Mr. Sandman (2 page)

Page 5 p
anel 2

 

Gorr: ...yeah, as a matter of fact. You're spending all your time playing around, creating your own little fantasy world. You don't patrol the Dream Zone anymore, or watch the Dream Screens. Things are happening..

 

 

 

Page 5 p
anel 3

 

Dream Lord (patting Gorr and smiling condescendingly): Now, now, take it easy. I don't
have
to patrol, little guy, or even look at those screens. I have unlimited power here, remember? I'm practically omnipotent and omnipresent. I'm aware of everything that occurs in the Dream Zone, even the tiniest change!

 

 

 

Page 5 p
anel 4

 

Dream Lord: And can you blame me for having a little fun? This is a high-pressure job, fellas, guarding the dreams of all
humanity
! Plus, I'm all alone here, except for you two. I have the power, so why not whip up a little pleasure? I'm entitled to my fantasy world. This is
all
a fantasy world, right? It's the Dream Zone! Nothing here is real! It's like the song says, guys...

 

 

 

Page 5 p
anel 5

 

Large panel as Dream Lord strolls off into the Dream Base headquarters, a lovely girl on each arm, a servant lifting his cape, tiny creatures fluttering around him.

 

Dream Lord (singing): Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream...

 

TITLE: ...Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Life is But a Dream!

 

 

 

Page 5 p
anel 6

 

A small panel, within panel 5, or off to the side of the title and credits -- Gorr is throwing a fit because he failed to bring the Dream Lord to his senses.

 

Gorr: Dream Lord! Dream Lord! Awww,
nuts!

 

 

 

 

Page 6 (10
panels)

 

Page
6
panel 1

 

Wide shot of the Dream Lord walking through an ornate entrance into the Dream Base. The huge first room he enters looks like a grand European ballroom, filled with an incongruous mix of opulent artifacts and futuristic technology. A crowd of people is gathered in the room; they are all dressed in the style of the 17th century European aristocracy, complete with huge, powdered wigs. They are mulling about, apparently having some sort of party. As the Dream Lord enters, one of the people calls out to him.

 

Guy: Oh, Dream Lord!

 

Dream Lord: Hello! What is it, my friends?

 

 

 

Page
6
p
anel 2

 

Lady: We just thought you should know, sir...

 

Phelps: You really are quite
remarkable
, sir!

 

Other Guy: Hear, hear!

 

 

 

Page
6
p
anel 3

 

Closeup of the Dream Lord's pleased and flattered face as the crowd applauds in the background.

 

Dream Lord: Why, thank you, Phelps, everyone. That means a lot to me. You didn't have to.

 

 

 

Page
6
p
anel 4

 

Phelps: Actually, sir, we did.

 

 

 

Page
6
p
anel 5

 

A silent closeup of the Dream Lord's face as he ponders what his creation has said. His expression is unchanged from before--proud, happy, flattered--but there is something beneath that, as if once again he senses the depth of his loneliness in the Dream Zone.

 

 

 

Page
6
p
anel 6

 

Then, the Dream Lord laughs, making a joke of it all.

 

Dream Lord: Ha ha! Delightful, Phelps! Always ready with a barb or quip, eh? That tongue qualifies you as armed and dangerous! Ha!

 

 

 

Page
6
p
anel 7

 

A butler, the classic British stereotype, appears beside the Dream Lord, a towel over one arm.

 

Butler (Riggins): Excuse me, Mr. Dream Lord, sir.

 

Dream Lord (turning and noticing the butler): What is it, Riggins?

 

Riggins: We have a guest, sir.

 

 

 

Page
6
p
anel 8

 

Dream Lord: Oh,
really?
And who is it today, Riggins? Mr. Lincoln, perhaps? James Joyce? Miss Monroe? Or is it that obnoxious composer again? I must say, I don't know
why
I bring him back here.

 

Riggins: No, sir.

 

 

 

Page
6
p
anel 9

 

Riggins: None of those, sir. None of
yours
, sir.

 

Dream Lord (delighted): What? This is wonderful! You mean...somehow,
you
all have
made
a new guest? I had no idea I had given you such capabilities!

 

 

 

Page
6
panel 1
0

 

Phelps speaks up, the crowd still applauding.

 

Phelps: As we said, sir, you
are
remarkable!

 

 

 

 

Page 7 (8
panels)

 

Page
7
panel 1

 

Dream Lord: Thank you, Phelps. But really, this is fantastic! Inadvertently, I must have gifted you dream beings with creative energies of your own! Could you be developing
free will?

 

Riggins: No, sir.

 

 

 

Page
7
p
anel 2

 

Riggins: As I said before, the guest is not one of yours. He is not one of
ours
, either. We have no idea who he is or where he comes from. We know only that he awaits you in your study, sir.

 

 

 

Page
7
p
anel 3

 

Dream Lord (puzzled, less cocky): Really? You...don't know where he comes from? Did he say who he was? Did he bring a message?

 

Riggins: No message, sir. He introduced himself as "Mr. Ronald Duck," sir.

 

 

 

Page
7
p
anel 4

 

Dream Lord (laughing uproariously): Ha ha ha ha! Mr.
Ronald
Duck
is here to see me? Ha ha! This is getting
good
!

 

Riggins: Shall I draw your bath, sir?

 

 

 

Page
7
p
anel 5

 

Dream Lord (still chuckling): Ha ha ha! Yes, Riggins, please. I didn't know there were any other beings in the Dream Zone, aside from myself and my creations. This stranger could be amusing.

 

Riggins: May I take your cape and cowl, sir?

 

 

 

Page
7
p
anel 6

 

Dream Lord hands his cape and mask to Riggins, then walks briskly away to prepare to meet his guest.

 

Dream Lord: In fact, this could change everything! I might have a neighbor I never knew about! Or there might be others! But how could
I
have missed him? I'm like a god here.

 

Riggins: Yes, you are, sir. Your shirt, sir?

 

 

 

Page
7
p
anel 7

 

Dream Lord removes his shirt as he walks, handing it to Higgins, who follows him. They pass a cowboy with a guitar, who is leaning on a fence in the middle of the hallway.

 

Dream Lord (casually to the singing cowboy): Hello, Gene.

 

Gene: Howdy, Dream Lord.

 

Dream Lord: This is very interesting, Riggins. I never expected anything like this.

 

Riggins: Belt, sir?

 

 

 

Page
7
p
anel 8

 

Dream Lord unhooks his belt to hand it to Riggins, as they continue walking.

 

Dream Lord: This could be the start of something big.

 

Riggins: Quite. Your trousers, sir?

 

 

 

 

Page
8 (7
panels)

 

Page
8
panel 1

 

Throughout the following scenes, there is a narrative similar to that at the beginning of the story. The words should again be set off in a box, colored differently from the boxes enclosing the first narrative. This same approach will be used through the entire mini-series, at different points--demonstrating how people on Earth are getting impressions of the Dream Lord's experiences in the Dream Zone, and are describing them as if they were their personal dreams and visions.

 

Narrator: Dear Diary: Today was very terrible again. I do not know how long I can stand this miserable job or this place. They won't leave me alone.

 

Medium shot of a dowdy girl, in her mid-20's, with big glasses, rushing around with plates in a crummy diner. She is dressed in a garish, typical waitress' uniform. The diner is full of rough, noisy guys, sitting at tables to laugh and shout at her.

 

 

 

Page
8
p
anel 2

 

Narrator: The men come in to eat every day, and they're awful. They tease me and grab me and get me in trouble with the boss. He hates me and makes me work harder than anyone there. Now, I have two strikes, and he says if I get one more, I'm out the door.

 

The waitress is getting screamed at by her hard-headed boss.

 

 

 

Page
8
p
anel 3

 

Narrator: Nobody here likes me. The people on the pier just sneer at me and laugh because I'm ugly. I should've stayed home, but nobody likes me there, either.

 

Show the girl, out of waitress uniform, sitting on a bench on an amusement pier.

 

 

 

Page
8
p
anel 4

 

Narrator: Yesterday was so bad, after work I ran out to the beach and cried. It was warm that night, though, and nobody was around, so I fell asleep in the sand after a while.

 

The girl is crying on a beach.

 

 

 

Page
8
p
anel 5

 

Narrator: While I slept, I had a strange dream, and it has inspired me...

 

Closeup of the girl's tear-streaked face, as she sleeps on the sand.

 

 

 

Page
8
p
anel 6

 

Large panel--the girl is now on the sidelines, a voice interpreting events she senses in the Dream Zone.

 

There is a tall, slim, very handsome man with dark hair, and he stands in an elaborately-decorated room. It is the Dream Lord's study, and the man is the stranger. The man has a convivial, bemused look on his face as he waits for his host. He glances around at the paintings on the walls, the sculpture, the many rare books.

 

Narrator: I dreamed there was a handsome man, waiting in a beautiful, big room.

 

 

 

Page
8
p
anel 7

 

The man turns his head and sees the Dream Lord enter, off-panel.

 

Narrator: He was waiting for me.

 

Stranger: Hello, Dream Lord.

 

 

 

 

Page 9 (9
panels)

 

Page
9
panel 1

 

The Dream Lord appears. His costume is gone, and he is dressed in a shimmering black tuxedo. The Stranger is wearing a dark blue business suit, very tidy but not as fancy as the tux.

 

Dream Lord: Mr. Ronald Duck, I presume?

 

 

 

Page
9
p
anel 2

 

Stranger: The very same. Though names can, of course, be deceiving. Some of us appear more bird-like than others at the moment.

 

 

 

Page
9
p
anel 3

 

Dream Lord: Ah, the penguin suit. I suppose I am somewhat overdressed.