World's Funnest: Phantom Zone Sequence Script/Mike Allred Inks (Pgs 19)

Here's the new installment of the ongoing WORLD'S FUNNEST retrospective, this time we're looking at the Phantom Zone sequence, illustrated by Mike Allred and lettered by Tom Orzechowski. it's a short trip, covering only a single page, so, no need for a script PDF this time around. 

If you've just joined us recently, I'm slowly but surely posting all the scripts, notes, and art that I have in my files regarding, WORLD'S FUNNEST (DC Comics, 2002), which I wrote and which twenty artists contributed art, colors and lettering. If you want to go back and check out the proceeding pots, here's some links. Hopefully they work. Search "World's Funnest" if I goofed. 

- The original pitch for World's Funnest (aka, Last Imp Standing) is here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/worlds-funnest-64684036

- Brian Bolland's cover with original, alternate colors can be found here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/worlds-funnest-65353388

- The Silver Age-era script (pgs 1-18), w/Dave Gibbon's inks:  https://www.patreon.com/posts/worlds-funnest-1-65064249

As these posts accumulate I'll try to put links to the previous posts below the script/notes rather than above. The material piles up, as I know from experience, so I'll do my best to keep it going if there are any new backers joining the site as this series goes on. One of the time-eaters on the project was providing a script recap to each artist describing what happened in the previous chapter, with a lead-in at the end about what was coming next. The script had to contain all the previous chapter material, with the dull stuff cut-and-pasted and edited/added to as necessary. I wanted everyone to have as much information and context as possible so they didn't have to guess as to how their contribution fit in the overall comic. It might have been overkill but I wanted to avoid any potential problems with transitions and continuity. I assumed everyone was in their own deadline and life bubbles and it wasn't the kind of multi-contributor project where the artists were going to actively be in touch with one another. Everything was segmented and worked in it's own space, but we didn't want everyone working in the dark or misreading how to handle the transition panels. We didn't have a lot of finished art from the book to show anyone while they were working (except the Silver Age and Kingdom Come, which were completed early on in the process, but usually we didn't have the "bookends" to any given artist's chapter), so I tried to be as detailed as possible. 

Also, despite what you might think, not all comic creators -- even those who are superhero-inclined -- know all this stuff down to the smallest detail like some fans do. And some fan-pros, sure, which most of us are, these past few decades, if you're talking about the action figure and IP side of the street. No insult meant. I'm a dealer and user, myself. I knew most of the trivia and crap that went into World's Funnest cold, Zod help me. Other than Kingdom Come (I knew it was painted, successful as hell and Billy Batson was a little shit --or a big strong magical little shit, I guess) and the then-modern DC continuity (I knew Aquaman had a hook for a hand and everything was dark and gritty), I was deep in my nerd element. It's a Bat-Mite comic, never forget. Hard to take potshots at fans when you wrote the big Bat-Mite comic. 

Anyway, going over things constantly was monotonous, but to be honest, adding the backstory to each finished script helped keep me on top of the book. It reinforced the continuity and and allowed me to add some callbacks in. The Spectre getting knocked a few extra times is all I can think of offhand, but something else must have crept in.  

Anyway. Silver Age. Phantom Zone. 

The Silver Age sequence leads directly into the Phantom Zone bit as the characters start the chase throughout all the various DC eras, universes, alternate worlds and dimensions. The bit might have worked as an extension of The Silver Age opening, but the Silver Age chapter ends on a specific transitional note, and it called for a transition in the art, as well. As the original concept was expanded beyond the Silver Age, I made a wish list of DC sandboxes to use, and the Phantom Zone must have seemed like a logical piece to cut away from it's SA playground. The art style obviously needed to be clean and evocative of the era, Curt Swan, Al Plastino (one of the all-time great cartoonist names), Winslow Mortimer (not a top-tier all-time great cartoonist's name, but a solid one), et al. I had Ty Templeton in mind for the page, if he wasn't able to do the wrap-up "Multiverse" sequence towards the book's end. Mike Allred was another choice, also Jaime Hernandez (if he wasn't interested in doing Earth S), and Gilbert Hernandez (who was a choice for The Fifth Dimension sequence). We may have asked a DC Silver Age veteran or two as we tried to get anyone involved that had a relationship to the material we were parodying (more on that in the next WF post, for The Golden Age sequence). Mike Allred got the nod as things were firming up across the book, I don't think anyone needs an explanation as to why he was a great fit. 

One of my favorite throwaway lines in the comic is on this page, Mon-El's line in panel five that ends the segment. I'm assuming it's the only imp-assisted suicides in DC's publishing history. Then again, who knows, it's been twenty-two years. All things are possible.

Please keep in mind this an old, clunky script format that I stopped using ages ago. It is also not edited (save for underlining/emboldening a few things for easier reading). So, the original story title is still in there, nothing's underlined for emphasis (you can see what was emphasized in the art), etc. If you are a budding comics writer, don't capitalize dialog, list how many panels are in the page by the page number for the editor and artist, and number sound effects as dialog.  Your script should not throw up roadblocks for editors, artists and letterers. Number of panels helps the editor and artist judge space and get an idea of what's in store, correct dial/SFX numbering really helps the letterer track what's going on the page without overlooking a stray bit of text.

I think that's everything. Enjoy your stay in the Phantom Zone! 

LAST IMP STANDING 

SCRIPT FOR PAGE 19 - PHANTOM ZONE SEQUENCE

WHAT HAS GONE ON BEFORE:

A feud between Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite resulted in the accidental death of Batman, and then the deaths of Superman, Robin, and most of the Silver Age DC cast of characters. Mr. Mxyzptlk then chased Bat-Mite across the Earth, which ultimately destroyed the planet. Their feud continued into space, where they accidentally obliterated the entire universe. To Mxyzptlk's surprise, Bat-Mite "pops' out of view -- using his inter-dimensional powers to lead Mxy on a chase throughout the various DC dimensions, pasts and futures. First stop: The Silver Age-era Phantom Zone.

NOTES ON THE ART: 

The art for this sequence should reflect a late '50's/early 60's DC Superman style -- a "Swan"-look?  

MR. MXYZPTLK and BAT-MITE appear as they did in the opening Silver Age sequence -- meaning, as they appeared in the 1960 World's Finest "Bat-Mite Meets Mr. Mxyzptlk" story.

PAGE NINETEEN  

PANEL ONE

We open in the Silver Age PHANTOM ZONE, where trapped Kryptonian criminals float about like "invisible" wraiths in swirling ribbons of mist. In the foreground hovers BAT-MITE in his "invisible form", similar to the Zone criminals. GENERAL ZOD floats near Bat-Mite, with fellow inmates JAX-UR, PROF. VAKOX and KRU-EL hovering behind him. Other criminals can be seen floating around in the background, everyone is curious about the weird-looking little newcomer. At the forefront of the criminals floats GENERAL ZOD. Bat-Mite nervously cowers from the imposing Zod, the imp looks very uncomfortable being in the Zone. 

  1) ZOD: SO, ELFIN ONE, WHAT CRIME WERE YOU SENT HERE FOR?

2) BAT-MITE: I T-TOLD YOU, MR. GENERAL ZOD SIR -- I'M NOT AN ELF, OR A CRIMINAL! I CAME HERE TO HIDE FROM A MEAN MAN WHO'S CHASING ME --  

PANEL TWO

Closer in on Bat-Mite and Zod. Over Bat-Mite's shoulder an angry MR. MXYZPTLK "pops" into the Zone to the surprise of the Mite and Zod. Mxy is "invisible" and ghostly like Bat-Mite and the Kryptonian inmates.

3) MXY: AHA! THERE YOU ARE! 

4) MXY: SILLY BAT-MITE, DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULDN'T FIND YOU HERE IN THE STUPID PHANTOM ZONE?

PANEL THREE

Mxy angrily pulls on Bat-Mite's cowled ears, leading him away against his will as the confused Phantom Zone criminals look on. Zod strokes his chin with one hand as he watches, contemplating what the imps are saying.

5) BAT-MITE: ACTUALLY, I WAS KIND OF HOPING YOU WOULDN'T -- 

6) BAT-MITE: OWIE! MY EAR-THINGS!

7) MXY: HA! YOU KNOW PERFECTLY WELL THAT ANYPLACE YOU CAN POP INTO, I CAN POP INTO! OR HAD YOU FORGOTTEN THAT I ALSO HAVE INTER-DIMENSIONAL POWERS?   

PANEL FOUR

Zod and several of the other criminals grab hold of Mr. Mxyzptlk. Taking advantage, a troubled Bat-Mite pops out of the Zone, much to the surprise of one or two prisoners. We can see the faint outlines of his form within the "pop" burst effect that accompanied his comings and goings in the Silver Age comics. 

8) MXY: HEY! WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA, YOU KRYPTONIAN CROOKS?! NO ONE TOUCHES MR. MXYZPTLK -- NOT EVEN SUPERMAN! 

9) ZOD: QUIET, ELF! YOUR DIMENSION-TRAVELLING POWERS ARE THE MEANS FOR OUR ESCAPE FROM THE ZONE!

10) BAT-MITE (smaller): WHOOPS! TIME TO SKEDADDLE!

SFX (by Bat-Mite) - POP!

PANEL FIVE

More criminals join in with Zod and the others, all of them grabbing at Mxy, pulling and stretching him out a bit by his arms and legs as he shouts at them.

11) MXY: OH, SO, IT'S A PARDON YOU YARDBIRDS WANT, EH? WELL, THEN, I'VE GOT GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS FOR YOU! 

12) MXY: THE GOOD NEWS IS, YOUR ETERNAL LIFE SENTENCE IS OVER! 

THE BAD NEWS IS -- 

PANEL SIX

Mxy -- now "visible" and in full color -- raises his arms into the air and lets loose a huge bolt of colorful magic that disperses the Phantom Zone. The Zone inmates are all blown away from him, their ghostly forms stretch and disperse from the force of the blast. Even so, the criminals all look grateful and relieved -- especially a tearful MON-EL, the poor sap Legionnaire who was sent into the Zone in the 60's due to a contrived plot device and the fact that the Legion of Superheroes are the biggest bunch of morons in comic book history.

13) MXY (big): -- SO'S THE PHANTOM ZONE!  

14) JAX-UR (small): OH, MIGHTY RAO -- SLEEP AT LAST!

15) MON-EL (small): THANK YOU, MAGIC ELF!

SFX- K-ZWAMMO!