Supreme Sanction, Part 2
PAGE ONE
PANEL ONE:
INTERIOR. Close-up on a pair of hands putting a vase of flowers on a hospital table.
1 CAPTION: 6 MONTHS AGO
2 CAPTION: S.H.I.E.L.D. MEDICAL FACILITY, LONG-STAY WARD
3 CAPTION:
PANEL TWO:
INT. Medium shot, looking up from the vase. It’s Rick Tyler, off-hours, wearing a brown bomber jacket. His expression is inscrutable, but tense.
4 RICK: I know I haven’t come by as much as I SHOULD--
PANEL THREE:
INT. Rick turns towards the window, hands in pockets. Sunlight streams in through the cracks of the blinds.
5 RICK: --But it’s starting to look BAD.
6 RICK: I don’t … I don’t know where to go from HERE.
PANEL FOUR:
EXTERIOR. Shot from outside the hospital. Rick is parting the blinds with his finger and thumb and peaking through. The reflection on the window partially obscures Rick and a patient who lies in the bed behind him. It’s an unreasonably sunny day.
7 RICK: I thought maybe SEEING you would help … You would’ve found a way out of this. I’m SURE you would’ve.
8 RICK: Me, I can’t do ANYTHING right, it seems.
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Back in the hospital, Rick turns his head, hands back in jacket, to talk to his off-panel companion. His demeanor is sullen, like a whipped dog.
9 RICK: … they’re taking it AWAY from us.
10 RICK: Our life’s WORK. They’re just gonna take it away like it BELONGED to them, like it wasn’t OURS to begin with.
PAGE TWO
PANEL ONE:
INT. Rick is sitting now, hands clasped, arms between his knees. His head is hanging parallel to the floor, and his faced is still obscured partly, making his expression hard to read.
1 RICK: … I think the reason it’s been a while. The reason, I HAVEN’T …
2 RICK: You were a TOUGH man to live with. It wasn’t EASY. High standards to live up to, being your …
PANEL TWO:
INT. Side shot of the same scene. The rays of the sun bathe his back in light, while the front side of his body is hunched over in shadow.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL THREE:
INT. Rick rises to leave, the moment gone. His expression disconcertingly more cheerful.
3 RICK: Well ANYWAY, don’t worry about a THING.
4 RICK: I’ll come up with SOMETHING. I always do. Just needed to get my bearings is all.
5 RICK: You put this project ahead of EVERYTHING—-
PANEL FOUR:
INT. Rick leans on the foot of the bed. Companion is still off-panel, but we see the lower body.
6 RICK: --Even your own HEALTH.
7 RICK: There’s NO way I’m going to let them get away with this. Not after everything you SACRIFICED to get this FAR.
8 RICK: I PROMISE.
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Rick looks forward at the reader, to where his companion would be. His stance is awkward, hands back in his jacket. He’s close to the door but can’t quite leave yet. Again, his face is inscrutable.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL SIX:
INT. Long shot, from the foot of the bed. We see clearly now an older man, face seemingly ravaged by time, lying in the hospital bed with tubes up his nose hooked up to a respirator. Machines to the side monitor his health and keep him alive. His eyes are closed as if deeply sleeping, but we know better. The clipboard at the foot of his bed reads “REX TYLER.”
NO DIALOGUE
PAGE THREE
PANEL ONE:
INT. Long-shot. Lead Intelligence Analyst Jimmy Woo, a youthful-looking Asian man wearing a headset, whirls around to address someone off-panel. Our eye-level is lower than him, looking up.
1 CAPTION: 6 MONTHS AGO
2 CAPTION: S.H.I.E.L.D. CENTRAL COMMAND, FLOOR
3 JIMMY: Seriously, who the hell was supposed to send me the updated PROTOCOLS?
PANEL TWO:
INT. Establishing shot of Danny Chase with a half-eaten croissant in his mouth, sitting at a messy-looking computer workstation across a cluster of desks. He’s young and lanky, with red hair and freckles. Adding to the image, he’s sporting glasses two sizes too big for his face. Jimmy is still in the panel, looking away from us and towards Danny.
4 DANNY: Jeez, JIMMY, it’s been like FIVE minutes since I got off LUNCH. Gimme a BREAK. I’ve been juggling NSA chatter all MORNING.
5 JIMMY: BULLSHIT, Danny. EVERYONE on the floor’s been busy since the ALERT LEVEL was raised. Just get it DONE--
PANEL THREE:
INT. Jimmy is startled to see Nick Fury hovering over his terminal as he turns back around. We can see Danny sniggering in the background.
6 JIMMY: Or FURY’s gonna have my ASS--
7 FURY: Sorry, AGENT WOO, my tastes don’t run THAT WAY.
8 JIMMY: COLONEL!
PANEL FOUR:
INT. Jimmy stands up straight as a board, embarrassed over
his faux pas. Fury takes it in stride, thumbing backwards to
9 JIMMY: I’m SORRY, sir, I would never mean to IMPLY--
10 FURY: Don’t sweat it, Agent. I’m a MARINE. I’ve heard WORSE.
11
FURY: I wanted to bring
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Clark outstretches his hand for a shake. Woo reaches for the hand, and Danny, croissant in mouth and staring at his screen, throws a hand up absently.
12
FURY: (off-panel)
PANEL SIX:
INT. Jimmy takes his hand and begins talking.
13
JIMMY: Ah, I DID hear you arrived
on
14 JIMMY: Well, there’s nothing TOO glamorous to what I do, so let me just show you the floor—-
PAGE FOUR
PANEL ONE:
INT. Jimmy looks down to his phone, which is ringing. The numberpad glows blue. Fury looks quizzical.
1 JIMMY: Hmm, SORRY about that. It’s TECH calling from downstairs in the server room.
2 FURY: Personal cell phones aren’t ALLOWED on the floor, Woo.
3 JIMMY: I know, but my station com has been down all morning, COLONEL. I had to IMPROVISE …
PANEL TWO:
INT. Jimmy points to a rising Danny as he takes the call.
4 JIMMY: DANNY, do you mind?
5 DANNY: Sure, but that work’s gonna take even LONGER to get done now.
PANEL THREE:
INT. Opposite to above, showing
6 DANNY: (off-panel) --The programmers here call this place “The Brain” because it really is the NERVE CENTER of S.H.I.E.L.D.
PANEL FOUR:
INT. Long shot.
7 DANNY: (off-panel) This is where we evaluate intelligence, process chatter, appraise threats, relay satellite imaging, tap phones … all the behind-the-scenes SUPER-SPY stuff.
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Similar long shot to previous. Fury acknowledges the look with a raised eyebrow.
8 DANNY: (off-panel) We like to think we’re PARTNERS with the agents in the field. It’s OUR job to make sure they go in there with the best available info, and come back out ALIVE.
9 DANNY: (off-panel) So, guys—-
PANEL SIX:
INT. Large panel, from behind Clark and Fury. Danny’s been gesturing towards the floor this entire time, but now we actually see it. Jimmy, Danny, and a few others are at terminals overlooking a massive room, littered with high-tech computers, display screens, and intelligence analysts going about their business. Danny is looking back, wondering why his companions haven’t been paying attention.
10 DANNY: --Guys?
11 DANNY: Everything all RIGHT?
PANEL SEVEN:
INT. Close-up on
12
PAGE FIVE
PANEL ONE:
INT. Clark and Fury walk down a semi-lit hallway. The architecture is modern, but foreboding. No natural light enters the complex, which seems to be underground.
1 FURY: So what WAS that about back there?
2
PANEL TWO:
INT. Fury turns around to address
3 FURY: Who, WOO? He’s been with the agency since its inception. Guy’s a bit UPTIGHT, but he’s a straight-shooter.
PANEL THREE:
INT. On
4
5
PANEL FOUR:
INT. Long shot. The pair resume walking. Fury’s
gesticulating with his hands.
6 FURY: I can RESPECT that, kid. Out in the field your instincts have got to be TRUSTWORTHY to keep yourself and your squad ALIVE.
7 FURY: Though with you, the FORMER ain’t as big a deal as the LATTER.
8 FURY: There’s nothing in Woo’s background that should make you suspicious of him, though. He was thoroughly VETTED before he transferred from CIA.
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Close-up on
9
10
PAGE SIX
PANEL ONE:
INT. Fury is marching forward purposively across a sky ramp
connecting two sections of SHIELD, with
1 FURY: All right, I’ve got one MORE major player for you to meet,
2 FURY: Let me warn you, he’s got his head up in the CLOUDS sometimes. Graduated M.I.T. at age NINETEEN. Rhodes Scholar, created the first working NANOASSEMBLER to get his Ph.D.
3 FURY: This was all before he turned TWENTY-FIVE, by the way.
PANEL TWO:
INT. Close-up on Fury as he opens a white door, turning back
to smirk at
4 FURY: Not that you should be INTIMIDATED or anything--
PANEL THREE:
INT. Clark smiles thinly and raises an eyebrow.
5
PANEL FOUR:
INT. Large establishing panel of Chris Powell’s lab. Chris is a strikingly young African-American man with close-cropped hair, wearing a sharp lab coat over a suit, surrounded by much older scientists taking direction from him. The lab is overflowing with futuristic tech, with two mysterious black orbs levitating in the air in front of them. Clark and Fury can be seen in the background, having just crossed the door. Fury is gesturing towards Chris.
6 FURY: Meet CHRIS POWELL, our lead engineer and nanotech specialist!
7 CHRIS: All right, we need to get a handle on why this new NANOTUBE injection system isn’t syncing up with the AMULET.
8 CHRIS: We need to REDO the code for the sync algorithm and--
PAGE SEVEN
PANEL ONE:
INT. Chris turns in his chair to look at the two new guests as Fury raises a hand to shout.
1 FURY: Yo, CHRIS!
2 CHRIS: NICK! Lord, what’re you doing here?
3 CHRIS: I don’t get to see you unless I’m trying to explain SCIENCE to ignorant old WHITE men--
PANEL TWO:
INT. Chris approaches with a boyish grin on his face, arms
outstretched to embrace the older man. Fury laughs.
4 FURY: Hahaha! Careful now, those old white men approve your FUNDING, you know. Pays to keep them dreaming of weaponized GREY GOO.
5 CHRIS: Well, they’d be PISSED about the amount of stuff that’s CRAPPED OUT on us today.
PANEL THREE:
INT. Silhouetted, red background. Fury and Chris man-hug as
6 FURY: Sure. I won’t tell your NANNA what a terrible job you’re doin’ around here, PROMISE.
7 CHRIS: Haha, whatever Nick. Why you down here anyway? TiVO broke again?
PANEL FOUR:
INT. Fury smiles, hand on Chris’s shoulder, as he turns back
around to introduce
8 FURY: I wanted you to meet
9 CHRIS: Ahh, no WAY. I picked up your file from INTEL. Gonna be fun seeing what you can do--
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Front shot of Chris shaking
10 CHRIS: --‘Cause you ain’t the only one around here who’s SUPER, that’s for damn sure …
PANEL SIX:
INT. Fury, arms folded across his chest, smirks at the two young bucks measuring each other.
11 FURY: OK, OK. You boys got plenty of time for the cock-fighting LATER.
12
FURY: Right now I want you to show
PAGE EIGHT
PANEL ONE:
INT. Chris walks towards a standing cabinet, hands in the air as if to say, “I didn’t do it.” The other two follow.
1 CHRIS: Hey, I didn’t START nothin’.
2 CHRIS: So
PANEL TWO:
INT. Close on
3
4
PANEL THREE:
INT. In profile, Chris chuckles.
5 CHRIS: No PROBLEM. Like I said, I been giving this LECTURE enough times to know how much science I can get away with.
6 CHRIS: For NOW, you just need to know that NANOSCIENCE is the study of the really SMALL … think 40,000 times SMALLER than the width of a HUMAN HAIR.
7 CHRIS: That scale’s useful for a couple reasons. FIRST, the rules operate differently down there. Everyday stuff like GOLD can have way different properties on that scale.
PANEL FOUR:
INT. Chris’s head is turned backwards to continue talking to
8 CHRIS: SECOND, imagine being able to create ANYTHING from scratch, at the ATOMIC level. That’s the possibility my first NANITE design opened the door to.
9 CHRIS: NANITES are just what we call nano-scale ROBOTS that can shuffle MOLECULES around to build what we need.
10 CHRIS: Imagine drinking a can of soda with a NANITIC PAYLOAD programmed to find and eliminate cancerous TUMORS. We have the technology to DO that.
PANEL FIVE:
INT.The three men continue to talk. On the left, Chris is
reaching into the cabinet. In the middle,
11
12 CHRIS: Well, aside from the FDA hoops we’d have to jump through, it’d cost a COUPLE MILLION a can. Not something you can sell in a VENDING MACHINE.
13
FURY: You’ve gotta realize,
14
FURY: After he designed the first
nano-robot that could be feasibly ENGINEERED, the
15 CHRIS: They made a good investment, ‘cause they got THIS--
PANEL SIX:
INT. An intent Chris holds up a container with a black diamond-shaped crystal inside. The middle of the diamond has a v-shaped section missing, leaving the top part eerily floating above the bottom.
16 CHRIS: --THE AMULET.
17 CHRIS: BILLIONS of taxpayer dollars paid for this baby. The most complex NANITIC NETWORK ever designed for defense application.
PAGE NINE
PANEL ONE:
INT. The page is a sequence of long shots. Chris begins opening the container.
1 CHRIS: In the 1980’s, some scientists warned that a mass of self-replicating NANITES could overrun the world, turning everything it touched into COPIES of itself.
2 CHRIS: This was called the “GREY GOO” scenario--
PANEL TWO:
INT. Chris clutches the Amulet in his fist, as black goop extends from the Amulet and begins to swallow his arm, in an eerily organic fashion.
3 CHRIS: --Me, I’m partial to BLACK.
PANEL THREE:
INT. Chris holds his fist up, determined. The black goop has solidified into a thin second skin around his arm.
4 CHRIS: Fibers composed of nanotubes create an amazingly lightweight, fire-retardant, bulletproof “SKIN.”
5 CHRIS: Think NANO-KEVLAR.
PANEL FOUR:
INT. Chris shows his arm to
6 CHRIS: The nanites patrol my BODY, correcting inefficiencies in my system, enhancing strength, energy output, stamina, YOU NAME IT. 86’ed an INFECTION the other day too.
7
8 CHRIS: They’re INTELLIGENT, to an extent. They figured out how my body works a long time ago … and started IMPROVING it.
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Clark raises an eyebrow skeptically.
9
PANEL SIX:
INT. Chris replaces the Amulet as the skin begins to retract, tight grin on his face.
10 CHRIS: Hasn’t happened YET …
PAGE TEN
PANEL ONE:
INT. Splash page. A newspaper headline reads “SUPERBOY
RETURNS?
1 CAPTION: NOW
2 CAPTION: S.H.I.E.L.D. CENTRAL COMMAND, PERSONNEL LOUNGE
3
PAGE ELEVEN
PANEL ONE:
INT. Large establishing shot. Fury, Sue Dibny, and Clark
lounge about an expensive-looking recreation room. Fury is trying to eat soup
while Sue excitedly talks about the newspaper in front of him.
1 SUE: As far as I’m concerned, this is a FANTASTIC way for the team to debut!
2 SUE: Think about the MERCHANDISING we can tie into this! SUPERMAN action figures with BREAKAWAY TRAIN playsets!
3 SUE: You can’t PLAN a product launch build-up this GOOD. The DEBUT tonight will be ELECTRIC!
PANEL TWO:
INT. Clark casts a skeptical eye from his seat.
4
5
PANEL THREE:
INT. Sue, arms raised, still excited. Fury lounges back, munching on bread.
6 SUE: Oh,
7 FURY:
8 FURY: So
PANEL FOUR:
INT. On
9
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Fury leans back in his chair, looking up, amused.
10 FURY: --Comes with the TERRITORY.
PANEL SIX:
INT. Cup of tea in hand, Fury gestures to Kavita, who is staring ahead with uptight body language, unfazed by the conversation.
11 FURY: So DR. RAO, any chance you’ll come down and converse with the COMMONERS?
12 KAVITA: I’m here for ONE REASON, Colonel Fury. My time’s better spent doing research for you than GOSSIPING.
PAGE TWELVE
PANEL ONE:
INT. Large vertical half-page panel. Jessica enters the room as Spider-Woman for the first time. She’s stunning.
1 JESSICA: So it’s OFFICIAL.
2 JESSICA: I feel RIDICULOUS.
PANEL TWO:
INT. Fury and Clark sit with mouths agape in typical heterosexual male fashion. Sue is ecstatic, merchandising possibilities swimming in her head.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL THREE:
INT. Kavita examines the fabric on Jess’s arm as Jess wriggles a bit in her new skin. Sue approaches.
3 KAVITA: How does the new FABRIC feel on you? DR. POWELL assured me his new nanofiber would be PROTECTIVE while clinging very close to the SKIN.
4 JESSICA: Yes, WELL … THAT’S a way of putting it.
5 JESSICA: It’s just a bit … IMMODEST.
6 SUE: NONSENSE, Jess. You look GORGEOUS! Young girls everywhere are going to ADORE you!
PANEL FOUR:
INT. Sue turns to look at the boys as Kavita continues to
examine the fabric. Jessica looks ahead, to
7 SUE: Don’t you AGREE,
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Clark still sits stunned, transfixed like a man
possessed. Echoes of last issue when Jess met
8 CAPTION: --
PAGE THIRTEEN
PANEL ONE:
EXT. Sue and Fury are walking down a red carpet, bulbs flashing, crowd excited. Wearing an impeccable Armani suit, Fury looks a bit uncomfortable with the surroundings, adjusting his tie constantly. Sue is in a gorgeous low-cut black dress and is loving the spectacle.
1 CAPTION: THAT NIGHT
2 CAPTION: METROPOLIS HYATT-REGENCY
3 SUE:
4 SUE: Seriously, he’s a NATURAL. He’s got the “Farmboy-Does-Good” act to an ART FORM.
5 FURY: … I don’t really think it’s an ACT, Sue. He really COULD be in over his head on this one. Hell, I’M not comfortable with all this.
6 FURY: Since when did an agency PRESS JUNKET become the OSCARS?
PANEL TWO:
EXT. Close on Sue and Fury. Sue is smiling and waving, Fury is apprehensive.
7 SUE: I’m your DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS, Nick. Let me do my JOB.
8 SUE: Trust me, after tonight, the nation’s going to be so endeared to your SUPER-KIDS, they won’t EVER think of cutting your funding.
PANEL THREE:
EXT. Pull out on the huge hotel, gorgeous, modern, and packed to the brim with press and people. Nick and Sue continue up the stairs to the gala event.
9 FURY: I hope you’re right.
10 FURY: PERSONALLY, I think we’re broadcasting “TERRORISTS ATTACK HERE,” but what do I know? I’m just a paranoid Gulf War vet--
11 FURY: --Not friggin’ SAMUEL L. JACKSON.
PAGE FOURTEEN
PANEL ONE:
EXT. Large shot. “Hourman” and “Hourwoman” wave to the crowd. Word bubbles sans pointers litter the panel.
1 REPORTER 1: HOURMAN! HOURWOMAN!
2 REPORTER 2: What of the rumors of ILLEGAL SUPERHUMAN TESTING?
3 REPORTER 3: Are your powers really STEROID-BASED?
4 REPORTER 4: HOURMAN! HOURMAN!
5 REPORTER 5: What is your stance on the MUTANT PROBLEM?
6 REPORTER 6: Will you be sent to aid the TROOPS in the MIDDLE EAST?
7 REPORTER 7: HOURWOMAN! HOURWOMAN!
8 REPORTER 8: Is there truth to the rumor you’re ENGAGED?
PANEL TWO:
EXT. Rick, decked out in a three-piece and also on the red carpet, casts a forlorn look at the pair of “heroes.” Chris is next to him, looking sharp in a stylish Italian suit.
9 RICK: So who’re G.I. JANE and JOE over there?
10
CHRIS: Brother’s LT. GABRIEL
WALKER, some counter-terrorist FREE AGENT picked up from C.I.A. The WOMAN, I
don’t know …
11 CHRIS: BITTER some, Doc?
PANEL THREE:
EXT. The two Hourpeople continue up the red carpet as Rick and Chris look on.
12 RICK: They wouldn’t exist without MIRACLO and Fury KNOWS that.
13 RICK: Not that anyone IN there is going to acknowledge that fact.
PANEL FOUR:
EXT. Chris puts a hand on Rick’s shoulder, conciliatory.
14 CHRIS: LOOK, what they did to you was SHIT, Rick. We ALL know that. And if it helps, that RAO BITCH has got a rod stuck so far up her--
15 CHRIS: --Well, YOU know. You met her first.
16 CHRIS: Anyway, everyone in the scientific community gives you the RESPECT, even if S.H.I.E.L.D. is talking different now. That’s worth SOMETHING--
PANEL FIVE:
EXT. Chris thumbs towards the entrance.
17 CHRIS: Look, I should be getting inside … SUIT UP before they kick-off this whole thing.
18 CHRIS: See you INSIDE, yeah?
PANEL SIX:
EXT. Zoomed out a bit, overhead shot. Rick looks downcast, as his only companion walks away.
19 RICK: YEAH …
PAGE FIFTEEN
PANEL ONE:
INT. Dr. Rao, still in white lab coat, is pointing to Spider-Woman beside her, inside the lobby. A throng of reporters look on. Jessica’s body language is closed, holding her elbow. There’s something oddly showcase-like about the whole thing, which isn’t sitting so well with a professional like Jess.
1 KAVITA: SPIDER-WOMAN is the result of an ADVANCED genetics program married to the LATEST in nanitic DNA recombinatory techniques.
2 KAVITA: Using a cocktail of ANIMAL DNA designed to augment human strength, speed, agility, and reflexes, AGENT DREW is a shining EXAMPLE of modern advances in GENE-SPLICING.
PANEL TWO:
INT. Close-up on a male reporter, kinda lecherous-looking.
3 REPORTER A: DR. RAO! DR. RAO!
4 REPORTER A: Can you tell us why you chose the name “SPIDER-WOMAN”?
PANEL THREE:
INT. Kavita gestures towards Jessica in mid-air as she lunges at a nearby column.
5 KAVITA: Of COURSE.
6 KAVITA: By modifying and inserting SPIDER GENES into her DNA, Agent Drew can now secrete a potent SPIDER-SILK which is tougher than KEVLAR and as elastic as NYLON.
7 KAVITA: By secreting a small amount on her FINGERTIPS AND PALMS, Spider-Woman can scale sheer walls and surfaces, as she will demonstrate NOW.
PANEL FOUR:
INT. Jessica climbs the column, spider-style, back arched provocatively. The crowd of reporters is delighted y the display of agility. Dr. Rao stands back, proud. The lecherous reporter from earlier steps forward and cat-calls.
8 REPORTER B: SPECTACULAR!
9 REPORTER C: AMAZING!
10 REPORTER A: GREAT view from down here, Agent Drew!
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Spider-Woman turns partially, still clinging to the column, and shoots a strand of webbing out of her fingertips. Her expression is blank, like her mask.
SFX: THWIPP!!!
PANEL SIX:
INT. Our intrepid reporter gets a mouthful. Dr. Rao folds her arms across her chest and smiles, first time we’ve seen her do this.
11 REPORTER A: (muffled) Mffrrtt~!
12 KAVITA: She can also shoot them as WEBS …
PAGE SIXTEEN
PANEL ONE:
INT. Large panel, different section of floor. Spider-Woman, Dr. Rao, and their throng of reporters can be seen in the background. Jessica is hopping off her column. As a fully armored Chris Powell commands the focal point of the panel, reporters are very close to him. He holds his hands apart as though he’s pulling something. A young female journalist is leaning in closer than the others.
1 CHRIS: --the DARKHAWK suit is more than just ARMOR. It’s now an INTRINSIC part of my physiology.
2 JOURNALIST: You mean you can’t take it OFF?
3 DARKHAWK: Why would I WANT to, is the question … the wonders of MOLECULAR MANUFACTURING allow me to reconfigure the suit into a number of pre-programmed PRESETS …
PANEL TWO:
INT. The Darkhawk suit whirls and morphs into gymwear around Chris.
4 CHRIS: --like making a SELECTION on a DVD MENU--
PANEL THREE:
INT. Echoing previous shot, now Chris is in formalwear like when he entered with Rick.
5 CHRIS: --or changing a SONG on your IPOD.
PANEL FOUR:
INT. Chris is back in Darkhawk armor, standing confidently. The pretty journalist from before hangs on his arm, smiling.
6 DARKHAWK: There really isn’t a LIMIT to what I can do in this suit.
7 JOURNALIST: Isn’t that what ALL the young geniuses say?
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Darkhawk touches his right arm and begins to “flicker,” bands of his personage erasing into thin air.
8 DARKHAWK: Honey, the DIFFERENCE is …
PANEL SIX:
INT. The journalist rears back in surprise, mouth agape, as Darkhawk disappears. Photographers photograph the event (in vain).
9 DARKHAWK: (balloon pointing to mid-air) … I MEAN it.
PAGE SEVENTEEN
PANEL ONE:
INT. Sue Dibny is standing at a podium with the four super-people we’ve seen already, Hourman, Hourwoman, Spider-Woman, and Darkhawk. Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents stand on stage as well.
1 SUE: OK, could I get everyone’s ATTENTION?
2 SUE: Members of the media, distinguished guests … Today we enter a NEW AGE in American national security …
3 SUE: The POST-HUMAN THREATS we will face in the coming century require TRAINED RESPONSE in KIND …
PANEL TWO:
INT. Sidelong view, Sue gestures to the four on stage and smiles.
4 SUE: To that end, ladies and gentlemen, I give you …
5 SUE: (in big logo letters) the SQUADRON SUPREME!!!
PANEL THREE:
INT. Crowd erupts in clapping and cheers.
SFX: CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
PANEL FOUR:
INT. The Hourpeople wave, Spider-Woman stands, still a bit awkwardly, and Darkhawk stands with his hands behind his back, masterfully. The media continues to snap pictures away and go nuts.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Sue puts her hands out in the “please be seated” motion, trying to calm everyone down.
6 SUE: Please, everyone, everyone. There’s ONE man whose VISION and LEADERSHIP has brought us to this watershed moment in American history …
7 SUE: Please join me in welcoming COLONEL NICHOLAS FURY!
PANEL SIX:
INT. Smiling, Colonel Fury approaches the podium as Sue steps aside, clapping.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL SEVEN:
INT. Nick stands back, eyes closed, hands clasped in front of him.
8 FURY: Folks, the dedicated agents and specialists you see before you would make ANY Colonel proud. They are heroes in every sense of the word, and PATRIOTS.
9 FURY: But I would be lying if I said there wasn’t one thing that was MISSING, one special INGREDIENT. One man …
PAGE EIGHTEEN
PANEL ONE:
INT. Splash page. Close on
1 FURY: (in big logo letters) … one SUPERMAN!!!
PAGE NINETEEN
PANEL ONE:
INT. Side-shot,
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL TWO:
INT. Long shot. From behind
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL THREE:
INT. Vertical panel. Side shot of Fury turning to look at
1 FURY:
2 FURY: This one’s a bit more PERSONAL, but I thought tonight was as good a night as ANY.
PANEL FOUR:
INT. Fury gestures to someone behind a curtain to come out
as
3 FURY: Would you come on out …
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Clark’s mom steps out, looking only a little grayer from when we saw her last issue. Her expression is loving and tender.
4 FURY: (off-panel) … MRS.
PANEL SIX:
INT. Long shot.
5 FURY: Since your ID is PUBLIC now, we moved your mother to
6 FURY: Now we can PROTECT her from anyone who might harm her because of who you ARE … plus, you get to be CLOSE to each other.
PANEL SEVEN:
INT. Clark looks touched as he looks at Fury, mother now on his arm and crying. Fury’s back is to us.
7
PANEL EIGHT:
INT. Close on Clark and Fury as they shake hands. Fury is grinning broadly.
8
PAGE TWENTY
PANEL ONE:
INT. Aerial shot, the lights have been dimmed and there is dancing in a smaller room, the after-party. A neon-fluorescent bar sits off to the side, and we can see two seated figures in suits. One, Rick, looks visibly drunk as the other, Clark, is turned to him in conversation.
1 RICK: SO tonight was a SMASHING success, it looks like.
2 RICK: I’m GLAD about your MOTHER, Clark, where did she GO, huh?
PANEL TWO:
INT. Long panel, close now on the two. Rick throws his head
back, downing another shot, as
3
4
5 RICK: WHAT, me? Don’t be RIDICULOUS. I’m FINE, completely FINE.
6 RICK: C’mon, let me get you a DRINK.
PANEL THREE:
INT. Close on
7
PANEL FOUR:
INT. On Rick, looking kinda groggy.
8 RICK: Oh right, right. EIGHTEEN.
9 RICK: You know tonight wouldn’t’ve been possible WITHOUT me, Clark? You KNOW that?
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Rick slumps over the bar on his stool, shoulders high and close.
10
RICK: Not POSSIBLE. Sure they
would’ve still had CHRIS and YOU, coming down from
11 RICK: And that damn KAVITA’S lab experiment, “SPIDER-WOMAN” or whatever … Jessica, bless her HEART.
12
RICK: But those other two and
every other S.H.I.E.L.D. agent with MIRACLO in his pocket? That’s me
13 RICK: My father put himself in a COMA testing it on himself. Me, me I spent all my adult life trying to make it WORK. And for what?
14 RICK: So Fury could KICK me out on the curb, that’s WHAT.
PANEL SIX:
INT. Close on Rick’s face. His face is screwed up, on the verge of tears.
15 RICK: Shit … we went to COLLEGE together. He was my FRIEND. One of my ONLY friends …
16 RICK: I don’t know how he could have DONE this to me.
PANEL SEVEN:
INT. Zoom back out.
17
18 RICK: Yeah, you’re probably RIGHT. Probably right.
19
RICK: I’ll get back fine,
PAGE TWENTY-ONE
PANEL ONE:
INT. A shadowy figure stands around a corner, in an adjacent hall to the same party room from the previous page. We can see the backs of Rick and Clark at the bar. The figure is clearly talking on a cell phone. The numberpad is glowing, illuminating only the vaguest of features.
1 FIGURE 1: I’m just calling to CHECK IN. Seems like everything went off without a HITCH tonight.
PANEL TWO:
INT. Completely different place, completely different shadowy figure. This one’s sitting in a chair at a desk, talking on a landline. This figure is more muscular.
2 FIGURE 2: Good, good. I don’t want them suspecting a THING.
PANEL THREE:
INT. Back to the first shadowy figure at the party. He’s turned away from the party.
3 FIGURE 1: How much longer are you going to NEED me? I really DON’T think my cover is going to last much LONGER—-
PANEL FOUR:
INT. Back to mystery man in the chair. He’s reclining in
silhouette now, the backdrop of a large window letting us see clearly
4 FIGURE 2: --Until it’s DONE, and no sooner.
5 FIGURE 2: Just stay smart and don’t get CAUGHT, and you’ll get your money.
PANEL FIVE:
INT. Very close on the first figure. Just an ominously glowing phone now, with a cheek and a mouth.
6 FIGURE 1: … FINE.
7 FIGURE 1: I should be getting back before anyone gets SUSPICIOUS.
PANEL SIX:
INT. Close-up on the regular phone being hanged up on the other line.
SFX: Click
PANEL SEVEN:
INT. The figure rises in the light of the city, illuminating a portion of his figure. We can see that he’s fully dressed in spy-gear style equipment. Hints of a white beard, white hair, and eyepatch.
8 FIGURE 2: So IMPATIENT …
PANEL EIGHT:
INT. Small, inset. The figure pulls on a familiar mask, completely black on one side.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL NINE:
INT. Largest panel of the page. The figure, a TV remote in hand, is now fully illuminated by the glow of video screens which cover the far wall of the room, depicting scenes at the party and in and around S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. The trademark mask tells us the figure Slade Wilson, better known as Deathstroke the Terminator.
9 DEATHSTROKE: TRULY, youth is wasted on the YOUNG.
10 CAPTION: TO BE CONTINUED …
END