FAILED-PROJECT FRIDAY: EMPOWERED AND THE MASK CITY MELTDOWN (pt.9): Issue #2 roughs & script, pp. 1-6!

Time to continue serializing my roughs and script for an abortive two-part Guest Artist miniseries titled Empowered and the Mask City Meltdown, which I initially wrote with one particular artist in mind back in 2017 or  so; alas, that first artist didn't end up working on it, so I pitched it to the excellent artist Rob "Robaato" Porter, who had earlier colored a  bunch of Emp covers for me.

After Rob had to turn it down, I abandoned the project entirely, though I did briefly consider drawing it myself as part of Empowered vol. 12, a plan which was soon abandoned in turn as I had no interest whatsoever in drawing all the many, many urban environments this story would've required.

And now, without further ado, our opening installment of roughs and script from Empowered and the Mask City Meltdown issue #2. UPDATE: For the record, my script formatting is being torched by the Patreon text set-up's lack of tabs or indents, hence the dialogue bits being a tad challenging to follow. Sorry 'bout that, folks.

PAGE 1

PANEL 1

This issue kicks off with the real-world action scene of megascale urban action; the STORYBOOK narrative thread picks up on page 2.

Here, we're back to the OVERLOOK urban park setting of issue #1's p.12; I'll paste in the descriptive text from that panel below, but a few changes have been made:

This is an urban "OVERLOOK" park site, a mile or more removed from the downtown setting of the earlier scenes. Roughly similar to the Neon Genesis Evangelion image I sent earlier, this OVERLOOK site is up high (akin to the Hollywood Hills), allowing a generous view of the built-up cityscape below. A long RAILING extends across the edge of an apparent dropoff, cutting off a pavement-lined vantage point area. There, roughly at the center of the shot, the wee figures of THUGBOY, the CAGED DEMONWOLF and NINJETTE are close to each other, looking out at the urban panorama beyond.

In the distant BG, we see a panorama of urban chaos, with the hulking OFFICE BUILDING KAIJŪ looming prominent in the distance, stomping around amidst vast, swirling dust clouds while flailing its vast, BUILDING-collage arms about.

A few changes from #1's p.12 panel 1 are notable here, though. For one thing, we don't need to see the framing hillside and LOTUS NODE portal in this scene, so the shot can be "zoomed in" tighter on the railing-lined OVERLOOK area. We might see a hint of silhouetted grassy hillside in the corners of the shot, but not much more than that. Also, we see the figures of plenty of random CIVILIAN citygoers crowding the OVERLOOK (after having been rescued in issue #1), but they remain conveniently clear of the figures of THUGBOY and crew at the railing, allowing us an unobstructed view of our main characters.

Also, though this detail might not be clear at this distance, the figures of THUGBOY and NINJETTE at the railing display postures of notably greater alarm, as matters have gotten much, much worse for EMP in the last few minutes, compared to issue #1's p.12.

THUGBOY

Damn, that supersized office building mash-up monsteris pissed as hell--!

NINJETTE

(Black "censored" block over indicated text) Yeah, no shit, Thugboy!

(continued)

("Whiskers" or half-bursts, "h-b" hereafter) >Urpp<

SFX (SMALL; BY KAIJU IN DISTANCE)

KSHANGG KSHANGG

PANEL 2

Much closer-up shot of THUGBOY and NINJETTE at the railing, seen from behind with the glowing-lighted band of the CAGED DEMONWOLF's alien power-draining power draped over the bars between them as before. Note that this shot is akin to issue #1's p.13 and the lower-horizon Evangelion reference shot of Shinji and Misato overlooking Tokyo-3, with the distant shape of the monstrously huge OFFICE BUILDING KAIJŪ visible beyond and/or between them as it rampages along the skyline, arms crashing onto the BUILDINGS below it.

This time, leather-jacketed THUGBOY's posture conveys alarm, body hunched as he gazes out at the OFFICE BUILDING KAIJŪ through the BINOCULARS. Ninja-costumed NINJETTE is turning to address him with similar dismay, BEER BOTTLE in one hand and ponytail whipping about wildly. Note, by the way, that the KAIJŪ's increasingly frenzied rampaging might be causing the RAILINGS to vibrate a fair bit.

THUGBOY

Sonuvabitch almost got her, that time!

(continued)

(Black "censored" block over indicated text) Too f**king close...

SFX

KTHOOM

NINJETTE

Emp is completely alone out there, isn't she?

(continued)

(Overlaps next panel) All the other useless-ass heroes in name only got themselves flattened, didn't they?

SFX (OUT BY KAIJU)

KTHOOM

PANEL 3

Closer-up view of the CAGED DEMONWOLF's alien prison draped over the RAILINGS, which might be vibrating a bit with the distant impacts. Beyond him, a BG of dust clouds and debris swirling amongst the distant BUILDINGS, churned up by the OFFICE BUILDING KAIJŪ's rampage.

SFX

RRMMBB

CAGED DEMONWOLF (BOLD, JAGGED BALLOON OUTLINE)

Hrmmm.

PANEL 4

The camera's now out in front of NINJETTE and THUGBOY, framing them both in an up-angled shot with a beautiful (late-afternoon? Early evening?) skyscape with clouds as a backdrop. We might see the hillside beyond them, as in issue #1, p.12, panel 3; we would very likely see a few CIVILIANS milling around beyond them , likewise looking out at the off-panel skyline mayhem, holding up cellphones to take pictures and so on.

NINJETTE looks alarmed and even frightened as she stares off-panel and speaks urgently (BEER BOTTLE in hand?), while a more stoic-looking THUGBOY lowers the BINOCULARS and glances over to address her. The hair of both characters, by the way, is being blown about a fair bit.

NINJETTE

Hard to believe this place could ever run outta mask 'n' tights fodder, y'know?

(continued)

(H-b) >hic<

THUGBOY

I know.

(continued)

(Black "censored" block over indicated text) Never imagined I'd ever think, "This place needs even more f**king capes."

SMARTPHONE (SMALL; ELECTRICAL BALLOON; TAIL POINTS TO THUGBOY'S JACKET LAPEL)

(Musical notes)

PAGE 2

PANEL 1

And now we return to another STORYBOOK page of illustrative, borderless vignettes. This one addresses THUGBOY, so we start off with an image showing him in his usual leather jacket over T-shirt and jeans, with the butt of a 9mm semiautomatic pistol poking up over his waistband as in Empowered vol.7, pp.139-40,48. (Could use a distorted "fish-eye lens" view on him, maybe.) Framed against a stylized backdrop of the nighttime CITY skyline, he's glancing over the tops of his sunglasses, looking around him with a sour, uncomfortable expression and body language. Beyond him, in the middleground between THUGBOY and CITY, we see SUPERSUITED EMP smiling happily while gazing out at the city. Note that we can see the distant silhouettes (or edgelit forms, if not silhouetted) of a few caped SUPERHEROES flying over the city. (Whoops, forgot to indicate those in the roughs.)

NARRATOR (MIXED-CASE LETTERING; NO OUTLINED CAPTION BOX)

Though he would never admit it to her, Elissa's boyfriend could barely tolerate the city she loved so much.

PANEL 2

Closer-up insert shot of the uneasy-looking THUGBOY frowning, still framed against the nighttime CITY backdrop, with the wee forms of multiple SUPERHEROES visible in the BG above as their cape-flowing forms flit hither and yon. (Again, left these outta the roughs.)

NARRATOR (MIXED-CASE LETTERING; NO OUTLINED CAPTION BOX)

Where his starry-eyed beloved saw nothing but magic and wonder and mystery...

PANEL 3

Montage image, framed on one side or the other by a tight close-up of half of THUGBOY's face; he's frowning as he seemingly glances over to the MONTAGE elements beside him. There, we see:

*A silhouette of THUGBOY crouching on a rooftop's edge and aiming a very large BARRETT M82A1 .50 RIFLE downward, apparently gunning for a target below.

*A circular, red-outlined TARGET RETICULE, as if from the POV of a sniper's rifle. There, in the RETICULE's crosshairs, we see MAJOR HAVOC's head and shoulders as he apparently flies onward obliviously, framed against a blue sky with clouds.

*A close-up of a black-gloved hand clutching a vaguely stapler-shaped (CLAYMORE-MINE-like) DETONATOR, with a bright-glowing red light and protruding vertical antenna atop the DETONATOR to further clarify its ominous nature.

NARRATOR (MIXED-CASE LETTERING; NO OUTLINED CAPTION BOX)

...Thanks to his unspoken history, he saw only potential ambush sites and blast radiuses and targets of opportunity.

(continued)

So many, many targets.

PANEL 4

Figurative, almost goofy image of a visibly disconcerted THUGBOY as a dozen or so CAPES of varying colors and description (and sporting various logos or symbols, if you like) flap and flail wildly all around him.

NARRATOR (MIXED-CASE LETTERING; NO OUTLINED CAPTION BOX)

Being cast adrift in such a sea of capes was, for a man who once hunted them, hell on Earth.

PANEL 5

Image of THUGBOY being warmly embraced by SUPERSUITED EMP, who's chattering happily while gesturing out with her free hand towards the same stylized nighttime CITY backdrop beyond them (as seen in panel 1). Meanwhile, THUGBOY is hugging EMP back and looking down at her with a fond and loving (if slightly sad) smile.

NARRATOR (MIXED-CASE LETTERING; NO OUTLINED CAPTION BOX)

But Elissa loved the City of Masks, and he loved her.

(continued)

(Small) (Desperately.)

(continued)

So he kept his mouth shut, and just nodded and smiled.

PANEL 6

Close-up THUGBOY, glancing off to one side and forcing a smile while being embraced by EMP. A few CITY lights peep around him in the BG.

NARRATOR (MIXED-CASE LETTERING; NO OUTLINED CAPTION BOX)

But his smiles did not always reach his eyes.

PAGE 3

PANEL 1

NINJETTE looks over at THUGBOY, an expression of deepening concern on her face as she addresses him sharply. Meanwhile, THUGBOY is reading inside his jacket with one hand, BINOCULARS sill held in the other, raising his eyebrows as he replies to her without looking in her direction.

NINJETTE

Huh?

(continued)

Is that Emp's ringtone--?

THUGBOY (OVERLAPS NEXT PANEL)

Her supersuit ringtone, yeah.

SMARTPHONE (ELECTRICAL BALLOON)

(Musical notes)

PANEL 2

Close-up on the screen of THUGBOY's SMARTPHONE held in his (ungloved) right hand, showing a caller display image, with the familiar text bars appearing over a phone pic of SUPERSUITED EMP smiling and posing winsomely as she looks into the camera. BG: out of focus CITY skyline, perhaps? At the bottom of the screen, some version of the usual "green telephone symbol to answer, red telephone to decline" icons appear.

ON SCREEN (TOP)

EMP

from supersuit

SMARTPHONE (ELECTRICAL BALLOON)

(Musical notes)

PANEL 3

An rather alarmed looking THUGBOY holds his SMARTPHONE up to his ear, speaking into it with a fair degree of intensity.

THUGBOY

Hello, baby?

(continued)

You okay?

PANEL 4

Three big, vertical panels of megascale urban mayhem ensue, here, as we jump to EMPOWERED's struggle to survive out in the cityscape of rampaging buildings. In this first shot, SUPERSUITED EMP is visible as a wee figure, possibly just a silhouette, framed against an enormous cloud of dust and debris as the vast wall of one BUILDING slams down behind her, while she's springing up over the edge of another fallen BUILDING in the FG. Though we almost certainly can't see this detail well, I should note that she's holding one hand up to the side of her face in the familiar thumb-and-pinkie-extended "telephone" gesture.

SFX (AT TOP)

RRMMBB

EMPOWERED (BURST BALLOON)

(H-b) >Hff<

(continued)

Hey, I'm still unsmooshed and unburied--

SFX (AT BOTTOM)

KTHOOM

PANEL 5

Another vertical action panel of catastrophic urban mayhem. We see a slightly clearer and closer view of EMPOWERED as she's swinging (and/or spider-clinging) off the corner edge of a BUILDING, face turned away and hair streaming as she plummets, one hand held up to the side of her face in the thumb-and-pinkie-extended "telephone" gesture. Meanwhile, nearby a pair of flung I-BEAMS are slamming into the face of the BUILDING at the top and bottom of the panel, sending gouts of shattering glass and crumbling masonry spraying outward as they hit.

EMPOWERED (BURST BALLOON)

--Well, for now, anyway--

(continued)

(H-b) >Hnnh<

SFX (BY I-BEAM IMPACTS)

CHONKK CHONKK

PANEL 6

A final vertical action panel of catastrophic urban mayhem. Here, a nice, big close-up of SUPERSUITED EMP in the FG, hair streaming back as she moves at high speed, speaking loudly (if not yelling) with one hand held up to the side of her face in the thumb-and-pinkie-extended "telephone" gesture. In the BG beyond and above her, we see the ginormous, descending PAW of the OFFICE BUILDING KAIJŪ reaching down, as seen in the last panel of issue #1's page 24.

EMPOWERED (BURST BALLOON)

--Which is more than all the other capes in the city can say right now--!

PAGE 4

PANEL 1

Pages 4 and 5 constitute a double-page spread of spectacular urban chaos, featuring a half-dozen or more images of SUPERSUITED EMPOWERED as she (super)leaps from rooftop to rooftop, trying to stay one step (or jump) ahead of the attacks of the stupendously OFFICE BUILDING KAIJŪ from issue #1's pp.5,7,12,22 & 24. Note that each time we see her, she's yelling into the "telephone" of her hand gesture. Feel free to use a different set of EMP images and poses if you feel strongly about it, but here's what I worked up for the roughs:

First off, we see the wee figure of EMP in the distance at left, as she justleaps clear of a doomed BUILDING before the OFFICE BUILDING KAIJŪ's gigantic right "fist" plunges down and smashes it, triggering a billowing explosion of dust and debris. Note that you mightconsider a small, jagged INSERT CLOSE-UP panel of image of EMP, here, as her wee figure might make identification otherwise difficult.

The KAIJŪ looms over the entire spread, likely bending over a bit so it can attack with both "hands"; as we'll see more clearly on the next page, its gigantic left hand is outspread as it flings a spray of jagged-ended I-BEAMS hurtling down on EMP across both pages. Meanwhile, we see the same SIGN glowing on the BUILDING that constitutes its "head," as seen in issue #1. This can usually be left open for type, but also has a graphic element that you might not necessarily need to indicate every time we see the SIGN, depending on the camera distance. This element is a "blinging" engagement ring with prominent diamond on one side of the SIGN, as this is another serendipitously relevant advertisement.

Next, we see the slightly larger figure of EMP landing agilely, almost gymnastically, on the upturned "point" of one corner of a collapsing BUILDING's rooftop, while still yelling into her hand-gesture "telephone."

Next, another EMP image lands closer to the camera, alighting briefly on some elevated rooftop element of a BUILDING. Could be another antenna, or the top of a rooftop construction crane, or HVAC housing or the like. She's looking up with some alarm to see several I-BEAMS flashing down at her, while still yelling into her hand-gesture "telephone." An "impact flash" and streak of dust extend from her perch to set up the next image in EMP's progression across the spread, which I'll describe in the next page.

Also, in this panorama, as in issue #1's spread, we might see a few more prominent SIGNS with serendipitous (though ominous) advertising messages. As in issue #1, one might feature an image of a joyful-looking BABY, with the scene-relevant text "Look out, baby!" Most of these SIGNS throughout the issue (and series), though, can just be left open as glowing colors the letterer can slap down type over.

SFX (LARGE, BY KAIJU FIST)

WHKOOM

SIGN ON KAIJU HEAD

You deserve this.

EMPOWERED #1 (BURST BALLOON)

Hold on, jumping, here-!

(continued)

Hupp!

EMPOWERED #2 (BURST BALLOON)

I'm the last line of superdefense, looks like--

(continued)

(H-b) >Hnff<

SFX (BY I-BEAM APPROACHING EMPOWERED #3)

WHOOOSH

EMPOWERED #3 (BURST BALLOON)

(Black "censored" block over indicated text) Oh, s**t--!

SIGN ON BUILDING

Embrace the pain

SIGN ON BUILDING

Look out, baby!

PAGE 5

PANEL 1

The double-page spread continues. Looming over this page is the vast, towering mass of the OFFICE BUILDING KAIJŪ, its gigantic left hand outspread as it flings a deadly spray of jagged-ended I-BEAMS hurtling outward (and down) on the various SUPERSUITED EMPOWERED images below, which continue to leap from rooftop to rooftop as on the previous page.

Note that all the EMPOWERED images on this page continue to yell into their hand-gesture "telephones" as they spring across the page. Feel free to use a different set of EMP images and poses if you feel strongly about it, but here's what I worked up for the roughs:

First off, we see a smaller EMP image as she's launched herself from the relative FG position of the previous page back into the BG of this shot, hurtling towards a distant rooftop.

Next, off in the distance, we see an "impact flash" and a curving streak of motion (or dust) rocketing up from that BG rooftop, with a small image of an airborne EMP visible atop that arc; she might be twisting in mid-air, setting up the next image's landing.

Next, we see a closer-up shot of EMP plunging down from the zenith of the previous image's leap (as traced by a curving "motion line," perhaps) and landing on a nearby rooftop. As she does, though, she's flinching in reaction as a pair of flung I-BEAMS slam into the roof on either side of her.

Finally, at FG right, EMP springs close to the camera, hair streaming back and glancing back at the OFFICE BUILDING KAIJŪ as she continues to yell into her hand-gesture "telephone."

EMPOWERED #4 (BURST BALLOON)

Thing is, though--

EMPOWERED #5 (BURST BALLOON)

(H-b) >Hff<

(continued)

--I'm kinda not all that surprised--

EMPOWERED #6 (BURST BALLOON; CONNECTS TO PREVIOUS EMP BALLOON)

Gakk!

SFX (BY I-BEAM IMPACT)

CHONKK

EMPOWERED #7 (BURST BALLOON)

--To see the city's finally run outta patience with all of us collateral-damaging dumbasses--!

PAGE 6

PANEL 1

Time for another STORYBOOK page of illustrative, borderless vignettes. We start off with another panoramic image, this time showing a scene of street-level urban disaster and superheroic rescuing. At FG center is a frantic SUPERSUITED EMPOWERED, who's struggling to simultaneously carry multiple CIVILIANS to safety. One is a big, panicked-looking male OFFICER WORKER, his beefy arms draped over EMP as she carries him (very awkwardly) on her back; another is a roughly 8-year-old YOUNG GIRL, who EMP is cradling in the crook of one arm. Finally, EMP is using her free hand to carry an pacifier-sucking INFANT in a portable car seat-style baby carrier; for bonus effort, you might show her carrying TWO different baby carriers at once, with their curving handles gripped together.

Meanwhile, the rest of the shot is pure urban-disaster chaos. Beyond EMP, we see screaming, panicking CIVILIANS running in every direction, while explosions fling AUTOMOBILES through the air and BUILDINGS crumble in the BG amid bursts of dust and flying debris. Importantly, this disastrous scenario is being caused by superhuman conflict, so we need to show some "cape"-related imagery. To differentiate this scene a bit from the not-dissimilar p.11, pinning the trouble on rampaging monsters and giant-scale villains is the way to go; so, we see a few ginormous Empowered beasties stomping around in the BG. Possibilities:

*From Empowered vol.1, pp.46-48, the unnamed nautiloid "W00t" critter.

*One of the giant robots briefly glimpsed in the BG of vol.1's pp.21-23.

*One of the giant disembodied organs from vol.4, pp.163-65.

NARRATOR (MIXED-CASE LETTERING; NO OUTLINED CAPTION BOX)

Elissa had long dreaded that her unearthly city's patient indulgence might someday lapse.

(continued)

As a Superhuman Studies graduate, she knew well that, back during its notorious grim 'n' gritty 90s phase...

PANEL 2

Vertical panel. At top, leave space for the NARRATION; at bottom, a close-up of a despairing SUPERSUITED EMP looking upset. Beyond her, a stylized montage of assorted graphic elements conveying bygone days of bloody mayhem in the city. We see blood spatters and sprays aplenty, silhouettes of bodies flung hither and yon (some with capes, others not), severed limbs a-flying, burning and/or exploding buildings, and perhaps even a stylized skull or two to play up the "death" theme further.

NARRATOR (MIXED-CASE LETTERING; NO OUTLINED CAPTION BOX)

...the city's streets had once run red with the blood of both famous capes and many, many anonymous civilians.

NARRATOR (SMALL; MIXED-CASE LETTERING; NO OUTLINED CAPTION BOX)

(Most chose to forget this troubling time, Elissa noticed.)

PANEL 3

Action image of a SUPERSUITED EMPOWERED leaping clear of a burning building, with a twentysomething YOUNG WOMAN cradled in her arms. The YOUNG WOMAN, clad in sleepwear of some sort, is obliviously extending a SMARTPHONE out to take a selfie with EMP in mid-rescue; while the WOMAN is making an affected "duckface" or pouting for the camera, EMP is looking over at her with an expression of consternation on her masked face. (Note that you could change the YOUNG WOMAN's sleepwear to something else, if you prefer.)

NARRATOR

Then again, the normal-human citizens of Elissa's city seemed just as heedless and oblivious of danger as any of its superheroes.

PANEL 4

Follow-on shot from the previous panel. Close-up of EMP's masked face grimacing, lit up by the PHONE's camera light.

NARRATOR (MIXED-CASE LETTERING; NO OUTLINED CAPTION BOX)

She couldn't, however, bring herself to criticize others for flocking to this astonishing but often perilous place, as she had.

NARRATOR (SMALL; MIXED-CASE LETTERING; NO OUTLINED CAPTION BOX)

(She could, however, sourly mutter under her breath while rescuing one clueless urbanite after another.)

END PART 1

Anyhoo, there's your first installment of Mask City Meltdown's second issue, folks! Stand by for more pages next Friday, okay?

NEXT TIME ON THIS HERE PATREON: Not sure at the moment, but something should be going up on Monday.