Wrestlemania - Is He Strong? Listen, Bud, He's Got Radioactive Blood - Niel Jacoby

Panel 1: Peter is walking around backstage in costume, while a flatscreen on the wall shows the action outside.

TV: WELCOME TO THE WRESTLEMANIA 29 PRE-SHOW, EXCLUSIVELY ON YOUTUBE AND WWE.COM. I'M MICHAEL COLE, AND TO MY LEFT IS THE LEGEND, JERRY "THE KING" LAWLER, AS WELL AS OUR SPECIAL GUEST, THE DAILY BUGLE'S OWN JOHN JONAH JAMESON. HOW YOU DOING, JOHN?

TV: PLEASE, CALL ME MR. JAMESON, JONAH IF YOU MUST. WELL, I'M SIMPLY AS EXCITED AS CAN BE. I'VE GOT THE BUGLE'S STAR PHOTOGRAPHER, PETER PARKER, ON THE SIDELINES SNAPPING PICTURES FOR TOMMOROW'S FRONT PAGE, AND I'M HERE CALLING THE ACTION ON THIS TREMENDOUS NIGHT.

Off-Panel(from behind Spider-Man): HEY, ARACHNAMAN! YOU'RE UP!

Panel 2: Spidey is startled and nervous, having turned to face the production assistant who called out to him in the previous panel.

Peter: WHAT?

PA: LIKE I SAID, YOU'RE UP. YOU'RE THE FIRST MAN IN THE BATTLE ROYAL FOR THE PRE-SHOW! THE PYRO'S GOING ALREADY, SO GET YOUR ASS IN GEAR!

Panel 3: As Peter walks towards the entrance, he turns to look at an Arachnaman poster on the wall. Arachnaman is a dead-on recreation of Spider-Man. Peter is nervous.


Thoughtballoon(Peter): WELL, I GUESS I'VE GOT TIME, AND IF I'M LUCKY, PUNISHER'S GOTTEN THE SAME TREATMENT.

(link)

NOTE TO SELF: LOOK INTO COPYRIGHTING THE COSTUME, OR AT LEAST THE SPIDER EMBLEM.

Panel 4: Peter walks out onto the stage.

ANNOUNCER(OP): NOW MAKING HIS WAY TO THE RING, HAILING FROM FOREST HILLS, QUEENS, AT 202 POUNDS,  THE AMAZING ARACHNAMAN!

Thoughtballoon(Peter): JEEZ, THEY'RE EVEN SWIPING MY ADJECTIVES!

Panel 5: close on peter, as the crowd hurls trash at him.

Crowd noise(scattered in background): OH, BOO! HISS! GO BACK TO NEW YORK! YANKEES SUCK! YANKEES SUCK! JER-SEY! JER-SEY!

Thoughtballoon(Peter):TYPICAL JERSEY.

Panel 6: Cole, Lawler, and Jameson are at commentary. Jameson is fuming.

Jameson: THIS MENACE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN A WRESTLING RING! I DEMAND THIS MATCH BE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND THE PROPER AUTHORITIES BE CALLED!

Lawler: THE MATCH HASN'T EVEN STARTED YET, YOU OLD HOTHEAD!

Why Wrestlemania?

Because it's Wrestlemania.

Since March 31, 1985, it's been the showcase of the immortals, where champions become legends, underdogs beat the odds to reach the heights of victory, and the Deadman rises to challenge the living once more. It's the show of shows, the most extravagant night of them all. And it's a week from today. It's bombast and grandeur and hype and spectacle on an epic scale. So lace up your boots and start up the music, it's Wrestlemania week, and if you're interested in joining in, we welcome your submissions in the comment section below.

 

Kingpin - The Warning - R.A. Wonsowski

Panel 1 - Foreground:  WILSON FISK in a booth at Sardi's.  He is eating a medium rare steak and a baked potato, and has a glass of red wine in front of him.  The other restaurant tables in view are empty.  Background, a SKINNY UZBEKHI mob boss and his blonde girlfriend, who looks like a RUSSIAN JAYNE MANSFIELD, flanked by two of FISK's hirsute enforcers, approach the table.  The SKINNY UZBEKH is dressed in a white suit, with an orange silk shirt open to the navel, and gold chains.  His arms are open in greeting, and he is smiling from ear to ear.  His long hair is greased back.  The blonde is wearing a white mini-dress that barely covers anything that would need censoring, also smiling.  The enforcers are not.

SKINNY UZBEKH:  What I tell you, Svetlana?  Wilson Fisk himSELF ask to see me.

Panel 2 - Same as Panel 1, except the SKINNY UZBEKH has a shocked look on his face, and his girlfriend looks confused.  FISK cuts his steak, not looking at his guests.

FISK:  Because I am tired, Oleg.

FISK:  Tired of you using my product, my drugs and my whores, to make deals with police officers and reporters.


Panel 3 - The enforcers grab the UZBEKH and the girlfriend, clamping their hands over their mouths, holding their hands behind them.  FISK is still eating, still looking at his plate.

FISK:  Take them to New Jersey.  Give them both injections of ketamine upon their arrival.  I want them paralyzed, yet aware.

FISK:  In regards to the girl, tell the boys in Newark:  brutally and repeatedly.


Panel 4 - Same as Panel 3, but FISK is pointing at the UZBEKH with his fork.  He still has not looked up from his plate.  The UZBEKH and his girl are terrified.

FISK:  Make him watch.


Panel 5 - Same as Panel 3, except the UZBEKH and his girl are crying.

FISK:  When they finish with her, force feed her methamphetamine.  The uncut.  She will service our Teamster clientele at the ports to work off her boyfriend's debt and to feed her new meth habit.

FISK:  Then take him to the Village.  He gets the same hospitality as the girl.


Panel 6 - Close-up, a bloody piece of meat speared on the fork entering FISK's grinning maw.

FISK:  Email the video to his father, quote:

FISK:  "The next time, I get nasty."




...and on that note, HAPPY EASTER, EVERYBODY!

Kingpin - Old Man Murdock - J.D. Coughlan

SET-UP: Set in the future, à la Old Man Logan, where Matt Murdock has retired as Daredevil due to the fact that his super-senses are fading and he's becoming an ordinary old blind man. One day he receives a message from Kingpin asking for help.

Panel 1: Close on Wilson Fisk. Only his head and shoulders should be visible here, but he is not as large as he once was, albeit still stocky. His face is lined with age, but still dignified. He sits in a wheelchair. Behind him, silhouetted in the doorway, is Matt.

FISK: Is that you, Matt? I knew you'd come.

Panel 2: On Matt, making his way into the room. He is dressed in casual clothes and dark glasses, and also carries a white cane. He has grey hair now and, like Fisk, a lined face which is currently serious.

MATT: What do you want, Wilson? We haven't spoken in years; not since that "truce."

Panel 3: Fisk has turned to face Matt.

FISK: I hear you're losing your powers.

MATT: Get to the point. We're not getting any younger.

Panel 4: Close on Fisk again, very grim, looking up at Matt.

FISK: Do you know what happens to men like me when we get old?

FISK: People start to lose the fear and respect they had for you... They see the man underneath the myth...

Panel 5: Close on Matt. He tries to remain stoic, but clearly Fisk's words hit home with him too.

FISK (O.P.): They start to wonder how to get rid of him, how to replace him.

FISK (O.P.): Old enemies come out of the shadows, and old allies turn into new enemies.

Panel 6: Close on Fisk. He gives a small, sad grin.

FISK: You see, I'm losing my powers too, Matt.

END OF PAGE

Kingpin – All Business- Shaun Richens.

Note this is a MAX book idea so expect some strong language.

PAGE ONE – 4 PANELS.

1. INT Large modern conference room. A long wooden table runs the length of the room. Gruff, mean looking men line the seats up and down the table. They are all wearing designer, tailored suits. These men are the bosses and leaders of New York’s biggest crime gangs and families.

The New York skyline can be seen through the large windows that the run around the walls of the room.

MOB BOSS: So Fisk, get to the point. What the fuck are we all going here? Other than sitting around with our thumbs up our asses?

2. Close on WILSON FISK the KINGPIN. He is looking towards us, a slight grin on his face.

We can see the long table and the impatient gang bosses behind him.

KINGPIN: I told you all I had a plan to finally remove Daredevil from our business model.

3. Pull in closer on Kingpin.

KINGPIN: I lied.

4. The Kingpin has turned around slamming his fists onto the table.

KINGPIN: This is a hostile takeover.

The Kingpin – Lord of the Rings (Pt. I) – MK Stangeland Jr.

(9 Panels)

Panel 1: Nighttime in New York City, where WILSON FISK, the KINGPIN, sits in a dimly lit office (done so for ambiance). He looks relaxed as he sits at his desk and smokes a rather large cigar.

HAMMERHEAD is standing on the other side of the desk.

HAMMERHEAD: And with the acquisition of the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation, your empire de facto controls every Professional Wrestling organization in the country.

HAMMERHEAD (2): With the exception of one.

Panel 2: KINGPIN looks particularly displeased. HAMMERHEAD doesn’t seem to understand why KINGPIN is upset, if he even recognizes that his boss is upset.

KINGPIN: Can you explain this discrepancy?

HAMMERHEAD: It’s a relatively obscure league known as Square Circle Wrestling. Not nearly as large a following as the WWE or Chikara. It didn’t seem worth the value it would take to obtain it.

Panel 3: KINGPIN stands from his chair. The action should carry a great deal of weight in spite of the simplicity of it.

KINGPIN: Hammerhead, was I misunderstood?

HAMMERHEAD: Sir?

Panel 4: KINGPIN leans forwards a little so that he is using his hands to support his upper body weight on the desk. His cigar is out of his mouth and being held between two fingers on one hand.

KINGPIN: When I said I wanted you to conduct an operation where my various businesses gained control of every pro-wrestling organization in the country, was I not clear about the part where I wanted to control every pro-wrestling organization?

HAMMERHEAD: Uh…no, sir.

Panel 5: Glare of KINGPIN’s face. Close up.

KINGPIN: Then why the discrepancy with this “Square Circle Wrestling”?

Panel 6: Beat Panel. HAMMERHEAD looks at KINGPIN.

Panel 7: HAMMERHEAD points to the door behind him with both hands.

HAMMERHEAD: I’ll go get right on that.

Panel 8: KINGPIN sits back in his chair as HAMMERHEAD rushes out the door.

Panel 9: KINGPIN puts the cigar back in his mouth.

KINGPIN: Idiot.

(To be continued…)

Kingpin -A Fleeting Moment- Dan Hill

PAGE TWENTY TWO

Panel 1

Tight shot on KINGPIN as he looks out of a window that runs floor to ceiling. It’s night outside, the lights of New York City blinking back at Fisk’s grim face. He’s wearing his usual white coat and purple trouser combo, but he’s older and wearier with lines around his eyes.

CAPTION(KINGPIN):            Did you really expect to play this game forever, Wilson?

Panel 2

From Kingpin’s POV looking out at the city. It’s like a beautiful toy city laid out before us, lights blinking back, traffic, pedestrians-- the ‘City That Never Sleeps’ playset.

CAPTION(KINGPIN):            Look at what you amassed, what you control.

Panel 3

Back on KINGPIN. He smiles to himself.

CAPTION(KINGPIN):            You are legend.

Panel 4

Wide panel. We pull out to show that KINGPIN is all alone in a magnificent looking penthouse. He stands with his back to us surveying the city through floor to ceiling glass that runs down the entirety of one side of the penthouse.

The rest of the room is all stark, cold minimalism. There’s a desk and chair in here but that’s about it. They look classic and beautiful. There’s no-one here. No lackeys, no henchmen, no super assassins. Just Fisk.

CAPTION(KINGPIN):            You will be remembered.  

Panel 5

Back to a tight shot on KINGPIN. He looks down at the floor. Something is working behind those eyes-- fear, doubt, maybe even regret.

Panel 6

Fixed panel. The moment is gone. He looks back up, surveying his domain once more.

Panel 7

Inset panel on the left of Panel 8. A close up of KINGPIn as he grabs his infamous CANE from its resting place against the glass beside him.

CAPTION(KINGPIN):            It’s time.

Panel 8

Wide. Extreme close up on the bottom half of KINGPIN’s face, a wide, shark-like smile spread breaking out.

CAPTION(KINGPIN):            I wonder which one of them it will be.

Kingpin - The Games We Play - Grant McLaughlin

1 - Kingpin stands behind his desk.  Before him stand Dr. Doom, the Red Skull, Magneto, and Loki.

KINGPIN: I'm glad that you could all be here today.

2 - Kingpin leans forward with both hands on his desk to emphasize his point.

KINGPIN: No matter the field of play, we've all attempted to out-think, out-plan, and out-strategize the other, vying for that top spot.

3 - Shot of the four villains.  They look eager and ready.

KINGPIN (off-panel): And while our ongoing competition has been a pleasant distraction, I think we can all agree that it is finally time to put an end to these games.

4 - Kingpin looks out his window (and towards the reader) onto the New York skyline.  Behind him, the assembled villains eye each other suspiciously.

KINGPIN (1): Today we will determine once and for all who is the greatest amongst ourselves.

KINGPIN (2): Shall we?

5 - The five villains sit around a table, a Settlers of Catan board set up.  Kingpin jealously guards his cards from the others.  Loki is building his extra pieces into a little fort on the table.  Dr. Doom looks at the board with a strategic eye.  The Red Skull considers Magneto's offer.  Magneto looks to the others to see if they are interested.

MAGNETO: Anyone want to trade sheep for wood?

Kingpin - Redundancy - Ben Rosenthal

1.  This panel takes up the length of the page.  Wilson Fisk’s heavy desk sits in the middle of the page, with the Kingpin sitting behind it.  On the other side of the desk stands one of The Kingpin’s guards.  Further back are two other guards.  The guard standing in front of the two is looking nervous.  He is facing Kingpin after failing in one of his tasks.

KINGPIN

After I have finished this sentence you will pull out your gun and fire it at me.

2.  A close up of the guard.  He is scared but accepting of what is to come.

KINGPIN (off panel)

Do not hesitate or refuse or your family will suffer.  Do you understand?

GUARD

Yes sir.

3.  A close up of Kingpin.

KINGPIN

Good.  Continue.

4.  The wide panel shown from the side again.  The guard is firing as Fisk stands, flipping the desk up.

5.  A close up of the guard as the desk rills on top of him.

6.  Hands are around the guards head, twisting it so his neck breaks.

SFX: SNAP

7.  Fisk is standing above the dead guard.  The two guards by his side.

KINGPIN

Call the police.

The Kingpin - It's Good To Be The King - Niel Jacoby

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Panel one: A gaunt, skittish drug dealer makes a deal on a Hell's Kitchen street corner.

Caption(Kingpin):
AT THE BASE OF ANY FEUDAL SOCIETY IS THE PEASANTRY. THE PEOPLE WHO TEND THE LAND, FEED THE CATTLE, AND STEP IN THE DUNG.

Caption(Kingpin):A STEP ABOVE THEM ARE VASSALS, WHO OWN POCKETS OF LAND, AND BY EXTENSION, THE PEASANTS WHO WORK THAT LAND.


Panel two: an exterior shot of the Blue Magic Laundromat, the actual laundry room of which is empty.

Caption(Kingpin):  ABOVE THEM ARE THE NOBILITY, YOUR DUKES, EARLS, AND SUCH. THEY OWN LARGER POCKETS OF LAND, BUT THEY'RE STILL JUST POCKETS.

Inset panel: In the back room of the aforementioned laundomat, a well-dressed man with a hefty sidearm doles out packages of white powder to a group of assembled dealers, one of which is the dealer from panel one.

Panel 3: A burly man slowly twists a knife into a wound in the left arm of an unnamed dealer.

Burly man: NEXT TIME YOU'LL HAVE THE MONEY, OR I WORK ON THE ARM YOU DO USE.

Caption(Kingpin): IN BETWEEN THOSE LEVELS ARE KNIGHTS, WHO KEEP THE PEASANTS AND NOBLES IN LINE AND KEEP THE SYSTEM GOING.

Panel 4: Kingpin luxuriating at his desk in a resplendent maroon leather wingback chair, wearing his shining white suit and purple turtleneck. We can see a trembling executive in a cheap off-black suit in front of his desk, in a noticably lower chair.

Caption(Kingpin): AT THE TOP IS THE KING, THE EMPEROR, THE PHARAOH. THE MAN WITH THE ULTIMATE POWER OVER LIFE AND DEATH AS IT APPLIES TO THE EARTHLY REALM.

Caption(Kingpin): MEL BROOKS WAS RIGHT: IT'S GOOD TO BE THE KING.

Why Kingpin?

Because knowledge is power. And money is power. And power is power. Wilson Fisk, created by John Romita Sr. and Stan Lee, has a gilded empire, a network of informants from Toronto to Tijuana, and is built like a brick fortress. He's everything a supervillain could aspire to be. He is the ultimate hustler, a criminal mastermind staying high enough above the puppets to cut the strings and run when the heat's around the corner.

So dust off your purple turtleneck, it's Kingpin week. And if you want to get in on the fun, we welcome your scripts in the comment section below.

It Was A Dark And Stormy Night - by Snoopy and R.A. Wonsowski

Panel 1 - SNOOPY sitting on his dog house at his typewriter.

CAPTION:  It was a dark and stormy night. 

Panel 2 - Crime Alley.  THOMAS WAYNE steps in front of his wife MARTHA and young son BRUCE, as JOE CHILL shoots him in the stomach.

CAPTION:  Suddenly, a shot rang out! 

Panel 3 - GREEN ARROW kicks open a door, arrow nocked in his bow, as BLACK CANARY lets loose a sonic scream, blowing everything back.

CAPTION - A door slammed. The maid screamed. 

Panel 4 - PSYCHO-PIRATE on a Carnival cruise ship, laughing as everyone panics.  WONDER WOMAN swings in from behind from her golden lasso.  

CAPTION:  Suddenly, a pirate ship appeared on the horizon! 

Panel 5 - On Apokolips, hundreds of HUNGER DOGS worship a giant statue of DARKSEID.

CAPTION:  While millions of people were starving, the king lived in luxury. 

Panel 6 - Looking up, high above the roof of a barn and silo, a young CLARK KENT launches into a clear blue sky like a streak.

CAPTION:  Meanwhile, on a small farm in Kansas, a boy was growing up.

Panel 7 - Back to SNOOPY on his dog house at his typewriter, still typing away.

SNOOPY (thought balloon):  Still classic, but next time, I'm working with Stan Lee...

You Aren't Fooling Anybody, Charlie Brown - Niel Jacoby

Panel 1: Charlie Brown stands in front of a mirror, perplexed, holding a comb.
Panel 2: Charlie Brown has combed his few hairs into a sort of mohawk thing.
Panel 3: The hair bounces back into the old configuration.
SFX:SPROIOIOING!
Panel 4: Charlie Brown walks away, dejected.

Peanuts - So It Begins... - J.D. Coughlan

Panel 1: Mid-shot of Lucy, kneeling and holding the football, waiting for Charlie (off-panel) to kick it. A little angel of herself is on her right shoulder. Lucy is smiling.

ANGEL: What a great idea! A friendly little game of football. I bet Charlie kicks it so far; that'd be super!

Panel 2: Closer on Lucy, just her head and shoulders. A tiny devil version of her has appeared on her left shoulder in a puff of smoke. Lucy looks at the devil, blank-faced.

DEVIL: Of course, it would be a shame if someone... spoiled that for him. Maybe by moving the football at the last second?

SFX: poof

Panel 3: The angel waves her arms in panic. Lucy looks at the angel now, unsure.

ANGEL: No! That would be terrible! Charlie would slip and fall!

Panel 4: The devil shrugs, Lucy looking at her.

DEVIL: Exactly. Hilarious.

Panel 5: Lucy and the devil look back to the angel, who is deep in thought.

NO TEXT

Panel 6: The angel shrugs. Lucy and the devil have wicked expressions.

ANGEL: I got nothing. Go for it.

END OF PAGE

Peanuts – Contacts - Shaun Richens.

1. Peppermint Patty sits at her school desk. She is turned facing the desk behind her. A perplexed look on her face, she strokes her chin as if trying to solve a complex riddle.

         PEPPERMINT PATTY: What’s different here?

2. We pull back to see MARCIE sat behind Patty who still looks puzzled. Marcie is not wearing her glasses but does have a lovely smile on her face.

         NO COPY.

3. Close up on Marcie.

         MARCIE: I got contacts Sir.

4. Repeat of panel 2. However now Peppermint Patty has turned to face away from Marcie.

Peppermint Patty has raised her hand.

        

         PEPPERMINT PATTY: Ma’am, Marcie is acting weird. 

Peanuts- We Meet At Last -Dan Hill

Panel 1
SNOOPY in full ‘Flying Ace’ get up sits atop his kennel. Bullet holes riddle the side of the kennel with black smoke pouring from each one.

Snoopy turns towards someone approaching from off panel, their shadow falling across the kennel slightly.

Panel 2
Manfred Von Richtofen (aka THE RED BARON) has entered right from off panel. He shakes the paw/hand of SNOOPY.

RED BARON: Well played, Sir.

Panel 3
RED BARON exits the panel stage left. SNOOPY turns towards us.

Panel 4
Snoopy, now alone, stands on top of his kennel, arms flung wide open.

SNOOPY (thought balloon) See!

Peanuts - Wherefore and Why - Grant McLaughlin

1 - Charlie Brown and Linus are standing behind that brick wall (you know the one), talking.

CHARLIE BROWN: Every year you go to that pumpkin patch to wait for the Great Pumpkin, and every year you end up spending the night out in the cold for nothing.

2 - Still behind the wall, close-up of Charlie Brown.

CHARLIE BROWN: Why do you bother when you know that nothing is going to come of it?

3 - Pull back out, Linus and Charlie Brown look at each other.

LINUS: You never know, Charlie Brown.

4 - Switch scene.  We're now in the pumpkin patch.  Linus sits alone among the pumpkins.  Waiting.

LINUS: You never know.

Peanuts - At What Price? - Ben Rosenthal

1.  Charlie Brown is actually kicking the football as Violet looks shocked.

2.  Charlie Brown is celebrating, jumping up and down as he has finally kicked Violet’s ball.

CHARLIE BROWN

I DID IT! All of my training paid off and I DID IT!

3.  Charlie Brown is sitting in a room full of people dressed in suits.  It is an inquiry.  They are questioning Charlie Brown.  There are TV crews everywhere.

LAWYER

And can you tell the Inquiry where you got these ‘supplements’ from Mr Brown?

Those of you outside of Australia may not necessarily get where I am going with this - our national sporting games of AFL and Rugby have come under fire as of late with a big media blow up about drugs in player's supplements.  

Peanuts – 3/17/2013 – MK Stangeland Jr.

(9 Panels)

Panel 1: Opening Title Block. Snoopy is writing while on top of his dog house – but instead of typing on his typewriter, is instead trying to type on tablet computer.

MAIN TITLE: Peanuts

SUB-TITLE (1): Featuring Good Ol’ Charlie Brown

SUB-TITLE (2): Created by Charles M. “Sparky” Schulz

SUB-TITLE (3): Written By MK Stangeland Jr.

Panel 2: LUCY is walking in front of CHARLIE BROWN. She is carrying a football.

LUCY: So I’ll hold the football, and then you try to kick it.

Panel 3: LUCY has turned to face CHARLIE BROWN. CHARLIE BROWN looks defiant.

CHARLIE BROWN: Oh, no. I’m not falling for that again. I know how this works!

Panel 4: LUCY holds up a generic smartphone and shows it to CHARLIE BROWN. CHARLIE BROWN looks contemplative about what LUCY is saying.

LUCY: Nonsense, Charlie Brown. I’m planning to record it and put it online. You don’t think I’d save the moment if it meant there was video evidence of me pulling the football away, do you?

Panel 5: CHARLIE BROWN is thinking to himself as he walks away from LUCY.

CHARLIE BROWN: She’s right. She wouldn’t embarrass herself that way if millions could watch it later.

Panel 6: CHARLIE BROWN charges in LUCY’s direction.

CHARLIE BROWN: This time I’m sure to kick that football! 

Panel 7: You know the drill – as CHARLIE BROWN reaches the football, LUCY pulls it away, sending CHARLIE BROWN up into the air.

CHARLIE BROWN: AAAHHH!

Panel 8: CHARLIE BROWN comes crashing to the ground on his back.

SFX: CRASH!

Panel 9: CHARLIE BROWN lies on the ground, his face has a ‘I can’t stand it’ look. LUCY stands over him, holding the smartphone up for CHARLIE BROWN to see.

LUCY: Sorry Charlie Brown, but videos of people failing at everyday activities are more interesting than people succeeding at everyday activities.

(END)

Why Peanuts?

When considering the topic of the greatest comic ever written - provided that you're not simply talking about comic books and are referring to comics as a medium - the late great Charles M. Schulz's classic title is inevitably among the contenders.

And not for no good reason. For nearly 50 years, Schulz both wrote and illustrated the daily title by himself almost until the day he died, with the final comic - a thank you letter to the fans explaining his inability to continue the comic - infamously appearing the day after his death. And in that time, the characters and reoccurring themes that Schulz wrote into his comic have become unmistakable icons, from Snoopy and his vast imagination, to the philosophical musings of Linus, to the self-proclaimed fussbudget know-it-all rants of Lucy.

Last but certainly not least, there was also the loveable looser known as Charlie Brown, with his back and forth mix of optimism towards his ability to succeed and pessimism about the reality of the world in which he lives.

And of course, among the most unique aspects of the comic was that the entirety of it was told through the eyes of children, none of which ever reached even 10 years of age. Adults were present, but never seen, never heard, and only got an opportunity to ‘speak’ when their words were repeated by the children who were the stars of the show. And in doing so, the Peanuts came with a deceptively child-like innocence – because lets face it, kids left to their own devices can be far more cruel than people would like to admit sometimes - even as it dolled out immensely insightful snippets of wisdom and philosophy.

With all the iconic imagery and reoccurring themes that still find their way into the funny pages through re-runs (how many comic strips can you say that about?), Peanuts stands out as a masterpiece of the comic medium.

And it even comes with its own iconic theme music, too.

Rainbow Dash - All the Bronies in the House - R.A.Wonsowski

Layout:
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Panel 1 - Night, my kitchen.  ME, staring blankly into the screen of my laptop.  I have a blank, worried look on my face, my fingers poised above the keyboard.

NO COPY


Panel 2 - Same as above, but RAINBOW DASH is now peering over my shoulder at my computer screen.  One of her eyebrows is arched in curiosity.

NO COPY


Panel 3 - Same P.O.V., but RAINBOW DASH is mildly annoyed at ME.

RAINBOW DASH:  Are you kidding me?  You can't think of ANYTHING?!?

ME:  You're not helping.


Panel 4 - Same as above, except RAINBOW DASH is smacking ME up the backside of my head in disgust.  I cringe.

SoundFX:  Thwak!

ME:  Hey!

RAINBOW DASH:  I swear to Applejack, this has been happening to you wa-ay too often lately...


Panel 5 - Same as Panel 3.  A 9-inch tall, chain-smoking TRUTH-SAYING BASTARD SPIDEY walks across the kitchen table to talk to ME and RAINBOW DASH.

TSBS:  Remember Pokemon week?  How many times have we done the bowel-disruptor gag now?

RAINBOW DASH:  (pointing at TSBS) He gets a bowel-disruptor?  Where's MY bowel-disruptor?!?


Panel 6 - Same as above, but my head is in my hands as a tiny KRYPTO floats around my head.  RAINBOW DASH looks even angrier at ME,.

KRYPTO:  He cribbed my script from an old Peanuts strip last week...

RAINBOW DASH:  You cribbed the Schulz?!?


Panel 7 - Same as above, but I'm dragging my fingers down my face, pulling down the bags under my eyes in exasperation.  A 12-inch tall SAMMY HAGAR THOR (see comments at http://www.thought-balloons.com/2012/04/why-mjolnir.html ), lightning crackling from his guitar, lands on the kitchen table.

SAMMY HAGAR THOR:  You haven't even brought me up in a year.  I got better things to do than wait on your silly @$$.

ME:  Oh for the luvva...


Panel 8 - DR. DINOSAUR and DEADPOOL, who is pointing at RAINBOW DASH happily surprised, walk in as I get up and walk out.  Everyone is talking after me as I go.

DR. DINOSAUR:  We can help you.

ME:  I'm out...

DEADPOOL:  Hey, it's Rainbow Dash!  I'm your biggest Brony!

RAINBOW DASH:  (calling worriedly after me over her shoulder) RA-A-Y!?!

Rainbow Dash - Neck and Neck - Niel Jacoby

2 Page Splash: A collage of moments in the Flash and Rainbow Dash's race around the world. Should include:

• Flash leapfrogging Rainbow Dash
• Rainbow Dash leaping over the Great Wall of China, while Flash just vibrates through it.
• Flash and Dash  looping around and around in a London roundabout
• Flash and Dash running across the Washington Monument reflection pool. Flash is walking on the water, while Dash is swimming across, cross

Inset Panel 1(top left corner): The Flash and Rainbow Dash are lined up, poised to begin a race.
NO COPY
Inset Panel 2(bottom right): Flash and Dash are exhausted, drinking water after the race.
Flash:...BEST 2 OUT OF 3?

Rainbow Dash - The Plot Thickens - J.D. Coughlan

Following his retirement, Ryan K. Lindsay joins forces with Rainbow Dash for some wacky adventures!

Panel 1: A slummy crime den. The criminals, up to no good, react with surprise as Ryan K. Lindsay kicks the door in. Rainbow Dash should be visible behind him, if possible.

RYAN: Freeze! Ryan K. Lindsay, comic book writer!

Panel 2: Ryan has the perps against the wall, and is handcuffing the last one. Rainbow Dash checks a stack of papers on the table.

RYAN: You punks make me sick.

DASH: My gosh! Ryan, this goes further than we thought.

Panel 3: Ryan looks over at Dash. She holds up the papers frantically.

RYAN: What's that, partner?

DASH: They were planning on unleashing a virulent strain of writer's block on your old pals over at Thought Balloons, thus nullifying their inescapably awesome talent!

Panel 4: Close up on Ryan, grinning and looking right at us.

RYAN: Heh. Guess I'm still looking out for you boys...

Panel 5: Ryan presses one of the perps up against the wall, hard. Dash's speech bubble should be blocking his last word.

RYAN: You think you'd get away with it, you sons of [blocked]

DASH: Language!

END OF PAGE

Rainbow Dash - Train - Shaun Richens.

PAGE ONE – 5 PANELS.

Layout

1111

2233

4455

1. A modern bullet train speeds through a beautiful green and lush country landscape.

It is raining heavily.

NO COPY.

2. A young girl sits onboard the train looking out of the rain-covered window. Her mother sits next to her reading a book.

The young girl is resting her chin on her hands as she gazes sadly out of the window.

NO COPY.

3. Repeat of 2. However now the young girls eye are big and wide and her face has a huge toothy grin on it. One of her front teeth is missing in that cute little kid way.

A rainbow flash of colour can be seen in the reflection of the window.

NO COPY.

4. The young girl has turned to her mother; she pulls on her sleeve to get her attention.

YOUNG GIRL: Mummy look, look outside.

5. Looking over the shoulders of the young girl and her mother we look out of the window with them.

The rain has stopped. The sun beats down bright and a rainbow stretches out across the sky.

MOTHER: Wow Lauren look at that rainbow.

YOUNG GIRL: But mum you missed the pony.

Rainbow Dash – This One Time, at Flight Camp… – MK Stangeland Jr.

(6 Panels)

Panel 1: Setting – the clouds. The tail of a filly-aged RAINBOW DASH is sticking out of the clouds as the rest of her sneaks around out of sight, headed in the direction of the right side of the panel.

SFX: sneak-a-sneak-a-sneak-a-sneak-a…

Panel 2: A young GILDA the griffon is sitting of on the right side of the panel, looking up at something that’s off-panel. RAINBOW DASH can barely be seen off to the left side of the panel, poking her head up out of the clouds where just her head from the eyes up can be seen. While we can’t see RAINBOW DASH’s mouth, her eyes tell us she’s wearing a prankster’s mischievous smile.

Panel 3: GILDA turns her head around in suspicion that someone is behind her. RAINBOW DASH, however, has ducked her head down in time to avoid being seen, a small disruption in the clouds where her head used to be the only sign that she was previously there.

GILDA: ?

SFX: sneak-a-sneak-a-sneak-a-sneak-a…

Panel 4: GILDA has a bit of a confused look on her face as she moves in the direction of where RAINBOW DASH’s head was in PANEL 2.

RAINBOW DASH’s head is poking out of the clouds from near where GILDA was sitting in PANEL 2 and PANEL 3, though we can again only see her head from the eyes-up.

Panel 5: GILDA turns her head around again to look where RAINBOW DASH was poking her head up in PANEL 5, but RAINBOW DASH has again slipped back out of sight.

GILDA: ?

SFX: sneak-a-sneak-a-sneak-a-sneak-a…

Panel 6: The top half of filly RAINBOW DASH is sticking up out of the clouds to the left side of GILDA, with her mouth open wide as she shouts something and her front legs held up in the air.

GILDA is reacting in a shocked surprise with eyes open as wide as possible and jumping up off the clouds. She’s still looking to the right of the panel away from RAINBOW DASH, and it’s very clear that RAINBOW DASH has successfully spooked her.

RAINBOW DASH: BOO!

GILDA: !

(END PAGE)

Rainbow Dash- Slow & Steady -Dan Hill

PAGE ONE

Panel 1
RAINBOW DASH speeds past a dawdling TANK. She sticks her tongue out as she goes, rolling green hills speeding past.

Panel 2
DASH stands on her back legs, her front legs folded in mock impatience. One of the feet on her back legs taps impatiently.

Panel 3
Fixed. DASH holds a book in front of her face, peering over the top of it suspiciously.

Panel 4
Fixed. DASH has projected several mini STORM CLOUDS above her head. Each of them rains a tiny storm around her in a circle.

What a show off.

Panel 5
Cut to a close up on TANK, determined.

Panel 6
Zoom out to reveal TANK sloooowwly idling past DASH, now fast asleep.

Rainbow Dash - Smile and the World Smiles With You - Grant McLaughlin

1 - It's a beautiful day.  The sun is shining, the sky is blue, the clouds are puffy and white, and everything is as nice as nice can be.  In the middle of the panel would be Rainbow Dash's house (which I guess is a floating cloud castle with rainbows?).

NO COPY

2 - Same as panel 1, except the weather is starting to turn.  The sun and sky darkens and the clouds are turning stormy.

NO COPY

3 - Same as panel 2, except the weather has completely turned.  The day is stormy and windy and awful as awful can be.

NO COPY

4 - Interior shot.  Rainbow Dash looks down at a handwritten note, crying.  Her tears fall onto the page.  The note reads (in handwritten writing):

Rainbow!
We came by to invite you for a picnic at Puffy Puff Park, but since we couldn't find you, we decided to go without you.  Hope you're getting up to some fun stuff on your own!
- The Gang
oxo

Rainbow Dash - Noire Little Pony - Ben Rosenthal

1. A hallway in Wonderbolts HQ at night. I imagine it being very clean an very military looking. The Wonderbolts crest hanging on a wall.

CAPTION (Rainbow Dash)
Name's Rainbow Dash. I'm the fastest there is.


2. The same hallway, but a blur streaks across it. It is Rainbow Dash but she is moving so fast we cannot make out anything but a blur of her.


3. The office of a military higher up, with a desk and empty chair the focus of the room. The blur of Rainbow Dash is again streaking across the panel. Papers are flying up in the air due to the speed of Rainbow Dash.

CAPTION (Rainbow Dash)
All my life I wanted to be a Wonderbolt. To be a part of the flying elite! The best of the best.


4. A close up of Rainbow Dash's eyes. They are wide with shock.

CAPTION (Rainbow Dash)
As soon as I got there, it was taken away from me.


5. Reveal of Rainbow Dash in a noire get up. A hat and possibly trench coat. You decide what looks best. She is shocked looking at the document she is reading. The cover reads "TOP SECRET: Project Midnight".

Why Rainbow Dash?

As some of you may have heard, the founder of Thought Balloons - Mr Ryan K LIndsay has a My Little Pony one shot coming out for IDW this week.  What kind of friends would we be if we didn't push his stuff? As such, here is an interview Mr Lindsay did with Equestria Daily on the one shot.

Next you should totally head here to pre order the book.  It's fantastic.

Were you a fan of the older generations of My Little Pony?
Y’know, I was more of a Care Bears kind of kid, honestly. MLP wasn’t something I ever really found.

So, tell us a little bit about the comic- just an overview. What’s the dealio?

This one-shot is my analysis of Rainbow Dash and what makes her tick. Ultimately, I found Rainbow to be an incredibly strong and motivated character so I wanted to test her convictions. I set up a situation where Rainbow has to work out why she is so stubborn at times, why she always tries so hard, and then I test just how hard a force she will push against, and what will truly motivate her to do her best.

In the story, a cloud full of negative emotion sucking gremlins invades Rainbow’s airspace and brings sadness to the land. Rainbow tries but consistently fails to get rid of them causing more frustration, which the gremlins then food upon. Rainbow needs to work out a way to get a victory but it’s not going to be easy. It’s a tale of struggle but with some laughs thrown in, too.

What sort of research did you do in order to get started? Were you prepared for what you found in the course of said research?

I went straight online and dug in. I spoke to Katie Cook (she who is writing the fantastic main MLP comic) about which episodes of the show I should watch in order to get a great grasp on the character of Rainbow. I went through scores of websites to see how the fandom thought of these characters, what their favourite moments were, and then analysed how I could present this vibe in my own script.
I spent a fair bit of time looking at the various MLP memes that proliferate the information highways. These were great because it showed me what moments and what dialogue really resonated with the fans.

Probably my greatest asset was a girl in my class. I teach Year 5, so 11 year olds, and just as I landed the gig I heard her mention something about Ponies. I inquired and found out what a huge fan she was. I surreptitiously asked her about Rainbow – who it turned out is her favorite - and why she liked the character so much. It was great to hear from a young girl exactly what she got from the series as I’m writing this for that demographic and I want them to get so much from this issue.
As for my level of preparedness, ha, yeah, I was fine. I’m a major comic book fan, I’ve seen all levels of fandom and all the MLP stuff I found was really awesome and definitely inspiring. I may have been singing auto-tune YouTube clips around the house for quite some time.


Were there any limitations (story or otherwise) set upon you by the powers that be? What couldn’t you fit into the comic, but perhaps wanted to?

The only limitations, I guess you could say, was that I had to remember this is a kids comic. My tendency is to go dark so I had to ensure I didn’t veer into the black. That being said, I did try to bring a pompous level of evil to my gremlins and I’m really pleased with how they’ve come out. My artist on the issue, Tony Fleecs, has done an amazing job bringing these creatures to terrifying life.

Hasbro is the ultimate parent of this project, they get final say on everything, and they’ve been A-mazing to deal with. Their notes are always clear and make the story better and they’ve been champs about letting me tell my story.

Any final thoughts?

Absolutely, I want to thank every MLP fan out there whose support of the franchise, and the phenomenally great sales on the comic, have made this opportunity come to life. I’m pretty certain fans are going to go nuts for this issue because it’s got high stakes, it’s got some funny moments, and it’s a great morality tale spun around the core concept of who Rainbow Dash is. I had so much fun writing this book, Tony Fleecs is doing amazing things illustrating it, and I hope we all get to do this again some time. Until then, let me know your feedback on Twitter as @ryanklindsay.


Want to write a page of script starring Rainbow Dash?  Then simply post it below for feedback!  Don;t forget to post your thoughts on the tenured writer's pieces as they appear throughout the week as well.

Krypto - Suppertime! - R.A. Wonsowski

This one's dedicated to my brother Peter (Happy Birthday!)

Layout:
123
456
788

Panels 1 through 6 - Blue sky, green grass.  KRYPTO happy-dancing a-la-Snoopy.  (reference http://www.snoopn4pnuts.com/index.php?p=product&id=579537&parent=31077 )  Lots of motion or vibration lines at the hindfeet.

NO COPY


Panel 7 - KRYPTO is slowing down his dance, and is looking blankly left.

NO COPY


Panel 8 - Lining up on the left side of the panel:  PA KENT holding the steering wheel of his tractor, wires dangling from the center column; MA KENT holding the broken halves of an oversized red dog dish; CLARK holding broken off barn doors.  The barn and silo is in the background with the roof caved in.  The three are looking angrily at the cause of the localized earthquake.  On the right side of the panel, KRYPTO looks at us sheepishly, embarrassed.

CLARK:  Why can't you eat your meal quietly and calmly like any other normal dog?

CAPTION:  "To live is to dance.  To dance is to live." - Charles Schultz