BLOODSHOT #54

*BLOODSHOT* ISSUE #54
"HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN"
ANTHONY KOCH
PAGE ONE
PANEL ONE
Panel one runs the entire width of the page. The sun's starting to go down, just the top fraction visible above the trees. A solitary silhouetted figure (Bloodshot) is walking alongside the road, wearing a black T-shirt, jeans, and a ball cap. He carries only a duffel bag in his right hand. There's a large sign beside the road, just ahead of him.
CAPTION:	Upstate New York.
PANEL TWO
As he passes, we see his form and most of the writing on the sign, which reads, "VanHook High. Home of the Fighting." We'll never know what their mascot is, because he either blocks the sign with his body or it’s cropped out of the panel.
PANEL THREE
Silhouette of Bloodshot. The entire form is black (that is, his eyes aren't glowing red).
CAPTION:	It was George Santayana who warned, "Those who do not remember the past are doomed to remember it."
PANEL FOUR
Stat panel #3. Perhaps there's some indication in the background that he's continued to move down the road a few paces.
CAPTION:	My grades in Mr. Sanderson's class have doomed me for life.
PANEL FIVE
Bloodshot is now on the VanHook High campus, standing next to the impressive tree (see BLOODSHOT #49, page 20, panel 2 for reference). The building is just a vague outline behind him (we cannot see any details, just the outline).
CAPTION:	Yeah. I'm sure that's it.
PAGE TWO
PANEL ONE
Splash page. Bloodshot has dropped his bag under the tree. Bloodshot is standing closer to the school and we can finally see the gaping hole that was left in it at the end of BLOODSHOT #49 (see page 16 for reference). The school is fenced off and a huge "Condemned" sign marks the property.
TITLE:	Home Again, Home Again
PAGE THREE
PANEL ONE
We see Bloodshot and "Condemned."
CAPTION:	So much has happened. Frozen for three years.
PANEL TWO
Zoom in on "Condemned," beginning to crop out Bloodshot.
CAPTION:	Jillian and the man I thought of as my best friend both thought me dead and are in love with each other. *
TEXT BOX:	* Check BLOODSHOT #53 for all the sordid details!
PANEL THREE
Bloodshot is no longer visible, just the word "Condemned," stretching the entire width of the panel.
CAPTION:	Our children, twin sons, are dead. *
TEXT BOX:	* Revealed in BLOODSHOT #s 51-52.
PANEL FOUR
Stat of Panel One.
CAPTION:	Forgot about Evie. About her daughters.
PANEL FIVE
This panel runs the entire width of the page. Stat image of the 2 girls from BLOODSHOT #49, Page 9, Panel One. Crop height as necessary.
CAPTION:	About the girls Albi said were my daughters.
PAGE FOUR
PANEL ONE
Flashback to Angelo and Evie in high school (BLOODSHOT #49, Page 6 for reference). They're sitting in the cafeteria, across the table from one another. Evie is on our left; Angelo's to our right. POV is from behind and above Angelo's left shoulder. Angelo's chewing on a toothpick, jauntily cocked towards the ceiling. Evie has a half-smile on her face.
PANEL TWO
CU of Evie's face. The half-smile's gone, but she's not angry or anything, just matter-of-fact.
EVIE:	I told you, I *can't*. I have cheerleading tryouts.
PANEL THREE
CU of Angelo, looking amused and a bit bored. He's a tough wiseguy-to-be. All this Americana is beneath him.
ANGELO:	Cheerleading tryouts? Pretty…quaint, Evie. C'mon.
PANEL FOUR
Another CU of Evie. *Now* she looks angry.
EVIE:	Why don't you even try to fit in?
PANEL FIVE
CU of Angelo, with a look of faked, "Who, me?" innocence on his face.
ANGELO:	Why, Evie! What do you mean?
PANEL SIX
CU of Evie, looking exasperated and perhaps a bit weary.
EVIE:	Ever since you came here, you've done nothing but put this place down. It's not so bad.
PAGE FIVE
PANEL ONE
Same angle as previous page, Panel One. Angelo's holding Evie's hands in his own, trying to look bored. The toothpick now points downward, he's so bored he can barely keep it in his mouth.
ANGELO:	Well, keep in mind that I am from the city, babe."
PANEL TWO
Same as Panel One, only Evie has pulled her hands out of Angelo's grasp.
EVIE:	Yeah, and you were so bad and so tough that you got farmed up here.
PANEL THREE
Zoom and crop on Angelo, his toothpick pointed upwards again. Evie's word balloon will come from our left.
ANGELO:	That was to keep me out of trouble. And danger.
EVIE:	That's bull.
PANEL FOUR
Zoom and crop on Evie, suddenly looking wise beyond her years.
EVIE:	They sent you here because you were going to do something stupid and wind up in reform school.
PANEL FIVE
CU Angelo, full-face. He is definitely uncomfortable with this discussion. Evie sounds pretty convincing, even to him. He's removed the toothpick from his mouth, he's so annoyed.
ANGELO:	So what do you want me to do, then?
PANEL SIX
CU Evie, full-face. She's wearing that mischievous half-smile again.
EVIE:	Come on outside and I'll tell you.
PAGE SIX
PANEL ONE
Angelo and Evie are sitting outside, under the tree. Apparently, Evie's the only one at VanHook who doesn't find Angelo threatening. The other students mill around, some nearby, but no one else is under the tree, keeping a healthy distance from the "bad boy" and his girl. Evie is leaning in close, talking to Angelo. Everyone is in silhouette.
PANEL TWO
Same as panel one, only now Angelo's pulled back in surprise.
ANGELO:	The football team? Are you nuts?!?
PANEL THREE
Still the same. Angelo's moved back towards Evie, who now cocks her head to one side as she mocks him.
EVIE:	What's the matter, City Boy? Scared?
SFX (Bell ringing):	Brrrrrrring!
PANEL FOUR
Angelo's standing, helping Evie to her feet. (She's wearing a skirt, by the way)
ANGELO:	Of course not. But football?
PANEL FIVE
Another male figure joins them beneath the tree. We can tell from his body language that he's uncomfortable interrupting them, about being this close. His hands are in his pockets and he faces downward. It's Albi, last seen in (you guessed it!) BLOODSHOT #49.
ALBI:	Um, that's the bell, Angie.
PANEL SIX
Evie is striding off-panel, headed to class before the tardy bell rings.
EVIE:	Meet me back here tonight. Ten PM.
PAGE SEVEN
Three rows of panels. Panels One and Four run the length of the page. Panels Two and Three are side-by side.
PANEL ONE
Angelo and Evie stand in the high school gymnasium. Various pieces of gymnastic equipment is scattered throughout: pommel horses, rings, balance beam, parallel bars, etc. Angelo's to our left, wearing jeans, his hands stuffed into his back pockets. Evie's wearing something tight and athletic-looking, but not too revealing.
ANGELO:	Seriously--tell me how you opened that door.
EVIE:	Forget about that. It's not important.
PANEL TWO
Evie is flexed, but not stressed. Her legs are shoulder-width apart and her arms hang loosely by her sides.
EVIE:	Is it a deal, Ang? After I pin you, you try out for the football team?
ANGELO:	And what if I pin you?
PANEL THREE
CU of Evie, that devil-may-care grin on her face, and a twinkle in her eye. She's set him up and she knows it.
EVIE:	Then you get to ask a favor I can't refuse.
EVIE:	But that ain't gonna happen.
PANEL FOUR
Pull back to the setup of Panel One, only Evie is now closer to Angelo. At least she starts a little closer to Angelo. This is an action/motion sequence, showing Evie falling to the mat on her side and sweeping Angelo's legs out from under him with her legs. Angelo falls to the mat. (See BLOODSHOT#49, Page 10 for the motion effect I'm looking for, here)
ANGELO:	Come on, Evie. I don't want to hurt--
ANGELO:	Whoa!
PAGE EIGHT
PANEL ONE
Evie is now on top of Angelo, who's gotten up to one knee. She's trying to pin his shoulders down. He's struggling (motion lines to show how hard he's straining) to get upright again.
PANEL TWO
Angelo is on his feet again. He's behind Evie, his arms wrapped around her in a bear hug.
ANGELO:	So, are you ready to give up? And, Evie?
ANGELO:	I know what I'm going to ask you to do.
PANEL THREE
Evie has escaped and is now looking back at Angelo, who is still bear hugging empty air. His surprise couldn't be more evident.
PANEL FOUR
Upset now, Angelo lunges at Evie, his hands outstretched. She brings her hand down on the back of his neck in a savage karate chop. So far, she's fought in total silence.
PANEL FIVE
Angelo is prone on the mat. Evie lies on top of him, pinning his shoulders to the ground.
ANGELO (Quietly):	All right. You win.
PANEL SIX
Close-up of their faces. Evie is bending down to kiss him.
EVIE:	I think you should be a receiver.
EVIE:	Now show me how good you are with your hands.
PAGE NINE
PANEL ONE
Angelo is practicing football in full pads. His pants and jersey (which reads "Property of VanHook High Athletic Department") are grass-stained.
CAPTION:	And although I could have thrown the tryouts, I didn't.
PANEL TWO
It's now game time. Angelo, wearing jersey #16 (BLOODSHOT #49, Page 6 for reference) is catching a touchdown pass.
ANGELO:	I wanted to make Evie proud of me.
PANEL THREE
Evie is in her cheerleading outfit, smiling proudly.
CAPTION:	Teenage love…
CAPTION:	…does it ever feel as intense or as good again?
PANEL FOUR
The two of them are back under "their" tree. Evie holds an old leather-bound book in one hand. Angelo, wearing sunglasses, looks grim.
ANGELO:	What?
ANGELO:	All I said was that I was an altar boy and I never heard of any of that stuff.
PAGE TEN
PANEL ONE
Evie is waving her arms about, the book still in one hand. She's trying very hard to make a point, here. Angelo looks wary and uncomfortable at the same time.
EVIE:	That's what I'm saying!
EVIE:	The Catholic Church has hidden the truth to better brainwash its practitioners.
PANEL TWO
Evie's stopped with the gesturing. She realizes that it makes her look crazy and she's trying desperately to make Angelo listen to, and believe, her.
EVIE:	Listen, Ang. It’s all in this book…
EVIE:	…the Gospel of Thomas.
PANEL THREE	(Note: these next panels should be sepia-toned. We're going way back in time)
Jesus Christ is preaching to his disciples. Sitting off to one side, writing down His words on a scroll, is His identical twin, Thomas. The caption is for Evie's words and needs to be a different color/style than Bloodshot's for clarification and distinction.
CAPTION:	Christ had a twin brother, Thomas, who recorded His true words and teachings.
PANEL FOUR
It's the crucifixion. Christ is in incredible agony on the cross. Lots of blood on his wrists, feet, and under the crown of thorns. Thomas is at the foot of the cross, in disguise (perhaps a cloth wrapped around the face, but we have to know it's him).
CAPTION:	It was Thomas was bore witness to Christ's last words before He died.
PANEL FIVE
Thomas is being crucified and tortured (tortured further, I guess!) upside-down on an X-shaped cross. Two of the disciples from Panel Three, bend down, shouting into his face.
CAPTION:	Christ's followers wanted to pervert His words to give themselves more power.
CAPTION:	When Thomas disagreed, he was killed.
PAGE ELEVEN
PANEL ONE
Back to full color. Angelo is listening intently to Evie now. She has his undivided attention.
EVIE:	Christ's so-called "followers" began a highly visible religion whose mission was world domination.
EVIE:	Thomas's followers, fearing for their lives, were forced to hide, passing on the true teachings of Christ and forming…
PANEL TWO
Evie is reflected in both lenses of Angelo's sunglasses.
EVIE:	…the Place of Many Alike.
PANEL THREE
Back to sepia tones, here. 2-3 sets of identical twins (or a group of triplets, too?) are being lectured by two identical older men with beards. All captions are "Evie captions," again.
CAPTION:	Dedicated to the words recorded by the Twin, they began to take in and teach unwanted children--
CAPTION:	--especially the multiples: twins, triplets, and the like.
PANEL FOUR
One of the teachers from the previous panel is killing another man with a garrote.
CAPTION:	An emphasis was placed on the…darker arts or assassination and terrorism.
PANEL FIVE
Stat Panel One.
ANGELO:	Jesus, Evie, that's one hell of a fairy tale.
ANGELO:	Where do you get this stuff?
PANEL SIX
Evie's now standing up. The book is closed and held reverently in both hands.
EVIE:	Oh, let's just say I have eclectic reading tastes.
PAGE TWELVE (Lots of panels on this page. But one fewer than Giffen!)
PANEL ONE
Present day. Bloodshot is standing outside of the ruined high school. Back to "Bloodshot captions," too.
CAPTION:	I accepted her "reading tastes" excuse at the time.
PANEL TWO
Bloodshot's walking away from the school, back towards the tree. If you can, show that his duffel bag's missing. However, don't draw attention to the fact.
CAPTION:	What Evie said was blasphemous to me.
CAPTION:	I wanted to believe her tale was fiction.
PANEL THREE
Bloodshot's closer to the tree. A fond smile of remembrance on his face.
CAPTION:	And, of course, we did more than just talk.
PANEL FOUR
High school flashback. It's dark but we can see. Angelo is holding Evie from behind, but tenderly. He's kissing the back of her neck and she's smiling a wistful smile. We can only see their upper torsos (let's try to keep this in Comics Code-Approved territory!) but it's obvious that they're both naked and we've just caught them in a post-coital moment.
PANEL FIVE
Different angle. Angelo, using his switchblade, is carving their initials into the tree. We can make out "A.M. + E." He's just finishing the "E," as a matter of fact. Angelo's in love for the first time and he's fallen pretty damned hard. The earlier "wiseguy wannabe" is gone.
PANEL SIX
Evie, wearing her skirt and bra, is pulling on her blouse. Angelo is fully dressed.
EVIE:	It's almost funny how quickly you've adapted to life up here, "city slicker." Getting bored?
ANGELO:	With you? Never.
PANEL SEVEN
Evie is now fully dressed as well. Her head is tilted to one side in amusement.
EVIE:	Not with me, stupid. With life in the sticks.
EVIE:	You know, I know of a little Mom and Pop restaurant that does good business on the weekends. Why don't you get the boys and….
PANEL EIGHT
Back to the present. Bloodshot's no longer smiling.
CAPTION:	And then we got caught…I was sent up…
CAPTION:	And I never saw Evie alive again.
PAGE THIRTEEN
PANEL ONE
Bloodshot's all the way back at the tree, looking at the ground.
CAPTION:	My bag, my weapons, gone. But where?
PANEL TWO
We see the tree. A stiletto's sticking out of it.
PANEL THREE
Bloodshot, his eyes now growing red, walks towards the stiletto. One hand reaches forward cautiously.
PANEL FOUR
We get a close-up of the initials Angelo Mortalli carved into the tree when he was in high school. The stiletto is stuck in the tree just above them. Evie's cross (See BLOODSHOT #49 again for reference) hangs from the handle, blocking her last initial again.
CAPTION:	Uh-oh.
PAGE FOURTEEN (Here's the Giffen nine-panel layout)
PANEL ONE
Bloodshot, his eyes still glowing red, is in battle readiness. He's reaching down with one hand to remove his knife from its ankle sheath. The caption should be in "nanite font."
CAPTION:	Scanning infrared.
PANEL TWO
Show the landscape and the devastated school, only with infrared color effects. Again, the caption should be in "nanite font."
CAPTION:	Searching…
PANEL THREE
Zoom in on the school, still in infrared. All is calm. Caption is in "normal" text.
CAPTION:	Nothing.
PANEL FOUR
Back to Bloodshot, now holding a commando knife in one hand. His head is turned to one side (show the "motion effect" to indicate the rapidity with which he's made the move).
CAPTION:	What--?
PANEL FIVE
Bloodshot is on his knees, holding his hands to his temples. His ball cap lies on the ground. He's dropped his knife in his pain and his eyes glow extra bright.
CAPTION:	Aaah! They've rebuilt the Neupro gun! *
TEXT BOX:	* The Neupro gun interferes with Bloodshot's nanites and causes him pain. (BLOODSHOT #49 again)
PANEL SIX
Bloodshot's looking up, his hands just off his head. The pain has subsided somewhat, with his eyes resuming their "normal" red glow.
PANEL SEVEN
Bloodshot's starts to stand. He's retrieved his knife, but he's shaken--that much is obvious. The caption is once again in "nanite font."
CAPTION:	Resume scan.
PANEL EIGHT
Show the hole in the school, again in infrared. There's the smallest glimmer of a heat registry.
PANEL NINE
Zoom in on the scene in Panel Eight. The heat registry is definitely a figure. The font is in Bloodshot's normal caption.
CAPTION:	There!
PAGE FIFTEEN
PANEL ONE
Bloodshot's re-sheathing his knife, about to do battle.
CAPTION:	The time for subtlety's passed.
PANEL TWO
He pulls out a pistol tucked into the back of his pants, his black T-shirt hiked up slightly.
CAPTION:	They want me in the school…
PANEL THREE
Still holding the gun in one hand, Bloodshot's running away as fast as he can.
CAPTION:	…so I'm getting out of here.
PANEL FOUR
He's still running.
CAPTION:	Although I came here looking for my daughters…
PANEL FIVE
He's back at the road now, walking instead of running.
CAPTION:	…I didn't plan an all-out confrontation with the Place of Many Alike.
CAPTION:	And without my weapons, I--
PANEL SIX
While he doesn't fall down this time, he once again clasps his hands to his head, just managing to hold onto his pistol.
CAPTION:	That damned gun again!
CAPTION:	Even worse this time.
PAGE SIXTEEN
PANEL ONE
Zoom on Bloodshot's leg, revealing the stiletto that now protrudes from it.
CAPTION:	That's it!
PANEL TWO
He removes the stiletto with the hand not holding the gun.
PANEL THREE
Bloodshot races back towards the school.
CAPTION:	If it's a fight they want, it's a fight they'll get.
PANEL FOUR
Bloodshot races into the school, and the darkness seems to swallow him up.
PAGE SEVENTEEN
PANEL ONE
Bloodshot's walking through a ruined hallway. Open locker doors hang ajar, a few beat up books lie here and there, along with rubble caused by the Neupro gun. Maybe a rat or two scurries from him, unaccustomed to visitors.
CAPTION:	Well, now what?
PANEL TWO
Zoom on Bloodshot looking to his left.
CAPTION:	Let's see…the cafeteria?
PANEL THREE
Zoom on Bloodshot, now looking to his right.
CAPTION:	Or the gymnasium?
PANEL FOUR
Bloodshot starts moving to his left.
CAPTION:	Cafeteria.
PANEL FIVE
Bloodshot is wracked with pain as the Neupro gun is fired again.
CAPTION:	Wrong answer, Einstein.
PANEL SIX
Bloodshot has reversed direction and now heads to his right.
CAPTION:	The cafeteria it is, then.
PAGE EIGHTEEN
PANEL ONE
Splash page. Bloodshot, just outside the gym, now clamps the stiletto in his teeth while he holds his pistol in a two-handed grip. His eyes still glow and he looks pretty damn heroic here. You can see every muscle, every vein, even under his black T-shirt.
CAPTION:	Somebody dies tonight.
PAGE NINETEEN
PANEL ONE
We see Bloodshot's back as he stands outside the gym doors, preparing to go in.
PANEL TWO
Bloodshot opens a door with his left hand, still aiming the gun with his right.
PANEL THREE
Still looking to his left, the stiletto is now in his left hand (no longer clamped in his teeth). He uses it to knock a hurled shuriken (throwing star) to the floor.
CAPTION:	Gotcha!
PANEL FOUR
Now looking to the right, he aims the pistol and pulls the trigger. Flames erupt from the barrel.
CAPTION:	There!
PANEL FIVE
A basketball, still in mid-flight, takes a bullet through its center.
PANEL SIX
The deflated basketball lands at Bloodshot's feet. He still looks around warily.
CAPTION:	They want me to use up my ammo.
CAPTION:	They want a sitting duck.
PAGE TWENTY
PANEL ONE
We pull back and recognize (just barely) the gym where Angelo and Evie sparred all those years ago. Maybe some of the equipment stands in the same place, maybe there's a banner on the wall. I don't know. Bloodshot has resumed his two-handed hold on his pistol.
CAPTION:	They're so damned quiet.
PANEL TWO
Bloodshot is standing absolutely still, listening intently.
CAPTION:	I only hear them when they want me to.
PANEL THREE
We're looking at Bloodshot face on. Behind him, two shapes begin to materialize. They wear the robes of a novice (see BLOODSHOT #49,Pages 4-5 for the robes), only without the hoods. We can see their hair, but not their faces. They no longer wear stilettos in their hair, as Bloodshot's daughters did in #49. Their features (including whether or not they wear bangs) are obscured in the darkness.
PANEL FOUR
Similar to Panel Three, only the figures have moved a bit further from the shadows. Now we can see their faces. They no longer have their bangs, and the lower half of their face is covered by the Place's mask (BLOODSHOT #49, Last Page for reference). They are Bloodshot's daughters, only three years older than when we last saw them, making them about 17 or 18 years old.
CAPTION:	They're here.
PAGE TWENTY-ONE
PANEL ONE
Splash page. Bloodshot has his back to us and we can see both girls now. The one on our left holds Bloodshot's katana; the one on our right holds a sai in each hand, one by the handle, the other with the prongs poking through her fingers. Bloodshot's aiming his gun at the girl holding the katana.
KATANA DAUGHTER:		Hello, father.
TEXT BOX:		Need we say it? TO BE CONTINUED!
* * * * * * * * *
Hi there. Thanks for reading this issue of Bloodshot. This was a nerve-wracking issue for a number of reasons. First, it marks my return to "script-proper" writing. I honestly tried to write in prose. I wrote 2 issues of Bloodshot and Armageddon: 1999 #2 in prose. But I can't do it comfortably. So here I am, using the script format I used with my first fanic story, the Archer & Armstrong Special Event hosted on this site. So, what do you think about the script format? Send me an email and give me your opinion on that, on my writing, or even the color of my shirt, I don't care. The second reason that this story was so nerve-wracking is because I'm writing a sequel to one of my favorite issues of Bloodshot. The sharper readers will know this to be Bloodshot #49, written and pencilled by Greg Boone and inked by Brad Vancata. Boone did an awesome job setting a dark and somber tone, writing a tale about never-ending violence. I hope that I have done his issue justice here, and kept some of the tone from his superb issue. And then there was the research. Actually, there wasn't any research. The Gospel of Thomas is real; The Place of Many Alike is the creation of Greg Boone (at least, as far as I know). I've been intrigued by it since I first read the tale. So thank you again, Mr. Boone. So that's it for another issue. Again, thanks for reading and I always appreciate feedback. 'Til #55, ant'ny