Panel One.
Close on Norman Osborn, looking crazy-scary as ever. He's wearing a business suit, not a Goblin outfit.
NORMAN: My name is Norman Osborn and I’m taking back my Thunderbolts.
NORMAN: In just under six minutes, I’ve already dealt with anyone who might have stood in my way.
Panel Two.
Luke Cage is shackled in the most extravagant, high tech fashion imaginable. He’s bound hand and foot, and every part of his body is restrained. He can’t even move his head. This elaborate shackling device is set inside an adamantium cage with a sign on the front that reads ‘DANGER - 10,000 gigavolts’.
CAP (Norman): Luke Cage – caged.
Panel Three.
Close on Songbird’s head and shoulders. Her head is tied back and her throat exposed. A clear plastic tube has been inserted into her throat, like a large size tracheotomy device – only far more fiendish and diabolical looking. There's a hideous alien tequila worm crawling along the tube and into her throat.
CAP (Norman): Songbird – silenced.
Panel Four.
The Fixer sits in an oversized child’s playpen, wearing an adult nappy. He’s playing with large plastic building blocks, trying to spell out the words ‘Help Me’ but all he can manage is ‘Hepl e’ – he’s holding the M block, trying to work out where he goes. He’s been non-surgically lobotomised and though he can’t even spell out his cry for help, he’s desperately aware that something is wrong.
CAP (Norman): The Fixer – fixed.
Panel Five.
Norman stands in a meeting room at Thunderbolts HQ / The Raft. He’s talking to a gathering of Thunderbolts who’ve decided to stick with him. Ghost, Moonstone, Juggernaut, Shocker, Boomerang. They’re listening to Norman spout.
A dark shadow falls over Norman as he addresses his new allies.
Norman’s head turns slightly as though he’s noticed the shadow approaching.
NORMAN: The rest of you – well, you’re smart enough to know where your future lies—
NORMAN: What’s this now?
Panel Six.
Norman turns to face Man-Thing who is reaching out a muck-encrusted hand to grab Norman’s head. Moonstone steps forward to warn Osborn of the creature’s attack, but Norman (who is facing the monster now) just grins and waits.
NORMAN: Oh, yes, the muck monster. I was waiting for you…
MOONSTONE: Careful boss – whoever knows fear, burns at the--
Panel Seven.
The others watch as Man-Thing’s hand swallows Norman’s head whole. Norman doesn’t try to resist, he just stands there laughing. The Man-Thing looks puzzled: Norman isn’t burning.
NORMAN: Yes, yes, Karla – don’t fret about that. I certainly won't.
NORMAN: Hahahahahahahahaha!
SHOCKER (to Boomerang): Man – that’s gonna seriously mess up his ‘do!
Despite not burning him, I'm pretty sure Man-Thing could just rip his head off. Is that the next page? :)
ReplyDeleteCould be...
ReplyDeleteI agree, Man-Thing would hopefully crush Norman's head. But then it turns out to be a Os-Bot (aren't they always).
ReplyDeleteI like this page, the ways of taking care of those T-Bolts was good.
I also really dig that last line. Funny as hell but doens't ruin the page. Nice.
NORMAN!
ReplyDeleteOk, I've calmed down. I like the premise, but Norman reads a bit too much like a Saturday morning cartoon villan. He wouldn't be explaining to the rest of the T-Bolts how he took down the others - he would simply say that they have been taken care of. They are beneath him and therefore not worthy of one fo his thoughts.
I did like the standing up to Man-Thing though, but not the Goblin laugh at the end. He usually laughs like the Goblin when he is losing control - when he is about to lash out or has done something horrific in which he wishes to gloat.
Yeah, I like Norman.
I have to say, I never liked Osborn until I started reading Ellis' Thunderbolts onwards.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read much with Norman in it, so I can't speak as to whether or not this would stay true to the character, but I quite enjoyed it nonetheless. I thought the manner in which he defeated individual members of the Thunderbolts was clever and just over-the-top enough. Conversely, I felt that Shocker's line was just a little too much; I think the page would be more effective ending without it, but that's just me.
ReplyDeleteI like the visuals on this page and the ways in which the various Thunderbolts have been taken down.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if Osborn's persona rings true on the page and I'd probably cut Shocker's last line.
Good page though with a nice visual continuity/theme running through it.