He Was Always Such a Good

Boy...
By Gar O’Brien

Proposal and first draft of a script for 5-page 2000AD Future Shock
OK, so this is literally my first crack at this sort of script so apologies if it gives you some kind of
visual/intellectual worms.

Pitch
Essentially what I am trying to write here is a relatively basic ‘plant & payoff’ piece regarding a
mother’s seemingly blind faith in her son. This is despite all narrative information pointing towards
him being a masked killer/ über-violent super-villain that has been terrorising the city. Is she a
naive old dear, blind to her son’s strange behaviour and nocturnal excursions? Or is her son, Sean,
up to something totally different, proving his mother more right than she will ever know. The hinge
about which this story turns is the reader’s belief that Sean is the killer and that Rose is blinded by
a mother’s love.
Synopsis
Housebound and largely alone, the elderly Rose has only the television to keep her company.
Being infirmed as she is, Rose sits at home, waiting for her son, Sean, to return from his job as a
Paramedic. Sean has taken his mother in, and makes sure she is well looked after, but is regularly
distant and rarely talkative. Never the less, Rose dotes on him as, to quote Rose, ‘He was always
such a good boy.’

In recent weeks a mysterious, masked lunatic (dressed very much like a comic book super-villain,
which is strange, even in the near future city of Meta-City 1) has been on a seemingly motive-less
killing spree throughout the city, an event that has resulted in martial law being declared, curfews
being enforced and round-the-clock graphic news coverage. Rose is glued to the latter and the
television reporters provide much of the narration for this part of our little story. In fact almost all
aspects of this story are told from within the confines of Rose and Sean’s apartment.

To date the combined forces of the police and National Guard have been unable to track down the
maniac, or indeed ascertain his motives, and as such he is still at large, striking at will. Thus far our
busy antagonist has contented himself with sniper attacks at a mall, an arson attack on a police
station, a gas attack on a subway station, and various other acts of random violence (we find this
all out via the news reports). He has also been suspected of various other incidents, including a
school massacre/double suicide that he may or may not have orchestrated.

As a result of the city-wide panic, and the resultant civil unrest, Sean has had to work long hours,
sometimes not coming home at all. On the rare occasions when he is home, he has been acting
strangely, becoming withdrawn and spending all of his time in his own room, which he keeps
locked. In addition to this he has come home with a series of strange marks and bruises, which he
usually puts down to some variation of ‘drugs ma...kids on drugs.’

As a result, his relationship with his mother has become strained. The situation escalates when
Sean fails to come home for two nights running. Rose becomes frantic as reports circulate that the
killer has been cornered, and possibly killed in a bloody skirmish in a warehouse by the docks, an
event covered in ever more gratuitous detail by the news channel (think Robocop style news). Rose
finally begins to worry and as the news crews begin to cover the apparent demise of the killer, we
shift between events at the docks and in the apartment as Rose leaves her chair to investigate
Sean’s room, which, for once, is unlocked, for a phone-number or a way to contact her son. From
here the story will cut between events in Sean’s room and events as described by the TV.

We see the TV footage of the interior of the Warehouse, there has been a violent altercation, but
between whom remains unknown.

Meanwhile Rose enters Sean’s Room, startled to find a brief case with a note addressed to her on
it.

Cut back to TV. Closer now we see the body of a masked super-villain type criminal, on the floor,
his back to the reader as a particularly zealous camera-man breaks the police cordon. He is
roughly the same size as Sean.

Rose opens the case to discover a cache of bizarre paraphernalia: weapons, clothes, masks.
Generally accoutrements of a garish comic book character. Rose looks to the note, weeping now.

Back on the docks (we have now gone ‘through the television’ if you will) we see a SWAT officer
turn over the body. There are strange weapons on the killer’s utility belt, not unlike the one in the
case....a trail of blood leads to the window behind...and out towards the dock beyond.
Rose begins to read the note and starts to really cry now. The note reads “Dearest Ma...I am so
sorry....but I had to do this...”

We see the face of the killer as the cop looks out the window towards the blood stain. The face is
not that of Sean.

Rose looks up, directly at the reader, clutching the note to her breast and smiling through her
tears. She says “He was always such a good boy...”“We follow the trail of blood beyond the dock,
and under the waves, where we find a second body, as yet undiscovered. It is Sean...far from being
a maniac he was a vigilante, dedicating his nights to putting this guy down...and he has died
ignominiously, alone and unknown doing so.’

Full Script
‘He Was Always Such a Good Boy...’

These are obviously just rough guidelines .I’m not an artist so you will no doubt
spot better ways to articulate the action so feel free to interpret it anyway you
choose. The Important thing to keep in mind is that we have to suggest that
Sean is the killer and that Rose is just a naive old dear without making the reveal
seem ludicrous...so Sean’s body language has to remain neutral with the
narration colouring his personality in to an extent.

Page One

Opening: Setting scene; introducing characters and

situation; suggestion that Sean is killer.

Panel 1: Establishing shot/Bleed panel (Across top of the page)

including title.

M/s of Rose watching TV. Side on. TV is on left and Rose around the centre of the
panel in armchair. There is a small table/nightstand next to the chair facing the
reader. On it are a variety of things: A lamp, medicine and a Photo frame (facing
away from the reader).

The room is dark and largely featureless from this angle.

Above Rose there is a Clock. It says 2am.

Rose is lit solely by the glare of the television screen.

Panel 2:

M/Close up of Rose looking up at the clock. (Possibly at 45 degree angle to p1).

She is bathed in the television’s glow. She is thinking about Sean being late but
she is not worried. She is holding a cup of tea, as if poised to drink it.

Rose (Via Narration Box unless otherwise stated): My poor boy....

Television: Good Morning. Today’s top story once again...

Panel 3 (hovering between 2 and 4):

C/U of TV

Presenter face –on. Time 2AM is visible at the base of the screen on banner.
Story across same reads: Killer still at large.

Show is a Sky News Analogue

Panel 4:

C/U of Rose’s face. Ancient, craggy features (like a female Beckett) exaggerated
by the harsh light of the large TV.

She is sipping from her tea. A knowing smile plays across her cracked, aged lips
as she thinks about Sean.

Rose: ...Bin’ workin’ such awful hours since all this...since all this mischief
started. S’a Medic...no... EMT they call them now. Same thing anyway. Always
helping People. Such a Good Boy...

TV: Week two of killings...no end in sight

Panel 5: Across width of page

M/Wide shot of Rose from behind (Over shoulder kind of Frame). She is almost
entirely silhouetted against the large TV. There is a door to the left of the TV.

(This wide shot should emphasize the loneliness of the room while locating Rose
and the Television as the primary objects within the story. It also allows for large
dialogue boxes either side.)

We see her reaching for the photo-frame from the stand and looking at it, tea in
right hand, musing on Sean and her situation. We cannot make out what is on
the picture.

Rose (dialogue to left of Rose): My poor baby. His sisters say he’s not fit to care
for me. Ha! They’d have me in a home! He just works so hard.

TV (Dialogue to right in static balloon): This Morning’s top story again: Police
have released some very...disturbing photos of the two police officers murdered
last night in the hope that anyone with information pertaining to the brutal
slayings of officer Twohy and Kramer will come forward. These are EXTREMELY
graphic images and viewer discretion is advised.

Panel 6: Straddling 5 and 7 (below television dialogue)

TV FRAME.

Blurry CCTV footage/still of a figure dressed in a strange, almost super-villain-

esque manner slaying two police/SWAT team member in brutal fashion...perhaps
gutting one while shooting the other in the face....or a shot from the street
looking up (zoomed) at him decapitating one of the victims and holding his head
as the headless body plummets towards the camera, as the other is impaled on
his broad sword...or whatever you think yourself.

Panel 7: Again width of page

Medium straight-on of Rose. She has placed her cup down and has her right hand
across her abdomen.

She is dozing off, her head nodding slightly with her eyes only half opened.

Rose’s left hand is over the side of the arm chair dangling the photo-frame.

TV: In addition to this footage Police have released these artists’ impressions of
the suspect. Though the suspect himself is clearly unrecognisable, it is hoped
that someone may recognize some of the equipment used as it is of a highly
specialised nature. The clothing as well as the killer’s tactics suggests military
training of some sort. All the deaths have been clinical and though brutal all
evince a level of planning...

Rose: ...works so hard...he was always such a good boy.

Panel 8: smaller panel, floating over bottom left of panel 7

Sketch of Killer. Very Comic bookish. May have a mask of some kind (Gas Mask,
Kabuki, Biker Helmet, Hood etc.). Carries a series of guns and swords (Very early
Image style...looks vaguely ridiculous) All of his clothes are ex-military and
functional apart from mask /hood thing.

Panel 9: bottom right of page

C/U of Rose’s hand as she drops the photo-frame of Sean. Either we see it as a
closer image (panel in panel) of it falling from her hand or as it lands on the floor.
It shows Sean as a military medic in uniform during some gulf war...thus
emphasising links to the killer.

Middle: Establishing relationship between Sean and

Rose. Heightening tension and suspicion.

Page 2

Page 2, Panels 1-3: across top of page

Panel 1:
Medium C/U of armchair and photo on the floor. Can just see above the arm of
chair.

Stand/Dresser thing is in frame.

Light is subtly different, suggesting that it is later. Or a dialogue box simply

saying later.

No Dialogue

Panel 2:
Same as previous except that there is a man’s hand reaching down for the
photo.

His hand is bandaged and bloody. There is a ring on his middle finger.

Panel 3:
Same again but the man’s hand places photo on the stand facing Rose.

Leaves blood smeared on the frame.

Panel 4: Width of Page again

Frame: Mid-level frame from just above level of last shot. Centre of panel is Rose
asleep in her chair, kind of slouched down in the seat. The frame should just
about encompass from the top of the back of the arm-chair to just below where
Rose’s feet dangle over the edge.

Sean is visible only from arms to knees approx. He is in this ONE panel THREE
times as he works around her, denoting his movement while she sleeps (kind of
subtle foreshadowing his heroism maybe as he helps people without them
knowing maybe...or maybe not.) He is moving right to left.

Panel Left: Sean covers Rose’s feet and legs with a blanket. We see him from the
neck down.

Panel centre: Sean Pulling blankets up around Rose’s shoulders. Rose’s head is
tilted towards the reader...Sean still from neck down.

Panel Right: Sean kisses Rose’s head in Silhouette.

Panel 5,6 & 7: 6 is the width of 4, with 5 and 7 ‘floating’ over it on

either side. 5 is given primacy on panel left with both it and 7 providing
a short/reverse/shot scenario with 6.

Panel 5:
C/u of TV set (NB. Set not just screen)

Sean’s bloodied, damaged, hand is poised to turn it off but is hesitant

On screen is the TV Presenter again. Banner announcing ‘Breaking News!’ across

base.

TV: News is just coming in of another incident....stay with us. Details are sketchy
but...Oh Jesus...oh god...uh...excuse me...I’m sorry...

Panel 6: Wide Panel

Sean, Shot from below as if from the TV’s POV. His face illuminated for the first
time.

His face is badly bruised, his lip cut, eye swollen etc. He looks at the story not
with any degree of horror or indeed recognition ...just an empty resignation.

TV: We are getting reports of a massive altercation between police and the
suspect of the recent spree killings. Dozens are reported injured but there is no
word yet on the death toll. It is still unclear whether this was an organised police
action or if they were responding to yet another attack. The footage coming in
is...is...Stay tuned...we’ll...uh...keep you updated...

Panel 7:
Same as 5. TV switching off (maybe that old white line/blip thing? Or some ‘click’
or ‘Beep’ SFX.

Sean’s hand pressing button, pointing remote at screen.

TV: and now for sports! Tom...?

Tom:...err...click! (cut off)

Panels 8, 9 & 10 arranged same as 1, 2 and 3

Panel 8:
Over-Rose’s-shoulder shot again. Maybe closer though...lower down....just her
feet in frame perhaps. Only left side visible. Sean is opening the door to his room
next to the TV. Room is darker without TV. Only light is really is coming from
inside Sean’s room.

Panel 9:
Same angle but door to Sean’s room is wide open.

Sean, now in silhouette, is looking back at Rose.

Panel 10:
Door closing behind Sean. Slight sliver of light coming through the door as it
closes. Rose stirs

Rose (off-panel):...Sean?

Page 3
Panels 1-4 arranged across width of page.
Panel 1:
C/U of Rose’s face. Face-on.

The room is brighter now. It is morning.

She is asleep.

In the background there is the sound of breakfast being made. Pots, pans etc...

Panel 2: Same as previous, slightly pulled back.

C/U of Rose’s face.

She wakes up, startled by the noise.

Panel 3: Pulled back again

Rose is looking over her shoulder away from the reader now.

The kitchen is in the background. There is a window and Sean is silhouetted

against it, back to Rose and the reader. The window is a four-panelled kind, with
a cross dividing the panes.
Panel 4:
Reverse Shot: Medium C/U of Sean. He is washing up.

The window casts a shadow of the cross beam upon Sean’s face ( a la
Hitchcock’s The Lodger as if to suggest that he has a cross to bear)

Rose is in Background over his shoulder.

Rose: Sean?

Panel 5-8 in the same arrangement.

Panel 5:
Medium shot of Sean as he turns to face Rose. Rose’s head is visible in the fore-
ground.

Sean’s face is badly beaten and bruised, but there are sutures and plasters etc.
there now.

Rose (speech bubble): Oh Sean! I thought I dreamt you come in. Did you
see....Oh my poor baby! What happened to your face?!

Panel 6:
Same except Sean is raising his hand to his swollen lip, eyes down. (Beat Panel)

Panel 7:
Sean looks up again, removing his hand.

Sean: Drugs Ma....Kids on Drugs...

Panel 8:
Sean turns his back to the reader and Rose again.

Rose (Leaning forward now with concern, seems animated): Oh baby...are you
ok?

Sean: Hurrm

Rose: I want to talk to your duty-manager! Why does this always happen to...

Sean: I gotta go back to St. Mary’s Ma. Double shift.

Rose: But...but you just finished...

Sean: No ma...that was...hff... that was overtime. I gotta go. Sorry.

Panel 9: Wide Shot. Proscenium, side-on view of the situation.

Rose is on the left. Sean is on the right. Leaning over the sink/worktop. Slouched,
his head down.

No Dialogue. Just a wide shot emphasises the distance between mother and son.
Panel 10 – 12: Layered one on top of the other, as if getting closer to
the viewer.

Panel 10:
M C/U Face on of Rose facing away from Sean again.

Her eyes are closed. She looks upset. Sean is leaving behind her. (Door Slams)

Panel 11:
Closer on Rose as she picks up the remote and points it at the TV/reader. TV
lights up her face.

SFX: Click

TV: ...lowing last night’s horrific scenes at St. Arnolds School for Disturbed
Children where a terrifying altercation between...

Panel 12:
Extreme C/U of Rose’s eyes...tearing up

Her face again illuminated by the TV Glow

TV:...must know who this monster is! He is someone’s neighbour, some wife’s
husband, some mother’s s...

Page 4
Conclusion: A Villain meets his end and a Mother learns a
shocking secret.

Crosscutting between TV reports and action in apartment.

Eventually we will ‘go through’ the TV so that the action is
taking place ‘in-panel’.

4x4 (Dark Knight Returns/Watchmen-esque panel layout),

smaller panels, faster/more tension inducing.

Panel 1:

TV screen. Totally black. Only the edges of the set visible.

Panel 2:

It is dark now. Time has passed.

Rose sitting down. Hot cup of tea in her hand. A look of resigned misery on her
face

Panel 3:

TV screen again. Switching on. Maybe a white line blip or a wavy, old-school
‘tuning-in’ type screen

Panel 4:

Cut back to Rose (perhaps pointing remote control at screen to show that she
just turned it on)

She is now, once again, illuminated by the TV glow. She is sipping her tea.

Panel 5:

TV reporter on screen. Standing in front of a Police cordon around which a large

crowd has gathered, watching a building that is in the process of burning to the
ground.

TV reporter:“...aint Mary’s. The site of the most recent and by all accounts the
most destructive incident involving the masked killer.

Panel 6:

Rose sits bolt upright (knocking her tea on the table next to the seat, maybe
panel in panel again?). Raises her hand to her mouth in an expression of shock.

Rose: “St. Mary’s?...”

Panel 7:

TV Camera tries to focus on a badly mutilated corpse but the shot is partially
obscured by a police man trying to cover the screen with his hand.

Reporter (VO) : The latest attack took place as the police, acting on information
gathered by the detectives in charge of the case, tracked the killer to St. Mary’s
Hospital. It is understood that, when confronted by a S.W.A.T. team, the suspect
set off a series of explosions within the hospital.

Panel 8:

Cut back to Rose. Close Up of her face. She looks aghast. Hand still over her
mouth.

Rose: Oh God no...

TV (VO): It is not as yet known precisely what the suspect was doing at the
hospital but Police are looking to talk to this man in connection with the incident.

Panel 9:

TV shows a CCTV screen-grab of Sean in work clothes, ducking into a room

suspiciously looking over his shoulder or maybe just looking suspicious.

There is a knock on the door. SFX off panel.

Panel 10:

Rose, from side, Sean’s door to left. There are police knocking at the door in
background and Rose, hands to her face, is looking over her shoulder at the
door.

Police (from outside the door): “Ma’m? This is the police; it’s about your son.

Panel 11:

Close up of panel 9, Sean’s eyes, close-up in grainy CCTV style. Looks VERY
suspicious.

Panel 12:

Rose, from side again, closer. Now. She is looking at Sean’s door and the image
of him on the TV. Her hands are on the arms of the chair as if she were preparing
to stand up.

Police (off-panel): “Ma’m if you don’t open up we are going to have to...

Radio:“ BRKZZZZTTT! All Units report to Doyle’s wharf immediately...suspect

sighted....

Police: “Shit...”

Reporter: Um...some breaking news folks....uh...is this right?

Panel 13:

Rose, up now, reaching to open Sean’s door, looking to the right at the TV, tears
in her eye. The TV may be fore-grounded with Rose in the background. Again
depends on room geography. You’ll know better.

TV Reporter: “Excuse me...we uh...we are getting reports that the altercation
with the suspect has moved to Doyle’s Wharf...and that the suspect has been
found...are we sure about this?

(TV reporter is touching his ear as if to say he’s getting info, is looking
downwards)
Panel 14 and 15 (spread across both)
Wide shot of Sean’s room from Rose’s P.O.V. Or maybe an over the shoulder
shot with door half ajar.

The room is a mess.

A bed, to the left, is unmade and covered in clothes; bloody bandages and what
look like blood stains.

In the background is a full length map of the city with various markings on it. It
takes up the whole back wall, as if it were hanging over a wall length wardrobe.

The floor is littered with clothes and general mess. There are syringes and other
medical paraphernalia littered around.

To the right is a writing desk. On it are a computer, many notepads and, for
some reason, assorted blueprints and schematics. Most importantly though is a
large suitcase sitting on the desk facing the reader. There is a note on top.

It says simply ‘Ma. ’

TV audible from outside: Yes?...uh...breaking news on MCN1...He’s

dead...apparently the suspect’s dead...em...Reporter Mike Sienkiewicz is at the
scene .Mike?

Panel 16:
TV screen taking up whole panel again.

Shot of a nervous looking man standing at a warehouse at the docks there are
police lights around him and in the background, behind a police cordon, we can
barely make out a body.

Mike: I can confirm that the suspect is indeed dead....it’s...uh... it’s a mess here
George.

Page 5 (Everything slightly snappier, more up-tempo

here)

Panel 1:
Reverse shot of 14/15, smaller. Rose is standing closer to the case. She is
holding the note up with one hand and the other is to her face. Her eyes are
tearing up again.

Panel 2:

TV screen visible. We see the footage of the interior of the warehouse, there has
been a violent altercation, but between whom remains unknown. Blood and
assorted viscera are visible on the floor

Reporter (off camera): we are now going inside the warehouse...it’s grim in here
George

Panel 3:

Rose lowers the letter to her side and opens the case.

Internal monologue:

Oh Sean...

Panel 4:

Cut back to TV. Closer now we see the body of a masked super-villain type
criminal, on the floor, his back to the reader as a particularly zealous camera-
man breaks the police cordon. He is roughly the same size as Sean.

Panel 5: Rose opens the case to discover a cache of bizarre paraphernalia:

weapons, clothes, masks. Generally accoutrements of a garish comic book
character.

Monologue:

...Sean

Panel 6:

Back on the docks (we have now gone ‘through the television’ if you will) we see
a SWAT officer kneel next to the body. There are strange weapons on the killer’s
utility belt, not unlike the one in the case....a trail of blood leads to the window
behind...and out towards the dock beyond.

Cop1 : ...dunno...he must’ve come in through the window.

Cop 2:no man, glass is on the outside, what happened here.

Cop 1: Whatever, let’s have a look at this bastard.

.Panel 7:

Rose looks to the note, weeping now.

Monologue: Oh baby, what have you done?

Panel 8: The cop begins to turn the body. We see clearly now the trail of blood
going towards the window. There is no glass as the window was broken from the
inside.

Panel 9:

Rose begins to read the note and starts to really cry now. The note reads
“Dearest Ma...I am so sorry....but I had to do this...”

Panel 10:

We see the face of the killer in the foreground, as the cop looks out the window
towards the blood stain. The face is not that of Sean. It is mutilated and utterly
disfigured but it is not Sean. Cop 2 is looking out the window.

Cop 1: Sweet Jesus...this wasn’t us...shit

Cop 2: Bill...?

Panel 11: Rose still reading, hand to her mouth.

Note: “I’m sorry. You always raised me to be a good boy, you are the reason I
joined the military, why I wanted to become a Doctor, wanted to help people,
and all this ma, this thing I’ve become is because of you...

Rose: Oh son...what have you done?

Panel 12: The ‘camera’ has gone past the body and is now looking out the
window. The trail of blood leads from the window and over the edge of the pier.
Cop 2is in the corner of the panel looking back at the reader.

Cop 2: Bill? What the hell happened here?

Panel 13:

Rose is on her knees now, still crying but a sad smile is beginning to curl its way
from the corner of her mouth.

Note:“ This monster, this utter monster... He had to be stopped ma. There were
others and I stopped them ma but this guy was worse. So much worse. He had to
be stopped. I had to stop him...”

Panel 14:

We are on the pier now...looking over the pier into the ocean, there is blood
colouring the water and a figure can be just about made out beneath the crimson
tide, floating in a jesus-christ pose, arms outstretched.

Note: “I can stop him Ma but...I dunno if I’m gonna come back from this...”

Panel 15:
Rose looks up, directly at the reader, clutching the note to her breast and smiling
through her tears. She says “He was always such a good boy...”

Note: You always taught me to obey the law but this guy is running rings around
the cops. Someone needs to do whatever it takes. I’ve fought him a few times
and it’s escalating ma. I’m gonna have to do what it takes to take him down. I’m
sorry ma. I love you and I’m sorry.

Panel 16:

We follow the trail of blood beyond the dock, and under the waves, where we
find a second body, as yet undiscovered. We see a close-up of a bandaged
bloody hand, with the same ring as page 2. It is Sean...far from being a maniac
he was a vigilante, dedicating his nights to putting this guy down...and he has
died ignominiously, alone and unknown doing so.

Over the hand there is a dialogue box from the note saying:

“Your boy, Sean.”

Rose (V/O): such a good boy.

Fin