nwspencer
04-15-2007, 11:51 PM
Definitely a first draft, barely checked for typos and spelling errors. Figured I'd get some early feedback before revisions-- Hope you like it!
Mike Diamond: SuperAgent #1 (First Draft)
by Nick Spencer 04/15/07
Page One.
Panel 1. Mike Diamond is sitting alone at a table in a five-star restaurant situated on the top floor of a luxury hotel-- glass walls provide an unobstructed view of the spectacular city skyline. Mike is a handsome man, in his early thirties, immaculately dressed in a slim-fitting Armani power suit. His expression is serene as he stares out at the buildings.
Caption 1: We live in a crazy, crazy world.
Server (Off-Panel): Sir?
Panel 2. Mike's attention jerks abrubtly in the other direction, turning to face his server.
Mike: Hm?
Panel 3. Our server is an attractive young woman, smiling, holding a bottle of fine wine.
Server: I said, would you like some more wine?
Panel 4. Mike looks down at his empty glass.
Mike: Why not?
Caption: When I was a kid, the only thing you really needed to worry about were earthquakes.
Panel 5. The wine being poured into the glass.
Server: Still waiting for your guest to arrive?
Panel 6. Mike looks down at his watch.
Mike: You know, an hour later, I think we can safely assume I'm being stood up.
Panel 7. The server still smiling.
Server: Shall I give you a few more minutes to--
Caption: And nuclear bombs, maybe.
Panel 8. She's not smiling anymore. The color is gone from her face, eyes wide, her expression terrified.
Server: Jesus.
Page Two.
Panel 1. Huge shot, 2/3 Page. Mike is still looking at his server. But behind him, on the other side of the glass, is a towering Tyranosaurus Rex, its savage eyes burning into the restaurant. The server is still standing in front of him, frozen in fear.
Caption: Things are a little different now.
Panel 2. Mike looks to the glass, but his reaction is considerably more restrained, almost nonexistent.
Mike: Oh. Would you look at that.
Panel 3. Mike cracks a sly smile.
Mike: Figures.
Caption: Its enough to drive a sane person mad, isn't it? Leave you feeling helpless. Powerless.
Page Three.
Panel 1. Around Mike's table, all hell has broken loose. People are running for the exits. The restaurant manager, an older gentleman, is trying to corral people.
Restaurant Manager: Everyone down!
Caption: That's why so many people are moving back out to the Midwest, they say.
Panel 2. Mike is still nonplussed, staring out the glass at the monster, almost bemused as it destroys a city block. His server is now under his table, looking frantic, pulling at his pants leg.
Server: Sir! Sir! Please, get down under the table!
Panel 3. Mike has his cell phone out, dialing.
Mike: What? No, no, you stay down there. I'll be fine.
Server: Are you calling for help?
Panel 4. Mike has the phone to his ear, looking down at her between his legs.
Mike: Hmm? Oh sure. Sure. Help is absolutely on the way.
Caption: If you live in Cincinnati, life is pretty much the same for you now as it was twenty years ago. No giant monsters or spandex-clad crazies out there.
Panel 5. Mike is grinning into the phone.
Mike: Dorothy, its Mike. I need you to get Sharon Coolidge from Channel 8 down to the Beldain for this giant monster thing. I'm hoping its a time travel deal. What? No, I don't know for sure.
Panel 6. Mike's expression is a bit annoyed now.
Mike: No, he hasn't shown up yet. But tell her--
Panel 7. From over Mike's shoulder, we look out the glass as a flying blur whizzes by the monster's head.
Mike: Tell her he's on his way.
Caption: But this is New York.
Page Four.
Panel 1. His phone call finished, Mike has gotten up, and is pulling money out of his wallet to place on the table. His server is still under the table, facing away from the glass.
Mike: Guess I won't be dining after all. Can I give you a bit of advice?
Panel 2. Mike kneels down, smiling at her.
Mike: Turn around, or you'll miss the best part.
Panel 3. Big Shot. Outside, Champion, the city's superpowered protector, is now fighting the monster. He seems to be winning easily.
Caption: New York is a whole different beast.
Page Five.
Panel 1. With pandemonium still all around him, Mike strolls calmly through the restaurant, towards the elevator.
Caption: But there's really no reason to let it all get to you.
Panel 2. Mike presses the down button on the elevator, the doors opening.
Caption: The key, to my mind, is finding opportunity in the midst of chaos.
Panel 3. Mike waiting inside the elevator, looking at his watch.
Caption: 'When there's blood on the streets, buy land.' Right? Right. Or maybe something slightly less crass.
Panel 4. As the elevator door opens, we see through the hotel lobby glass the monster is now laying sprawled out on the street, with emergency crews surrounding it. Its green hide covers all the glass.
Caption: Maybe 'When there's bloodthirsty prehistoric monsters smashing their way through the streets, offer representation.'
Page Six
Panel 1. Stepping outside, Mike is directly behind Champion. He starts clapping.
Mike: Nice one.
SFX: Clap! Clap!
Panel 2. Champion turns around, wiping sweat from his brow, exhausted.
Champion: Mike... uhhh... What are you doing down here?
Mike: Waiting for your wife.
Champion: You're a funny man.
Panel 3. Mike and Champion are both smiling now. Champion is hunched over, hands on his knees, catching his breath. Mike points at the monster casually.
Mike: You looked good from up there, big guy. But tell me that thing is from six million years ago.
Champion: It would be more like one hundred and fifty million. But no. Military experiment gone wrong, upstate.
Panel 4. Mike throws his hands up in frustration. Champion is chuckling.
Mike: Military experiment? That's it? Come on! You're KILLING me here! This is what you're working on now?!!
Champion: Nothing I can do...
Mike: You know they'll have cleanup down here in an hour. Tomorrow morning, none of this will have ever happened. Total throwaway job.
Champion: I just show up when they call me.
Panel 5. Mike, exasperated.
Mike: Next time, would you hand this shit off to a b-lister for me? I'm sure even the kid with just the wings could've handled this.
Champion: Doesn't work that way, Mike.
Page Seven.
Panel 1. Splash Panel from a high distance, showing the sprawled out, unconscious monster in a sea of wreckage and busted concrete. Mike and Champion are small specks to the side.
Caption: Yes. Its a crazy, crazy world we live in.
Caption: But I, for one, am determined to make the most of it.
Mike: Jesus... how's a guy supposed to make a living off this stuff?
Champion: I don't know Mike, you're the agent. You tell me. You. Tell. Me.
Title Card: Mike Diamond, SuperAgent!
Page Eight.
Panel 1. Cut to Mike walking down a crowded city street, cell phone glued to his ear.
Caption: Now, I already know what some of you are thinking...
Caption: What would a superhero need with an agent?
Voice on phone: Hydro-Man?
Mike: Taken.
Voice: Aquavenger?
Mike: Taken.
Voice: Deep Six.
Mike: Let me check, but I'm pretty sure... taken.
Panel 2. A scrawny man in glasses is standing in boxer shorts on a diving board. Beneath him is a cylindrical pool with markers reading "Danger: Hazardous Waste" and the Nuclear Waste symbol. To the side stand Mike and two men in quarantine suits.
Scrawny Guy: You-- you're sure this will work?
Mike: You bet.
Caption: The job seems fairly simple, right? Some random baddie tries to take over the world, or at least take something that isn't his.
Panel 3. A very, very buxom young superheroine stands as a tailor measures her around the bust for a new costume. Mike grins in the background.
Tailor: I don't even see how this is possible...
Caption: Superhero shows up, fight ensues. Superhero inevitably wins.
Panel 4. The aftermath of a major battle in Washington DC. An unconscious supervillain lays on the ground. But the hero, a Human Torch-type looks to have incinerated about half the Lincoln Memorial. He's shrugging at Mike nervously.
Mike: Its not a big deal. They were planning some renovations anway they they tell me.
Caption: Its all about nobility, and justice, and sacrifice.
Caption: No need to get the suits involved in all that, is there?
Page Nine.
Panel 1. Mike is standing next to America's Princess, a young Stargirl/Supergirl style-heroine as she recieves a community service award-- reporters crowd around them.
Caption: And I understand why you think that. Better than most, actually.
Caption: You see, superheroes are here to inspire people.
Panel 2. Mike is laying in bed, a girl laying next to him. On his nightstand, his phone is lighting up, his ringtone going off.
Ringtone: I'm a flirt, soon as you see me walk up in the club, I'm a flirt...
Caption: I like to say I facilitate that inspiration.
Caption: Its my job to spare you the more... how do I put this? The more human aspects of your heroes.
Panel 3. Mike standing by a police cruiser, talking to an officer as the silhouette of a young woman sits in the back.
See, if an athlete gets arrested for, let's say, driving at three times the legal blood-alcohol level for their state-- well, they can tell the world "I'm just an athlete." Maybe they're fined, or suspended for a game or two--but eventually, they get to be an athlete again.
But not a superhero, right? They're sworn to uphold the law-- its what they do. So its just absolutely unthinkable that, maybe, America's Princess had a few too many at Tao before she climbed into the Mini-Cooper, isn't it?
Panel 4. Mike sits in a police station with his arm around America's Princess, still in costume, as she throws up in his lap.
Caption: You see where I'm going with this.
Caption: But that's not to say there's nothing real about it. To the contrary. I remember the first time a superhero inspired me. Hell, I remember it like it was yesterday...
Mike Diamond: SuperAgent #1 (First Draft)
by Nick Spencer 04/15/07
Page One.
Panel 1. Mike Diamond is sitting alone at a table in a five-star restaurant situated on the top floor of a luxury hotel-- glass walls provide an unobstructed view of the spectacular city skyline. Mike is a handsome man, in his early thirties, immaculately dressed in a slim-fitting Armani power suit. His expression is serene as he stares out at the buildings.
Caption 1: We live in a crazy, crazy world.
Server (Off-Panel): Sir?
Panel 2. Mike's attention jerks abrubtly in the other direction, turning to face his server.
Mike: Hm?
Panel 3. Our server is an attractive young woman, smiling, holding a bottle of fine wine.
Server: I said, would you like some more wine?
Panel 4. Mike looks down at his empty glass.
Mike: Why not?
Caption: When I was a kid, the only thing you really needed to worry about were earthquakes.
Panel 5. The wine being poured into the glass.
Server: Still waiting for your guest to arrive?
Panel 6. Mike looks down at his watch.
Mike: You know, an hour later, I think we can safely assume I'm being stood up.
Panel 7. The server still smiling.
Server: Shall I give you a few more minutes to--
Caption: And nuclear bombs, maybe.
Panel 8. She's not smiling anymore. The color is gone from her face, eyes wide, her expression terrified.
Server: Jesus.
Page Two.
Panel 1. Huge shot, 2/3 Page. Mike is still looking at his server. But behind him, on the other side of the glass, is a towering Tyranosaurus Rex, its savage eyes burning into the restaurant. The server is still standing in front of him, frozen in fear.
Caption: Things are a little different now.
Panel 2. Mike looks to the glass, but his reaction is considerably more restrained, almost nonexistent.
Mike: Oh. Would you look at that.
Panel 3. Mike cracks a sly smile.
Mike: Figures.
Caption: Its enough to drive a sane person mad, isn't it? Leave you feeling helpless. Powerless.
Page Three.
Panel 1. Around Mike's table, all hell has broken loose. People are running for the exits. The restaurant manager, an older gentleman, is trying to corral people.
Restaurant Manager: Everyone down!
Caption: That's why so many people are moving back out to the Midwest, they say.
Panel 2. Mike is still nonplussed, staring out the glass at the monster, almost bemused as it destroys a city block. His server is now under his table, looking frantic, pulling at his pants leg.
Server: Sir! Sir! Please, get down under the table!
Panel 3. Mike has his cell phone out, dialing.
Mike: What? No, no, you stay down there. I'll be fine.
Server: Are you calling for help?
Panel 4. Mike has the phone to his ear, looking down at her between his legs.
Mike: Hmm? Oh sure. Sure. Help is absolutely on the way.
Caption: If you live in Cincinnati, life is pretty much the same for you now as it was twenty years ago. No giant monsters or spandex-clad crazies out there.
Panel 5. Mike is grinning into the phone.
Mike: Dorothy, its Mike. I need you to get Sharon Coolidge from Channel 8 down to the Beldain for this giant monster thing. I'm hoping its a time travel deal. What? No, I don't know for sure.
Panel 6. Mike's expression is a bit annoyed now.
Mike: No, he hasn't shown up yet. But tell her--
Panel 7. From over Mike's shoulder, we look out the glass as a flying blur whizzes by the monster's head.
Mike: Tell her he's on his way.
Caption: But this is New York.
Page Four.
Panel 1. His phone call finished, Mike has gotten up, and is pulling money out of his wallet to place on the table. His server is still under the table, facing away from the glass.
Mike: Guess I won't be dining after all. Can I give you a bit of advice?
Panel 2. Mike kneels down, smiling at her.
Mike: Turn around, or you'll miss the best part.
Panel 3. Big Shot. Outside, Champion, the city's superpowered protector, is now fighting the monster. He seems to be winning easily.
Caption: New York is a whole different beast.
Page Five.
Panel 1. With pandemonium still all around him, Mike strolls calmly through the restaurant, towards the elevator.
Caption: But there's really no reason to let it all get to you.
Panel 2. Mike presses the down button on the elevator, the doors opening.
Caption: The key, to my mind, is finding opportunity in the midst of chaos.
Panel 3. Mike waiting inside the elevator, looking at his watch.
Caption: 'When there's blood on the streets, buy land.' Right? Right. Or maybe something slightly less crass.
Panel 4. As the elevator door opens, we see through the hotel lobby glass the monster is now laying sprawled out on the street, with emergency crews surrounding it. Its green hide covers all the glass.
Caption: Maybe 'When there's bloodthirsty prehistoric monsters smashing their way through the streets, offer representation.'
Page Six
Panel 1. Stepping outside, Mike is directly behind Champion. He starts clapping.
Mike: Nice one.
SFX: Clap! Clap!
Panel 2. Champion turns around, wiping sweat from his brow, exhausted.
Champion: Mike... uhhh... What are you doing down here?
Mike: Waiting for your wife.
Champion: You're a funny man.
Panel 3. Mike and Champion are both smiling now. Champion is hunched over, hands on his knees, catching his breath. Mike points at the monster casually.
Mike: You looked good from up there, big guy. But tell me that thing is from six million years ago.
Champion: It would be more like one hundred and fifty million. But no. Military experiment gone wrong, upstate.
Panel 4. Mike throws his hands up in frustration. Champion is chuckling.
Mike: Military experiment? That's it? Come on! You're KILLING me here! This is what you're working on now?!!
Champion: Nothing I can do...
Mike: You know they'll have cleanup down here in an hour. Tomorrow morning, none of this will have ever happened. Total throwaway job.
Champion: I just show up when they call me.
Panel 5. Mike, exasperated.
Mike: Next time, would you hand this shit off to a b-lister for me? I'm sure even the kid with just the wings could've handled this.
Champion: Doesn't work that way, Mike.
Page Seven.
Panel 1. Splash Panel from a high distance, showing the sprawled out, unconscious monster in a sea of wreckage and busted concrete. Mike and Champion are small specks to the side.
Caption: Yes. Its a crazy, crazy world we live in.
Caption: But I, for one, am determined to make the most of it.
Mike: Jesus... how's a guy supposed to make a living off this stuff?
Champion: I don't know Mike, you're the agent. You tell me. You. Tell. Me.
Title Card: Mike Diamond, SuperAgent!
Page Eight.
Panel 1. Cut to Mike walking down a crowded city street, cell phone glued to his ear.
Caption: Now, I already know what some of you are thinking...
Caption: What would a superhero need with an agent?
Voice on phone: Hydro-Man?
Mike: Taken.
Voice: Aquavenger?
Mike: Taken.
Voice: Deep Six.
Mike: Let me check, but I'm pretty sure... taken.
Panel 2. A scrawny man in glasses is standing in boxer shorts on a diving board. Beneath him is a cylindrical pool with markers reading "Danger: Hazardous Waste" and the Nuclear Waste symbol. To the side stand Mike and two men in quarantine suits.
Scrawny Guy: You-- you're sure this will work?
Mike: You bet.
Caption: The job seems fairly simple, right? Some random baddie tries to take over the world, or at least take something that isn't his.
Panel 3. A very, very buxom young superheroine stands as a tailor measures her around the bust for a new costume. Mike grins in the background.
Tailor: I don't even see how this is possible...
Caption: Superhero shows up, fight ensues. Superhero inevitably wins.
Panel 4. The aftermath of a major battle in Washington DC. An unconscious supervillain lays on the ground. But the hero, a Human Torch-type looks to have incinerated about half the Lincoln Memorial. He's shrugging at Mike nervously.
Mike: Its not a big deal. They were planning some renovations anway they they tell me.
Caption: Its all about nobility, and justice, and sacrifice.
Caption: No need to get the suits involved in all that, is there?
Page Nine.
Panel 1. Mike is standing next to America's Princess, a young Stargirl/Supergirl style-heroine as she recieves a community service award-- reporters crowd around them.
Caption: And I understand why you think that. Better than most, actually.
Caption: You see, superheroes are here to inspire people.
Panel 2. Mike is laying in bed, a girl laying next to him. On his nightstand, his phone is lighting up, his ringtone going off.
Ringtone: I'm a flirt, soon as you see me walk up in the club, I'm a flirt...
Caption: I like to say I facilitate that inspiration.
Caption: Its my job to spare you the more... how do I put this? The more human aspects of your heroes.
Panel 3. Mike standing by a police cruiser, talking to an officer as the silhouette of a young woman sits in the back.
See, if an athlete gets arrested for, let's say, driving at three times the legal blood-alcohol level for their state-- well, they can tell the world "I'm just an athlete." Maybe they're fined, or suspended for a game or two--but eventually, they get to be an athlete again.
But not a superhero, right? They're sworn to uphold the law-- its what they do. So its just absolutely unthinkable that, maybe, America's Princess had a few too many at Tao before she climbed into the Mini-Cooper, isn't it?
Panel 4. Mike sits in a police station with his arm around America's Princess, still in costume, as she throws up in his lap.
Caption: You see where I'm going with this.
Caption: But that's not to say there's nothing real about it. To the contrary. I remember the first time a superhero inspired me. Hell, I remember it like it was yesterday...