Clockwork Angels: Comic Script (9 page)

WATCHMAKER

Animate!

PANEL 5

Extreme close-up of the Angel’s stone eye—-gray stone and unnatural, like an alabaster statue. It is narrowed, filled with hate. Inside the stone iris, the pupil is FILLED WITH clockwork gears.

CAPTION (WATCHMAKER)

Why do they hate me so?

PAGE 16

PANEL 1

Back at the carnival, bright sunlight, the carnies gathered around the camp. (It’s not a show day.) Cesar Magnusson stands on one of the trestle tables in his full costume. He holds up a fancy proclamation in his hand, the back of which is stamped with the honeybee symbol of the Watchmaker.

CESAR MAGNUSSON

Attention all carnies! We have received a great honor! The WATCHMAKER HIMSELF has invited us to perform for him in Chronos Square.

CESAR

We have tickets for everyone.

PANEL 2

With Magnusson continuing his announcement, while the other carnies are listening in delight, Owen is staring across the crowd, starry-eyed at Francesca, who is on the other side of the crowd, chatting and chuckling with Tomio. Use lighting and color to emphasize that our focus is on Owen and his connection to Francesca. Tickets are being passed around, and Owen takes his without really paying any attention.

CESAR (CONTINUES)

This is remarkable. Two days from now, the Watchmaker will be watching US.

PANEL 3

Owen, looking very nervous, stands outside Francesca’s tent. She opens the tent flap to face him.

OWEN (VERY SMALL VOICE)

Francesca …

FRANCESCA

Owen Hardy, I didn’t know I gave you a permanent invitation to come to my tent!

OWEN

I …

PANEL 4

In his hands, pleading, he holds out the dried and rumpled rose she gave him earlier.

OWEN

F-Francesca, I—I can’t think of anyone but you. We’re going to perform for the Watchmaker, and then the carnival is going to some small towns … even Barrel Arbor before the end of the season!

OWEN

When we’re there, you can meet my father. We could be together. Settle down. I’d be apple orchard MANAGER. We could … please … we could get married—

PANEL 5

Close-up Francesca. She is startled, shocked, laughing.

FRANCESCA

Oh, Owen Hardy! You’re such a sweet, silly, unrealistic boy!

FRANCESCA

I’d never let myself be trapped like that!

PANEL 6

Owen stands there, mouth open, tears welling in his eyes, paralyzed with the devastating news that she has turned him down. He is completely crushed.

PANEL 7

Owen runs away, fleeing toward us, while in the extreme background we see a dismayed-looking Francesca calling after him.

FRANCESCA

Owen, wait. I didn’t mean—

PANEL 8

Close-up of the crumpled rose on the ground in front of Francesca’s tent.

PAGE 17

PANEL 1

Long panel, Owen walks into the night away from the carnival. It’s an open field, shadowy. Behind him in the distance are the lights of the carnie camp. He has almost reached a line of steamliner tracks that run mostly perpendicular to his path.

CAPTION (OWEN)

What did I see?

PANEL 2

Owen, head hung down and devastated, walks on the tracks between the rails, which dwindle to a vanishing point in the distance, heading toward the glowing city lights of Crown City. (All rails lead to Crown City, of course.)

CAPTION (OWEN)

Fool that I was!

PANEL 3

Dramatic panel. Suddenly, the Anarchist is standing there, a big ominous figure, cape flowing behind him. Owen is startled, looks small in comparison.

ANARCHIST

I knew you’d be here. So predictable.

OWEN

You … you’re the man from the steamliner!

PANEL 4

Close-up of the Anarchist with his devilish smile, he holds up his hand to gesture, and we can prominently see the Precipitate symbol tattooed on his hand.

ANARCHIST

I am many things and many places. You never know who, where, or when.

[LINK]

That’s the whole point of freedom, Owen Hardy. Extreme order will kill us all.

PANEL 5

With the Anarchist behind him, Owen turns and looks at the distant lights of the carnival camp. Now the steamliner tracks are beginning to glow a pale blue (because a steamliner is coming).

ANARCHIST

Think of all you’ve seen and done since you left your boring little town. You’ve LIVED. It’s nonsense to regret that.

OWEN

How would you know? My heart is broken. I’m all alone. I never should have left my home.

PAGE 18

PANEL 1

They walk together down the brightening tracks heading toward the hazy lights of Crown City. Behind them, still small and far away, a steamliner is coming.

ANARCHIST

You’ve been brainwashed by the Watchmaker’s Stability. Freedom is necessary, but it’s not free—or easy.

ANARCHIST

The Watchmaker is the problem. Crown City is the problem. Too much order is a crutch—and I intend to knock that crutch away.

PANEL 2

Anarchist close-up. His expression is like broken glass.

ANARCHIST

The thing about getting back up and standing on your own two feet …

[LINK]

You have to FALL first. And I intend to make all of Crown City fall. For our own good.

PANEL 3

Owen draws away from the Anarchist who keeps walking down the tracks. Owen is unsettled, standing up for himself, hands on his hips. The steamliner is getting closer.

OWEN

You’re d’Angelo Misterioso! Tomio warned me about you. He said you’re dangerous.

ANARCHIST

And I say Tomio is a coward, worries too much about people. But are you brave enough, Owen Hardy? Do you have the nerve to help me?

PANEL 4

Owen steps off the tracks and stands on the siding, while the Anarchist keeps walking along. The rails are blazing blue with coldfire now and the steamliner is getting close. The Anarchist pays no attention to it whatsoever.

ANARCHIST

It’s simple, really. Any alchemist could do it. Like resetting the clock.

[LINK]

Destroy Chronos Square. Destroy the coldfire nexus. Destroy the Watchmaker’s tower.

[LINK]

That should do the trick.

OWEN

But that would wreck civilization! It would be chaos! Complete—

PANEL 5

The Anarchist stands at the side of the track, reaching out his hand toward the oncoming steamliner, but not even bothering to look at it. The steamliner isn’t in this panel, just the Anarchist’s figure, but he is bathed in an eerie, brightening blue glow.

ANARCHIST

Yes, ANARCHY! And all is for the best.

PANEL 6

Big panel, the thundering steamliner swoops past, huge and chugging, half-levitated by colorful balloons, connected with freight cars. The Anarchist has grabbed a bar next to an open cargo car and is swept up, calling back at Owen.

ANARCHIST

It’ll be glorious! Think about it.

PAGE 19

PANEL 1

It’s dawn, Owen is outside of Crown City, approaching it from alongside the tracks. He looks rumpled, has been trudging for days.

CAPTION

Two days later …

CAPTION (OWEN)

How can all be for the best? And who decides that?

CAPTION (OWEN)

The Watchmaker?

CAPTION (OWEN)

The Anarchist?

CAPTION (OWEN)

Or me?

PANEL 2

Owen enters the city streets, which are vibrant and bustling as before in Issue 2, but now the colors are muted. We can see a few more shadows, a little more drabness. At some point, either here or in Panel 4, please put in the “Permanent Waves” woman (from the album cover of
Permanent Waves
, but probably in the position she is on the album cover of
Exit Stage Left
.

CAPTION (OWEN)

I’m too far from home, but I can’t go back to Barrel Arbor.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Or the carnival.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Francesca …

PANEL 3

Close-up of Owen’s face, tight on his eyes squeezed shut with tears leaking out.

CAPTION (FRANCESCA)

“I would never let myself be trapped like that.”

PANEL 4

Another street scene. Owen walks along, as if in a daze. He is approaching the entrance to Chronos Square. Regulators stand guard. People are filing in, handing over their tickets.

CAPTION (OWEN)

The carnival will be playing for the Watchmaker. By now they should already be set up.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Do I dare go? Am I brave enough.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Francesca …

PANEL 5

Small panel, close-up. Owen pulls the porkpie hat down low to hide his features, lowers his head.

CAPTION (OWEN)

But if the Anarchist tries to destroy it all—I have to stop him.

PANEL 6

Small panel. Owen hands over his ticket.

CAPTION (OWEN)

It really isn’t a choice after all.

PAGE 20

PANEL 1

Big lavish panel. Owen enters Chronos Square, where the carnival has set up, tents, booths, watchgear Ferris wheel. Crowds. Note for the design of the square,
across
from the Watchmaker’s tower is a big ornate governmental building, the Cathedral of the Timekeepers, across which a long banner has been strung, ALL IS FOR THE BEST (with the honeybee symbol). [This will be featured later, and important because Owen has to climb that building and use the ropes and banner to get away in next issue.] Floating coldfire globes illuminate the show.

PANEL 2

In the crowd, dashing Tomio is entertaining people, swishing his rapier as he throws one of his alchemical smoke bombs, which explodes in a puff of green smoke.

TOMIO

Presto!

CAPTION (OWEN)

Oh, I miss these people … even though I don’t belong with them anymore.

PANEL 3

Louisa the bearded lady is surrounded by laughing children who reach out to yank on her beard, and she is loving the attention. Owen self-consciously turns away, tugging his porkpie hat down.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Francesca must have told them everything.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Or maybe she’s forgotten about me already.

PANEL 4

Intimidating blue-uniformed Regulators march through the crowd. They look like windup soldiers.

REGULATOR

Citizens, be on the alert! Report any suspicious activity!

REGULATOR #2

The Anarchist has been seen in the city. Beware!

CAPTION (OWEN)

Nobody knows for sure what the Anarchist looks like … But I do.

PAGE 21

PANEL 1

A tightrope runs from the top of a high building (not the Cathedral of the Timekeepers) to a tall pole near the center of the square. Francesca is walking along the rope. Here in the background show the banner ALL IS FOR THE BEST

PANEL 2

Owen looks up, wistful and pained, at Francesca, but she doesn’t notice him in the crowd.

PANEL 3

Owen goes to the edge of the crowd, toward all the carnival wagons and Tomio’s trailer. This isn’t part of the carnival, just where they have set up their camp. It’s quiet and unoccupied because the show is going on.

CAPTION (OWEN)

The Anarchist will try to cause trouble … I know it.

PANEL 4

From behind Tomio’s trailer, Owen sees several kegs wedged under the trailer bed. These are explosives. One of them has the Precipitate symbol.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Those shouldn’t be there! Tomio would never …

CAPTION (OWEN)

Explosives!

PANEL 5

Owen hurries around the corner of the trailer to come upon the Anarchist crouching over the kegs and fiddling with a strange device, the detonator. See Hugh’s illustration on p. 159 of the novel. Owen shouts.

OWEN

Stop! I know who you are!

PAGE 22

PANEL 1

Owen raises his hands and shouts, sounding the alarm, while the surprised Anarchist recoils from his suspicious activity.

OWEN

Help! Somebody call the Regulators! It’s the Anarchist! THE ANARCHIST!

PANEL 2

The Anarchist looks up at him with a vicious grin.

ANARCHIST

Now that’s unexpected. Marvelous!

PANEL 3

He tosses the detonator to a surprised Owen.

ANARCHIST

Catch! Better hurry … before it detonates!

PANEL 4

Owen fumbles with the detonator as the Anarchist bolts away, making his escape.

OWEN

Help! It’s the Anarchist! Stop him!

CAPTION (OWEN)

The detonator … how do I stop it?

CAPTION (OWEN)

Break the spring … stop the gears. There…it’s safe now!

PANEL 5

Big panel. *Gulp!* Because of Owen’s shouts, the crowd is closing in. Regulators, carnival visitors … an instant mob in the making. The Anarchist is nowhere to be seen. The mob rushes toward Owen, pointing fingers. Regulators rush forward. Owen looks up, surprised at what he’s gotten himself into.

CROWD

The Anarchist! It’s the Anarchist! Get him!

END OF ISSUE 3

***