Batman Vox Humana Issue #3 Page 2
Page 2
Get ready for a big talky part. Panels should, of course, show Batman, but also the press reaction and the reaction of the people of Gotham so as to break up the repetition.
Batman:And I believe in Gotham City. I trust in Gotham to grow and flourish, despite the many obstacles before it. I trust in her strength and resilience in the face of adversity and her many tragedies, such as last night’s.
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Batman: What I haven’t trusted in is her people. I haven’t trusted you.
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Batman: This is despite the fact that I know you. I know your joys and kindnesses. I know your pains and heartaches.
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Batman: I have those same joys, and I have tried to repay your kindnesses.
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Batman: I know you because those same pains and heartaches have driven me to become who and what I am.
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Batman: Yet, even though I know you, I have not trusted you. I have not even trusted you with who I am.
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Batman: If I had, last night might have been prevented, but I didn’t, and last night happened,
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Batman: and I couldn’t do enough to save you, for there is only one of me,
Batman Vox Humana Issue #3 Page 1
Page 1
Location: Downtown Gotham
Scene: Downtown is in ruins after the floronic men and Superman’s involvement. There is shattered glass, dead bodies of men and women, and pieces of floronic men everywhere. It is as if Gotham had been hit with a tornado. There is a stand with a podium on it. In front of it are members of the press corps. Behind the podium is Batman as Bruce Wayne.
Batman: I’m the God damn Batman!
The reporters go all kinds of crazy. Flashbulbs go off. The reporters yell questions into the air, waving microphones and voice recorders.
Batman (the very epitome of decorum): I’m not answering questions at this time. Just please, let me finish. I am the Batman.
The Difficulty of Issue #2.5
What was really hard about this issue is that there is hardly any action. On top of that, almost all the action is at the end. The rest of the issue is all one long conversation. True, I could have condensed some of the dialogue that I stretch over pages, but I wanted the artist to have the room to really build up the tension, especially since there is no real payoff until the very end. The other hard part was trying not to fall into cliched superhero dialogue. True, it is easier and it works, but I wanted it to sound more like what people really sound like when they are hurt, and what people sound like when they are trying to console them. Usually those things happen and are over with so quickly in comics, but, let’s be honest, it often takes a lot longer to put up that stiff upper lip when we feel wronged and alienated.
The Horror of Aquaman
Aquaman gets no love. He is made into a joke on Family Guy and his fellow members of the JLA keep humming the tune “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid whenever he is around. Hell, I only know one guy who is really into him as a character.
Mind you, Aquaman is difficult. It takes some work to determine how he can really be used, and if the adventure is on land, well, why would an author even use him?
Yet the sea affects us all, so I think that Aquaman must be more powerful then we realize. If that were true, why would he hide it? On top of that, seeing all of he beautifully ugly things that come up from the deep sea, I began to wonder, “What if Aquaman wasn’t a hero?” Oh, sure, he has done lots of heroic things, but what if he did them for terrible reasons? That’s when I started to think that maybe Aquaman, as well as the rest of the Atlanteans, were further removed from humanity than we thought, and, if so, what it would be that they really want?
What the hell took so god damn long?
Hello gentle readers (both of you),
Here is why things took so long for the script for issue 2.5. First, my computer broke, a lot, several times, and I had to get it repaired. Then, when I got it back, I just couldn’t bring myself to write. I know, it sounds stupid, but I just couldn’t do it until today. As you can see, I wrote a lot. On top of that, I have also written issue #3 already. I will post it in its entirety later on today or tomorrow. I am working a double today, so I don’t know if I will even want to look at a computer screen when I get home. Also, I have to post a few more random stuff first, just because I want to. Issue 3.5 is going to be a tough one as well. But, I will tell you that it has to do with Alfred, because he has one of the greatest histories in comics and needs some of his stories told.
Till then, thank you, both of you, for continuing to read my attempt at writing DC.
James
Batman Vox Humana Issue #2.5 Page 20
Page 20
Superman (thinking to himself): My God! My eyes!
Superman reaches his hands up to his face.
Superman (thinking to himself): It hurts to look.
Superman pushes his thumbs into his eyes. Droplets of blood float away from his face.
Superman (thinking to himself): My God, it’s full of stars!
Batman Vox Humana Issue #2.5 Page 19
Page 19
Splash page. Superman is in the center of the page. All around him are strange stars and nebulous gasses, the shapes and angles of them are distorted in different ways, as if oddly shaped lenses and prisms had been placed on the page. There are hints of tentacles, horrid limbs, teeth, and eyes in the shapes.
Batman Vox Humana Issue #2.5 Page 18
Page 18
Superman is flying through space.
Superman (thinking to himself): This has to be a trick. This can’t be happening. Something has to be controlling them.
The background of space is getting stranger and more distorted.
Superman (thinking to himself): I can tell the Lanterns.
More strange backgrounds and more distortion of shapes and lines. Red shift behind Superman, blue shift in front.
Superman (thinking to himself): Where am I going? I have never flown this fast before.
Superman (thinking to himself): Dear God!
Batman Vox Humana Issue #2.5 Page 17
Page 17
Superman takes off. Aquaman and Martian Manunter look to each other.
Aquaman: So, will he stand in our way?
Martian Manhunter (telepathically): He knows there is nothing he can do. He wants to fight, but he knows it will not be enough.
Martian Manhunter (telepathically): More than that, he wants to go home, as we all do.
Batman Vox Humana Issue #2.5 Page 16
Page 16
Aquaman kisses Superman, spiked tongue and all. Superman’s eyes are wide and his pupils are dilated, he cannot believe what is happening and that he is helpless to stop it.
Aquaman ends the horrible kiss. Superman looks disgusted.
Aquaman: You can’t stop it, Kal, and you can’t fight me if I won’t let you. Just turn away.
Aquaman: I will release you, but if you fight, back down you go.
Aquaman releases Superman. Superman staggers up, retching.
Superman looks a Martian Manhunter and then at Aquaman. Martian Manhunter presses a button, opening an airlock for Superman.
