CHAPTER 04

DIANAMAN #1/1 /Origin Story

PAGE ONE - 9 PANELS

[1] Exterior daytime wide angle of a ROAD lined with people. They watch in silence as a funeral carriage passes by.

[2] Close-up of a single white CARNATION, falling from one of the wreaths fixed to the side of the carriage.

[3] Cut to a HAND picking up the flower from the side of the road.

[4] Interior medium angle of a bedsitter shrine. MICKEY TEARDROP, a small greasy specimen, sitting on the edge of his bed. Posters, newspaper clippings and photographs on the wall behind him. Action figures, paper masks and magazines on the bed. All items of merchandise relating to the Princess Diana cult. He stares at the flower in his hand.

[5] Close-up of Mickeys face; a TEAR rolling down his cheek.

[6] Cut to a COMPUTER terminal on Mickeys desk, displaying a Princess Diana screensaver. A message over her face reads: You Have Mail.

SFX: BEEP!

[7] Close on the E-MAIL text brought up on the screen: Hey, Mickey! You caught

the latest image fix? Supposed to be the ultimate. Click here for directions.
[8] Cut to overhead shot of Mickey lying on the bed, his arms crossed over his chest; a GUN held in one hand.

[9] Close on the gun. The flower now inserted in its BARREL. A hand-carved inscription on the side of the gun: Diana, I love you.

PAGE TWO - 6 PANELS

[1] Night. Exterior wide angle of an old CHURCH, its stones black with dirt. In the pool of light from its doorway, a cluster of half-illuminated figures.

[2] Close on a CULTIST in the doorway. He writhes on the ground, face misted by crackle. On his T-shirt, a cheap hand-printed image of Diana.

[3] Interior medium angle of the church aisle. Benches either side, with a few seated CULTISTS. All have smeared expressions. They sport Diana tote bags,
scarves and jackets.

[4] Cut to a wooden table set out in front of the altar. Sitting behind it, a DEALER flanked by a couple of thugs. He wears a hooded top and dark glasses, his face hidden from view. On the table, various devotional items.

[5] Close on a SCORPION, made from heavy, crystal-cut glass. Coloured lights flicker inside the transparent shell. A dark liquid is dripping from the slowly moving tail.

[6] Cut back to the dealer. Close on his upturned finger, supporting a TAB of blotting paper. On its surface is printed a tiny coat of arms.

PAGE THREE - 8 PANELS

[1] Interior medium angle of MICKEY standing opposite the dealer at the table.

MICKEY: Is it real?
DEALER: Course it is. Princess for a day.
MICKEY: A day? I need more than that.
DEALER: Suck it and see!

[2] Close on Mickeys hand pulling a small electronic measuring DEVICE from his Diana bag.

[3] His fingers, inserting the TAB into the side of the hand-held device.

[4] The instruments display SCREEN. Various readouts.

Morpheus compound.
Charismatic value: 2.7.

[5] Same medium angle of MICKEY and the dealer.

MICKEY: Youre diluting it.
DEALER: Get the fuck out of here.

[6] Close-up of Mickeys hand coming out of his bag, holding the GUN.

[7] One of the toughs, hand moving to his shoulder holster.

[8] The dealer's face, his eyes wide.


PAGE FOUR - 5 PANELS

[1] Interior medium angle of MICKEYs bedsit. He sits at his desk, working at something with a cheap laser knife.

[2] Close on the blade of light cutting open the belly of the overturned glass SCORPION, its legs and pincers still moving, sporadically.

[3] Closer on the deep interior MECHANICAL WORKINGS of the creature.

[4] Large panel. Medium angle of Mickey extracting from his prey a smooth transparent HEART, filled with a dark purple liquid.

MICKEY: My beauty...
TITLE: LOVE'S SWEET POISON.

[5] Cut to a SYRINGE penetrating this pulsating heart.

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