spawn 164 pencils

[PhilipTan]

Hey everyone : ) I'm back... ( well hopefully more often -__- )

This will be the last batches of pencils as it is my last issue of the regular Spawn series.. : (

Although things are getting more and more stressfull as the amount of designs needed is unimaginable.. for Godslayer that is...

Although a lot of them for the first story arc is done.. I still owe both Brians and the colorist the finalized rendition of all the designs -__- .. sorry sirs.. I will get to it!!! promise!!! But at the end of the day... I love designing and creating all those... so worth the hardwork!

Anyway, I will leave that to the godslayer discussion thread...

Here are the first few pencil pages for 164

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164001ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164002ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164003ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164004ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164005ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164006ss.jpg

and the sketch....

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/philipsketch019s.jpg

hope you like em : )

thanks!
p

[BlackToe]

lookin good as always. Well...at least till the color guys go through it. But thats when you gotta shake the beejezus outta Todd and tell him too keep a issue B&W once and awhile.

[Septik]

Jeez! Those pictures are truley emotional and intense. Good work sir Tan!

[rxsheepxr]

Nice art, but Id like to see a Spawn comic that has more than a small appearance by the title character... :p

[SONICobra]

lookin good as always. Well...at least till the color guys go through it. But thats when you gotta shake the beejezus outta Todd and tell him too keep a issue B&W once and awhile.
thats what im saying! exactly! i would love an issue of just your pencils, before the inker and colorist get to it, fantastic art and im going to be sure to pick up godslayer.

[hazeofephedrine]

man your work is awesome tan. do you think you could post up that page of spawn sitting back in the alleys?? when i saw that i was like ready to **** myself it was so amazing! haha just kidding

[metal_hellspawn]

nice Work Phillip, I hope you will still stop by and scan the pncils for Godslayer

[Demon Kincaid]

amazing dude, glad to see a more calmed down issue where you can use the whole page. bye bye for spawn, hello godslayer, bring it on!

[b2dlo4]

you rock!!!
and we'll miss u on Spawn. will you be doing covers?

[Guilty]

Great work from you, as usual. :)

[arandomthought]

Mr. Tan, I must compliment you, I've admired your work since you started on Spawn. I'm new to the forum, but an old spawn fan. You are by far, my 2nd favorite Spawn artist, of which the first being Todd Mcfarlane. I know I most likely won't get an answer, but what made you start working on comics?

[AI_O'Malley]

I tell you, these pencils are akin to the beautiful shading that Alex Ross does...I haven't read Spawn in awhile, but the inks look to be Danny Miki's. I hate that style. It ruins good art. It was the single reason I couldn't stand the Curse of Spawn series. It seriously ruins your artwork, friend.

[Dan Kane]

This is truly sad seeing the these pencils for Phil's final Spawn issue. Phil, please don't forget us and do the same thing when you go to Godslayer. And force Brian to post his scripts too when you do!! ;)

[Bran Man]

awesome work

[jt4470]

Once again, awesome pencils Mr. Tan.
Wish I could draw like that. I have no idea how you get values like that.

[PhilipTan]

Nice art, but Id like to see a Spawn comic that has more than a small appearance by the title character... :p

lol some story moments were needed so... : ) although Im sure the new direction you will definitely see a lot of spawn doing what you guys like best!

p

[PhilipTan]

thats what im saying! exactly! i would love an issue of just your pencils, before the inker and colorist get to it, fantastic art and im going to be sure to pick up godslayer.

remember to tell your friends!!! I think we are announced for may release.. so start ordeing! : p

thanks much hehe...

p

[PhilipTan]

man your work is awesome tan. do you think you could post up that page of spawn sitting back in the alleys?? when i saw that i was like ready to **** myself it was so amazing! haha just kidding

thank you : ) glad you liked it! now lets have a little patience and I will definitely post it as I go through the pencilled pages : )

p

[PhilipTan]

nice Work Phillip, I hope you will still stop by and scan the pncils for Godslayer

oh absolutely!!! I migth have been slower on the boards lately.. but I will always come here on a regular basis and at least post stuff once a week... : )

[PhilipTan]

you rock!!!
and we'll miss u on Spawn. will you be doing covers?

greg will be doing spawn covers : ) maybe sometime in the future brian will get me to do a few... I hope : )

[PhilipTan]

Mr. Tan, I must compliment you, I've admired your work since you started on Spawn. I'm new to the forum, but an old spawn fan. You are by far, my 2nd favorite Spawn artist, of which the first being Todd Mcfarlane. I know I most likely won't get an answer, but what made you start working on comics?

The love of telling story graphically, I was always dreaming about making my great masterpiece as a kid and whatever I was into at any moment back then, I always change my "target masterpiece" to the new concept lol.... man I miss those days... But if you mean what book I might have picked up that made me want to draw comics... hmmm.. my first one was jim valentinos guardians of the galaxy, and I was a big fan of that ... I think what really made me want to was when image was formed and all these great artist are influencing most of the kids around me hehe...

[PhilipTan]

This is truly sad seeing the these pencils for Phil's final Spawn issue. Phil, please don't forget us and do the same thing when you go to Godslayer. And force Brian to post his scripts too when you do!! ;)

ill try to bug brian about it! : p hehe

[PhilipTan]

Once again, awesome pencils Mr. Tan.
Wish I could draw like that. I have no idea how you get values like that.

what do you mean by values? let me know and I will try to answer as best as I can...

[PhilipTan]

thanks to everyone for the kind words, again! it does sadden me to see these pages from my last issue.. but... man i cant wait to show the godslayer pages hehe...

ok here are this week's batches...

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164007ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164008ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164009ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164010ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164011ss.jpg

and the sketch ..

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/philipsketch020s.jpg

take care everyone, remember to spread the word about godslayer and order it! : )

p

[metal_hellspawn]

oh absolutely!!! I migth have been slower on the boards lately.. but I will always come here on a regular basis and at least post stuff once a week... : )

awesome, thanks a ton Phillip. I look forward to seeing the monthly Godslayer pencils.

[AI_O'Malley]

Here's something I did tonight. Hope Mr. Tan doesn't mind. I believe his pencils are so strong that they convey the scene better than traditional ink/colors. I tried to give it a style to compliment the pencils...Its not been inked or anything.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v429/Markydarko/spawnpage.jpg

[Mikey]

Those colors look real nice.

[Dan Kane]

Holy shiznit. That's pretty awesome.

[Vaan]

Man so great works. i got so many things learn from u Phillip

[lilbadmofo]

Truly amazin' !

[PhilipTan]

sigh.. and I thought I can start to be more active on the boards again...

sorry guys, it was even more INSANE lately -___-

but here are the pencils again, I wont miss this!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164012-013ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164014ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164015ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164016ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164017ss.jpg

and the sketch

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/philipsketch021s.jpg

and thank you all very much! I really appreciate the support!

ok, hopefully I can be back soon -___-

p

[Septik]

Philip, that panel with Al punching Wanda in her stomach and the broken glass is one of the strongest pictures I've ever seen in a comic book before. It sickens me to watch it, wich is the point. Your not supposed to like that kind of behaviour. Your art truly reflect the emotion of something clean and beautiful that chatters and starts the decaying process of Als soul and body. You sure have talent in your work. Keep on putting in the depth of emtion into your solid work Tan!

[David Hine]

Here at last is the script for issue 164. Sorry I haven't been posting recently. Spent a week and a half in New York for the Con and visiting Marvel and DC offices.

I'll probably be posting a little less now. I'm writing way ahead on Spawn and have a kazillion other projects bubbling under. My family likes to see me occasionally too...

So here it is, the script for the last episode of Armageddon, and may I take this opportunity to thank Phil for 18 months of truly splendid work. It has been a blast and I hope we'll be working together again in the future.


Spawn 164 Final Draft
David Hine – December 2006


Page 1

This scene continues directly from the end of last issue when Al is apparently about to go back to Wanda.

Panel 1
The backyard of Wanda and Terry’s home. In the foreground Al Simmons walks towards the back door of the house. He has stepped into the light from the window, casting a long shadow behind him. The house is warm and welcoming, yellow light spilling from all the windows. Al is about to step onto the porch. He is only a few feet away from what he has dreamed about since he died fifteen years ago. The sky overhead is filled with stars as if there were no such thing as light pollution. This is the kind of sky you only see in the desert or at sea.

Further back, under the tree, MoM is watching him.

Inset: An imagined scene. Wanda in Al’s arms. This is what he believes is about to happen. She has her arms around his neck, smiling up at him. They are about to kiss. Phil you can go over the top on the design of this panel – heart-shaped panel or a border of roses or whatever.

Title: HOMECOMING

Caption (Spawn): I SWEAR I NEVER SAW A MORE PERFECT EVENING. IT’S LIKE A SPIELBERG MOVIE. STARS AS SHARP AND CLEAR AS DIAMONDS. NO TRAFFIC NOISE. NOTHING BUT THE CHIRPING OF CICADAS AND THE RUSTLE OF A WARM BREEZE THROUGH THE LEAVES.

Caption (Spawn): I FEEL LIKE A TEENAGER COMING TO PICK UP MY DATE FOR THE PROM.

Caption (Spawn): IT’S JUST TOO PERFECT.

Caption (Spawn): I CAN ALMOST TASTE HER LIPS.

Panel 2
Mid-shot of MoM as s/he commandingly stretches out a hand towards us.

MoM: STOP.

Panel 3
Full-length shot of Al frozen in mid-movement as he steps onto the back porch. A glow effect around him. His eyes widen as he realises he can’t move.

Caption (Spawn): NO!

Caption (Spawn): THIS IS END OF STORY. THIS IS WHERE THE LIGHTS COME UP. THE AUDIENCE SHUFFLES OUT OF THE THEATRE AND GOES HOME.

Al: GODDAMIT! DON’T DO THIS TO ME.

Panel 4
MoM comes up behind Al, who is frozen in position, a couple of steps away from the back door. An ethereal ghost image of Al leaves his physical body. The physical body remains frozen while the ghost image moves towards the door, walking on air.

[WE’RE GOING TO SEE AL AS A GHOST IMAGE THROUGHOUT THIS LONG SCENE SO WE NEED TO ESTABLISH AN EFFECT – MAYBE DO THIS AT COLOR STAGE – KNOCK OUT THE LINE ART AND PUT A GLOW ON HIM]

MoM: THERE’S ONE MORE THING YOU HAVE TO KNOW.

(linked balloon): I HAVE TO SHOW YOU THIS.

Al: I’M GOING TO HER. NOTHING’S GOING TO STOP ME THIS TIME.
Page 2

Panel 1
Interior of the house. Close-up of Granny Blake holding her white stick.

Granny: HE BROUGHT ME BACK.

(linked balloon): I PASSED OVER AND HE BROUGHT ME
BACK.

Panel 2
Inside the room are Wanda, Terry, Granny Blake and Cyan. Cyan is in her pyjamas. Granny is still all smiles in spite of everything she has been through. Her spirit (and her faith) are indomitable. Wanda has her arm round her grandmother’s shoulders. Terry is the only one not looking entirely happy. He has something on his mind.

All over the world people are coming to terms with the fact that the world has been restored. They remember the Apocalypse but it already seems unreal.

Granny: IT WAS AL WHO SAVED US ALL.

(linked balloon): HE LOOKED LIKE AN ANGEL WANDA, A REAL ANGEL. I HAD MY SIGHT BACK LONG ENOUGH TO SEE THAT.

Wanda: YOU SHOULD GET SOME SLEEP GRANNY.

Granny: LORD KNOWS, I’M TIRED ENOUGH, BUT I DON’T WANT TO SLEEP.

(linked balloon): I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE EVERYTHING WILL STILL BE HERE WHEN I WAKE UP.

Panel 3
Two-shot of Wanda and Granny. She smiles indulgently as she gives her granny’s shoulder a squeeze. Granny’s expression has changed. She is frowning, angry at the memory of Jake and the mockery of heaven that he showed her. She can never believe that this was really God.

Wanda: DON’T WORRY. IT WILL.

Granny Blake: IT WASN’T GOD. THAT MONSTROUS CHILD. THAT THING.

(linked balloon): IT WASN’T GOD!

Panel 4
Close-up of Granny.

Granny: I THINK… I THINK ALL THIS WAS A TEST OF OUR FAITH AND I AM NOT SHAKEN, WANDA.

(linked balloon): I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES.


Page 3

Panel 1
Exterior: outside Cyan’s bedroom.

Cyan: POOR GRANNY. IT WAS WORSE FOR HER WASN’T IT?

(linked balloon): THE SAD MAN KEPT US SAFE WHILE EVERYONE ELSE WAS DYING, BUT GRANNY WAS OUT THERE, WHERE ALL THE DEMONS WERE FIGHTING.

Panel 2
Cyan’s bedroom. Cyan is sitting up in bed, her arms wrapped round her knees talking to her Mom. Wanda sits on the bed beside her. In the extreme foreground standing on the bedside table is the framed picture of the Phoenix with the poem. Cyan’s soother is hanging from the picture by its bootlace.

Wanda hugs Cyan close. Terry behind them, still looking troubled. The ghostly figure of Al stands beside him, also looking down at them.

Al floats in the air behind him, a strange, ominous presence. Think of this as Marley’s ghost in A Christmas Carol. He will hover through the scene, often literally standing between Wanda and Terry, although he is invisible to them throughout. This is a representation of what has haunted Terry throughout his marriage to Wanda – the idea that the memory of Al has always come between them. Since he became aware that Spawn was Al, he has been terrified that Al would come back into Wanda’s life and he would lose her.

Cyan: I’M NOT CALLING HIM THE SAD MAN ANY MORE. HIS NAME’S AL, SO THAT’S WHAT I’LL CALL HIM.

(linked balloon): DO YOU THINK HE’LL COME SEE US SOMETIME?

Wanda: MAYBE SWEETHEART. MAYBE.

Panel 3
Wanda and Terry in the doorway are leaving the room, saying goodnight to Cyan. Al remains standing beside the bed.

Wanda: IF YOU NEED US WE’LL BE SLEEPING IN THE SPARE ROOM WHILE GRANNY’S HERE, OKAY?

Panel 4
Looking down towards Cyan from Al’s POV. His ghostly hand reaches out to touch her cheek. Cyan is looking up, wide-eyed, her mouth slightly open as if she has sensed Al’s presence.

Cyan: ‘KAY.

Panel 5
Similar POV but we don’t see Al’s hand any more. Cyan has closed her eyes and is touching her cheek where his hand caressed it. She is smiling.

[NO COPY]
Page 4

Panel 1
The spare room. This was the Twins’ room but MoM removed all memory of the Twins. Now it is furnished as a guest bedroom, but Terry and Wanda seem to be feeling some trace of the Twins’ evil still hanging in the atmosphere. Or maybe it’s the ghost of Al they sense.

Terry in the foreground, still tense. Wanda has come up behind him and put her arms around him, smiling seductively.

Terry: THIS ROOM FEELS WEIRD.

Wanda: IT’S JUST MUSTY. WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH GUESTS STAYING HERE.

Terry: IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR KIDS. WE WERE AIMING FOR THREE OR FOUR.

Wanda: WELL. YOU WANT CHILDREN---

(linked balloon): --- YOU BETTER DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. KIDS DON’T HAPPEN BY MAGIC.

Panel 2
Pull back for a mid-shot. Terry hasn’t moved his arms are at his sides, fists clenched. Wanda has backed away a step, sensing his coldness towards her.

Terry: DON’T. NOT NOW.

Wanda: NOT NOW?! YOU’VE BEEN PUSHING ME AWAY FOR A LONG TIME, TERRY.

(linked balloon): WHAT’S WRONG?

Terry: NOTHING. ITS…

(linked balloon): …NOTHING.

Panel 3
Close up of Terry’s face in the foreground. His eyes look haunted. Looking past him at Wanda who looks tense. She is determined to push this.

Wanda: DON’T YOU PULL THAT ON ME. YOU TALK TO ME TERRY!

(linked balloon): WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG BETWEEN US?

Terry: OKAY. I KNOW YOU STILL LOVE HIM.

(linked balloon): THAT’S WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG.

Panel 4
Wanda from the waist up with Al hovering right behind her. His ghostly shape seems to rise up out of her.

Wanda: OH, TERRY, NOT THIS AGAIN.

(linked balloon): OF COURSE PART OF ME STILL LOVES AL. I’VE ALWAYS BEEN HONEST WITH YOU ABOUT THAT.


Panel 5
Terry head down, his expression bitter. This is something he has been keeping inside for a hell of a long time.

Terry: YEAH. YOU’RE SO DAMN’ HONEST IT KILLS ME.

Panel 6
Big panel. There’s a lot of dialogue on this page but I think it’s best to do it with relatively few images. It’s probably best to place the balloons on the roughs to check for spacing.

Wanda is distraught. She’s begging Terry to understand her. She’s also hiding secrets about her relationship with Al. Terry still has his back to her. They are standing a few feet apart and Al is hanging in the air, filling that symbolic space between them. He looks odd and spooky floating a few feet off the ground with Wanda staring straight through him.

Throughout this scene Al doesn’t really betray his feelings. He’s not sure how this is going to play out but he must be hoping Terry is right.

Wanda: THIS IS CRAZY---

(linked balloon): ---YOU DON’T STOP LOVING SOMEONE WHEN THEY DIE BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T LOVE SOMEONE ELSE.

(linked balloon): I LOVE YOU TERRY, WITH ALL MY HEART.

Terry: GOOD. FINE. NO PROBLEM THEN. EXCEPT HE CAME BACK. AL SIMMONS, THE BIG HERO. EVEN AFTER HE DIES HE GOES ON SAVING THE WORLD.

(linked balloon): EVEN MY OWN DAUGHTER TALKS ABOUT HIM LIKE HE’S HER GUARDIAN ANGEL.

(linked balloon): HOW DO I COMPETE WITH THAT? HOW CAN I MAKE LOVE TO YOU KNOWING HE’S STILL OUT THERE?
Page 5

Panel 1
Tight close-up of Wanda looking sad and reproachful.

Wanda: WE DON’T MAKE LOVE, TERRY.

Panel 2
Reaction shot of Terry.

[NO COPY]

Panel 3
Wide panel. Profile mid-shots of Wanda and Terry on opposite sides of the panel with Al’s ‘ghost’ standing between them. Again make sure there’s lot of room for the dialogue. I don’t want to cut any of this. Terry is avoiding her eyes

Wanda: I MISS YOU. YOU’RE RIGHT HERE AND I MISS YOU.

(linked balloon): COME BACK TO ME, TERRY.

Terry: I CAN’T.

(linked balloon): SEE, I KNOW THAT IF AL WALKED IN RIGHT NOW, I’D BE NOTHING.

(linked balloon): IT WOULD BE “THANKS TERRY, YOU’VE BEEN A GOOD FRIEND. YOU WERE THERE FOR ME. NOW GET OUT OF MY LIFE BECAUSE MY MAN IS BACK”.

Panel 4
Wanda reaches out to touch him but Terry pulls away. He’s angry now.

Wanda: YOU’RE WRONG. YOU’RE SO WRONG!

Terry: OH YEAH?

Panel 5
Terry is taking the box from a drawer in the dresser. [Phil, can you go back and make sure there is a large dresser (chest of drawers) in the room suitable for this scene]

Terry: YOU THINK I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOUR BOX OF TREASURES?!

[David Hine]

Script for 164 (Part 2)

Page 6

Panel 1
Terry holds the box in one hand while in the other he clutches a handful of letters tied with a ribbon, and photos, that he has pulled out of the box.

Wanda is shocked that he is treating her precious memories of Al like this. It is a desecration.

Al simply watches the scene unfold.

Terry: I FOUND THESE A LONG TIME AGO.

(linked balloon): LOVE LETTERS! PHOTOS!

Wanda: THOSE ARE PRIVATE, TERRY!

(linked balloon): AND OF COURSE I KEPT THEM!

Panel 2
Terry throws the handful of letters and photos on the bed. They scatter as he throws them. The photos spreading out so we will be able to focus on some of them later. Check the later images on Page 7 where we see a close-up of Al and Wanda at a party with Jason Wynn in the background, and then Page 13, panel 2 where we see their wedding photo. Page 8 Panel 1 – a photo of Wanda and Al in a restaurant. These photos should be on the bed, although we don’t have to see them in detail yet.

Terry: SURE. WHY WOULDN’T YOU?

(linked balloon): SEE, I COULD UNDERSTAND IT IF YOU LOCKED THEM AWAY SAFE, TOOK THEM OUT MAYBE A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR. WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. HIS BIRTHDAY.

(linked balloon): MAYBE THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST TIME YOU SCREWED.

(linked balloon): THAT, SURE. NO FREAKING PROBLEM.

Panel 3
In the foreground the photos, spread across the blankets. Photos of Wanda with Al. Some of Al alone – a high school photo in college football team gear. The party photo seen later on Page 7, the restaurant photo from Page 8 panel 1, and the wedding photo seen on Page 13.

Terry, still holding the box in one hand, gestures at the photos and letters and yells at Wanda.

Wanda is surprised. She thought this was her secret.

Terry: BUT YOU LOOK AT THESE EVERY DAY!

(linked balloon): YOU’RE WEARING THEM OUT, KISSING THE DAMNED THINGS.

Wanda: YOU’VE BEEN SPYING ON ME?!

Panel 4
Wanda goes right up to Terry, her eyes blazing. Terry is the one person she thought she could trust completely. When she suggests he might want to hurt her, Terry is horrified.

Wanda: SO WHAT’S NEXT? ARE YOU GOING TO HIT ME?

Terry: HIT YOU?! MY GOD, NO. I WOULD NEVER…

Panel 5
Wanda looks straight at Terry. She knows she is dropping a bombshell and she says the words quite deliberately. We are looking towards her and we see ghostly Al behind her, looking horrified. Terry in the foreground is seen from behind as he reacts. We can imagine that his face must be as shocked as Al, but we don’t need to see his face. Seeing Al’ expression is enough.

Wanda: AL WOULD HAVE.

Terry (off – right of panel): WHAT?!
Page 7

Panel 1
Wanda has picked up one of the photos from the bed. We are looking up at her as she looks at the photo in her hand. We can’t see it yet. This is where we begin to realise the mixed feeling she has when she looks at these mementoes of Al Simmons. There is sorrow and loss, but there are other more complex emotions too.

Wanda: THE FIRST TIME HE HIT ME WAS JUST AFTER THIS WAS TAKEN.

Panel 2
Looking down at the photo in her hand. A Polaroid shot of Wanda and Al at a party. They are both holding up ****tails as they smile for the camera. Al’s arm is around Wanda’s waist. She is wearing a low-cut dress. Young, sexy, happy. Her hair is straight- Phil check early issues of Spawn or issue 127, where there are lots of flashback scenes.

There are a couple of other agents from Al’s department in the background of the photo, also drunk and having a good time. Prominent is Jason Wynn. He is the one person not smiling, and probably not drunk either. The others are in casual clothes, but he his wearing his suit and tie.

Wanda: THIS WAS AN AGENCY PARTY. HIS BOSS WAS THERE. JASON WYNN. BACK THEN, WYNN WAS THE ONLY MAN AL LOOKED UP TO.

Panel 3
Mid-shot of Wanda and Terry. Terry turns away, not wanting to hear this much intimate detail.

Wanda: WE WERE BOTH DRINKING. WHEN WE GOT HOME I WAS FEELING HORNY. HE WAS FALLING ASLEEP SO I SAID--

Terry: I DON’T WANT TO HEAR-

Panel 4
Wanda flares up, angry as she whirls round on Terry, pointing a finger at him.

Wanda: -NO YOU LISTEN TO ME TERRY. YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ME AND AL, SO YOU’RE GOING TO LISTEN…

Panel 5
Close-up of Wanda.

Wanda: I SAID, YOU’VE GOT SUCH A HARD-ON FOR YOUR BOSS, LET’S GIVE HIM A CALL, INVITE HIM OVER FOR A THREESOME. MAYBE THAT’LL PUT SOME WOOD IN YOUR PECKER.

(linked balloon): IT WAS A JOKE. OBVIOUSLY. BUT HE JUST…

Panel 6
Flashback. Al and Wanda in the bedroom. Wanda in sexy underwear. Al wearing jockey shorts. He is standing beside the bed, fist clenched. Wanda is lying on the bed. He has just punched her and she has her hand to her cheek where the blow landed. She is looking up at him with shocked pain.

We’re seeing Al from behind, maybe just his back and the clenched fist.

Caption (Wanda): “WHAM… OUT OF NOWHERE. HE WAS A PRO ALL RIGHT. EVEN DRUNK HE MOVED SO FAST I NEVER SAW IT COMING.”



Page 8

Panel 1
Back to the present. Wanda is looking down at the bed. The bed is in the foreground covered in the scattered photos and letters.

In the extreme foreground a picture of Al and Wanda at a restaurant, sitting at a candlelit table, holding hands. They look totally in love.

Wanda: I ALWAYS SAID, IF A MAN EVER HIT ME, I’D WALK. I COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND THOSE WOMEN, THE BATTERED WIVES.

(linked balloon): HOW STUPID, HOW WEAK, TO STAY WITH A MAN WHO BEATS THEM.

(linked balloon): BUT I NEVER THOUGHT OF MYSELF LIKE THAT. I WASN’T A BATTERED WIFE. I TOLD MYSELF IT WASN’T THAT OFTEN. A SLAP, A PUNCH, A TWISTED ARM. I COULD LIVE WITH IT…

Panel 2
Close-up of the ghostly Al. He looks like he is in shock, staring unseeing towards us, as if the memories are coming back.

[LETTERS: WHEN AL, IN GHOST FORM, IS SPEAKING HE SHOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF EFFECT THAT SUGGESTS THAT HIS VOICE IS NOT BEING HEARD – A ‘GHOST VOICE’ EFFECT]

Al (ghost letters): NO. I NEVER…

Panel 3
Flashback. The aftermath of the previous scene. Wanda is sitting on the edge of the bed. Al is kneeling on the floor with his head in her lap, his hands are clutching the covers of the bed and he is obviously in torment over what he has done. Wanda is stroking his hair.

Caption (Wanda): “HE WAS ALWAYS SO SWEET AFTER. HE’D CRY LIKE A LITTLE KID. HE WAS ALWAYS SO SORRY”

Panel 4
Big panel. A collage of images. This is one of those images where you need to place the balloons on the layout to check the story flow. What we need is an image of Al giving Wanda a bunch of red roses.

Caption (Wanda): “HE COULD BE SUCH A ROMANTIC. I’VE HAD MORE RED ROSES…”

Then a shot of the puppy. This was seen in issue 43, page 11. The puppy (Shanna) has a red ribbon and there is a card saying ‘Happy Birthday’.

Caption (Wanda): “ONE TIME HE FORGOT MY BIRTHDAY AND HE MADE UP FOR IT BY GIVING ME SHANNA. SEE, HE KNEW EXACTLY. SOME GUYS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN JEWELLERY, A WEEKEND IN PARIS. BUT AL KNEW JUST EXACTLY…”

Here the image dissolves into the killer agent version of Spawn, maybe an effect of blood dripping. The whole lower part of the panel could melt away into dripping blood. The image in this lower part should be reminiscent of issue 128 page 2 – Al with bandana, against a jungle background, a murderous knife in one hand, big gun in the other. His face looks almost demonic – this is Al Simmons the killing machine. Use a skull symbolically in the image too. There should be a total contrast between the hearts and flowers of the top half and the death and blood below.

Caption (Wanda): “I’M NOT STUPID. I KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING WHEN HE DISAPPEARED FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. BUT I THOUGHT I COULD TAKE THE STONE-COLD KILLER AND MELT HIS HEART.”

Caption (Wanda): “HE DID LOVE ME. I DON’T DOUBT THAT. BUT I WANTED CHILDREN AND IF HE HAD TO MAKE THE CHOICE BETWEEN A STROLL IN THE PARK WITH HIS WIFE AND KIDS OR A TREK THROUGH SNAKE-INFESTED JUNGLE TO PUT A BULLET IN A TOTAL STRANGER… HEY, NO CONTEST.”

Page 9

Panel 1
Back to the present. Two-shot of Wanda and Terry. Terry is still finding this hard to believe. In spite of everything he finds himself defending his old friend.

Terry: BUT HE WANTED A FAMILY. HE TOLD ME---

Wanda (off): SURE HE DID. BUT IT WAS ALWAYS LATER. NEXT YEAR, THEN THE NEXT AND THE NEXT---

Panel 2
Flashback image of Al in assassin mode standing over a dead body. This is a ground-level POV with the victim’s wide-eyed dead face twisted round towards us. Al is looking down at him with cold eyes, his hands at his sides – fingers curled.

Caption (Wanda): “HE KNEW THE DAY HE HAD A KID HE’D HAVE TO TAKE A DESK JOB. HE KNEW I WOULDN’T LET HIM CHANGE A DIAPER WITH THE SAME HANDS THAT HAD BEEN AROUND SOMEONE’S THROAT.”

Panel 3
Back to the present. Ghostly Al is hanging in the air above Wanda and Terry, yelling a last protest. Screaming soundlessly, desperately hanging onto the lies and illusions.

Wanda: HE WAS NEVER GOING TO MAKE THAT CHOICE SO I MADE IT FOR HIM.

(linked balloon): I STOPPED TAKING THE PILL. AND I GOT PREGNANT.

Terry: PREGNANT? YOU WERE PREGNANT?

Al (ghost letters): NO IT’S A LIE. WE COULDN’T HAVE KIDS. WE TRIED.

(linked balloon): THIS IS ALL LIES!!

Panel 4
Head-and-shoulders shot of Wanda, a haunted look in her eyes. This is the thing she has never told anyone about. The real horror in her life.

Wanda: I WAS SCARED WHEN I TOLD HIM, I KNEW I WAS PUTTING OUR RELATIONSHIP ON THE LINE. BUT I THOUGHT--- I BELIEVED THAT A CHILD WOULD CHANGE EVERYTHING…

(linked balloon): HE LOOKED AT ME FOR THE LONGEST TIME. HE WASN’T ANGRY. HE JUST SAID--- VERY QUIETLY--- HE SAID

(linked balloon): “I LOVE YOU WANDA…”

Page 10

Panel 1
Flashback to the scene Wanda is describing. He has taken her head gently between her two hands and is looking down at her with tenderness. She looks back into his eyes, sure that everything is going to be okay now.

Al: I LOVE YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING. I WANT TO HAVE A KID WITH YOU. I’LL QUIT. I’LL GET THAT DESK JOB AND WE’LL PLAY HAPPY FAMILIES. BUT NOT YET.

Panel 2
Looking down over Al’s shoulder to Wanda. She frowns now. The atmosphere has changed subtly. His hands are still cupping her face.

Al: DON’T YOU EVER TRY TO DECIDE SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITHOUT ME---

Wanda: BUT IT’S HAPPENED AL. WE CAN’T CHANGE THAT. OUR CHILD IS INSIDE ME.

Panel 3
Bigger panel. On the left Al’s face in extreme close-up, his face haunted. His face fades to an image of the Twin Towers on fire, black palls of smoke hanging over New York. As if he knew this was coming.

Al: YOU DON’T KNOW, WANDA, WHAT’S GOING ON. YOU DON’T KNOW THE EVIL. THERE’S A TIDAL WAVE BUILDING OUT THERE. PEOPLE WHO ENVY US, HATE US.

(linked balloon): THEY WILL BRING DOWN MAYHEM AND SLAUGHTER LIKE YOU CAN’T IMAGINE.

Panel 4
Zoom to extreme close-up of one eye – in the iris is a skull.

Al: THEY WANT TO THROW ACID IN THE FACE OF EVERY AMERICAN CHILD AND WATCH THE FLESH SLIDE OFF THE BONES…

Panel 5
Wanda has pulled away from Al. He is looking at his hands – the killer’s hands.

Wanda: AL, STOP THIS.

Al: I’M THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE. THERE’S A WAR GOING ON AND YOU PEOPLE DON’T EVEN KNOW…

Panel 6
Overhead shot of Wanda and Al.

Wanda: “YOU PEOPLE?!” LISTEN TO YOURSELF! YOU HAVE TO STOP. LET SOMEONE ELSE DEAL WITH IT.

Page 11

Okay, now we’re building up to the moment that made Al into Spawn. We know that he is a seriously psychotic personality, capable of committing cold-blooded murder and we have just occasionally caught glimpses of his less than perfect relationship with Wanda (He was seen hitting her in a flashback in issue 124 Page 8), but now we are going to see just how bad he was. As he talks about himself I want to see this insanity, not in contorted features and wide staring eyes but in his total lack of emotion. He can do these things because he is able to step outside of his humanity. He is amoral in the way that Gods are amoral. He sees himself above human law and codes of behavior.

Panel 1
Headshot of Al, cold and emotionless.

Al: THERE IS NO ONE ELSE.

(linked balloon): THERE ARE GUYS, AGENTS, KILLERS, BUT NO ONE LIKE ME. THEY CAN’T DO WHAT I DO. YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO FEEL

Panel 2
Two-shot of Al and Wanda. He looks at her with a trace of sadness. Wanda looks at him, wondering what this man she loves is really like under the surface. She is fascinated and horrified by him.

Al: YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO LOVE SOMEONE LIKE I LOVE YOU WANDA AND THEN YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO---

Panel 3
Al lifts his hand and snaps his fingers.

Al: ---FLIP A SWITCH IN YOUR HEAD.

SFX: KLIK

Panel 4
Profile of Al and Wanda looking into one another’s eyes. For a moment it looks like he is going to kiss her.

Al: I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

Panel 5
Phil, here I want to have a fairly long monologue from Wanda and I don’t want to cut it. What I’d like to do is run it as two blocks of type, one on either side of an image of Al’s cold, dead eyes. So a wide panel with extreme close up of Al’s eyes, fading to black on either side, with the captions hanging in the black.

Caption (Wanda): “THEN I SAW IT. THE LOOK THAT HIS VICTIMS MUST SEE IN THE SECOND BEFORE THEY DIE. IT’S NOT HATE. IT’S SOMEWHERE BEYOND LOVE AND HATE. IT’S THE LOOK OF A MAN WHO HAS FELT SOMETHING NO ONE ELSE CAN FEEL.”

Caption (Wanda): “HE WANTED ME TO UNDERSTAND THAT HE WAS THE KIND OF MAN WE NEED TO SAVE US. ANYONE CAN KILL, BUT IT TAKES SOMEONE SPECIAL TO BE ABLE TO KILL THE THING HE LOVES.”

Caption (Wanda): “HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. HE KNEW EXACTLY…”

[David Hine]

Script for 164 (Part 3)

Pages 12-13

These two pages (12 and 13) are probably the most important images of the entire Armageddon saga.

Al punches Wanda in the stomach, killing the baby. It’s a cold, brutal act on Al’s part, killing the thing that he wants more than anything – a child with Wanda. Why does he do it? It’s impossible to know exactly what is going through his head at this moment. That’s why Al Simmons is Spawn. You or I could never do this and it would be impossible to completely explain it. We have to be shocked by this image. The powerful fist striking the fragile core of Wanda’s physical existence. There is nothing more sacred than the womb of a pregnant woman.

Wanda’s face should express a terrible shock – she isn’t feeling the physical pain yet but she knows in this instant that she has lost her child.

Phil, could you do a couple of alternative rough sketches of this one for me to discuss with you. I think it’s worth having a couple of different images to choose from.

The entire sptead should appear to be ****tered glass so the black background fragments at the edges – black shards on white.

A single red rose falls through black space – leaving petals falling in its wake.

Looking down at Wanda falling away as if in slow motion, reaching out. This is how Al would have seen Wanda as she fell when he punched her, falling to the floor but also falling away from him into eternal darkness.

An overhead shot of Al standing over Wanda who is curled up on the ground at his feet. Solid black background (no borders, just set against the black page-background). The figures can be quite small. The black background is ****tering.

[LETTERS: CAPTION 1 SHOULD GO AT TOP LEFT OF PAGE TWELVE. CAPTION 2 AT BOTTOM RIGHT OF PAGE 13]

Caption (Wanda): I LOST THE BABY.

Caption (Wanda): AL KILLED OUR CHILD.




Page 14

Panel 1
Now. Back to reality. Wanda has her face in her hands, crying uncontrollably. Terry, still in shock from what she has told him, puts his hand gently on her shoulder.

Wanda: I LOST HIM, TERRY.

(linked balloon): I LOST HIM LONG BEFORE HE DIED.

Panel 2
Wanda raises her, tear-streaked face to look at Terry.

Wanda: I WAS WAITING FOR HIM TO COME BACK FROM THAT LAST MISSION TO TELL HIM I WAS LEAVING HIM.

(linked balloon): AND HE NEVER CAME BACK.

Panel 3
Overhead shot. Terry takes Wanda in his arms. In the foreground, ghostly Al in the air above them throws his head back as he screams in anguish.

Wanda: I’M SO SORRY. I SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU.

(linked balloon): YOU’RE MY MAN, TERRY. THERE’S NO ONE BUT YOU

Al (ghost voice): NO!

Panel 4
Wanda and Terry in the foreground in each other’s arms, In the background Al is being pulled back to his physical form, passing through the wall, reaching out despairingly towards Wanda.

Wanda: DON’T YOU EVER DO WHAT AL DID. DON’T YOU EVER LEAVE ME…

Al (ghost voice): NO-O-O-O!!!

Panel 5
Exterior. Al’s physical form is still standing where it was at the beginning of the scene. MoM stands beside him as Al’s ghostly form leaves the house.

[NO COPY]

Panel 6
The ‘ghost’ Al re-enters his physical body.


[NO COPY]
Page 15

Panel 1
Al, re-united with his physical body is in shock. MoM is behind him.

MoM: NOW DO YOU SEE WHY YOU COULD NEVER GO BACK TO HER?

Al: YOU KNEW.

(linked balloon): YOU KNEW THIS.

Panel 2
Al seems on the point of collapse. He looks at his right hand, the fingers are curled.

MoM: YOU KNEW TOO, AL. YOU HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN.

(linked balloon): EVERY TIME YOU TRIED TO GO BACK TO HER AS AL SIMMONS, YOUR BODY REBELLED.

(linked balloon): WHY DO YOU THINK THAT WAS?

Panel 3
Looking up at Al, past the hand, towards his shell-shocked face as he stares with loathing at the hand.

Al: I KILLED MY OWN CHILD.

(linked balloon): WITH THIS HAND…

Panel 4
Close-up of the hand. It is twisting, distorting, the flesh rotting and dropping away. Worms are wriggling out through the blackened flesh.

[NO COPY]

Panel 5
Pull back to mid-shot. Al’s face is starting to rot in front of our eyes. His costume is begin to take shape, growing over him. Mom in the background.

MoM: IT WAS YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS.

(linked balloon): YOU COULD NEVER LET HER SEE YOU AS AL SIMMONS. ONLY AS THE EVIL THING YOU BELIEVED YOU HAD BECOME.


Page 16

Panel 1
Al is on his knees, head thrown back in agony. The transformation is continuing. His body is reverting to the classic rotted Spawn look, the costume writhing around his limbs. MoM looks on.

(Phil, this is the Spawn look for the foreseeable future. I think we’re agreed it should be the most extreme rotted flesh and most animated tattered cloak. No chains for now. They will appear later when he is back in the alleys)

MoM: THIS IS YOUR PUNISHMENT.

(linked balloon): BUT NO ONE DID THIS TO YOU AL. YOU DID THIS TO YOURSELF.

Panel 2
A flashback to Cyan with Spawn when he visited her, to test her, in issue 159, pages 15. Re-draw the shot where Cyan takes Spawn’s hand.

Cyan: YOU’RE NOT A MONSTER.

(linked balloon): YOU’RE AL SIMMONS.

Panel 3
Spawn still on his knees, the transformation complete. MoM puts his/her hand on his shoulder.

MoM: YOU BLAMED MALEBOLGIA FOR MAKING YOU A HELLSPAWN, BUT IT WAS YOUR CHOICE.

(linked balloon): YOU CREATED YOUR OWN HELL. YOU WELCOMED WHAT MALEBOLGIA OFFERED YOU BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO SUFFER.

Panel 4
Close-up of Al’s face.

Al: I AM A MONSTER. AL SIMMONS WAS ALWAYS A MONSTER
Page 17


Panel 1
Spawn looks up at MoM, pleading.

Al: IF I CAN’T GO BACK, THEN END IT. LET ME DIE.

Mom: YOU CAN’T DIE. THIS IS YOUR PENANCE. YOU CAN’T DIE UNTIL YOU HAVE REDEEMED YOURSELF.

Panel 2
Looking down past Mom at Al. S/he is reaching out a hand to him.

Mom: COME, LET ME TAKE YOU HOME.

Al: WHERE-?

Panel 3
Reverse point of view, looking up past Spawn at MoM.

MoM: YOU KNOW WHERE YOU BELONG.

Panel 4
Pull back for a long shot. A glow surrounds MoM and Spawn. Spawn screams.

Spawn: NOOOOOOO!!

Panel 5
Cut to interior. Wanda and Terry look around as they hear the scream.

Terry: WHAT IN HELL-?


Panel 6
Exterior. Terry and Wanda have come to the back door. They look out at the empty yard. There is a residual glow in the air where Spawn and MoM were standing.

[NO COPY]

[David Hine]

And Spawn 164 (Part 4)

Page 18

Panel 1
Night. The alleys. This is Al’s destiny, to always return here. This is a low viewpoint, looking along the rubbish-strewn alley towards the street. Spawn is at the far end of the alley, silhouetted against the neon lights of the street behind him. He looks like he can barely stand, half slumped, leaning against the wall with one arm for support.

(MoM is gone)

The axis of the image is tilted to emphasize his feeling that the world is slipping away from him. A long shadow cast ahead of him. His tattered cape slithers around like leathery flesh. It recognises its home…

Caption: THE ALLEYS ARE DESERTED.

Caption: EVEN THE HOMELESS HAVE BETTER PLACES TO BE.

Panel 2
Zoom to mid-shot of Spawn, looking exhausted, hopeless, one arm against the brick wall for support.

Caption: THEY DON’T NEED HIM ANY MORE.

Panel 3
Zoom again on his rotted face. He looks around him hopelessly. This is his moment of absolute despair. However low he sank he has always had a purpose. Now he has none.

Caption: THERE IS NO MORE GOD, NO SATAN, NO MORE DEMONS OR MONSTERS, OR FALLEN ANGELS TO PROTECT THEM FROM.

Panel 4
Big panel. Spawn is pushing open a big metal warehouse door. This is deep in the alleyways, a disused warehouse opening off the alley. There is a “KEEP OUT” sign on the door and a rusted cracked metal plate set in the wall beside the door with the name CHIKATILO IMPORTS.

We are seeing Spawn from behind as he opens the door to reveal a warehouse interior, with packing cases, pieces of broken machinery, exposed metal girders. There are windows set high up in the wall through which shafts of moonlight fall in pools, picking out hooks, chains, a heap of tyres, patches of oil. The main focal point though is the remains of Spawn’s throne. Someone, perhaps the homeless who used to live here, has dragged it in here. It looks as though it has been waiting for him to reclaim it. The atmosphere of the place is dark, sinister and uninviting. Utterly devoid of warmth or comfort. No sane person would choose this as a refuge.

Caption: NO ONE NEEDS HIM.

Page 19

Full-page splash panel
Spawn on his throne. He is sitting there in a pose reminiscent of those Frazetta portraits of the brooding Conan on his throne. His head low, rotted hands, gripping the arms of the makeshift chair. His costume has spread out like leathery flesh, it crawls across the floor like liquid shadows, ragged tatters lifting into the air around him.

The chains are back too. They have spread out and bonded with the structure of the warehouse, burying themselves in the cement floor, and rising up to the rafters. Dozens of chains are hanging down from the ceiling, may with wicked-looking hooks.

This looks partway between a dis-used factory and a mediaeval torture chamber. Several enormous rats are gathered at Spawn’s feet, glaring towards us with their red eyes.

This is how we leave Spawn for now… king of his own personal hell.

Caption: HE IS AL SIMMONS…

Caption: …THE MAN WHO SAVED THE WORLD, BUT COULD NOT SAVE HIMSELF…


THE END


These last three pages form an epilogue, a taste of the horror to come. As cracks split the sidewalk we realise that Spawn’s reconstructed world is far more fragile than he thinks. All the evil he believes he has shut our of the world is just waiting to seep back in through those cracks…

Page 20

This page is a nine-panel grid, a cinematic sequence of images.

Panel 1
Ground-level shot of the sidewalk in front of the entrance to an apartment building. The angle allows us to see into the alleyway at the side of the building. There are a few bits and pieces of garbage – sheets from a newspaper, discarded fast food tray etc. Nothing remarkable.

[LETTERS: THERE’S A TV BROADCAST RUNNING THROUGH THESE THREE PAGES. GIVE THE BALLOONS A DISTINCTIVE EFFECT]

Caption: EPILOGUE.

Caption (locator): NEW VISTA APARTMENTS, THE BRONX.

Caption (TV): GOOD EVENING AMERICA.

Panel 2
Zoom to close-up of a section of the sidewalk and the wall of the alley. A large crack has suddenly opened in the sidewalk, a crooked split in the concrete heading towards the wall.

Caption (TV): I’M KELLY WELLES, BRINGING YOU THE LATEST LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY.

SFX: KRAK

Panel 3
Zoom to the point where the sidewalk meets the wall. The crack has continued to the wall and begun to move up it.

Caption (TV): IT’S NOW A FULL DAY SINCE THE SO-CALLED WHITE LIGHT PHENOMENON OCCURRED.

Panel 4
Looking up the wall towards a second floor window. Extreme perspective. The crack is progressing up the wall like a crooked black finger heading towards the window. A couple of small cracks are forking off from the main faultline.

Caption (TV): THERE HAS SO FAR BEEN NO OFFICIAL EXPLANATION FOR THE BIZARRE EVENTS OF THE PAST FEW WEEKS.

Panel 5
Our viewpoint is now looking directly towards the window. This shot takes in the lower left corner of the window. The crack has reaches the sill of the window.

Caption (TV): MEANWHILE SPECULATION IS RUNNING RIOT. MASS HALLUCINATION---

Panel 6
The crack has progressed across the sill and onto the glass itself. The window looks into the bathroom of an apartment.

Caption (TV): ---A FINAL WARNING FROM THE GOOD LORD TO MEND OUR WICKED WAYS---

SFX: KA-CHINK

Panel 7
Cut to interior of the bathroom. Ruben looks towards the window. The entire window is covered with a network of cracks. Ruben is a junior office worker in his early twenties. Short black hair. He has just arrived home from a day at the office and is about to freshen up. He has taken off his jacket and shirt, and is wearing a short-sleeved white T-shirt.

Caption (TV): ---OR ARE YOU FAST ASLEEP AND DREAMING THE WHOLE CRAZY SCENARIO---

Ruben: DAMN!

(linked balloon): THIS PLACE---

Panel 8
Ruben frowns as he see the interior of the cabinet.

Caption (TV): WHATEVER THE CASE, TODAY’S MAIN STORY SEEMS TO BE ‘NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS.’

Ruben: AH ****! WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT?!

Panel 9
Zoom to close-up of the glass shelf. The toothpaste oozing from the tube, the tumbler, the cap from the toothpaste.The tube has clearly been squeezed from the top and the cap has been left off so toothpaste is oozing out onto the shelf. The cap is lying beside the tube.

Ruben: LENNY YOU ARE ONE MANKY LITTLE TURD.

Caption (TV): NO BOMBS, NO MURDERS, NO RAPES---

Page 21

Panel 1
Mid-shot of Ruben looking angry. He has picked up the toothpaste tube and is scowling at it.

Ruben: THAT ***** IS DRIVING ME CRAZY WITH THE RINGS AROUND THE TUB AND THE PUBES ON THE SOAP.

Caption (TV): ---NO QUAKES, NO TORNADOES---

Panel 2
The adjoining lounge. On the left the TV is on. (This is where the TV commentary is coming from). Ruben is walking into the room. There is no natural light in here. The blinds are drawn. Phil, keep this room very shadowy apart from the area lit by the TV. Ruben is barely more than a silhouette.

Ruben’s fellow tenant, Lenny, is out of work and lays around the place all day, watching TV and getting stoned, although right now he is asleep in his room, so we don’t see him. Opposite the TV is a Lazy-Boy lounger and beside it a low table with a bag of chips open on it. Magazines and beer cans are laying around on the floor.

There is a dresser against one wall. On the dresser are two cast iron statuettes – one of Stan Laurel. One of Oliver Hardy. The statuettes are about twelve inches high.

Phil, you should have reference from me. If not – as usual, contact me and I’ll get it to you. What you should have is four photographs. The Hardy statue can be like the photograph I’ve supplied. The Stan Laurel one needs modifying because the face isn’t that great. I’ve supplied a separate photograph of Stan Laurel’s face. The image Stanstatue2.jpg is where I’ve pasted the photo on, so if you could use that as a model it would be cool. The idea is that Stan Laurel is a representation of warmth, humor and innocence. It’s a familiar image that we all remember from childhood and there’s a horrifying sense of desecration for it to be used as a murder weapon.

Next to the dresser is the closed door to Lenny’s bedroom.

Ruben: I WORK MY BUTT OFF ALL DAY AND COME HOME TO THIS.

TV: ---NO ZOMBIES, WOLFMEN OR INVADERS FROM MARS. STATUS SEEMS TO BE MORE-OR-LESS BACK TO QUO---

Panel 3
Close-up of Ruben’s hand picking up the Stan Laurel statuette.

TV (off): ---ONLY WITHOUT THE BAD STUFF---

Panel 4
Ruben has opened the door to Lenny’s room, standing in the doorway. He is silhouetted against the lighter interior. In his right hand, at his side, is the statuette.

Ruben: LOOK AT YOU MAN, YOU TOTALLY WASTED.

(linked balloon): WHAT YOU BEEN SMOKING DUDE?

TV: ---IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE IS TAKING TIME OUT TO BE NICE TO EACH OTHER---

Panel 5
Same POV. Ruben is inside the room now and the door has swung half shut. We can just see Ruben standing inside the room, looking down at the bed, which is out of shot.

Ruben: CAN’T PAY THE RENT, BUT YOU GOT THE CASH FLOW TO SCORE WEAPONS GRADE WEED.

(linked balloon): HEY LENNY. YOU LISTENING TO ME?

Panel 6
Same POV. The door is now almost all the way shut. Just open a crack. We don’t see Ruben any more.

[LETTERS: TOM, LOTS OF SMALL BALLOONS WITH THE SOUND EFFECTS IN BETWEEN]

Ruben: WAKE THE *$*@! UP.

SFX: WAP

(linked balloon): HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE TO TELL YOU?

SFX: THUNK

(linked balloon): DON’T SQUEEZE THE TUBE FROM THE TOP.

SFX: THUK

(linked balloon): PUT THE FRIGGING CAP ON.

SFX: WUK

(linked balloon): AND DON’T BE USING MY TOOTHPASTE IN THE FIRST PLACE!

Panel 7
The door is wide open again. Ruben is coming out, carrying the statuette. When we see it closer we’ll see it’s covered in blood. Right now this is essentially a silhouette so we don’t yet see that Ruben is also spattered with blood.

TV: EVEN THE FOLKS ON CAPITOL HILL CAN’T FIND A BAD WORD TO SAY.

Ruben: *******.

Panel 8
Pull back a little as Ruben walks to the Lazy-Boy lounger and puts the statuette down beside the pack of chips on the table.

TV: IF THIS KEEPS UP, I COULD BE OUT OF A JOB.

Panel 9
Profile of Ruben sitting in the lounger, watching TV. He has picked up the pack of chips.

TV: SO I GUESS TONIGHT’S HEADLINE NEWS HAS TO BE THIS---
Page 22

Panel 1
Big panel to bleed. Looking towards Ruben from the front. He is seated, casually putting chips into his mouth – the pack in his other hand, as he watches the TV, acting like nothing has happened. He is lit from the TV and now we see the ghastly details of the blood spatters all over the white T-shirt. His right hand, which wielded the statuette, is covered with blood up to the elbow. The chip packet is smeared with blood and there is blood on the fingers of his left hand, which has also transferred to the chips he is eating. The chips are daubed with red, like ketchup.

The really horrific detail though is the Stan Laurel statuette in the extreme foreground. It is splattered with blood, red streaks running down the face, making Stan’s dopey grin look bizarrely out of place. The bowler hat is the part of the statuette that crushed Lenny’s skull. There is a matted clot of blood and hair stuck to it.

TV (off): MY FRIENDS---

(linked balloon) ---IT’S BEEN A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

Ruben: AMEN, DUDE.

(linked balloon): AMEN.

[Dan Kane]

I'll probably be posting a little less now. I'm writing way ahead on Spawn and have a kazillion other projects bubbling under. My family likes to see me occasionally too...



:( :( I've been missing you, greatly, Hine. But it's ight, you are in fact a busy man. And WOOHOO!! FINALLY! I've been waiting for the blasted scripts!:mad: You and your damn excused!!;) God bless and speed.

[b2dlo4]

OH HELL YEAH!!! Phillip Tan's going to be at Wizard World LA!!


http://www.wizarduniverse.com/conventions/la/guests.cfm

[PhilipTan]

Philip, that panel with Al punching Wanda in her stomach and the broken glass is one of the strongest pictures I've ever seen in a comic book before. It sickens me to watch it, wich is the point. Your not supposed to like that kind of behaviour. Your art truly reflect the emotion of something clean and beautiful that chatters and starts the decaying process of Als soul and body. You sure have talent in your work. Keep on putting in the depth of emtion into your solid work Tan!

Thanks man! : )

Now please order Godslayer issue#1 and tell your friends about it! : p

P

[PhilipTan]

Thank YOU Dave! Pleasure is all mine! Been a great ride and I learned and evolved so much these past 18 months! Hope we do work together soon : ) Ill always be around here though ! lol So you better be too! : p

[PhilipTan]

OH HELL YEAH!!! Phillip Tan's going to be at Wizard World LA!!


http://www.wizarduniverse.com/conventions/la/guests.cfm

I AM!?!? : ) Hehe Yeah I will be .. hope to see you guys there!

[PhilipTan]

the last few pages o fmy Spawn run T___T sigh I will miss it very much -___-

anyway, EVERYONE GO ORDER GODSLAYER!!!!! : ) Hehe....

here are the pages for issue 164 pencils

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164018ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164019ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164020ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164021ss.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164022ss.jpg

and the sketch...

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/philipsketch022s.jpg

thanks everyone!
p

[carlitos]

Just.beutiful.my.man!!!

[BENSIN]

y'know what, if they kept your pencils untouched and just put the book out like that, with no inking and and mild color, I'd actually be on the book again. your skills are great man.

[HERNAN OCTAVIO RGUEZ HDEZ]

HI GUYS!

[HERNAN OCTAVIO RGUEZ HDEZ]

HOLA COMO ESTAN?
SOY DE MEX.Y ME GUSTARIA CONTACTAR A ALGIEN DE USA QUE HABLE ESPAÑOL Y DE FAVOR LES PIDO ME PASEN EL CORREO DE GREG CAPULLO SOY FAN DE EL Y ME GUSTARIA SALUDARLE.

[Bender]

hola Hernan, beinvenido a los foros de Spawn. No se si alguien te podria proporcionar el email de Greg, pero dejare un mensaje para que alguien del staff lo haga por ti, de que parte de Mexico eres?

he would like to contact someone that speaks spanish, since hes a fan of Capullo, and would like to get his email address to write him. told him that I dont know if its possible that someone could give him the email of Greg, but that would leave a message stating that he wanted to contact hiom from Mexico.

[AI_O'Malley]

Please fire Dani Miki.

what the hell does that hack keep doing to Tan's artwork? Seriously, there are people who shouldn't be in comics like Rob Liefeld. Miki is obviously one of them. His work is a disaster. Please place an inker on Godslayer who can respect Tan's artwork, or switch to just contrasting the pencils to create the ink tone. Stop ruining Tan's art.

[Vaan]

Wow Your works always looks amazing.

[greayagh]

HOLA COMO ESTAN?
SOY DE MEX.Y ME GUSTARIA CONTACTAR A ALGIEN DE USA QUE HABLE ESPAÑOL Y DE FAVOR LES PIDO ME PASEN EL CORREO DE GREG CAPULLO SOY FAN DE EL Y ME GUSTARIA SALUDARLE.

hola y bienvenido hernan, te puedes contactar con cualquiera de los miembros de aqui enviando tus mensajes a la seccion Private Messages que esta en en rincon derecho de la pantalla (arriba) un abrazo y mantente en contacto, chau:spawnorb: :cool: :D

[Septik]

Ni kan ju inte hålla på att skriva på språk man inte förstår. Lägg av med det! Jag fattar inget av spanska=)

[Phil Tan Fan]

I'm ordering 3 copies of Godslayer :P I haven't ordered comic online since like 5 years back.
Along with comics Nova 1 and 2 by Sean Chen Punisher Max Ennis, Friendly Neighborhood spiderman Peter David and X-Factor.

[greayagh]

Ni kan ju inte hålla på att skriva på språk man inte förstår. Lägg av med det! Jag fattar inget av spanska=)
he he he ...what a funny guy we have here:spawnorb:

[Askren]

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/butonesx/spawn164019ss.jpg


I don't think there are words to describe how incredible this picture is...

Can I get an 'amen'?

[avcprime]

I don't think there are words to describe how incredible this picture is...

Can I get an 'amen'?

can we get a figure?

[Phil Tan Fan]

Inking is part of the problem Danny Miki used to work under Liefeld :P You should be able to see the linework and with the coloring on Spawn which you don't because it's too dark all of P. Tan's artwork is muddy or a wasted effort.


I do like OLD Liefeld but not his stuff from the past 12 years or so.

[Slowmar]

bellisimo!