Dread Posted September 5, 2008 Report Share Posted September 5, 2008 This was from a creativity contest I may or may not have won at the Millarworld Boards back in the day. It was a contest to kill Batman (maybe just kill a Batman character). I cringe reading it now and debated even posting it. There's some goodness in there on occasion too... "The Loneliest Place of Dying: The Last Batman Story" PAGE ONE: (2 Panels) Panel 1. A large panel taking up most of the page. Wayne Manor in the daylight. From far away we can see almost the entire estate. The grass is far too long and the facade of the house desperately needs painting. It is clearly in severe disarray. NURSE(not pictured): I’LL BE IN THE KITCHEN, MR. WAYNE. HIT THE ALARM IF YOU NEED ME. Panel 2. Pulling in much closer to the mansion we can see inside an upstairs bedroom. The foot of a bed is visible as well as feet covered in bed sheets. A young private nurse, smartly but functionally dressed, is leaving the room. Her smiling face is turned towards the bed. NURSE: OTHERWISE, I’LL BE BACK AT FOUR WITH YOUR MEDICINE. PAGE TWO: (4 Panels) Panel 1. A view from above reveals an aged Bruce Wayne confined to bed. Expensive sheets are pulled up to his waist. IV drips are inserted into his right forearm. His hands hang limply by his sides unclenched. His hair has greyed and thinned a lot over the years. His mouth hangs open and his sunken, hollow eyes stare out at the reader. CAP(WAYNE): HOW DID IT EVER COME TO THIS? Panel 2. Pulling in closer we can see what time has done to his face; deep wrinkles, creases and scars line the old warrior’s once handsome visage. He has lost a considerable amount of weight and his skin seems to hang off of him. It is clear he is not going to last much longer. CAP(WAYNE): I WAS BATMAN– Panel 3. Same image. CAP(WAYNE): –I WAS BRUCE WAYNE. Panel 4. Same image but this time his eyes are closed. CAP(WAYNE): NOW...I’M NEITHER. PAGE THREE: (5 Panels) Panel 1. Pulling backwards out of Bruce’s window our first image is Bruce in bed looking out the window (head barely turned), framed by the outside of Wayne Manor’s blistering painted walls. CAP(WAYNE): MY LEGACY? Panel 2. Pulling farther back we can see Gotham City in the background. It is bright and quite beautiful. A stark contrast to the "haunted mansion" look of Wayne Manor. It is a clear, sunny day and the docks are visible in the far background. It is a different view of Gotham than we have seen in the past. CAP(WAYNE): A SAFER GOTHAM. Panel 3. Our eye pulls into a scene of young teenagers smoking cigarettes on the front steps of an apartment building. One of them spray paints a makeshift black bat-symbol on a brick wall. They seem to be having a good time. They are harmless looking. In the background two police officers look on suspiciously. CAP(WAYNE): BUT FOR HOW LONG? Panel 4. One cop has a teenager pushed face first against the brick wall. A cigarette falls from the kids mouth as he protests painfully. The other cop is kicking another teen - a girl this time - in the stomach on the sidewalk. The other teens run away. CAP(WAYNE): AND AT WHAT COST? Panel 5. The cop who kicked the girl is now spray painting an "X" over the bat-symbol while the other holds the kid’s head by the hair, forcing him to watch. They are both laughing. CAP(WAYNE): WITHOUT A GUARDIAN TO HOLD ITS HAND AND TUCK IT IN AT NIGHT GOTHAM REMAINS AS CORRUPT AS EVER. PAGE FOUR: (4 Panels) Panel 1. Bruce in bed again, this time he is surrounded by ghost images of Alfred (slightly older than now and dressed in his usual attire), Batgirl (as she is now), Huntress (as she is now), Tim Drake (in his late twenties in a dark knight type suit kind of like a cross between Bats and Nightwing), Dick Grayson (in his fifties and shirt and tied with an overcoat), Barbara Gordan (in her fifties too and smartly-dressed), Carrie Kelly (Robin/Catgirl from DKR dressed in civvies and about 10 years older), Jason Thomas Wayne (dressed as Batman but more modern) and finally an elderly Selina Kyle (pleasant-looking and still quite beautiful in her early eighties). CAP(WAYNE): I HAD AMASSED QUITE AN ARMY IN MY DAY. CAP(WAYNE): FAMILY, MORE LIKE IT. CAP(WAYNE): BUT IN THE END IT’S ALWAYS JUST ME. Panel 2. Just Alfred is present now. He is still a ghost image in this panel. Aged Bruce still lies in the bed looking at him. CAP(WAYNE): ALFRED WAS THE FIRST TO GO... CAP(WAYNE): ...HE WAS LIKE A FATHER TO ME. Panel 3. A younger Batman stands in the rafters of a burning warehouse. Firefly stands on the ground but is barely recognizable as he is engulfed in flames. Firefly stands with his arms above his head, fists clenched and bent at the elbows he looks as though he is in reverie. CAP(WAYNE): I WATCHED FIREFLY BURN HIMSELF ALIVE– Panel 4. Alfred, no longer a ghost image, lay on the floor of the grand foyer of Wayne Manor. His arms and legs lay stiff except for his right arm clutching his chest. CAP(WAYNE): –THE NIGHT HE DIED OF A HEART ATTACK. PAGE FIVE: (3 Panels) Panel 1. Bruce in bed again with the ghost images of Batgirl and Huntress standing beside him. CAP(WAYNE): I NEVER REALLY TOLD HER BUT HELENA WAS SO GOOD AT WHAT SHE DID. AND I HAD SUCH HIGH HOPES FOR CASSANDRA. Panel 2. Huntress and Batgirl wrestle with a maniacal-looking Riddler in a room full of schoolchildren. He has a bomb strapped to his chest and a fist clutching the detonator. Huntress looks almost as worried as the teachers and students around her. The bottom half of Batgirl’s mask is torn revealing gritted teeth; determined to disarm the Riddler. CAP(WAYNE): I WAS AWAY ON JUSTICE LEAGUE BUSINESS WHEN A TERMINALLY ILL RIDDLER HAD HIS LAST STAND. Panel 3. An outside view of the school. The windows are exploding outwards with fire and part of the wall has exploded as well. In the background the Bat-symbol lights up the night sky. CAP(WAYNE): HE HAD ASKED FOR ME. PAGE SIX: (4 Panels) Panel 1. The ghost image of Tim Drake as The Gargoyle stands beside Bruce this time. CAP(WAYNE): TIM NEVER WANTED TO BE LIKE ME BUT AFTER HIS FATHER DIED HE BECAME MORE AND MORE WITHDRAWN AND VICIOUS. CAP(WAYNE): LIKE ME. Panel 2. In the background Batman swings into action. In the foreground Tim, as the Gargoyle, is assaulting the Joker. Joker is reeling from a punch and his goons fire machine guns at the Caped Crusader. The Joker is older with long and wild hair shooting out at all directions. CAP(WAYNE): TIM GOT CARELESS– Panel 3. Batman is tied to a column very tightly. His head is being held by one of Joker’s goons and Batman’s face is contorted in anger. The Joker stands dramatically with a straight razor in his right hand gesturing to his left (presumably at Tim off panel). In true Joker fashion it is all a show. CAP(WAYNE): –AND JOKER MADE ME WATCH WHILE HE KILLED HIM. Panel 4. Joker has turned towards the off panel Tim and looks hard at work. Batman, still tied to the column and being held, has tears streaming down his face and his mouth is frozen in a "NO!" shape. CAP(WAYNE): IT TOOK HIM HOURS... PAGE SEVEN: (5 Panels) Panel 1. The ghost images of Dick and Barbara stand by Bruce’s bedside. Barbara is in a wheelchair still. They look happy. CAP(WAYNE): AFTER KORY DIED TIM DROPPED THE NIGHTWING PERSONA AND CAME BACK TO GOTHAM. CAP(WAYNE): BARBARA QUIT BEING ORACLE AND WENT INTO POLITICS. Panel 2. A wedding. Bruce, Tim, Commissioner Gordon and various other familiar faces fill the front rows at the cathedral as a tuxedoed Dick bends down to kiss a white-gowned Barbara. CAP(WAYNE): I ALWAYS KNEW THOSE TWO WERE MEANT FOR EACH OTHER. Panel 3. Barbara is at a desk poring through stacks of books, reports and city planning files. She looks intent. CAP(WAYNE): LITTLE BARBARA REORGANIZED THE CITY FROM GROUND UP BEFORE BECOMING MAYOR. Panel 4. Dick stands over Zsasz (who is face down on the ground) with his foot on his back and a gun pointed at his head. CAP(WAYNE): DICK SHOWED ME WHO THE WORLD’S GREATEST DETECTIVE WAS AND CLEANED GOTHAM UP BEFORE BECOMING COMMISSIONER GRAYSON. Panel 5. The Graysons at the dinner table. Dick and Barbara sitting at one end of the table and two dark haired handsome young men at the other. They are all smiling and enjoying each other’s company. CAP(WAYNE): THEY’VE EVEN GOT TEENAGE SONS OF THEIR OWN NOW... CAP(WAYNE): ...BUT THEY STOPPED VISITING BEFORE THEY WERE BORN. Panel 6. A few years earlier we have a view of Dick Grayson with a gun pointed at Batman. CAP(WAYNE): TIMES WERE DESPERATE AND DICK DIDN’T APPROVE OF DESPERATE MEASURES. PAGE EIGHT: (3 Panels) Panel 1. The ghost image of Carrie Kelly stands at Bruce’s bedside. CAP(WAYNE): CARRIE WAS ONLY ROBIN FOR A SHORT TIME BEFORE MOVING ON TO OTHER ROLE MODELS. Panel 2. Carrie as Catgirl stands in the background horrified as an older (Dark Knight Returns era) Batman kills Ra’s Al Ghul in a sword fight. Batman stands victorious over the bleeding Al Ghul with the bloody sword in hand and a pleased look on his face. CAP(WAYNE): I GOT MORE AND MORE VIOLENT– Panel 3. Carrie is now a little older and dressed in civvies. She is comforting a small child who is in tears. Carrie looks compassionate with her hand on the child’s shoulder. CAP(WAYNE): –AND CARRIE DECIDED THAT SOCIAL WORK WAS A MORE CONSTRUCTIVE WAY TO HELP VICTIMS. PAGE NINE: (6 Panels) Panel 1. The ghost image of a younger, more modern Batman stands at Bruce’s bedside. Perhaps the cape comes together closer to the center of his chest and the ears on the mask are a little higher. It is an all black costume. CAP(WAYNE): MY BOY... Panel 2. Bruce, in his late fifties, holds his newborn son beside the hospital bed of Selina Kyle (late forties). She watches them both as Bruce’s face beams with pride. CAP(WAYNE): JASON THOMAS WAYNE. Panel 3. An image of an older Bruce watching a young Batman fight a gang of futuristic machine gun-wielding enforcer-types while sitting at the view screen in the Batcave. CAP(WAYNE): THEY SAY THAT THE WORST THING A FATHER CAN EXPERIENCE IS OUTLIVING HIS SON– Panel 4. This image is just the fight between Batman and the machine-gunners. Batman’s back is arched toward the reader with a look of intense pain on his face as a clip of bullets is unloaded into his back. CAP(WAYNE): –AND COMING FROM A SON WHO OUTLIVED HIS FATHER– Panel 5. Another image of just the fight. This time, Batman is lying on the ground with the same goon above him. The goon is unloading another clip into Batman’s chest this time. Point blank range. The body jerks and spasms as blood spurt up from the young Batman’s corpse. Panel 6. Bruce, standing at the view screen now, mouth agape and totally shocked. Tears are streaming down his face. CAP(WAYNE): –I WOULD HAVE TO AGREE. PAGE TEN: (5 Panels) Panel 1. The ghost image of Selina Kyle in her eighties stands by Bruce’s bedside now. Her face is sorrowful as she looks down on Bruce. CAP(WAYNE): POOR, SWEET SELINA. Panel 2. A young Batman getting kicked in the belly from a young Catwoman. Catwoman’s giving it everything she’s got and Batman is sent flying. Gotham City is in the background and it is apparent this is taking place on a rooftop. What doesn’t take place on a rooftop in Gotham City? CAP(WAYNE): SHE WAS THE STRONGEST WOMAN I’VE EVER KNOWN. Panel 3. The rooftop again. Batman lays on his back as Catwoman is grabbing him by the collar and kissing him passionately. Batman’s returning the kiss. CAP(WAYNE): SHE WAS THE MOST DANGEROUS WOMAN I’VE EVER KNOWN. Panel 4. Bruce stands in front of Selina with his head hung low and his back to the reader. Her face shows horror and anger. CAP(WAYNE): BUT WHEN I TOLD HER OUR SON HAD DIED– Panel 5. Selina is in Bruce’s arms now with her head buried into his shoulder; tears streaming down her face. CAP(WAYNE): –THAT STRONG AND DANGEROUS WOMAN DIED WITH HIM. PAGE ELEVEN: (4 Panels) Panel 1. A graveyard on a grey and cloudy day. From high above we can see the aged Bruce Wayne from behind. He is held up by a cane as he looks at gravestones. CAP(WAYNE): IT WASN’T LONG UNTIL SELINA’S BODY FOLLOWED HER SPIRIT. Panel 2. Pulling in closer we can see over Bruce’s shoulder that he is looking at a gravestone marked "Selina Kyle Wayne Beloved Wife and Mother". CAP(WAYNE): SHE NEVER STOPPED BLAMING ME FOR HIS DEATH AND THE TRUTH IS– Panel 3. Looking to his left Bruce reveals the gravestone of "Jason Thomas Wayne A Light in This Dark World" and farther to his left the famous large gravestone belonging to Thomas and Martha Wayne. CAP(WAYNE): –SHE WAS RIGHT. Panel 4. Bruce walks away from the gravestones now that it is raining. He has difficulty walking even with his cane. CAP(WAYNE): BUT SHE ALREADY KNEW– PAGE TWELVE: (5 Panels) Panel 1. Bruce walking away from the front this time. We can see his feeble, old body struggling to walk away from the graveyard in the now torrential rain. CAP(WAYNE): –I’VE MADE A CAREER OF LEADING THOSE I LOVE TO THEIR DEATHS. Panel 2. Much closer to Bruce’s face we can see a tear falling from his right eye and a stoic look on his face. CAP: "MR. WAYNE?" Panel 3. Another close up of Bruce’s face but this time he’s back in his bed. There is still a tear falling from his right eye but his look is much less stoic. NURSE(OFF PANEL): I HAVE YOUR AFTERNOON MEDICATION, MR. WAYNE. Panel 4. Another view from the ceiling of the bedroom shows the nurse rushing to Bruce’s bedside. She has dropped pills and a glass of water on the floor. NURSE: MR. WAYNE?! OH GOD! Panel 5. Same view. The nurse is taking his pulse on his wrist but her head is hung low. CAP(WAYNE): AND IN THE END IT’S JUST ME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted September 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 That bad? Director's commentary: -Tim's dad was still alive in the DCU. -Jason is absent. I can't remember what I was thinking. Maybe it's because he'd been dead for so long and his death was just a given... -I tried, pretty unsuccessfully to bridge DKR and Batman Beyond, of course, Terry wasn't yet Batman's clone/son either. So basically, I'm a precog! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 This is depressing as shit. In a good way. Very good stuff, Desrick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted September 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 This is depressing as shit. In a good way. Very good stuff, Desrick. Ha! Thanks. I kind of cringe reading it but I'm proud I was able to do that much in twelve pages. Give me twenty-two now and I'd probably hit it out of the park. Very depressing. I think I came in second because it was so depressing. The winner, as I now remember it, killed Mark Millar off. Mark appeared as himself in a Flash story that he wrote early in his career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 The winner, as I now remember it, killed Mark Millar off. So it was a happy ending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted September 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 The winner, as I now remember it, killed Mark Millar off. So it was a happy ending. I don't remember it having a Thai masseuse... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 7, 2008 Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted September 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 Thank you, thank you! I'm here all week. Try the veal, it's delightful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.