Dead Butlers, Page 5

PAGE FIVE

Panel 1

Jerome’s father (the aging, balding, traditional-comics-version Alfred) stands beside him as he’s introduced to Hemingway’s father, the mustache-sporting, Jeffrey Dean Morgan version of Thomas Wayne. Jerome is dressed as he was the last panel of the previous page.

CAPTION: For me, Jerome was just always there, but of course there was a first day.

Panel 2

Jerome is getting a guided tour of Hemingway Manor from his father and Hemingway Senior.

CAPTION: The day he saw Hemingway Manor for the first time.

Panel 3

Now it’s just Jerome and his father, looking in at the considerable supply closet of Hemingway Manor, where all the cleaning equipment is kept. His father holds a duster in his hand.

CAPTION: Learned the bare essentials of what the rest of his life was going to be.

Panel 4

Jerome now stands alone in the vastness of Hemingway Manor, looking very small, holding the duster.

CAPTION: As if it was going to be so simple.

Panel 5

Jerome serving tea for Hemingway Senior and wife, who’s noticeably pregnant.

CAPTION: I often wonder if he had even an inkling of what was to come.

Panel 6

Time skips ever onward. Hemingway’s mother holds Baby Hemingway for Jerome to admire.

CAPTION: What he might have thought seeing Hemingway for the first time.

Panel 7

Changing a dirty diaper.

CAPTION: How much his life had really changed.

Panel 8

Skipping ever onward. Hemingway as the boy on the fateful night, dressed up along with his parents as Jerome sees them off on the night everything changes forever.

CAPTION: And how much it was going to continue changing.

Panel 9

Jerome on his knees embracing the grief-stricken young Hemingway later that night.

CAPTION: Somehow I can’t imagine him missing a single beat. The very role he was born to play.