"Electric Company" - twelve page script

[RichardB]

This is the conclusion of a story which began in Hand In Glove (http://www.digitalwebbing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86639), then continued in I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire (http://www.digitalwebbing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90180) and in Wannabe (http://www.digitalwebbing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91450). The previous installments could each be read independently without reading any of the previous stories...the conclusion, probably not so much.


ELECTRIC COMPANY
(12 pages)


PAGE ONE (4 panels)

Panel 1. This page is a pastiche of the "Previously on..." openings of tv dramas -- but in this case, they're scenes we've never seen before. The four panels are all horizontal and run the width of the page. In the first panel, a SCIENTIST (wearing a white lab coat) in a laboratory is showing a British Army GENERAL a mannequin wrapped in a bodysuit of wire mesh.

CAPTION:
Previously...

SCIENTIST:
The wearable mesh suit deflects energy blasts and allows its user to redirect the power as necessary.

GENERAL:
Just the sort of kit our metahuman "collection squads" will need.


Panel 2. MICHAEL HAND (as we saw him at the end of "Hand In Glove") standing at a lectern in front of a crowd of reporters. There are many photographers and video cameras directed at him. He's holding a press conference.

MICHAEL:
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, I am here to disclose a top secret government operation called the Belmarsh Plan...


Panel 3. AMANDA SERRANO (from "World On Fire") on her cellphone. Her expression is shock and dismay.

VOICE ON PHONE:
I'm sorry, dear, but Maggie passed away last night.

AMANDA:
Oh no...


Panel 4. HOWARD LOWE in costume as FRANKLIN KEY (from "Wannabe") on a Philadephia street at night, standing over an OLD MAN, who Howard is helping to his feet. The old man is dressed in an expensive three-piece suit.

HOWARD:
Are you okay, sir?

OLD MAN:
I don't know who you are, young man...but you just saved my life!

CAPTION:
And now...


PAGE TWO (4 panels)

Panel 1. Again, the four panels on this page are all horizontal and run the width of the page. A rented car driving down a road through a densely wooded area. It's morning and there are no other cars on the road. A voice comes from the car.

VOICE (from car):
"...But as I watch the moving van pull away, I'm not sure if I'm losing a mask...or losing the man I was underneath."

VOICE (continues):
Wow.


Panel 2. Interior of the rental car. MICHAEL is at the wheel, and AMANDA is in the passenger seat, reading a typed manuscript she has in her lap. It's over twenty years since we last saw Michael -- he's still recognizable as the fit ex-soldier, but his face is lined and his hairline is receding sharply. Matt Frewer is a possible model. Michael is in a suit and tie, looking corporate; Amanda is wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. It's been many years since either of them wore a costume.

MICHAEL:
You like that, then? The ghost writer put it in. I thought it might be too melodramatic...

AMANDA:
No, it's good.

AMANDA (continues):
It's funny, I knew Cra -- um, Angela, but I never realized how weird her life must have been.


Panel 3. Looking through the windshield at MICHAEL and AMANDA. Michael's eyes are on the road; Amanda is looking at him.

MICHAEL:
Um. Well. I gather she's been through a lot.

AMANDA:
And now she's going to be a doctor? Wow. You must be so proud!


Panel 4. Exterior of the car as it heads down the road -- in the near distance, we see a lone tower rising above the treetops. It looks futuristic and technological, with something like a lightning rod sticking out of the top.

MICHAEL (voice from car):
Yes, of course -- where is this bloody place, anyway?

AMANDA (voice from car):
We should be there. It must be somewhere near that weird tower thing...


PAGE THREE (3 panels)

Panel 1. Big panel. The car is parked near the base of the futuristic tower. MICHAEL and AMANDA are getting out of the car, looking surprised, as HOWARD walks towards them (in costume) down a short driveway leading directly to the tower's ground level entrance. Tower, we now see, is large enough that it contains many rooms on the upper floors. This place isn't exactly what they were expecting, and Howard being in costume was unexpected too.

MICHAEL:
I don't believe it.

HOWARD:
Hey there! Glad to see my directions were okay. Welcome to my headquarters!

TITLE:
Electric Company


Panel 2. HOWARD and MICHAEL shaking hands. Howard looks delighted, Michael a bit embarassed.

MICHAEL:
Mr. Lowe? Pleased to meet you. I'm...

HOWARD:
...Michael Hand, formerly known as Nimbus. It's an honor.


Panel 3. HOWARD turns to AMANDA, though not shaking her hand. Amanda is smiling.

HOWARD:
And you must be Amanda Serrano, right? The Third Rail. I never thought I'd meet you!

HOWARD (continues):
Aw, look at me standing here like a jerk. Some host I am! Let me give you the grand tour.


PAGE FOUR (5 panels)

Panel 1. Interior of the tower: HOWARD in the lead, MICHAEL and AMANDA behind him, going up a narrow flight of stairs inside the tower.

HOWARD:
...mind you, I didn't know he was a millionaire at the time. I thought I was saving some guy from a mugger.

HOWARD (continues):
Was I ever surprised when I got invited to his mansion!


Panel 2. HOWARD still leading MICHAEL and AMANDA, now through a corridor.

HOWARD:
Anyway, he offered to fund my operations, and that's how it all happened.

AMANDA:
What a lucky break!


Panel 3. Closeup on HOWARD, looking thoughtful.

HOWARD:
I know! Truth is, that night I had just about decided to pack it in. Give up on the hero thing.

HOWARD (continues):
I went out on patrol one last time...a last hurrah, you know? And then, boom! Everything changes.


Panel 4. HOWARD opens a door and gestures for the others to go inside.

HOWARD:
Just goes to show -- you never can tell what life has in store for you.


Panel 5. Wide panel showing Howard's trophy room. Clearly he has had some proper heroic adventures since we last saw him. In the classic Silver Age style, each item has a plaque or sign describing it. Among the trophies are:

* a multi-colored flag with a sign reading "FLAG OF THE SECOND SPACE EMPIRE"

* an ancient Egyptian amulet in a glass case on a pedestal, with sign reading "AMULET OF TOX-TETH THE MUMMY MONSTER"

* a small (about action figure size) bronze sculpture of Howard in costume, in another glass case on a pedestal, sign reading "AWARDED BY CITY COUNCIL"

Finally, one wall has an assortment of signed and framed certificates, thank you notes, and crayon drawings by kids of various superheroes. It isn't necessary that all items or signs be clearly visible in this panel: the rest of the story is set in this room, so these items can appear in the background of later panels at the artist's discretion.

HOWARD:
Okay, this is my trophy hall.



PAGE FIVE (6 panels)

Panel 1. MICHAEL is looking at the kid's crayon drawings mounted on the wall, while HOWARD stands behind him.

HOWARD:
Kids from the local schools come up here on field trips. Valley Forge isn't too far away...

MICHAEL:
And they draw pictures of you?


Panel 2. Close-up on one child's drawing in crayon of Howard in costume.

AMANDA (off-panel):
Aw, that's so sweet!

HOWARD (off-panel):
Geez, listen to me blabbing away. I still don't know why you guys decided to look me up.


Panel 3. MICHAEL facing HOWARD and making a surprising announcement. Howard is speechless, as his word balloon with ellipses indicates.

MICHAEL:
It's the power suit, Mr. Lowe. I'm here to take it back.

HOWARD:
...


Panel 4. This is identical to the previous panel -- the characters haven't moved, HOWARD is stunned while MICHAEL looks at him seriously.

HOWARD:
What?


Panel 5. Close-up on MICHAEL looking very serious indeed.

MICHAEL:
That suit is stolen property. I stole it. From a metahuman research centre at Belmarsh.


Panel 6. Flashback to MICHAEL in his costume as NIMBUS back in 1985.

CAPTION:
"The government was doing something very bad and I wanted some way to strike back at them."

CAPTION:
"It was childish. I ended up losing my wife and daughter and came close to being killed."


PAGE SIX (6 panels)

Panel 1. Long shot of the trio. MICHAEL continues talking, while AMANDA interjects.

MICHAEL:
I put the costume where I thought it would never be found, and started acting like an adult.

AMANDA:
I haven't gotten to that part in the book yet --


Panel 2. HOWARD looks puzzled, and MICHAEL waves off his question with a dismissive gesture.

HOWARD:
Book?

MICHAEL:
My memoirs. Ms. Serrano's been reading the manuscript.

MICHAEL (continues):
It's about my trial under the Official Secrets Act for revealing a plan to put metahumans into secret prisons.


Panel 3. Close-up on MICHAEL again.

MICHAEL:
When it was done, I went back to doing what I believed in -- protecting innocent people from costumed nutters.


Panel 4. MICHAEL holds out a strange-looking weapon in his open hand. It appears to be the handle and trigger of a pistol, but without any muzzle.

MICHAEL:
Do you know what this is?

HOWARD (off-panel):
N-no...


Panel 5. Long shot of MICHAEL as he gestures with the weapon in his hand, showing how it would be used without actually pressing the trigger.

MICHAEL:
It's a neuron lash. One jab and your opponent feels agonizing pain in every nerve ending. No physical damage -- just pain.

MICHAEL (continues):
This one was found on the pavement after the Torture Trio were captured in Chicago.


Panel 6. MICHAEL leans in close to HOWARD in a confrontational way, almost accusingly.

MICHAEL:
Do you have any idea what harm this could do in the hands of a gang member or a criminal or a terrorist?

MICHAEL (continues):
Not to mention the price it fetches on the black market.

[RichardB]

PAGE SEVEN (6 panels)

Panel 1. A devastated urban street scene. A group of four paramilitary types in identical coveralls or jumpsuits moving through the debris, carrying high-tech weapons. The paramilitary type in the lead has an electronic detector device, like a futuristic geiger counter as designed by Jack Kirby.

CAPTION:
"You round up the bad guys and send them away. What about the destructive toys they leave behind?"

CAPTION:
"That's what my firm does. We go to the scene and we contain the damage."


Panel 2. Back to the trophy room: MICHAEL hands HOWARD a business card.

MICHAEL:
We search for any super weapons or rogue technology and dispose of it. We know what to look for. How to secure advanced tech and handle it safely.


Panel 3. Close-up of the business card in Howard's hand as he examines it. It reads: "HAND OPERATIONS" with "Michael Hand" and an illegible e-mail address in smaller type.

HOWARD (off-panel):
Clever name...

MICHAEL (off-panel):
We have contracts with twenty nations. Eventually we'll have offices in every major city.


Panel 4. MICHAEL continues his explanation.

MICHAEL:
But I was as guilty as anyone of creating the problem I was trying to stop. That damn suit. After all these years I had no idea where it was.


Panel 5. Michael's daughter ANGELA (last seen in "World On Fire") now nearly a decade older, talking on a cellphone. She's in an apartment we've never seen before. Her expression is surprised -- she's getting a call from her long absent father.

CAPTION:
"I got in touch with my daughter. She'd never known about the suit, much less that it was in the box. She left it with a former roomate in New York."

CAPTION:
"That led me to Amanda."


Panel 6. MICHAEL gestures to AMANDA, who looks offended as she cuts in.

MICHAEL:
Amanda sold the suit on iBid -- which she absolutely no right to do, as it wasn't her property --

AMANDA:
-- hey, I already apologized for that! I had it so long I forgot it belonged to Angie! Anyway, when my agent died --



PAGE EIGHT (6 panels)

Panel 1. MICHAEL is irritated as he continues speaking.

MICHAEL:
That's not important now. The point is, Amanda helped me find the buyer, and that's why we're here.


Panel 2. MICHAEL points a finger at HOWARD, almost poking him in the chest.

MICHAEL:
That suit wasn't mean to be used for...for playing dress-up in! It needs to be stored away safely before someone gets hurt.


Panel 3. HOWARD stammers while MICHAEL is looking at him sternly. From behind Michael, AMANDA tries to get a word in.

HOWARD:
W-well. I mean, I didn't...I can't...what kind of hero would, would keep stolen property...

AMANDA:
Michael.


Panel 4. MICHAEL continues talking, ignoring AMANDA as she tries to get his attention.

MICHAEL:
I apologise if I was hard on you, Mr. Lowe. But it really is very important. If you could just remove the suit and turn it over...

AMANDA:
Michael. For Christ's sake.


Panel 5. MICHAEL turns to face AMANDA. Both of them are annoyed, but for different reasons.

MICHAEL:
What is it now, Amanda?

AMANDA:
Jesus Christ! Let him keep the goddamn suit, Michael!


Panel 6. HOWARD looks deeply embarassed. AMANDA turns to face him, still looking annoyed.

HOWARD:
Oh, n-no, that's...it wouldn't be right...

AMANDA:
Look, shut up, okay? We've been listening to this guy mouth off, and now it's my turn.


PAGE NINE (6 panels)

Panel 1. MICHAEL and AMANDA are up in each other's faces, at the edge of shouting at one another.

MICHAEL:
Amanda, this isn't a bloody game!

AMANDA:
I get that! Now you shut up too and listen for a change!


Panel 2. AMANDA gives MICHAEL hell. Michael now looks even more offended.

AMANDA:
You stole the goddamn suit. You said using it lost you Angie and her mom. And you've been itching to undo that, haven't you?

MICHAEL:
How dare --


Panel 3. Closeup on AMANDA.

AMANDA:
I'm not finished! You didn't want to play hero, you had no business trying, and it screwed up your life.


Panel 4. AMANDA and MICHAEL, still at it.

AMANDA:
Then I got the suit --

MICHAEL:
You had no right to open that box, let alone --


Panel 5. A flashback shot of Amanda in costume as THE THIRD RAIL, prowling a New York City rooftop by night.

CAPTION:
"Yeah! I admit it! I was wrong! I just wanted a boost for my acting career!"

CAPTION:
"And guess what? I sucked as a hero and as an actress! So I finally gave up."


Panel 6. MICHAEL looks puzzled now, while AMANDA continues explaining.

MICHAEL:
I don't see --

AMANDA:
Along comes this guy who wanted to be a hero for its own sake. Not to punish someone and not for publicity. Just to help people.


PAGE TEN (6 panels)

Panel 1. Closeup on AMANDA looking pained and exasperated.

AMANDA:
He came by it honestly. He didn't know it was stolen -- he bought it from me fair and square.

AMANDA (continues):
And now he's the one who gets punished for our mistakes? How in hell is that fair?


Panel 2. MICHAEL objects, but AMANDA is pressing her case.

MICHAEL:
This isn't about being fair --

AMANDA:
Maybe it should be!


Panel 3. AMANDA points angrily at HOWARD, who is standing miserably off to one side, while she looks at MICHAEL.

AMANDA:
This guy is doing good. And he's so honest that he's ready to give up what he loves most in the whole world!

AMANDA (continues):
Isn't that the kind of person who ought to be a hero?


Panel 4. HOWARD holds up his hands in a pleading gesture to AMANDA, wishing her to stop, but she answers wryly.

HOWARD:
Please...this is embarassing...

AMANDA:
Try and be brave, hero.


Panel 5. AMANDA turns back to MICHAEL, who looks flummoxed.

AMANDA:
Michael, is anyone else demanding the return of that suit?

MICHAEL:
Not as such, but...


Panel 6. The same panel again, with AMANDA and MICHAEL. She's turning the tide in the argument and wearing him down, so their poses might reflect this.

AMANDA:
Would anyone know the difference after all these years if it just stayed here?

MICHAEL:
I'd know --


PAGE ELEVEN (6 panels)

Panel 1. Closeup on AMANDA as she brings her argument home.

AMANDA:
What, you're afraid someone will call you a hypocrite if you turn a blind eye just once?

AMANDA (continues):
Michael, you are so freaking wrong about this.


Panel 2. MICHAEL looking down, as AMANDA scowls at him and HOWARD looks embarassed.

MICHAEL:
Um. Let me think for a moment.


Panel 3. MICHAEL has stepped away from the other two in the foreground, who look at his back silently.

no text


Panel 4. Reverse angle, so we see MICHAEL in the foreground, facing us. He looks up, still facing away from the pair, and speaks to AMANDA behind him.

MICHAEL:
Amanda...would you be interested in coming to work for me?

AMANDA:
Huh?


Panel 5. MICHAEL turns to face AMANDA. He's now talking reasonably, but she explodes with frustration.

MICHAEL:
I need someone who'll tell me off like that. You've worked in the field, as it were. We could use someone like you.

AMANDA:
That's -- so freaking British! Whenever something unpleasant is going on, you talk about something else!


Panel 6. AMANDA challenges MICHAEL.

AMANDA:
What are you going to do about Howard?

MICHAEL:
Um. Yes. Well.


PAGE TWELVE (6 panels)

Panel 1. MICHAEL turns to HOWARD, who looks stunned by everything that's just happened.

MICHAEL:
Mr. Lowe...you may have gathered I'm not keen on costumed heroes. Nor on experimental tech being used freely.

MICHAEL (continues):
But you've shown you can use it responsibly...and as our friend points out, you shouldn't be penalized for our errors.


Panel 2. Closeup on MICHAEL. He looks a bit pained, as if it's difficult for him to say this.

MICHAEL:
The missing suit was overlooked in everything else happening at the time. Perhaps...perhaps it's best if we leave it that way.


Panel 3. Closeup on HOWARD, wide eyed.

HOWARD:
I don't know what to say...

HOWARD (continues):
What are you going to do now?


Panel 4. MICHAEL looks questioningly at AMANDA.

MICHAEL:
Fly to California to see my daughter. Then back to London...with Ms. Serrano, if she's decided to accept my offer.


Panel 5. AMANDA turns to HOWARD.

AMANDA:
I refuse to decide anything on an empty stomach. What's for lunch?

HOWARD:
Uh...I was going to make a salad...


Panel 6. All three are heading towards the door out of the Trophy Room, walking away from us. AMANDA has put a reassuring hand on HOWARD'S shoulder, as MICHAEL looks on.

AMANDA:
Sounds good to me, hero.

MICHAEL:
Well then. Let's carry on.