NOTE TO MICHAEL/WILLIE/GREGORY: Most
of the captions we use in this book are Dick’s first person narrative,
but occasionally we carry someone else’s speech over onto the next page
via a caption. In addition to the quotes, is there a good visual way to
differentiate between the two? A slightly different shape, maybe, or a
whole different color (or both)? I can indicate which are which if that’ll
make it easier (narration captions are normal, and I’ll use “cont” to mark
continued speech captions?). Thanks!
PAGE 1, splash
Open on a classic shot of
Batman and Dick-Grayson-Robin, short green pants and all. Batman perches
at the edge of a rooftop in the Gotham night as Robin stands proudly, cockily
behind him, the 1939 “laughing, darting ray of sunshine.” Though Batman
(year three costume) is intense as ever, maybe he looks just a little bit
more relaxed and happy in this seen-through-Dick’s-eyes flashback. They’re
still partners, frictionless, no real tension in the relationship yet,
it’s all good.
Rick, there’ve been ret-cons
and arguments and varying opinions, but I like the 1940’s version of Dick,
where he was clearly no more than eight or so. The longer these two have
been together, the more compelling the dynamic between them. And maybe
a hint here, too, of “old style” Gotham with the giant billboards et al.
Title and credits here, please:
NIGHTWING 75, “Judgment Day”
Devin Grayson, script
Rick Leonardi, pencils
Jesse Delperdang, inks
Gregory Wright, colors
Digital Chameleon, separations
Willie Schubert, letters
Michael Wright, editor
1 ROBIN: You know what’s the best thing in
the whole wide world?
2 BATMAN: Mm?
PAGE 2, panel one
Batman rises, as behind
him Robin crows happily, opening his arms wide to embrace the whole, dark
night.
1 ROBIN: THIS!
Page 2, panel two
As he walks past him towards
the center of the roof, Batman absently pats Robin’s shoulder. His expression
is impassive, as usual, but Robin is beaming up at him, correctly perceiving
the gesture to be one of paternal pride.
NO COPY
Page 2, panel three
Robin chatters merrily away
as he races happily after his caped mentor, who is heading across the rooftop
to check the other side.
2 ROBIN: Hey, Batman, what’re we gonna do once we
finally get rid of all the criminals and everything?
3 ROBIN: Move to another city?
4 BATMAN: I don’t think that’s something you have
to WORRY about, Robin.
Page 2, panel four
Close on Robin, suddenly
a little fretful, pleading with his mentor for a clear answer.
5 ROBIN: Okay, so, then, we’ll just stay in Gotham
and keep doing this, right?
6 ROBIN: Forever and ever?
Page 2, panel five
On Robin, relaxing into
a grin again as he watches Batman’s back.
7 BATMAN: We’ll do this as long as it’s EFFECTIVE.
8 BATMAN: And feasible.
9 ROBIN: Right.
10 ROBIN: Like I said.
11 ROBIN: Forever….
PAGE 3, panel one
Cut to current day,
Dick standing behind Batman in the Batcave. Exact same panel layout, to
clarify that this is the same boy, now grownup. This time, however, there’s
not as much of a grin on his face as he watches Batman’s back – he’s smiling
slightly, warm and affectionate and understanding.
And I know it seems
like a waste to have Batman and Dick (not even in costume) in the same
scene not fighting anyone, but bear with me. We have to establish that
things like hanging out in the Batcave with Batman are a normal part of
Dick Grayson’s existence.
1 CAPTION: Thinking back on all of it now,
I’m not sure anything Batman does is FEASIBLE.
Page 3, panel two
Batman turns to Dick,
handing him a few pages worth of print out.
2 CAPTION: But it’s ALL effective.
3 BATMAN: This is everything I have on Mayor
Avers.
4 DICK: Thanks.
Page 3, panel three
Batman turns back to whatever
you want him to be working on (Batcomputer, chem set, hologram blueprint)
as Dick casually sits on the console (though obviously not in a way that
would hurt it or press any buttons).
5 BATMAN: Do you have enough for criminal prosecution?
6 DICK: Looks promising. Arbitration has already
started and we’ve got a good District Attorney in the ‘Haven now.
7 DICK: Between this and Mary’s journal, I
think we’ve finally got some sustainable charges.
Page 3, panel four
Dick scans the printouts
as Batman continues to busy himself in the cave. They’re both avoiding
eye contact now.
8 BATMAN: When do you turn in your badge and
GUN?
9 DICK: Hm?
Page 3, panel five
Closer in on them as Batman
looks up, finally, with narrowed eyes. Dick is now picking lint off of
his sweater, or staring at his feet, or the cave floor, evasively.
10 BATMAN: Now that you’ve broken this CASE,
there’s no need for you to CONTINUE in Blüdhaven as a POLICE OFFICER.
11 DICK: Oh, uh, right, right. Yeah, I’ll
quit soon –
PAGE 4, panel one
Cut to Officer Dick Grayson
and Officer Amy Rohrbach by their squad car in the ‘haven. Amy is leaning
in to the car to use the radio unit as Dick takes off in a foot chase,
hot on the heels of a young, athletic (Caucasian) purse snatcher (read
Amy’s description of the perp, line four).
The crook looks determined
to get away, Amy looks serious and intent as she calls for backup, and
Dick – well, Dick looks like he’s having a blast. He loves the chase. The
sense that he’s enjoying this is important, as it relates directly to his
caption. Thanks!
Oh, and Michael, I’ve looked
through every back issue of NW I can find and don’t see a squad division
number for Dick and Amy, so I’m making one up. But if one has already been
established, please correct. Otherwise, from now on, Dick and Any work
fro the 19th precinct. Thanks!
1 CAPTION/cont: “ -- why wouldn’t I?”
2 AMY: This is 19-Adam calling with a one-forty-eight
on Collingswood and Baleen.
3 DICK: I’ll get him!
Page 4, panel two
The purse-snatcher rounds
a corner, heading into an alleyway, as Dick follows. We can still see Amy,
still on the car radio, clarifying her request as she watches her partner
disappear around a city street corner.
4 AMY: Caucasian, about 5’11”, wearing a black knit
hat and heading North on Collingswood….
Page 4, panel three
The perp knocks some garbage
cans over between himself and Dick, but Dick nimbly dodges them by jumping
up and catching the bottom wrung of a fire escape ladder in both hands,
so that he’s now swinging from it, using it not unlike a trapeze. They
are now fully out of Amy’s sight.
NO COPY
Page 4, panel four
The purse-snatcher continues to run as Dick
launches himself off the fire escape bar --
NO COPY
Page 4, panel five
-- somersaults in mid-air
over the crook’s head, losing his police hat –
NO COPY
Page 4, panel six
-- and lands in front of
him with a cocky glint in his eye as the purse snatcher looks over his
shoulder to see if Dick’s still behind him.
NO COPY
PAGE 5, panel one
The purse snatcher has only
just turned his attention back to where he’s running as he plows right
into Dick, the two men going down in a roll together, the crook looking
mortified, Dick all but laughing.
1 PURSE SNATCHER: Whoa!
Page 5, panel two
Dick pulls the purse out
of the crook’s hands with a roguish smirk.
2 DICK: This really doesn’t go with your SHOES,
pal.
Page 5, panel three
Amy appears around the corner,
running hard (worried that Dick might be in danger) and carrying Dick’s
hat, as Dick cuffs the guy.
3 AMY: Dick, are you – ?
Page 5, panel four
Amy slows to a walk, smirking as she speaks
into her shoulder radio unit.
4 AMY: Never mind, dispatch. We’re good here.
Page 5, panel four
Amy smiles at Dick as hands
him his hat and takes the cuffed perp from him. Dick’s suddenly doubling
over, pretending to be winded, still holding the purse.
5 AMY: Well, YOU must be feeling better, partner.
6 DICK: Whew!
7 DICK: Man, I’m gonna RELAPSE if I do THAT again!
Page 5, panel five
Now Amy smirks at the perp
as she starts leading him back towards the squad car. The perp is looking
at her like she’s crazy as Dick follows sheepishly behind them.
8 AMY: Bet you’d never guess this guy has been
flat on his back SICK for the past week, would you?
PAGE 6, panel one
Cut to an establishing shot
of the Blüdhaven county court house. I don’t think we’ve ever seen
this before, Rick, so have fun. Everything in Blüdhaven is vaguely
nautically themed, so….old converted whaling house? Whatever you want.
1 FROM INSIDE: You don’t have to ANSWER that,
Darren.
Page 6, panel two
Inside, in a large, nondescript
conference room, Mateo Flores (the District Attorney from issue 72), wearing
a dark business suit, is conducting formal inquiry.
A female federal officer
(AGENT KAREN CRAFT – late thirties, wears glasses and a badge, very serious
looking) sits beside him quietly taking notes, and seated across the table
from them is a civilian police rep (BOB SLOE – slightly overweight, in
a jacket and tie but not good ones) and ESU commander Darren Michaelmas,
in full uniform. Michaelmas does not look happy to be there. Sloe is addressing
Mateo.
2 SLOE: Commander Michaelmas is in no position
to comment on something as VAGUE as a “climate of IMPUNITY,” Flores.
3 MATEO: Commander Michaelmas is facing racketeering,
extortion, aggravated assault and BATTERY charges, Mr. Sloe.
4 MATEO: I would HOPE he’s in the position
to comment on SOMETHING.
Page 6, panel three
Agent Craft looks up calmly
from her notes and addresses Michaelmas. Mateo tries not to appear too
exasperated as Michaelmas plays tough guy.
5 CRAFT: A clarification for MY records, if you don’t
mind, Commander Michaelmas.
6 CRAFT: Prior to his recent murder, did you report
directly to Chief Redhorn?
7 MICHAELMAS: Look, I run the ESU, not a public
relations division.
8 MICHAELMAS: I make my OWN calls in the FIELD.
Page 6, panel four
Mateo keeps pressing as
Michaelmas seethes with barely suppressed rage.
9 MATEO: Fine. But I think what Agent Craft is asking
is, if you were to, say, get a JOB EVALUATION, who would write that report?
10 MICHAELMAS: You want to know how things WORK
around here, Counselor Flores?
11 MICHAELMAS: Well, I’ll TELL ya.
Page 6, panel five
Sloe jumps up to hold Michaelmas
back as Michaelmas leaps out of his chair to scream threateningly at Mateo,
who just glares at him coldly from the other side of the table. Agent Craft
looks disapprovingly surprised by the outburst, and Sloe is frantic to
calm his client.
12 MICHAELMAS/burst: When we get our hands on the
RAT who sold us OUT, there’s not gonna BE any damn question about who’s
in CHARGE in the ‘haven!
PAGE 7, panel one
Cut to Dick, changing out
of his police uniform in the BPD locker room. Malloy is also there with
another younger cop, both beginning to change into theirs.
Malloy, having just pulled
a bullet-proof vest out of his locker, addresses Dick, as the other cop
(LOWING) looks somewhat frantically through his locker, which, if we can
see into it, does not include a vest.
1 MALLOY: Quiet day?
Page 7, panel two
Dick glances towards
Malloy with a friendly smile, continuing to change out of his uniform and
into civvies as Malloy changes out of his civvies and into uniform.
Lowing has turned
to Malloy with worry.
2 DICK: Yeah, not bad. Normal Blüdhaven
lunacy.
3 MALLOY: Man, I’d kill for day shift right
about now.
4 LOWING: Shoot, I left my VEST at home! You
think I’ll get in TROUBLE if I SKIP it?
Page 7, panel three
Dick raises an eyebrow and
interrupts as Malloy hands his vest over to Lowing.
5 MALLOY: Here, use MINE. It’s too HOT for
that thing tonight anyway.
6 DICK: Wait, wait, wait – bad call.
7 DICK: With so many officers in ARBITRATION,
street perception is that the department is WEAK right now.
Page 7, panel four
Dick hands Malloy HIS vest as Lowing puts on
Malloy’s vest. Malloy looks skeptical.
8 DICK: The criminal element will see this as an
opportunity to ASSERT themselves, with GUNS.
9 MALLOY: Yeah, but it’s not like the whole department
really IS corrupt, you know? I mean, some of the stuff the District Attorney’s
throwing around…
10 MALLOY: Like how likely IS it, really, that the
street gangs were takin’ orders from REDHORN HIMSELF?
Page 7, panel five
Dick surprises Malloy by
quietly moving forward with a serious expression to start buckling Malloy
into the vest, which is his way of warning the younger rookie that the
threat really is acute.
11 DICK: Let me put it THIS way…
12 DICK: Don’t go out without your VEST on.
Page 7, panel six
ECU Dick, deadly serious.
13 DICK: EVER.
PAGE 8, panel one
Cut to as establishing shot of
Dick’s apartment building, late that same afternoon.
1 FROM BUILDING: Apparently a couple of the
ESU guys are REFUSING to go in for QUESTIONING.
Page 8, panel two
Inside Dick is talking to
his laptop, which is open and displaying a live feed of Babs, while he
sits on his bed with a pile of Nightwing equipment. He’s currently busy
sharpening Batarangs – it’s gonna be that kind of a night.
2 DICK: Two of them have even BARRICADED themselves
into an apartment, with some kind of BPD-approved STOCKPILE.
3 BABS/MONITOR/ELEC: What’re we talking about here?
A few guns and grenades, or…?
Page 8, panel three
Cut to Babs on her headset, Oracling
away as she chats with Dick, who we can see on one of her monitors, checking
the points on his newly-sharpened Batarang.
4 DICK/MONITOR/ELEC: Definitely OR. Michaelmas
has been lobbying for Blüdhaven to budget state-of-the-art crime fighting
tech into the budget for YEARS.
5 DICK/MONITOR/ELEC: I can only IMAGINE what
these guys have in their PRIVATE collections.
6 BABS: You think BLOCKBUSTER’S supplying
them?
Page 8, panel three
Dick frowns as he tests
a grapple rope, pulling it taut.
7 DICK: Nice THOUGHT, Babs. That’s just what
I NEED. A BPD/Blockbuster TEAM-UP.
8 BABS/MONITOR/ELEC: What YOU need, former
Boy Wonder, is some SLEEP.
Page 8, panel four
Dick has pulled some smoke
pellets out of one of his Nightwing gauntlets, and is rolling them on his
palm carefully, checking for signs of wear and tear. Everything looks good
to go.
If we can see any clocks, they indicate that it’s
a little after four.
9 DICK: No time.
10 DICK: If I HURRY, I can just catch
the end of today’s INQUIRY hearings.
11 BABS/MONITOR/ELEC: Aren’t you going to
go flush out the ESU bunker?
Page 8, panel five
Dick stands, expression
serious, stuffing his costume into a small gym bag..
12 DICK: Definitely –
PAGE 9, panel one
Cut to the courthouse, Dick
now waving to Amy in greeting as he sees her on the stairs leading up to
the building. She’s standing outside, in uniform, quietly drinking a cup
of coffee, alone, and she looks a little tense.
Dick is carrying his duffle
bag and the sun is just beginning to set behind the courthouse.
1 CAPTION/cont: “ -- but FIRST, I want to make sure
the D.A.’s READY for them…”
2 DICK: Hey, Amy, how’s it going?
Page 9, panel two
Amy turns to him, looking
a little more tense than usual, but happy to see him.
3 AMY: Hey, partner. Did the D.A. call you in for
QUESTIONING?
4 DICK: No, not yet. You?
Page 9, panel three
Amy becomes serious as she
motions up towards the courthouse, and Dick leans in to speak to her quietly,
making sure he’s not over heard.
5 AMY: Yeah, but Detective ADDAD’s in there
now.
6 AMY: Michaelmas is holding court in the
WAITING room, so I thought I’d come out here for a little AIR.
7 DICK: Hey, have you had a chance to look
at Mary Redhorn’s JOURNAL? That’s got to be a pretty helpful piece
of EVIDENCE, right?
Page 9, panel four
Amy folds her arms defensively
across her chest and looks away, worried, as Dick watches her with concern.
8 AMY: Yeah…it IS, but…
9 AMY: I don’t know, I just feel kind of WEIRD
about the whole thing….
10 DICK: Really? Why? Mary Redhorn agreed
to let us USE it….
Page 9, panel five
Dick watches Amy quietly
as she lets her guard down with him a little. She looks nervous and rattled,
suddenly, unsure of herself.
11 AMY: It’s not that, it’s how I CAME by it.
The whole VIGILANTE thing.
12 AMY: I don’t know, Dick, it’s just…you
should have SEEN this guy, he was MR. CONFIDENT, you know, completely convinced
he’s one of the GOOD GUYS.
13 AMY: And he SEEMED sincere enough, but
how do I know what he really does out there? He’s not accountable to ANYONE.
Not even the LAW….
PAGE 10, panel one
FLASH BACK. Cut to a judge,
presiding in his chambers, at least ten years earlier. Before him sit a
twenty-something Bruce Wayne, in suit and tie, a ten-year-old Dick Grayson,
in trademark red sweater vest, as well as a female social worker, who might
be in a sort of forties style gray or brown skirt suit and hat combo, as
a nod to the timelessness of the Batman mythos.
The judge is addressing
Bruce, his expression somewhat accusatory as Brice answers with charming
confidence. Sorry for his copious text.
1 JUDGE: -- in the eyes of the LAW, Mr.
Wayne. What makes you think you’re FIT to raise a CHILD by yourself?
2 BRUCE: Well, your honor, I’m not ENTIRELY
alone. In addition to contact with several close family friends – including
Dr. Leslie Thompkins of the Park Row Health Clinic –
3 BRUCE: -- I reside with the gentleman largely
responsible for raising ME from MY childhood.
Page 10, panel two
Dick glares at the social
worker as she cuts in, imploring the judge.
4 SOCIAL WORKER: He’s speaking of the family
BUTLER, your honor!
5 SOCIAL WORKER: This court can HARDLY condone
a PLAYBOY passing his GUARDIANSHIP duties off to the hired HELP!
Page 10, panel three
The social worker is on
a tear now, clearly angered by the prospect of Gotham’s most notorious
playboy being given legal rights to a guardianship. Young Dick meets her
with equal force, standing up from his chair to glare at her.
6 SOCIAL WORKER: In the four months that I’ve spent
tracking this case, this child has been witness to seven BACHELOR parties
–
7 SOCIAL WORKER: -- something in the order of EIGHTEEN
late night FEMALE guests, and has, himself, sported one black eye, a fractured
wrist –
8 DICK: That wasn’t his fault! You don’t even know
what you’re TALKING about!
9 DICK: I already TOLD you I got hurt and SCHOOL
and you won’t even LISTEN to me!
Page 10, panel four
Still in flashback, Dick
turns from accusatory to imploring in a heartbeat, turning pleadingly to
the judge, who frowns at him sternly. Bruce has reached up to put a large
hand on Dick’s shoulder reassuringly, guiding him back into his seat.
10 DICK: PLEASE let me stay with Mr. Wayne, your
honor. PLEASE.
11 JUDGE: Take your seat, young man.
12 DICK: But –
13 BRUCE: Do as he says, Dick.
Page 10, panel five
Dick’s face begins
to brighten now as he listens to Bruce, who leans in and whispers to him
with a confident half-smile.
14 BRUCE/whisper: And don’t worry.
15 BRUCE/whisper: I PROMISE you, everything will
be all right. Remember, Dick, nothing is IMPASSABLE –
PAGE 11, panel one
END FLASHBACK. We’re
back with current day Dick as he stands with Amy on the courthouse steps.
COLOR NOTE: it’s the end of sunset, moving into twilight over the course
of this page so that it can realistically be dark by page twelve. Thanks!
They’re both turning now towards the door
of the courthouse as Detective Addad walks with Mateo holding the door
open for him. Mateo sees Amy and motions for her enter.
1 CAPTION/cont: “… - there is always a way AROUND….”
2 MATEO: Sergeant Amy ROHRBACH? Could we see you
inside for a moment, please?
Page 11, panel two
Amy pauses to put a hand
on Addad’s arm, lending him her support. His expression is severe.
3 AMY: How’d it GO in there, detective?
4 ADDAD: Well, I didn’t pull any PUNCHES
5 ADDAD: If we don’t get Michaelmas and his cronies
criminally prosecuted THIS time around, it’s NEVER going to happen.
Page 11, panel three
Amy finishes speaking with
Addad over her shoulder as she lets Mateo lead her into the courthouse.
Dick is standing by Addad.
6 AMY: I heard Michaelmas made quite a SCENE.
7 AMY: These guys aren’t gonna go down without
a fight.
8 ADDAD: Well, neither are we….
Page 11, panel four
Dick smiles at Addad, who continues
to frown darkly.
9 DICK: I feel pretty good about our CHANCES
this time around.
10 DICK: If everyone in the clean cop cabal
goes on RECORD with the kind of behavior we’ve WITNESSED, I don’t see how
the city could FAIL to press charges.
11 ADDAD: Well, as nice as it would be to
clean out all the CORRUPTION in the BPD, I warn you –
Page 11, panel five
Dick checks his watch apologetically as Addad
finishes his speech.
12 ADDAD: -- using criminal law as a SUBSTITUTE
for departmental STANDARDS isn’t going to get us as far as we need to GO.
13 ADDAD: We have to do a better job of policing
OURSELVES…
14 DICK: Oh, excuse me, Detective Addad –
PAGE 12, panel one
Still an external shot of the courthouse,
though this time it’s fully night, and the roof of the building is nicely
backlit by a half moon, Nightwing there in silhouette, fully costumed and
ready to rock.
1 CAPTION/cont: “ – but if I don’t leave NOW,
I’m gonna be late for another ENGAGEMENT.”
Page 12, panel two
Closer in on him as he hits
the rooftop express, moving acrobatically through the dark.
2 CAPTION: Amy’s words HAUNT me as I start my NIGHT
shift.
Page 12, panel three
Nightwing swings on a grapple
line high above the roof of the BPD. Below him we can see heavily suited
up officers moving aggressively towards their squad cars in twos – many
carrying shotguns and/or in full SWAT uniform. They mean business tonight.
3 CAPTION: I’ve always taken it for GRANTED that
I’m fighting the good fight, I guess mostly due to my faith in BATMAN.
Page 12, panel four
Nightwing lands in a crouch
on the windowsill of a brick high rise a block or two away.
4 CAPTION: But I have to ADMIT, up here on the urban
HIGH WIRE, I take a lot of LIBERTIES.
PAGE 13, panel one
Nightwing immediately goes to work on
opening the window from the outside, applying Bat-bungee-prima cord, which
I’m told by the Gotham City Task Force Source Book can be used for command
detonation.
1 CAPTION: I tell myself they’re all JUSTIFIED, but
isn’t that what EVERYBODY tells themselves?
Page 13, panel two
Hopping gracefully over
to the next window, Nightwing covers his ears as behind him the rigged
window explodes. I don’t think we’ll need an SFX, but if we do, throw one
in there.
It’s one of those explosions
that causes the glass to drop in a sheathe of shards rather than send them
flying every which way.
2 CAPTION: Does anyone wake up thinking, “today,
I’m going to cross the LINE?”
Page 13, panel three
He hops back to the first
window sill, which is now covered in small glass shards, calling inside
through the smoke.
3 NIGHTWING: Hey, I’m looking for Officers
Hannity and JAMES?
Page 13, panel four
His greeting is answered
by a torrent of gunfire from inside. He dives into the room regardless.
He’s kinda cool that way.
4 SFX: =ratta tatta tatta tatta=
5 SFX: kra-POW kra-POW kra-POW
6 NIGHTWING: Yeah, that’d be them now….
PAGE 14, panel one
Big, multiple-action shot
of Nightwing at his most acrobatic, moving across the apartment like a
Cirque De Soliel acrobat on PCP.
It’s a modestly furnished
bachelor pad just STOCK PILED with every kind of weapon you can think of,
Rick. Hannity (who has appeared before in NW 64, and is wearing a small
gas mask here) continues shooting from behind a counter that divides the
kitchen from the living room, and looks like he’s ready to go for hours.
No sign of James.
1 HANNITY: We didn’t do nothin’ WRONG and we
ain’t answering any QUESTIONS!
2 CAPTION: This is more than I BARGAINED for.
Page 14, panel two
Nightwing hurriedly
puts on his own gas mask as Hannity hurls a scary looking, smoking grenade
at him.
Oh, and Rick – Michael
and I were talking about Nightwing’s costume, and though we both agree
that you shouldn’t be drawing the really chunky, Scott-McDaniel- style
boots and gloves with the visible pouches, Dick should still keep a few,
sleek things in his gloves and boots (in lieu of a utility belt). I’m gonna
work a joke in as soon as I can where another vigilante asks him where
he keeps all his equipment and he just quips “wouldn’t you like to know?”
or some such, but for now, go ahead and say that there are a few, sleek
pockets on his gloves and boots where he can get things from (he can pull
things out frm inside his boots and such, too).
You can see the compactable “Bat” gas mask in THE
GOTHAM CITY TASK FORCE SOURCE BOOK, of which Michael’s going to get you
a copy.
3 HANNITY: We’re PROTECTIN’ the streets, you
MORON! We’re the GOOD guys!
4 CAPTION: These guys must have been stockpiling
for MONTHS.
Page 14, panel three
This is just a panel filled
with the thick, white, billowing smoke from Hannity’s smoke bomb.
5 CAPTION: I remind myself that it’ll only
take one bullet to permanently end my CAREER –
Page 14, panel four
As the smoke begins to clear, we see
Nightwing diving across the kitchen counter, Batman-style, straight for
Hannity, who is rushing to cock a shotgun or some such, pointed straight
at Nightwing. It’s all a matter of who gets there first now.
6 CAPTION: -- and remind HANNITY that that’s
been true for nearly my whole LIFE.
Page 14, panel five
Nightwing’s got the gun
away from Hannity but something robot-like and huge is pulling him away
by the shoulder.
7 CAPTION: And then a cold, metallic grip on
my shoulder reminds me that Hannity isn’t here ALONE.
PAGE 15, panel one
Nightwing is picked up and
thrown painfully across the room by James – who’s wearing a custom version
of those cool-ass crime-fighting “Prototype” suits the Metropolis SCU use!
Nightwing’s gas mask goes
flying.
1 NIGHTWING: ENGH!
Page 15, panel two
From where he’s standing,
James, in the suit, fires a blast at Nightwing, who just barely leaps out
of the way in time (Michael – if these effects on these suits have established
sound and coloring effects, lets use those).
The blast demolishes the
apartment’s front door.
2 SFX: =ZAAAK=
3 NIGHTWING: Whoa!
Page 15, panel three
Nightwing dodges out of
the way again as James lumbers menacingly towards him and Hannity, who
has popped up with a smile and a new gun, takes another shot at him.
4 SFX: =KRA-POW=
5 NIGHTWING: You’ve got a Metropolis PROTOTYPE suit?
How’d you -- ?
6 JAMES: Internet.
Page 15, panel four
Nightwing’s keeping his
distance, but now James fires one of the “hands” in the suit – which has
become a sort of wiry multi-pronged wall-penetrating hook – catching Nightwing
against the wall in-between a few wire spikes.
Hannity reloads. Now that they’ve got Nightwing
still, he clearly intends to try his luck shooting him again.
7 SFX: =THWOK=
8 JAMES: And this baby’s CUSTOM.
Page 15, panel five
Dick is clearly having a hard
time wriggling out from between the prongs, but that doesn’t mean he’s
going to let Hannity shoot him. As Hannity fires, Nightwing throws a smoke
pellet of his own right at Hannity, obscuring the room – and especially
himself, James, and Hannity – in another billow of fog. (I think the smoke
pellet is ht ekind of thing he can just suddenly be holding in his gloved
hand, Rock – we don’t need to show where he pulled it out from).
9 SFX/smoke bomb: =PWOOOF=
10 SFX/gun: =kra-POW=
PAGE 16, panel one
Nightwing is using one of
his newly sharpened Batarangs to cut himself free from the wires as the
smoke clears. The weird thing is that Hannity is reaching a hand towards
the back of his neck in shock as if someone just shot a dart there (which,
in fact, someone just did).
James, in the suit, is
taking a momentary pause to fiddle with some controls.
1 CAPTION: My night’s starting to take a turn
for the WORSE when it veers off suddenly into just plain WEIRD.
Page 16, panel two
Both Nightwing (now free)
and James look up in surprise as Hannity pitches down, face first on to
the rug, out cold, a dart sticking up from the back of his neck.
2 JAMES: Hannity?
3 CAPTION: But then, Blüdhaven’s ALWAYS
been full of SURPRISES.
Page 16, panel three
OTS Nightwing (whose keen
eyes have snapped up to see) – a female figure standing in the doorway,
lowering a blow-dart tube from her lips. This is our new Tarantula, Rick
– Catalina Flores – and I don’t have strong feelings about her costume
as long as it’s attractive, at least moderately practical, and in some
way, shape, or form, suggestive of a tarantula (and also of John Law’s
old costume).
In addition to the dart
shooter, she’s got suction cups on the bottom of her boots and gloves for
wall scaling, a web gun, and an assortment of poisoned darts in pouches
somewhere on her outfit.
4 CAPTION: Still, a new cape in the ‘haven?
Page 16, panel four
OTS Tarantula now as James
lumbers slowly around in the big suit to see what the hell’s going on behind
him, his back now to Nightwing. Nightwing fires an expanding hook grapple
line between the legs of the suit…
5 SFX/grapple: =THWK=
Page 16, panel five
…and yanks it, hard, so
that the hook catches on the suit’s shins and trips James up. Tarantula,
realizing that James is going down, darts out of the way.
6 CAPTION: Man, I wasn’t out of town THAT long….
PAGE 17, panel one
James is now face down on
the floor in the giant suit, struggling to get up as Nightwing rushes him,
pounding a newly sharpened Batarang into the central control unit in the
back of the suit, fritzing the mechanics out.
Tarantula watches this
with an appalled expression – she didn’t figure on running into anything
like James and the ESU suit on one of her first nights out.
1 TARANTULA: What IS he, some kind of CYBORG?
Page 17, panel two
Catalina is already bolting
for the blown-open window as Nightwing, yanking his batarang back out of
the now sparking metal, answers her.
2 NIGHTWING: No, it’s just a fancy SUIT, but
that doesn’t make him any less DANGEROUS.
Page 17, panel three
Nightwing leaps up to his
feet, looking wildly around the absurdly stocked apartment, anxious not
to let Tarantula get away.
She’s already squatting
on the window ledge, preparing to dive into the night.
3 TARANTULA: Well, I’m glad you were here.
I admit, I wasn’t prepared for something like THAT.
Page 17, panel four
Nightwing grabs a can of
police foam and unloads it all over James and the suit as an extra precaution.
Tarantula’s already gone from view.
4 NIGHTWING: And what WERE you prepared for?
Page 17, panel five
With James all foamed up
and Hannity out cold, Nightwing dashes towards the window to chase after
Tarantula.
5 NIGHTWING/small: Aside from a quick EXIT,
I mean….
PAGE 18, panel one
Nightwing fires his own
grapple line out into the dark, speaking into the small computer console
on his gauntlet as he does so.
1 NIGHTWING: Automate 911 call on line five
for an ambulance at 715 Lanyard, Apartment 34B.
Page 18, panel two
Nightwing springs up on
to the rooftop of the building across from the one he was just in. For
visual interest, let’s make this particular roof multi-gabled (nineteenth
century design), with ridges and furrows.
A few paces ahead of him we can see Tarantula sliding
down a verge into a furrow now, moving carefully (apparently not all that
used to running across rooftops). Game on.
Nightwing’s continuing
to talk into his gauntlet console.
2 NIGHTWING: Oracle, line one.
Page 18, panel three
As Dick starts to race across
the rooftop, bounding acrobatically from ridge to ridge and thereby quickly
closing the distance between himself and his more cautious prey, he can
see her, now on the opposite side of the roof, again shooting her web gun
towards the next building over.
Nightwing’s speaking to
himself now, smiling roguishly. As noted earlier, he loves a good chase.
3 NIGHTWING/small: Oh ho! Got a little LINE
action going, do you?
Page 18, panel four
As Catalina swings from
one building to the next, trying to evade Nightwing, Dick leaps fearlessly
off the side of the building she’s just launched herself from, electing
to do the same jump rope-free.
He directs this last retort
towards the in-mid-swing Tarantula, who appears to hear him.
4 NIGHTWING: Chicken.
Page 18, panel five
Nightwing lands on the
opposite roof in an acrobatic roll and Tarantula pauses to smile down at
his still-in-motion form from where she’s lighted down near him, clearly
amused and delighted by his interest in her.
5 TARANTULA: Showoff.
PAGE 19, panel one
Stay with Nightwing in a
low crouch, preparing to chase after her as she takes off again (we probably
just see her retreating boots from this angle) but pausing to answer his
gauntlet console. And there’s no mistaking the look on his face – he’s
into this new chick, and dearly looking forward to catching up with her,
his eyes on her retreating form even as he answers his com link.
1 ELECTRIC/FROM GAUNTLET: You called?
2 NIGHTWING: Hey, beautiful.
Page 19, panel two
Cut to Babs in her tower,
doing her thing, Nightwing’s smiling face up on one of her monitors. At
this moment in time, she looks happy to be speaking to him, answering his
question flirtaseously.
She’s got a cup of
hot coffee or tea on the console near the monitor that’s showing Nightwing.
3 NIGHTWING/ELEC: What can you tell me about
the latest MASK-WEARER on the Blüdhaven Rooftop Express?
4 BABS: Well, I can tell you that when he’s
good, he’s very, very good, but when he’s bad he’s –
Page 19, panel three
Nightwing laughs on the
monitor as in the clock tower, Barbara’s face falls.
5 NIGHTWING/ELEC: No, I mean a NEW one. This one’s
a SHE….
6 BARBARA/small: -- horrid.
7 NIGHTWING/ELEC: Repeat? I didn’t catch that….
Page 19, panel four
Back to Nightwing, with
Babs’ now frowning face on his small gauntlet console as he starts out
after Tarantula again, having lost sight of her. Maybe we’re in close on
him so that we see Babs’ face on the console at a strange angle as he runs.
8 TAILLESS/ELEC: I thought you were going to
be all BUSY tonight with the BPD SHUT-INS.
9 NIGHTWING/above: Yep. Was already over there
when this new CAPE decided to show up and take down one of those bad boys
on her OWN.
Page 19, panel five
Cut back to Babs,
now with her head in one hand, looking somewhere between annoyed and despairing.
The monitor that had Nightwing’s face up on it is now showing a sideways
view of the Blüdhaven skyline as he runs with his camera feed still
on.
10 BABS: And now you’re chasing HER….
11 TAILLESS/ELEC: She’s got poisoned DARTS
– haven’t had time to ANALYZE them yet, but…
12 TAILLESS/ELEC: Hey, you know, now that
I THINK about it, she’s got some kinda TARANTULA tribute thing going on
with her costume.
PAGE 20, panel one
Barbara listens despondently
as Nightwing, miles away in Blüdhaven, rattles happily on, speculating,
his feed cam still displaying wild shots of night on the rooftops in the
‘haven as he runs.
1 TAILLESS/ELEC: Last time I spoke with John
Law, training a protégée seemed like the LAST thing on his
mind.
2 TAILLESS/ELEC: And of course, we don’t even
know what SIDE this lady’s on yet, but –
3 TAILLESS/ELEC: -- Babs?
4 BABS: I’m here.
Page 20, panel two
Nightwing’s concerned face
fills the monitor again as Barbara straightens herself up and resumes her
various monitoring duties with an air of guarded severity.
5 BABS: Haven’t heard anything about a new
femme fatale, Dick. Sorry.
6 NIGHTWING/ELEC: Hey, you all right? You
sound kinda…DOWN or something….
Page 20, panel three
Barbara turns away from
his face on her monitor and frowns as she busies herself. In the monitor
view, Nightwing is grinning again, playfully.
7 BABS: I’m fine. Just busy.
8 NIGHTWING/elec: You sure?
Page 20, panel four
Babs tries to laugh it off.
Nightwing, on her monitor, is barely listening, distracted with his chase.
9 BABS: Well, you’ve got to ADMIT, your TRACK
record with girls in COSTUME isn’t exactly –
Page 20, panel five
Barbara moves abruptly towards
Dick’s monitor and accidentally elbows over the cup of coffee, which spills
all over the console, disconnecting the monitor he was on, the screen going
dark as another monitor in extreme foreground (readable) reports the disconnect.
10 MONITOR TEXT: *** SYS REPORT ****
MONITOR 3 FEED INTERRUPTION
LOCAL DISCONNECT
11 BABS: Dammit!
Page 20, panel six
She watches the dead
screen and the coffee dripping from the console with a sad expression and
slightly slumped posture, regretting her words and, even more than that,
the reality that has led up to them. She needs to look very vulnerable
and sweet here – a woman realizing that the man she’s trying to hold on
to has a very bad track record indeed.
12 BABS/small: Dammit…
PAGE 21, panel one
Cut back to Blüdhaven,
where Nightwing is tapping his link-dead console with a look of confusion
on his face as he stands at the edge of a building rooftop. This one’s
a high-rise with a pronounced crowning cornice.
1 NIGHTWING: Babs?
2 NIGHTWING: Oracle?
Page 21, panel two
He gives up with a frown
of worry and a slight shrug.
3 CAPTION: The high priestess of TECH doesn’t
usually go LINK DEAD. I hope everything’s OKAY…
Page 21, panel three
…and goes back to the business
of scanning the horizon for signs of Tarantula.
4 CAPTION: Well, I’m sure Babs can take care
of HERSELF, which is more than I can say with any certainty about this
newest addition to my allies and/or rogue gallery.
Page 21, panel four
Pull back as Nightwing
stops to think. Below him (and out of his sight range) clinging to the
wall of the building he’s standing on, Spidey style (that is, casually,
her back to the wall, stick gloves and boot bottoms holding her in place),
is Tarantula, who’s clearly hoping he’ll blow right past her.
5 CAPTION: Feet and fists are working fine
tonight, so maybe it’s time for a little cranium sys check…
Page 21, panel five
Go closer in on Tarantula
as she hides against the side of the wall, at least seventeen stories above
ground and apparently fearless.
6 CAPTION: If I were dressed like a second
generation TARANTULA protégé, where would I go to play hide
and seek?
PAGE 22, panel one
Closer in yet on Tarantula, smiling
to herself, lip bit with pleasure – she thinks she’s outsmarted Nightwing,
who is nowhere in sight.
NO COPY
Page 22, panel two
Oh, no, wait – there
he is! Nightwing drops down in front of her, facing her and upside down.
I’m imaging him casually dangling by one ankle from a grapple line he’s
attached to the cornice up above.
He’s smiling cockily at her as she gasps,
surprised by his sudden and intense proximity.
1 NIGHTWING: Hi, again.
2 TARANTULA: Oh!
Page 22, panel three
Still upside down, casual
as can be, Nightwing extends a hand in greeting. Tarantula is smiling again,
now glancing at her own gloves, which are actively holding her to the wall
(along with her boots).
3 NIGHTWING: Forgive me, but I don’t feel we
got properly introduced back there.
4 NIGHTWING: I’m Nightwing.
5 TARANTULA: Tarantula.
6 TARANTULA: And I’d shake your HAND, but
I’m not completely sure how much weight these suction cups can HOLD yet.
Page 22, panel four
Tarantula reluctantly extends
one hand towards Nightwing as he makes a big show of carefully examining
the suction properties of one of her gloves, holding her hand in both of
his and looking at it studiously.
7 NIGHTWING: May I?
8 NIGHTWING: I’m pretty good with field equipment
EVALUATIONS….
PAGE 23, panel one
Nightwing releases
Catalina’s hand with a reassuring smile. She immediately sticks it back
to the wall, hesitant to balance her weight on just three suction points
even though she was doing fine.
1 NIGHTWING: Oh, yeah –
Page 23, panel two
Tarantula watches Nightwing,
confused, as he does a sort of mid-air sit up and begins to release his
ankle from the grapple line. This and the next two panels happen quickly,
Rick, so maybe they should be small or tight to convey rapidity?
NO COPY
Page 23, panel three
Now apparently bound to
nothing at all, Nightwing somersaults in mid-air directly in front of a
visibly gaping Tarantula….
NO COPY
Page 23, panel four
…before audaciously using
HER to stop his fall! He’s now facing her, right side up, his gloved hands
grabbing on to her shoulders, his face and chest breath-takingly close
to hers, and his own boots flat against the wall on either side of her
legs for balance. It’s incredibly erotic – almost a building-side dry hump
– and he smiles with unreserved self-assurance (“yeah, I am pretty cool,
aren’t I?”) as she gasps again, this time partly out of fear (can her suction
cups really hold this much weight?) and partly out of lust-muted outrage
(how dare he get so close without even WARNING her, let alone asking!?).
2 NIGHTWING: -- these’ll hold four, five hundred
pounds, easy.
3 NIGHTWING: You’ve got nothing to worry about.
4 TARANTULA: OH!
Page 23, panel five
With a sudden scowl, Catalina
frees one of her hands and uses it to slap him across the face (which of
course makes the suction stick to his cheek). He’s wincing slightly, and
scrambling to keep his balance, but still looks more bemused than anything
else.
5 SFX/slap: =THWCK=
6 NIGHTWING: Okay –
PAGE 24, panel one
Nightwing frowns Chandler-style
as he peels her gloved hand off of his face (so one of his hands is on
the wrist of the hand she’s slapped him with and the other is peeling her
glove off of his own face). She’s still bristling, but adjusting to his
proximity.
Sorry about all the
text on this page, Rick, but it’s important.
1 NIGHTWING: - Ow?
2 TARANTULA: Who do you think you –
Page 24, panel two
Still holding her wrist
in one hand, Nightwing answers her very seriously, switching from flirting
mode into work mode without losing a beat. Please leave room for his speech.
The anger leaves Catalina’s
face as she listens to him. He’s convincing and sincere and she suddenly
gets it, too, that he’s not to be fucked with.
3 NIGHTWING: I’m the protector of this city.
I know how ARROGANT that sounds, and I know that I operate outside of the
LAW sometimes –
4 NIGHTWING: -- but I also know that I’ve
trained HARD to do this work, and that I fully understand the COMPLEXITIES
of the job.
Page 24, panel three
Now Tarantula meets
his eyes as he looks at her with quiet challenge. She is quiet, but she
does not look chastened.
5 NIGHTWING: I have EXPERIENCE, I have MOTIVE,
and I have BACK UP. So as insane as it is to be out here at all, I’m the
closest you’ll get to the REAL THING.
Page 24, panel four
With narrowed eyes and
a angry sneer, the new Tarantula answers him, meeting his righteousness
and then some. He’s listening respectfully, still serious.
7 TARANTULA: You’ve got EXPERIENCE? Well, not
in BLÜDHAVEN.
8 TARANTULA: I grew UP here, and I prayed
for some kind of “PROTECTOR” every damn night for nineteen YEARS
and we had no one, NO ONE.
Page 24, panel five
Nightwing reacts to a sudden
loud noise coming from the street beneath them, holding up a finger to
her (“wait – ”) as he leans out a little bit and squints down.
9 TARANTULA: So before you tell me I don’t
have the RIGHT to –
10 SFX: =KRA-POOOW=
11 CAPTION: Gunfire.
PAGE 25, panel one
Moving fast and unapologetically,
Nightwing leaps up for his grapple line, which has been hanging just above
them this whole time.
Tarantula hears the commotion
too, and goes from defensive to entreating.
1 NIGHTWING: Gotta go.
2 TARANTULA: I’m coming with you.
3 CAPTION: It occurs to me as I leap off of
414 Halyard Street that my CONDITIONING runs DEEP.
Page 25, panel two
Nightwing doesn’t even
pause to entertain that remark, just hits some release on his grapple line
that sends him shooting down towards the street.
Watching his rapid descent, Tarantula
points her web gun down, creating a down line for herself.
4 CAPTION: My first thought is for this new Tarantula’s
SAFETY – the assumption that she’s a potential CASUALTY.
5 CAPTION: That’s a BATMAN thought.
Page 25, panel three
BIG. In the street
below, a carload full of gang kids are shooting sawed off shotguns at another
car full or terrifyingly armed teenagers, who are shooting back.
Nightwing lands in
a crouch on the hood of the car in the foreground (car 1), teeth grit and
a Batarang already in hand with which to punch out the windshield.
The driver of the
car reacts to him with understandable panic but most of his companions
keep shooting out the windows, intent on their enemies in car 2.
6 CAPTION: My second thought is for MY safety
– the possibility that she’s a potential ENEMY.
7 CAPTION: That’s a Batman thought, TOO.
Page 25, panel four
Nightwing makes good on
his inherent threat to smash out the windshield of the car he’s landed
on, but as he does so, he’s looking over his shoulder at car 2.
It’s skidding out of control,
so fast that all of its passengers have been forced to give up on shooting
at the car Nightwing’s taking care of, and that’s because its tires are
being shot out…
…by Tarantula, who is still
on the building wall, but much lower down now, using her blow dart on the
tires of car 2. Vigilante teamwork.
8 CAPTION: It’s not until she’s already DOING
it that I allow myself to hope that she might be HELPFUL – a potential
ally.
PAGE 26, panel one
On Nightwing as, still balancing
on the hood of the moving car, he reaches through the broken windshield
glass to grab control of the steering wheel.
1 CAPTION: That’s a Robin/Nightwing/Dick Grayson
kinda thought.
Page 26, panel two
He leaps clear to avoid
getting pummeled as the car crashes into a collection of garbage cans (for
an abrupt but not fatal vehicle stop)…
2 CAPTION: MY thought.
Page 26, panel three
…and lands in a crouch
on the street behind the car.
Behind (or near) him, two of the kids from
car 2, which is now defunct thanks to four flat tires, have gotten out
to brandish their weapons at Tarantula, who is holding her own just fine
as she kicks a shot gun out of the first boy’s hands.
3 CAPTION: Two and half seconds IN.
Page 26, panel four
Nightwing smiles as he
watches Tarantula take out perp number two with another cool martial arts
move. He’s collecting the guns out of car number one as the kids in it
groan and shake the shock of the crash off.
In the extreme foreground,
BPD cars are closing in on the scene.
4 CAPTION: But better than NOTHING.
Page 26, panel five
Nightwing has left the
guns for the BPD to deal with, and is now pulling Tarantula away into an
alley as the cops (including Gannon in his vest) competently move in on
the scene to deal with the gang kids.
The cops are addressing
the perps – Nightwing already has Tarantula far enough in the shadows to
escape their notice. I’m imagining the cops in foreground, the perps in
midground, and our vigilantes in background, but do whatever works, Rick.
5 GANNON: Face down on the ground, NOW!
6 NIGHTWING: The red and blue lights are our
cue to SKEEDADLE….
PAGE 27, panel one
In the alley with
Nightwing and Tarantula – he’s regarding her thoughtfully and she’s glaring
at him suspiciously.
1 TARANTULA: And the post-battle alleyway is
YOUR cue to inform me that the streets are no place for a NOVICE, right?
Page 27, panels two through four
Panels two through four
are a little triptych – small, equally-sized and identically laid out squares
occupying one page-wide “row,” all FLASHBACKS, and colored accordingly.
No text on any of them.
The first is of Y3 Batman clearly ordering
a crestfallen Batgirl to get of his way and hang up her cape as a young
Dick-Grayson-Robin looks on with satisfaction.
The second is of an NML-period Batman clearly
having the same “conversation” with an obviously crushed Spoiler as Nightwing
looks on impassively (and if you can squeeze Timmy-Robin into the panel,
that’d be extra cool but not necessary).
And the third is of a current day Batman making the
same sentiments clear to an angry Huntress as Nightwing looks on sympathetically.
NO COPY
Page 27, panel five
In the present, Nightwing,
looks down at his boots in a moment of doubt as Tarantula watches him guardedly.
2 NIGHTWING: Well…
3 NIGHTWING: …how about this?
Page 27, panel six
Nightwing looks up at her
again with a hopeful and surprisingly shy smile.
4 NIGHTWING: If the current inquiry goes well,
the Blüdhaven PD is gonna be in recruitment OVERDRIVE.
5 NIGHTWING: I’ll do everything I CAN to help
you start a career in LAW ENFORCEMENT, and you’ll leave THIS side of the
blue line to ME....
PAGE 28, panel one
Cut to our last FLASHBACK.
This is a few years back (if we try to be exact about the timing, we’ll
drive ourselves crazy), right at the beginning of Timmy’s career. So we’re
in the cave, and Tim is there as Robin, watching apprehensively from the
background as Dick, in civvies, and Bruce, in Batsuit, finish a tense conversation.
Dick is in foreground,
facing us, fists balled, face tight with frustration – this is back when
things were really tense between him and Batman, and it shows. Batman watches
him with his usual impassive expression, impossible to read. Batman’s shadow
falls across Dick.
1 CAPTION: I don’t know if she BOUGHT it, but
she went off to think it over, at least.
Page 28, panel two
Dick, still angry, starts
to leave, literally stepping out of Batman’s shadow on his way out of the
Batcave.
2 CAPTION: And I worked until the SUN started
to come up, and felt GOOD about what I was DOING.
Page 28, panel three
And then he stops, his
fists unballing, expression softening. He doesn’t want to leave like this.
Batman is still watching
him quietly, though in the deep background, Timmy has busied himself at
the Batcomputer or some such.
3 CAPTION: Come to think of it, I’ve felt pretty
good about what I’ve been doing for a WHILE now.
Page 28, panel four
Dick turns swiftly back,
placing a hand on Batman’s shoulder and smiling at him softly.
4 DICK: This is GOOD. This is the way it’s SUPPOSED
to work.
5 DICK: We’re all right.
6 BATMAN: You’ll…be safe out there?
7 DICK: Of course. I mean –
Page 28, panel five
Dick turns and walks away
again, though this time he’s smiling. Batman, watching him go, smiles ever
so slightly himself with obvious paternal pride.
8 DICK: -- I’ve got BATMAN watching my back,
don’t I?
PAGE 29, panel one
Cut to sunrise, Dick in
civvies on his bike, speeding North on the freeway.
1 CAPTION: Who do I think I am?
Page 29, panel two
With early morning light
saturating the streets, he pulls up in front of Oracle’s clock tower in
Gotham.
2 CAPTION: Good QUESTION, really, and I’ll
answer like this:
Page 29, panel three
Upstairs, Oracle opens
the door (is there a loft elevator? There should be), and he’s standing
there with a smile, his helmet in one hand and a very wind-blown bouquet
in the other.
3 CAPTION: I’ve SEEN too much to be Robin,
but I’m still too OPTIMISTIC to be BATMAN.
Page 29, panel four
She motions him in with
a smile, the flowers now laying in her lap as she goes to get water for
them. Her living room TV is on and showing the news.
4 CAPTION: I’m Nightwing.
5 CAPTION: I’m Officer Dick Grayson.
6 CAPTION: I’m Barbara’s BOYFRIEND, Bruce Wayne’s
adopted SON, and the last living member of the Amazing Flying Graysons.
Page 29, panel five
Stay with Babs in the kitchen
as she fills a vase with water.
7 CAPTION: I’m HAPPY.
8 BABS: Did you see the NEWS?
9 BABS: Congratulations, Hunk Wonder. Your
D.A. indicted fifty-six BPD officers this afternoon and recommended that
another seventy-two vouluntarily RETIRE.
PAGE 30, panel one
With the windblown flowers
now in water, Babs starts wheeling back towards the living room.
1 BABS: That’s got make you feel good.
2 BABS: I mean, it’s been what you’ve been WORKING
towards the whole time you’ve been in BLÜDHAVEN….
Page 30, panel two
… Where she finds him passed
out, asleep, on the couch in front of the TV, motorcycle helmet rolling
out of one dangling hand.
3 BABS: Dick?
Page 30, panel three
She sighs and moves closer
to him with a soft smile. Behind her, the TV shows Mateo answering questions
for reporters on the steps of the Blüdhaven courthouse.
4 TEXT ON TV: Blüdhaven District Attorney
Mateo Flores
Page 30, panel four
With her chair next to
the couch, Barbara absently strokes his sleeping head as she watches the
broadcast.
On the screen we see Michaelmas, and others,
being angrily lead away in handcuffs.
NO COPY
Page 30, panel five
Babs leans in close to
the still sleeping Dick, gently kissing his forehead.
5 BABS/whisper: Score another point for the
good guys….