Clockwork Angels: Comic Script (3 page)

OWEN’S FATHER (SMALL VOICE)

If only your mother could see you now …

PANEL 4

An officious-looking man (late 40s) with pince-nez spectacles and extravagant sideburns, stands holding a long piece of paper, reading it aloud. (Stylistically, this could be a long and thin strip of paper, like a tickertape, to imply that he’s reading something special.) This is Mr. PAQUETTE, Lavinia’s father.

MR. PAQUETTE

*Ahem* Today’s report, received at the Barrel Arbor newsgraph office.

But first I’d like to add, on a personal note, my delight in the imminent betrothal of my daughter Lavinia to young Owen Hardy, as is to be expected. *Ahem*

PANEL 5

Close-up of Mr. Paquette as he reads.

MR. PAQUETTE

And now the news. The Watchmaker is saddened to announce the loss of another steamliner en route to Poseidon. The Wreckers are believed to be responsible …

PANEL 6

The angry crowd, grumbling. Paquette continues (possibly out of panel.)

MR. PAQUETTE

The Anarchist planted another bomb and ruined a portion of the northern line, disrupting steamliner traffic throughout Albion. Fortunately, the airship captain was able to lift his cars to safety just in time, and no one was hurt.

CROWD (VARIOUS)

Damn the Anarchist!

The Devil take him!

PANEL 7

Owen looks very troubled, baffled more than infuriated.

OWEN

But why would anyone want to ruin what the Watchmaker created? Doesn’t he know how dangerous the world would be?

MR. PAQUETTE

He’s a freedom extremist, boy. How does a disordered mind work?

OWEN’S FATHER

It’s not ours to understand. All is for the best. Now drink up … time to get back home.

PAGE 9

PANEL 1

Establishing shot of Owen’s house, a quaint and humble dwelling next to the cider house we saw earlier.

PANEL 2

Inside the house, a quiet and dull evening. There are clocks on the wall, on the mantel, and a big grandfather clock in the corner. Owen’s father sits in a chair beside the fireplace, reading a newspaper. Owen in a smaller chair (like father, like son) is reading a large book.

OWEN

Didn’t you ever want to see Crown City, Dad?

OWEN’S FATHER

Not really, and not since the last time you asked. It was never in the schedule … Ah, your mother was always a dreamer, too …

PANEL 3

Close-up, Owen turns pages of the book, is fascinated.

OWEN

At least we have these books she used to read. It’s all we have left of her …

PANEL 4

Close-up of a page of the book, a tintype showing the Watchmaker’s tower and the Clockwork Angels emerging like a glockenspiel (but no detail on the angels’ faces).

OWEN (OFF PANEL)

Someday, maybe I’ll get to see the Clockwork Angels.

OWEN’S FATHER (OFF PANEL)

That was what your mother always said, too.

PANEL 5

Owen’s father gets up, winding a clock on the mantelpiece, while Owen puts the book on a shelf.

OWEN’S FATHER

Come now, help me wind and check all the clocks before we go to bed.

PANEL 6

Owen adjusts the weights on a big grandfather clock as his father heads into the bedroom.

OWEN

Good night, Dad. I’ll stay up a little while longer.

OWEN’S FATHER

You always do …

PAGE 10

PANEL 1

Inside the living room of the dark house, the fire in the fireplace has burned down to embers, leaving only a dull orange glow. The clock on the mantelpiece says 11:40.

CAPTION

Almost midnight …

CAPTION

Lavinia … my true love.

PANEL 2

Dressed, Owen opens the front door and tiptoes out of the house. He is carrying a small cloth sack (it has a few apples in it)

CAPTION

Is the thought of a secret kiss really so exciting?

CAPTION

I hope she thinks so …

PANEL 3

Night shadows, a moon in the sky, Owen walks along a tree-lined lane, eating an apple from his sack.

PANEL 4

On top of the hill, a night version of what we saw on Page 3, the landscape is vast, sparkling under the starlight. Owen waits by the tree.

CAPTION

The world makes me feel so small … but I can’t stop thinking big.

PANEL 5

Small panel (will be repeated several times). In Owen’s hand, he opens his pocketwatch to show the time is midnight.

CAPTION

Midnight … It’s time.

PANEL 6

Small panel (will be repeated several times), close on Owen’s face, grinning, hopeful

PANEL 7

Small panel, Owen’s pocketwatch now reads 12:14

PANEL 8

Small panel, Owen’s face, troubled.

PANEL 9

Small panel, pocketwatch, now 12:35

PANEL 10

Owen’s face, frowning, deeply disappointed

PAGE 11

PANEL 1

Owen sits under the tree, sulking, knees drawn up against his chest.

PANEL 2

With more vehemence than is absolutely necessary, he hurls his apple core out into the night.

SFX

Runs along edge of
Panel 2
and into
Panel 3
, growing larger, louder

clang Clang
Clang
CLANG

PANEL 3

On the hill, Owen looks down to see the brightening blue line of the coldfire rail (like a luminous single rail-track winding through the valley below), and a “long train of flares under piercing stars” as the steamliner approaches. This is a caravan of freight cars, zeppelin balloons, passenger gondolas. See full descriptions in the novel; it would also be a good idea to watch the Clockwork Angels tour animation for “Caravan,” which has some images of these steamliners (though we can be even more spectacular). Note, we’ll get the full jaw-dropping image of the steamliner on the next page.

PANEL 4

Close-up of Owen’s eyes lighting up with joy and wonder.

CAPTION

The night steamliner …

CAPTION

Of course, right on schedule!

PANEL 5

Owen starts running down the hill, hauling ass, holding his sack which bounces behind him. He’s going so fast that any second now he could go flying face-first.

PAGE 12

PANEL 1

Small panel, Owen reaches the track (which has a faint blue glow), stands on the siding and just stares in absolute wonder, like Dorothy facing the Wizard of Oz for the first time.

PANEL 2

Mostly full page, the jaw-dropper of the fantastical steamliner as it arrives, just passing him, a combination gypsy caravan, locomotive, steampunk freight-train. See book for description and some of Hugh Syme’s illustrations, as well as “Caravan” animation from tour. Owen looks very small in relation to it.

PANEL 3

Another small reaction panel, close-up of Owen showing awe. [We can do without this panel, if Nick thinks it’s more effective just to have the two shots.]

PAGE 13

PANEL 1

Big panel, as the steamliner thunders past (try to imply the exciting, swift passage, wind blowing Owen’s hair, his clothes), Owen looks down the line of the oncoming train and sees a man leaning out of one of the approaching cars (equivalent to a boxcar on a freight train), extending his hand. It’s a small figure, but coming fast as the steamliner rolls along.

STRANGER

Come on, kid!

PANEL 2

Closer in, we see the stranger now, holding onto the edge of an open boxcar door, leaning out into the night. What he’s doing looks dangerous, but the man doesn’t show any concern. (See the book for the full description of the man; this is the Anarchist.) He shouts at Owen.

STRANGER

Take my hand!

PANEL 3

Owen looks shocked, intimidated, balking. Caption should be on one side of the panel, Stranger’s dialog on the other.

CAPTION

This could be my only chance to see the world …

CAPTION

Going where I
want
—

STRANGER

You
know
you want to!

PANEL 4

Owen reaches out his hand, and the Stranger reaches down to grasp it; close-up on the two hands—copy the Hugh Syme illustration in the novel and CD booklet. Make sure we see the alchemy symbol on the Anarchist’s hand.

CAPTION

Instead of where I should …

PANEL 5

Outside view. The stranger grabs Owen’s hand and yanks him off his feet, dramatic, violent, pulls him into the open car.

CAPTION

On my way at last …

PAGE 14

PANEL 1

From inside the car, we see Owen sprawl face-first, and two apples tumble out of his sack onto the train car floorboards. In direct contrast to Owen’s flustered tumble, the Anarchist doesn’t look ruffled at all.

STRANGER

Welcome aboard. I’m proud of you. You did what most others wouldn’t dare …

PANEL 2

Owen gets up and stands unsteady at the edge of the open door, looking out at the countryside moving past, toward the distant clocktower and huddled buildings of his village.

OWEN

But what did I do … ?

PANEL 3

The stranger sits against the wall of the steamliner car and begins rummaging through Owen’s sack, pulls out an apple.

STRANGER

Didn’t you pray just to get away? Seek your fortune, see the world … see Crown City? Where a young man has a chance o making good?

STRANGER

I know you, young man … I know you very well.

PANEL 4

Owen is somewhat offended, summoning up pride and courage. He stands with his back to the open door, hands on hips, looking at the stranger who is too relaxed, seated on the floor.

OWEN

I am Owen Hardy from Barrel Arbor, son of Anton, and assistant apple-orchard manager. How do you know me?

STRANGER

I know a thousand just like you—and yet
not
like you. Very few have the nerve to resist the Watchmaker’s repression.

STRANGER

All is
not
for the best.

PANEL 5

Close-up, the stranger’s hand holding an apple as he brings it to his mouth to take a bite. His hand is burned and scarred (this is the opposite hand from the one that has the alchemical symbol tattoo.

OWEN (OFF PANEL)

What happened to your hand?

STRANGER

Life … and circumstance.

PANEL 6

Aerial shot, looking down, the steamliner rolls on into the night.

STRANGER (NOT SEEN)

Good for you to escape the rules, young Owen Hardy. The devil take the Watchmaker!

STRANGER (NOT SEEN)

Go where you want, do what you choose. All people should be free like that—not like what the Watchmaker commands!

STRANGER (NOT SEEN)

This is your chance to break from the past.

PAGE 15

PANEL 1

Owen is huddled in the shadowy steamliner car, crouched against some stacked lumber, other crates of materials being shipped.

OWEN

I’ve never seen Albion, the mountains where alchemical elements are mined, or the forests, or other villages …

OWEN

Or the Watchmaker’s Tower, or Chronos Square. Or Crown City … is that where we’re heading now? You’ve been there before?

PANEL 2

Stranger at the doorway of the car, with wind blowing in his face and whipping his hair.

STRANGER

As often as I like … more often than I prefer.

OWEN

You’ve seen the Clockwork Angels, then? Tell me about them.

STRANGER

Wind-up contraptions, symbols of oppression.

OWEN

Oppression! But they’re … the Clockwork Angels! They’re beautiful.

PANEL 3

Stranger stands silhouetted against the open door, hurls his apple core into the night.

STRANGER

They have some aesthetic merit, but to worship them because the Watchmaker lets them deliver pre-printed announcements? People believe such nonsense.

OWEN

But … that’s our loving Watchmaker!

STRANGER

Yes, he loves us all to death.

PANEL 4

Owen draws his knees up, hugging himself.

OWEN

That’s not what I was brought up to believe.

STRANGER

It’s easy to believe! Now learn the
truth
. See Crown City for yourself.

PANEL 5

Exterior view, at train level looking forward as the steamliner rolls toward a mysterious, exotic-looking skyline ahead as the sky is turning pale and full of colors with dawn.

OWEN (OFF)

I will.

PAGE 16

PANEL 1

Small panel (fuzzy border, dreamy). Owen’s little house in Barrel Arbor, just as dawn is breaking, wisps of mist around outside. One light on in one window.

CAPTION

“Back home right now, my father will be waking up for a new day.”

PANEL 2

Windup alarm clock on a small nightstand table (Owen’s clock), ringing

CAPTION

“But my alarm clock will just ring and ring …”

PANEL 3