TITAN COMICS ARTIST TEST SCRIPT 01: “TRANSFORMATION LONDON” PAGE 1

TITAN COMICS

ARTIST TEST SCRIPT 01 – ACTION/SUPERHERO

“TRANSFORMATION LONDON”
© 2015 Andrew James & Titan Comics

CHARACTERS

NORIKO. A young Japanese woman of 22. International Masters student. Money

enough to study abroad, but not enough to make the most of living in London. Chin-
length bob of black hair, with an asymmetric cut over one eye. Wearing green combat
jacket, slightly too big for her; ankle boots with flat and sturdy soles; a determined
expression. Other clothes are stylish high street, a couple of seasons out of date,
bought in sales.

DAVIS. Black British Londoner, male, 26. London Metropolitan Police officer.
Young, fit, but outclassed by the pair he's pursuing. Full uniform. Close-cropped
natural hair, clean-shaven. Has seen a lot in his short time in uniform, but this is the
first time he's seen anything like this...

FELIX. White male, 30. Frosted blond hair with a high forehead. Wears an expensive
suit and shoes, still loose enough to sprint in. Might lose jacket halfway through the
chase. Could comfortably work in banking or management consultancy. His face flits
between terror at being pursued and a very punchable expression.

THE CHASE ROUTE

Google Maps and Street View is a great resource! The chase route in this short sample
script begins outside the north entrance/exit of Blackfriars Station, in London, on the
north bank of the Thames. The pursuit runs south across the Thames on Blackfriars
Bridge, races down to the south bank of the riverside, clambers up, via the south side
train terminal, onto the nearby Sampson House, runs across the IBM-owned portion
of that building, and climaxes atop the roof of Titan’s office block at the end of
Hopton Street in Southwark.

PAGE ONE
Page One, Panel 1
FELIX is running away at speed from NORIKO, out from the main Blackfriars
Underground exit on the north side of the Thames, towards Blackfriars bridge,
heading south. The traffic lights at the intersection just outside the station are visible
in background. A police patrol car containing DAVIS is at the head of the lights
(though we cannot see him through the windshield yet). The lights are currently red.

1) NORIKO: HEY, STOP!

Page One, Panel 2

Close-up on DAVIS through the driver-side of the patrol car at the traffic lights,
spotting the situation.

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NO DIALOGUE

Page One, Panel 3

Pull back to show the patrol car pulling away from the lights, which are still red. Blue
lights jumping on atop the car.

NO DIALOGUE

Page One, Panel 4

Pull out further to show Blackfriars Bridge. The rail crossing between the two ends of
the station, and, beyond it, the Tate Modern, are to our right. The view heads up to
Waterloo on the left, but there’s no way you’d capture all of that in one panel! The
emphasis is on the footchase and its immediate surrounds. FELIX and NORIKO
sprint towards us along the footpath as DAVIS moves to intercept them in the patrol
car.

2) FELIX: HFF HFF HFF

3) NORIKO: HAH HFF HFF

Page One, Panel 5

FELIX’s legs are exiting panel right as he abruptly turns left, taking the turn from the
main road, where the bridge terminates, and towards the top of the stairs leading down
to the riverside tow-path on. NORIKO is right behind him, at the centre of the panel,
while to the left of the panel is the patrol car, pulling up by the kerbside.

NO DIALOGUE

PAGE TWO

Page Two, Panel 1

The patrol car door is open and DAVIS is springing out, already at a run.

NO DIALOGUE

1) DAVIS: OSCAR CHARLIE ALPHA, WE HAVE A FOOT-CHASE ON THE

SOUTH SIDE OF BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE…

Page Two, Panel 2

We’re down by the waterside, at the bottom of the steps (which are on our right),
looking towards the south side terminus of Blackfriars Rail Station. FELIX is already
climbing an access ladder on the far wall, to reach the roof of the station. NORIKO is
reaching the base of the ladder, and DAVIS is racing down the steps and into shot
after them.

NO DIALOGUE

Page Two, Panel 3

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FELIX has made the roof of the station, and is sprinting towards us, in the foreground
of the panel. NORIKO has a hand and her head over the side of the roof behind him,
and is pulling herself up, with some effort.

3) NORIKO: SLOW DOWN AND LET ME CATCH YOU, BAKA!

Page Two, Panel 4

Side-on view to establish distance. Panel left, DAVIS is struggling over the top of the
station roof with considerably less grace than Noriko. It’s harder than the other two
have made it look. Panel centre, NORIKO is sprinting towards FELIX, who is
vaulting onto the side of the large IBM building adjacent, and pulling himself up.

NO DIALOGUE

Page Two, Panel 5

Close-up on NORIKO’s face, determined.

NO DIALOGUE

Page Two, Panel 6

Close-up on DAVIS’s face, ‘What the hell am I doing???’

NO DIALOGUE

PAGE THREE

Page Three, Panel 1

Three-shot. Again, DAVIS panel left, NORIKO panel centre, FELIX panel right. This
time arranged so that DAVIS is closest too us, FELIX furthest away. All three
sprinting across the top of the IBM building.

NO DIALOGUE

Page Three, Panel 2

Pull out. Elevated perspective. Focus of the page. We can see all three are heading
towards the Titan Towers rooftop at the end of the street. After that – no more rooftop,
nowhere left to run.

NO DIALOGUE

Page Three, Panel 3

FELIX jumps towards the Titan rooftop…

1) FELIX: HAHHP!

Page Three, Panel 4

…we flip the camera around, to see him land heavily on the gravelled/tarmaced roof.
NORIKO is already leaping behind him.

NO DIALOGUE

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Page Three, Panel 5

NORIKO lands. DAVIS leaps behind her…

2) NORIKO: NNFF!

PAGE FOUR

Page Four, Panel 1

…and SLAMS the full weight of his body into FELIX, who goes down, hard.

SFX (COLLISION): WHAMMM

1) FELIX: UNNFFF!

2) DAVIS: UTT!

Page Four, Panel 2

DAVIS has rolled out into a combat crouch, one knee on the ground, arms spread,
coiled to leap again, flicking out his baton in his right hand as he rises, ready for
action.

SFX (BATON): FLIC

3) DAVIS: MISS – I’M OFFICER DAVIS HUGHES WITH THE

METROPOLITAN POLICE.

4) DAVIS (JOINED): WHAT {HFF} DID HE DO TO YOU?

Page Four, Panel 3

NORIKO raises an eyebrow. Huh?

5) NORIKO: DO TO ME?

6) NORIKO (JOINED): NOTHING YET.

Page Four, Panel 4

On DAVIS, and his silent confusion. In the background, FELIX rises, mostly in
shadow.

NO DIALOGUE

Page Four, Panel 5

Three-shot. DAVIS unaware that FELIX’s shape is bubbling and glowing behind him
as NORIKO arches an eyebrow at him, in an almost pitying, ‘this is way above your
pay-grade’ kind of way.

7) NORIKO: IT’S NOT LIKE HE RAN OFF WITH MY PURSE. THIS IS FELIX.

8) NORIKO (JOINED): I’VE SORTA GOT TO BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF HIM.

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Page Four, Panel 6

The FELIX MONSTER revealed – it’s still humaniform, and roughly the same height
as FELIX, but he’s now a splice between something harsh and hungry you’d meet on
your worst day in the jungle, and a carapace-laden giant isopod from your most
terrible nightmares. Lots of sharp edges, teeth and claws, but with the faintest
suggestion he could be a man in a rubber suit.

9) NORIKO (OFF): IT’S MY MISSION IN LIFE TO WHALE ON MONSTERS

UNTIL THEY EXPLODE.

PAGE FIVE

Page Five, Panel 1

NORIKO’s a little dismissive of DAVIS as she backs away from the transformed
FELIX.

1) NORIKO: TRY TO KEEP UP, OFFICER DAVIS.

Page Five, Panel 2

She drops into a combat stance.

NO DIALOGUE

Page Five, Panel 3

The FELIX MONSTER slices down with a sharp appendage, and she dodges aside.

2) FELIX MONSTER: NOOORRRRRIKKKOOOO

SFX (SLICE): SHHHIINNNGGG

Page Five, Panel 4

NORIKO lands a karate chop on the FELIX MONSTER’S upraised / blocking arm.

3) NORIKO: OH, SO NOW YOU WANT TO CHAT.

SFX (IMPACT): KRNNNK

Page Five, Panel 5

The pair launch into a grapple. Framed in the triangular space between their
outstretched, interlocking arms, we can see DAVIS, just getting to his feet, still
wondering what the heck he’s gotten himself into.

NO DIALOGUE

PAGE SIX

Page Six, Panel 1

The FELIX MONSTER throws NORIKO back across the roof.

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SFX (THROW): HSSSHAAA

Page Six, Panel 2

NORIKO comes sliding to a stop, upright, hand in the gravel, eyes burning.

1) NORIKO: RIGHT.

2) NORIKO (JOINED): THAT’S ENOUGH OUT OF YOU.

Page Six, Panel 3

NORIKO straightens herself up, pulling two halves of a device about the size of a cell
phone when combined, out of her right and left coat pockets.

SFX (GRABBING ITEMS): WHSSK

Page Six, Panel 4

Inset panel. NORIKO’S eyes. Furious, determined.

SFX (LARGE SPOKEN NUMBER): SAN

Page Six, Panel 5

Inset panel. The FELIX MONSTER’S eyes. Venomous.

SFX (LARGE SPOKEN NUMBER): NI

Page Six, Panel 6

Inset panel. DAVIS’s eyes. What the hell is going on now?

SFX (LARGE SPOKEN NUMBER): ICHI

Page Six, Panel 7

NORIKO slams the two halves together, yelling her activation word as she does so.
Colourful sparks and the hint of cosmic energies fly from the point of impact to
surround her body.

SFX (IMPACT): SLAMMM

NORIKO: HENSHIN!

PAGE SEVEN
Page Seven, Panel 1
Thin strip across the top of the page – NORIKO’s silhouette lost in a blinding flare of
white.

SFX (TRANSFORMATION): FWAASSSSHHH

Page Seven, Panel 2

LARGE, semi-splash panel, focus of the page. NORIKO’s transformation revealed.

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Wreathes of coloured smoke still spill from her freshly revealed armour, like it has
emerged from cosmic sub-space, wreathed in unnatural energies, and cooled into a
solid form in the temperate clime of our local physics.

Which it has.

Feel free to go nuts with the design of Noriko’s transformed form, bearing in mind
that you might need to draw this on eleven or more pages an issue for the foreseeable
future! It would be good to find a compromise blend between movie-detailed and
comics-drawable. Something that conforms to her body shape without resorting to
‘boob armour’ would also be preferable. It’s a blast of colour in an otherwise grey
world – we should be delighted to see this transformation show up.

The armour completely covers her body and face. The mask has large, insectile lenses
that obscure her eyes but also seem open and friendly -- if you’re not a monster,
menacing the populace.

The suit itself is flexible and segmented at every joint – it’s built for martial arts and
super-powered combos, not turning aside medieval pikes and arrows.

A large symbol is printed across the belly and right shoulder of the armour: two

abstract crows, facing left and right, linked by the Kanji for tower: 塔
If you were planning on drawing this on a regular basis, you’d probably want to save
that symbol as a separate illustration you can apply and deform onto the armour
digitally, to save time and make things easy on yourself.

SFX (TRANSFORMATION): SHAAAAAAAA

Page Seven, Panel 3

The armoured NORIKO drops back into a combat stance, one arm back behind her
head, the other in the extreme foreground, beckoning the FELIX MONSTER on…

1) NORIKO: LET’S DANCE!

=== END OF SAMPLE SCRIPT 01 ===

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