(Continued from Scene One)

PAGE EIGHT: (Four Panels 1-2-1)
Panel 8.1: Wide Panel: BLAKE is locking up his apartment door while talking on the cell phone cradled on his shoulder. He is wearing his new leather jacket over a dark blue shirt, looking irritated by the call.

BLAKE: Nikki's blowing it out of proportion, Jeff. I was just in the right place at the right time.

JEFF: Shit, I remember reading about it weeks ago! When she told me you were the guy who saved her, I thought she was yanking my chain.

Panel 8.2: BLAKE presses a scarred elevator call button which lights up with a down arrow

BLAKE: What did she say exactly?

JEFF: Just like the papers said. The guy was robbing the place, got other ideas, then you busted in and saved her life.

Panel 8.3: BLAKE in a poorly lit green paneled elevator, grime and filth unnoticed around him as the doors close.

JEFF: You know the guy was supposedly a serial rapist?

BLAKE: No shit?

JEFF: Seriously. They say he might be connected to a dozen other rape and murder cases.

Panel 8.4: Wide panel. BLAKE in the elevator. The combination of fluorescent lights and green panels lend BLAKE a sickly cast.

JEFF: This could be your big break, buddy. You know what the papers will pay for the story. I mean, first the fire and now this? What are the odds?

BLAKE (muttering): ...better than you might think.

JEFF: You play this right, and you won't have to worry about the rent on that apartment of yours for a long time.

BLAKE: Not going to happen, Jeff.


 
PAGE NINE: (Three Panels 2-1)
Panel 9.1: BLAKE is walking down the short stairway from the elevator to the foyer, passing inset steel mailboxes for the block on his left.

JEFF: Come on! You sell that story and not only would you be rich, but you'd be famous too!

Panel 9.2: BLAKE steps off his stoop onto the sidewalk, the reinforced door closing behind him. He is still talking on his cell, oblivious of his surroundings. It is night, BLAKE's multiple shadows indistinct among the hazy glow of the street lamps.

JEFF: Think of it, your face on TV, everyone knows your name, to say nothing of how it will play with the ladies--

BLAKE: Jeff, I said forget it.

Panel 9.3: Two-thirds page: Zoom out on panel 9.1. BLAKE has turned right to go down the sidewalk. In the left foreground a dark shape stands leaning against a wall in the alley across the street from BLAKE. The man has one hand over the other to shelter his lit lighter from the wind, his head has turned to watch BLAKE's passing, the unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth neglected. Several spent butts litter the area around his feet.

BLAKE: I don't need that kind of attention.


 
PAGE TEN: (Three Panels 1-1-1)
Panel 10.1: Wide Panel. Looking down on BLAKE at an angle as he walks away from his apartment door towards the panel, while in the left background behind him, the figure has emerged from the alley and is crossing the street towards BLAKE. He wears a hoodie under a jacket and ratty looking jeans.

JEFF: Well you sure got Nikki's attention, anyway. Last time I was there, she was asking about you.

BLAKE: I still can't believe that she went back to work so soon.

JEFF: She couldn't afford not to. You think a comics store cashier gets benefits?

BLAKE: Still...

Panel 10.2: Wide Panel. BLAKE walks into background down the left side of the street. A second punk has appeared in an alley that BLAKE has just passed, walking with the first punk about ten yards back from BLAKE. A third figure has appeared on the right of panel, moving across the street in silhouette, much closer to the foreground.

JEFF: All I know is that I've been trying to get a date with her for months and now when I go in all she talks about is you.

JEFF: You are so in.

Panel 10.3: Wide Panel facing the corner of a building. On the right, BLAKE turns and begins to descend into a subway station. On the left, the three figures are visible on the sidewalk coming towards him.

BLAKE: We met at her attempted rape. It's not what you'd call the ideal icebreaker.

JEFF: You can't tell me that you didn't think about it.

BLAKE: You can be a real fucking pig sometimes, you know?


 
PAGE ELEVEN: (One panel)
Panel 11.1: Looking up at BLAKE while he descends the subway steps. At the top of the page, the three punks stand in a semi circle at the top of the stairs above his head.

JEFF: Why? For noticing that she's incredibly hot and has an amazing ass?

BLAKE: Don't forget horribly traumatized by what just happened to her!

JEFF: Almost happened, thanks to you. You're her knight in shining armor, boyo! Even you couldn't fuck this up.

BLAKE: I'm not having this conversation.


 
PAGE TWELVE: (Five Panels 2-1-2)
Panel 12.1: Head and shoulders shot of BLAKE travelling down a white tiled tunnel, with movie posters and ads inset into the walls. The view is angled to show the three punks over his shoulder as they follow him.

JEFF: Whatever. She wanted me to tell you to stop by the store sometime so she can thank you. You could at least do that.

BLAKE: Yeah, I guess.

Panel 12.2: BLAKE at the bottom of a second set of black stairs, emerging onto the platform. To the left of the stairwell, a thug leans against the wall looking towards the viewer as if hearing BLAKE's conversation.

JEFF: Which reminds me, I also have a message from Lee for you.

BLAKE: Christ, what now?

Panel 12.3: Wide panel. BLAKE moves to the edge of the platform and peers down the tunnel to see if he can spot the train. The punk leaning on the stairs has moved further down the platform from BLAKE, about ten yards away from him. In the foreground, another punk with a fauxhawk is visible with his back to a pillar, head turned to listen for the noise of BLAKE's conversation.

JEFF: He's wondering why you've had so many doctors' appointments lately. Two this week alone.

BLAKE: I bring notes every time, it's not like I'm ditching.

JEFF: I know, he just wonders if there's something he should be aware of.

Panel 12.4: Front on BLAKE, a few of the punks who followed him taking up position in the background.

BLAKE: Fuck him, it's medical. He can't fire me for that.

JEFF: Cause he couldn't manufacture some other reason to, what with your perfect record.

BLAKE: ...

Panel 12.5: Side on BLAKE, showing that he is surrounded on the other side as well, and there is no sign of the train coming.

JEFF: Just a heads up, man. He's--

PUNK #2 (O.P.): HEY FUCKHEAD!


 
PAGE THIRTEEN: (Four Panels. 2-1*-1)
Panel 13.1: Inset of 13.3. BLAKE looks behind him, the cell phone being held up in mid air in his right hand, the conversation momentarily abandoned.

Panel 13.2: Inset of 13.3. Medium closeup of PUNK #2. He stands with guys on either side of him, brandishing an aluminum bat.

PUNK #2: Remember me?

Panel 13.3: Full page bleed. BLAKE stands in the center of a rough semi-circle of thugs, pinning him against the edge of the platform. Some are carrying knives, others bats, none are friendly.

Panel 13.4: Wide Panel. BLAKE turns back to the phone conversation, the semi-circle visible behind him.

BLAKE: Hey Jeff? Tell Lee that I'm probably going to be late.


(Continued in Scene Three - Coming August 27th, 2008)

Dammit, it isn't Saturday! Ah well, I was out of town at a wedding and couldn't post it yesterday.

...incidentally, on a related note you want to talk about weird plot twists from last week. I went two hours south of Winnipeg to my girlfriend's father's wedding, out in the middle of nowhere, and run into an ex-girlfriend who happens to be dating someone from the other side of the family. And not one that things ended well with. If I had written that, no one would have believed it.

In any case, I've been musing a lot on endings, and I want to poll the group. Typically in western cinema, movies end happily. The boy gets the girl, they live happily ever after and have many fat children. For the most part, those films seem to do better at the box office than ones with indeterminate or outright unhappy endings. The obvious exception being of course Titanic, which may be enough of a 400 pound gorilla to balance the scales. However, a successful movie does not necessarily indicate a good movie.

So I put it to you folks. For this week's Saturday Quiz, I'd like to know:

A) Your favorite ending: For whatever reason you might have.
B) The best ending: Not necessarily your favorite, but possibly.
C) The worst ending: What a twist!

With the launch of the CCCN Comic Viewer imminent, and the Harold Greenburg Fund competition looming, apparently the universe has decided that I have too much time on my hands and there should be more going on in my life.

So as it turns out, the account I am currently working on is being transitioned to India within a few months, and I have been tasked with the unenviable task of training the new staff how to do my job. And when I say train them, I mean in person. My flight leaves monday, kicking off seven blistering weeks of training in Bangalore, India., which (I have been told) is the "Silicon Valley of India". There are a number of personal and business reasons why this is not a welcome trip, not the least of which being how it may influence my internet connectivity from my work laptop. I am currently working with Sebzilla to ensure that the issues are quashed, or to figure out a workaround that will allow me to maintain my updates. Here's hoping that it does not come to that.

I've known about the possibility of this trip for a while, but it wasn't set in stone until this week when our bookings were made. I will be gone from Monday August 18th until October 8th. Depending on my job situation after that, I may have a lot more free time on my hands, but until then I must wage my continued campaign for Blake Undying from an even more remote location.

To that end, if you're one of the new batch of users, maybe one of the NSI playWRITErs, please check out the comic in the viewer when it launches and let me know what you think. If you enjoy it, you can also click through my blog to find the scripts for Chapters Two, Three and Four. 

I'd love some feedback on the new work from old and new members alike too, just so I know that my weekly updates are being enjoyed (Or not, constructive criticism helps too). We'll go through Chapters Four, Five and Six probably during the time I'm there. Assuming you folks are interested in that. Working with the feedback will give me something to do to keep me sane in the midst of all that chaos.  ;)

In any case, wish me luck. In theory I should be done travelling by Wednesday, so Scene Two should post on schedule then. Hopefully, I'll talk to you all soon.

(Continued from Chapter Three - "Nikki")


PAGE ONE: (Five Panels 1-2-1)

Panel 1.1: Wide panel, identical view of DR. WALLICK's office as seen in Ch. 1, Panel 7.1. DR. WALLICK has entered the room from the left, again cut off at the shoulders, BLAKE's charts in hand. This time, there is a stack of folders and papers about four inches thick. BLAKE is hunched over with his elbows on his knees, his left hand dangling down between them holding his sunglasses. He is grinding the palm of his right hand into the hollow of his eye. From his disheveled hair and posture you can tell that he is very tired. A paper coffee cup with plastic lid is sitting on the edge of the doctor's desk.

WALLICK: Thanks for coming in on a Saturday, Blake.

BLAKE: A Saturday morning, you mean.

WALLICK: Yes, sorry about that, but I thought you'd want to hear this right away.

Panel 1.2: BLAKE's head snaps up, looking surprised and anxious. He doesn't dare hope that it's true.

BLAKE: What? Did you figure it out already?

WALLICK (O.P.): Now let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Panel 1.3: WALLICK sits behind his desk, shifting a few layers of the pile of papers to look at a folder in the middle of the stack. He is wearing his labcoat over a yellowed shirt and brown tie, which has been loosened and hangs lopsidedly over his unbuttoned collar. His hair is in slight disarray, and he looks as though he hasn't slept in a week.

WALLICK: We've only been at this a few weeks, and we've barely scratched the surface.

WALLICK: Once we determine the cause and extent of your regenerative ability, then we can begin to examine solutions to your problem.

Panel 1.4: Wide on BLAKE and WALLICK in the office. BLAKE begins to sip from his coffee, obscuring his mouth. He doesn't appear impressed. WALLICK on the other hand, is beginning to lose his temper , snapping at BLAKE irritably. The combination of frustration and lack of sleep is beginning to wear upon him.

BLAKE: I'm not a doctor, but that sounds ass backwards to me.

WALLICK: No Blake, you're not a doctor. I don't think you have an appreciation of the difficulty involved in what you're asking.

WALLICK: It's not as though there's a lot of documented case studies on the subject.



PAGE TWO: (Five Panels 2-2-1)

Panel 2.1: WALLICK has separated the stack of reports into two piles hastily, and is tapping a finger on one sheaf of papers. The pages are stapled together and have been peeled back to reveal a page with a chart and analysis of some kind in the middle of the report.

WALLICK: At this point we can't even identify what your body is doing when it regenerates, let alone how it's doing it. All of the blood and tissue samples that we've taken have thus far shown no extraordinary properties.

Panel 2.2: Reverse on 2.1. Low angle looking at BLAKE over WALLICK's hands indicating one section of a long connected sheet of printer paper. BLAKE looks disappointed and frustrated. And unshaven. It has been a rough couple of weeks for him as well.

WALLICK: The blood tests showed no unusual chemicals or toxins, just the expected composition of ordinary blood. I haven't even been able to replicate the tissue growth under laboratory conditions.

Panel 2.3: WALLICK leans back in his chair, in the process of tossing the report onto the slowly spreading pile on his desk.

WALLICK: Outside of your body, your samples appear no different than anyone else's.

WALLICK: I think you can see how that might hamper our diagnostic process.

Panel 2.4: WALLICK has taken his glasses off, and laid them upside down on the desk in front of him. He massages his forehead with his left hand, obviously tired.

WALLICK: Honestly, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I'd never have believed it.

Panel 2.5: Wide panel looking over the desk at WALLICK with BLAKE seated in his chair on the left against the wall. WALLICK leans forward and is pointing at BLAKE.

BLAKE: Why do you think I slit my throat in the first place?

WALLICK: Speaking of which, do you have any idea how hard it was to clean up that exam room after that stunt?

 BLAKE: That's why you have interns.

WALLICK: Not to mention Leslie nearly had a heart attack when she walked in.

BLAKE: I guess it's good she knows a doctor, then.



PAGE THREE: (Six Panels 2-2-1-1*)

Panel 3.1: BLAKE in profile on the left of panel, WALLICK lifts up part of the pile, and is halfway through pulling out a brown folder from somewhere in the middle, his glasses on top skidding backwards unnoticed due to his excavation

BLAKE: Okay I'll bite, Doc. If not that, then what was so important?

WALLICK: Well, based on your anecdotes we've been trying to establish some testing parameters to determine the limits of your regenerative ability.

WALLICK: That's what the scratch and cut testing was for.

BLAKE: Yeah, thanks for that by the way.

Panel 3.2: WALLICK has put on his glasses, and is folding papers over the top of the folder, tilting his head back to look through the glasses that are perched on his nose.

WALLICK: About two weeks ago, in my fatigue I accidentally repeated a test schedule we'd done a few weeks before.

WALLICK: When the results didn't match, I tried it again the following week and got a third, entirely different result.

Panel 3.3: WALLICK has folded the cover back, opening the folder and propping it up on the desk for BLAKE to see. There is a bar graph, with a line graph above it, showing a slow but noticible increase across the ten or so bars in the graph. WALLICK points to a particular date on the graph with his pen.

WALLICK: We did the same tests twice more this week, and the results are disturbing.

WALLICK: In the past month or so, your regenerative capacity and overall durability have increased by nearly two percent.

Panel 3.4: Head and shoulders on BLAKE, who looks confused and angry.

BLAKE: Are you telling me that eventually it's going to be impossible to kill me?

WALLICK (O.P): I can't say that for sure, but certainly if this trend continues, it's going to be difficult to damage you by conventional means.

BLAKE: ..."Conventional means"? Just what the hell does that mean?

Panel 3.5: Wide Panel. BLAKE looks wide-eyed and bewildered. His right hand rests on top of his head, half run through his hair. WALLICK has turned in his chair to face BLAKE, a disapproving look on his face.

WALLICK: Oh, I don't know. I'm just speculating at this point.

BLAKE: But what are we talking about? Radiation? Biological weapons?

WALLICK: Perhaps.

BLAKE: ...a nuclear explosion?

WALLICK: Possibly. As I said, this is just speculation.

BLAKE: This is bullshit, is what it is.

WALLICK: You're taking it well, I see.

Panel 3.6: Title panel across bottom of page, "BLAKE UNDYING" subtitled "Chapter Four - What Does Not Kill You"



PAGE FOUR: (Six Panels 2-2-2)

Panel 4.1: BLAKE leaning forward, his face grave; his brow is furrowed under the weight of the onslaught of bad news. He struggles to not let on how badly the news has affected him.

BLAKE: Listen doc, you gotta step it up. If what you're saying is true, we don't have a lot of time here.

Panel 4.2: WALLICK rubs an eye with his fingers under his glasses, which are slightly askew from his actions.

WALLICK: We're doing everything we can at this point, Blake. We're still waiting for a number of the genetic tests to come back, but a lot of them can take months or even years to uncover gene mutations, assuming that we're even looking in the correct sequences.

Panel 4.3: WALLICK fixes BLAKE with a tired gaze, equally frustrated but for other reasons.

WALLICK: But if we can discover the mechanism behind your ability, it will all be worth it. Think about it Blake, medicine would never be the same again.

Panel 4.4: Looking down from above, both men's posture communicates their weariness.

WALLICK: Somewhere within you lies the secret to spontaneous cellular regeneration at an unprecedented rate. Even a partial understanding of that mechanism could affect everything from skin grafts to cancer research.

Panel 4.5: Wallick's eyes betray his optimism, shining through despite his fatigue.

WALLICK: Potentially, that secret could save millions of lives.

Panel 4.6: Close on BLAKE, frowning at WALLICK's distraction. He has one hand up, thumb jerking over shoulder pointing backwards.

BLAKE: One patient at a time, doc.

BLAKE: And the line forms behind me.



PAGE FIVE: (Four Panels 1-2-1)

Panel 5.1: Wide panel from the wall facing outward across WALLICK's desk. WALLICK has propped one elbow up on the pile of reports, resting his chin in the crook of his thumb and forefinger. BLAKE has cocked an eyebrow at WALLICK, favoring him with a sardonic smirk.

WALLICK: Well then, have you noticed anything unusual over the past six weeks? Any environmental or physical changes perhaps?

BLAKE: You mean other than coming back from the dead repeatedly?

WALLICK: Ah...

BLAKE: Other than that I switched to a tartar control toothpaste.

BLAKE: Somehow I don't think that's what you're looking for.

Panel 5.2: Close on WALLICK. Unimpressed with BLAKE's flippancy.

WALLICK: It seems likely that your frequent regeneration is a major factor affecting your increasing resistance to damage.

WALLICK: At the very least, I would suggest that you curb your... er... efforts for the time being.

Panel 5.3: Looking past WALLICK in profile on the right of the panel at BLAKE in the chair against the wall.

WALLICK: At least until we can establish a baseline for your condition that we can work with.

Panel 5.4: Wide panel. BLAKE rubs his eyes with the thumb and forefinger of his right hand, obviously tense. WALLICK is making an expansive "what can you do" gesture, both hands open to his left and right.

BLAKE: So basically what you're saying is unless I stop killing myself, I might never die.

WALLICK: It has a certain ironic symmetry to it, don't you think?

BLAKE: 'Cause what I needed in my life was more irony...



PAGE SIX: (Six Panels 2-2-2)

Panel 6.1: Looking past WALLICK at  BLAKE, who has stood up and is putting on his coat. He has one sleeve over his left arm, and is drawing it down towards him.

WALLICK: Just for a few weeks, Blake. We'll monitor you, see how you respond, and go from there.

BLAKE: *sigh* I guess I don't have much choice.

Panel 6.2: Looking back at WALLICK between BLAKE and the open door. BLAKE still has his hand on the door edge just above the knob. BLAKE looks back at WALLICK, who looks slightly uncomfortable.

WALLICK: Just one more thing before you go, Blake. There's something I've been meaning to ask you...

Panel 6.3: Close on WALLICK. There a look of wistfulness creeping into his eyes, as he searches BLAKE's face for meaning.

WALLICK: When you... die.

WALLICK: ...What's it like?

Panel 6.4: BLAKE smirks, an eyebrow cocked as if the answer should be obvious.

BLAKE: Tell you the truth doc, it hurts like a bitch usually.

Panel 6.5: WALLICK's gaze drops slightly as if he is lost in his own thoughts. Having asked his question, he suddenly seems much smaller and older.

WALLICK: What I mean is...

WALLICK: What do you see?

Panel 6.6: BLAKE is silent, his eyes becoming distant as he scowls slightly. His right hand drops slightly on the door, as if the strength was draining out of him.



PAGE SEVEN: (Eight Panels 2-4-2)

Panel 7.1: Two-Thirds width. BLAKE on the left side of the panel, looks back at WALLICK at his desk. WALLICK looks chastened by the bleak words slipping from BLAKE's mouth.

BLAKE: Nothing, doc.

BLAKE: There's no tunnel, no white light.

BLAKE: Just... darkness.

BLAKE: Darkness and silence.

Panel 7.2: Narrow panel. BLAKE halfway out the door, which is already closing behind him.

Panel 7.3: : Narrow panel. BLAKE walking past the somewhat deserted reception area. In the immediate foreground is a row of seats, unoccupied. On the right side of the panel is the shoulder and arm of a man wearing a green coat, holding up a paper. His back is to the viewer. BLAKE is adjusting his collar as he walks by, paying no attention to the room.

Panel 7.4: : Narrow panel. BLAKE is cut off by the top of the panel as he passes behind the row of seats and the man in green, whose open paper obscures his face. The headline of the paper reads "UNKNOWN HERO SAVES CHILD", showing that the paper is almost a month old.

Panel 7.5: : Narrow panel. Profile of the man in green on the left of panel, leaning back over the row of chairs to watch BLAKE. He walks down a narrow hallway lined with doors towards the front lobby of the clinic. From the silhouette of the man's face, it is impossible to tell who it is that has taken such an interest in BLAKE.

Panel 7.6: Narrow panel. From a low angle, the man in green can be seen travelling down the same hallway after BLAKE, who is further in the distance at this point. The angle cuts off the man in green, so that you can only see his jacket and black jeans. The newspaper is folded securely under his arm.

Panel 7.7: Profile of the man in green facing panel right. He is talking at a payphone, only visible from the cheekbones down. The paper is in his right hand, open in front of him and blocking part of the payphone from view. The picture under the headline is clearly BLAKE and the WOMAN from Chapter Three. In the background, BLAKE's form can be seen walking down a darkened hallway towards the bright entrance doors.

MAN IN GREEN: Yeah, it's me.

MAN IN GREEN: You were right. It's the guy.

PHONE: Good. You get the guys and take care of him.

Panel 7.8: Reverse, lowered angle on the payphone and the man in green on the phone. For the first time it can be seen that he is a young man in his 20's, of English or Germanic descent sporting a prominent red mohawk. It is PUNK#2 from Chapter One, and he is watching BLAKE's passage with a malicious grin.

MAN IN GREEN / PUNK #2: I think that can be arranged.



(Continued in Scene Two)

...if in fact you actually exist. ;)

I consume a lot of media in various flavors. Television, books, movies, games, you name it. While I still get my recommended daily allowance of Y-chromosomal guns & explosions, typically it is the plot that I'm really paying attention to, but more specifically, the moment. The plot twist that comes entirely out of right field and makes you giggle with evil glee, those are the moments that I really enjoy.

The revelation scene in The Usual Suspects where Chaz Palminteri puts it all together, Tyler Durden makes a phone call, Simon Snowlock discovers the truth of the prophecy, et cetera.

Probably my favorite moment in television occurred in season two of Lost, in an episode called "One of Them". Sayid is torturing the man known as Henry Gale in the armory, while Jack slams Locke up against the wall demanding that he give him the combination to the door. While soon-to-be-Ben screams for mercy, Locke looks serenely down at Jack, convinced that he is doing the right thing. Suddenly the warning alarm for the button goes off, and you can see the resolve melt away in Locke's eyes as the realization of what is about to happen spreads across his face. I cackled like a madman for ten minutes.

All right folks, your turn! Favorite plot twists. Try to list one each, for:

1) Television
2) Movies
3) Comics
4) Books

Once again the 6th rolls around, and there's a brand new production diary for Watchmen, due out March 6th, 2009. This month we are treated to a closer look at the design and construction of the Owlship that was featured last month at the San Diego Comic-Con. For those of you who were not able to attend, this might be your first look at this awesome piece of design. Enjoy!

Click here to see the video!

(Continued from Scene Two)

PAGE SIXTEEN: (Six Panels 2-1*-3, *16.2 bleeds to edges)

Panel 16.1: Inset on 16.2. Close on BLAKE's head and shoulders, with the gloom of the interior pooling around his features. He appears shocked.

BLAKE: What?

Panel 16.2: Full page bleed. NIKKI has been hoisted to her feet by JAMES who holds her in front of him as a human shield. His right hand holds the knife at her throat, blade along her jugular. Her left arm is being twisted behind her back, and her head is tipped back as far away from the knife as po