EMPOWERED AND THE GIANT-SIZE ISSUES #2 thumbnails & script, pt.1 (Patreon)

I'm doubling up on posts from this project in April, as I neglected to put up anything from it back in February and March. oops! Anyhoo, here are the opening pages of the second issue, folks!

(You can check out part 5 of this serialization here.)  

Wellp, we're continuing serialization of my page roughs and scripts for Empowered and the Giant-Size Issues, a never-published, two-issue miniseries intended to be drawn by a Special Guest Artist. 

As mentioned previously, I wrote the two-parter back in 2015 with the excellent artist Rob "Robaato" Porter in mind to draw the story; later on, I ran the proposal by the likewise excellent artist David Lafuente. Alas, the project proved unworkable for reasons addressed in detail earlier.

As you'll see, much of the material to follow was repurposed from the defunct, Twitter-format prose experiment I Am Empowered, and like that project, Giant-Size Issues leans heavily on a relentlessly self-doubting, low-self-esteem vision of Early Emp.

So, this project will never exist as a real comic; this is the only form in which it's ever likely to be seen.  Let's continue, shall we? Time to alternate my thumbnailed page roughs with script excerpts for each page!

EMPOWERED AND THE GIANT-SIZE ISSUES issue #2 script

PAGE 1

PANEL 1

First of four panels, vertically or diagonally oriented. Here, an up-angled long shot looking up at the tops of several high-rise office buildings; in the background (BG), clouds of dust billow and chunks of debris fly hither and yon, indicating that large-scale mayhem is happening nearby. All this is framed against a bright blue sky with plenty of fluffy white clouds. Note: as in issue #1, all these real-world scenes have solid, black-filled gutters, unlike the white, borderless gutters of the in-EMP's-head VIGNETTE pages.

EMPOWERED

Um, right, Mom-- (half-burst, or "h-b") >Hff<

PANEL 2

Shot looking across the glassy face of a high-rise building. EMP's SUPERSUIT-stockinged feet and her SUIT-gloved LEFT hand is visible in the foreground (FG) as she climbs--or runs, really, using her Spidey-like clinging powers--up the side of the building. Bits of debris ping off the window glass; several of the windows are cracked.

EMPOWERED

I am kind of in the middle of something-- 

(cont)

(h-b) >Huhh<

SFX (SMALL) 

(By footsteps) THAPP

PANEL 3

"Long" panel showing a generous view up the side of the high-rise office building, with the running figure of EMP scrambling up the side of it (via her SUIT's clingy superpowers). Importantly, her right hand is held close to the side of her face, making the "telephone" gesture (thumb and pinkie extended, other fingers folded). Her suit has a few rips and tears in it, perhaps just a few more than seen at the end of issue #1. 

As before, bits of debris are pinging off the building, and a fair number of the windows are cracked or even broken. Also, in the BG, clouds of dust billow and chunks of debris fly hither and yon, indicating that large-scale mayhem is happening nearby. All this is framed against a bright blue sky with plenty of fluffy white clouds.

EMPOWERED

--But I did say I'd call today.

(cont)

(h-b) >Hff<

(cont)

Yeahp, more superhero-y wackiness, of course--

SFX (LARGER)

(At bottom) KTHOOM

SFX (SMALLER) 

(By bits of debris) KTINKK KTINKK

SFX (SMALL) 

(By footsteps) THAPP THAPP  THAPP

PANEL 4

Big panel. Close-up on EMP's SUIT-masked face, wearing an anxious expression as she speaks. Again, her right hand is held close to the side of her face, making the "telephone" gesture (thumb and pinkie extended, other fingers folded). She's still running up the side of the building, hair blown wildly about in the wind as she moves. Below her, we might see back down the side if the building; you might toss in some convenient billows of dust cloud to avoid drawing other buildings and street detail below her. (Or, just throw in speedlines as a BG.)

EMPOWERED

--And lots of it.

(cont)

Like, tons of it.

(cont)

(H-b) >Sigh<

PAGE 2 (double-page spread, pt.1)

PANEL 1

Big ol' double-page spread kicks off this issue. The elements involved are quite similar to the double-page spread from the end of last issue, save that this time the camera's at (near-)rooftop height with EMP, to give us a different view of the gigantic, airborne "EMP EMO KAIJU" adrift across the panorama of the city. At upper left in the FG, EMP is pausing her climb up the side of the building, spider-clinging to the structure with both feet and one hand as she keeps her right hand up to the side of her face in the same "telephone" gesture. Hair blowing wildly around her head, she's staring out (and down) in dismay across a panoramic shot of the embattled city's buildings. 

Paste-in from issue #1: Across this double-page spread, we see many gigantic examples of EMP's now literalized and manifested personal issues—or "EMP EMO KAIJŪ"—airborne and drifting about the tops of the city buildings, several of which are visibly damaged from collisions with the giant monstrosities. (The idea, here, is that the floating monstrosities are blundering into the buildings, rather than deliberately attacking them.) Prominent on this page at lower right is the floating slab of the HEADSTONE from (issue #1's) p.7, now quite clearly visible as it withdraws from the office building it crashed into on the previous page; debris rains down from the damaged structure, while a gushing cloud of dust slowly drifts from the impact site. 

Bridging the double-page spread at the top right of this page (and top left of p.3) is the hulking, airborne mass that I've designated as "the FACEBALL." Based on the BG cavalcade of headshots and onscreen AVATAR representing online commentary from (issue #1's) p.11's panel 2, this is a spherical shape composed entirely of a seething, roiling collage of faces from that panel, all of them sneering and shouting over at p.2's REAL EMP. Adding to the grotesqueness: The avatar heads are all at different scales, some being relatively enormous, others comparatively small; note also that some of them might not be human at all, depending on what the user chose for an avatar or icon. As in, could be a robot, monster, dinosaur or other non-human pop-culture reference; howeva, we'd likely need to disguise or alter direct references a bit, to avoid trouble. 

Continuing the left side of the panorama: Looming nearby is a gigantic, airborne tube of RAW COOKIE DOUGH, as seen on issue #1's p.7, panel 1, with dough oozing forth from its open end. An equally gigantic (and, as always, shirtless) THUGBOY peeks out from behind an office building, looking up at EMP over the tops of his sunglasses with a mischievous expression. Further in the distance we can see a gigantic version of fleshy, fan-art TIED-UP EMP from the bottom of issue #1's p.12, flesh bulging around the ropes binding her, blonde hair streaming down despite her knotted-on blindfold (which I left off the rough) and gag. Overhead, and promiment in the shot, is the giant, airborne form of ANGRY COLLEGE HOODIE EMP, hands in hoodie pockets, her long, wavy hair bursting out from her hood and framing the sour expression on her face as she glares at EMP in the FG. (You can arrange these characters however you like; I'm just listing 'em here to clarify the potentially vague rough pages.)

EMPOWERED

See, the poor city is under siege, somehow, by my own personal issues writ large..!

(cont)

Writ ginormously large, even, and that's talking literally, I'm afraid...!

(cont)

I mean, literally literally.

ANGRY HOODIE EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Way to embody every misconception about female superheroism, dummy

(cont)

False consciousness, ahoy

FACEBALL 1

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) #Problematic

FACEBALL 2

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Empowered, huh

(cont)

I think that word doesn't mean what you think it means

THUGBOY

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) You're squeezably soft, baby

COOKIE DOUGH

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Eat me, Emp

(cont)

Treat yo'self, and eat me

HEADSTONE (SPEAKING)

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Glad I'm not alive to see you humiliating yourself by dressing like that, Emp

SFX (BY HEADSTONE)

KTHOOM

TIED-UP EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) (h-b) >MMFF<

PAGE 3 (double-page spread, pt.2)

PANEL 1

The right side of the panorama continues. Across the top of the page, the gigantic FACEBALL looms. Overlapping it is the creepy, bizarre form of the "mash-up" entity that features a NINJETTE-headed GREYHOUND body and a smaller, EMP-headed CORGI body growing out of its side like a conjoined twin. (The EMP head is barking obliviously, while the smiling NINJETTE head is looking over towards EMP on the previous page.) 

An enormous, sinister-looking version of the BACKYARD TREE climbed by EMP on issue #1's pp.4-6 now swarms over the top of another office building, branches undulating as it "climbs" the structure (and damages it in the process, shattering plenty of windows). If you like, you could give the TREE's trunk a sinister, twisted face, but I'm fine without it; up to you.

The comically voluptuous and overstuffed T&A EMP floats nearby, her bulbous lips dominating her disturbingly undersized head as she giggles. 

A giant version of IDEALIZED SUPERHERO EMP (as seen in issue #1, p.5), skinnier and wearing a far more "practical" costume then EMP, is perched atop a nearby skyscraper, causing debris and dust to spill from the sat-upon building. Her cape is flowing in the breeze as she looks down towards EMP (at FG right) with a contemptuous expression on her masked face. 

In the FG at lower right looms floating, "onesie-clad" AGE 4 EMP, her "blanket-for-a-cape" knotted around her neck; an upset look on her childish face, she's pointing and yelling over at FG EMP (on the other page).

FACEBALL 3

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) She's ruining superheroism for me

FACEBALL 4

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) No fat superchicks

FACEBALL 5

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) She's a definite HILF

(cont)

Heroine I'd Like To Fxxk

T&A EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) (h-b) >Giggle<

What's objectification?

GIANT TREE 

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) You're too soft and weak to climb me, fat girl

IDEALIZED SUPERHERO EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) You were supposed to grow up to look like me, remember

SFX (BY BUILDING SUPERHERO EMP IS SITTING ON)

KRUNCHH

AGE 4 EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) You suck, future me

PAGE 4

PANEL 1

Panoramic panel; down-angled shot. EMP in profile at FG left, hair blowing about her face as she continues to make the "telephone" gesture with her right hand while talking to her mom. She's looking over and down at the HEADSTONE, which has pulled away from the building it collided with (in a spray of dust and debris) and is now turning to head in her direction. Note that the face of the stone will need to be angled a bit, so we can read the lettering engraved on it.

EMPOWERED

Ran up a skyscraper to draw 'em away from menacing the urban innocent but, well--

(cont)

--The stupid things are still being all building-smashy--

(cont)

--And personally self-esteem-smashy, too--!

ON HEADSTONE (ENGRAVED)

NICHOLAS IAN POWERS

(pixelized blur over XX, obscuring dates) 19XX-20XX

HEADSTONE

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Completely and utterly disappointed in you, Emp 

PANEL 2

Up-angled shot of a scowling ANGRY HOODIE COLLEGE EMP, strands of hair billowing out from her hood and waving to and fro in the wind. She's floating over an office building (to provide some scale reference), perhaps even resting a hand atop it (and incurring some minor property damage in the process).

HOODIE EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Way to sell out all of your ideals as a suprahuman studies major, you cosplaying clownshow

(cont)

No authentic superheroine would degrade herself like you do

PANEL 3

Up-angled shot of the gigantic, pneumatic-looking, hypersexualized T&A EMP adrift against the blue sky and clouds, cooing through her (very) puffy lips at the off-panel EMP. In the FG, a similarly airborne AGE 4 EMP likewise addresses her, the blanket-for-a-cape knotted at her neck visible as she does so. She's yelling with a mischievous expression as she taunts her future self, her missing front tooth prominent.

T&A EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) When people look at you, they only see me

(cont)

I'm nothing but a big ol' rack and a bigger ol' booty

AGE 4 EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon; musical notes in balloon) Future me's too fat to fwy

(cont)

(Musical notes in balloon) Future me's too fat to fwyyyyyyy

PANEL 4

BG: The looming FACEBALL and its roiling mass of assorted and variably sized icons and avatars. FG: The gigantic, likewise undulating BACKYARD TREE, its roots and branches gripping the office building (amid gouts of dust and flying glass) as its foliage reaches skyward. 

FACEBALL 1

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) I like big superbutts and I cannot lie

FACEBALL 2

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Costume-wise, I think all superchicas should slut it up like Empowered does

TREE

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Age 4 Emp could climb me, and so could Age 9 Emp

(cont)

But you certainly can't, grown-up chubster

PANEL 5

Panoramic panel, with same layout as PANEL 1. EMP in profile at FG left, hair streaming in the wind as she continues to make the "telephone" gesture. Here, though, she's yelling with alarm as she watches the HEADSTONE hurtling towards her, very close now.

EMPOWERED

And now Dad's headstone is flying over to crush me, looks like.

I know, I know.

ON HEADSTONE (ENGRAVED)

NICHOLAS IAN POWERS

(pixelized blur over XX, obscuring dates) 19XX-20XX)

HEADSTONE (SPEAKING)

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Stop hitting yourself, Emp

(cont)

Let your daddy do it

PAGE 5

PANEL 1

Panoramic panel, divided up by vertical gutters into three different panels, to show EMP's progression across the tier.

The HEADSTONE of EMP's father is smashing headlong into the building she'd been clinging to, creating an explosive burst of dust cloud, flying debris and gouts of spraying glass. Here, we see the wee figure of EMP in mid-air, having leapt clear of the building's face just as the HEADSTONE impacts it. Even as she leaps, she still has one hand to the side of her face in the same "telephone" gesture. At right, EMP has landed and is running down the face of the HEADSTONE, which is tilted to a pronounced degree. Not quite vertical, but at least 45 degrees or so.

SFX

KTHOOOM 

EMPOWERED

Gotta say, these humongous manifestations of my body-image insecurities--

(cont)

(H-b) >HNHH<

ON HEADSTONE (ENGRAVED)

NICHOLAS IAN POWERS

(pixelized blur over XX, obscuring dates) 19XX-20XX)

PANEL 2

Panorama continues. We see EMP about to land atop the face of the HEADSTONE, a fair distance down its length; her shadow is racing up to meet her. She's still chattering, still making the "telephone" gesture.

EMPOWERED

--They're, like, wildly inaccurate, when I look at 'em rationally--

HEADSTONE (SPEAKING)

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Hey, look, my daughter grew up to be all pudgy

PANEL 3

Final part of the panorama. EMP has now landed and is running down the titled side of the massive HEADSTONE, still chattering with the "telephone" gesture as her hair streams back behind her. 

EMPOWERED

--But, um, irrationally speaking-- (h-b) >HFF<

(cont)

--They feel kinda accurate, y'know?

SFX (BY LANDING)

THMPP

HEADSTONE (SPEAKING)

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Just like her daddy

PANEL 4

Another shot (from a different angle) of EMP spider-running down the sharply tilted face of the HEADSTONE, hair streaming back as she sprints. She's still chattering, still making the "telephone" gesture.

EMPOWERED

No, no, you're not represented among these goofy thingies, Mom--!

(cont)

Of course not--!

SFX (BY FOOTSTEPS)

THAPP THAPP THAPP

PANEL 5

One more shot of EMP running down the slope of the giant HEADSTONE, chattering and telephone-gesturing as she sprints towards the camera.

EMPOWERED

You've got nothing to do with all my self-image wackiness and lackiness, okay?

SFX (BY FOOTSTEPS)

THAPP THAPP THAPP

PANEL 6

Closer-up shot on EMP, zooming in to show a rueful expression on her face. She's not actually talking, in the split-second covered by this image. 

CAPTION

Um, that happens to be a bit of a fib. 

(cont)

And I really don't like lying to my Mom.

(cont)

But, well...

TO BE CONTINUED! 

<And that's it for the opening pages of Empowered and the Giant-Size Issues #2, folks! I'll likely post more roughs and script from issue #2 next month, assuming I don't forget to do so once again. >

 TOMORROW ON THIS HERE PATREON: The DISTRESSED DAMSELS Wednesday feature for the $5+ tiers rolls on with continuing serialization of the Pint-Size(d) Ninja Platoon "story," as a surprised Yuri now becomes the target of the wee goofballs' imperiling attention.