Standard 3x3 nine-panel grid. Panels should look like television screens. Page/panel borders should be black. Lettering color indicates who is talking: Blue = announcer, Red = Plutonian.
Panel 1 - Red lettering over a picture of the globe: "PLEASE STAND BY"
CAPTION 1: We interrupt our regular scheduled broadcast for a special address to the people of the world, from the Plutonian.
Panel 2 to 9 - Head and shoulders shot of the PLUTONIAN. The backdrop from the Larry King show is behind him. Captions and facial/emotional cues are as follows:
CAPTION 2: (smiling sarcastically good-naturedly) Good evening. As you are already aware, I began this week with the televised, graphic decapitation of the heads of state from every nation.
CAPTION 3: (as if recalling a fond memory) As your elected officials attempted to fill these top positions with replacements, I murdered them for your viewing pleasure as well.
CAPTION 4: (smugly satisfied) By Wednesday, no one seemed so eager to take their place. By Friday, I was barely offered the opportunity to kill just one, thus I started on your spiritual leaders.
CAPTION 5: (sarcastically apologetic) So here I am interrupting your Sunday dinner once more, or weekend rioting, or whatever self-abuse you are doing to each other.
CAPTION 6: (anger beginning to boil) I realized that the dysfunctional dependency you burdened me with was just a symptom of a worse cancer. The truth is, your sickness runs deeper.
CAPTION 7: (anger becoming rage) Your dependency on others has made it so that you refuse to take any responsibility for your own stupidity or impulsiveness. Not even for your leaders and representatives, who you so richly deserve.
CAPTION 8: (just the face, teeth gritting) Therefore, I hereby announce that I will kill anyone who assumes that they have the ability or right, God-given or otherwise, to decide anything for anyone other than themselves.
CAPTION 9: (leaning back, smug and disgusted) The rest of you, do as thou wilt. You are now free to assist each other's suicides with my blessing.
I couldn't give less of a damn.
A very dark tone and theme over all. I love the caption colouring, it make me think of tv subtitles, which in turn make me think of a deaf person learning of the Plutonians evil turn through text alone. Very fitting for a comic book.
ReplyDeleteVery powerful for a "talky" page. And the idea of the Plutonian taking an interest in our affairs (in his own twisted way) is an intriguing idea. Forcing us to be better. They never really leaned on the "rule the world" angle too heavily in Irredeemable.
ReplyDeleteDamn, that final panel. The page was a bit wordy for my tastes, but still.
ReplyDeleteI like the page, but it doesn't quite jive with my reading of the Plutonian. I honestly don't feel like he ever got past his dependency on receiving the approbations of others (however twisted his interpretation of that was), which makes this seem a little off in my eyes. But maybe it's just me.
ReplyDeleteHowever, for another character, this would be a pretty wicked page (in both sense of the word).
I like the construction and tone you're going for here, but like Grant I can't see this as the Plutonian.
ReplyDeleteAt the very core of his character, his hatred of the human race is fuelled by a desperate need to be liked/loved. This seems more like out and out disdain.
I just reread some of Irredeemable, and I have to agree with you guys - I completely missed that emotional neediness aspect...
ReplyDeleteI wonder if this wouldn't be more for a Baron Mordo kind of villain...
Thanks for the catch! I appreciate it, guys!