Saturday, November 10, 2018

Crisis Weekly #4

PAGE ONE

Panel 1
We see an older model car driving down the road.  Not only is this an older car, but it’s obviously banged up.  Obviously the driver doesn’t have a ton of money to spend on these things.  There’s no indication that it’s going fast, but there’s also no reason to believe it’s doing anything particularly wrong.  No damage to the taillights, either.  Also important to note that it’s nighttime.

CAPTION: “His daring life of crime…”

Panel 2
But somehow a cop car still shows up behind it with flashing lights to pull it over.

CAPTION: “…Made him a legend in his time.”

Panel 3
The two cars are pulled over and the cop has gotten out and is walking toward the old car.  The cop has red hair.  We’ll find out shortly that it’s our old friend, Guy Gardner.  The driver of the old car is a black man, and we’ll find out shortly that it’s Bloodwynd.  We see Guy from the back and Bloodwynd from the side.

TITLE: “The Ballad of Billy the Kid”
WRITER: Tony Laplume
 

PAGE TWO

Panel 1
Now we see Guy Gardner properly as he approaches the driver of the old car, whom of course we know is Bloodwynd but we still can’t properly identify him, as he’s looking forward and we’re looking on from the side, so we can’t see his distinctive eyes yet.  Guy has grown back that beard and mustache look he had in the pages of Red Lanterns.

GUY GARDNER: Okay.  License and registration.  No funny business.

Panel 2
Bloodwynd is reaching into the glove compartment, so obviously we still can’t see his eyes.  Guy looks impatient.

Panel 3
Bloodwynd is still rooting around in the glove compartment.  Guy still looks impatient.

Panel 4
Bloodwynd is still rooting around, Guy still looks impatient.

GUY GARDNER: Look, is this going to take all night or summat?

Panel 5
Bloodwynd has now located the registration and is handing it over to Guy.  His eyes are downcast, his manner meek, as Guy continues to look impatient.

GUY GARDNER: What are ya, mute?  Know why I pulled you over?

GUY GARDNER: Okay, forget this.  Step out of the car.  Hands where I can see them.

Panel 6
Bloodwynd is emerging from the car, hands raised with documents in them, eyes still downcast.  Guy’s hands are resting on his belt, one planted firmly on his service pistol.

Panel 7
We see that Guy has shoved Bloodwynd roughly against the side of his car and has begun patting him down.

GUY GARDNER: Don’t have anything I should know about, do ya?

Panel 8
The pat down continues.

GUY GARDNER: Y’know, this would be going a lot more smoothly if you just stopped resisting.

Panel 9
Guy’s hand has reached for his club.
 

PAGE THREE

Panel 1 (splash)
Bloodwynd has turned around, only he’s no longer an anonymous black man but very clearly Bloodwynd, in all his awesome ‘90s glory (metaphorically speaking, as…I’m one of the few fans nostalgic about him an’ all).  Which is to say, in full white bodysuit and black cape garb.  He’s literally glowing, lighting up the whole page.  You’d think his eyes would be glaring but his look is entirely benign.  His arms are outstretched, holding up his cape like Bela Lugosi used to as Dracula.  Guy looks completely astonished, and incidentally he’s also facing us, with his head turned around, as if he turned in fright, the club falling out of his hand to the ground.  This is also to say, we can see his named listed as “Gardner” on his uniform.  Bloodwynd’s word bubble is of course ringed by his distinctive red fringed outline, which is one of the reasons why we didn’t hear him talk before, to help emphasize this moment and surprise (for anyone theoretically seeing this as an actual comic rather than reading it as a script).  We can also see that Guy is wearing the yellow ring for the first time in this particular script, the first real confirmation we’ve had of that fact.

BLOODWYND: Guy Gardner, you ignorant slut.
 

PAGE FOUR

Panel 1
Now that he’s revealed himself so spectacularly, Bloodwynd has reverted back to civilian clothes, and has a meek expression on his face.  Of course, he still has his distinctive totally white eyes, which is another reason why we never saw them before.  Guy still looks completely astonished.

GUY GARDNER: Bloodwynd…!

GUY GARDNER: Oh my god!

Panel 2
Bloodwynd continues to stand by his car patiently.  Guy is suddenly looking apologetic, his hands raised out in front of him, no longer threatening or reaching for weapons.

GUY GARDNER: Bloodwynd…!  How was I s’pposed to know it was you?

Panel 3
We see Bloodwynd frowning.

Panel 4
Bloodwynd is reaching down for the fallen club.

Panel 5
Bloodwynd is handing the club back to Guy.

Panel 6
Bloodwynd is still frowning as he finally replies.

BLOODWYND: Why would it have mattered?
 

PAGE FIVE

Panel 1
Guy suddenly has a friendly posture.  Bloodwynd has not changed his expression.

GUY GARDNER: Bloodwynd, buddy! 

GUY GARDNER: Long time no see!  How long’s it been?

Panel 2
Bloodwynd has no immediate response.

Panel 3
Bloodwynd continues to frown as he responds.

BLOODWYND: Not since the Doomsday business, I imagine.

Panel 4
Guy is running his hand through his hair with an abashed look on his face.

GUY GARDNER: Yeah.  That.  Nasty business.  None of us came out looking good after that one.

GUY GARDNER: ‘Course, Superman dyin’ an’ all…

Panel 5
Flashback panel to Guy in the immediate aftermath of Doomsday smashing his face, his eye sockets completely crushed, that ridiculous bowl haircut that artists finally moved past.  Of course he’s also in that blue costume we’ve been referencing in Guy’s previous Crisis Weekly appearance, and although we can’t see it, has the yellow ring the first time.  This callback to Doomsday will prove more significant in later weeks as we revisit Bloodwynd’s experiences related to it, so this also amounts to a teaser and preview of sorts.

 Panel 6
Guy is stroking his jaw, back in the present. 

GUY GARDNER: Face still hurts.  Case you were wondering.
 

PAGE SIX

Panel 1
Bloodwynd and Guy continue to talk.

BLOODWYND: This was unnecessary, Guy Gardner.

Panel 2
Same as previous panel.

BLOODWYND: This business of pulling me over.  Because I am black.

Panel 3
Guy is suddenly looking defensive.

GUY GARDNER: Whoa, whoa!  Let’s not be hasty here!

Panel 4
Bloodwynd shoots Guy a look.

Panel 5
Same as previous panel.

BLOODWYND: Guy Gardner.  Do not lie to me.
 

PAGE SEVEN

Panel 1
Guy has begun leaning against the side of Bloodwynd’s car.

GUY GARDNER: What kin I say?  It’s been rough recently.  Been under a lot of stress.  You have no idea.

Panel 2
Same as previous panel.

GUY GARDNER: Okay, I admit it.  Okay?  I don’t even know why.  Okay?

Panel 3
Same as previous panel.

GUY GARDNER: It wasn’t even black people.  It was White Martians. 

Panel 4
Guy is looking at Bloodwynd, searching for sympathy, of which he is receiving none.  Bloodwynd is blank, stoic.

GUY GARDNER: I know, I know.  The White Martian business was after your time in the League.  Technically after my time, too, but I was still active in the field.  You weren’t.  But we all know you spent time trapped inside J’onn.  You knew about the White Martians, right?  You know what I’m talking about?

Panel 5
Bloodwynd doesn’t immediately respond. 

Panel 6
Same as two previous panels.

BLOODWYND: I know about the White Martians.

Panel 7
Another silent panel as Guy continues to look at Bloodwynd, this time with a curious expression.

Panel 8
Guy looks amused.

GUY GARDNER: “Ignorant slut”?

Panel 9
Guy is smiling.

BLOODWYND: A cultural idiom.  I heard it on TV once.  I was trying to fit in.
 

PAGE EIGHT

Panel 1
Guy has stood back up from Bloodwynd’s car, getting ready to go back to his squad car.

BLOODWYND: Guy Gardner.  Wait.

Panel 2
Guy has turned back toward Bloodwynd.

BLOODWYND: About the White Martians.

BLOODWYND: I have agreed to investigate them for President Reilly. 

BLOODWYND: Regardless of what happened here tonight, I would appreciate your help.

Panel 3
Guy looks relieved.

GUY GARDNER: Yeah.  Sure.  Anything I can do, buddy.

GUY GARDNER: Sorry about all this.  Swear I’m not bad.

Panel 4
Bloodwynd is responding, but he’s also distracted.  He’s looking upward.

BLOODWYND: No, you’re simply Guy Gardner.  You cannot help yourself.

Panel 5
We pan upward and see what has caught Bloodwynd’s attention: a swarm of bats in the night sky.

Panel 6
Bloodwynd continues to look toward the sky.  He is alone in this panel.

BLOODWYND: Bats…

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