Category Archives: comic book

100 Bullets To Be Developed For Showtime

Posted on by Arleigh

One of my favorite comic book titles ever ended up not being a superhero title, but an inventive take on the pulp noir stories which has it’s basis on the stories of such luminaries as Dashiell Hammett, Mickey Spillane, Jim Thompson and Raymond Chandler. 100 Bullets by DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint is that very title and it’s creative team of Brian Azzarello (writer) and Eduardo Risso (artist) were able to fit a complex, morally ambiguous tale of betrayal, conspiracies and bloodshed.

In years past there had been talk of adapting the 100-issue maxi-series into an HBO series, but those plans went for naught. With DC now hellbent on adapting much of their comic book properties to the big and small screen it was a nice surprise to read from Slashfilm.com that 100 Bullets is in development for premium cable channel Showtime with David Goyer executive producing the show. Whether this news ultimately reaches it’s logical conclusion and Showtime picks up the show is still up in the air.

The fact that there’s a good chance the series will finally have it’s live-action realization has made this news a happy one for me. I have always thought that Azzarello and Risso created something that was tailor-made for premium cable. Even the way Risso drew the scenes on the pages of the comic was done so as if through a film camera recording every detail. The series also has quite a cast of characters that makes it easy for an audience to latch onto and invest themselves emotionally for their well-being.

Here’s to hoping that Goyer is able to set aside his ego and find quality writers to help him adapt the series. Of all the details about this news it’s his name that worries me the most. Showtime definitely needs a new series to counter the runaway hit HBO has in it’s hands with it’s Game of Thrones series. I believe that 100 Bullets could be Showtime’s counter to HBO’s new show if they decide to pick it up.

Source: /Film

WonderCon 2011 One-Day Experience

Posted on by Arleigh

It’s been awhile since I attended San Francisco’s WonderCon (it used to be held in Oakland until 2001) and on Saturday, April 2, 2011, I was finally able to check it out once again even if just for a day. This trip into The City to attend WonderCon was actually a last minute deal. I actually bought my One-Day Pass from the WonderCon online site just the day before. I usually like to plan these con excursions in advance so I know which panels to visit and how much to bring to spend. Being a last minute decision I didn’t really plan on spending any amount past what I wanted to eat and panels ended up just being the ones WonderCon had lined-up for upcoming films.

I took BART into the city around 9:30AM and arrived at the Moscone Center South building around 10:20 or so to pick-up my badge. Unlike my experience at Anime Boston 2008 and Anime Expo 2010, getting my badge (even just a one-day one) was pretty painless. Despite a crowd that was already numbering around 10000-plus strong (in my visual estimation and with unofficial total attendance looking to be as high as 40000+) I got through to the pre-register line in less than 10 minutes just in time for me to begin my walk of the Exhibit’s Hall where the dealer tables and exihbitor’s booth were set-up.

For the next hour or so I just walked around the Exhibit Hall just looking at the items for sale and the many comic book related stuff that I used to collect religiously (the thousands upon thousands of bagged and boarded comic books in my house would attest to zealotry). I was surprised to see a lot more indepedent comic book tables. I was also very surprised to notice that the Marvel and DC booths were smaller than I had anticipated. Maybe the bigger booths for these two giants were being saved for San Diego Comic-Con, but with WonderCon getting bigger and bigger each year I thought they’d at least make an effort.

I was very surprised to notice that at least a quarter of the dealer’s tables were dedicated to anime and manga related items. One dealer’s table (more like a booth actually) was all about Gundam and other mecha kits). If I had actually planned ahead for this convention I definitely would’ve dropped at least a couple hundred dollars on several model kits I saw which had me drooling. Below are just a few of the kits that I wouldn’t have minded buying.

Once my time walking around the Exhibit’s Hall was done I knew I needed to get in line for the start of the first film panel that was going to be held at the Esplanade Ballroom. I ended up being in the middle pack of the line despite the line already having wound it’s way outside the Center. The Ballroom looked to have enough space and seats to seat 5000-plus attendees. The line was actually organized very well (I think this is where anime cons could take a lesson from the WonderCon and SDCC organizers). No one was complaining as the volunteers manning the line knew how to keep things organized and actually had the info on whether there was enough room in the Ballroom to accomodate everyone.

The first panel was the upcoming Jon Favreau western and sci-fi mash-up, Cowboys & Aliens, which started around 1pm. There was none of the cast on-stage, but writer-proder Robert Orci and the director himself, Jon Favreau were in attendance. One thing which Favreau said to start off the panel which I (and probably some of the many veteran con attendees) agree on was how WonderCon was beginning to become a major stopover for film studios wanting to promote their big tentpole, genre films.Once the initial talk was over and done with Favreau announced to the crowd that we would be seeing a WonderCon-exclusive 9-minute footage that will never be shown elsewhere with scene that will only be seen once the film was out. This got a huge positive response from the crowd and the footgae didn’t disappoint. It had the right amount of seriousness to the scenes with enough comedy from how these Western-period characters were reacting to a sudden invasion of cosmic proportions.

The rest of the film panels I was able to see were the one’s for the upcoming films Hanna and Immortals. The former had director Joe Wright and the film’s titular star, Saoirse Ronan (who was quite the charming Scottish lass and decided to wear a Wonder Woman tee for her very first comic book convention) on-stage talking about the film. This panel was actually quite good in that several clips from the film were shown to highlight some of the ideas and themes Wright was going for. One thing which got a loud response (positive it seems) was how Wright and Ronan wanted Hanna to showcase the idea of girl empowerment through their use of their minds instead of falling back on Hollywood’s idea of hypersexuality as the one and only way to empower females. To say that Joe Wright didn’t agree with Zack Snyder’s attempt at girl empowerment would be an understatement. I don’t agree with his entire explanation, but then again I don’t think he’s seen Sucker Punch so he’s basing it on the promotional materials.

Tarsem Singh’s Immortals would be the last panel I would see and the film definitely looks to have a 300 vibe to it, but even more fantastical with Greek pantheon getting involved in the matter. A huge response from the female audience roared when the film’s star in Henry Cavill appeared onstage. I like him in Showtime’s The Tudors and still remember him being the young teen in The Count of Monte Cristo, but seeing him onstage made me see what Snyder saw in Cavill. My apprehension in him becoming the next Superman has been tempered now and I hope he does very well in the part.

Well, that final panel ended my day at WonderCon 2011. There were several things I observed which made me hopeful that future WonderCon’s will be something I plan for instead of just trying out. The crowd in attendance by mid-day was bigger than Anime Boston and was almost as large, if not bigger, than Anime Expo 2010. For some the crowd might not have looked that big, but the spacious Moscone Center South building looked as if it could accomodate even more people. The spaciousness of the building allowed for people not to be packed in too tightly while walking around. It is no wonder that Hollywood studios are now seeing WonderCon as an alternate destination, or at least a complementary one, to San Diego Comic-Con to promote their films.

San Diego Comic-Con will always be the big destination but with that event becoming so huge the last half decade other venues became places that could accomodate the studios. One thing I heard people (especially bloggers and entertainment reporters) about San Diego Comic-Con was how many films were being promoted and how those attending looking to write about it could never get to see all of them. This wasn’t the case with WonderCon. Everyone who got into the Esplanade Ballroom could see all the film panels and some never left their chairs once the room opened up.

While a One-Day Pass may seem enough to see all that WonderCon had to offer I think the next time I attend I shall plan ahead and get a 3-Day Pass instead to get the full experience. I will say that this day was a good practice for when I attend Anime Boston 2011 in less than 3 weeks. Here’s to hoping that the organizers of Anime Boston continue to get better with their logistics. As much as I prefer anime and manga to comic books nowadays, the anime/manga convention organizers still have much to learn from the comic book ones in the logistical department. All in all, it was a good time to spend a warm, sunny Saturday.

Oh, while I was walking the Hall I did take a picture of something that I thought Lisa Marie probably would’ve found too cute, but since I decided on not spending any cash at the Hall I didn’t get her an example of Uglydoll:

See you at Anime Boston 2011 next!

Oh dear…Dylan Dog: Dead of Night trailer

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

I’m not, by any stretch of the imagination, a comic book reader and there’s really only been four comics that I’ve ever actively made it a point to track down and/or read.  One was Strangers in Paradise, which I was introduced to by my first college roommate, who told me that she was my Katchoo.    Secondly, there was an old comic book series from the 70s called Tomb of Dracula that Jeff loves.  The entire series has been collected in four trade paperbacks and, last Christmas, I ordered all four of them.  Of course, since I ordered them all in August (patience and impulse-control not being my strong suit), I had a lot of time to read through them before wrapping them up and giving them away.  (And, to my surprise, I enjoyed them in all of their platform shoed glory.)  Third, there’s The Walking Dead which Arleigh introduced me to.  And finally, there’s Dylan Dog.

I haven’t read a lot of Dylan Dog, largely because it’s an Italian comic and English translations aren’t easy to come across.  (And apparently, when an American company did try to reprint the series in English, they ended up getting sued by the estate of Groucho Marx.)  So, I can’t claim to be an expert on Dylan Dog because almost all of my information about this series comes second-hand.  Honestly, if you asked me to tell you about Dylan Dog, I could probably give you the Wikipedia equivalent of an answer (i.e., that Dylan Dog is a private investigator in London who deals with super natural cases.)

Why does Dylan Dog fascinate me?  Well, some of it is because of what I’ve heard about it from sources that I trust.  I hate that answer because it sounds so flakey and simple-minded but luckily, that’s not the only reason.  There’s also the fact that Dylan Dog’s investigative partner is a guy named Groucho who looks (and apparently acts) just like Groucho Marx.  The other is that Dylan Dog was created by the same author — Tiziano Scalvi — who is responsible for inspiring one of the greatest movies ever made, Michele Soavi’s Dellamorte Dellamore.  In fact, Dellamorte Dellamore started off as an attempt to make a Dylan Dog film and the film’s main character had appeared — in a supporting role — in Dylan Dog.  From what I’ve heard, Dellamorte Dellamore — with its use of the paranormal as a metaphor for alienation and other deeper philosophical concerns — captured the sensibility of Dylan Dog. 

Finally, one of my favorite authors — Umberto Ecco — is on record as saying, “I can read the Bible, Homer, or Dylan Dog for several days without being bored.”

So, that’s why I raised an eyebrow when I came across the trailer for Dylan Dog: Dead of Night while looking up grindhouse movie trailers on youtube.

And then I watched the trailer and that eyebrow quickly went down.

Number one, no Groucho.  That already indicates that this is a compromised film.  Number two, I may not be able to “read” Dylan Dog but I can look at it well enough to know that Dylan Dog is not a firing-two-guns-at-once type of hero.  Number three — New Orleans?  Bleh.  I’m officially bored with movies that try to be “colorful” by filming in New Orleans.  Number four, Taye Diggs?  I’m sorry but any series that could inspire Dellamorte Dellamore deserves better than New Orleans and Taye Diggs.

Dylan Dog: Dead of Night is scheduled to be released in the U.S. on April 29th, 2011.

Bleh.

An Ode to Mike Allred’s Madman

Posted on by Viktor VonGlum



On the surface, Allred’s Madman is a remix of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Frank Einstein (formerly Zane Townsend) aka Madman has more in common with the mythic heroes of legend and inhabits a world equally fantastic. The audience can see that Allred poured his heart into this series. The cast is eclectic and unique (ranging from a scientist with detachable heads, invisible assistants, villainous beatniks turned heroic mutate band, infernal g-men, a beatnik-alien hybrid, jungle themed heroes, an alien inventor, an adult Astroboy pastiche, unlikely celebrity cameos, and comic book guest stars). Allred took great steps to flesh out each character and grant a unique voice.

The thing that stood out most about Frank Einstein is his purity tempered humanity. He’s not an aloof alien judging us & looking down on us like Kal-El or a pinnacle of piety or perfection. He made mistakes, worked to fix them, and helped those in need around him. Madman didn’t perform heroics for attention, adoration, or reward; he just did what was right. His relationship with Josephine Lombard is so organic and beautiful free of the “will they won’t they” that plagued other iconic couples like Pete & MJ/Lois & Clark.

Madman embodies everything that made the 50′s and 60′s era of comic and science fiction great (down to its stylized artwork). If you are comic fan who misses the Golden Age where the focus was on telling an epic and captivating story (minus graphic violence and sadistic acts that emerged during the gritty 90’s) then this is the series for you!

Celebrity Guests:
Conan O’Brien & Andy Richter

Robert Rodriguez





Images courtesy of Warren Peace’s blog, Mike Allred’s official Site, Mike Allred’s Art Blog, and Comic Art Community

Review: Marvel Zombies (by Robert Kirkman and Sean Phillips)

Posted on by Arleigh

When Marvel Zombies was first announced I had been away from reading the superhero titles from DC and Marvel. I’d gone fully into non-superhero titles. One such title is Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead. Kirkman finally created a story which really tapped into what Romero was talking about in his Living Dead films. Kirkman’s zombie series continued where the film end credits began. To suddenly find out that Kirkman was to pen a “What If…?” style miniseries for Marvel telling the tale of what would happen if the Marvel Universe (well on of its alternates at least) and all its heroes and supervillains had suddenly all turned into flesh-eating zombies was great news indeed.

Marvel Zombies continues where the Ultimates Fantastic Four “Crossover” story-arc left off (story-arc where we’re introduced to the Marvel Zombies alternate universe). The Ultimates Fantastic Four has made it back safely to their Ultimates reality through the assistance of an unzombified Magneto. In the very first pages of Marvel Zombies we find Magneto on the run from those superheroes and villains turned zombies gunning for him. With these super-powered zombies having devoured the planet’s population within days they’re now set to hunting down, and at times, fighting with each other for the last few remaining people left on Earth for them to feed their hunger.

This being titled Marvel Zombies and not Magneto should give a hint as to the fate of the Master of Magnetism. No, this book deals with how the Marvel Zombies solve through their problem of not having anymore people to eat. It’s a good thing that in this reality Galactus and his herald, the Silver Surfer, have decided it was time to add Earth to the Devourer of Worlds’ menu. Unbeknownst to the Silver Surfer and Galactus, a planet they once thought to be teeming with life and energy to be consumned has become a death world where only the zombified Marvel heroes and villains remain.

The scenes once the Surfer and Galactus arrive were both action-packed and also full of some very dark humor. It was very difficult trying to root for anyone since in the end everyone left in the story were the “bad guys” but where the Surfer and Galactus were the serious villains in the story the Marvel Zombies themselves were funny enough in their need to take down Galactus and his Herald to feast on. The aftermath of the battle between the remaining Marvel zombies and Galactus makes for a great twist and also makes sense in a darkly humorous and wicked way.

Kirkman doesn’t dwell too much on the nature of the zombie plague’s effect on people’s humanity and feelings. He goes all-out to tell a fun, rip-roaring story. It shows in that there’s a little less depth in the book’s story than in Kirkman’s Walking Dead series, but what the story lacks in dramatic depth was made up for in some very funny and witty dialogue between the zombies themselves. The artwork by Sean Phillips (been a fan of his style since his work on Ed Brubaker’s Sleeper) complimented well with Kirkman’s zombie writing. I also like the fact that this graphic novel collected all the Marvel Zombies issue covers (both first and later reprintings) by renowned artist Arthur Suydam. His zombified alternate covers of classic Marvel issue covers was something of a great treat for comic book fans everywhere.

So, while Marvel Zombies doesn’t rise to the dramatic depths of The Walking Dead what it does do is tell a fun story of zombies versus Cosmic beings with plenty of flesheating and bloody good action. I’m glad that as great as Marvel Zombies was I’m even gladder that Marvel decided to re-visit this oft-kilter universe with some follow-up miniseries like Marvel Zombies vs The Army of Darkness and Marvel Zombies Volumes 2 thru 5.

Farewell, Good Sir

Posted on by Viktor VonGlum



My first real exposure to Dwayne McDuffie was the Static Shock cartoon. I was aware of Static before the cartoon (due to the 90’s Milestone Comics, but I didn’t read a Milestone book until recently). Mr. McDuffie gave the audience an engaging narrative in addition to a different type of African American lead, a positive one. Virgil Hawkins was an honor roll student from a good family and not a gang banger, drug dealer, champion athlete, aspiring rapper (otherwise stereotypical black roles).

With the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited cartoons, Mr. McDuffie provided complex and rich stories that made the audience yearn for a world where Wally West, Bruce Wayne, and Clark Kent existed. His iteration of Clark Kent stands out in my mind because his Clark was damaged, burdened with such hurt and pain, yet soldiers on doing what he feels is right.
Later Man Of Action would put their Ben 10 series in his skillfully hands and he took that lump of clay and molded into a magnificent structure. He added so much depth and layers to the characters, put the characters through crucibles which caused to grow, and he also played with the concept of redemption along with good and evil. Now that he’s no longer here, the future of this fictional universe and its cherished characters are uncertain. Hopefully the staff will soldier on and make Dwayne McDuffie proud.

His films, Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths and All Star Superman, were treats for fans of excellent animation, DC fanboys, and lovers of an enthralling stories. I loved how he portrayed the Crime Syndicate as posthuman mafia with Ultraman ruling like some untouchable don as well as his nihilistic iteration of Owlman. He wowed with the way he was able to capture everything that made Kal El fantastic in Grant Morrison’s original story.


A few months ago, a friend of mine gave me the Icon trade (Icon was one of the flagship titles of Milestone comics). This book stood out because it dealt with issues that the Big Two (Marvel and DC) backed away from, such as teen pregnancy, inner city poverty and racism.

Dwayne McDuffie’s passing has impacted his fans and colleagues alike:

“I can’t wrap my mind around the notion that he’s not here anymore, to be honest.”
– Warren Ellis

“To work with Dwayne McDuffie was to be instantly at home with a kindred soul. You spoke the same language, you read the same comics, you tossed around ridiculous characters like B’wana Beast and the Ultra-Humanite with the same ease as two musicians riffing on a beloved childhood song. And like a musician, Dwayne fine tuned his stories until they sang. Dwayne made it easy because he was so good.”
– Paul Dini

Images courtesy of Denys Cowan, Comic Book Resources, Phil Bourassa, and Comic Art Community

Quotes courtesy of Warren Ellis Dot Com and Comic Book Resources

R.I.P. Dwayne McDuffie

Posted on by Arleigh

February 22, 2011 marks a sad date for the comic book and animation world. One of it’s brightest and most forward thinking talents has passed away.

Dwayne McDuffie has become one of the giants in the comic book world. He began his career in comics in the late 80’s and early 90’s with Marvel Comics where he wrote for the titles, Damage Control and Deathlok. He would also do freelance work for DC up until 1993 when he finally decided to create his own comic book studio, Milestone Media, as his way to respond to how minority characters were being handled in the two main comic book houses.

With Milestone Media he was able to create a studio which  had multi-diversity character that had been lacking within the more traditional Marvel and DC Comics. Titles such as Icon and Static became fan favorites. Even though the studio he created finally shutdown in 1997 he was still able to parlay one of his Milestone titles into a WB cartoon series, Static Shock. He would find his true calling as writer and soon story editor in some of DC Animations best work. A majority of the stories for the animated series Justice League and Justice League Unlimited were either written or supervised by him. He would also be on hand to revamp Cartoon Network’s Ben 10 into Ben 10: Alien Force.

His return to comics in 20o6 would include stints as writer for Fantastic Four and Justice League of America. But his best work continued to be in the animation side as he writes two of the best received animation films from DC Animation with Justice League: Crisis on Two-Earths and, the recently released, All-Star Superman. The latter has already gained such a positive response from critics and fans alike that they’ve called it the best thing to be released by DC Animation.

So, it is with a sad heart that on the release date of his greatest work one Dwayne McDuffie passed away leaving behind legions of fans and contemporaries. There is no better tribute for this giant of the comic book world than one of the greatest episodes of Justice League.

When Robot met Zombie… I meant Deathlok…

Posted on by Viktor VonGlum

Most of you know that I am a huge necrophobe but I dig this idea.  The Deathlok character may be a reanimated corpse, he lacks the mindless cannibal angle and is outfitted with state of the art cybernetics. In the 90’s, I discovered Deathlok in his Professor Michael Collins iteration, a pacifist whose brain was transferred into a cyborg killing machine and frequently interacted with A List heroes like Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men.

In recent years, robotic zombies returned as prototype troopers of Norman Osborn’s HAMMER organization (while they were more shambling zombies than cyborg killers they did plant the seed for a more fleshed-out reintroduction). The idea made a more faithful return in Jason Aaron’s Wolverine run as anonymous Deathlok soldiers outfitted with web shooters, rapid self-repair function, repulsor ray technology, and laser version of Wolverine’s claws.   This February, Rick Remender transformed the concept into a pan-temporal virus that has infected Marvel’s posthuman populace and utilizes them as a military force. I appreciate what these writers have added to the tapestry but I yearn for the days of a solo Deathlok soldier. Below are my ideas about how to accomplish it.

My primary Deathlok idea involves a dystopian future 616 where most of the posthumans have been eliminated and humanity is oppressed by the industrial military complex.  The resistance group would recover Steve Roger’s preserved corpse, revive it and outfit it with the technology of fallen heroes (Cap’s body is preserved so that the Super Soldier serum could be reverse-engineered).  The Deathlok would possess Captain America’s Ubermensch brain and most of his body, Wolerine’s Adamantium claws, Tony Stark’s repulsor ray and Uni-Beam, the Iron Spider’s camouflage technology, Henry Pym’s size change technology, the energy version of Captain America’s shield and the Thor Clone’s hammer.

My other idea merges Remender’s viral version with the Techno-Organic Virus (Marvel’s version of the Borg). AIM or Hydra creates a variant of the Techno-Organic virus that grants the host posthuman abilities in addition to integrated weaponry. In true comic fashion, the vial containing the modified virus ends up in the possession of SHIELD operative who eventually uses it to become a super hero.

Images courtesy of Comic Book Resources

Review: The Walking Dead Volume 13 (by Robert Kirkman)

Posted on by Arleigh

It’s been almost a month since the final episode of the first season for the tv series adaptation of this comic book aired on AMC. The Frank Darabont and Gale Anne Hurd produced series became a major hit not just for the channel but also for everyone involved. While the adaptation deviated from the comic’s path at times in the end it helped established the post-apocalyptic world creator Robert Kirkman had been working five years to create. This is a world that is still on-going and, just weeks earlier, released the thirteenth volume of collected issues 73 thru to 78.

The 13th volume is aptly titled, Too Far Gone, as it continues where the previous trade paperback left off and that’s Rick and his group of survivors trying to settle in the safe, walled community in Alexandria, VA. This wasn’t the respite Rick and his group were hoping for, but it is as close to one as they’ll get as their original destination of Washington, DC resembles much of everything else they’ve seen and that’s unsafe devastation.

As Rick gradually gets used to going back as a lawman for the community everyone else do their part in doing the new jobs handpicked for them by the community’s leader Douglas. Through the first half of the volume we see through the point of view of certain character that this safe haven they’ve joined has it’s fair share of secrets and that not everything was as stable as they’ve been led to believe. While some of the revelations the reader will read as the volume unfolds doesn’t bring back images of Woodbury and The Governor, they do show that the underbelly of the Alexandria community is just as rotten but in other ways.

The title of the volume is in regards to Rick as a character and to a small degree the rest of his group. Here they are in a safe place with other survivors who just want to try and get back to living life the way it used to be. The paranoia and mistrust Rick has built within himself after the long journey from his hospital bed to this place has begun to chip away at not just his sanity but his humanity as well. He hasn’t turned the corner to become another Governor, but his actions in regards to trying to safeguard their new found safety does show that Rick and some in his group do not trust all the smiles and well-wishes thrown their way.

Rick knows that as safe as they all might seem now it doesn’t take much for all of it to come crashing down. It’s this looming threat that forces Rick to behave in ways which does have people question if he’s lost it and has he become a danger not just to their new benefactors but to his own people as well. The answer to this question wasn’t clear and remains, like all of Kirkman’s answer to certain moral question throughout the series, ambiguous and left up to the reader to decide if what Rick has done for the safety of his son and the others keep him in the role of hero or villain.

The volume ends in relatively safe conditions, but clues of an ominous consequence at the solution to some of the community’s outside problems may just bring a much bigger one in the next volume.

For those who are fans of the comic book the last two volumes has been slower affairs with quick bursts of action and horror. Like volume 6 and 7 previously, this relative calm before the storm may just bring about another major change to the roster of characters we’ve been following since the battle at the prison. Will we see another major kill-off of characters? Only Kirkman can answer that and it will be another 4-5 months before the next volume hits the streets. It will be a long wait indeed.

 

No Name Anthologies: Script #2

Posted on by Viktor VonGlum

No Name Anthologies: Issue #2

“Fight Night”

1st draft 11/20/06

By “Senor Geekus”

REFERENCE

VILLAINS

The Children of Ares: An assassin cult whose members are adept in Chanpurū, a hybrid fighting style that incorporates close quarters combat, Ki manipulation, Spetsnaz Sambo, and taijutsu.  They have the lean and athletic martial artist body. They are dressed in a jet black Kāṣāya.

Mordred: The leader of the Children. He is a mature man in his 60’s. His body is lean and in shape. Visually he resembles Patrick Stewart with a devilish goatee.  He wears a white Kāṣāya with long paper beads wrapped around his arms which he uses as weapons

ADDITIONAL CHARACTER

Agent Doe: The typical man in black. Visually he resembles Agent Smith. He has a mustache and his hair is blond.

 

PAGE 1:

PANEL ONE: Zero is walking down Central Park with his hands in his pocket. There is an evening sky in the horizon.

PANEL TWO: A Child emerges from a puff of smoke (similar to how a ninja appears and disappears using smoke) in front of Zero.

PANEL THREE: Zero and the Child are facing each other.

Child: Moniker, I have been sent to end your life.

Zero Moniker: I am already asleep. I desire to be awakened!

PANEL FOUR: The Child assumes a fighting stance and there is a look of anger in his face. Child: Then you will be awakened with pain!

PANEL FIVE: Zero shrugs. There is an apathetic look in his eyes.

Zero Moniker: You are welcome to try, but Morpheus’ hold is strong.

PAGE 2:

PANEL ONE: The Child leaps towards Zero.

PANEL TWO: He performs a drop kick.

PANEL THREE: Zero evades the kick, leaving speed lines similar to the Flash as he moves. Phantom is radiating a white glow.

PANEL FOUR: Zero unleashes an electrical bolt. The bolt hits the Child’s midsection. Zero is facing the child and the Child’s back is in view.

PANEL FIVE: The Child crashes through several trees.

PAGE 3:

PANEL ONE: The Child is getting up. His white uniform is bloody. There is a look of sheer rage in his face.

PANEL TWO: The Child is resumes the stance.

PANEL THREE: A close-up Zero’s mask. It glowing more radiant.

PANEL FOUR: A larger electrical bolt hitting the Child.

PANEL FIVE: The Child’s uniform is charred and his skin is blistered.

The Child: The Children of Ares do not fight alone. I will not be the last.

PAGE 4:

PANEL ONE: Six Children of Ares materialize before Zero.

PANEL TWO: Close-up of the Eldest Child. His eyes emit a murderous glare.

Eldest Child: You dare injure our brother! You will pay most dearly!

PANEL THREE: Their eyes flash crimson with murderous intent as they assume the stance.

PANEL FOUR: Fiery aura emanate from their bodies.

PAGE 5:

PANEL ONE: The Children begin their attack by pouncing on him

PANEL TWO: Zero leaps away in an attempt to avoid them. The same speed lines are seen.

PANEL THREE: A Child grabs Zero’s foot

PANEL FOUR: Close-up of Zero’s face. There is a look of shock in Zero’s eyes.

Zero Moniker: H… How is this possible??

PANEL FIVE: Zero is thrown violently to the ground.

PANEL SIX: Zero gets up and straightens his wrinkled suit.

PAGE 6:

PANEL ONE: The Children have him surrounded.

PANEL TWO: White Space because Zero unleashed a blinding flash of light

PANEL THREE: The Children are grabbing their eyes in pain.  Zero is standing in their midst, calm.

The Children: Arrghh!! Brother we are blind!

Eldest Child: That coward uses tricks!

PANEL FOUR: Zero knocks them with a kinetic shockwave. The shockwave should resemble a circular ripple effect.

PANEL FIVE: Three of the Children flying to the right.

PANEL SIX: The remaining children flying to the left.

PAGE 7:

PANEL ONE (ONE-PAGE SPREAD): Zero is standing calmly with his hands in his pocket. His surrounding resembles a war zone. Trees are broken. The Children are lying unconscious and broken. The ground around Zero is scorched.

PAGE 8:

PANEL ONE: Zero is surveying the damage. Speed lines are moving towards him.

PANEL TWO: Mordred appears behind Zero.

Mordred: So my Children could not awaken the dreamer. You will not fare so well against me!

PANEL THREE: A close-up of Zero’s eyes. His pupil shrinks from disbelief and complete shock.

PANEL FOUR: Mordred assumes the stance.

PANEL FIVE: Mordred kicks him in his back. There is a fiery aura around his leg.

PANEL SIX: The move launches Zero into the air.

PAGE 9:

PANEL ONE: Zero soars at an accelerated rate. He is unable to move because of the force of the kick.

PANEL TWO: Mordred appears in the air.

PANEL THREE: Mordred strikes him in his chest. The same fiery aura is around his fist.

PANEL FOUR: Zero plummeting to the ground below.

PAGE 10:

PANEL ONE: Close-up of Zero falling. His eyes flash.

PANEL: TWO: Zero spins himself.

PANEL THREE: Zero lands on his feet.

PANEL FOUR: Mordred appears before him.

PANEL FIVE: Zero fires a photonic blast. The blast resembles a crescent moon.

PANEL SIX: Mordred evades the attack.

PAGE 11:

PANEL ONE: Zero leaps into the air. His body is radiating.

PANEL TWO: Zero has become the Zero Star.

PANEL THREE: The sky is electrified with the Zero Star’s power.

PANEL FOUR: Five electrical bolts descend towards Mordred.

PANEL FIVE: He evades them with flips.

PAGE 12:

PANEL ONE: Mordred assumes the stance.

PANEL TWO: The Zero Star appears in front of him.

PANEL THREE: Mordred is covered with an electrical glow.

PANEL FOUR: A close-up of Mordred’s eye. They burn red with murderous intent.

Mordred: Do you really think that this will defeat me boy?

PANEL FIVE: A fiery aura flows from his body and dispels the electrical glow.

PANEL SIX: Mordred resumes the stance.

PAGE 13:

PANEL ONE (ONE-PAGE SPREAD): Mordred is surrounded by a more powerful aura.  The ground around him is being destroyed and there is a ripple effect. The Zero Star is distorted by the ripples.

PAGE 14:

PANEL ONE: Zero is on his knees clutching his head. His eyes convey his shock and pain.

Zero Moniker: This is not possible! No one can undo my enlightenment!

PANEL TWO: Mordred appears behind him. His hand is raised to deliver a deathblow.

PANEL THREE: A close-up of his face. He is still in shock and pain.

Phantom: Compose yourself or you will be awakened!

PANEL FOUR: There are speed lines. Mordred hits the vacant spot; leaving a small crater in the ground.

PANEL FIVE: Zero is back to his default apathetic stance with his hands in his pocket.

PAGE 15:

PANEL ONE: Zero fires three more photonic blasts.

PANEL TWO: Mordred leaps to evade them.

PANEL THREE: Zero fires an electrical bolt.

PANEL FOUR: Mordred performs a corkscrew spin to avoid it.

PANEL FIVE: A close-up of Mordred loosening the prayer beads on his arms.

PAGE 16:

PANEL ONE: He ensnares Zero with the beads.

Mordred: This is your wake up call, dreamer!

PANEL TWO: He swings Zero into a nearby tree.

Zero Moniker: Arrgghhh

PANEL THREE: He slams Zero into the ground.

PANEL FOUR: He whips Zero up into the air.

PANEL FIVE: A close-up of Zero’s face. His right eye is closed and bruised. His left eye burns with determination.

PANEL SIX: A close-up of Zero’s hands clutching the beads. His hands are glowing.

PAGE 17:

PANEL ONE: A view of Zero still in midair and Mordred on the ground holding the beads.

PANEL TWO: A close-up of the bead. The glow travels down the beads.

PANEL THREE: The energy encircles Mordred.

PANEL FOUR: The energy engulfs him and he appears to be electrocuted as the power surges through him.

PANEL FIVE: Zero is removing the beads. His eyes convey his tiredness. His suit is torn and bloodied.

Zero Moniker: The dream came close to ending.

PANEL SIX: Mordred is on ground unconscious. His clothes are charred and there is smoke rising from his burnt flesh.

PAGE 18:

PANEL ONE: The battle scene is flooded with FBI agents.

PANEL TWO: The Children are on stretchers and being loaded in ambulances.

PANEL THREE: Zero Moniker is on park bench exhausted.

PANEL FOUR: Agent Doe is approaching Moniker.

Agent Doe: Mr. Moniker, the FBI would like to thank you for apprehending these extremists.

PANEL FIVE: Zero Moniker gives him a “thumbs up”.

Zero Moniker: Uncle Sam knows how to thank me.

PANEL SIX: Zero is sprawled over on the same bench.

Zero Moniker: Phantom, have you devised a method to deal with fighter types?

Phantom: Yes, another incident like this will not occur!

Zero Moniker: Thank Logic. I don’t think that I could take another beating like that.

 

FIN