——
PAGE 1
——
PANEL 1
Exterior: Female silhouette about the same height as Batgirl (5’5″, for those who missed orientation), wearing her cape and mask, standing over two neighboring gravestones, overgrown with vines. The moon is above (it’s at night, unless the moon started shining during the daytime), filtered through both approaching clouds and trees. The tree branches and Batgirl’s cape are being blown by a stiff wind caused by an approaching storm.
PANEL 2
Exterior: Flash of lightning tearing across the sky. Rain starting to fall in the foreground.
PANEL 3
Exterior: Closer shot behind Batgirl, her head is hung, and you can see two vine-covered gravestones in front of her. The writing on them is obscured by the pouring rain, large drops are bouncing off her leather cape.
THOUGHT CAPTION 1 (Batgirl): “I AM ALONE.”
PANEL 4
Exterior: Shot from behind the gravestones. You can see them at the bottom part of the panel, Batgirl is standing above them. A “phantom” image of fire surrounds the stones and Batgirl both, as it’s something out of her imagination.
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Batgirl): “I AM AN ORPHAN NOW, IN THE TRUEST SENSE. I THOUGHT I WAS GAINING SOME CONTROL OVER MY LIFE. BUT I WAS WRONG. NOW, THEIR GRAVES STAND FOREVER, A TESTEMENT TO MY OWN ARROGANCE AND STUPIDITY.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Batgirl): “LONG AFTER I’M GONE…THEY’LL STILL BE HERE. MOCKING MY FUTURE. TARNISHING ANY GOOD I MIGHT DO DURING MY LIFE. MY PAST IS FILLED WITH REGRET–”
PANEL 5
Exterior: Close up facing Batgirl, with the vine covered gravestones fading into the shadows in the background. Large raindrops still pound her, lightning tears through the sky.
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Batgirl): “–AND FOR THE SAKE OF MY FUTURE…I MUST NEVER RETURN HERE AGAIN.”
——
PAGE 2
——
PANEL 1
Exterior: Full-page spread, with titles and credits. Side shot of Batgirl standing outside the cemetery, looking up to the top of a tall, gothic-style building across the street. The familiar darkened form of Batman is looking over Batgirl from atop that building. Rain is still pounding, etc, etc.
ISSUE SUB-TITLE: “A Happy Medium”
THOUGHT CAPTION 1 (Batgirl): “I SEE HIM UP THERE, AND HE KNOWS IT. HE SEEMS TO BE EVERYWHERE I GO.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Batgirl): “HE SEES SOMETHING OF HIMSELF IN ME…AND IT’S THE ONE THING IN ME THAT HE DOES NOT TRUST.”
——
PAGE 3
——
PANEL 1
Exterior: Night. Elsewhere in Gotham, in a working class but nice neighborhood. Individual houses (which you can see in the background), some townhouses, a few small apartment buildings. Focus is on the corner of an intersection (around 2 neighboring apartment buildings, each 4 floors tall), a older model blue Buick is parked next to the corner, and a nineteen-year old man is standing to the rear of the Buick, illuminated red by it’s left-on lights. The nineteen year old is wearing an oversized jacket with a logo, and is leaning toward an older man threateningly, he’s holding his hands in a “rap-style” arc toward the older man. The older man (about 45 or so) looks angry, but he’s leaning back in response – he feels a little threatened.
19-YEAR OLD 1: “YO! WHY DON’T YOU MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!”
PANEL 2
Exterior: Same scene as last panel, but angle has changed to a shot from behind the 19-year old, toward the older man who is now red-faced and angry. He’s yelling at the 19-year old, but the kid doesn’t seem to care.
OLDER MAN 2: “I HAVE KIDS, YOU LITTLE JERK!”
OLDER MAN 3: “YOU CAN’T STAND HERE ON MY CORNER AND SELL YOUR…YOUR–”
19-YEAR OLD 4: “IT’S A FREE COUNTRY, MAN.”
PANEL 3
Exterior: Same scene, switch the focus to the younger man’s face. He has a smug smile on his face, and he’s now standing closer to the older man (you can see the older man’s head in the foreground). An “over the shoulder” view.
19-YEAR OLD 5: “I CAN SELL WHATEVER I WANT, WHEREVER I WANT. WHATCHA GONNA DO?”
PANEL 4
Exterior: A half-panel will do just fine here, same for the next one. Actions speak louder then words. Close up of the older man’s hands snatching a bag of white powder from the younger man.
PANEL 5
Exterior: Half-panel works great. Close up of a sewer grating, the white bag dropping through to the sewers below the street.
PANEL 6
Exterior: Shouldn’t have done that, buddy. Close-up shot of the older man partially bent over from tossing the bag into the sewer, his face a mask of fear. He now has the ice cold muzzle of a black nine-millimeter Baretta (a gun, in case you didn’t know) pressed against his forehead.
THOUGHT CAPTION 6 (Batgirl, off-panel): “WE ALL DO THINGS IN OUR LIVES WE REGRET. IT’S ALWAYS THE SMALL THINGS–”
——
PAGE 4
——
PANEL 1
Exterior: Close up of the younger man’s face. He has a menacing smile, shadows cover his face to make him seem positively e-vil.
19-YEAR OLD 1: “Say good night…chump.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Batgirl, off-panel): “–THAT SEEM TO GIVE US THE MOST TROUBLE.”
PANEL 2
Exterior: Aerial shot of the scene. You can see the car, the younger man holding a gun on the older man. A flash is coming from the muzzle of the gun, the sound echoing off the surrounding buildings. BLAM! (the word BLAM is to be written in large type across the top of this and the next 2 panels)
Sfx: BLAM!
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Batgirl, off-panel): “EVERY NIGHT IN GOTHAM–”
PANEL 3
Exterior: A small house from the outside, you can see a worried-looking woman closing the drapes quickly. She can hear the gunshot as well. BLAM!
Sfx: BLAM!
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Batgirl, off-panel): “–A FAMILY IS DESTROYED BY VIOLENCE.”
PANEL 4
Exterior: Batman standing atop a large building in Gotham, wind blowing his cape. He hears the distant sound of a gunshot, not too far away. His eyes are narrowed. BLAM!
Sfx: BLAM!
THOUGHT CAPTION 5 (Batgirl, off-panel): “MORE KIDS ARE LEFT TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES–”
PANEL 5
Exterior: Back to the ol’ corner again. Shot of the corner, detailed enough to see frightened nearby residents hiding in their homes, the Buick, and see the dead guy fairly clearly. The older man lies bleeding in the gutter, as the blue Buick drives off slowly in the background. His head is shattered, his eyes fixed open.
THOUGHT CAPTION 6 (Batgirl, off-panel): “AND ANOTHER SPOUSE…LOSES HER WILL TO LIVE.”
——
PAGE 5
——
PANEL 1
Exterior: The same corner where the shooting occurred in the previous scene, still night. A short amount of time has passed. Probably a couple of hours, since Gotham’s Finest aren’t exactly Gotham’s fastest. The street is crowded with police cars, spotlights are pointed toward a pool of blood in the street, where the man who was shot used to be lying. Crime scene tape is everywhere. News reporters are being held behind a barricade (if you get bored, stick Lois Lane in there). Commissioner Gordon is interviewing an old woman who’s holding a handkerchief.
OLD WOMAN 1: “THIS USED TO BE SUCH A NICE, QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT LATELY–”
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Gordon): “SHE KNEW THE MAN WHO HAD BEEN SHOT. IT WAS HER SON. I WATCHED HER BREAK DOWN IN FRONT OF MY EYES. I KNEW IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE BATMAN HEARD ABOUT THIS–”
PANEL 2
Exterior: Same scene, new shot from behind Gordon toward the top of a nearby building. A dark silhouette (it’s Batgirl) is standing there, barely moving. You can see the old woman in the background, sobbing into her handkerchief.
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Gordon): “–AND DECIDED TO TAKE MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS. IN LIGHT OF WHAT HAPPENED TO MY DAUGHTER, A PART OF ME HOPED BATMAN WOULD FIND THESE PEOPLE–”
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Gordon): “–AND GIVE THEM WHAT THEY DESERVED.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 5 (Gordon): “BUT IT WASN’T BATMAN I COULD SEE UP THERE. IT WAS SOMEONE ELSE.”
PANEL 3
Interior: Gordon is running up a dark staircase, sweat pouring down his forehead.
THOUGHT CAPTION 6 (Gordon): “IN RETROSPECT, IT WASN’T ONE OF MY SMARTEST MOMENTS. ANYONE…ANYTHING COULD HAVE BEEN UP THERE. BUT SOMETIMES, YOU HAVE TO TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS.”
PANEL 4
Exterior: Gordon bursts through the door at the top of the staircase. Around him is nothing but the standard pipes and junk you normally find on the roof of a small apartment building.
THOUGHT CAPTION 7 (Gordon): “STILL, I BEGAN TO FEEL LIKE I WAS WASTING MY TIME.”
PANEL 5
Exterior: Close up of a black gloved finger tapping Gordon on the shoulder. Gordon’s head is turning around to see who’s tapping on him.
THOUGHT CAPTION 8 (Gordon): “AND THEN, JUST LIKE THAT–”
PANEL 6
Exterior: Side shot from just off the edge of the roof. Batgirl and Gordon, facing each other. She’s shaking his hand.
THOUGHT CAPTION 9 (Gordon): “I MET HER.”
PANEL 7
Exterior: Angle from behind Gordon, who is leaning over the edge of the apartment building. He’s watching Batgirl swing away from him on a cable attached to a telephone pole across the street.
THOUGHT CAPTION 10 (Gordon): “JUST A YOUNG WOMAN TRYING TO FOLLOW IN BATMAN’S FOOTSTEPS. JUST LIKE MY DAUGHTER, BARBARA.”
——
PAGE 6
——
PANEL 1
Interior: Bruce’s office in the Wayne Mansion. A rather spartan room, just a desk and a couple of chairs – and of course, expensive paintings and occasional medieval armor decoration. On his desk is a fluorescent lamp, a computer in one corner, a writing pad, and a couple of pens. From the computer runs a cord, to a microphone, which Bruce is holding as he leans back in his expensive leather office chair.
Bruce 1: “Record.”
Bruce 2: “CASSANDRA APPEARS TO BE…FEELING…REMOURSE? COULD SHE BE FEELING REGRET OVER WHAT SHE DID TO HER PARENTS?”
PANEL 2
Interior: Faint image of a window with flames coming out, second overlapping picture of him dragging Cassandra out the window, third overlapping picture of Cassandra’s clouded eyes looking up at him. He’s digging through memories of his.
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Bruce): “THIS IS BECOMING MORE THEN A LITTLE…FRIGHTENING. THIS YOUNG GIRL IS LIKE A DARK MIRROR OF WHAT I WAS AT HER AGE.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Bruce): “ONLY SHE’S MORE…DRIVEN. MORE–”
PANEL 3
Interior: Side shot as Bruce holds the microphone away from his face. He just spotted a small bat-shaped object on his desk. It’s a little microphone.
PANEL 4
Interior: Shot from the side of Bruce, he’s angrily storming toward the partially open door to the hallway. His left hand is gripping the small bat-device.
PANEL 5
Interior: Bruce has opened the door, Cassandra is standing in front of it. She looks a little sad, her head hangs a little. Bruce looks confused.
Cassandra 5: “YES.”
Bruce 6: “YES, WHAT?”
PANEL 6
Interior: Close-up of Cassandra’s face. A tear is forcing it’s way from one eye.
Cassandra 7: “REGRET. I…FEEL REGRET.”
PANEL 7
Interior: Bruce is standing in front of Cassandra, the view is from behind him. He has a hand on Cassandra’s shoulder.
Bruce 8: “CASSANDRA, YOU’VE TAKEN THE FIRST BIG STEP.”
Bruce 9: “YOU WANT TO BE A CRIME FIGHTER? A REAL CRIME FIGHTER, LIKE I AM?”
PANEL 8
Interior: Nearly the same view as the last panel, but Cassandra’s smiling now.
Cassandra 10: “YES.”
PANEL 9
Interior: Bruce slipping past Cassandra through the doorway.
Bruce 11: “MEET ME DOWNSTAIRS. ONE HOUR. IT’S TIME YOU HAD SOME REAL TRAINING.”
——
PAGE 7
——
PANEL 1
Interior: Cassandra is standing in a dark hallway, opening a door slowly. The view is a little to her side, so you can see her look of shock and surprise as the bright light from the room streams through the partially open door and across her face. She’s wearing jeans, white sneakers, and a light colored long-sleeved shirt (I usually don’t mention clothes, but in this case it’s important that she’s the most colorful person in the room).
PANEL 2
Interior: Large panel of the inside of Bruce Wayne’s dining room. Cassandra is standing in the doorway to the rear of the room, to give you the impression that she’s dwarfed by the size of the enormous room. The room is now empty of furniture, except for a chair. A white rectangular mat covers most of the floor from the center out. Bruce is sitting in the chair at one end of the mat, dressed all in black, on the same side of the room where Cassandra is entering through the door. A tall, obviously strong man wearing a white Karate robe and bare feet is standing at the other end of the mat, his arms folded.
PANEL 3
Interior: Partial shot of the room, covering only the area where Bruce and Cassandra are located. Bruce is smiling in reaction to Cassandra’s confusion, as he’s sitting in the chair in the foreground. He seems a little amused by the whole thing. Cassandra is standing directly behind the chair, still looking a little confused.
BRUCE 1: “WELCOME TO YOUR TRAINING LESSON, CASSANDRA. THIS MAN, A FRIEND OF MINE, IS A BLACK BELT IN KARATE.”
PANEL 4
Interior: Quick view of the stranger in the robe, hands held together palm to palm, bowing slightly.
PANEL 5
Interior: Close-up of Cassandra returning the bow, same pose as the stranger used. Polite, isn’t she?
BRUCE (Off-panel) 2: “YOUR OBJECTIVE IS TO TAKE HIM DOWN WITHOUT SERIOUSLY HURTING HIM, AND LEARN HIS NAME…IF HE DOESN’T TAKE YOU DOWN FIRST.”
BRUCE (Off-panel) 3: “MY ROLE IN THIS IS TO INTERFERE WITH YOU AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.”
PANEL 6
Interior: Close-up of Bruce rising to his feet, shoving the chair aside quickly.
BRUCE 4: “GOOD LUCK, CASSANDRA.”
——
PAGE 8
——
PANEL 1
Interior: Close-up of Cassandra ducking to the side quickly, the stranger’s bare foot passing only inches from her face.
THOUGHT CAPTION 1 (Cassandra): “I WAS NEARLY CAUGHT OFF GUARD WHILE WAITING FOR SOME KIND OF SIGNAL FROM BRUCE THAT THE TRAINING EXCERSIZE HAD BEGUN.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Cassandra): “I MUST HAVE MISSED IT.”
PANEL 2
Interior: Cassandra tackling the strange man to the white mat, holding him down by his shoulders. You can see Bruce approaching in the background.
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Cassandra): “I QUICKLY LEARNED THAT TWO WELL-TRAINED MEN AGAINST ONE FIVE AND A HALF FOOT TALL WOMAN–”
PANEL 3
Interior: Cassandra being tossed aside by the robed man. You can see her eyes looking toward Bruce, who’s reaching for her feet.
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Cassandra): “–MEANT THAT I WAS SERIOUSLY OUTCLASSED.”
PANEL 4
Interior: Cassandra is getting up slowly. You can see Bruce at one end of the panel, heading toward her menacingly. At the other end, the strange man is heading toward her menacingly. She’s about to be caught in the middle. But her eyes are watching a chair at one end of the mat (it was there all along). The look on Cassandra’s face is determination, but not anger.
THOUGHT CAPTION 5 (Cassandra): “BUT WHAT I LACK IN STRENGTH–”
——
PAGE 9
——
PANEL 1
Interior: Cassandra is rolled into a ball, her arms holding her legs against her chest. She’s tumbling right past Bruce, who’s reaching for her in futility.
THOUGHT CAPTION 1 (Cassandra): “–I MAKE UP FOR–”
PANEL 2
Interior: Cassandra’s hands are holding the front legs of the chair. She’s leaning it over her, and Bruce is colliding with the chair’s back. His feet are off the floor, the chair’s back is tossing him over it.
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Cassandra): “–WITH INGENUITY.”
PANEL 3
Interior: Bruce is laying at one end of the mat on the floor in the background. Cassandra is hitting the strange man in the face with the chair, causing two of the legs to break off. The strange man is leaning away from her, losing his balance.
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Cassandra): “AND SO THE TABLES WERE TURNED.”
PANEL 4
Interior: Cassandra has folded the heavy white mat over the strange man, to prevent him from getting up. She’s sitting on top of the folded mat to add extra weight on top of him, just in case. She’s holding a handful of his hair tightly, pulling it. You can see the pain on his face. You can see Bruce in the background, sneaking toward Cassandra.
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Cassandra): “I WAS IN CONTROL.”
CASSANDRA 5: “NAME?”
STRANGER 6: “M-MASTER SAN.”
PANEL 5
Interior: Closer look at the man’s face, Cassandra twists the handful of hair some more.
THOUGHT CAPTION 7 (Cassandra): “IT DIDN’T TAKE THE WORLD’S GREATEST DETECTIVE TO TELL THAT HE WAS LYING.”
CASSANDRA 8: “NAME?”
STRANGER 9: “GO…TO HELL.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 10 (Cassandra): “BUT I WOUDLN’T LET THAT BOTHER ME.”
PANEL 6
Interior: Cassandra saw Bruce approaching out of the corner of her eye. She’s still pinning the stranger, but her eyes are turned toward Bruce, and her right foot is planted firmly in his stomach.
THOUGHT CAPTION 11 (Cassandra): “BECAUSE I KNEW…DEEP DOWN–”
PANEL 7
Interior: Cassandra has a hand on the stranger’s throat now. Bruce is in the background, trying to catch his breath.
THOUGHT CAPTION 12 (Cassandra): “–THAT I HAD ALREADY BEATEN THEM.”
BRUCE 13: “CASSANDRA…STOP! HIS NAME IS BOB SAMPSON.”
——-
PAGE 10
——-
PANEL 1
Interior: Half panel. Cassandra is standing up. She has removed the white mat from on top of Bob Sampson, and is offering him a hand. She’s smiling, full of pride over what she’s done.
PANEL 2
Interior: Half panel. Side shot. Bob stands up, frowning at Cassandra’s attempt at politeness. You can now see that he’s bruised up a bit, and his nose is bleeding.
PANEL 3
Interior: Shot from behind Cassandra, she’s looking at Bruce and Bob. Bruce and Bob look at each other seriously. Cassandra is still smiling.
PANEL 4
Interior: Cassandra is now frowning, as the two men behind laughing heartily. She’s not sure if they’re laughing at her or at something else.
PANEL 5
Interior: Shot from behind Bruce, so you can see Cassandra’s face. Bruce is standing in front of Cassandra, one hand on her shoulder. She’s looking up at him, their eyes meet. She’s still partially frowning.
BRUCE 1: “I’M SORRY, CASSANDRA. WE CAN’T BELIEVE YOU BEAT THAT EXCERCISE SO EASILY.”
BRUCE 2: “TIM HAD TROUBLE WITH IT…SO DID BARBARA.”
PANEL 6
Interior: Reverse of last panel. Shot from behind Cassandra, so you can see Bruce’s smiling face.
BRUCE 3: “CONGRATULATIONS. YOU’RE THE FIRST PERSON WHO MANAGED TO LEARN BOB’S NAME.”
PANEL 7
Interior: Close-up of Cassandra’s face. She seems happy now. Poor Cassandra doesn’t receive praise all that often.
BRUCE (Off-panel) 4: “CASSANDRA…YOU’RE READY.”
——-
PAGE 11
——-
PANEL 1
Exterior: Night. Street-level view. The same street corner where the shooting occurred earlier in the story. The same blue Buick is pulling up to the corner, the same 19-year old inside. You can see frightened residents in the background racing for their homes, closing their blinds.
THOUGHT CAPTION 1 (Batgirl, off-panel): “THIS IS A CORNER STILL STAINED WITH BLOOD.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Batgirl, off-panel): “THE BLOOD OF AN INNOCENT.”
PANEL 2
Exterior: High street-level shot. The 19-year old gets out of his car and looks at a an apartment nearby. He now has a cigarette in his mouth, and is carelessly flinging the match to a nicely mowed strip of grass. He can see two eyes peering at him through closed venetian blinds, and he’s smiling with self-contentment.
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Batgirl, off-panel): “AND YET HE RETURNS TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME. HE DOESN’T FEAR ANYONE, EVEN THE POLICE.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Batgirl, off-panel): “TO HIM, WE’RE ALL THE SAME. ALL PAWNS IN SOME GAME. COPS, HEROES…WE ALL DIE JUST AS EASILY TO HIM.”
PANEL 3
Exterior: Another car drives up in the opposite direction that the blue Buick is parked. The view is along a “tunnel” between the two cars, where the 19-year old is leaning toward the driver’s side of the recently arrived car.
19-YEAR OLD 5: “GOT THE MONEY?”
MAN INSIDE CAR 6: “FRANK, I–”
19-YEAR OLD 7: “DON’T CALL ME THAT, DEADBEAT.”
PANEL 4
Exterior: Close-up of Frank’s (the 19-year old) face. The “camera” is pointing at him from inside the newly arrived car’s passenger seat, so you can see Frank flick his cigarette at the driver.
19-YEAR OLD 8: “YOU KNOW WHAT I DO TO DEADBEATS?”
MAN INSIDE CAR 9: “DON’T…PLEASE–”
THOUGHT CAPTION 10 (Batgirl, off-panel): “I WASN’T GOING TO LET HIM KILL ON MY WATCH.”
PANEL 5
Exterior: Half panel, close side shot between the two cars. Close-up of the 19-year old pressing his gun against the head of the man inside the car. The man is crying, his eyes are tightly pressed closed. The trigger on the gun is partly pulled back by the 19-year old’s finger.
PANEL 6
Exterior: Half-panel, close-up of the 19-year old’s hand, his fingers spread out. The gun is out of his hand, and a small bat-wing is airborne.
19-YEAR OLD (Off panel) 1: “WHAT THE–”
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Batgirl, off-panel): “NOT TONIGHT.”
PANEL 7
Exterior: Close shot. The 19-year old is bending down to pick up his gun. His head is jerked to the side, spit and blood are coming from his nose and mouth as a small black-gloved fist has just hit him, hard.
PANEL 8
Exterior: Shot from behind Batgirl, as she looks over the 19-year old. You can see the 19-year old within her reach, propping himself up on his hands and smiling at her. He doesn’t see her as a threat.
PANEL 9
Exterior: Still a shot from behind Batgirl, only angled so you can more clearly see that she now has her boot firmly pressing into the 19-year old’s shoulder. She’s intent on keeping him down – and now she’s the one smiling.
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Batgirl): “STOPPING HIM SEEMED EASY ENOUGH–”
PANEL 10
Exterior: Shot from behind Batgirl as she turns her head to look at the blue Buick. The doors are all open now, three more thugs are climbing out armed with guns of their own.
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Batgirl): “BUT THEN THINGS BECAME…COMPLICATED.”
——-
PAGE 12
——-
PANEL 1
Exterior: Wide shot facing front of the 19-year old’s car. All of it’s doors are open, the headlights are on – and Batgirl is standing at the ready in the center of the frame. She’s facing the car, away from the camera shot. The 19-year old is propping himself up on the ground below her, and the three thugs are heading toward her slowly – all carrying nine millimeter pistols.
THOUGHT CAPTION 1 (Batgirl): “I COULD HAVE EASILY DISARMED THEM…BUT NOT BEFORE THEY KILLED AN INNOCENT.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Batgirl): “I MAY BE FAST. BUT NOT FASTER THEN A BULLET.”
PANEL 2
Exterior: Camera shot alongside Batgirl’s arm, toward the top of a building just above her. She’s firing a cable launcher toward the roof, preparing to make a quick escape.
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Batgirl): “IT WAS TIME TO PLAY IT SAFE.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Batgirl): “TO DRAW THEIR ATTENTION…ELSEWHERE.”
PANEL 3
Exterior: Batgirl is now standing on the roof of the building, crouched down. View angle is from behind her, so we can see down to the street level. The three thugs are rushing into the building, guns drawn, headed up toward the roof.
THOUGHT CAPTION 5 (Batgirl): “THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME UP HERE TO GET ME…WHERE I HAVE THE ELEMENT OF SUPRISE.”
PANEL 4
Exterior: Batgirl is now standing on top of the shack which covers the stairway to the roof, allowing access through a door on one side. She’s hidden in shadow, but you can see that she’s there, standing at the ready.
THOUGHT CAPTION 6 (Batgirl): “THUGS CAN BE SO PREDICTABLE SOMETIMES.”
PANEL 5
Exterior: The thugs are now out on the roof, looking for her – but they don’t look behind them and up. Batgirl is leaping into the air, intent on crashing through them feet-first. Camera angle is from behind Batgirl, so you can clearly see her descending upon them.
——-
PAGE 13
——-
(Note: The first 4 panels of this page are quick-action panels, so they’re small in size.)
PANEL 1
Exterior: Floor-angle shot of one of the thugs lying on his stomach, reaching for his gun, which is on the gravel rooftop. One hand is reaching for a pistol, while Batgirl’s black-gloved fist punches him in the side of the face. His eyes are wide and filled with pain, blood is spattering from his mouth.
THOUGHT CAPTION 1 (Batgirl): “AND JUST AS I PREDICTED–”
PANEL 2
Exterior: Another man, his hand reaching for his gun, one of Batgirl’s boots squashing his face between it and the gravel rooftop.
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Batgirl): “–IT WAS ALL OVER–”
PANEL 3
Exterior: One man is charging Batgirl, anger in his eyes, and his mouth yelling something silent. Don’t even bother to give him a speech balloon, it doesn’t matter what he’s saying, and it’s probably not CCA compliant anyhow. You can see Batgirl’s back as he’s approaching her.
PANEL 4
Exterior: Angle from Batgirl’s side. She has stepped aside just in time for the man charging her to go right by. She is gripping his shirt with both hands tightly, swinging him around to use his momentum to move him far away from her.
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Batgirl): “–BEFORE IT HAD BEGUN.”
PANEL 5
Exterior: Wide view from behind Batgirl. She’s watching the man she just swung around herself as he loses his balance and falls off the edge of the roof. His body is bent over the edge of the roof, his foot trying desperately to grip the edge…but it’s not enough.
(Note: Next three panels are quick-action panels, with a large letter bloodcurdling scream written across the top of them. It’s the scream of the man who had just fallen off the roof.)
Sfx: YAAHHHH!!!
PANEL 6
Exterior: Quick view of Batgirl’s cold-looking eyes.
PANEL 7
Exterior: Quick view of the remaining thugs, in the middle of picking themselves up. They’re frozen with fear, their eyes mirroring that. They didn’t expect a super-hero to kill one of them.
PANEL 8
Exterior: The thugs crowding into the doorway to the stairs, desperate to escape Batgirl.
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Batgirl): “THEY’RE COMMON THUGS–”
PANEL 9
Exterior: View over Batgirl’s shoulder, as she notices that the thugs left all of their weapons behind.
THOUGHT CAPTION 5 (Batgirl): “–WITH NO RESPECT FOR LIFE–”
PANEL 10
Exterior: Another view over Batgirl’s shoulder. She’s looking over the edge of the roof at the man who fell, his broken and bloody body lying on a pile of garbage in the alley below.
PANEL 11
Exterior: View from the alley below, from the dying man’s point of view. He can see faintly see Batgirl looking over the edge of the roof at him.
THOUGHT CAPTION 6 (Batgirl): “–UNLIKE ME.”
——-
PAGE 14
——-
PANEL 1
Exterior: Batgirl is using her cape, spread out to glide to the alley below quickly.
THOUGHT CAPTION 1 (Batgirl): “EVERY LOOK INTO THE EYES OF A DYING MAN?”
PANEL 2
Exterior: She lands hard. You can tell because her cape is still spread, but her landing places her with one boot on the ground, and one knee. She’s learned to ‘collapse her legs’ to absorb impact of large falls. You can see the man’s broken body in the foreground, Batgirl directly behind him.
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Batgirl): “IT’S SOMETHING YOU SEE ONCE–”
PANEL 3
Exterior: Front view of Batgirl as she is standing up, her head looking up at a apartment’s window just above her. She can see a phone just inside the window.
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Batgirl): “–AND LIVE WITH FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.”
PANEL 4
Interior: View from inside the apartment, facing toward the window. Batgirl’s gloved hand is reaching in, dialing 911 on an old bell-style phone. The handset is lying on the floor.
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Batgirl): “BRUCE’S NUMBER ONE RULE WAS TO ALWAYS AVOID DETECTION.”
PANEL 5
Exterior: Close up shot of Batgirl taking the dying man’s hand. You can see her bending down in the background, but you can’t see her face or the dying man’s.
THOUGHT CAPTION 5 (Batgirl): “TO HECK WITH RULES.”
——-
PAGE 15
——-
PANEL 1
Exterior: Side shot of Batgirl kneeling next to the dying man, clutching his hand tightly against her chest. Her head is bowed, keeping her eyes on him at all times. The man is unconscious, he doesn’t respond.
PANEL 2
Exterior: Shot from outside the alley. People are slowly approaching, as they can see the spectacle of Batgirl holding this man’s hand.
THOUGHT CAPTION 1 (Batgirl): “I HAD TO STAY–”
PANEL 3
Exterior: Wide shot from inside the alley. You can see the crowd gathering outside the alley, and a police car has just driven up.
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Batgirl): “–BECAUSE I WASN’T JUST SAVING HIS LIFE–”
PANEL 4
Exterior: Bird’s eye view of the whole scene, from atop the building…Or perhaps a Bat’s eye view? Police car and crowd outside the alley, Batgirl kneeling over the dying man inside the alley.
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Batgirl): “–I WAS SAVING MY OWN SOUL.”
——-
PAGE 16
——-
PANEL 1
Interior: Overhead view of Bruce Wayne’s in-home office. Bruce is sitting at his desk, Cassandra is standing in front of the desk, avoiding Bruce’s gaze.
BRUCE 1: “THEY COULD HAVE ARRESTED YOU, CASSANDRA. THEY COULD HAVE DISCOVERED YOUR IDENTITY.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Batgirl): “BRUCE WAS UPSET THAT I BROKE ONE OF HIS ‘RULES’.”
PANEL 2
Interior: Bruce is now pacing the room. The view is over his shoulder as he paces, you can see Cassandra standing several feet away, her eyes following Bruce. Her expression is blank, giving no clue to her thoughts
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Batgirl): “BUT BRUCE DIDN’T UNDERSTAND ME. HE NEVER DID.”
PANEL 3
Interior: Close up of Cassandra, her expression now a sad frown. She’s looking downward, toward the floor, her eyes partially closed. Ghosted behind the image of her is what she’s remembering: The dying man from the previous scene, being loaded into an ambulance. You can see the man’s eyes looking at you, they have a grateful but confused look to them.
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Batgirl): “HE NEVER WILL.”
BRUCE (Off-panel) 5: “What’s wrong?”
PANEL 4
Interior: Side shot of Bruce towering over Cassandra. She’s looking up at him, as though trying to communicate something with him. Her eyes are beginning to tear. Ghosted between them is an image of the dying man’s eyes again.
BRUCE 6: “Are you okay, Cassandra? Do you feel sick?”
THOUGHT CAPTION 7 (Batgirl): “I WANTED SO BADLY TO SHOW HIM WHAT I FELT, WHAT I’D SEEN. THE LOOK IN THE MAN’S EYES WHEN HE REALIZED I’D SAVED HIM.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 8 (Batgirl): “I FELT LIKE A HERO…YET BRUCE WANTS ME TO FEEL SHAME.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 9 (Batgirl): “SHAME FOR FEELING SOMETHING FOR PEOPLE…FOR CARING.”
PANEL 5
Interior: Side view Close-up of Cassandra’s face. Bruce’s shadow is cast across her face so you know he’s still there. It also emphasizes the fact that she always feels like she’s in his shadow. Get it? This isn’t just any other dialogue, it’s a breakthrough.
CASSANDRA 10: “I CARE.”
BRUCE 11: “YOU CARE? ABOUT WHAT?”
CASSANDRA 12: “PEOPLE. MY WORK.”
PANEL 6
Interior: View from behind Bruce, over his shoulder. He’s still standing over Cassandra, casting a shadow over her.
BRUCE 13: “I UNDERSTAND. YOU’RE LETTING YOUR FEELINGS GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR WORK.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 14 (Batgirl): “ONE OF HIS CARDINAL RULES HAD BEEN VIOLATED.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 15 (Batgirl): “NEVER BECOME INVOLVED. REFER TO EVERYONE AS ‘THE VICTIM’, OR ‘THE PERPETRATOR'”
THOUGHT CAPTION 16 (Batgirl): “BUT THOSE PEOPLE HAVE NAMES. THEY HAVE LIVES…AND DREAMS.”
PANEL 7
Interior: Side view of Cassandra, in mirror to the previous side view (for variety, and if you line up all of the panels on this page it gives the illusion of a camera panning around the perimeter of the room). The shadow is still cast over her, but now Bruce’s hand is gently holding up Cassandra’s chin as she stares at him defiantly but sadly.
THOUGHT CAPTION 17 (Batgirl): “I EXPECTED THE LECTURE. I HAD PREPARED MYSELF FOR IT–”
BRUCE 18: “CASSANDRA, YOU’RE NOT THE SAME AS I AM. YOU WORK DIFFERENTLY. IF YOU HANDLE YOUR EMOTIONS BETTER THEN I DO…SO BE IT.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 19 (Batgirl): “HUH?”
——-
PAGE 17
——-
PANEL 1
Interior: View into Cassandra’s eyes, Bruce’s shadow still over her. Her eyes light up as Bruce continues complimenting her progress.
BRUCE 1: “YOU DO VERY WELL AS BATGIRL, CASSANDRA. YOU HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO THINGS I NEVER COULD DO–”
BRUCE 2: “–AND WHILE BATMAN IS FEARED BY EVERYONE…PEOPLE SEEM TO LIKE BATGIRL.”
PANEL 2
Interior: View between Cassandra and Bruce, toward the door to the room. They’re both looking toward the door. Standing in the doorway is Alfred.
ALFRED 3: “DINNER IS SERVED, MISS CASSANDRA. MASTER BRUCE.”
PANEL 3
Interior: Bruce, is still standing where he was, Alfred is still standing where he was (in the doorway). Cassandra is slipping past Alfred into the hallway, headed toward the dining room. View is up to the artist to decide.
PANEL 4
Interior: Bruce is now standing closer to Alfred, who’s still in the doorway. They’re looking at each other, and Bruce is smiling as if they have a secret between them.
PANEL 5
Interior: Alfred is standing in the doorway as Bruce walks past him into the hallway.
ALFRED 4: “EXCELLENT, MASTER BRUCE. YOU GAVE HER MY SPEECH NEARLY WORD FOR WORD.”
PANEL 6
Interior: View from down the hall, Bruce is approaching the “camera”. He’s shaking his head, but his eyes say that he’s trying not to laugh. Alfred is walking behind him, with an amused smile on his face.
——-
PAGE 18
——-
PANEL 1
Interior: Overhead view of Bruce Wayne’s office. His sitting at the desk in the nearly dark office, lit only by a computer screen. He’s holding up a microphone.
BRUCE 1: “Record.”
BRUCE 2: “CASSANDRA APPEARS UNABLE TO SUPPRESS HER EMOTIONS AS BATGIRL, TO SEPERATE HERSELF FROM HER WORK.”
BRUCE 3: “BUT IT’S NOT AS BAD AS IT SOUNDS…HER FEELINGS SEEM TO AUGMENT HER INSTINCTS AND SKILLS SOMEHOW.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Cassandra, off-panel): “EVERY NIGHT HE WOULD LOCK HIMSELF IN HIS OFFICE AND TALK TO HIMSELF ABOUT ME FOR A HALF HOUR OR SO.”
PANEL 2
Interior: View from just in front of the desk. Bruce is now leaning back a little in his chair, holding the microphone just in front of his chin.
BRUCE 5: “THE FACT THAT SHE’S ALMOST AS GOOD AS I AM AT THIS…AND IN SOME WAYS BETTER…IT MAKES ME START TO…RETHINK MY OWN METHODS.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 6 (Cassandra, off-panel): “HIS OWN APPROACH TO HIS WORK IS TO BE AS SCIENTIFIC AND ANALYTICAL AS POSSIBLE. MY OWN STYLE IS MORE…CHAOTIC.”
PANEL 3
Interior: View from the side of the desk. You can see a dark form of Cassandra in the background, but Bruce hasn’t noticed yet.
BRUCE 7: “SHE’S A LOT LIKE ME, BUT NOTHING LIKE ME AS WELL. I’D FIGURED OUT DICK AND TIM QUICKLY…EVEN BARBARA DIDN’T TAKE THIS LONG TO FIGURE OUT.”
BRUCE 8: “CASSANDRA’S A MYSTERY TO ME–”
PANEL 4
Interior: Close-up of Bruce’s nose and mouth, with light from the computer screen streaked across. The microphone is just below his mouth.
BRUCE 9: “AND LIKE EVERY GOOD DETECTIVE, I FEEL I MUST SOLVE THIS MYSTERY.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 10 (Cassandra, off-panel): “HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT ME. EITHER HE SAW ME AS A THREAT–”
PANEL 5
Interior: View from the side of Bruce’s head, toward the spot where the dark shadow of Cassandra was standing. Bruce is looking toward the spot. He just noticed her.
BRUCE 11: “I KNOW YOU’RE HERE, CASSANDRA. COME ON OUT.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 12 (Cassandra, off panel): “–OR HE WAS WORRIED SICK ABOUT ME.”
PANEL 6
Interior: Small panel of Bruce’s hand reaching for the switch on his desk lamp.
PANEL 7
Interior: Overhead view. Bruce is now standing up behind his desk, microphone still in hand. The office is filled with light, and he sees that he’s the only one in the room. Cassandra’s gone.
BRUCE 13: “Clever. Very clever.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 14 (Cassandra, off panel): “ONLY TIME WOULD TELL.”
——-
PAGE 19
——-
PANEL 1
Exterior: Batgirl is standing atop that same ol’ apartment building next to the same ol’ corner again. You know, the one where she kicked some butt the last time out. The view is from behind her and angled downward as she’s crouched down on top of the roof, watching over the street below. Not a soul is out there but her.
THOUGHT CAPTION 1 (Batgirl): “SEEING THIS PLACE MAKES ME SAD. THIS NEIGHBORHOOD USED TO BE SO ALIVE.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Batgirl): “CHILDREN USED TO PLAY IN THE STREETS AT NIGHT. PARENTS WOULD SIT ON THEIR PORCHES, HAVING TO WORRY ONLY ABOUT MOSQUITO BITES.”
PANEL 2
Exterior: Close-up view of an old woman twisting closed the venetian blinds covering the inside of her window.
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Batgirl): “BUT SOMETHING CHANGED. THIS PLACE WAS NOW RULED BY FEAR, WHERE PEOPLE HIDE BEHIND CLOSED BLINDS AND LOCKED DOORS.”
PANEL 3
Exterior: Ground-level view of the same ol’ blue Buick driving up to the corner, again. These idiots never learn, do they?
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Batgirl): “FEAR CREATED BY COWARDS. PEOPLE WHO ABUSE THEIR POWER, AND PREY ON THE WEAK FOR THEIR OWN ENTERTAINMENT.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 5 (Batgirl): “IT TAKES REAL POWER TO PROTECT THE WEAK. TO CARE–”
PANEL 4
Exterior: View from in front of Batgirl as she’s crouching next to the roof’s edge, the light from the street below shining on her dark costume. A familiar shadow is looming behind her – Batman. Batgirl knows who it is, she’s not even reacting to his presence right away.
PANEL 5
Exterior: Batgirl is now standing on her feet, looking up at Batman. Her body language telegraphs the fear that Batman will send her home.
THOUGHT CAPTION 6 (Batgirl): “I KNEW I WASN’T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE…BUT SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU FEEL YOU NEED TO.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 7 (Batgirl): “BUT NOW THAT HE HAD FOUND ME, I WAS SURE HE WOULD SEND ME HOME…TO LEAVE THESE PEOPLE UNPROTECTED.”
BATMAN 8: “SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW YOUR FEELINGS. LET’S GO, YOUR LEAD.”
PANEL 6
Exterior: View is from just in front of Batgirl as she jumps off the edge of the building, her cape billowing out since she’s using it as a parachute. She’s smiling a little, has a little mischief in her eyes. You can see Batman’s dark form on the roof just behind her.
THOUGHT CAPTION 9 (Batgirl): “WHY HE WAS SO RESONABLE THAT NIGHT–”
THOUGHT CAPTION 10 (Batgirl): “I WOULD NEVER KNOW.”
——-
PAGE 20
——-
PANEL 1
Exterior: View from the ground. The 19-year-old who’s obviously too stupid to be alive is standing next to his car (the door’s open, because he just stepped out) looking upward, watching Batgirl diving toward him feet first. He’s pulling a pistol from his jacket.
19-YEAR-OLD 1: “WHAT THE–”
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Batgirl): “SOME PEOPLE JUST DON’T LEARN–”
PANEL 2
Exterior: Close up view of Batgirl’s boots having a short and painful meeting with the 19-year-old’s face.
PANEL 3
Exterior: Close up of the 19-year-old’s face bloodied, hitting the sidewalk at an awkward and painful angle.
PANEL 4
Exterior: Close up of the 19-year-old’s face, bloodied, with blood dripping out of his mouth. He still has a defiant look in his eyes.
19-YEAR OLD 3: “YOU’RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT!”
PANEL 5
Exterior: Slightly less close up shot of the 19-year-old. His eyes are now looking up, and are filled with fear. The large shadow of Batman is looming over him.
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Batgirl): “–NO MATTER THE TEACHER.”
PANEL 6
Exterior: Close up of Batman’s gloved hand snatching the 19-year-old by his shirt, lifting him abruptly. You can see his head jerk back from being unexpectedly yanked off the ground.
THOUGHT CAPTION 5 (Batgirl): “THEN AGAIN, SOME TEACHERS–”
PANEL 7
Exterior: Side shot of Batman holding the 19-year-old’s face only inches from his own. At the bottom of the panel, you can see his hand still holding the guy’s shirt.
BATMAN 6: “I’LL BE WATCHING YOU.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 7 (Batgirl): “–ARE MUCH MORE–
PANEL 8
Exterior: Close up of Batman’s hand smashing the guy’s head through his own car window. You can see the pain on the guy’s face.
THOUGHT CAPTION 8 (Batgirl): “EFFECTIVE.”
PANEL 9
Exterior: View from close to the ground. You can see the 19-year-old slumped next to his car, beads of safety glass all around him. His eyes look dazed. You can see Batman’s boots and the bottom of his cape heading away from the area.
THOUGHT CAPTION 9 (Batgirl): “ONLY WHERE THERE WAS ONCE CALL FOR VIOLENCE–”
——-
PAGE 21
——-
PANEL 1
Exterior: Shot of the man slumped down still, but his eyes are now fearful, and he’s holding his arms in front of him for defense. The shadow of Batgirl is cast over him.
THOUGHT CAPTION 1 (Batgirl): “–THERE IS NOW CALL FOR COMPASSION.”
PANEL 2
Exterior: Side shot of Batgirl standing in front of the man as he continues holding his defensive pose – only his eyes are no longer fearful. She’s holding her hand out to him, offering to help him to his feet.
PANEL 3
Exterior: The 19-year old is now on his feet, leaning against the car’s rear door. Batgirl is holding open the driver’s door and pointing down the street insistently.
THOUGHT CAPTION 2 (Batgirl): “TOO MUCH VIOLENCE IS NOT A GOOD THING–”
PANEL 4
Exterior: View from the front of the car. You can see the 19-year old in the driver’s seat, the car’s headlights are on. Batgirl is standing next to the car, watching.
THOUGHT CAPTION 3 (Batgirl): “–BUT NEITHER IS TOO MUCH COMPASSION.”
PANEL 5
Exterior: View from above. You can see Batman in the foreground, looking down at the scene as the car is heading up the street away from Batgirl.
THOUGHT CAPTION 4 (Batgirl): “WHAT WE EACH LOOK FOR IN LIFE–”
PANEL 6
Exterior: Wider shot from above. A few doors on the street are open, people are outside. Two people are shaking Batgirl’s gloved hands. They all seem happy that their neighborhood has been saved. Batman is still on the roof above, talking to himself.
BATMAN 5: “Amazing. Simply amazing.”
THOUGHT CAPTION 6 (Batgirl): “–IS A HAPPY MEDIUM.”