Had a private message asking if I had any sample scripts from an artist looking to practice sequential work. Reminded me I used to post pieces of script for people to check out as a way to show my process. Here’s the very first five pages of Rat Queens I ever wrote, initially meant to be the actual intro in the first issue but ended up being used for promo material.
PAGEONE (5 Panels)
Panel 1. The focus of the intro to our first issue is a bait and switch. This large panel will be of Hannah in a dark room, setting the tone and mood to look as though things are grim and scary, like she’s been caught and tossed in a dark pit somewhere. In reality, she’s waking up in the aftermath of massive party at their house. The party was a massive all night with dozens and dozens of people passing out on the floor. Here, Hannah is sprawled out on the floor, the side of her face on the ground. We want all the following panels to be dark, lots of shadow, mostly outlines so the reader is unable to tell where she is but still able to get a small sense of character and space. We’re on the floor, level with Hannah, she’s unconscious and looks ROUGH. Again, painting a picture of doom here.
Panel 2. Push in on her eyes, one is narrowly open and she’s wincing a bit.
Hannah 1
Ughhhh
Panel 3. On her hands and knees, rubbing her head with a hand, facing the floor, hunched over. Still in quite a bit of pain.
Hannah 1
What happened?
Panel 4. She’s crawling along the floor. She’ll be making her way to the front door but there’ll be overturned tables and unconscious. I think we should stay close in on Hannah the duration of this scene.
Hannah 1
Where… guh, it smells like troll ass in here.
Panel 5. She crawls over a few bodies all crunched up together. Still dark, can see enough to know what she’s crawling over.
PAGE two (5 Panels)
Panel 1. Behind Hannah, she’s foreground looking ahead and we can see the piles of bodies, arms and legs sticking out. Real grisly. It’s all darkness ahead, we can’t see an end to the room. It’s cramped, enclosed. The darkness crushing down on her.
Floating bubble 1
H-h… help. Me.
Panel 2. Hannah, squinting her eyes as she crawls forward.
Hannah 1
Let’s just avoid that disembodied voice.
Panel 3. She crawls over more bodies.
Panel 4. A hand rises from the bodies and grabs her wrist.
Panel 5. A face appears close to hers, a human male, in his 40’s, almost ghoul like with long hair but bald on top. He looks terrible, missing a few teeth.
Man 1
I… need… wat-
PAGE three (6 Panels)
Panel 1. Hannah punches him in the face.
SFX 1
Crack
Panel 2. She crawls over his face and continues on.
Hannah 1
Everyone’s got needs, old man.
Panel 3. Hannah finds the wall with her hand.
Panel 4. Her hand as it touches the bottom of the handle to the door.
Panel 5. She’s leaned against the door as she turns the handle. She looks desperate, her eyes half closed and like it’s taken everything just to get up onto her knees. Her weight is heavy against the door.
Hannah 1
*hurk* Ughhhh, my guts are burning. Poison.. it’s-
Hannah 2
Ok… that’s a little vomit bubbling up…
Hannah 3
*huff* Just *huff* keep it *huff* together, Hannah.
SFX 1
Click
Panel 6. Small panel, the outline of the doorframe lit by hot white light.
PAGE four(splash)
Panel 1. Behind shot of Hannah on her knees, shielding her eyes from a giant blistering white light that is washing over her, blasting away the darkness.
Hannah 1 *large yell, words shaping the balloon*
Gahhhh! N’Rygoth’s ballsack!
PAGE five(5 panels)
Panel 1-4. Side by side panels of Hannah, crawling across grass, in pain, suffering. Panel 3 will show Betty’s feet and Panel 4 will show Hannah grabbing onto them for dear life.
Hannah 1
Must..
Hannah 2
Escape..
Hannah 3
Black pit of..
Hannah 4 (Panel 4)
Ohhh, thank the goddamn gods for these little lady feet.
Betty 1 (Panel 4)
Dude-
Panel 5. Large panel. Betty, hands on her hips, looking healthy and ready to go and dressed for adventuring. Behind her, the other two girls, also dressed for adventuring but look as worse for wear as Hannah. Violet is in her metallic armour, rubbing her head leaning against the house and Dee is leaning against a tree, barfing her guts out.
Betty 1
You got SO drunk last night.
Inside the Mind of Kurtis J. Wiebe 