Thanks for visiting AVERAGE JOE. You are about to read the first complete issue. Stephen Andrade, a fellow Ain’t It Cool News reviewer, has joined on board to help put some of my insane ideas on paper. The drawings you see are all his genius in action. Now we just need a publisher. If you think you can help or would like to join the team shoot me an e-mail at robpatey@comcast.net
Read below for the pitch and then even further for AVERAGE JOE Issue 1
80 years ago The One landed on earth and infected humanity with superpowers. How would our world be different, if even an Average Joe possessed the power of a God? What if the whole world had Superpowers?
AVERAGE JOE
©2008 Rob Patey
Issue 1
FOOs Fighters
Rob Patey
In 1938, The ONE landed on earth and infected humanity with super powers. What happened next is history (or something like it).
PAGE 1
PANEL 1
Ninth Grade classroom, Philadelphia, 2008. The teacher stands in the front of the room. He’s a typical High School teacher burnt out by the system; in his cheap suit he dispenses apathetic learning to the next generation. The class is filled with typical teenagers; bored and listless.
TEACHER: WHO CAN TELL ME WHAT YEAR THE ONE CAME TO THE PLANET EARTH?
PANEL 2
No one raises their hands.
TEACHER: I UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT THE SUPER SENSES CLASS, BUT I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR 12 FEET IN FRONT OF YOU. C’MON PEOPLE 3RD GRADERS KNOW THIS STUFF. WE’RE JUST HAVING SOME FUN UNTIL OUR SPECIAL GUESTS ARRIVE.
PANEL 3
Sally Geiss raises her hand, she wears average looking clothes with the exception of a small white cape worn around her neck, and the cape has an intricate O embroidered on it. Several other students in the class can be seen wearing the capes as well.
TEACHER: SALLY GEISS
SALLY: THE ONE, BLESSED IS HIS NAME, WAS DELIVERED TO EARTH IN THE YEAR 1, OF COURSE.
TEACHER: SALLY, I AM REQUIRED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD TO SAY I RESPECT YOUR BELIEFS, BUT IF YOU GAVE ME THAT ANSWER ON A TEST I WOULD HAVE TO MARK IT WRONG. THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT IS STILL ON THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR AND SO IS THIS CLASSROOM. PLEASE CONVERT YOUR ANSWER.
PANEL 4
Sally does not answer.
TEACHER: ANYONE ELSE? MARK.
MARK: 1885
TEACHER: MARK, HAVE YOU BEEN TESTED? SERIOUSLY, HAVE YOUR PARENTS BUY YOU SOME BLOCKS TO PLAY WITH. THAT’S NOT EVEN THE RIGHT CENTURY. IT WAS 1938, THE ONE…
PANEL 5
Those wearing the capes in the class (FOOs), chime out in chorus.
FOOs: BLESSED IS HIS NAME
TEACHER: KIDS, YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DO THAT UNDER YOUR BREATH.
PAGE 2
PANEL 1
Close on teacher.
TEACHER: CAN ANYONE WHO IS NOT A FOLLOWER OF ONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT CITY HE FIRST APPEARED IN, IN 1937, NOT 1885…I’LL GIVE YOU A HINT…YOU LIVE IN IT.
PANEL 2
Hallway outside classroom. This hallway seems larger than the hallways we know in a typical high school. As we’ll see in this world, all public building code standards are triple what they are in our world; this is to accommodate those gifted with super strength and super-mass.
Seen walking down the hallway are Joe Smith and his partner in the Philadelphia Powers Unit Troy Jakabowski. Joe is tall and slender, almost too skinny to be in a law enforcement uniform. Troy is a hulking mass. Not just by comparison, but a literal hulking mass. He and the roughly 33 million people across the globe like him are the reason building code standards were changed.
TROY: SO I THOUGHT YOU PROMISED TO GET US THE FRIG OUT OF THIS.
JOE: WELL I DID BLOW THE CAPTAIN.
TROY: DID YOU CUP THE BALLS?
JOE: DAMN, KNEW I FORGOT SOMETHING.
PANEL 3
They draw closer to the classroom.
TROY: SERIOUSLY, I HATE FRIGGEN TEENAGERS. LITTLE KIDS, LIKE SECOND GRADE, THEY’RE CUTE. I’LL GO TALK TO THEM ANY TIME. THESE MUTANTS THOUGH, WITH THE HORMONES AND THE ACNE AND DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE POUNDERS, THEY ARE THE WORST.
JOE: IS THAT WHAT THE S-DOMINANTS WERE CALLED IN NEW YORK? BECAUSE WE DON’T CALL YOU GUYS POUNDERS IN PHILLY.
TROY: OH YEAH, WHAT AM I THEN?
JOE: MEAT SHIELD. WE’RE A BLOCK AND BLAST UNIT BABY.
PANEL 4
They stop in front of the classroom.
TROY(angry): I PASSED TEAM DYNAMICS AT THE ACADEMY, I KNOW MY ROLE. BUT, I ALSO MIGHT POUND A FEW THINGS NOW AND THEN.
JOE: IT’S OK PARTNER, NO OFFENSE INTENDED. WE’RE NEW TO EACH OTHER, SWITCH TO DECAF AND I PROMISE WE’LL WORK ON OUR ROUGH SPOTS.
PANEL 5
The teacher comes out of the hall to greet Joe and Troy.
TEACHER: YOU GUYS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TWENTY MINUTES AGO, I WAS TEACHING THEM THE ONE BASIC HISTORY TO KILL TIME. THESE ARE LOW GRADERS ON BOTH POWERS AND INTELLIGENCE, SO KEEP YOUR MESSAGE SIMPLE.
JOE: IT’S GREAT YOU’RE INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION. LOW GRADE LEVEL, WHAT POWER CLASS SIR?
PAGE 3
PANEL 1
The teacher darts down the highway.
PANEL 2
He darts back to Joe and Troy with a big smile on his face.
PANEL 3
Close on Joe and Troy
JOE: YOU REALLY COULD HAVE JUST SAID SPEEDSTERS.
TROY: WE CALLED EM GROUND FAIRIES IN NEW YORK. AND WHAT DID YOU GET UP TO THERE YUGO MAN, 35 MILES AN HOUR?
JOE: HE CAN OUTRUN AN ARTHRITIC CHEETAH.
PANEL 4
A crash comes from inside the class room.
TEACHER: WOULD YOU COME ON IN ALREADY, THEY’RE GOING TO TEAR THE ROOM APART.
JOE: WE’LL BE IN AS SOON AS WE ESTABLISH A LEG TRAP ON THE DOORWAY.
PANEL 5
Teacher goes back into classroom
TEACHER: HURRY UP.
PAGE 4
PANEL 1
Joe is crouched down placing small black discs on the door jam.
JOE: SO WE TANK THIS RIGHT?
TROY: WHAT?
JOE: GO IN THERE AND MESS WITH THE KIDS’ MINDS TO THE POINT THE SCHOOL COMPLAINS TO THE PRECINCT. GUARANTEED WE WON’T HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN.
PANEL 2
Joe stands up. And pulls out a blackberry looking device.
TROY: I LIKE THIS PLAN.
JOE: ACHILLES IS PLACED, FLEET FEET BEWARE. YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAID TANK THIS, I DON’T MEAN LIKE WHIP OUT YOUR DICK OR ANYTHING.
TROY: ARE YOU KIDDING ME? YOU REALLY FELT THE NEED TO GIVE ME THAT DIRECTION? JUST BECAUSE I’M BIG DOESN’T MEAN I’M A MONSTER.
PANEL 3
JOE: HOW BIG?
TROY: WHAT? YOU MEAN MY…
JOE: YEAH.
TROY: YOU GAY?
JOE: ACTUALLY, YES I AM. IS THAT A PROBLEM?
TROY: BUY A MAGAZINE OR OoooGLE IT ON THE INTERNET.
PANEL 4
JOE: I WASN’T ASKING BECAUSE I’M GAY. IF ONE GUY SEES ANOTHER GUY THAT’S 8’2” AND ALMOST 1000 POUNDS, YOU JUST WONDER. IT’S LIKE BEING FASCINATED BY A BLUE WHALE’S JUNK. IT DOESN’T MEAN I WANT TO KICK BACK 12 GALLONS OF WHALE BABY.
TROY: ARE YOU REALLY GAY?
PANEL 5
JOE: NO…BUT WE LEARNED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU TODAY DIDN’T WE?
TROY: IT’S A LONG STORY, I MIGHT TELL YOU ABOUT IT SOMEDAY. AND I’M ABOUT A HORSE, HORSE AND A HALF.
JOE: MUST BE TOUGH FINDING VAGINAS. HUMAN I MEAN.
TROY: ARE THESE KIDS FREAKING READY FOR US YET?
PAGE 5
PANEL 1
Interior classroom. Joe and Troy stand at the front of the room, the teacher is standing in front of them reading from a piece of paper. He awkwardly begins introductions.
TEACHER: PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING OFFICERS JOE SMITH AND TROY JAK…A…JAKA
TROY: JAKABOWSKI. NO WONDER THESE KIDS ARE ON THE BOTTOM RUNG OF THE IQ LADDER, THEIR TEACHER IS STILL ON TAPE ONE OF HOOKED ON PHONICS.
PANEL 2
Close on Troy whispering to Joe.
TROY: THAT ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT YOU WERE THINKING?
JOE: I THINK THIS IS THE START OF A BEAUTIFUL PARTNERSHIP.
OS: STUDENTS LAUGHING
OS TEACHER: HE WAS MAKING FUN OF ALL OF YOU TOO.
PANEL 3
Teacher turns his back to class to face Joe and Troy. Close on the three.
TEACHER: LOOK, I LET YOU GUYS MAKE FUN OF MY PATHETIC POWERS IN THE HALLWAY, BUT COULD YOU PLEASE NOT VAPORIZE WHAT LITTLE CREDIBILITY I HAVE LEFT WITH THESE KIDS.
JOE: ON ONE CONDITION. AFTER WE FINISH DOING OUR THING HERE, YOU IMMEDIATELY GO TO THE PRINCIPALS OFFICE AND TELL HIM…
TEACHER: HER
PANEL 4
Close on Joe.
JOE: DON’T CARE. TELL HER TO CALL CAPTAIN FRANK RIZETTI OF THE CENTER CITY STATION. SHE MUST TELL CAPTAIN RIZETTI TO PULL OFFICERS SMITH AND JAKABOWSKI FROM THE SCHOOL OUTREACH PROGRAM. THEY ARE DEMORALIZING THE STUDENTS AND EXTINGUISHING THE SMALL SLIVER OF HOPE THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD FOR THEIR FUTURE.
TEACHER OS: IS THAT WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO?
PANEL 5
Back out to three shot, teacher, Joe and Troy.
TROY: YEAH IT’LL BE EASY WITH THIS BUNCH. YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT?
TEACHER: ACTUALLY, I WAS THINKING ABOUT KISSING BOTH OF YOU.
TROY: YOU GAY?
JOE: JUST LET US TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING.
PAGE 6
PANEL 1
Joe steps away from the group to address the students., he’s a smiley friendly cop.
JOE: SO WHO HERE THINKS THEY WANT TO PURSUE A CAREER IN POWERED LAW ENFORCEMENT?
PANEL 2
A few hands go up around the room.
JOE: I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A SPEEDSTER CLASS, YOU MR…?
BOY: SPENCER
JOE: MR. SPENCER, WHAT IS YOUR AVERAGE SPEED?
SPENCER 85 MPH
JOE: AVERAGE MAN, NOT TOP.
SPENCER: 60.
PANEL 3
Troy interjects.
TROY: THAT’S TOUGH TITTIE KID. TO BE A MEMBER OF ANY POWERED UNIT ALONG THE EAST COST YOU HAVE TO AVERAGE AT LEAST 300 MPH AND BE ABLE TO TOP OUT AT SPEED OF SOUND. I HEARD RUMOR, THERE ARE SOME FEDS NOW THAT HAVE TRAVELED SO FAST THEY ARE ABLE TO JUMP BACK AND FORTH THROUGH TIME, HELL SOME FOLKS SAY THEY ARE FASTER THAN THE ONE…
PANEL 4
Shot of the classroom. Seven desks are turned over.
PANEL 5
Shot of the seven students that were wearing the capes earlier now surrounding Joe and Troy.
TROY: STRUCK A NERVE, DID I? I GUESS I DIDN’T LEAVE THE CRAZY FOOs BEHIND WHEN I LEFT NEW YORK.
JOE: OK KIDS, LET’S GO BACK TO YOUR SEATS NOW. MY PARTNER DIDN’T MEAN ANY OFFENSE.
PAGE 7
PANEL 1
Close shot on an angelic blonde haired, blue eyed face of a beautiful girl. She is the leader of the group surrounding Joe and Troy.
ANGELICA: BEGGING YOUR PARDON OFFICER SMITH, BUT YOUR PARTNER IS NOTHING BUT AN OFFENSE. WE ARE NOT FOOs, WE ARE FOLLOWERS OF THE ONE. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE TANGIBLE GIFTS HE BESTOWED UPON HUMANITY. JUDGING BY YOUR PARTNER’S LAST NAME, HE PROBABLY STILL HOLDS TO THE ANTIQUATED BELIEFS THAT HIS GRANDMOTHER BROUGHT OVER FROM THE OLD WORLD ABOUT SOME MAN WHO DIED IN VAIN TO OFFER US AN UNQUANTIFIABLE REWARD.
PANEL 2
Troy gets close to the girl. We can now see her whole body; she is pious but in a hot way.
TROY: THAT ANTIQUATED RELIGION IS CALLED CATHOLICISM AND THE GUY THAT DIED IS THE GREATEST MAN TO EVER WALK THE EARTH. ENJOY YOUR LOW GRADE POWERS FOR THE NEXT 60 OR SO YEARS WHILE I’M CHUCKING MIN-VANS IN HEAVEN FOR ETERNITY. AND HOW DID YOU KNOW IT WAS MY GRANDMOTHER THAT CAME FROM POLAND?
ANGELIC: IT GENERALLY TAKES THREE GENERATIONS UNTIL THE NAME IS ANGLICIZED OUT OF SHAME OR IN A POLITICAL MANEUVER.
PANEL 3
Troy yells over to the teacher.
TROY: I THOUGHT YOU SAID THIS WAS THE RETARD CLASS? THIS LITTLE GIRL DOESN’T TALK LIKE A RETARD. SHE EVEN OUT SPEAKS ME EVEN.
PANEL 4
Back to the circle
ANGELIC: TONY DANZA HAS BETTER ELOCUTION OFFICER.
JOE: OK SHE WINS. HEY PARTNER, COULD YOU STOP THE VERBAL PARLE, WE HAVE A SITUATION HERE.
PANEL 5
Close on Joe, his eyes which were once normal have turned to a deep ruby red.
JOE: DO YOU SEE THE COLOR OF MY EYES RIGHT NOW? I’M TELLING YOU THIS BECAUSE DESPITE ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL POWERS, WE STILL FOLLOW ARCHAIC POLICE PROCEDURES. I MUST WARN YOU WHEN MY WEAPON IS UNHOLSTERED. IT IS. REMEMBER WHEN THE LIBERTY BELL PAVILION WAS DESTROYED LAST YEAR AND THEY COULDN’T FIND THE BELL…OR THE PAVILION? I MISSED THE PERP.
PAGE 8
PANEL 1
The kids in the capes begin to disperse.
TROY: THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT.
JOE: WHAT ARE YOU 12?
TROY: IT’S A LONG STORY…
JOE: YEAH, YOU’LL TELL ME ABOUT IT LATER.
PANEL 2
The teacher walks back over to Joe and Troy, his back turned to the students.
TEACHER: YOU DIDN’T NEED TO BRIBE ME I WOULD HAVE HAD TO REPORT THIS ANYWAY. I JUST THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO HAVE SOME FUN WITH THEM, NOT TRY TO PICK A FIGHT.
JOE: SORRY.
TROY: I’M NOT. THOSE KIDS ARE FREAKS.
PANEL 3
JOE: SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, MY PARTNER AND THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, PLEASE ACCEPT ALL OF OUR SINCERE APOLOGIES.
TEACHER: I THINK IT’S TIME YOU GO.
PANEL 4
Wide shot of the room, Joe and Troy are moving for the door.
TROY: SO THAT WILL BE ALL FOR OUR PRESENTATION. IN SUMMARY, YOU’RE ALL TOO DAMN SLOW. I WOULD LOOK AT APPLYING FOR JOBS WITH ONEEX DELIVERY OR PERHAPS AS A GROCERY DELIVERY PERSON IN CHINA TOWN.
JOE: AND DON’T DO DRUGS.
PANEL 5
The hallway
JOE: NOT EXACTLY WHAT I MEANT BY TANK IT.
TROY: I DON’T THINK WE’LL BE ASKED TO DO THIS AGAIN.
JOE: YOU HUNGRY? YOU LIKE CHEESE STEAKS?
TROY: ALWAYS HUNGRY. AND I MOVED TO FREAKIN PHILLY DIDN’T I? WOULD HAVE BEEN A STUPID TRANSFER IF I HATED CHEESE STEAKS.
PAGES 9 & 10
FULL PAGE
First shot – the exterior of this world. Everything needs to be big; buildings, cars, some of the people. In the sky can be seen hundreds if not thousands of people flying around. All of the cities skyscrapers dwarf even the largest buildings of today. There is a specific speedster lane for traffic. I can’t stress enough the importance of this shot. This sells that we are truly in a very different world than our own.
The only building that should be small is the one Joe and Troy are standing at. It’s OK to use an “ant-effect” for their dialogue on this page, in fact it would be preferred. Joe and Troy are in the back of a long line at one of Philly’s famous cheese steak places. The place is dirty and there is only outside seating. A super-speed bum darts around and cleans tables.
JOE: YOU LIKE ONIONS.
TROY: DON’T MIND EM’.
JOE: WHEN YOU GET TO THE WINDOW ORDER A WIZ WIT
PAGE 11
PANEL 1
Close on Joe & Troy
TROY: WAS THAT ENGLISH?
JOE: BARELY. IT MEANS YOU WANT THE PROCESSED CHEESE WITH ONIONS.
TROY: NO WONDER THE WOMEN HERE ALL HAVE SADDLEBAGS. SAY, DO YOU EVER INVOKE POLICE EMERGENCY?
JOE: NOT FOR A LINE THIS LONG, DON’T WORRY IT’LL MOVE.
PANEL 2
A few minutes later Joe and Troy are eating their sandwiches at a table.
TROY: HOW MUCH TROUBLE YOU THINK WE’RE GONNA GET IN FOR OUR RUN IN WITH THE FOOEYKRISHNAS?
JOE: PROBABLY A SLAP ON THE WRIST AND AN HOUR WITH THE SHRINK…
TROY: THAT’S NOT TOO BAD.
JOE: WAIT, I WASN’T DONE. THAT WOULD BE IF IT DIDN’T HIT THE NEWS. I SAW THREE KIDS FILMING THE WHOLE INCIDENT WITH THEIR PHONES. IF IT GOES VIRAL, WE’LL HAVE PROBLEMS.
PANEL 3
TROY: I HEARD PHILLY WAS PRETTY POLITICAL.
JOE: YOU’LL LEARN.
TROY: I READ ABOUT YOUR THING WITH THE LIBERTY BELL.
PANEL 4
JOE: YEAH, I AM THE ONLY COP IN PHILLIE’S HISTORY TO COMPLETELY ATOMIZE A LANDMARK. THERE WAS POUNDER BACK IN THE 80’S THAT TOOK DOWN A WALL ON CONSTITUTION HALL. DIDN’T’ EVEN SCRATCH HANCOCK’S DESK.
TROY: HELL WITH IT, YOU PUT IT OUT OF ITS MISERY. IT HAD BEEN SUFFERING FOR 200 YEARS.
JOE: I WISH EVERYONE FELT THAT WAY. I STILL GET LITTLE MINIATURES LEFT ON MY DOORSTEP TIED TO HATE NOTES.
TROY: WHAT DO YOU DO WITH EM?
JOE: FOR EVERY STALKER HISTORIAN, THERE’S A SULLEN TEENAGER ON O-SWAP THAT HATES THE WORLD AND THINKS IT’D BE TITS CRAZY TO OWN THEIR OWN MINIATURE LIBERTY BELL SIGNED BY THE GUY THAT DESTROYED IT.
PANEL 5
TROY: PEOPLE ARE TOO FRIGGIN SENTIMENTAL IN THIS CITY, THERE’S NOTHING PRE-1950 STILL STANDING IN NEW YORK. MOST OF THE OLD BUILDINGS WENT DOWN BY ACCIDENT WHEN THE GREAT GENERATION WAS LEARNING TO USE THEIR POWERS.
JOE: THAT’S BECAUSE PHILLY HAS ALWAYS KEPT A TIGHT CONTROL ON POWER USE. THERE ARE DEFINITE LINES OF DEMARCATION.
TROY: AND THIRTY YEARS AGO YOU NEEDED THOSE LINES WHEN THERE WERE STILL SAPIENS WALKING AROUND.
PAGE 12
PANEL 1
JOE: WHAT ABOUT THOSE KIDS TODAY? THEY’RE DAMN CLOSE TO SAPES.
PANEL 2
TROY: THEY CAN STILL GET OUT OF THE WAY. THEY MOVE FASTER THAN A NO POWERED UPRIGHT MONKEY.
JOE: MAN, YOU ARE JUST FULL OF PREDISPOSITIONS.
PANEL 3
TROY: PLEASE TELL ME YOU’RE NOT ONE OF THOSE COPS THAT THINKS HE CAN SAVE THE WORLD…AND PROBABLY SMOKES DOPE ON WEEKENDS.
PANEL 4
JOE: AS LONG AS YOU DON’T TELL ME THAT YOU ONLY BECAME A COP SO YOU COULD TOSS LARGE OBJECTS WITHOUT GOING TO JAIL.
PAGE 13
PANEL 1
12 sonic booms assault the small cheese steak stand and the street around it, cars, debris and people go flying in all directions, this includes Joe.
PANEL 2
Troy catches Joe and whips him back towards the table.
TROY: DEMARCATION MY ASS.
JOE: THIS IS WHY WE HAVE JOBS.
PANEL 3
A cadre of police come following, some are on foot and some are in flight. There are probably forty officers in total. There should be significantly more Speedsters than Flyers.
PANEL 4
An older cop on foot stops at the cheese steak stand to catch his breath.
UNGER: HEY SMITH. AND UH..JAKA..JAKA…NEW GUY. OH, CAN I HAVE SOME FRIES?
JOE: WHAT’S GOING ON UNGER?
PANEL 5
Unger sits down and starts devouring the left over food.
UNGER: 12 GANG BANGERS FROM THE NORTH EAST. SONIC FAST, BUT FORTUNATELY LOW ALTITUDE.
TROY: HOW LOW?
UNGER: LOOK AT THE FRIGGEN STREET, IF THEY COULD GO HIGHER THEY WOULD.
JOE: BARRICADE.
PAGE 14
PANEL 1
Troy picks Unger up from his seat.
TROY: UNGER, PLEASURE TO MEET YOU. NOW GET OFF YOUR FAT OLD ASS AND TELL THE POSSE TO CHASE THOSE KIDS BACK HERE AT TOP SPEED IN 5 MINUTES. AND THE NAME IS NOW AND ALWAYS WILL BE JAKABOWSKI, REMEMBER IT.
PANEL 2
JOE: LITTLE GIRL GOT TO YOU.
TROY: THAT WAS NO LITTLE GIRL MAN, THAT FRIGGIN FREAK WAS PURE EVIL. HOW YOU WANNA DO THIS?
JOE: START STACKING, 9 FEET HIGH FROM HERE TO THE BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET. I’LL MELT.
TROY: FORCE AND FAHRENHEIT, FINALLY A HALFWAY USEFUL BLASTER.
PANEL 3
Troy grabs two turned over cars with ease. No time for subtlety his hands simply tear into the metal of the cars. He begins to stack them one on top of the other.
PANEL 4
Troy continues to lay and stack debris across the street to create the makeshift barricade. Joe follows and melts all of the debris together so it’s solid.
PANEL 5
The two stand in front of the barricade, which is a congealed mess of melted debris that spans across the block.
TROY: THAT IS ONE BIG MESS.
JOE: LET’S SEE IF IT WORKS
OS: A chorus of sonic booms
PAGE 15
PANEL 1
Troy and Joe jump out of frame as 12 bodies hit makeshift wall
PANEL 2
Troy and Joe spring up from behind a turned over table.
TROY: LET’S SEE IF ANY OF THESE LITTLE BASTARDS SNAPPED THEIR NECKS.
JOE: WE NEED TO WORK ON YOUR LOVE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
TROY: I ONLY LOVE A COMMUNITY THAT LOVES IT SELF.
PANEL 3
12 late age teenagers lie in front of the wall, some are starting to come to. They all wear some form of purple on them whether it’s a shirt or a bandanna etc…Some of the speedster cops have already arrived on the scene as Joe and Troy stand over the bodies.
JOE: CHECK FOR PULSES ON THE ONES THAT AIN’T MOVING.
PANEL 4
Joe and Troy walk over to one of the young men with an insignia on his shirt. Joe leans down to check for a pulse.
JOE: DAMN.
TROY: WHAT’S WRONG?
JOE: I THINK WE JUST ACCIDENTALLY KILLED ONE OF THE TOP GANG LEADERS IN PHILLY.
TROY: THAT’S A BAD THING?
JOE: COULD BE.
PANEL 5
Wide shot of the scene again. Joe yells to one of the cops in the distance.
JOE: HEY FAGNOLLI COME OVER HERE.
FAGNOLLI: OH HEY SSSSMITH. SSSSURE BE RIGHT THERE
PAGE 16
PANEL 1
Close on Joe Troy and the gang member.
JOE: BEFORE YOU ASK. NO, HE’S NOT. HE HAS TWO KIDS. IT’S JUST A LISP.
TROY: BEEN TOGETHER SUCH A SHORT TIME AND YOU ALREADY KNOW ME SO WELL.
PANEL 2
Fagnolli joins Joe, Troy and the body.
JOE: THIS WHO I THINK IT IS.
FAGNOLLI: YESSSSS. MARCUSSSSS BERSSSSHAW.
TROY: IF YOU JUST OPENED UP YOUR MOUTH A LITTLE BIT WIDER. WHO IS MARCUS BERSHAW?
JOE: LEADER OF ONE OF THE LOCAL GANGS, THE 12 KNIGHTS.
PANEL 3
Close on the body. We can now clearly see the insignia on his shirt. It has 12 bodies hanging from nooses all intertwined.
TROY: WHAT’S THEIR BEEF WITH THE KIDS OF THE ONE?
JOE: NO BEEF. THEIR MISSION IS TO WRECK HAVOC ON SUCH A SCALE THEY GET THE 12 TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH THEM.
TROY: DID THESE RETARDS EVER WATCH THE NEWS? CONTACT POWER SIPHONING CAN ONLY HAPPEN OFF THE ONE. ANY OF HIS KIDS YOU’D NEED TO EXCHANGE FLUIDS IN SOME WAY TO GET A POWER BOOST.
JOE: THANKS, I WENT TO THIRD GRADE, I KNOW ALL ABOUT THE FIRST FAMILY. THEORY IS, THEY’LL SET A TRAP AND THEN HAVE A BAR-B-Q
TROY: THAT’S JUST DISGUSTING.
JOE: THEY’RE NOT THE FIRST TO THINK OF IT.
PANEL 4
Back to the wide shot of the three officers and the carnage. Some of the gang members are in restraints and being led away.
FAGNOLLI: THISSSS IS GOING TO BE BAD. WE ALWAYS THOUGHT BERSSSHAW HAD A FLIGHTSHIELD.
JOE: YOUR LOW ALTITUDES USUALLY DON’T HAVE ONE.
TROY: I KNOW WE SHOULDN’T BE HAPPY ABOUT A KID DYING, BUT SHOULD WE REALLY BE SHEDDING TEARS?
FAGNOLLI: THISSSS ISSS GOING TO CREATE AN ENOURMOUSSSS POWER VACUUM. THE12 KNIGHTS WILL PROBABLY BE ABSORBED BY THE SSEVEN SSSONS.
TROY: ANY GANGS IN PHILLY NOT NAMED AFTER THE ONE, HIS KIDS OR THE WOMEN HE PROCREATED WITH?
JOE: PLENTY. ALL RIGHT WE GOT TO GET BACK ON PATROL.
PAGE 17
PANEL 1
Joe and Troy’s squad hummer on steroids, point of view back seat looking front. Joe drives and Troy’s shotgun.
TROY: THIS IS ONE HELL OF A FIRST WEEK? FOR SOME STUPID REASON I THOUGHT PHILLY WOULD BE EASIER.
JOE: IT PRETTY MUCH SUCKS BEING A COP IN ANY CITY.
TROY: YOU’RE A REAL SOURCE OF INSPIRATION. I CAN HANDLE THE GANG BANGERS, BUT THOSE “FOLLOWERS OF O” CHICKS FREAK ME OUT.
JOE: THE FOOs HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ON THE FRINGE OF RELIGION.
PANEL 2
Close on Troy in the passenger seat, from the driver’s POV. In the glass behind the tinted window speedsters can be seen zipping by in the speedster lane.
TROY: YEAH, BUT LIKE WHEN WE WERE IN SCHOOL, THEY WEREN’T SO PUBLIC ABOUT IT.
JOE: BACK THEN, CATHOLICS WERE STILL AT THE TOP OF THE SALVATION FOOD CHAIN.
TROY: I KNOW. I KNOW. BACK THEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, THEY ONLY WORE THE LITTLE CAPES WHEN THEY WENT TO CHURCH FOR MASS.
OS: JOE: IT’S COMMUNE IN FORTRESSES.
TROY: HUH?
PANEL 3
Close on Joe, this time from the passenger POV.
JOE: THE FOOs DON’T HAVE CHURCHES, AND THEY DON’T GO TO MASS. THEIR WORSHIP SERMONS ARE COMMUNIONS WITH THE HOLY – ONE, AND THEY WORSHIP IN FORTRESSES AS AN ARCHITECTURAL HOMAGE TO WHERE THE ONE SEALED HIMSELF AWAY FROM HUMANITY. THEY BELIEVE THAT ONE DAY THEY WILL RETURN TO THE ONE AND BE GRANTED THE ULTIMATE POWERS.
TROY: ARE YOU FOO?
PANEL 4
Back to the backseat POV.
JOE: THESE DAYS I’M NOTHING. MAYBE I’LL TELL YOU ABOUT IT SOMEDAY. I WAS RAISED PRESBYTERIAN THOUGH.
TROY: COOL. SAME TOWN AS CATHOLICISM, JUST DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE TRACKS.
PAGE 18
PANEL 1
On the console of the hummer is a video screen. The screen flashes to life and Captain Frank Rizetti can be seen from the shoulders up. He’s a pounder and his heads takes up almost the whole screen.
RIZETTI: SMITH IT’S RIZETTI.
PANEL 2
Shot of Joe and Troy looking at the screen.
JOE: I KNOW I’M LOOKING RIGHT AT YOU.
PANEL 3
Back to the screen of Rizetti.
RIZETTI: WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED OVER AT RAKER ELEMENTARY THIS MORNING?
PANEL 4
Shot of Joe and Troy again. Both have sheepish grins on their faces.
JOE: NOTHING, WE DID AS WE WERE TOLD. WE WENT AND TALKED TO THE KIDS ABOUT A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
TROY: I JUST WANT TO SAY I WAS HAPPY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
PANEL 5
Back to Rizetti
RIZETTI: SHUT UP JAK..JAKA…JAKAOFF. YEAH, YOU TWO REALLY INSPIRED THE KIDS…TO KILL THEIR FRIGGIN’ TEACHER.
PAGE 19
PANEL 1
Shot of Joe and Troy astonished.
OS: AND I HAVE 30 CRIPPLED SPEEDSTERS FROM A LEFT BEHIND POLICE ISSUED ACHILLES TRAP.
PANEL 2
Joe and Troy’s faces have turned from astonishment to deep, deep regret.
JOE: I LEFT MY SPEED TRAP.
TROY: YOU LEFT YOUR SPEED TRAP.
RIZETTI OS: YOU LEFT BEHIND YOUR GOD DAMN SPEED TRAP AND LEFT US WITH A MESS O’ CRAP CRIME SCENE.
PANEL 3
Close on Troy.
TROY: I GUESS NONE OF THE KIDS ARE TALKING.
RIZEETI OS: DO YOU MEAN THE ONES THAT ARE IN EXCRUCIATING PAIN! GET YOUR ASSES OVER THERE NOW! ASSIST THE DETECTIVE SQUAD!
PANEL 4
Wide out of the busy city street, the lights on the hummer flare to life and Joe makes a sharp U-Turn. We should see a few Speedsters veer out of the way as he crosses their lane.
PAGE 20
PANEL 1
Two shot of Joe and Troy from the front. Joe is white as a ghost.
TROY: WHAT DID YOU SET THE TRAP TO?
JOE: HE SAID THEY WERE LOW GRADES SO I SET IT AT 40.
TROY: IF THOSE KIDS WERE ALL HOPPED UP ON ADRENALINE THOUGH THEY WERE PROBABLY GOING FASTER THAN THEIR TOP OUT.
JOE: I KNOW….
PANEL 2
Exterior of Eleanor Rakeman High School. There are a ton of ambulances with traditional ambulance colors, but they bear a strange resemblance to monster trucks. One or two fire trucks are on the scene and again they are monstrous compared to our real world. There are also several police hummers similar to Joe and Troy’s.
PANEL 3
Joe and Troy start to walk through the crowd of police officers and EMTs towards the school.
OS: applause
PANEL 4
Shot of a bunch of cops, there are a few pounders. Their ring leader officer Brian O’Donnell walks forward. He’s not a pounder, so he can be normal build. He throws the two black rings at Joe.
O’DONNELL: HEY SMITH. I THINK YOU FORGOT SOMETHING.
PANEL 5
Wide shot of the scene, Joe and Troy still stand at a distance from the other officers.
JOE: THANKS O’DONNELL. I’LL ASSUME ALL OF THE SATELLITES WERE FIRST ON THE SCENE?
O’DONNELL: OF COURSE, I WAS ONLY ACROSS TOWN. I GOT TO HEAR ALL THE SCREAMS AND SNAPPING FEMURS. MARKELL IS INSIDE HE WAS FIRST ON THE SCENE.
PAGE 21
PANEL1
Interior of the school, the same hallway Joe and Troy were walking down earlier in the day, except this time the hallway is filled with teachers and medical professionals.
TROY: I’M GUESSIN’ SATELLITES ARE WHAT YOU CALL THE HEIGHTENED SENSES FOLKS?
JOE: WHAT DID YOU CALL THEM IN NEW YORK?
TROY: USELESS
PANEL 2
Wide shot of hallway by the classroom Joe and Troy were at earlier. Kids can be seen around the hall being cared to by physicians. There is blood all over the hallway floor with tons of foot imprints imbedded in the pools of blood.
JOE: THIS IS A MESS.
TROY: THE MESS IS JUST STARTING PARTNER.
PANEL 3
Officer Tom Markell walks up to Joe and Troy.
MARKELL: HEY MAN, WE ALL SCREW UP.
JOE: THANKS TOM. ARE ANY OF THE KIDS TALKING?
MARKELL: NOPE. AS OF RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THIRTY SUSPECTS. IT APPEARS NO ONE LIKED THIS GUY.
TROY: UNDERSTANDABLE.
PANEL 4
Same shot as before
MARKELL: AS BEST AS WE CAN TELL, SOMEONE WENT IN ON THE GUY, A FEW MORE JOINED IN AND THEN EVERYONE MADE A MAD DASH FOR THE DOOR. THE REST IS OBVIOUS.
TROY: HMMM, WHAT GROUP OF KIDS IN THE CLASS WOULD FOLLOW OTHERS BLINDLY?
JOE: EASY. WE DON’T KNOW ENOUGH YET.
TROY: JUST SAYING, ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL.
MARKELL: THEY’RE ABOUT TO BAG AND TAG THE BODY. IF YOU WANT A PEEP YOU BETTER GO IN NOW.
PAGE 22
Full page spread of teacher lying on ground as a bloody pulp. There are sneaker and shoe marks all over him imbedded into his skin.
TROY OS: I FEEL BAD FOR MAKING FUN OF THE GUY. SORTA…
To be continued…
