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Huntress / Batman - No Place Like HomeOwen Allaway Page 1 Panels 1 and 2 are next to each other at the top of the page, about half the page deep. Panel 3 is below them. Title and credits go at the bottom of the page. Panel 1 Helena Bertinelli standing in front of a blackboard. The room is darker than the average classroom. Caption - At times like this I ask myself.... Panel 2 View of the classroom from Helena's perspective. Only two seats are filled, and by scruffy sickly looking kids at that. They're brothers and they're called Harry and Peter. Caption - ...why bother? Panel 3 Exterior of school building. A dim light shines in a couple of ground floor windows. Caption - There's no-one left. These two kids are all that remains of an entire school. They're tired, scared and hungry. This city is no place for children. ---------- Full page panel. Panel 1 Long shot of school building which takes up the entire page. Ruins surround it. Two small, thin figures holding lunchboxes are climbing over the rubble, away from the school. Caption 1 - If I were simply Helena Bertinelli, school teacher, I would have left long ago. Caption 2 - But I'm not. ---------- Full page panel. Panel 1 Same shot as before, but the kids are gone. Instead, we see the figure of a woman holding a cross bow, dwarfed by the destruction, but still standing straight, proud. Caption 1 - I'm Huntress. I protect this city. ---------- Panels 1 and 2 are next to each other at the top of the page, about half the page deep. Panel 3 is below them. Panel 1 Close up of Huntress. In contrast to her previous stance, she's now hanging her head and looks so tired it's a wonder she's still standing. Caption - Where do I start? Panel 2 From Huntress' point of view. The kids are further way now, but still having to scramble over the rubble. Caption - Well, I can make sure the twins get home safely. Panel 3 Peter and Harry are still at it. They're on the right of the picture. On the left - not too close, but, she thinks, close enough - stands the silhouette of Huntress. ---------- The page is split in quarters. Panel 1 Close up of Harry. He's wobbling. There's a sound-effect here, a creaking sound. It doesn't instil anyone with confidence in the stability of the rubble he's standing on. Panel 2 Harry's still wobbling. The sound-effect has become a rumble. Panel 3 The rubble falls away, and Harry with it. Peter looks on, aghast, as his friend disappears from sight. The sound-effect has built up enough confidence to become a crash. Panel 4 No sign of Harry. A whole section of the rubble is missing. The sound-effect, having said its piece, is now absent. Peter is standing the same position he was in before. By the way, he's still holding his lunchbox. He's not going to let go of it until he gets home. It's blue, and has got a red and gold S-shaped insignia on it. Peter - Harry? ---------- The page is split into quarters. Panel 1 Huntress stands over Harry's prone body. He's lying atop broken stones and metal. His left leg looks to be at the wrong angle below the knee. His lunchbox (which doesn't have anything interesting on it) is lying a foot or so away. At the top of the panel stands Peter, showing just how far Harry has fallen. It's at least fifteen feet. Peter - (In a very small voice) Harry? Caption - Too late. I'm too late. Panel 2 Huntress is bending over Harry, checking he's still breathing. Caption - He's alive. Thank God. His leg's broken and he's unconscious, but he's alive. Panel 3 Huntress has slung Harry over her shoulder and is trying to climb up to where we last saw Peter, while using one hand to hold Harry. She's left the lunchbox behind. Caption - I wasn't close enough. I didn't want to scare them. Good call, Helena. Panel 4 Huntress is back at the top of the heap, with Harry still slung over her. Peter hasn't moved. He's looking at Huntress. He's as scared as he's ever been. At least his parents were with him when the quake hit. He's alone now. Caption - I've got no time for guilt now. I should take Harry to a hospital. But there aren't any hospitals any more. I'll have to take him back home. It's all I can do. Huntress - Follow me Peter. ---------- Panels 1 and two take up a quarter of the page. Panels three through six take up an eighth of the page each. Panel 1 Huntress (with Harry, of course) has moved off, but Peter is still standing where we left him. Panel 2 Same as before, but Huntress has turned round. Huntress - Come on Peter! Panel 3 Close up of Peter's face. He doesn't look well. Peter - Who are you? Panel 4 Close of Huntress' face. She's doing her best to give a reassuring smile. Huntress - I'm Huntress. I'm a super hero. Panel 5 A close up of Peter's face. He's looking strangely unconvinced. Peter - Like Superman? Panel 6 Huntress' face. She's still smiling. Huntress - Like Superman. ---------- Page is split up into quarters. Panel 1 Back view of Huntress (with Harry). Peter is trotting along beside her. Peter - Can you fly? Huntress - No. Panel 2 Same as before, but they're further away. Peter - Have you got heat vision? Huntress - No. Panel 3 Even further away. Peter - Um... Can you run really, really fast? Huntress - Not as fast as you're thinking. Panel 4 Hey, they look like ants from here. Peter - What can you do? Huntress - I can get you home, young man. ---------- This page is mainly panel 1, with panel 2 inset into it at the bottom right. Panel 1 Huntress, Harry and Peter walking between a couple of ruined buildings of ruined buildings. When they were still standing, this was probably an alley. They haven't noticed the four shadowy figures hiding in the, er, shadows. Panel 2 Close up of a man's ugly face. He's got stubble and a scar across his left cheek, which proves he's a bad guy. His name's David, but we'll know him only as Lead Mugger. Lead Mugger - GET THEM! ---------- The six panels are each a third of the page high and half the page wide. Panel 1 A close up of Huntress' face. She looks mean and scary. Huntress - Want to see what I can do, Peter? Panel 2 A purple-clad fist hits a bad guy square in the face. Panel 3 A foot lands in a bad guy's... lower stomach. Panel 4 Another fist, another jaw. Panel 5 The lead mugger runs away. Behind him, Huntress steadies her crossbow and aims. Panel 6 The lead mugger is gone. The crossbow is still in the same position, bolt intact. Huntress is looking at Peter, who's looking back in admiration. ---------- Full page panel. Panel 1 Same as page nine, panel one, but the shadowy figures have gone. Two bodies lie around the three people in the centre of the scene. A third figure is crawling away. Slowly. Peter - Cool! ---------- Panel 1 takes up the top third of the page. Panels two and three are two-thirds of the page high and half a page wide. Panel 1 Huntress (with Harry, obviously) and Peter stand outside a building. The ground floor is intact and lights shine in the windows. Above this, the place is ruined. Huntress - So, this is home. Panel 2 Huntress, Harry and Peter are in the doorway of the building. Inside a man and a woman sit huddled round a small fire in the centre of the room. Old oil drums act as a make shift chimney, leading to a hole in the roof. A couple of camp beds are against on wall. The only sign that children live here is a Superman poster above one of the beds. Panel 3 The same scene, but the two parents have turned round and are looking at the three figures, horrified. ---------- Full page panel. Panel 1 Harry is lying on one of the camp beds, his mother, Meg, is standing over him, staring down. She's got her arm round Peter, who is hugging her leg. He's looking at scene taking place at other side of the room. The father, George, is facing Huntress, pointing an angry finger in her face. He's a big man, but he's out of shape. George - What have you done to my boy? Huntress - I've brought him home. George - Don't get smart with me, lady. What the hell happened to him? Huntress - He fell. George - You listen to me... ---------- Another full page panel.[I don't rember putting this many full pages in, it's a little excessive.] Panel 1 A full body shot of Huntress, as seen from George's pint of view. She's leaning forward slightly, fists clenched. She's angry, and she's making a speech... Huntress - No. You listen to me. This city is no place for children. It wasn't much before the quake and now this is the worst place in the world. You shouldn't be here. You should have left before we were sealed in, like the rest of them. ---------- Yet another full page panel. Panel 1 Similar to before, but Huntress is turning away. Caption - These people make me sick, putting their children in danger, making them live in these conditions. Huntress - You don't deserve these kids. ---------- Panel 1 is the main panel, with the other three being inset into it at the bottom of the page. Panel 1 George is taking a swing at Huntress, which she's parrying expertly. George - You... BITCH! Panel 2 Close up of Meg's face. Meg - George! Panel 3 Close up of Peter's face. Peter - Dad! No! She saved us! Panel 4 Close up of Harry's face. He's unconscious. ---------- Full page panel. Panel 1 The silhouette of a huge figure with pointed ears and a cape fills the doorway. Batman - Enough. ---------- The layout of this a bit more complicated. Panel 1 is a picture of Batman and is in the centre of the page. Panel 2 is top left. Panel 3 is top right. Panel 4 is bottom left. Panel 5 is bottom right. Panel 1 This is the Batman, looking stern. Obviously. He's speaking, but each speech balloon appears in a separate panel. Panel 2 Harry, on the bed. Batman - The boy needs medical attention. I'll call for assistance. Panel 3 Huntress, glaring at Batman. Batman - He's been moved too much already. Panel 4 This is George. He's still angry, but he's pretty much in awe of Batman. Batman - Get some blankets. Whatever you've got here. We need to keep him warm. Panel 5 Huntress again. Batman's dig has not shamed her. If anything she's looking even angrier. Batman - Huntress, get out of here. ---------- Each panel is the width of the page and a quarter of the page high. Panel 1 Batman's head is on the left of the page, Huntress on the right, standing further away from the 'camera'. Both are facing towards us. Panel 2 Same picture as panel 1. Batman - Huntress... Panel 3 Same as panel 1, but Huntress has taken a couple of steps forward. Huntress - I'm not leaving. Panel 4 Batman has turned to face Huntress. She's facing him. They're in profile and looking like they're having a staring competition. Which, in a sense, they are. ---------- Full page panel. Panel 1 The full length equivalent of panel 4 on page 19. The word balloons are at the bottom of the page. Batman - This is my city. You do as I say, or you do nothing. Huntress - Look around, Batman. This isn't your city anymore. Gotham is dead. You couldn't save it. Bruce Wayne couldn't save it. The Justice League couldn't save it. All that's left is the scum. Batman - Then why are you still here? Huntress - Because I fight scum. It's my job. And some of the scum have children. Batman - These are good people. Huntress - Get real. The good people all left for Metropolis or New York. They didn't stay here with their children. Batman - I think introductions are in order. ---------- Panel 1 is the main panel, with the other panels stylishly placed around the page. Panel 1 George and Meg, with Peter behind them, standing by Harry's bed. He's now covered by a couple of threadbare blankets. Batman - George and Meg are cops. Good cops. They've stayed in Gotham to help reclaim it. I need them if I'm going to take this city back. Panel 2 George and Meg in police uniform standing next to each other, guns trained on someone holding a gun to a hostages head. Panel 3 A man is offering George some money. He's shaking his head. Panel 4 The same man being led away, in handcuffs. Panel 5 George is comforting the hostage while Meg cuffs the hostage taker. Panel 6 George and Meg relaxing in a sparse but clean apartment, while younger versions of Harry and Peter run around chasing each other. Panel 7 If it's not a bit too much, maybe we could include a classic Christmas scene here. Tree, presents, the usual. Might be laying it on a bit thick, though. ---------- Page pretty much split up into sixths. Panel 1 Huntress, shrugging, looking apologetic. Huntress - Okay, you've convinced me Gotham needs them. Panel 2 Huntress facing the family. George looking back and still doesn't look exactly happy. Meg tends to Harry. Peter's still got his lunchbox. Huntress - I'm sorry for what I said, but why didn't you send the children away? Panel 3 George, head shot, profile. He's looking pretty much straight ahead George - My parents sent me away to live with my aunt and uncle in Kansas when I was four. They said that Gotham was too dangerous for me. Panel 4 George, same as before, looking at the floor. George - That hurt, I felt rejected. My aunt and uncle were good people, but they weren't my Mom and Dad. Panel 5 George, still looking down. George - I vowed that, when I had children, I'd never send them away. Panel 6 George, looking straight ahead again. George - I don't know if you can understand that. ---------- Panels 1 and 2 at the top of the page. Panels 3 and 4 below them. Panel 5 takes up the rest of the page. Panel 1 Huntress, head shot, profile. Huntress - Yes, I can. Panel 2 Batman, head shot, profile. He's looking at the floor, obviously thinking of his parents. Panel 3 Meg, crouching by Harry, but facing in the direction of George. Meg - He's waking up! Panel 4 Close up of Harry's face. His eyes are half open. Panel 5 Batman and Huntress facing towards us, getting ready to leave. Huntress is looking at Batman in astonishment. We can see the family behind them. Batman - Good. He'll be all right. I've called for help. Medics will be here soon. Caption - When did he do that? ---------- Full page panel. Panel 1 Batman and Huntress leaving. Batman going through the door first. Huntress is close behind. The family is at the back of the room. She has a look on her face that can only be articulated as 'Doh!'. Batman almost seems to be smiling, except of course he never does. Peter - See you tomorrow miss. THE END |
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