|
HUNTRESS
Contribution
for "BATMAN CHRONICLES"
"Confession" PAGE ONE (1) The interior of a confessional box inside a Catholic Church Opening full page panel Light is shining through the grated screen and throws the figure inside in to relief. It’s a woman (Huntress) beyond her basic body shape we can’t make out any details… except that the light catches and illuminates the cross that hangs around her neck. Note: The cross, and its loss, are to be used symbolically throughout the story. So it needs to be subtly highlighted by the art whenever it appears.
1. HUNTRESS: "Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. I have committed many grievous deeds…." PAGE TWO (1) A dark alley between two "crack houses" At first the alley looks deserted, then on closer inspection we see a figure laying on the floor amid trash bags and the general refuse of the alley. Moving closer still we see a river of blood flowing from a wound. The blood mingles with the rain-slicked alley. Closer still and we see a crossbow bolt, that is still lodged in the man’s leg, has caused the wound. In the man’s hand is a cross. Note: I see this page as a series of panels getting progressively larger as the view point gets closer. The last panel being a close up of the cross in the man’s hand. It may have a piece of purple cloth still attached to indicate it came from the Huntress’s costume. PAGE THREE (1) Outside a Catholic Church. Establishing shot showing a rain slicked pavement outside the church. (2) Close Up We see a man (Mike), an angry man in his late fifties. He looks like he may have been in a fight, his jacket is torn and he has bloody scratches on his face. Mike is shouting at a figure in the shadows of the church doorway. 1. MIKE: Why? (3) The Church doorway The figure steps out of the shadows – the light from a streetlamp reveals it to be The HUNTRESS. 2. HUNTRESS: He was trying to kill you, Father Mike. I saved you, bought you home. (4) Full figure of Mike. Mike looks up at the church, as if taking in his surroundings for the first time. 3. MIKE: What do you mean, I don’t live here? 4. HUNTRESS: I always assumed you did. Whenever I used to come to confession. Day or night. You were always here for me. (5) Talking heads shot of Mike and Huntress 5. MIKE: Now I understand. I haven’t lived here for years. (pause) Haven’t been a priest for years either. 6. HUNTRESS: You were always my priest, Father Mike, always were, always will be. Whenever I needed to talk about The Family. You were always there for me. 7. MIKE: Helena? (6) Wide shot of Mike and Huntress The Huntress steps towards the man, drops to one knee in front of him in supplication and removes her mask. 8. MIKE: Good God child, we need to talk! PAGE FOUR (1) A rooftop across the street, looking down towards the church. The Huntress and Mike are sat on the edge of the rooftop with their backs towards the church. While Mike sits in the open, the Huntress keeps to the shadows. 1. MIKE: Here? 2. HUNTRESS: This is where I feel at home these days, where I belong. This is me, Father Mike. 3. MIKE: Please, it's just Mike these days. I told you, Helena, I haven't been a priest for years. I lost the calling years back. On the other hand, I see that you still believe. Believe in what is the question of course. You've had something torn from your costume. A cross?. (2) Close up on Huntress A patch of torn cloth shows where the cross has been torn from her costume. The Huntress's hand is reaching up to it... (3) Talking heads shot of Mike and the Huntress. 4. MIKE: But why child? Why this? Why the violence? 5. HUNTRESS: Atonment. 6. MIKE: For what? 7. HUNTRESS: The Family. For what they were and what they did. I can never absolve their crimes, but if I can stop the others like them preying on the weak - maybe I can achieve something. 8. MIKE: The champion of the Prey becomes The hunter - or Huntress? (4) Close up on Huntress 9. HUNTRESS: Something like that. (5)Close up on Mike.
PAGE FIVE (1)Talking heads shots of Mike and Huntress. Note: Break this page into as many panels as you need to follow the flow of conversation. 1. HUNTRESS: New flock? Mike points to the church below. 2. MIKE: Yes I may have given up Him, but I still want to do some good. 3. HUNTRESS: How can you give up. I thought once a Priest, always a Priest. 4. MIKE: You'd be surprised how many give up. Even the Church knows there's over 17,000 of us ex-priests in the United States alone. Some lose faith totally, others can't live the life. Then there're the ones like me who see that it's not the ritual and ceremony that matters - it's helping people. 5. HUNTRESS: So we’re not too different, you and I? 6. MIKE: I don’t go around shooting people with crossbows. 7. HUNTRESS: Sometimes the ends justify the means. 8. MIKE: I don’t buy that Helena. PAGE SIX (1) Talking heads shots of Mike and Huntress. Note: Break this page into as many panels as you need to follow the flow of conversation.1. HUNTRESS: Even if it saves your life? Would you rather I left you to the mercies of that crack dealer back there? I’m sure that he would have been delighted to take the time to have a nice philosophical debate like this one. 2. MIKE: How do you know I was in danger? 3. HUNTRESS: I know the streets. I know these people. Violence is all they respect, and if it takes violence to stop them, then that’s what I’ll use. You’re not the first to criticize my methods, but I’m not seeking approval from him, or from you. Note: The "him" referred to above is the Batman, how about seeing the Batsignal in the distant background to clarify the reference on a subliminal level. 4. MIKE: Good, because you’re not getting it. I’ll ask again – how did you know I was in danger? 5. HUNTRESS: The guy is a known crack dealer, he’s holding you by the collar in a dark alley between two known crack houses and you ask why I intervened? 6. MIKE: Yes. 7. HUNTRESS: To save your life. 8. MIKE: You’re wrong Helena. 9. HUNTRESS: Wrong. 10. MIKE: You made assumptions and used violence to suit your own cause. In what way does that make you any better than The Family? That crack dealer has a name. Lee. He’s one of my new flock. I wasn’t in any danger. He needed to talk. The only reason he was grabbing my collar was for support. He’s given up, going cold turkey. 11. HUNTRESS: I don’t buy that, once an addict, always an addict. Once a dealer, always a dealer. 12. MIKE: Once a priest, always a priest. Once a killer, always a killer? PAGE SEVEN (1) The alley as seen on Page Two. We see the wounded man (as on page two) still lying under the garbage bags, but by now the pool of blood has grown noticeably larger. (2) Reverse angle The POV changes so that we are looking back up the alley towards the street. Mike and the Huntress are entering the alley. 1. MIKE: I hope he’s been found and taken care of. 2. HUNTRESS: I thought you said you knew these people. If anyone found him he’ll have been rolled and probably finished off. 3. MIKE: That would make your job easier, wouldn’t it? 4. HUNTRESS: Despite what you think of me and my methods, I’m not a killer. 5. MIKE: But you’ll abandon a wounded man in a dark alley to the mercy of other killers and dope fiends? (3) Close up on Huntress Her face betrays the conflict she is feeling. This ex-priest has reached to the core of her dilemma, the conflict between her mission and her faith. (4)Talking heads shot of Mike and Huntress 6. HUNTRESS: I…. 7. MIKE: Yes ? 8. HUNTRESS: Nothing. (5) The wounded man. Mike and The Huntress reach the body . 9. HUNTRESS: He needs attention. 10. MIKE: Lee? You OK? (6)Close up of body. The Huntress leans over the body and checks for vital signs. 11. HUNTRESS: He’s gone. He’s beyond help. (7)Close up of the Cross in the dead man’s hand. Mike takes the cross . (8)The Cross Mike presses the cross into the Huntress’ hand. 12. MIKE: But you’re not, Helena. You have your mission and you have your faith, reconcile them. PAGE EIGHT (1)Close Up The Huntress replaces the lost cross on her costume. (2)The Alley The Huntress swings away from the alley leaving Mike and the dead man behind. (3)The Catholic Church The Huntress lands on the sidewalk outside the church. (4)The Catholic Church The Huntress enters the church, we see the confessional boxes off to one side. THE END Huntress (c) DC Comics Inc. Return to AJP's Home Page
|
