RichardB
05-26-2006, 05:14 PM
Another bit of fun patterned after the short "Future Shocks" filler stories from the British SF comic 2000 AD. Anyone who saw the outcome of this year's Eurovision Song Contest will recognize what inspired this story...
THE SOUND THAT ROCKED THE WORLD
(four pages)
PAGE ONE (four panels)
Panel 1. This page is three same-sized panels on the top tier, and one large panel on the bottom tier. The first image is of the Earth as seen from space.
VOICE (off-panel):
Catastrophic drive failure! Only enough power for emergency planetfall!
VOICE (off-panel):
Bring us down carefully!
Panel 2. A closer view of the American northeastern coast, with Long Island, NY at the center.
VOICE (off-panel):
Reading large concentrations of metal along the coastlines!
VOICE (off-panel):
Head for the largest one! The metal ores will amplify our distress signal!
Panel 3. Closer still, so that we see New York City from above.
VOICE (off-panel):
I'm seeing tower formations -- they're not natural!
VOICE (off-panel):
Some sort of nests or hives?
Panel 4. The big panel. The middle of Times Square in New York City, daytime. An egg-shaped ALIEN SHIP has landed in the middle of Times Square -- possibly it's landed on top of the Armed Forces Recruitment Station which is on a traffic island between Broadway and Seventh Avenue. The ship is much larger than the building. The ship is fairly smooth and bulbous and should have an egg-like appearance. Cars have stopped; crowds of people are standing there, looking in shocked amazement at the improbable sight. Some are pointing at it. A few people may have dropped their shopping bags, and the contents are scattered on the pavement. It's basically what you'd expect if an egg-shaped alien spaceship gently floated down from the sky and landed in the middle of Times Square in broad daylight: total chaos.
VOICE FROM SHIP:
Landing complete! Ship secure!
VOICE FROM SHIP:
Look at those swarms out there! What are they?
VOICE FROM SHIP:
They look like tree-shrews -- but with less fur!
TITLE:
The Sound That Rocked The World
PAGE TWO (five panels)
Panel 1. A hatch on the egg-ship has opened, and lizard-like ALIENS are coming out. There are four of them in total, but they might not all be stepping out at once. Each is about seven feet tall. They have large, prehensile tails and are basically four miniature Godzillas. The one stepping out in front is the LEADER.
ALIEN:
Ugh! The place is crawling with the things!
ALIEN LEADER:
I don't care! Extend the staging platform -- we need to call the nesting ship for rescue!
Panel 2. The ALIEN LEADER talks to another ALIEN who is assembling a collection of dish-shaped antennae in a circle around himself. The dishes all face upwards at slightly differing angles. The collection of alien hardware around him looks remarkably like a massive drumkit for a rock band -- they're big and clunky, and the sound effects indicate them moving into position. The aliens are now standing on a round platform which has emerged from the hatch of their ship. Behind them, we see the crowds of humans looking on in shock and amazement.
ALIEN LEADER:
Deploy the beacon array!
ALIEN:
Deploying array now!
SFX:
Ka-Thak-Tak! Tak! Tak!
Panel 3. The ALIEN LEADER gives an order to yet another ALIEN who is standing behind an alien device with a keyboard built for his huge reptilian hands. It looks like an alien synthesizer or electric piano.
ALIEN LEADER:
Input key coordinates!
ALIEN:
Starting input sequence!
SFX:
Bree-beep! Bee-deep!
Panel 4. The ALIEN LEADER turns to still another ALIEN, this one with an alien sonic rifle in both hands, with a strap going over his shoulders. The muzzle of this rifle weapon is cone-shaped, the wide part facing outward -- it's some kind of sonic weapon that repels enemies with blasts of noise. The alien holding it with a stance of readiness, arched forward, poised to move from side to side, pointing it threateningly at the crowd of humans around them, who still stand there gaping in shock and amazement. The alien's pose will be reminiscent of a heavy rock guitarist prancing around the stage -- by now everyone should see where this is leading.
ALIEN LEADER:
I don't want the tree-shrews coming too close! Guard the perimeter of the staging area with the vibro-axe! Shoo them away if need be!
ALIEN:
Done!
SFX:
Brrrzzzzzz!
Panel 5. The ALIEN LEADER holds a communicator device in his scaly hand, holding it up to his muzzle and speaking into it. He now appears to be the "lead singer" of the group.
ALIEN (off-panel):
Beacon array ready for audio input!
ALIEN LEADER:
Good!
ALIEN LEADER (continues):
Calling nesting ship! Our survey egg has been forced to make emergency landfall on third planet!
PAGE THREE (four panels)
Panel 1. A shot of all four ALIENS assembled on the round "staging area" -- the one alien adjusting the array of dish antennae around him looking like a drummer; the one entering codes into his keyboard; the one with the sonic weapon that he holds like a guitar striding around the stage; the LEADER shouting into a handheld device -- we see them from the POV of the human crowd, looking just like a rock band on stage.
ALIEN LEADER:
No fatalities! All hatchlings well! Need immediate retrieval!
SFX:
Ka-Thak-Tak! Tak! Tak!
SFX:
Bee-beep! Dee-deep!
SFX:
Brrrzzzzzz!
Panel 2. A shot of the humans who have crowded around the edge of the alien stage, looking on in shock and disbelief.
ALIEN LEADER (off-panel):
Retrieval needed! Repeat -- retreival needed!
SFX:
Ka-Thak! Tak-a-tak! Tak!
SFX:
Bree-beep! Bee-deep!
SFX:
Brrrzzzzzz!
Panel 3. The same shot...but now the humans have erupted into cheers. The humans are smiling and shouting. We naturally see that the humans are cheering the "performance" ...but from the point of view of the ALIENS, it's frightening.
ALIEN (off-panel):
What is that racket the tree-shrews are making? Is it some kind of war cry?
ALIEN LEADER (off-panel):
Ignore them! Continue transmitting!
SFX:
Ka-Thak-Tak! Tak! Tak!
SFX:
Brrrzzzzzz!
Panel 4. The "guitarist" ALIEN leans over to say something to the "keyboadist" ALIEN while the leader continues talking into his microphone (off panel). In the background we see the humans applauding.
ALIEN LEADER (off-panel):
Calling nesting ship!
ALIEN "GUITARIST":
Look at the way they're slapping their paws together!
ALIEN "KEYBOARDIST":
And those hideous shrieks they make!
PAGE FOUR (four panels)
Panel 1. This page has three panels going down the left side, and the right half of the page is the final panel, a vertical panel running from top to bottom. The LEADER speaks over his shoulder to the others.
ALIEN LEADER:
So long as they keep their distance, there's no need for worry! They're just frightened by the loud noises! It's natural for them to show defensive behavior!
Panel 2. The "guitarist" has moved over to speak with the LEADER, who responds.
ALIEN "GUITARIST":
Why don't they run away? The way they stare at us so intently -- it's terrifying!
ALIEN LEADER:
We're all frightened, hatchling. But these tree-shrews are obviously pack creatures -- they won't attack if we ignore them!
Panel 3. The four ALIENS turn as an ELECTRONIC VOICE comes from a speaker-type device behind them.
ELECTRONIC VOICE (from speaker):
Attention! This is the nesting ship! Stand by for retrieval via graviton pulse! Return to your egg!
ALIEN:
Thank the makers! We're saved!
Panel 4. Vertical panel showing the alien mothership -- a huge flying saucer -- hovering over Times Square. From the bottom of the mothership, an anti-gravity beam lifts the egg-shaped craft into the sky, towards its center. At ground level, the human audience looks up in amazement, cheering and applauding.
CAPTION:
And so the quartet left the world of the terrifying tree-shrews...
CROWD MEMBER:
Whoa!
CROWD MEMBER:
Woo-hoo!
CAPTION:
...never knowing they were the stars of the greatest rock concert the Earth had ever seen!
THE SOUND THAT ROCKED THE WORLD
(four pages)
PAGE ONE (four panels)
Panel 1. This page is three same-sized panels on the top tier, and one large panel on the bottom tier. The first image is of the Earth as seen from space.
VOICE (off-panel):
Catastrophic drive failure! Only enough power for emergency planetfall!
VOICE (off-panel):
Bring us down carefully!
Panel 2. A closer view of the American northeastern coast, with Long Island, NY at the center.
VOICE (off-panel):
Reading large concentrations of metal along the coastlines!
VOICE (off-panel):
Head for the largest one! The metal ores will amplify our distress signal!
Panel 3. Closer still, so that we see New York City from above.
VOICE (off-panel):
I'm seeing tower formations -- they're not natural!
VOICE (off-panel):
Some sort of nests or hives?
Panel 4. The big panel. The middle of Times Square in New York City, daytime. An egg-shaped ALIEN SHIP has landed in the middle of Times Square -- possibly it's landed on top of the Armed Forces Recruitment Station which is on a traffic island between Broadway and Seventh Avenue. The ship is much larger than the building. The ship is fairly smooth and bulbous and should have an egg-like appearance. Cars have stopped; crowds of people are standing there, looking in shocked amazement at the improbable sight. Some are pointing at it. A few people may have dropped their shopping bags, and the contents are scattered on the pavement. It's basically what you'd expect if an egg-shaped alien spaceship gently floated down from the sky and landed in the middle of Times Square in broad daylight: total chaos.
VOICE FROM SHIP:
Landing complete! Ship secure!
VOICE FROM SHIP:
Look at those swarms out there! What are they?
VOICE FROM SHIP:
They look like tree-shrews -- but with less fur!
TITLE:
The Sound That Rocked The World
PAGE TWO (five panels)
Panel 1. A hatch on the egg-ship has opened, and lizard-like ALIENS are coming out. There are four of them in total, but they might not all be stepping out at once. Each is about seven feet tall. They have large, prehensile tails and are basically four miniature Godzillas. The one stepping out in front is the LEADER.
ALIEN:
Ugh! The place is crawling with the things!
ALIEN LEADER:
I don't care! Extend the staging platform -- we need to call the nesting ship for rescue!
Panel 2. The ALIEN LEADER talks to another ALIEN who is assembling a collection of dish-shaped antennae in a circle around himself. The dishes all face upwards at slightly differing angles. The collection of alien hardware around him looks remarkably like a massive drumkit for a rock band -- they're big and clunky, and the sound effects indicate them moving into position. The aliens are now standing on a round platform which has emerged from the hatch of their ship. Behind them, we see the crowds of humans looking on in shock and amazement.
ALIEN LEADER:
Deploy the beacon array!
ALIEN:
Deploying array now!
SFX:
Ka-Thak-Tak! Tak! Tak!
Panel 3. The ALIEN LEADER gives an order to yet another ALIEN who is standing behind an alien device with a keyboard built for his huge reptilian hands. It looks like an alien synthesizer or electric piano.
ALIEN LEADER:
Input key coordinates!
ALIEN:
Starting input sequence!
SFX:
Bree-beep! Bee-deep!
Panel 4. The ALIEN LEADER turns to still another ALIEN, this one with an alien sonic rifle in both hands, with a strap going over his shoulders. The muzzle of this rifle weapon is cone-shaped, the wide part facing outward -- it's some kind of sonic weapon that repels enemies with blasts of noise. The alien holding it with a stance of readiness, arched forward, poised to move from side to side, pointing it threateningly at the crowd of humans around them, who still stand there gaping in shock and amazement. The alien's pose will be reminiscent of a heavy rock guitarist prancing around the stage -- by now everyone should see where this is leading.
ALIEN LEADER:
I don't want the tree-shrews coming too close! Guard the perimeter of the staging area with the vibro-axe! Shoo them away if need be!
ALIEN:
Done!
SFX:
Brrrzzzzzz!
Panel 5. The ALIEN LEADER holds a communicator device in his scaly hand, holding it up to his muzzle and speaking into it. He now appears to be the "lead singer" of the group.
ALIEN (off-panel):
Beacon array ready for audio input!
ALIEN LEADER:
Good!
ALIEN LEADER (continues):
Calling nesting ship! Our survey egg has been forced to make emergency landfall on third planet!
PAGE THREE (four panels)
Panel 1. A shot of all four ALIENS assembled on the round "staging area" -- the one alien adjusting the array of dish antennae around him looking like a drummer; the one entering codes into his keyboard; the one with the sonic weapon that he holds like a guitar striding around the stage; the LEADER shouting into a handheld device -- we see them from the POV of the human crowd, looking just like a rock band on stage.
ALIEN LEADER:
No fatalities! All hatchlings well! Need immediate retrieval!
SFX:
Ka-Thak-Tak! Tak! Tak!
SFX:
Bee-beep! Dee-deep!
SFX:
Brrrzzzzzz!
Panel 2. A shot of the humans who have crowded around the edge of the alien stage, looking on in shock and disbelief.
ALIEN LEADER (off-panel):
Retrieval needed! Repeat -- retreival needed!
SFX:
Ka-Thak! Tak-a-tak! Tak!
SFX:
Bree-beep! Bee-deep!
SFX:
Brrrzzzzzz!
Panel 3. The same shot...but now the humans have erupted into cheers. The humans are smiling and shouting. We naturally see that the humans are cheering the "performance" ...but from the point of view of the ALIENS, it's frightening.
ALIEN (off-panel):
What is that racket the tree-shrews are making? Is it some kind of war cry?
ALIEN LEADER (off-panel):
Ignore them! Continue transmitting!
SFX:
Ka-Thak-Tak! Tak! Tak!
SFX:
Brrrzzzzzz!
Panel 4. The "guitarist" ALIEN leans over to say something to the "keyboadist" ALIEN while the leader continues talking into his microphone (off panel). In the background we see the humans applauding.
ALIEN LEADER (off-panel):
Calling nesting ship!
ALIEN "GUITARIST":
Look at the way they're slapping their paws together!
ALIEN "KEYBOARDIST":
And those hideous shrieks they make!
PAGE FOUR (four panels)
Panel 1. This page has three panels going down the left side, and the right half of the page is the final panel, a vertical panel running from top to bottom. The LEADER speaks over his shoulder to the others.
ALIEN LEADER:
So long as they keep their distance, there's no need for worry! They're just frightened by the loud noises! It's natural for them to show defensive behavior!
Panel 2. The "guitarist" has moved over to speak with the LEADER, who responds.
ALIEN "GUITARIST":
Why don't they run away? The way they stare at us so intently -- it's terrifying!
ALIEN LEADER:
We're all frightened, hatchling. But these tree-shrews are obviously pack creatures -- they won't attack if we ignore them!
Panel 3. The four ALIENS turn as an ELECTRONIC VOICE comes from a speaker-type device behind them.
ELECTRONIC VOICE (from speaker):
Attention! This is the nesting ship! Stand by for retrieval via graviton pulse! Return to your egg!
ALIEN:
Thank the makers! We're saved!
Panel 4. Vertical panel showing the alien mothership -- a huge flying saucer -- hovering over Times Square. From the bottom of the mothership, an anti-gravity beam lifts the egg-shaped craft into the sky, towards its center. At ground level, the human audience looks up in amazement, cheering and applauding.
CAPTION:
And so the quartet left the world of the terrifying tree-shrews...
CROWD MEMBER:
Whoa!
CROWD MEMBER:
Woo-hoo!
CAPTION:
...never knowing they were the stars of the greatest rock concert the Earth had ever seen!