pseudo wisdom 20

"I try to leave out the parts that people skip."

-Elmore Leonard

Beyond Man #3

Beyond Man #3

PAGE 1

Panel 1: Close up of Leo Machiano Jr standing at the head of a long boardroom table.

Leo: You're probably wondering why I called you all here today.

Panel 2: Pull out to show that older scientists are sitting on both sides of the table and looking to Leo.

Leo: As you know, my father Leo Machiano Sr passed away a few days ago and left all his shares of LeoCorps to me.

Panel 3: Reaction shot of scientists looking to Leo as he gives his speech.

Leo(OP): Many of you helped my father to build this company. You worked with him on his public projects, the highly profitable LeoPhone 4DS, and the LeoCube videogame console, to name a few...

Panel 4: Cut back to Leo at the head of the table.

Leo: ...but you also were involved with his secret government contracts to develop anti-superhuman technologies. Specifically, you helped my father create weapons designed to kill Beyond Man.

Panel 5: Same shot.

Leo: I'm sure you're all aware of my father's obsession with Beyond Man. He thought Beyond Man was an extradimensional infection in our reality that threatened to unravel the laws of physics.

Panel 6: Cut back to the now very concerned older scientists. They are sort of glancing at each other as if they're afraid this could take a bad turn.

Leo(OP): All of you profitted off my father's vendetta. You spent decades developing giant robots, scores of super-mutant freaks, and wasted billions of my inheritance, only to fail to destroy Beyond Man. Well...

PAGE 2

Panel 1: Leo points and clicks a TV remote. He is smiling.

Leo: ...I am not my father. Leo Machiano Jr does not fail. I am going to do what my father never could.

Panel 2: Leo walks a bit away from the table and we pull out to show a large flat screen TV on the wall. The scientists are watching from the table. The TV displays a news anchor.

TV: We have an update on the recent return of Matthew Wylie AKA Beyond Boy. The son of The Man From Beyond was spotted in New York City yesterday...

Panel 3: Now the TV screen fills the panel. We see Matt in the Beyond Man costume at a food stand in NYC. He is taking a coffee from the vendor (who is ecstatic to serve such a celebrity). A reporter is in the frame and holding a mic near Matt.

Reporter: Mr. Wylie, what are you doing back in New York? Why are you wearing your father's costume?

Beyond Man: Uh, I'm getting a coffee. And I'm wearing my dad's costume because I'm trying to fill in for him until he comes back from his, uh, vacation.

Panel 4: Pull out to show the same shot as panel 2, the TV on the wall and Leo standing near it. We see the news anchor on the tv again.

TV: The Mysteries were not available for comment on whether or not this is a sanctioned use of the trademarked Beyond Man likeness.

Leo: Now, I know this isn't the real Beyond Man.

Panel 5: Same shot, leo turns off the TV.

Leo: It's just his half human son, the disgraced "Charlie Sheen of superheroes". I don't care.

Panel 6: Close up on Leo, he is smiling.

Leo: I'm going to kill Beyond Man, even if it's just a pale imitation. Now...I'd like to hear your best proposals.

PAGE 3

Panel 1: An older, mid 60's scientists stands up from the table. He is holding a flashdrive.

Sci: Sir, if I may, I have something I think you'll be quite pleased to see.

Panel 2: The same scientist walks to the flat screen TV and inserts the flash drive into the side of the TV.

Sci: I was collaborating on this project with your father for years, until he got sick. This may be the most advanced anti-superhuman defense technology ever conceived.

Panel 3: We see the TV and sci standing next to it. On the TV is a huge robotic suit in a hanger. This thing is big, at least 5 stories tall, there are technicians working on it on a scaffolding that surrounds the suit.

Sci: Meet the LeoCorps Battlesuit XR. Over 950 million dollars in the making and designed by your father himself, it is capable of matching if not surpassing our estimates of Beyond Man's top strength.

Panel 4: Now the TV fills the screen again and we see blue prints and details of the suit.

Sci(OP): The XR not only generates forcefields that simulate Beyond Man's invulnverability, but it is also outfitted with an array of B-wave generators. As you know, B-waves are the only frequency of radiation known to weaken Beyond Man...

Panel 5: Pull out to show the same shot as panel 3. The TV is displaying the suit in flight, huge rockets (think spaceshuttle launch) keep it in the air. Sci looks excited.

Sci: The XR flies at speeds approaching Mach 4. This machine is the Royles Royce of anti-superhuman technology. I would stake my career on the XR's ability to put Beyond Man in the grave.

PAGE 4

Panel 1: Leo is seated at the head of the table. All the scientists are looking to him for his reaction.

Panel 2: Same shot.

Leo: You're fired.

Panel 3: Cut to Sci at the TV, we see the XR doing some impressive stunt like firing a huge energy blast.

Sci: What?! You...you can't--

Panel 4: Close up on Leo at the head of the table.

Panel 5: Same shot.

Leo: Seriously, get out. You'll be given a generous severance package. Now, I don't want to see the same tired tactics from the rest of you.

Panel 6: Show some younger sceintists and the older Sci leaving in a huff in the background.

Leo(OP): Attacking Beyond Man in giant robot suits is done to hell, and it has failed more times than I care to count. Do any of you have an original idea to share with the class?

PAGE 5

Panel 1: Same shot, a younger scientist "Otisberg" stands up.

Otisberg: Ah...Mr. Machiano...

Leo(OP): Call me Leo.

Panel 2: Otisberg walks to the TV with a flash drive and inserts it into the side of the TV.

Otisberg: Right, ah, Leo...I have an idea that your father rejected, but I think it has considerable merit.

Leo(OP): It better.

Panel 3: Otisberg standing next to the TV. On the TV, we see designs for an exoskeleton trooper. Think "JetMan", but outfitted with an elaborate exoskeleton suit as well as Buzz Lightyear style wings and gun attachments on the arms.

Otisberg: Your father preferred to attack Beyond Man with a singular source of tremendous firepower. What I propose is that we try to overpower Beyond Man with a battalion of less powerful but still formidable soldiers...

Panel 4: TV fills the frame again, we see a cartoon style depiction of many of these armored soldiers flying around, firing b-wave blasts, etc.

Otisberg(OP): ...outfitted in exoskeletons equipped with b-wave generators, flying apparatus, and low level force fields. We hit him hard and fast from every direction.

Panel 5: Otisberg standing next to the TV. We see more action shots of the flying soldiers.

Leo(OP): That's it? This is the best you've got for me?

Otisberg: Actually, no. You see, I think your father was wrong to try to physically defeat Beyond man.

Panel 6: Close up on Otisberg.

Otisberg: That's impossible. What I am suggesting is that we don't even try to best him in combat. We don't focus the brunt of our attack on the body.

Panel 7: Same shot, Otisberg taps his temple.

Otisberg: We attack the mind.

PAGE 6

Panel 1: Leo at the head of the table. He looks interested.

Leo: I'm intrigued. Continue.

Panel 2: Otisberg standing by the TV again. The TV displays photos of top secret documents reading, "LeoCorps Project Understudy". A lot of the text is blacked out.

Otisberg: Beyond Man is nearly omnipotent. He isn't used to difficult challenges. That's all the exoskeleton army is designed to do, to simply hurt Beyond Man, to make him think he's in trouble.

Panel 3: TV screen fills the panel again. We see designs/blueprints for a superhuman that radiates energy from his body. There are notations all around his body, maybe we have cross sections that show the muscles in certain parts of his body, try to show that this is a scientific way of giving the human biology superpowers. There are equations on the page as well. We see "Project Understudy" at the top of the page.

Otisberg(OP): And right when he's starting to sweat, we swoop in with our own proprietary superhero who will seemingly save Beyond Man.

Panel 4: Leo at the head of the table. He is confused.

Leo: Our own superhero? Since when do we have the tech to give people superpowers? If we could do that, why don't we just make an army of superhumans?

Otisberg(OP): First of all, it's extremely expensive. Second...

Panel 5: We see Otisberg next to the TV again. We see designs of the LeoCorps proprietary superhero using his powerful energy blasts.

Otisberg: ...well, your father commissioned Project Understudy. It was a program to create his own personal superhero to replace Beyond Man, but he scrapped the idea because he couldn't stomach giving that much power to anyone but himself.

Leo(OP) So why didn't he volunteer for the program?

Panel 6: Close up on Otisberg.

Otisberg: Because the procedure takes about 40 years off your life expectancy. Anyone that undergoes this powering process would only live 5 years tops.

PAGE 7

Panel 1: Otisberg walks back to the table.

Otisberg: Look, you're a smart guy. Clearly, you understand that Matt Wylie has shown himself to be mentally vulnerable. His instability and addiction problems are common knowledge. All we have to do is assault his vanity, his self esteem, and sense of worth...

Panel 2: Cut to Leo's reaction, he is loving this idea.

Otisberg(OP): ...and he will defeat himself. He'll fall into a spiral of self destructive behavior, and you will have your own replacement ready to step in. A puppet superhero that will protect LeoCorps interests by any means necessary.

Panel 3: Same shot.

Leo: What's your name?

Otisberg(OP): Bill Otisberg.

Leo2: You've given me a lot to think about, Bill.

Panel 4: Leo stands up at the head of the table.

Leo: That will be all for now. I want to see 10 ideas for how to put Beyond Man out of his misery from each of you on my desk by tomorrow morning.

Panel 5: It's night now, and Leo is in his bedroom. He is standing by a huge window with a fantastic view of NYC and he is holding a drink.

Vanessa(OP): Leo, baby? What are you still doing up? Come back to bed...

Leo: He's out there, Vanessa.

Panel 6: We see Leo's supermodel girlfriend in lingerie and in their bed.

Vanessa: Who?

PAGE 8

Panel 1: Close up of Leo at the window. He turns slightly to answer Vanessa.

Leo: Beyond Man. Matt Wylie. He's out there in my city, and every second he lives is another second I fail to step out of my father's shadow.

Vanessa(OP): Honey, come on.

Panel 2: Cut back to Vanessa in bed.

Vanessa: You hated your dad. You said so all the time. You kept telling me how his obsession with Beyond Man was the worst thing that ever happened to your family.

Leo(OP): I know.

Panel 3: Leo from behind as he stares out the window at the city.

Leo: I don't even have anything against Beyond Man. I was indifferent towards the first one, and I don't care much about Matt Wylie either.

Panel 4: Same shot.

Leo: It's not personal. It's just business. I need to prove to everyone in LeoCorps that the company is in good hands, that I can do what my father couldn't. I will kill Beyond Man.

Vanessa(OP): Shhh!

Panel 5: Cut back to Vanessa in bed.

Vanessa: He can hear you! Beyond Man can hear everything...can't he?

Leo(OP) Relax.

Panel 6: Same shot of Leo looking out the window.

Leo: My father had this loft sound proofed against his extradimensional senses years ago. We can speak freely here.

PAGE 9

Panel 1: Same shot, but we see Beyond Man fly by the window.

Panel 2: Leo throws his glass at the window in anger, but Beyond Man is already gone. It shatters and liquid goes everywhere.

Leo: God damn it!

Panel 3: Now we cut to Leo sitting at a huge desk in front of a huge window onto NYC. It is daytime. We see a stack of papers on his desk.

Leo: Well? What have you got for me, Otisberg?

Panel 4: Opposite side of the desk, we see Bill Otisberg. He tosses a thick binder onto the desk.

Otisberg: Take a look for yourself,sir.

Panel 5: Close up on Leo looking through the binder.

Leo: I told you, call me Leo, Otisberg.

Otisberg(OP): Uh, I guess you can call me Bill then.

Leo2: I prefer Otisberg. What am I looking at?

Panel 6: We see Leo's view of the files. There are pictures of stern looking ex-military men in the exoskeletons and standing in a row in an empty hangar.

Otisberg(OP): Since you gave the go ahead on Project Understudy a few weeks ago, we've made some considerable progress. We recruited over a dozen dishonorable discharged air force men to operate the exoskeletons...

PAGE 10

Panel 1: Same shot, more binder photographs. We see the exoskeleton soldiers flying in a V-formation.

Otisberg(OP): ...all of whom were hired through a dummy corporation and signed non-disclosure agreements.

Panel 2: Another binder shot, we see a single exoskeleton soldier firing his energy blast at a dummy target resembling Beyond Man. It explodes.

Otisberg(OP): They are fully trained o use the exoskeletons and have been briefed extensively on the best strategies to take down Beyond Man.

Panel 3: Over Otisberg's shoulder, we see Leo sitting at his desk and looking through the binder.

Otisberg: They think they're working on a black ops government mission to bring in Matt Wylie because he's a danger to society.

Leo: Excellent. Very clever, Otisberg.

Panel 4:Cut to a close up of Otisberg. He looks very concerned.

Otisberg: Sir, er, uh, Leo, I don't mean to speak out of turn, but why are we doing this?

Leo(OP): Excuse me?

Panel 5: Same shot.

Otisberg: Ah, I mean, in the weeks since Wylie resurfaced, he had gone on quite the crime stopping spree. You must have seen the news.

Panel 6: Cut to Leo, he looks annoyed.

Otisberg(OP): As the new Beyond Man, he has been all over the city fighting crime and saving lives, literally non stop, all day and night, for weeks on end.

Panel 7: Same shot.

Otisberg(OP): Some analysts are saying that if he keeps up this pace for a few more days, he will half the crime rate in NYC and save more lives than The Mysteries do in 6 months.

Leo: What's your point?

PAGE 11

Panel 1: Cut to Otisberg. He looks exasperated.

Otisberg: What's my point? Oh, I don't know, isn't it a bad thing to stop Beyond Man? Isn't he doing good work?

Panel 2: Cut to Leo, he looks deadly serious.

Otisberg(OP): And there's something else...I worked for your father for years, and I never saw any tangible evidence to suggest that government contracts to develop anti-superhuman technology actually exist.

Panel 3: Same shot.

Panel 4: Same shot.

Leo: Are you finished?

Otisberg(OP): ...yeah, I guess, Leo. I just thought I'd ask.

Panel 5: Side shot showing Leo talking to Otisberg across the desk.

Leo: I admit, you have good questions. You'll have to take my word that the government deals exist. As for why I am going to kill Beyond Man...

Panel 6: Over Otisberg's shoulder, we see Leo sitting at the desk. Behind him, Beyond Man can be seen flying by the window.

Leo: ...well, my father thought that the presence of an extradimensional being was a threat to them fabric of reality. I don't know about that.

Panel 7: Cut to Otisberg, he looks nervous.

Leo(OP): ...the why, for me, is because I can. And my late father couldn't...what? Is something wrong?

PAGE 12

Panel 1: Pull out to show the huge office and Otisberg sitting across the desk from Leo. Leo is half turning and looking behind him.

Otisberg: Uh, no Leo, nothing....

Leo: Fair enough, Otisberg. So what about our LeoCorps superhero...what is your progress on creating our Manchurian Vigilante?

Panel 2: Cut to Leo's view of Otisberg.

Otisberg: My team has compiled a list of suitable candidates for you tom interview. They think they are interviewing to be your personal bodyguard.

Panel 3: Same shot, but now we see a very tall and well built man in a suit sitting where Otisberg waas. He has a linebacker body type.

1: Well, I think I would be perfect for the job because I have a decade of experience in the secret service.

Panel 4: Same shot.

1: I have never taken a sick day, I don't drink, I don't take vacations, and I would take a bullet for you without a second of hesitation.

Panel 5: Cut to Leo sitting behind the desk.

Leo: You're not what we're looking for.

1(OP): I don't think you understand...I've personally saved the president's life...

Leo2: We have your number. Thanks for your time.

Panel 6: Cut back to Leo's view of the interview chair. We see another linebacker type in a marine uniform.

2: Why would I be the right man to defend you? I served four tours of duty in Iraq, and I--

Panel 7: Cut back to Leo at his desk. He is unimpressed.

Leo: We've decided to go in a different direction.

PAGE 13

Panel 1: Again, we have Leo's view of the interview chair. We see another linebacker type in a cop uniform.

3: Well, I think I would be good as your bodyguard because I spent my entire adult life on the force. I know the meaning of responsibility, I have a sense of duty--

Panel 2: Cut to Leo again.

Leo: I'm sorry, we're not interested. Don't call us, we'll call you.

Panel 3: Leo is standing by his desk and looking out the window. He is holding a drink and thinking. There is a window washer on a scaffold cleaning the window.

Leo: Not a single worthy candidate in the bunch.

Panel 4: Close up on Leo's face as he takes a sip of his drink and looks out the window.

Panel 5: Pull out to show Leo knocking on the window and trying to get the window washer's attention. The washer is reacting in a, "Who, me?" way.

Leo: You...yes, you. Can you hear me out there? What am I saying, of course you can't, not even Beyond Man can hear me in here.

Panel 6: Close up on Leo from outside the window. He has pressed a note against the glass. It reads, "Get down from there and come to my office. NOW."

PAGE 14

Panel 1: Side shot of the window washer sitting across from Leo at his desk.

Leo: Call me Leo. And you are?

Siegel: Uh, John Siegel...what is this about? Have I done something wrong?

Panel 2: We have Siegel's view of Leo.

Leo: No, not at all. I just want the common man's opinion on somethings. What do you think of Beyond Man?

Panel 3: We have Leo's view of Siegel.

Siegel: Beyond Man? Well, I think he's a hero. He saved my life a couple years back. I fell from a scaffold while washing LeoCorps windows, actually...It's a shame he left--

Panel 4: Cut back to Leo, he is waving his hand in a somewhat dismissive gesture.

Leo: No no, not the original Beyond Man. I mean his son, the new guy.

Siegel(OP): Oh, him?

Panel 5: Cut back to Siegel. He is disgusted.

Siegel: That kid's not Beyond Man. It's an insult to Beyond Man to call him that. He's a self indulgent drug addict with delusions of grandeur.

Panel 6: Same shot but zoom in on Siegel's face a bit.

Siegel: He was born into a life of superheroics, but he doesn't deserve a minute of it. He's like a rich kid who inherited a lot of money. He doesn't know how to use it an he never earned it.

Panel 7: Side shot again, Siegel looks nervous, as if he thinks he has offended Leo.

Siegel: No offense to you, Leo. I just got a little excited is all...sorry about that...

Leo: No, don't be sorry, Siegel.

PAGE 15

Panel 1: Over Siegel's shoulder, we see Leo. He is very impressed.

Leo: People have been telling me what they think I want to hear all day. Your honest opinion is refreshing.

Panel 2: Cut to a close up of Leo's face. He looks very serious.

Leo: What if I told you that you could have everything that Beyond Man's son has?

Panel 3: Cut to Leo standing with Otisberg in front of a glass window. Through the window, we see Siegel strapped into a vertical table and surrounded by scientists and technicians. Feel free to go crazy with the tubes and equipment hooked up to Siegel. Otisberg is pleading with Leo.

Otisberg: Sir, ah, I mean Leo, you can't be serious. I provided you with a list of more qualified candidates who have the necessary experience.

Panel 4: Same shot.

Otisberg: And you chose this guy? A window washer? A glorified janitor? Leo, this man will wield incredible powers.

Leo: I am serious, Otisberg. Quite serious.

Panel 5: cut to Otisberg desperately trying to convince Leo. We see the window and Siegel on the table in the background.

Otisberg: With all due respect Leo, I am begging you to reconsider. Why would you choose to give this man superpowers?

Panel 6: Wide shot of Leo and Otisberg by the window. Leo has put his arm around Otisberg. We see that the scientists and technicians have backed off to operate machinery around the room.

Leo: Because, Otisberg, he's stupid, and he'll do what I say.

PAGE 16

Panel 1: Close up of Siegel straining against his restrains. He is in considerable pain and surrounded by an aura of purple energy. Purple sparks are arcing off his body. He is screaming.

Panel 2: Close up on Siegel's face, particularly his eyes. His eyes are shut in pain, and we still see purple energy consuming him.

Panel 3: Now, Siegel's eyes are still closed, but he looks peaceful and the purple energy is gone.

OP: Mr. Siegel?

Panel 4: Pull out a bit, Siegel is lying in a hospital style bed with an IV and a heart monitor. He is waking up.

Siegel: What happened? Where am I?

OP: You're still at LeoCorps. You volunteered for an experimental procedure to give you superhuman abilities.

Panel 5: Cut to Siegel's view of Otisberg and Leo standing by the bed. At the far wall, we see a glass window. Many scientists with clipboards are standing behind it.

Otisberg: ...do you remember that?

Siegel(OP): Yes, yes, I do. How long have I been out?

Leo: Three days. How do you feel?

Panel 6: Cut back to Siegel, he is trying to sit up but Otisberg is grabbing his shoulder and trying to ease him back into bed.

Siegel: Tired, sore. Did it work?

Otisberg: Hey, take it easy, you really shouldn't get up.

Panel 7: Cut to Siegel's bedridden view of Leo and the scientists behind the glass window. Both Leo and the scientists look shocked. There is a purple glow in the room.

Leo: Oh my God...Yes, I think it worked. I think I can say with a high degree of confidence that it worked.

Siegel(OP): What? You sound worried...my vision is real blurry all of the sudden...can't see nothing...is that science guy screaming?

PAGE 17

Panel 1: Cut to Siegel sitting up on the bed. His eyes are bright purple, he is surrounded by an aura of purple energy. Otisberg's hand where he touched Siegel when he was sitting up, is now gone. In it's place is a stump smoldering with purple smoke. He is recoiling in extreme pain.

Siegel: Is something wrong?

Panel 2: Now we cut to the interior of an airplane hangar. We see Siegel floating in the air, glowing with purple energy, and levitating a van marked "LeoCorps" with the same energy. He is wearing a superhero costume, feel free to design it yourself but try to make it seem somewhat corporate. Scientists are on the ground observing and taking notes.

OP: How is his progress, Otisberg?

Panel 3: Cut to ground level, behind Leo and Otisberg who are standing together, and in the background we see that they are observing Siegel as he floats in the air and levitates the van.

Otisberg: He is out performing all of our expectations. The procedure seems to have worked...

Panel 4: Now, we cut to a close up of the front of Leo and Otisberg. Otisberg is holding an ipad like device with one hand. The other ends in a bandage covered stump; he is holding it up and looking at it.

Otisberg: ...except for the occasional inconvenient glitch.

Leo: I'm sorry about that, Otisberg, I truly am.

Panel 5: Same shot.

Leo: We'll get you set up with a robotic prosthetic as soon as possible.

Otisberg: Thanks Leo.

Leo2: As for Siegel, where are we on developing his superhero persona?

Panel 6: Over Otisberg's shoulder, he is showing the ipad to leo. Our view is predominantly of the ipad. We see designs on the screen for a superhero costume, and a list of names. "Apollo, Captain Mega, Captain Ultra, Titan, Atlas, Defender, Protector, Sentinel, Captain Supreme, Mr. Supreme"

Otisberg: We made the adjustments to the costume that you suggested, and we're working on narrowing down a list of names.

Leo: Hm.

PAGE 18

Panel 1: Front shot of Leo looking at the tablet next to Otisberg.

Leo: You know what? No superhero name.

Otisberg: I'm sorry? What do we call him then?

Panel 2: Behind the two of them and over their shoulders. We see Siegel floating in a dynamic pose and crushing the van he had levitated into a metal ball with his purple energy.

Leo: He'll go by his real name.

Otisberg: That's...unorthodox, Leo.

Panel 3: Close up on Siegel elegantly descending to the floor.

Leo(OP): I know, but we want to make a point. Our superhero must be everything that Beyond Man is not.

Panel 4: Siegel has landed. He is flexing his arms in a zen-like way, and they are emitting waves of purple, radiant energy. He seems like he is relishing in his power, as if he is in absolute control of a mystical force, an almost nirvana-like look on his face.

Leo(OP): He isn't hiding behind some superhero persona. He isn't Mr. Supreme, or Captain Omega.

Panel 5: Close up on Siegel's head. It is surrounded by a halo of purple energy, his eyes are closed, and he has a serene look on his face.

Leo(OP): He's just John Siegel, the working man's superhero. He's the superhero you want to have a beer with, not the one you see on the red carpet. He's perfect.

PAGE 19

Full Page: We see the glowing John Siegel standing on the ground and filling up most of the page in the foreground. Scientists have approached him and are taking notes on clipboards. In the background, we see Leo and Otisberg observing from afar.

Siegel: How'd I do boys?

Leo: And if he's not perfect...well, we have the destruct codes, right?

Otisberg: ...Yes Leo, yes we do.

PAGE 20

Panel 1: Otisberg is peaking his head through the door to Leo's office. He seems tiny in comparison to the huge door and wall of the office.

Otsiberg: Sir? Can I have a word?

Panel 2: We see Leo standing behind his desk and looking out the window.

Panel 3: Cut back to Otisberg, same as panel 1.

Otisberg: Ah, I mean, Leo?

Leo(OP) Come in, Otisberg. Take a seat.

Panel 4: Otisberg is taking the long walk from the entrance of the office to Leo's desk.

Otisberg: I just thought I should let you know...

Panel 5: Same shot, but he is at the desk now. We see that Otisberg has a robot hand.

Otisberg: All the pieces are in place.

Panel 6: Same shot, Otisberg sits down.

Otisberg: Siegel's abilities have manifested to their full extent. The winged exoskeleton soldiers are prepped and ready to initiate their attack. Everything is prepared exactly was you've ordered. But...

Leo(OP): But what?

PAGE 21

Panel 1: Same shot, Otisberg tosses a manila folder onto Leo's desk.

Otisberg: I have some concerns.

Leo(OP): Such as?

Otisberg2: Take a look at these statistics.

Panel 2: Leo stands by the desk, he has picked up the folder and opened it, but he is looking over the folder and at the camera in a very skeptical manner.

Otisberg(OP): Since Matt Wylie assumed the role of Beyond Man a month ago, he has saved a startling number of lives.

Leo: So?

Panel 3: Side shot of Otisberg seated in front of Leo's desk and Leo standing by the desk.

Otisberg: So? So!? I can't in good conscience be responsible for helping you to kill a man that is obviously a force for good!

Leo: Really? This is how you feel, Otisberg?

Panel 4: Close up on Otisberg flexing his robot hand and considering it. He looks remorseful.

Otisberg: Yes, Leo. I'm sorry. I got caught up in this. I was approaching it as a sort of engineering problem. I appreciuate everything you've done for me...

Panel 5: Same shot.

Otisberg: You'll find a recommendation for my replacement in that file. I'm quitting. I'm sorry, I just have to let people know what you're doing here. It's wrong.

Panel 6: Leo looks concerned and puts the file on his desk.

Leo: You're sure?

Otisberg(OP): Yes, I'm sure. I'm sorry, Leo.

Leo: Don't be sorry, you did excellent work for me.

PAGE 22

Panel 1: Same shot, Leo is reaching into his suit jacket.

Leo: It's just business. No hard feelings, right?

Otisberg: ...right.

Leo: I actually have quite a generous severance package for you...

Panel 2: Leo has whipped out a ray gun pistol and is pointing it straight at the camera. A blast of energy shoots out of it and at the camera.

Leo: Ruh roh!

Panel 3: Cut to where Otisberg was sitting. We now see a charred chair with a pile of ash on it. There is the metal robot hand sitting in the pile of ash.

Panel 4: Leo takes a seat at his desk and opens a box of cigars.

Leo: Well, that was really disappointing, Otisberg.

Panel 5: Close up, Leo puts a cigar in his mouth and lights it with the ray gun, which has a short, welding ray at the tip, not a full blast. Think butane torch.

Leo: No matter. You served your purpose.

Panel 6: Tight shot of Leo blowing smoke at the camera, he is looking right into the camera. He looks insidious.

Leo: In your next life, take a moral stand before you give me everything I need to ruin Beyond Man, not after.

Panel 7: Leo puts his feet up on his desk. He has put the ray gun on his desk. He is blowing smoke rings. We see Otisberge as a smouldering pile of ashes on the chair with the robot hand on top.

Leo: What a waste of a perfectly good robot hand.

pseudo wisdom 19

"In my writing I am acting as a map maker, an explorer of psychic areas, a cosmonaut of inner space, and I see no point in exploring areas that have already been thoroughly surveyed."

-William S. Burroughs

The Freebie page 4

Ibrahim Moustafa just put up his fourth page of my script "The Freebie".  You can get a larger version of this page and more of his great work at his deviant art.

PAGE 4

Panel 1: Behind shot of Wolverine walking towards the Skinhead, who is now terrified and running away. We see his two skinhead buddies on the ground and in considerable pain.
Skinhead2: You're...you're one of those mutie freaks!
Wolverine: Mutie freak? Them's fightin' words, bub.

Panel 2: Cut to an outside shot of the shady bar in a small southern town in the middle of nowhere. Skinhead2 has burst through the doors and is running towards the camera, trying to get away from Wolverine with his life.

Panel 3: Now Skinhead 2 is at his pick up truck and he is desperately fishing in his pockets for the keys.
Skinhead2: Come on, come on, gotta get out of here, where are my #@$% keys...

Panel 4: Over Skinhead2's shoulders, we see Wolverine has waked out of the bar, claws popped, and followed him to his car. Wolverine pulls the knife out of his shoulder as he is walking.
Skinhead2: ...Oh.
Wolverine: Yeah. "Oh". Any more mutant slurs to say before I gut you?

Panel 5: Tight shot of the panicking Skinhead2.
Skinhead2: Look man, I didn't want to do this! You cut off my brother's finger back there, this was all his idea! He heard you were at the bar...and our dad was a guard at a government facility...you killed our dad when we were little kids!

Panel 6: Skinhead 2 has fallen to his knees on the gravel in front of Wolverine.
Skinhead2: And now you're gonna kill me! It's not fair! I just...this wasn't even my idea, I didn't want to be here! I don't want to die...

pseudo wisdom 18

"Writing is utter solitude, the descent into the cold abyss of oneself."

-Franz Kafka

pseudo wisdom 17

"Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand."

-George Orwell

Reviews: 5/25/11

FF 4, written by Jonathan Hickman and illustrated by Barry Kitson

This comic is the best thing Marvel is publishing right now.  Hickman is bringing together all the plot lines he seeded throughout the series into one climactic showdown.  I started reading Hickman's Secret Warriors based on his writing in FF, and I think he might be my favorite writer currently working at Marvel.

This issue begins with a nice scene in the FF's kitchen.  Sue Storm is cutting the crusts off sandwiches for the kids using her invisible powers, which was a cool looking visual touch.  Spider-Man chats with her while dangling upside down on a web.  Hickman is good at showing the family aspect of FF, and you really get the sense that Spider-Man is becoming a member of the family in this scene.

Then, we transition into a round table discussion featuring the FF's smartest villains.  I think it's a very cool idea to gather together The High Evolutionary, The Wizard, The Mad Thinker, Diablo, some A.I.M. agents, and the big D himself, Doctor Doom.  As Mark Millar put it in the script for Civil War #1, this assembly of bad guys is introduced in "one of those wide shots that give fanboys like me multiple orgasms just by glancing at it".

The scene itself is entertaining.  The FF's villains discuss ways to defeat Reed Richards while he sits there and listens.  Initially, their ideas are about killing Sue Storm and their kids, until Reed Richards explains that these alternate versions of him don't care about that sort of thing.  They are without familial ties, they will stop at nothing, and they are focused on destroying the world.  Hickman has set up an interesting team of antagonists for this arc with "The Council", a group of renegade alternate dimension Reed Richards, and an equally interesting team of protagonists composed of his greatest enemies.  I'm excited to see the showdown between the two groups.

The issue comes to a head with Sue Storm, Spider-Man, and Alex Powers answering an alarm from Atlantis. In an earlier Hickman story arc, Sue Storm became the queen of Atlantis, and she has an Atlantean signal device that alerts the team to an attack on the peak of Old Atlantis.  Kitson illustrates some nice action sequences when they arrive at the peak of Old Atlantis to ward off the attack.  His Spider-Man is very dynamic and he gets the classic Spider-Man style of movement right.

The issue ends with a full page depicting two of Moleman's classic giant, lumpy monsters and his hordes of creepy mole people.  This army, led by one of the alternate Reed Richards, is ambushing the FF at the peak of Old Atlantis. Kitson draws this army very well, and it's a good cliffhanger to end on because it has me excited for what promises to be a dramatic showdown in the next issue.

This is another solid issue of FF and I'd highly recommend it.

5 out of 5 pseudo stars

Action Comics #901, written by Paul Cornell and art by Kenneth Rocafort and Jesus Merino

This is a pretty good Superman comic.  The current story "The Reign of the Doomsdays" involves multiple clones of Doosmdays attacking Superman.

I am a sucker for a lot of the characters in this issue.  You have Cyborg Superman, Steel, Superboy, and the Eradicator, all characters that spun out of Superman's death in the 90's.  I'm a big fan of the "Reign of the Supermen" story that followed "The Death of Superman", and all of these characters that came out of it.  I also like Doomsday, and it's nice to see him becoming a serious threat again.

The fight sequences between the Doomsdays and the Superman family are what made this issue for me.  Multiple Doomsdays, some with heat vision, others with partly robotic bodies like Cyborg Superman, brutally attack the Superman Family.  A fight scene like this is a guilty fanboyish pleasure.  The art did a good job of portraying the Doomsdays as the extremely powerful threat that they are.  These are creatures that are capable of killing Superman on their own, and the art gets across the point that as a team they are an unstoppable force of nature.

Overall, this is a good issue, if you like Superman action scenes and the Superman 90's characters.

3 out of 5 pseudo stars

The Mighty Thor #2, written by Matt Fraction and art by Olivier Coipel

I have to be honest, I haven't read that many Thor comics.  Until now, Thor has always been more of a background character and he never interested me like Spider-Man or the X-Men.  Having said that, I am enjoying Fraction's Mighty Thor.

He opens this issue with Thor training the Brigade of the Realms.  They look like a rag tag army composed of the average joes of Asgard.  Thor puts them up against a massive Asgardian rock monster which Coipel draws pretty well.  The amateur army is out of their league and Thor steps in to put down the monster.  We get a great double page spread of it's shattered rock corpse from Coipel.

My favorite part of this issue involved the Silver Surfer showing up in Broxton, Oklahoma to announce the coming of Galactus.  While I didn't read any of Kirby's Thor, I did read a lot of his Silver Surfer, and I thought they got the Herald of Galactus just right in this issue.  Both the art and the writing capture the essence of Norrin Radd.

Silver Surfer has arrived in Broxton because Galactus is coming to devour the "seed" that Thor retrieved from beneath the world tree last issue.  We see in this issue that Odin is safeguarding the seed, and he calls it an egg, whatever that means.  Maybe it is a baby universe?  In any case, Silver Surfer is serving his traditional function by heralding the inevitable arrival of Galactus and informing the every day people of Broxton.  There's a nice little scene where Silver Surfer stops to confront a guy taking aim at him with a rifle to warn him about Galactus.  I thought Fraction really nailed the sorrowful tone of Silver Surfer who is constantly shouting that the sky is falling.

This issue wraps up with Thor confronting Silver Surfer and clocking him with his hammer.  Thor versus Silver Surfer is a fight I remember from the old Kirby issues, and I'll be picking up the next issue to see Coipel's modern version of that epic batle.

3 out of 5 pseudo stars

"Charity Kickball"

This is a 5 page short story I wrote about the X-Men playing a game of kickball for charity.


Charity Kickball

Written by Seth Jacob

PAGE 1

Panel 1: We open on Kitty Pride stepping up to the plate in a charity kickball game on the X-Mansion lawn. Wolverine is kneeling on the ground behind her as the catcher.
Wolverine: Alright, everybody move in, we got a weak kicker here...
Kitty: Shut up, Logan. Medium speed and a little bouncy, please.

Panel 2. Cut to Cyclops holding the kick ball up to pitch, he is wearing a baseball cap with an X-symbol on it and his ruby glasses.
Cyclops: Medium and a touch bouncy, coming right up..

Panel 3. Now, we have a behind shot of Kitty kicking the ball high above the field. We see Storm, Jean, and Scott on the field.

Panel 4. Cut to Jean catching the kick ball after it bounces, but it sort of floats in her hand as if she is wearing an invisible baseball glove, maybe show a little bit of telekinetic energy in her hand as she does this.

Panel 5: Same shot, instead of throwing the ball, Jean propels it quickly with her telekinesis.
Jean: Got it, heads up Ororo!

Panel 6: Cut to Storm on 1st base and catching the ball, Kitty is running to 1st and is amost there.

PAGE 2

Panel 1: Ororo tries to tag Kitty with the ball, but the ball goes right through her body.
Ororo: Katherine! This is not fair!

Panel 2: Now we see Kitty running away from 1st and towards 2nd and the camera, Ororo is on first in the background and is throwing the ball at Kitty.
Kitty: If jean can use her powers, then I'm using mine!

Panel 3: Cut to behind Jean on 2nd as she points at Kitty who is running towards her. Kitty's head is surrounded by energy as Jean turns off her phasing power with her telepathy. Kitty is hit by the kickball that Ororo threw in the back.
Jean: Okay, I'll take that deal.

Panel 4: We see Kitty skulking past Colossus up at bat in front of Wolverine, Colossus is getting ready to kick.
Colossus: Sorry, dear...I shall avenge your honor!
Wolverine: Give him the ol' fastball special, Cyke.
Off Panel: God hates muties!

Panel 5: Colossus kicks at the ball and misses because he was distracted by that off panel remark.
Colossus: Huh?
Wolverine: Strike one...

Panel 6: Pull out to show Colossus and Wolverine and the rest of the players on the field looking at the gate of the X-Mansion where we now see a group of Anti-mutant protesters "The Church of Humanity", think Westboro Baptist Church, they have "God Hates Muties" signs, "Pray For More Dead Muties", "God Blew Up Genosha".
Wolverine: You try to play a little kickball for charity, and this is what you get. Church of Humanity protesters. Makes me want to move back to Canada.
Colossus: Dah. It is...disheartening.

PAGE 3
Panel 1: Tight shot of Cyclops as he is holding the ball and trying to ignore the protesters in the background.
Cyclops: Just ignore them. They're just trying to get attention.
OP: Hey, one eyed freak!

Panel 2: Cut to a closer shot of the Church of Humanity protesters outside the gates. They look like they might start to get violent soon. We see riot gear cops nearby. Protester 1 is shouting at Cyclops.
Protester1: You know Lucifer is the father of all mutants, right Mr. Pinkeye?

Panel 3: Cut to Storm, her eyes have turned white and tiny lightning is sparking around them. We see cyclops in the pitching position behind her and urging her not to do anything.
Storm: Those ignorant bigots...the rains will wash them back to their backwater homes...
Cyclops: No, Ororo. That's what they want. Just let it go.

Panel 4: Cut to a tight shot of Jean's head, she is agreeing with Cyclops.
Jean: He's right, Ororo. If you use your powers on them, they'll sue us. They're all lawyers in The Church of Humanity, you know.

Panel 5: Same shot, but a thrown brick shatters on a telekinetic forcefield around the back of Jean's head.
Jean: Hey!

Panel 6: Cut to Wolverine and Colossus, Wolverine has stood up and popped his claws. We see a snikt sound effect.
Wolverine: Strike two.
Cyclops(OP): Easy, Logan.

Panel 7: Cut to Cyclops, he is about to pitch again.
Cyclops: We're just playing a nice game of charity kickball. We won't dignify them with a response unless the situation gets out of hand...

PAGE 4

Panel 1: Cut to the line of riot gear police shooting tear gas into the crowd of angry Church of Humanity protesters who now have picked up weapons like tire irons, bricks, rocks, they are trying to climb over the gate and get at the X-Men on the kickball field on the X-Mansion lawn.

Panel 2: Cut back to Cyclops, he is running toward the gates and away from the kickball game.
Cyclops: Let's call it half-time, we can't let this protest turn ugly. Move, X-Men!

Panel 3: Cut to Colossus and Wolverine standing together, now metal is starting to cover Colossus's body like liquid mercury flowing up his arms and chest to his head.
Wolverine: Finally, some real action. This charity stuff ain't for me.
Colossus: Dah.
Wolverine2: Fastball Special?
Colossus2: Fastball special.

Panel 4: Now a fully metal covered Colossus throws Wolverine with their famous fastball special move. Wolverine flies towards the camera, claws first.
Wolverine: Strike three!

Panel 5: Cut to outside the gates, we see clouds of tear gas and violent protesters attacking riot gear cops, some have their faces covered by bandanas or shirts to protect against the tear gas, Jean has levitated Cyclops over the gate and he is pointing to direct and lead the group, Jean is flying over the gate with Storm, Kitty just ran through the gate by phasing. Wolverine has been tossed over the gate by Colossus.
Cyclops: Minimize harm! Contain, do not attack!

Panel 6: Storm summons a wind and blows all the tear gas away.

PAGE 5

Panel 1: Large panel of the chaotic riot outside the gates. Riot squad and the protesters are openly fighting. Kitty touches a protesters shoulder and phases him so that a police baton harmlessly passes through his head. Cyclops is on the ground and fires an optic beam at a brick flying through the air and about to hit a cop in a riot gear helmeted face. Wolverine cuts through a police baton with his claws before it can hit a protester. Colossus is holding back 5 or so protesters with one hand, and 5 or so riot cops with the other. We see Storm and Jean in the air, Jean's head is surrounded by telepathic energy, she is broadcasting to all the protesters.
Jean (Telepathy): Church of Humanity, we do not respect your message...

Panel 2: We see a close up of telekinetic energy stopping pepper spray from going into the eyes of an already defeated protester on his knees, and Jean in the background flying in the air and pointing towards the mist of pepperspray. The spray kind of hovers in the air like it is weightless instead of hitting the protester in the face.
Jean(TP): ...but we respect your right to say it.

Panel 3: We pull out to show that the X-Men have displled most of the riot around the X-Mansion gates and any remaining cops or protesters are running away. The X-Men are staring around in front of the gate and near discarded protest signs that say stuff like "God Hates Muties!", "God wants 'No More Mutants' ", "Thank God For Sentinels!"
Wolverine: Where are they going? This charity gig was just gettin' interesting...
Ororo: I think we scared them off, Logan.
Wolverine2: Cryin' shame.
Colossus: Why did we help those disgusting people? They say God destroyed Genosha, they pray for our death...

Panel 4: Cut to Cyclops speaking to colossus. Wolverine is slicing up a God Hates muties sign in the background.
Cyclops: Who cares? Let them say whatever they want.
Wolverine: Well said, for once, Cyke.

Panel 5: We see Colossus is de-metalling and walking back toward the gate and the rest of the X-Men are following him. Kitty is talking to storm, Jean is with Cyclops.
Colossus: Let us return to the kickball. I will have it slow and smooth.
Ororo: I just can't stand those people with their terrible signs...
Kitty: Don't let it ruin a perfectly good day, Ororo...literally, it gets cloudy when you're mad.
Jean: Think this sort of thing will ever totally go away, Scott?
Cyclops: Let's hope so.

The Freebie page 3

Page 3 of "The Freebie" is up at Ibrahim Moustafa's deviantart.  Here it is:

PAGE 3

Panel 1: Now we see the other two skinheads lunging at Wolverine while the first is holding up his hand with the stump where his index finger used to be.  Wolverine is in the foreground and crouched in a battle stance with both sets of claws popped.

Wolverine: I don't think you boys knew what you were getting into...

Panel 2: Cut to a front shot of Wolverine as a skinhead plants his knife in Wolverine's shoulder, which seems to have little to no effect on the X-Man.  Wolverine is grabbing the wrist that stabbed him.

Wolverine: ...so I'll go easy on you.

Panel 3: Wolverine breaks the knife holder's wrist, the knife is still sticking out of his shoulder, people in the bar are running away.  The last skinhead is taking a swing with his brass knuckles at Wolverine.

Wolverine: Just a broken wrist instead of a chopped off hand...maybe I'm going soft in my old age.

Panel 4:  Tight shot of Wolverine getting hit in the face by the brass knuckles.  It cuts his face badly.

Wolverine:  Agh!

Panel 5: We see the bad cuts on Wolverine's face exposing his metal facial bones a bit.

Wolverine: Now...why'd you have to go and do a silly thing like that?

Panel 6: Same shot, we see Wolverine's cuts heal right up.

Wolverine: I was treatin' you with kiddy gloves, but now you've gone and made me angry.