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TITLE/ CAPTION across the top of the page: Ten years from now...
Panel 1 - Interior, a white hospital hallway. CLARK KENT is being led down the corridor by DR. WOLPER (the psychiatrist from Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns). CLARK is wearing a simple light blue Oxford shirt and khakis, and he's shyly pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he listens intently to DR. WOLPER. WOLPER is flipping through patient charts as he walks and talks.
DR. WOLPER: ...keeping in mind, Mr. Kent, the years spent in near-catatonia, what that does physically and psychologically to a human being...
DR. WOLPER: ...to be frank, we were doubtful of any progress whatsoever.
Panel 2 - Same POV in the hallway, DR. WOLPER pushes open a swinging panel door. CLARK looks about to follow him.
DR. WOLPER: But thanks to recent advances in psychopharmacology, as well as new research in creative media therapy, I would venture that Dr. Luthor's new schedule and program has been more successful than anticipated.
Panel 3 - Mid-shot, DR. WOLPER stands in the open door, gesturing CLARK to come in the room with his clipboard. CLARK looks apprehensive.
DR. WOLPER: As you can see, the patient is responsive to stimuli, and can feed himself with the smallest of difficulty.
Panel 4 - Background, CLARK and DR. WOLPER entering the hospital rec room. It is empty except for, midground, LEX LUTHOR. He is sitting on a couch, dressed in bathrobe and pajamas. His expression should be mildly vacant as he watches the cabinet TV in the foreground. He is feeding himself a pudding cup with a spoon with a thick masking-taped handle, gripped overhand tightly like a child would. On his forehead are two scarred burn points, side by side, a souvenir from his last encounter with his most hated enemy, a drop of drool at the corner of his mouth.
DR. WOLPER: A far cry from his previous vegetative state, you'd agree?
SoundFX (TV): KICK! SMACK! NARF! DEFENESTRATE!
Panel 5-7 are from the same POV: behind the couch with TV in view. CLARK and LEX should be silhouetted by the TV.
Panel 5: CLARK sits down next to LEX. On TV, Pinky and the Brain are facedown on the White House lawn, stars around their heads.
NO COPY
Panel 6: CLARK and LEX watch as Pinky and the Brain dust themselves off.
NO COPY
Panel 7: LEX seats his head on CLARK'S shoulder. CLARK lowers his head, unable to reciprocate. Pinky has put his arm around the Brain as they walk toward the Washington Monument at sunset.
LEX: (small text) poit.
A masterclass in pace and tension building. Each beat is perfectly time and the way you flow those last three panels and play the juxtaposition of the cartoon off against the serious weighty scene before it tugged at my heartstrings in such a way that I didn't know a script could.
ReplyDelete5/5!
Oh man, those last three panels! As Shaun says, an excellent script, but those final moments are picture perfect. Lex's simple-minded display of tenderness and trust is tragic - you can't help but feel for both sides of the interaction.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant.
The visuals really steal the show here. I can just imagine Frank Miller's art to this; although Clark's chest might take up the whole of each panel. It's a powerfully subtle reveal at the end.
ReplyDeleteGreat page Ray. Adding Wolper from DKR was a nice touch and Pinky & The Brain were a perfect choice!
ReplyDelete