Panel One.
An underground resistance bar in Nazi-occupied France. Exterior shot. From the outside it’s little more than a shack, deep in the forests of Rethondes. There’s snow on the ground and the windows are boarded up to prevent light getting out – though enough illumination peeps through the boards to prepare us for the party inside.
BUCKY (from inside): And then – pow! Right on the jaw!
Panel Two.
Inside the bar, Bucky is regaling a group of inebriated GIs with the story of how Cap punched out Hitler. (See the cover of Captain America #1, etc.) The GIs are cheering, raising their glasses, toasting Captain America… who sits to one side of the group, looking uncomfortable. Across the bar, James Montgomery Falsworth, the original Union Jack, sits quietly watching Cap.
BUCKY: Take that, Adolph!
GIs: Hooray! Weeeooow! Right on the jaw! Sock it to him!
Panel Three.
The celebration continues and hardly anyone notices Cap leave the bar. Union Jack is still watching.
Panel Four.
Cap stands out on the porch of the shack, looking out into the dark woods, thinking. Union Jack has followed him, though he’s still off-panel here.
UNION JACK (O/P): You should have killed him while you had the chance.
Panel Five.
Cap turns to look at Falsworth, looking stern, ready for an argument.
CAP: You weren’t there, James… the opportunity wasn’t… we’re supposed to be…
UNION JACK: They hit London again last night. Six hundred people dead. Two of my uncles included.
Panel Six.
Union Jack walks away from Cap, out into the snowy forest. He doesn’t look back. Cap watches him go. He tries to argue, but he realises this isn’t the time.
CAP: James…!
UNION JACK: Still, next time, maybe when the Luftwaffe are flying over Washington...
I should point out that, despite being a Brit myself, I don't have any kind of axe to grind over America's "late arrival to the party". The opinion expressed by Union Jack here was a common one at the time though, and it seemed better to put the question "Why didn't you just kill him?" in UJ's mouth rather than, as I'd initially written, Bucky's. Of course, there are many potential answers to that question, and this isn't a criticism of the character of Captain America either... in the heat of battle (and even afterwards) it's not always easy to know what is the right action to take, and Steve has traditionally been shown as a man who isn't beyond self-doubt after the fact.
ReplyDeleteAnd following Ryan's excellent referral to the Strange Weapons website, it would be remiss not to forward you to my own discovery...
http://hitlergettingpunched.blogspot.com/
Damn, that's a cold script. The air in it feels cold, the characters (at least Cap and UJ) are not smiling. That's some awesome tone.
ReplyDeleteI really like this script, Rol, you've won me over. The last line is especially haunting.
Yeah, great page Rol. I wanted to do something with that infamous punch, but by not showing it you have accomplished something more - made it a legendary moment.
ReplyDeleteThis page flows so well. Bucky's short intro and Cap's reaction tell you everything you need to know about what that moment means to them. Bucky sees that punch as proof that the Allies, through their plucky resourcefulness, are going to come out on top. Cap isn't quite sure what he thinks, but he doesn't feel good about it.
ReplyDeleteJack's criticism is both spot and and totally unfair. This page works in every sense. Well done.
I really liked this page. Politics and history aside it adds some real grey to what's normally a black and white conflict.
ReplyDeleteNice use of the characters in Cap's supporting cast too.
Wow, this is a really good script. Well done, Rol.
ReplyDelete