EMPOWERED AND THE GIANT-SIZE ISSUES #2 thumbnails & script, pt.3 (Patreon)

(You can check out the previous part 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 almost certainly 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 11

PANEL 1

Flashback to another scene, showing an up-angled, blue-sky-intensive shot of AGE 4 EMP with EMP's (late) DAD. Young EMP, wearing a normal kid's summer outfit ("girly" T-shirt, shorts, sandals) is either standing beside or being cradled in the arms of her husky DAD, whose full face remains obscured, perhaps bleeding up and off-panel; he's wearing suburban-dad summer wear. EMP is stretching a hand up towards the sky, gesturing toward the white, fluffy cumulus clouds above while addressing her DAD with a very upset expression.

EMP'S DAD

Uh, clouds are just vapor, Emp... Like smoke, I guess.

(cont)

You could't touch them or sleep on them, okay?

AGE 4 EMP

No!

(cont)

Yoah wwong, Daddy!

PANEL 2

Up-angled shot of AGE 4 EMP in profile in the FG, reaching one hand out and upward, as if clutching at the white, fluffy clouds adrift in the blue sky above. She's looking up at the clouds and speaking with an expression of great certainty. 

AGE 4 EMP

Jus' look at em!

(cont)

Cwouds aw obvioufly nice an' soft an' fwuffy!

PANEL 3

Reverse shot, now looking down at AGE 4 EMP reaching out one hand towards the camera and addressing us with a look of joyous expectation. If we can see the lower part of her DAD's face, his mouth is set in a crooked grin.

AGE 4 EMP

I could totawwy wwap myfelf up in a cwoud, Daddy!

(cont)

I know I could!

PANEL 4

Back to the present-day, where the giant-sized, onesie-clad form of EMO KAIJU AGE 4 EMP essentially repeats her pose from panel 3, in that this is a down-angled shot with AGE 4 EMP looking up into the camera with a (gap-toothed) expression of overawed joy. While her right hand still clutches the (relative to her) Barbie-doll sized SUPERSUITED EMP, she's reaching up towards the camera with her other hand. EMP's fluffy "blanket cape," knotted at her throat, waves about in the wind, as does her shoulder-length hair. BG: No way around it; we need to see some three-point-perspective buildings below them. A few helpful dust clouds could obscure the tougher details, though, if you like.

EMPOWERED (BURST BALLOON)

(H-b) >NGKK<

(cont)

Get on up there and cuddle those clouds, why don't you?

AGE 4 EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Ohmigawwwwd

(cont)

Yoah wight, future me

PANEL 5

Vertical panel. The giant, onesie-clad form of AGE 4 EMP soars directly up into the blue sky, blanket-cape swirling behind her. Yelling happily, she's staring up into the sky and reaching out with her left hand, while her left hand clutches the small figure of SUPERSUITED, GROWN-UP EMP. An INSERT SHOT features a close-up of said EMP, showing us that she's looking back down (towards off-panel EMO KAIJU) and yelling to them; for more clarity, the INSERT SHOT may feature a balloon-like TAIL pointing to SUPERSUITED EMP's wee form. In the immediate BG, we might see Age 4 EMP's shadow on (or reflection in, perhaps) the side of a high-rise she's passing by, to give us a sense of the scale involved. More buildings are visible in the BG beyond.

AGE 4 EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Hold on, fwuffy cwouds

(cont)

Emp is comin' t' hug you

EMPOWERED (BURST BALLOON)

Oh, no!

PANEL 6

Big close-up on SUPERSUITED, GROWN-UP EMP from the previous panel, an arch, one eyebrow-raised expression on her masked face as she yells down to the off-panel EMO KAIJU. Her hair blows wildly to and fro in the wind as AGE 4 EMP carries her skyward. 

EMPOWERED (BURST BALLOON)

Don't look now, giant-size issues--

(cont)

--But I'm getting away!

(cont)

(h-b) >Gasp<

PAGE 12

PANEL 1

A tier of 4 small-ish panels kicks off this page, showing various of the EMO KAIJU manifestations looking up (at the camera) in reaction to off-panel EMP's yelling; each time, we might see some city detail beyond them, which is why going for a tight close-up shot is a good idea for most of these panels. Here, a close-up shot of airborne ANGRY HOODIE COLLEGE EMP looking up, scowling face framed by hair streaming out from her hoodie. 

HOODIE EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) ! 

PANEL 2

Close-up shot of floating T&A EMP looking up at the camera, her exaggeratedly pouty lips prominent. Make this a "torso-up" shot, so we can see her both her inflated chest (which represents an actual, upcoming story point, I swear) in relation to her notably small head.

T&A EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) ! 

PANEL 3

Shot of various scowling, yelling, raging faces of avatars from the FACEBALL that represents online commentary, all of 'em glaring up at the camera. (Feel free to toss some 4chan "RAGE faces" into the FACEBALL's menagerie of icons, come to think of it.)

FACEBALL (MULTIPLE)

(5 or 6 "ALIEN" balloons, each from a different face; white lettering inside black balloon) ! 

PANEL 4

Here, a shot of the gigantic, colorfully packaged RAW COOKIE DOUGH tube, the opened end of its package spilling forth a bulging mass of chocolate-chip-flecked dough (which is, in theory, looking up at the camera).

COOKIE DOUGH

("ALIEN" balloons, tail pointing to exposed cookie dough; white lettering inside black balloon) ! 

PANEL 5

Three big, vertical panels close out the page. Here, a up-angled long shot, with AGE 4 EMP (still clutching the wee form of SUPERSUITED EMP in one hand) soaring up into the blue sky (with plenty of fluffy white clouds!) at the top of the panel. Another close-up INSERT SHOT of SUPERSUITED EMP, yelling, points a balloon-like tail over to her wee form, as on he previous page. In the rest of the panel, we see the airborne shapes of multiple EMP EMO KAIJU now flying up after AGE 4 EMP, clearly in pursuit of SUPERSUITED EMP; these would include the previous panels' ANGRY HOODIE COLLEGE EMP, T&A EMP, FACEBALL and RAW COOKIE DOUGH, along with any others you might be able to squeeze into the BG. They're all abandoning the city buildings they'd been abusing (or just blundering into) and heading skyward.

AGE 4 EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Gonna woll myfelf up in you, fluffy cwouds

T&A EMP

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

HOODIE EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) I'm not through berating you yet, future sellout me

FACEBALL 1 (MULTIPLE)

("ALIEN" balloon, each from a different face; white lettering inside black balloon) #Get her

COOKIE DOUGH

("ALIEN" balloons, tail pointing to exposed cookie dough; white lettering inside black balloon) Come back and eat me, Emp

PANEL 6

Reverse angle, more or less. Here, the camera's up by SUPERSUITED EMP, who's still clutched in the giant, chubby hand of AGE 4 EMP. The camera's looking down at her in the FG, long hair streaming about her face as she looks downward in turn, a relieved expression on her face; she's talking to herself, here, and not yelling. In the BG below, we see the EMP EMO KAIJU flying up after her, framed against the backdrop of the city they're abandoning. Some clouds of dust or debris might help to cut down on the detail required; also, the giant shapes of the KAIJU themselves can help obscure the buildings as well. Still, you're gonna have to break me off some three-point perspective, here. Sorry.

EMPOWERED

Thank God-- >NNHH<

(cont)

--They're following me, and giving the poor buildings a break--!

PANEL 7

Up-angled shot of SUPERSUITED, GROWN-UP EMP, hair blowing wildly in the wind, yelling with a relieved look on her face as she looks down at the (off-panel) KAIJU flying up after her.

EMPOWERED (BURST BALLOON)

You're welcome, innocent civilians I can't even see from up here!

PANEL 7

Closer-up shot of EMP, an unnerved expression on her masked face as she speaks.

EMPOWERED

Now, time to somehow defeat a kaijü-sized mob of my own deep-seated issues.

(cont)

That should be easy, right?

(cont)

>Sigh<

PAGE 13

PANEL 1

Big, panoramic long shot, establishing the setting for the rest of the scene. Here, we're up high in the sky, with a "cloudscape" of fluffy white cumulus clouds spread out before us; this layer of clouds, at roughly airliner cruising altitude, obscures most the ground below throughout the sequence to come. (If, on occasion, you wanna put in some swaths of distant landscape visible through gaps in the clouds, feel free.) The dome of the blue sky above is sketched with wisps and streamers of higher-altitude cirrus clouds. At center FG bottom, a billowing mass of fluffy white cloud vapor; AGE 4 EMP is about to burst forth from this in the next panel, as her word balloon indicates. 

AGE 4 EMP (OFF-PANEL)

("ALIEN" balloon, with tail pointing "info" FG cloud; white lettering inside black balloon; small) Oh, nooooo

PANEL 2

Big, vertical panel. Giant AGE 4 EMP bursts up through a billowing mass of cumulus cloud, framed full-figure against the blue-sky BG with vapor streaming off her onesie and blanket-cape as she flies upward. While her one hand still clutches the (relatively doll-sized) form of SUPERSUITED EMP, her other hand is flailing about; as her dialogue will show, she really, REALLY thought that the fluffy white cloud was a tangible object she could use as a pillow or the like. She's yelling in obvious dismay, her missing tooth conspicuous. 

AGE 4 EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Daddy was wiiiight

(cont)

I can't hug th' clouds, after all

SFX

WHOOOSHH

PANEL 3

SUPERSUITED EMP in the FG at left, held up by AGE 4 EMP's chubby paw. Hair wind-blown around her face, she's throwing her head back and gritting her teeth as she begins to flex and strain to break free of her younger self's grasp. In the BG at right, AGE 4 EMP looks around at the cloudscape setting with a deeply distraught expression on her face, appearing on the verge of tears.

AGE 4 EMP

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) But

(cont)

But they look so soft an' huggable an' comfy

EMPOWERED (BURST BALLOON)

(h-b)>HNNH<

PANEL 4

Big, dramatic shot of SUPERSUITED EMP breaking free of AGE 4 EMP's grasp, her suit glittering brightly with extra sparkle FX as her superstrength is flexed to its fullest extent. In the BG, a near-tears AGE 4 EMP looks on with dismay.

EMPOWERED (BURST BALLOON)

Grown-up life is full of disappointments, okay?

(cont)

Deal with it, kiddo.

PAGE 14

PANEL 1

Panoramic panel. Shot looking down on SUPERSUITED EMP falling free of AGE 4 EMP's opened hand; as she falls, she's looking back at her (largely off-panel) younger self, cupping a hand by her face, and yelling ago her. Below her, a billowing mass of fluffy white cumulus cloud, which she's plummeting toward. 

EMPOWERED (BURST BALLOON)

Hope you fully appreciate your onesie-intensive lifestyle, by the way!

(cont)

I would love to still be wearing that--

PANEL 2

Close-up on SUPERSUITED EMP turning her head, looking off-panel (and downward) with a startled expression.

EMPOWERED (BURST BALLOON)

?!

PANEL 3

Vertical panel. At top, the wee, plummeting form of SUPERSUITED EMP reacts with alarm as, below her, the gigantic tube of RAW COOKIE DOUGH bursts up from the cloud layer, like a Great White shark bursting up out of the sea. As before, the opened end of the colorful packaging is spilling forth a bulging mass of chocolate-chip-flecked dough.

EMPOWERED (BURST BALLOON)

AAA

SFX

WHOOOSHH

COOKIE DOUGH

("ALIEN" balloons, tail pointing to exposed cookie dough; white lettering inside black balloon) Indulge in me once more, Emp

PANEL 4

Full-figure shot of an alarmed EMP plopping headlong into the soft, bulging mass of chocolate-chip-flecked dough at the open end of the COOKIE DOUGH package.

SFX

FLURPP

COOKIE DOUGH

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Did I not offer you comfort, in your teenage years of tears and sweatpants

PANEL 5

Closer-up shot of a yelling, flailing EMP being swallowed up by the surging mass of RAW COOKIE DOUGH, its chocolate-chip-flecked softness engulfing her like quicksand.

EMPOWERED (BURST BALLOON)

Uwaaah--!

SFX

SHLUPP

COOKIE DOUGH

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Submerge yourself in my chocolaty depths again

(cont)

As in days of shame-snacking yore 

PANEL 6

Tight close-up on EMP's masked face as the surging COOKIE DOUGH swallows her up, somewhat akin to the infamous scene of "KAORI getting her head crushed by TETSUO's swelling flesh" in the AKIRA movie, but as a humorous rather than horrific image. Her lips are pursing comically as the DOUGH squeezes her cheeks.

COOKIE DOUGH (AT TOP)

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Once, you swallowed me

EMPOWERED (BURST BALLOON)

(H-b) >Nff<

COOKIE DOUGH (AT BOTTOM)

("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black balloon) Now, I shall swallow you

PANEL 6

Small panel. Tight close-up on the chocolate-chip-flecked surface on the RAW COOKIE DOUGH, with a "burp" bubble of dough showing where it just swallowed EMP, who's vanished under its surface.

SFX (SMALL)

BLUPP

PAGE 15

PANEL 1

Back to the open-guttered (or entirely gutterless) VIGNETTE format for a one-page scene. At upper left, an INSERT SHOT of civilian-garb (that is, suitless/maskless) EMP from pp.6-7, a rueful expression on her face as she addresses the camera. The rest of the panel features a "two-shot" of a SUPERSUITED EMP staring apprehensively at her reflection in the mirror, akin to the similar "mirror shots" from issue #1. She's turned a bit sideways as she blushes and regards herself; her SUPERSUIT, here, is fully intact, but its mask is fully rolled up on her forehead, to give us a strong view of her facial expression.

EMPOWERED (HEAD SHOT)

Nowadays, I really am much better at not letting my insecurities swallow me whole, okay?

(cont)

No, really, I swear that's true...!

EMPOWERED (MAIN FIGURE)

L-Listen, dummy.

(cont)

This is you, whether you like it or not.

(cont)

Just suck it up and learn to accept your stupid, grown-ass body, okay? 

PANEL 2

Big shot of EMP's reflection as, mask rolled up, she blushes and looks unhappily down at her SUPERSUITED body. LETTERING NOTE: We're seeing a series of captions labeled "FLAW" clustered all around her, with arrows pointing to various parts of her body indicating the many, many places she sees flaws.

EMPOWERED

Despite any of its, um, flaws...!

CAPTIONS

(A dozen or more of these captions run alongside EMP, tracing up and down her body as they indicate her perceived flaws; in particular, multiple ones are clustered by her backside and belly) FLAW

PANEL 3

Main element, here, is a close-up on EMP, mask rolled up and blushing, as she stares down her reflection with a wee tear in one eye and a frown of grim determination that says, "Just suck it up, Emp." At lower right, an INSERT SHOT of civilian-garb EMP (no mask or suit) pops up from the corner, chiming in and addressing the camera with an apologetic expression.

EMPOWERED (MAIN)

I said, despite its flaws.

(cont)

Just deal with it, dummy.

EMPOWERED (HEAD SHOT)

Not that it's all that easy to break free of all that crap, all right...?

TO BE CONTINUED! 

<And that's it for pages 11-15 of Empowered and the Giant-Size Issues #2, folks! I'll post more roughs and script from issue #2 two weeks from now. >

TOMORROW ON THIS HERE PATREON: The DISTRESSED DAMSELS Wednesday feature for the $5+ tiers rolls onward, with more pages from an early-2000s commissioned story of a familiar damsel resisting distress from a goofy, glue-gunning goon.