Post by shaxper on Sept 12, 2015 22:36:07 GMT -5
Another half-thought out idea I had back in the early 2000s. Yet another Superman retelling, this one would do two things that I thought were a bit different:
1. It portrayed Lex Luthor in a sympathetic light. The story of Superman was also the tragedy of a young man who, in seeking to make the world a better place, lost his focus and his soul, and thus resented the idyllic hero from Krypton who was given all he needed to change things with the snap of a finger and a clear conscience.
2. It also showed that, from Superman's perspective, being the man from Krypton was a tragedy as well. Though I've since learned others played this up as well, this story focused on the idea that Clark could hear and see things from great distances at all times and, thus, being a hero, could never truly rest or even keep his personal life in order. The story would also explore what made him so obsessed to devote his life to justice, giving Clark an understandably cocky phase as a young teenager that Martha Kent put a stop to with one unforgettable backhand across the face. Clark is then obsessively driven by guilt to use his powers for good, and he struggles to determine when he can allow himself to take a rest.
The entire story was a tale of contrast -- Lex Luthor and Clark Kent having their stories told in parallel.
I think I called it "The Savior" because I envisioned that this was a story that could be told if/when the Superman copyright ever lapsed. I don't believe I ever use a character's full name in the first issue, but you know who I'm talking about just the same.
I also liked "The Savior" because it's a title that Clark and Lex both equally strove to earn. In fact, I was going to have issue #2 begin with Lex Luthor saying, "I believe in God," issue #3 begin with him saying, "I believe I am an instrument of God," and issue #4 begin with him saying, " I believe I am God."
Once again, this was no professional attempt at scripting. I gave absolutely no thought to page length nor page layouts in writing this. I think it had potential all the same:
____________________________________________________________________
P. 1: Once Upon a Time
Opening shot: young, healthy, energetic, dark haired boy with a sincere smile on his face. The reader is made to assume this is Clark Kent. The boy is reciting lines to some radio adventure show (i.e. Dantro the Planet Man). He has a sack of groceries in his hand as he brings his bicycle to a stop, gets off, and climbs the steps to his home.
Close up on his face as he begins spouting random lines of dialogue from some half-imagined episode, as his mother calls to him from off-screen.
Mom: “Home already?”
Boy’s face changes to that of surprise and concern
Boy: Yeah. Umm, they were out of oranges. Said no more until Spring.
Mom: (appearing in a full screen shot from the hall, warm, traditional, and wise/ knowledgeable all at once. A perfect late 1940s ideal).
enters kitchen and begins putting away groceries while talking
That’s fine, but… would you mind explaining what happened at school today?
close up of boy’s face, sheepish, avoiding
Boy: I didn’t mean to…
mom continues to put groceries away while talking to him, not even looking in his direction yet;
Mom: You were showing off again, weren’t you?
cut to boy’s face. He knows he’s been called out, but also knows he’s not in much trouble. Cut to farther shot of boy relaxing enough to explain, as if he’s been bursting to tell the story.
Boy: I didn’t mean to. It’s just so hard not to. Sometimes I feel like I’ll just burst.
Mom: You’re different than the other boys. They can’t understand that yet. The principal called, all upset. Said there was a mob of boys chasing you.
Boy: It’s okay. I’m faster than them.
mom pauses to give full attention to boy
Mom: well speed isn’t going to help you to co-exist with them. You will have to go back tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that.
the phone begins to ring
Boy: Awww, ma. Can’t we just move to Metropolis or something?
Mom: I hear they’ve got boys there too, Alex.
Mom goes to get phone
Mom: You know, when your father gets home…
Alex: I can’t help being smart.
Alex (to self): I can’t help that they’re so dumb.
Mom answers phone
Mom: Hello? Yes, speaking. What is it?
Alex (hearing her tone): Mom…?
When? How? Is he…?
cut to exterior of house
Alex: Mom?
Mom: Oh God.
black panel, followed by a panel with alex and mom facing a man with his head down in a wheelchair. The man is in sihouette.
Mom: Oh God.
black panel, followed by another black panel with one word balloon:
Mom: Oh God.
thump thump thump. Hallway. Dad is banging on closet door with a cane.
Dad: I know yurin there you little jerk! I know what you did, you jerk! I know you took my bottle away. I know you took it!
black
Alex: Momee…
Mom: Shhh, Alex.
outside
I’ll tear this doorff it’s hinges, Lillian! Why are you hiding him. Whyre you always taking HIS side, Lillian?
I’ll tear this door right off!
small creak of light from between door and wall on alex’s eye. Terrified, then angry.
Alex: You don’t have the strength!
Dad (from off screen): What’d yusay?
Dad (from outside closeup on face): What’d yusay?!
click black inside closet
Mom: Alex, what are you doing?!
Alex, bursting out of doorway
Alex: You don’t have the strength!
socks dad in stomach as dad crumples to floor.
over the fallen body, Alex crying into sleeve. Mother kneeling, open-mouthed from inside closet. She has a black eye.
Alex: …old man.
black
Alex: Oh God.
Mom over Alex’s slumped form, hiding in his arms over a counter
Mom: Alex…
Alex: He’s gonna kill me.
Mom: Come here, honey
Alex hugs mom and drowns his face in her shoulders. Mom’s saddened face and black eye are visible, as is the back of Alex’s head.
Alex: Why is it so bad, Mom? Why is stuff so bad?
Mom: Oh sweetie.
Alex: I wish I could make bad things stop happening. I wish I could make everything safe.
Mom: Sometimes, when people want something very badly, they wish on a shooting star.
Mom: And then God makes their dream come true.
cut to ariel view outside of house. Stars are out everywhere. Mom hugging Alex visible from window.
Alex: I want to wish on a shooting star.
Mom: Maybe we’ll find one tonight.
P. 2: When You Wish upon a Star
Clarks’ rocket plummeting towards the Earth
Lex asleep, head in folded arms against the window pane. Mom’s arms are folded around his, her head resting on his.
A loud rumble. Lex as seen from outside of house through window. Lex’s eyes are now wide open as the plummeting rocket reflects across his face in the window.
Lex is up, mom startled awake by the movement.
Alex: A star! A shooting star!
Mom’s eyes are half closed as she holds her head and winces. Sharp contrast to Lex’s energized composure.
Mom: Shhh. You’ll wake your father.
Alex: But mom! It’s just like you said!
Alex pressed to the window, struggling to see the rocket better
Alex: Listen up, star, ‘cuz I’ve got a big wish for you.
Alex shot from outside of house. Face against window, eyes gaping open, staring in horror and confusion. Explosive crash landing reflected over him on window.
Lex’s face has immediately changed to one of unemotional resolve. He opens the window.
Lex is now leaping out of the window.
Mom (off panel): Alex? Alex!
Lex racing away from house and toward crash
Mom (off panel): Alex, come back!
reverse shot of Alex running off. Smoke is rising from the crash site, which is several miles away and amidst a dense foliage of trees.
Mom (off panel): Don’t leave me!
Far shot. Crash site of the rocket. Everything is in disarray, but the rocket is still intact. The smoke has mostly dissipated, with only faint puffs rising from the site. The cockpit has opened, but this should not be immediately evident. Alex enters from the far right, small in comparison to the scene.
shots of Alex looking around, wide-eyed, but unsure of what he’s looking at.
shot of Alex looking into the opened cockpit (from within the cockpit), a strange green glow lighting his over-excited face.
Alex reaches in.
Alex’s hands (outside the rocket) holding a green elliptical glowing object.
Alex: Star light, star bright.
cut to Alex’s face, eyes wide open
Alex: First star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might…
A “click” is audible after Alex’s lines
cut back to glowing object. It is now projecting an image of Jor-El and Lara
Alex: …have the wish I wish tonight.
cut to bird’s eye view of the smoking wreck amidst the trees.
cut to mid-shot of Alex, contentedly sleeping on the ground, curled up with the projector (and the image of Jor-El and Lara) snug in his arms. The lighting should imply that the projector is supplying some kind of warmth to Alex.
Cut to a far shot exterior of a farm home some miles away. It is very dark outside. The front door is open and light is pouring out in contrast.
Zoom in to close up of the mailbox that reads “Kent”. At the right edge of the panel should be steps leading up to the front porch and the end of a baby’s leg ascending them (should not be clear to the reader what this is).
Cut to another panel which tracks up and right to continue where the last one left off. Here, the rest of the baby is climbing up the steps to the opened front door.
cut back (half distance from original exterior shot), baby can be made out at the top of the steps, approaching the open door.
cut back to original exterior shot.
Ma Kent (off panel): Jonathan!
End Part 2
1. It portrayed Lex Luthor in a sympathetic light. The story of Superman was also the tragedy of a young man who, in seeking to make the world a better place, lost his focus and his soul, and thus resented the idyllic hero from Krypton who was given all he needed to change things with the snap of a finger and a clear conscience.
2. It also showed that, from Superman's perspective, being the man from Krypton was a tragedy as well. Though I've since learned others played this up as well, this story focused on the idea that Clark could hear and see things from great distances at all times and, thus, being a hero, could never truly rest or even keep his personal life in order. The story would also explore what made him so obsessed to devote his life to justice, giving Clark an understandably cocky phase as a young teenager that Martha Kent put a stop to with one unforgettable backhand across the face. Clark is then obsessively driven by guilt to use his powers for good, and he struggles to determine when he can allow himself to take a rest.
The entire story was a tale of contrast -- Lex Luthor and Clark Kent having their stories told in parallel.
I think I called it "The Savior" because I envisioned that this was a story that could be told if/when the Superman copyright ever lapsed. I don't believe I ever use a character's full name in the first issue, but you know who I'm talking about just the same.
I also liked "The Savior" because it's a title that Clark and Lex both equally strove to earn. In fact, I was going to have issue #2 begin with Lex Luthor saying, "I believe in God," issue #3 begin with him saying, "I believe I am an instrument of God," and issue #4 begin with him saying, " I believe I am God."
Once again, this was no professional attempt at scripting. I gave absolutely no thought to page length nor page layouts in writing this. I think it had potential all the same:
____________________________________________________________________
P. 1: Once Upon a Time
Opening shot: young, healthy, energetic, dark haired boy with a sincere smile on his face. The reader is made to assume this is Clark Kent. The boy is reciting lines to some radio adventure show (i.e. Dantro the Planet Man). He has a sack of groceries in his hand as he brings his bicycle to a stop, gets off, and climbs the steps to his home.
Close up on his face as he begins spouting random lines of dialogue from some half-imagined episode, as his mother calls to him from off-screen.
Mom: “Home already?”
Boy’s face changes to that of surprise and concern
Boy: Yeah. Umm, they were out of oranges. Said no more until Spring.
Mom: (appearing in a full screen shot from the hall, warm, traditional, and wise/ knowledgeable all at once. A perfect late 1940s ideal).
enters kitchen and begins putting away groceries while talking
That’s fine, but… would you mind explaining what happened at school today?
close up of boy’s face, sheepish, avoiding
Boy: I didn’t mean to…
mom continues to put groceries away while talking to him, not even looking in his direction yet;
Mom: You were showing off again, weren’t you?
cut to boy’s face. He knows he’s been called out, but also knows he’s not in much trouble. Cut to farther shot of boy relaxing enough to explain, as if he’s been bursting to tell the story.
Boy: I didn’t mean to. It’s just so hard not to. Sometimes I feel like I’ll just burst.
Mom: You’re different than the other boys. They can’t understand that yet. The principal called, all upset. Said there was a mob of boys chasing you.
Boy: It’s okay. I’m faster than them.
mom pauses to give full attention to boy
Mom: well speed isn’t going to help you to co-exist with them. You will have to go back tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that.
the phone begins to ring
Boy: Awww, ma. Can’t we just move to Metropolis or something?
Mom: I hear they’ve got boys there too, Alex.
Mom goes to get phone
Mom: You know, when your father gets home…
Alex: I can’t help being smart.
Alex (to self): I can’t help that they’re so dumb.
Mom answers phone
Mom: Hello? Yes, speaking. What is it?
Alex (hearing her tone): Mom…?
When? How? Is he…?
cut to exterior of house
Alex: Mom?
Mom: Oh God.
black panel, followed by a panel with alex and mom facing a man with his head down in a wheelchair. The man is in sihouette.
Mom: Oh God.
black panel, followed by another black panel with one word balloon:
Mom: Oh God.
thump thump thump. Hallway. Dad is banging on closet door with a cane.
Dad: I know yurin there you little jerk! I know what you did, you jerk! I know you took my bottle away. I know you took it!
black
Alex: Momee…
Mom: Shhh, Alex.
outside
I’ll tear this doorff it’s hinges, Lillian! Why are you hiding him. Whyre you always taking HIS side, Lillian?
I’ll tear this door right off!
small creak of light from between door and wall on alex’s eye. Terrified, then angry.
Alex: You don’t have the strength!
Dad (from off screen): What’d yusay?
Dad (from outside closeup on face): What’d yusay?!
click black inside closet
Mom: Alex, what are you doing?!
Alex, bursting out of doorway
Alex: You don’t have the strength!
socks dad in stomach as dad crumples to floor.
over the fallen body, Alex crying into sleeve. Mother kneeling, open-mouthed from inside closet. She has a black eye.
Alex: …old man.
black
Alex: Oh God.
Mom over Alex’s slumped form, hiding in his arms over a counter
Mom: Alex…
Alex: He’s gonna kill me.
Mom: Come here, honey
Alex hugs mom and drowns his face in her shoulders. Mom’s saddened face and black eye are visible, as is the back of Alex’s head.
Alex: Why is it so bad, Mom? Why is stuff so bad?
Mom: Oh sweetie.
Alex: I wish I could make bad things stop happening. I wish I could make everything safe.
Mom: Sometimes, when people want something very badly, they wish on a shooting star.
Mom: And then God makes their dream come true.
cut to ariel view outside of house. Stars are out everywhere. Mom hugging Alex visible from window.
Alex: I want to wish on a shooting star.
Mom: Maybe we’ll find one tonight.
P. 2: When You Wish upon a Star
Clarks’ rocket plummeting towards the Earth
Lex asleep, head in folded arms against the window pane. Mom’s arms are folded around his, her head resting on his.
A loud rumble. Lex as seen from outside of house through window. Lex’s eyes are now wide open as the plummeting rocket reflects across his face in the window.
Lex is up, mom startled awake by the movement.
Alex: A star! A shooting star!
Mom’s eyes are half closed as she holds her head and winces. Sharp contrast to Lex’s energized composure.
Mom: Shhh. You’ll wake your father.
Alex: But mom! It’s just like you said!
Alex pressed to the window, struggling to see the rocket better
Alex: Listen up, star, ‘cuz I’ve got a big wish for you.
Alex shot from outside of house. Face against window, eyes gaping open, staring in horror and confusion. Explosive crash landing reflected over him on window.
Lex’s face has immediately changed to one of unemotional resolve. He opens the window.
Lex is now leaping out of the window.
Mom (off panel): Alex? Alex!
Lex racing away from house and toward crash
Mom (off panel): Alex, come back!
reverse shot of Alex running off. Smoke is rising from the crash site, which is several miles away and amidst a dense foliage of trees.
Mom (off panel): Don’t leave me!
Far shot. Crash site of the rocket. Everything is in disarray, but the rocket is still intact. The smoke has mostly dissipated, with only faint puffs rising from the site. The cockpit has opened, but this should not be immediately evident. Alex enters from the far right, small in comparison to the scene.
shots of Alex looking around, wide-eyed, but unsure of what he’s looking at.
shot of Alex looking into the opened cockpit (from within the cockpit), a strange green glow lighting his over-excited face.
Alex reaches in.
Alex’s hands (outside the rocket) holding a green elliptical glowing object.
Alex: Star light, star bright.
cut to Alex’s face, eyes wide open
Alex: First star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might…
A “click” is audible after Alex’s lines
cut back to glowing object. It is now projecting an image of Jor-El and Lara
Alex: …have the wish I wish tonight.
cut to bird’s eye view of the smoking wreck amidst the trees.
cut to mid-shot of Alex, contentedly sleeping on the ground, curled up with the projector (and the image of Jor-El and Lara) snug in his arms. The lighting should imply that the projector is supplying some kind of warmth to Alex.
Cut to a far shot exterior of a farm home some miles away. It is very dark outside. The front door is open and light is pouring out in contrast.
Zoom in to close up of the mailbox that reads “Kent”. At the right edge of the panel should be steps leading up to the front porch and the end of a baby’s leg ascending them (should not be clear to the reader what this is).
Cut to another panel which tracks up and right to continue where the last one left off. Here, the rest of the baby is climbing up the steps to the opened front door.
cut back (half distance from original exterior shot), baby can be made out at the top of the steps, approaching the open door.
cut back to original exterior shot.
Ma Kent (off panel): Jonathan!
End Part 2
