silent anger will kill us all.

Green Lantern - Green Lantern's Light - Grant McLaughlin

Mild cheating, but I've edited panel 5 due to it being unclear.  I hope this reads better.  Proof of why  a second pair of eyes is beneficial.

Three rows of equal size. The first two rows both have 3 panels of equal size. The seventh panel takes up the entirety of the third row.

1 – Hal Jordan is standing in the doorway of his place on Oa.  He stands sheepishly, one hand scratching the back of his head.  The three other Earth Green Lanterns stand at his door, holding supplies for a small gathering of friends. John has chips, Kyle has cards, and Guy has beer. The shot is from behind Hal, focusing on the other three. They look to be varying degrees of unhappy and frustrated.

KYLE: What do you mean we can't come in? Jon hosted last week. This week is your turn.

HAL: Sorry guys, but my place is, uh, really dirty?

2 – Guy wears an expression of mock concern. His line of questioning puts Hal on the defensive.

GUY: Is the fearless Hal Jordan worried that we'll think less of him because of his slovenly ways?

HAL: Of course not!

GUY: Good. Because we already do.

3 – Focus a bit more on Hal. He is unimpressed.

HAL (1): Very funny, Guy.

HAL (2): You still can't come in.

4 – The three GLs, seeing that they won't win this argument, start to fly off.

GUY (1): Whatever. We don't need you and your weirdness. If you're going to be like this, we'll go over to Kyle's.

GUY (2): Without you.

HAL: Sorry, guys. Maybe next time.

5 – Hal stands inside his apartment, the door closed. He leans against it, incredibly relieved. It's relatively dark within. The panel is slightly tinged by a green light coming from off panel.

HAL (1): -phew!- That was close!

HAL (2): Completely forgot about the weekly get together with the guys.

6 – Alone in his room, Hal kneels down at the foot of his bed. He is looking at something that is off-panel. The green light is stronger, coming from what he's looking at. From this angle, the doorway from previous panels is visible in the background near the head of the bed.

HAL: I'll have to be more careful to make sure no one finds out about you.

7 – Later. Hal is asleep, wearing some ridiculous Green Lantern-themed pyjamas. He's also definitely wearing one of those pointy nightcaps. The previously unseen item at the foot of his bed is visible: a nightlight in the shape of the Green Lantern logo. It shines a bright green in the darkness, lighting up the room. Hal slumbers with a satisfied grin. No dialogue.

Green Lantern - Unimaginative - Danial Carroll

[WARNING: The following script may contain sexual references and is recommended for mature audiences :P]


PANEL ONE
This panel is simply a closed bedroom door. The balloons are coming from within.

WOMAN: Oh...
WOMAN: Yeah...
WOMAN: ->NNNPH!!<-
WOMAN: ->SIGH<-


PANEL TWO
Same shot of the door. Again, the balloon is coming from within.

WOMAN: My God, Hal, you're AMAZING!


PANEL THREE, HALF-PAGE SPLASH
From a low angle, we see Hal from the waist up. He has no clothes on, save for his ring, which he is holding up in a fist. It is glowing.

HAL: Nah, Baby, I just have a good imagination.

Green Lantern - Old School - Matt Duarte

Green Lantern in "Old School" by Matt Duarte

Panel 1

Description: Hal Jordan is standing in front Green Lantern outfit in front a group of kids inside a classroom. Behind him, there is a chalkboard with the words “Meet Your Heroes Week!”. In the front row there's a kid with his hand raised.

HAL JORDAN: And so, I made a giant fist with my ring and knocked out the villain!

KID: Mr. Lantern, how did you first get the idea to make a giant hand?

HAL JORDAN: Uh...

Panel 2

Description: Hal Jordan is being punched in the face by Kilowog. Emphasis on Kilowog's big hand as it connects with Hal's face, which has a black eye.

NO DIALOGUE

Panel 3

Description: Hal Jordan is being punched in the gut by Mongul. Again, Mongul's hand looks huge compared to Hal's body. Copious amount of blood are dripping out of his nose and mouth.

NO DIALOGUE

Panel 4

Description: Hal Jordan is receiving an upper-cut to the chest by Batman, who is wearing some kind of big electronic gloves (think Dark Knight Returns, sort of thing). Hal looks in pain while there is a smirk in Bruce's face.

NO DIALOGUE.

Panel 5

Description: Back to the classroom. Hal Jordan is now smiling confidently, while forming a giant hand that is tapping the head of the kid that asked the question earlier.

HAL JORDAN: Imagination, kid.

HAL JORDAN: Lots and lots of imagination.

The End.

Green Lantern – The Finger – Rol Hirst

Panel One.

Close on the severed middle finger of Hal Jordan, laid out on a white table. The finger is still clad in the white Green Lantern glove – tattered and bloodied at the severed end – and the ring is still attached.

VO1 (off-panel): How on earth did you get it?

VO2 (off-panel): Yellow Stihl saw.

Panel Two.

A red hand reaches down and pulls the ring from Jordan’s finger.

VO1 (O/P): I thought the rings were free of the yellow impurity nowadays?

VO2 (O/P): So did Jordan. But Parallax is never completely defeated. It only took one moment’s hesitation…

Panel Three.

Sinestro stands holding the ring. The severed finger is still on the table in front of him. He is in a white room, very sci fi, some kind of space station. We can’t see who he’s talking to.

VO1 (O/P): What did you do with the body?

Sinestro: Fed it to the Calvarian Cuttlefish.

VO1 (O/P): They’ll eat Green Lantern?

Sinestro: If you chop it up finely.

Panel Four.

Sinestro gets down on one knee. He’s looking up at us / at the person he’s talking to.

VO1 (O/P): So what are you planning on doing with it now?

Sinestro: I thought I might give it to you… if you’d be so kind…

Panel Five.

Finally we see who Sinestro is talking / proposing to. It’s Carol Ferris, dressed as Star Sapphire. She seems surprised… but there’s a wicked smile on her face too as Sinestro slips the ring onto her finger.

Sinestro: Carol Ferris… will you marry me?

Carol: Oh, Thaal… I thought you’d never ask.

Green Lantern - Imagination's Such An Aggravation - Maxy Barnard

The Premise: Another back-dated post of mine, because c'mon, I had to catch up one day.

Simple enough concept, Hal Jordan has no imagination. Because he is a boring fool with no personality to speak of. Nothing fancy, just a simple light-hearted joke to warm myself back up.

-------------------------------------

#.1
Hal Jordan is facing a titanic rock monster, looming over him as he stares up at it from the ground.

Hal: Okay...


#.2
Close-up on Hal as he rubs his chin, thinking intensely. A small amount of green energy is leaking out of his ring.

Hal: What can I come up with to fight a giant rock?


#.3
Hal flies up to the rock monster's face, projecting a pneumatic drill in front of him.

Hal: I know! A drill! They hit rocks!


#.4
Pneumatic Drill projection bounces off the rock monster as it continues to just stand there, unfazed.

Hal: Aw, nuts!


#.5
Hal is back to rubbing his chin, albeit curled up in a sort of foetal pose and sweating a lot.

Hal: Now what? A boxing glove? No, you can't box rocks... Water? No, I can't make that! STUPID! STUPID! ST--


#.6
The rock monster crushes Hal into the ground, killing him bloodily.

SFX: Splat.

Green Lantern - The Grip of Fear - Ben Rosenthal

DISCLAIMER: I would like to point out that I have never read a Green Lantern comic, and probably never will. My research for this article comes from CSN and Wikipeadia. However, the whole Parallax retcon did seem interesting to me - so here's a my take on it.

Hal’s caption box should have a different font to that of Parallax’s.

The following takes place just after the destruction of Coast city by Mogul. For months Hal has had a nagging voice in his head, and it has convinced him that he needs to return home. NOW!

1. Hal Jordan is flying through space, Earth visible in the distance. He is desperate to return to Earth.

HAL (Green Caption Box)

In brightest day, in blackest night,

PARALLAX (Yellow Caption Box)

Your city standing, shining bright,

2. A close up of Hal’s face. From the background we can tell he has entered Earth’s atmosphere. A tear has welled up in the corner of one of his eye’s. Hal knows that something is not right.

HAL (Green Caption Box)

No evil shall escape my sight.

PARALLAX (Yellow Caption Box)

Hurry now, get to the site.

3. A large landscaping panel showing Coast City in rubble. It is completely destroyed. We see the full body of Hal from behind, as he looks at his destroyed home.

HAL (Green Caption Box)

Let those who worship evil's might,

PARALLAX (Yellow Caption Box)

Why do you continue to fight?

4. A full body shot of Hal, floating in air. His fist is clenched, ring powering up. Hal is devastated and angry.

HAL (Green Caption Box)

Beware my power...

PARALLAX (Yellow Caption Box)

Behold my power...

5. A lose up of Hal’s face. It is clenched in rage. His eyes have a yellow tinge to them.

HAL (Yellow Caption Box, with a fading green colour to it)

Green Lantern’s...FRIGHT.

Green Lantern – The ReStart of Something New - MK Stangeland Jr.

Page 19

(5 Panels)

Panel 1: HAL JORDAN and CAROL FERRIS are sitting on top of a high plateau out in the middle of the desert in the western United States. While each has their power ring, both are dressed in civilian attire.

HAL JORDAN: So why not start right now?

Panel 2: HAL stands up and forms a car with his ring. It floats mid-air next to the plateau. It’s a convertible, a real classic model of some kind.

CAROL: Hal...

HAL: You said yourself you feel like our relationship needs a jump-start. A reboot. So why not start now?

Panel 3: HAL opens up the passenger door of the car for CAROL.

HAL: For the first time in what feels like forever, we have some genuine free time. There’s no crisis threatening to destroy reality, Earth is relatively safe, and we’re free have some time to ourselves.

Panel 4: CAROL stands up as she considers HAL’s offer.

HAL: So what do you say, Carol? Would you like to go for a drive?

Panel 5: HAL forms a pair of sunglasses which he puts on his face.

HAL: We’ve got the whole universe as our highway.

(END PAGE)

Why Green Lantern?

Besides the fact that there’s this movie coming out that happens to be called Green Lantern?

Could it be that each one is responsible for keeping watch over a vast region of the entire universe, opening up wide array of possible stories to be told amongst the backdrop of outer space itself?

Perhaps it’s that each Green Lantern is specifically chosen to join the corps, rather than getting their powers from having super-genetics or randomly being at the right scientific accident at the right time, leaving readers more free to imagine what might happen if they were possibly chosen to be part of this intergalactic police unit?

Might it be the vast array of aliens who are on the same team as the human Green Lanterns, from the tiny Bzzd, to the non-socializing Mogo, to the four-armed administrative Salaak, to the countless others from over the years?

Maybe it’s that each ring is limited only by its users willpower and imagination, allowing a wide variety of applications and creative energy constructs?

Though, perhaps this last one is part of the reason that so many of the tenured Though Balloons writers listed Green Lantern as the character they most fear having to write. Which is ironic, considering that one of the standout features of any Corps member is either the ability to be fearless or otherwise overcome great fear.

So here it is, ya poozers - a chance for you who fear having to write such a character to step up to the plate and overcome your fear. Because once you do that, any other character you might have to write should be easy. Or, if you happen to be a play-at-home writer, here’s what could be an easy opportunity for you to try to upstage the Thought Balloons regulars.

As much as I'd like to say otherwise, this week is Hal Jordan specifically, to go with the movie. It makes the task more difficult, but also means the rewards for pulling off a good script should be all that much greater.

Now lets put on those rings and write some pages!

Dashiell Bad Horse – Off the Reservation - MK Stangeland Jr.

(5 Panels)

Panel 1: Dark Panel, from the inside of the trunk of a car. Little, if anything, can be seen.

SFX: bang bang bang

RED CROW: Let me OUT!

Panel 2: A blinding light as the trunk is open, though the outline of BAD HORSE blocks out a section of the light.

RED CROW: Ah!

Panel 3: Exterior shot as BAD HORSE pulls RED CROW out of the trunk of the car. For the most part, RED CROW looks physically fine outside of what might be expected for having been stuck in a car trunk for several hours, and he’s understandably ticked off.

BAD HORSE: Out.

RED CROW: Do you have any idea what you’ve done?!

BAD HORSE: Yeah. I’ve brought you along for a little road trip far outside the safety of your normal jurisdiction.

Panel 4: RED CROW kneels on the ground as he tries to recover. He’s not doing such a good job of it at the moment, which is to be expected. BAD HORSE stands tall, allowing him to tower over RED CROW.

RED HORSE: Where…where are we?

Panel 5: Wide panel. A “Welcome to Kansas” greeting sign is in the foreground and off to the side of the panel, showing that BAD HORSE and RED CROW are just on the other side of the state boarder. The two of them can be seen in the background on the other side of the panel.

BAD HORSE: I’m sure you’ll figure it out soon enough on your own.

(END PAGE)

Dashiell Bad Horse - Family Matters - Grant McLaughlin

I will admit to having a hell of a time coming up with an appropriate script for Dashiell Bad Horse. Going through Scalped to get a better idea of who he was, I had the darndest time coming up with a worthwhile situation for Dash that Jason Aaron hadn't already examined in the course of the series. Based on the offerings from my fellow thoughtballooners, clearly they have not had the same difficulty, but I hope you'll enjoy this look into Dash's past nonetheless.

The scene takes place back in 1989, the day after Dashiell led the Red Raiders of Oglala Middle School to the state football championships, a game which Gina missed to be in Puget Sound to fight for the fishing rights of the Skokomish and Nisqually (see issue 5 for that brief mention). Dash and Gina are eating dinner.

6 panels spread evenly among 3 rows. All panels are the same size and set from the same angle.

1 – Dash and Gina sit across from each other at the dinner table. Gina looks towards her son hopefully. Dash sits with his hand supporting his head, scowling at the plate in front of him. He has been prodding the food with his fork, but the meal is untouched. There is a doorway centred in the background of the panel leading to other parts of the house. Above it, there is a clock visible. No dialogue.

2 – Same angle. Dash continues to scowl. Gina ventures some conversation.

GINA: Johnny's Mom said you played really well yesterday.

3 – Same angle. Dash's scowling continues, though he has stopped playing with his food. Gina waits, a pained look on her face, unsure if there will be a response. No dialogue.

4 – Same angle. Gina tries again, a bit less hopeful this time. Dash interrupts, slamming his fist onto the table in frustration.

GINA: I'm sorry I missed your big game, Dashiell--

DASHIELL (interrupting): That's bullshit! If you gave a damn, you woulda' been there! Instead you were off making sure a bunch of strangers could go fishing!

5 – Same angle. Dash gets up from the table and marches towards the doorway in the panel's background. Gina reaches towards him, but he already mostly out of the room.

GINA: Dashiell, that's not fair--

6 – A loud “SLAM!” emanates from Dash's room. Gina sits alone at the table, crying softly. No dialogue.

SFX: SLAM!

Dashiell Bad Horse - Dreamcatcher - Matt Duarte

Dashiell Bad Horse in “Dreamcatcher” by Matt Duarte

Panel 1

Description

A close up of a three piece glass dreamcatcher. On the top one, there's a wolf running among a group of deer. On the second one there is a hunter bringing down an eagle. On the third, there's a hut with a bonfire right in front of it.

CAPTION: I'll be the first to admit, I was never one for all the spiritual shit.

CAPTION: Keeping the bad dreams out? Yeah fucking right.

Panel 2

Description: Dash is laying down on his bed completely naked. He looks comfortable and at peace, with his eyes closed. Hanging out right above it is the same dreamcatcher, on a nail against the wall. The room looks like an absolute mess.

CAPTION: But since I hung this dreamcatcher on the wall, I've slept like a baby.

CAPTION: I can't even remember the last time I rested so peacefully.

Panel 3

Description: A flashback panel, showing Dash in his work clothes. There's a big semi truck, with it's back doors open, and lots of boxes scattered around. Dash is opening one of the boxes and looking inside.

CAPTION: Funny how people get attached to the most random objects. Finding it was pure luck.

CAPTION: Like it was calling out to me.

Panel 4

Description: Flashback panel. Dash is stepping away from the truck, carrying the dreamcatcher. In the background we can see Chief Red Crow shouting at a man (the driver of the truck).

RED CROW: Trying to smuggle stolen material and selling it in our reservation? I can not let that slide.

RED CROW: And you think we want this New Age bullshit in our tribe to begin with?

Panel 5

Description: The same driver from the previous panel, talking with an important looking man (he's the chief of another tribe). He looks displeased, while the driver looks nervous as hell.

DRIVER: Red Crow confiscated everything...

CHIEF: Does he know? Did he find it?

DRIVER: No, I don't think so, Chief.

Next: What a wonderful web we weave.

Dashiell Bad Horse – Who Cares What The Question Is? – Rol Hirst

Panel One.

FBI agent Baylis Earl Nitz sits at a bar, a cigarette in his mouth, a whiskey in his hand. The bar around him has been wrecked – broken chairs, over-turned tables, smashed glasses and bottles, blood on the floor. There’s obviously been a huge brawl here, and now almost everyone else has cleared out. In the background we can see a doorway leading through to the pool room and we can just make out that a man has been tied, spread-eagled, to the pool table though we can only make out his feet from this angle. Dashiell Bad Horse stands over this man, holding a broken pool cue – about to go to work.

Panel Two.

Close on Nitz. He takes a drink from his whiskey. His cigarette sits on the corner of an ash tray on the bar. Behind him (off-panel), the man on the pool table starts screaming.

Man (O/P): No – no, please… please… I’ll tell you anything… please…

Panel Three.

Still close on Nitz, listening. He sets the glass down on the bar. A slight smile flickers across his lips.

Man (O/P): Pleeeeaaaaaarrrghhhhhhhhhh!

Panel Four.

Same again. The cigarette is in Nitz’s mouth again. He’s rubbing his eye with a hand, looking a little bored now.

Man (O/P): No – no – no – noooaaaauuuurrrrggghh!

Panel Five.

Same again. Nitz is picking his teeth with a toothpick now. His cigarette is ground out on the bar.

Behind him, Dash Bad Horse walks back into the main bar, wiping bloody hands on his jeans.

Nitz: So?

Panel Six.

Dash doesn’t reply. Nitz turns to face him.

Nitz: Did you get the information I need?

Panel Seven.

Looking pissed off, Dash turns and walks back into the pool room.

Dash: Fuck. I knew there was something...