thatpoorsweetboy
06-06-2006, 06:53 AM
This is a script for the origin story of a comic I'm writing with a mate of mine drawing (when he can be arsed). It won't be to everybody's tastes, it's a the tale of a victorian misenthrope thrust on a grand adventure throughout time and space itself. The idea is to do it like an anthology, old penny dreadful style, with film and pop culture homages littered throughout. The art style is very cartoony and obviously black & white.
DANIEL FARNSWORTH – GENTLEMAN CALLER
in
THE TERRIBLE ORIGIN OF MY PLIGHT
Page 1 –
1 – FARNSWORTH protrudes out of a small panel, with outer space in the background.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) You, with your drab life and wanton imagination, may look at me and see a born adventurer created from the ether of possibility and cast out among the stars as some fearless dynamo. To that I would say nay, oh donkey witted window peeper, for it was not always this way…
2 – Overview of Victorian London. St. Paul’s, something like that.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) Victoria! A queen of grandest distinction and palest melancholy. And what an age she wrought upon us. The publishing boom, serial murder and wax in the guise of chocolate, all waiting on every corner. Innovations in an age of wonder and grime.
3 – Exterior of FARNSWORTH’S FINE TOBACCO.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) My employment was a wafer thin attachment of but a few hours a week peddling the cheap tobacco of my forefathers, forever saddled by the burden of the family name. But tobacco was never enough for me. My opiates lie in more pungent pools of vice than that hopeless hovel could afford me.
4 – FARNSWORTH with his arms around two WHORES.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) Though my job was to provide the wastrels of Clapper Meadow with fine cigars and pipes designed by off shore savages, my true vocation was that of randy rogue, beer swilling bounder, careless cad and all round proper bastard.
5 – FARNSWORTH in bed with A YOUNG LADY. The image is from the ceiling looking down. FARNSWORTH has his arm around the LADY who nuzzles into him, her hair covering her face as she lies on her side, her breast just visible beneath her arm that is draped across FARNSWORTH.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) I bedded strumpets, had my way with harlots, and bounced from wall to wall with bangtails of all persuasions and prices.
6 – FARNSWORTH sits drunk in a pub, looking away from the WEEPING LADY beside him.
FARNSWORTH - (caption) Never caring a tiny toss for the lives of those I intruded upon with my vampiric persuasion and viper’s wit.
WEEPING LADY – Daniel…I’m with child you fiend!
FARNSWORTH – Mwwwhahahaha…save your tears. The little swine will not be alone in this cruel world for it is littered with clueless little bastards of Farnsworth!
Page 2 –
1 – FARNSWORTH with his head inside the flowing dress of another YOUNG LADY. She faces forward, FARNSWORTH is buried beneath, back facing.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) But my sins and infidelities could not go unpunished forever…
HAG – (off panel) Delilah! Remove that head from your extremities this instant!
2 – The face of the HAG, withered and lop-sided.
FARNSWORTH– (caption) Staring me down was the face of my disruption. A discarded prune of the purest malevolence with eyes like the lasers I had not yet had pointed in my cursed cesspool brown eyes.
HAG – Curse you and your ways Farnsworth! A curse upon your loveless soul for all time!
3 – FARNSWORTH clasps the side of his face, his trousers round his ankles.
FARNSWORTH – Gasp…tell me hag, how did you chance upon my name?
4 – The HAG waves a scarf in FARNSWORTH’S face. He is mortified.
HAG – Never again will you rest your head Farnsworth. Never again will you rest.
5 – FARNSWORTH flees down a cobbled street, his face wracked with confusion and fear.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) Away I galloped like a bandy foal that had happened upon a trough of bad ale. My mind bruised and burgled by the hag’s familiarity.
FARNSWORTH – No…never…never rest…sweet lord…how?
6 – FARNSWORTH drops to his knees outside a dark, dank ale house/opium den.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) My head spun wildly as the world that I had loved became a blur of creeping fear and dancing ghouls. Whether by chance or some grim design, I fell upon the frontage of a den of vice. Ah! Refuge and stimulation!
FARNSWORTH – Thank…urk…goodness.
PAGE 3 –
1 – FARNSWORTH stumbles down a winding but short stair.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) I stumbled down the stair guided only by the scent of the dragon for whom I have chased on many a night not nearly as chilling as this.
2 – The OLD ORIENTAL MYSTIC stands before him. At his side is a magnificent carved cane with a red jewel upon it’s top.
MYSTIC – Welcome friend.
3 – Side view. FARNSWORTH grips the MYSTIC by the coat and slides to the ground.
FARNSWORTH – Wise and wrinkled sir, you must help me. I have been blown aghast by the curdling of my blood. The hag, the evil cunny faced hag…oh my…
MYSTIC – Fret not young man. Let me serve you the means to funnel your terrible plight.
4 – FARNSWORTH lies on a chez-lounge, a glass of booze beside him, blabbing deliriously.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) And so I told the old boy of my fears, gripped in the paralysis of the hags awful jibes but soothed by the stare of this withered old oriental, like the swaddling clothes from my mother but possessed of the intoxicating powers of fine liquor and opium.
FARNSWORTH - Young nubile wench…hag intruder…fear and strife…fear and strife…
5 – The MYSTIC hands FARNSWORTH the opium pipe.
MYSTIC – Release your fear unto the void Mr. Farnsworth. You cannot undo what has been done.
6 – FARNSWORTH takes a massive wheeze on the pipe.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) In truth I was as perturbed by the finality of his words as I was sickened by the hag’s curse, but the sweet wheeze of the dragon’s cough had infected my mind and I became lost in the blanket of carelessness draped upon me by this most potent of mixtures.
PAGE 4 –
1 – The MYSTIC stands over FARNSWORTH who lies stoned to bejesus. In the background a portal is opening.
MYSTIC – Rest now Daniel…you have a long journey before you.
2 – FARNSWORTH is startled. Behind him things are being shot to shit.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) I was crudely unraveled from my visions by the sound of what I thought to be gunfire. But this was gunfire unlike anything I had encountered before.
SFX – BLAM! FZZZT! BLAM! FZZZT!
FARNSWORTH – Urk…what the devil?
3 – The MYSTIC is blasted to fuck and riddled with holes.
MYSTIC – Ack!
4 – The MYSTIC lies on the floor, blood pouring from his mouth. He is looking towards the portal.
MYSTIC – No…it…it…can’t be…Bo…Bob…
5 – A dark mulleted figure with cybernetic enhancements and massive guns stands tall, smoke billowing from his guns. Heavy silhouette cast behind him.
BOBBY FRICTION – Bobby Friction you diseased old clam, that’s who! And I fucked you bad!
6 – FARNSWORTH sits up, confused, pipe in hand.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) The commotion induced a discombobulated fit of unimagined immensity. The stench of charred flesh burnt the hair from within my nasal passages, setting alight fires of vomit in my belly and pools of watery mess amid my undercarriage.
FARNSWORTH – Good Lord…choke…
PAGE 5 –
1 – The MYSTIC reaches out to FARNSWORTH.
MYSTIC – Daniel…you must flee, you must take the staff of infinite possibility…your cursed immortality and inability to enjoy a natural slumber will help you…
2 – The MYSTIC twists the jewelled knob upon his staff.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) It was all too much to take in, and being under the influence of the old boys fine tableside ecstasies I was unable to move myself beyond a mild drooping of the lower jaw.
3 – The MYSTIC hurls the cane at FARNSWORTH, whose jaw droops mildly.
MYSTIC – Discover the secrets within Farnsworth…turn the jewelled knob to pass through your earthly confinement. You are the only hope for the billion voices and hearts of the universe and her neighbours…let time nor space confine you…but beware the despot and his intergalactic assassin, my murderer, the heinous Bobby Friction. But above all…find the key of….urglk!
4 – FARNSWORTH sits, pipe in one hand, staff in the other. It flashes brilliantly.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) And with that, the old boy passed from this awful world…to where I was afraid to ponder.
FARNSWORTH – The key of…urglk? What in heaven…
5 – BOBBY FRICTION locks and loads.
BOBBY FRICTION – Farnsworth was it? Sounds like the kind of name belonging to a man who secretly wishes he were a girl!
6 – FARNSWORTH fades out of existence.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) Suddenly my entirety developed a tingle that took me within myself and into a place where only a blinding light and crippling burning did dwell.
PAGE 6
1- BOBBY FRICTION points his gun at where Farnsworth was sat.
BOBBY FRICTION – Why you poncy shag sack! There is nothing still alive with the stones to defy the murderous rage of Bobby Friction! I will hunt you down you gangly shite, and you will swallow my wrath! Roar!
2 – FARNSWORTH floats through the stars.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) And so, unbeknownst to me, my errant quest had begun. Armed with but a half filled pipe of opium and the staff of infinite possibility, I hurtled headlong toward my destiny not knowing where or when I might end up and what wonders or terrors would await me.
3 – FARNSWORTH falls from a hole in the sky.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) I fell and fell and fell some more until…
FARNSWORTH – Aaaaaaaaaargh……mercy!
4 – FARNSWORTH hits the ground landing in the midst of a gang of PRIMATES. Early man. There are about six of them.
5 – The PRIMATES look at FARNSWORTH.
PRIMATES – Ooooh?
6 – FARNSWORTH gets to his feet, dusting himself down.
FARNSWORTH – What the devil? Monkey men?
PAGE 7 –
1 – One of the PRIMATES picks a flower.
PRIMATE – Oooh? Oooh.
2- FARNSWORTH recoils.
FARNSWORTH – What is this madness?
3 – The PRIMATE smiles and offers FARNSWORTH the flower.
4 – FARNSWORTH holds back the staff, ready to pounce.
FARNSWORTH – Back, nameless beast!
5 – The PRIMATE looks bemused.
PRIMATE – Oooh?
6 – Front view. FARNSWORTH bludgeons the PRIMATE to death. FARNSWORTH remains composed but aggressive as the arms of the PRIMATE writhe up in agony, bits flying about.
SFX – CRACK…SNAP…GURGLE…
PAGE 8 –
1 – The PRIMATES stand behind FARNSWORTH bewildered. PRIMATES in a straight-ish line bunched in the background, FARNSWORTH side view, drawing breath in the foreground.
PRIMATES – Oooooh?
2 – FARNSWORTH, covered in blood and monkey hair, turns the jewelled
knob. He is a little concerned. The PRIMATES stand confused behind him.
FARNSWORTH – Oh dear, a hasty retreat methinks. Now, what did the old boy say?
3 – FARNSWORTH is sucked into a portal. His right foot steps in the portal and his left arm waves the staff.
FARNSWORTH – Tally ho you devilish monkey men! May history note the day you trifled with Daniel Farnsworth!
4 – The PRIMATES look at one another as if bemused. One of them, in the foreground and side on, has moved away from the group and picked up a large bone.
5 – The PRIMATES stand over their dead friend. Unknown to them, the PRIMATE with the bone is behind, flying in at them overhead, bloodlust boiling. FARNSWORTH has inadvertently created the concept of war!
6 – The black of space. FARNSWORTH is a tiny dot floating in the distance.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) And so with both a whimper and a bang, the desperate quest of Daniel Farnsworth, gentleman caller, began.
FARNSWORTH – God help me.
THE END
DANIEL FARNSWORTH – GENTLEMAN CALLER
in
THE TERRIBLE ORIGIN OF MY PLIGHT
Page 1 –
1 – FARNSWORTH protrudes out of a small panel, with outer space in the background.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) You, with your drab life and wanton imagination, may look at me and see a born adventurer created from the ether of possibility and cast out among the stars as some fearless dynamo. To that I would say nay, oh donkey witted window peeper, for it was not always this way…
2 – Overview of Victorian London. St. Paul’s, something like that.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) Victoria! A queen of grandest distinction and palest melancholy. And what an age she wrought upon us. The publishing boom, serial murder and wax in the guise of chocolate, all waiting on every corner. Innovations in an age of wonder and grime.
3 – Exterior of FARNSWORTH’S FINE TOBACCO.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) My employment was a wafer thin attachment of but a few hours a week peddling the cheap tobacco of my forefathers, forever saddled by the burden of the family name. But tobacco was never enough for me. My opiates lie in more pungent pools of vice than that hopeless hovel could afford me.
4 – FARNSWORTH with his arms around two WHORES.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) Though my job was to provide the wastrels of Clapper Meadow with fine cigars and pipes designed by off shore savages, my true vocation was that of randy rogue, beer swilling bounder, careless cad and all round proper bastard.
5 – FARNSWORTH in bed with A YOUNG LADY. The image is from the ceiling looking down. FARNSWORTH has his arm around the LADY who nuzzles into him, her hair covering her face as she lies on her side, her breast just visible beneath her arm that is draped across FARNSWORTH.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) I bedded strumpets, had my way with harlots, and bounced from wall to wall with bangtails of all persuasions and prices.
6 – FARNSWORTH sits drunk in a pub, looking away from the WEEPING LADY beside him.
FARNSWORTH - (caption) Never caring a tiny toss for the lives of those I intruded upon with my vampiric persuasion and viper’s wit.
WEEPING LADY – Daniel…I’m with child you fiend!
FARNSWORTH – Mwwwhahahaha…save your tears. The little swine will not be alone in this cruel world for it is littered with clueless little bastards of Farnsworth!
Page 2 –
1 – FARNSWORTH with his head inside the flowing dress of another YOUNG LADY. She faces forward, FARNSWORTH is buried beneath, back facing.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) But my sins and infidelities could not go unpunished forever…
HAG – (off panel) Delilah! Remove that head from your extremities this instant!
2 – The face of the HAG, withered and lop-sided.
FARNSWORTH– (caption) Staring me down was the face of my disruption. A discarded prune of the purest malevolence with eyes like the lasers I had not yet had pointed in my cursed cesspool brown eyes.
HAG – Curse you and your ways Farnsworth! A curse upon your loveless soul for all time!
3 – FARNSWORTH clasps the side of his face, his trousers round his ankles.
FARNSWORTH – Gasp…tell me hag, how did you chance upon my name?
4 – The HAG waves a scarf in FARNSWORTH’S face. He is mortified.
HAG – Never again will you rest your head Farnsworth. Never again will you rest.
5 – FARNSWORTH flees down a cobbled street, his face wracked with confusion and fear.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) Away I galloped like a bandy foal that had happened upon a trough of bad ale. My mind bruised and burgled by the hag’s familiarity.
FARNSWORTH – No…never…never rest…sweet lord…how?
6 – FARNSWORTH drops to his knees outside a dark, dank ale house/opium den.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) My head spun wildly as the world that I had loved became a blur of creeping fear and dancing ghouls. Whether by chance or some grim design, I fell upon the frontage of a den of vice. Ah! Refuge and stimulation!
FARNSWORTH – Thank…urk…goodness.
PAGE 3 –
1 – FARNSWORTH stumbles down a winding but short stair.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) I stumbled down the stair guided only by the scent of the dragon for whom I have chased on many a night not nearly as chilling as this.
2 – The OLD ORIENTAL MYSTIC stands before him. At his side is a magnificent carved cane with a red jewel upon it’s top.
MYSTIC – Welcome friend.
3 – Side view. FARNSWORTH grips the MYSTIC by the coat and slides to the ground.
FARNSWORTH – Wise and wrinkled sir, you must help me. I have been blown aghast by the curdling of my blood. The hag, the evil cunny faced hag…oh my…
MYSTIC – Fret not young man. Let me serve you the means to funnel your terrible plight.
4 – FARNSWORTH lies on a chez-lounge, a glass of booze beside him, blabbing deliriously.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) And so I told the old boy of my fears, gripped in the paralysis of the hags awful jibes but soothed by the stare of this withered old oriental, like the swaddling clothes from my mother but possessed of the intoxicating powers of fine liquor and opium.
FARNSWORTH - Young nubile wench…hag intruder…fear and strife…fear and strife…
5 – The MYSTIC hands FARNSWORTH the opium pipe.
MYSTIC – Release your fear unto the void Mr. Farnsworth. You cannot undo what has been done.
6 – FARNSWORTH takes a massive wheeze on the pipe.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) In truth I was as perturbed by the finality of his words as I was sickened by the hag’s curse, but the sweet wheeze of the dragon’s cough had infected my mind and I became lost in the blanket of carelessness draped upon me by this most potent of mixtures.
PAGE 4 –
1 – The MYSTIC stands over FARNSWORTH who lies stoned to bejesus. In the background a portal is opening.
MYSTIC – Rest now Daniel…you have a long journey before you.
2 – FARNSWORTH is startled. Behind him things are being shot to shit.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) I was crudely unraveled from my visions by the sound of what I thought to be gunfire. But this was gunfire unlike anything I had encountered before.
SFX – BLAM! FZZZT! BLAM! FZZZT!
FARNSWORTH – Urk…what the devil?
3 – The MYSTIC is blasted to fuck and riddled with holes.
MYSTIC – Ack!
4 – The MYSTIC lies on the floor, blood pouring from his mouth. He is looking towards the portal.
MYSTIC – No…it…it…can’t be…Bo…Bob…
5 – A dark mulleted figure with cybernetic enhancements and massive guns stands tall, smoke billowing from his guns. Heavy silhouette cast behind him.
BOBBY FRICTION – Bobby Friction you diseased old clam, that’s who! And I fucked you bad!
6 – FARNSWORTH sits up, confused, pipe in hand.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) The commotion induced a discombobulated fit of unimagined immensity. The stench of charred flesh burnt the hair from within my nasal passages, setting alight fires of vomit in my belly and pools of watery mess amid my undercarriage.
FARNSWORTH – Good Lord…choke…
PAGE 5 –
1 – The MYSTIC reaches out to FARNSWORTH.
MYSTIC – Daniel…you must flee, you must take the staff of infinite possibility…your cursed immortality and inability to enjoy a natural slumber will help you…
2 – The MYSTIC twists the jewelled knob upon his staff.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) It was all too much to take in, and being under the influence of the old boys fine tableside ecstasies I was unable to move myself beyond a mild drooping of the lower jaw.
3 – The MYSTIC hurls the cane at FARNSWORTH, whose jaw droops mildly.
MYSTIC – Discover the secrets within Farnsworth…turn the jewelled knob to pass through your earthly confinement. You are the only hope for the billion voices and hearts of the universe and her neighbours…let time nor space confine you…but beware the despot and his intergalactic assassin, my murderer, the heinous Bobby Friction. But above all…find the key of….urglk!
4 – FARNSWORTH sits, pipe in one hand, staff in the other. It flashes brilliantly.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) And with that, the old boy passed from this awful world…to where I was afraid to ponder.
FARNSWORTH – The key of…urglk? What in heaven…
5 – BOBBY FRICTION locks and loads.
BOBBY FRICTION – Farnsworth was it? Sounds like the kind of name belonging to a man who secretly wishes he were a girl!
6 – FARNSWORTH fades out of existence.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) Suddenly my entirety developed a tingle that took me within myself and into a place where only a blinding light and crippling burning did dwell.
PAGE 6
1- BOBBY FRICTION points his gun at where Farnsworth was sat.
BOBBY FRICTION – Why you poncy shag sack! There is nothing still alive with the stones to defy the murderous rage of Bobby Friction! I will hunt you down you gangly shite, and you will swallow my wrath! Roar!
2 – FARNSWORTH floats through the stars.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) And so, unbeknownst to me, my errant quest had begun. Armed with but a half filled pipe of opium and the staff of infinite possibility, I hurtled headlong toward my destiny not knowing where or when I might end up and what wonders or terrors would await me.
3 – FARNSWORTH falls from a hole in the sky.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) I fell and fell and fell some more until…
FARNSWORTH – Aaaaaaaaaargh……mercy!
4 – FARNSWORTH hits the ground landing in the midst of a gang of PRIMATES. Early man. There are about six of them.
5 – The PRIMATES look at FARNSWORTH.
PRIMATES – Ooooh?
6 – FARNSWORTH gets to his feet, dusting himself down.
FARNSWORTH – What the devil? Monkey men?
PAGE 7 –
1 – One of the PRIMATES picks a flower.
PRIMATE – Oooh? Oooh.
2- FARNSWORTH recoils.
FARNSWORTH – What is this madness?
3 – The PRIMATE smiles and offers FARNSWORTH the flower.
4 – FARNSWORTH holds back the staff, ready to pounce.
FARNSWORTH – Back, nameless beast!
5 – The PRIMATE looks bemused.
PRIMATE – Oooh?
6 – Front view. FARNSWORTH bludgeons the PRIMATE to death. FARNSWORTH remains composed but aggressive as the arms of the PRIMATE writhe up in agony, bits flying about.
SFX – CRACK…SNAP…GURGLE…
PAGE 8 –
1 – The PRIMATES stand behind FARNSWORTH bewildered. PRIMATES in a straight-ish line bunched in the background, FARNSWORTH side view, drawing breath in the foreground.
PRIMATES – Oooooh?
2 – FARNSWORTH, covered in blood and monkey hair, turns the jewelled
knob. He is a little concerned. The PRIMATES stand confused behind him.
FARNSWORTH – Oh dear, a hasty retreat methinks. Now, what did the old boy say?
3 – FARNSWORTH is sucked into a portal. His right foot steps in the portal and his left arm waves the staff.
FARNSWORTH – Tally ho you devilish monkey men! May history note the day you trifled with Daniel Farnsworth!
4 – The PRIMATES look at one another as if bemused. One of them, in the foreground and side on, has moved away from the group and picked up a large bone.
5 – The PRIMATES stand over their dead friend. Unknown to them, the PRIMATE with the bone is behind, flying in at them overhead, bloodlust boiling. FARNSWORTH has inadvertently created the concept of war!
6 – The black of space. FARNSWORTH is a tiny dot floating in the distance.
FARNSWORTH – (caption) And so with both a whimper and a bang, the desperate quest of Daniel Farnsworth, gentleman caller, began.
FARNSWORTH – God help me.
THE END