Previously: JACK RYDER has been separated from his alter ego, the CREEPER, by a crazed SHADE the Changing Man. However, the minds are in the wrong bodies. After a frantic rooftop chase, JACK (in the Creeper's body) is stopped by vampire ANDREW BENNETT, who tells him that two doctors from Jack's past may be behind it all...
PAGE 5:
Panel 1- A dark room, illuminated only by the large plasma TV on the wall in the background. Projected on the screen is what looks like a fluorescent green alchemical circle on a dark screen. Upon the screen is bright blue writing that appears to be part Aramaic, part angelic glyph. To the left and right are pairs of computer monitors, one atop another, that seem to be running programming code. The screens illuminate two profiles from behind, silhouetting them. The one on the left, DR. SKOLOS, has thinning hair swept back and an exaggerated van dyke, the other, DR. YATZ, is bald. Both have visible rictuses in the backlight.
CAPTION: MetaPharma. Sub-level 6.
SKOLOS: Our agent's work proceeds apace.
YATZ: Nonsense! Shade is completely out of control! He is mad with grief over the George woman...
Panel 2- DR. SKOLOS points a thumb over his shoulder to a video feed behind him. He should be lit on his left by the plasma, now off screen. Again the rictus expression, but there is a sickly hint to him, like a freshly dug corpse. The monitor behind him shows JACK RYDER (who is bouncing around like the Creeper) followed by SHADE the Changing Man.
SKOLOS: Which makes him malleable. See? He is returning to us with his charge...
Off-Panel: Meaning what?
Panel 3- SKOLOS gestures angrily at another video monitor, his teeth gleaming in the dark. He is pointing at a security feed showing RYU, barefoot in his tattered and soiled karate outfit, catatonic and sitting crosslegged on the floor, a thin line of drool from the corner of his mouth.
Off-Panel: Dr. Wizor has grave doubt's regarding your course of action.
SKOLOS: Do you? You see our success with you, separating your animus from your anima. Your useless desires now empty...
Panel 4- Reveal of DARK RYU, in tailored slacks with a buckled leather belt and barechested, revealing a near-circular large gaping hole straight through his torso. Strings of rotted flesh dangle from its edges. DARK RYU's clenched fists, however, glow and smoke like hot coals. His expression is hard and disdainful.
SKOLOS: (off-panel) Leaving you, a walking surge of murderous intent.
DARK RYU: Just get on with it...
Panel 5- Foreground, DARK RYU's fist, now opened, hot with power. Background, SKOLOS and YATZ duck as the video screens explode in a shower of sparks.
DARK RYU: (off-panel) And get it done...
Panel 6- DARK RYU stalks toward us, away from the burning screens, leaving SKOLOS and YATZ behind, their anger smoldering, the tension palpable between the three.
DARK RYU: Or you may find yourself on the receiving end of my intent.
...to be continued...
So is Ryu some kind of evil vampire? Or am I misinterpreting what's going on here?
ReplyDeleteVery ambitious project you are taking on here Ray. My only comment would be to simplify things. Less is more, especially in an ongoing story like you are attempting here.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ben. I like what you're working towards here, but this page is a little on the busy side, which makes it harder to follow than it needs to be. I'd say you should give your ideas room to breath, because they certainly seem to be able to stand on their own.
ReplyDelete