PANEL ONE
A twelve-year-old Simon is
standing awkwardly in front of his class, blushing slightly, posed awkwardly.
He doesn’t like the attention. Doesn’t like being in the limelight. It shows. Gawkiness
radiates off him. He’s clasping a wiro-bound 100-plus paged booklet in his
hands. We can just about read the text on its title page: DSA. The students
watching Simon are sitting cross-legged. Some are attentive; most are busying
themselves with more important matters; like staring at their fingers, or the
carpet. The students of the crowd are unimpressed. The teacher is smiling patronisingly;
he’s thinking Sure, Kid. Of course you
are.
CAPTION: When
Simon was twelve years old, he made an announcement to the world:
SIMON: I wanna be a writer.
CAPTION : It
was not met with rapturous applause.
PANEL TWO
Impossibly, Simon is blushing
even more. His grasp has tightened
around his ‘novel.’ He’s trying – and failing miserably – to salvage his
presentation.
SIMON: I,
uh, wrote this. Um … the Dependable Spy Agency.
SIMON: The
DSA!
SIMON: Uh.
PANEL THREE
Similar panel to above,
angled to view an older Simon, now a teenager, standing in front of his
parents, another stapled document in his hands. Again, we can just about read
the name of the novel: ‘Prey.’ Simon’s more confident now, compared to his
younger self. His parents are smiling, warmly, but there is uncertainty in
their eyes. They love Simon’s passion, but believe it should possibly be
redirected into something else; something more tangible.
SIMON: - -
not actually a monster, but something
that escaped from captivity - -
SIMON: A
lion!
CAPTION:
He got used to it, over time.
CAPTION: The
contemptuous smiles on the people he told.
CAPTION: The
well-wishes from those who in actuality had no faith.
PANEL FOUR
Simon, older again, is
sitting with RKL in a pub-setting. There are two pints on the table in front of
them. There is no disdain on Ryan’s
face. He’s genuinely interested.
CAPTION: They say writing can be an isolating pastime and profession.
SIMON: - -
about a House at the end of time.
SIMON: The House of Endtimes!
CAPTION: Simon
didn’t know it could be different.
PANEL FIVE
On RKL, smiling amiably.
RKL: Cool.
CAPTION: But
now that he knows it can be?
PANEL SIX
Simon, in the present day,
sitting at his desk, clacking on his keyboard. The image of the original
Thought-Balloons crew Danial illustrated years ago is prominent, stuck to the
wall beside Simon so too an image of the ACT COMICS MEET ‘BEGINNINGS’ anthology
cover. His face is contorted in concentration. He’s in the zone. This is bliss.
CAPTION: The writing's gotten easier.
CAPTION: And better.
I love the sentiment behind this one. WE ALL know this script. I also love the pub scene because that was one hell of a pint, I should know, I nursed it all night.
ReplyDeleteFantastic, personal piece Sime. One of my favs of the week. Well done man. You've got the talent, and I cannot wait until I purchase one of our novels.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone here has a story similar to this involving Mr Lindsay - certainly says a lot about the man.