PAGE ONE
Panel 1: We’re in a bar in midtown New Troy, Lois Lane is taking a seat in a booth across the table from Toby Raynes, who is already seated. As I’ve said, you can all imagine whichever version of Lois Lane you prefer for this story, but today I’m putting her in a violet suit like the one she wore on the 90s Animated Series. Toby is a white woman, maybe a few years older than Lois. She’s got long brown hair with highlights. She’s wearing a sleeveless orange shirt that shows off her tattoos, of which she has many. One arm has a sleeve tattoo design with intertwined flowers and skulls. Her ears and nose are pierced. A purse matching her shirt is on the table. Jimmy Olsen is standing by the table, but pointing off in the direction he plans to go. He’s wearing a green sweater vest and a red bowtie over a black and white checkered shirt and green pants.
1 LOIS: Toby! How have you been?
2 TOBY: Still going, Lois. How ’bout you?
3 LOIS: Same.
4 JIMMY: I’m gonna shoot some darts with Lombard. You two have fun.
Panel 2: Lois and Toby watch Jimmy head off toward the back of the bar.
5 LOIS: Don’t hurt yourself.
6 LOIS: Or anyone else!
7 TOBY: Still babysitting Jimmy Olsen, huh? You’ve more patience than anyone I’ve ever met, Lois.
8 LOIS: He’s a good kid. I wouldn’t have thought it when I met him, but I love him. He’s like the little brother I never had.
9 LOIS: Which is good considering he’s probably gonna end up married to my sister.
Panel 3: Lois signals to a server, holding up two fingers.
10 TOBY: Lucy and Jimmy are all grown up. Makes me feel old.
11 LOIS: Ah, we’re still the young and vibrant stars in the reporting field.
12 TOBY: Heh. Took you almost ten seconds to turn the conversation to work. You are getting old.
13 TOBY: Your text said you wanna talk about that paranormal expert I did a piece on a few years back?
Panel 4: The server places drinks down in front of the two. Lois takes out a notepad and pen.
14 LOIS: Yeah. Clark Kent. I need to know what his deal is.
PAGE TWO
Panel 1: Splash. Clark Kent is on the observation deck of Sterling Tower, a tall building in the downtown section of New Troy. We’re behind Clark as he looks through coin operated binoculars in the direction of the W-LEX building and Cheltham Park. It’s a much clearer day than the previous issue, but the handful of other people on the deck (tourists mostly) are dressed for cold weather. In the air above the city we can see a few of the humanoid shadows from last issue flitting about. We’re seeing him from behind here, but I reiterate that this Clark Kent is not the standard model Clark Kent. He’s tall but lanky and thin, has an unkempt mess of black hair and a neatly trimmed goatee. He is holding his sunglasses with small round lenses in one hand as he uses the other top operate the binoculars. He has a stiff, snooty posture that looks like it takes effort to maintain. He’s sort of ridiculous.
1 CAPTION (Clark’s Handwritten Journal): Investigation Notes for Case #104
2 CAPTION (Journal): October 4th.
3 CAPTION (Journal): Efforts to follow the Shadows have proven difficult. Their speed and ability to fly makes them impossible to trail.
4 CAPTION (Journal): I’ve seen six at once, but with no distinguishing characteristics it is uncertain if I’m seeing the same ones repeatedly or a multitude.
5 CAPTION (Journal): They congregate around W-LEX, so I must focus investigation there and determine why.
6 CAPTION (Journal): Met with Planet people again today. Stern will continue to finance my investigation while Lane and Olsen have agreed to stay out of the way.
PAGE THREE
Panel 1: Back in the booth at the bar with Lois and Toby. Toby is looking for something on her phone.
1 TOBY: Well, it was a few years ago so my memory isn’t the freshest, but I’ll tell you what I can.
2 TOBY: First of all, I assume that if you’ve read my piece, you’ve also read…
Panel 2: Toby holds her phone to show Lois the Smallville Ledger’s website where a headline says “FIRE AT HIGH SCHOOL” over a photo of the school ablaze and surrounded by firefighters.
3 TOBY: This?
4 LOIS: Yup. Kent was suspected of starting a fire that hurt a couple kids during a school dance. Forensics said it wasn’t him, but he still dropped out and left town.
5 LOIS: Did he tell you anything about that?
Panel 3: Toby puts the phone down on the table.
6 TOBY: Hell no. If there’s one thing that guy didn’t do, it was open up about himself.
7 TOBY: Just making sure you were all caught up.
Panel 4: (Flashback): Large panel. If there’s some way to make these flashback panels look different, that would be useful. Perhaps the panel borders are grey rather than black. And perhaps the colours in the panels are faded. Whatever it takes to make it clear this is a different time period. In this one, we have Flashback Toby and Flashback Clark meeting in an office. Flashback Toby has shorter hair and is wearing a grey suit that covers her tattoos, but her necktie is orange similar to the shirt she is wearing in the present. Flashback Clark is clean-shaven and his hair is less of a mess than now, but he dresses the same way, including the pocket watch chain being visible.
8 CAPTION (Toby, orange like her shirt/tie): So, this was back around when W-LEX was getting big and “ghost fever” was catching on. Naturally, Newstime wanted to do some articles and cash in on the fad.
9 CAPTION (Toby): There was a house in Capital City that was getting a reputation as the most haunted place in the country and Kent had just made news when he debunked that fake exorcist guy.
10 CAPTION (Lois, violet like her suit): Wolfingham.
11 CAPTION (Toby) Right. I proposed that we combine the two and have Kent check out the haunted house. Newstime loved the idea.
12 CAPTION (Toby): I quickly regretted it.
PAGE FOUR
Panel 1: Modern Clark Kent looks at his pocketwatch as he stands among a small crowd of tourists in the hallways of W-LEX. Several of the people in the crowd wear Phantom Researchers hats. On the walls some posters for W-LEX shows are visible including one for Phantom Researchers that resembles the billboard seen last issue. Also visible is a poster for “Medini, the Master Medium” featuring a brown-skinned man in a dapper green and yellow suit and a yellow turban smiling genially and holding a skull. Another poster is black with “The Alternate Truths of History” in white text. There are presumably more posters we can’t see. A young smiling tour guide is pointing at the posters while talking to the fans.
1 CAPTION (Journal): Went on W-LEX tour available to public. Nothing noteworthy sighted.
Panel 2: Clark is in his hotel room, his suit jacket is off and his tie undone, but he is otherwise still all business. He is seated at a desk with a pen and paper in front of him next to his pocket watch. He is intently watching his television set, which we can not see.
2 CAPTION (Journal): Spent evening watching network’s programming.
3 CAPTION (Journal): Many shows cater to conspiracy believers with no overt supernatural content beyond occasional insinuations.
4 TELEVISION (off panel): We can’t know for sure how the pyramids were constructed, which means it would be unwise to rule out alien influence.
Panel 3: Same shot. Clark now has fancy meal on the table in front of him, half eaten. He has a fork in hand, but his eyes are still on the television. His notepad is pushed to the side, but still present.
5 CAPTION (Journal): Medini’s show is especially insulting, featuring a charlatan claiming to give messages from beyond the grave to audience.
6 TELEVISION (off panel): I sense someone with a B or an L or a T…
Panel 4: Same shot. Clark’s food is gone, but a glass of water is still there. His paper is now full of notes he has taken. He’s now slouching in his chair, getting tired.
7 TELEVISION (off panel, sfx): Creeeeak
8 TELEVISION (off panel): Oh my God!
9 CAPTION (Journal): Phantom Researchers is what I was promised.
Panel 5: Same shot. Clark’s glass of water is now empty and his notepad is full. He points the remote control at the television.
10 CAPTION (Journal): Advertisers on network include necklaces with supposed properties for curing psychological problems, “mind-expanding” energy drinks, and payday loan companies.
11 CAPTION (Journal): Learned very little of use.
PAGE FIVE
Panel 1: (Flashback): In a boring room in some boring building, Flashback Toby watches Flashback Clark examining the blueprints to a suburban house. She has a camera with her, but it is definitely not being used. Clark wears his sunglasses even as he does this.
1 CAPTION (Toby): I tell you Lois, the guy turned hunting ghosts into the most boring job. First thing he did was check out blueprints. Then read through public records about previous occupants.
2 CAPTION (Toby): He wouldn’t answer questions about his process. He clearly wanted nothing to do with me.
Panel 2: Back at the booth in the present, Toby is getting exasperated thinking about her old case. She rolls her eyes at the memory.
3 TOBY: And then we finally drove out of town, but before we even went to the house for pictures or anything, he wanted to talk to all the neighbours.
4 TOBY: We were going door to door in this suburban neighbourhood just looking for people who had anything at all to say about the scary house down the road.
Panel 3: Toby idly plays with her purse strap as she sort of guiltily looks away from Lois.
5 TOBY: Guy was putting in more effort than I was doing on real articles in those days. And for a dumb fluff piece.
6 TOBY: Of course, when I let that attitude slip to him he acted as if I’d insulted his life’s work.
7 TOBY: Which, I guess I had a little.
Panel 4: (Flashback): The younger version of Toby yells at Flashback Clark, who awkwardly rubs his arm and avoids eye contact.
8 CAPTION (Toby): I could tell I hurt the guy’s feelings. He tries so hard to be distant and emotionless, but it’s mostly a show I think.
9 CAPTION (Toby): To be clear, I didn’t know about the fire at that point. But even then I could tell the guy was holding stuff in.
10 CAPTION (Toby): But I didn’t care. I wanted my article done.
Panel 5: (Flashback): Flashback Clark stiffens back up and makes a dismissive gesture to Toby.
11 CAPTION (Toby): Anyway, while I do feel like a jerk, but he wasn’t any better.
12 CAPTION (Toby): He called me some names and told me to stay out of his way.
13 CAPTION (Toby): Ever the professional, I stormed off to wait in the car in the haunted driveway until he deigned to show up.
PAGE SIX
Panel 1: It’s morning, partially cloudy. Clark was seated in Cheltham Park across the street from W-LEX again, but rising to his feet. There are a smattering of people around, joggers and such, but the main focus is what Clark sees: Bill, the tattooed man from last issue, leaving the W-LEX building and heading down the sidewalk.
1 Caption (Journal): October 5th.
2 Caption (Journal): Whole staking out W-LEX building, spotted the tattooed acquaintance of the disappearing individual from the museum.
Panel 2: Small panel. Clark runs across the street to get behind Bill.
Panel 3: Inside a cheap diner. Clark, in the foreground, sits alone in a booth. He has his back to the booth in which Bill is seated with two others. The other two are unimportant to this story, so they can look however you want.
3 Caption (Journal): Followed to restaurant where he has lunch with friends. Friends not apparently noteworthy.
4 Caption (Journal): While eavesdropping, I learn more about the Metropolis Meteors football team than ever needed, but also pick up tattooed man’s name. Bill Chantey.
Panel 4: In his hotel room again, suit jacket and tie off, Clark is on his laptop. Over his shoulder we can see the window where he has a nice view overlooking Centennial Park. The sun is high in the sky.
5 Caption (Journal): Chantey has online record. Former member of 13th Street Gang. Assault and robbery charges. Spent time at Stryker’s Island prison.
6 Caption (Journal): Chantey’s social media profile provided useful information. Listed among his friends is one Henry Wong whom I recognize as the disappearing man.
Panel 5: Same shot. Much later, the sky is turning dark and stars are becoming visible. Clark is still working away on the computer.
7 Caption (Journal): Wong has less of a presence online, but after a few hours I found his address.
PAGE SEVEN
Panel 1: (Flashback): Flashback Toby is sitting in her car in the driveway of the haunted house outside of Capital City. It’s dark now, but the house looks relatively innocuous from the outside. Flashback Clark looks impassive as he taps on the window to rouse her.
1 CAPTION (Toby): Finally Kent shows up and tells me he’s ready to go in.
2 CAPTION (Toby): I doubt he would have bothered except that I had the keys.
Panel 2: (Flashback): Large panel. The two investigators step through the front door of the house into a small foyer. Clark is peering over the tops of his sunglasses, though he does not remove them. Toby flicks a light switch as she enters. She is wearing her camera strapped over her arm. The house is dark and there are cobwebs, but otherwise looks like a relatively ordinary suburban home. To the right is a jacket closet, to the left a hallway with two arched doorways leading to a living room and a kitchen, and there are stairs leading to the second floor. Hanging lights from the ceiling are the only light source. Some cardboard boxes are stacked in the hallway labelled things like “Kitchen” and “Papers” and the like. There’s a spot on the wall where a picture was once hung, but which is now empty.
3 CAPTION (Toby): The family that had been living there was at a hotel on the magazine’s dime, but they’d been preparing to move out anyway.
4 CAPTION (Lois): I assume things with Kent got better once you were inside?
5 CAPTION (Toby): They did not, Lois. They did not.
PAGE EIGHT
Panel 1: (Flashback): Flashback Clark opens the jacket closet and peers over his sunglasses into it. It seems empty save for some metal coathangers on the rod.
1 CAPTION (Toby): He started looking around, tapping walls, checking out closets, whatever. Still had nothing to say to me.
Panel 2: (Flashback): In a kitchen now, Flashback Clark places a hand against the wall as if checking its temperature. Flashback Toby is leaning against the arched doorway, she has her camera half raised as if waiting for something to happen worthy of clicking the button.
2 CAPTION (Toby): When I tried to ask him something he actually shushed me.
3 CAPTION (Toby): So I hung back. Took a few “action” pictures for lack of a better word.
Panel 3: (Flashback): Back in the foyer, Flashback Clark is heading up the stairs. Flashback Toby is still at the bottom, watching but not hurrying to follow.
4 CAPTION (Toby): I was already trying to come up with a paragraph that could describe the night in anything approaching interesting terms when…
Panel 4: (Flashback): Everything has gone black.
5 CAPTION (Toby): Everything went black.
Panel 5: (Flashback): We can barely make out Toby in the darkness as our “eyes” adjust to the scene. She’s on the ground, crawling.
6 CAPTION (Toby): Lights go out and I trip on a box or something. Lose my sense of direction.
7 CAPTION (Toby): Call out to Kent. No reply.
Panel 6: (Flashback): In the darkness, Toby climbs back to her feet. We can just barely make out that in the direction she is looking there is a figure. The darkness of the house has evolved to a dark grey, but the figure is still black. Recognizably humanoid, but hunched over and thin. Its arms are long and hang awkwardly by its sides.
8 CAPTION (Toby): Here’s something I didn’t mention in my article: at that moment, alone in that dark house, I absolutely believed it was haunted.
9 CAPTION (Toby): I believed every word people had said.
10 CAPTION (Toby): And I saw something.
PAGE NINE
Panel 1: (Flashback): In the darkness, the dark figure’s hand extends toward Toby, who is pressed against a wall. The figure hasn’t moved, but its long thin arm can almost reach. And it’s still coming.
Panel 2: (Flashback): Closeup on Toby’s face in the darkness. The hand is almost visible now. It’s skeletal, but seems like a human hand. Its fingernails are ragged and cracked. It is an inch from the reporter’s face.
1 CAPTION (Toby): And Lois, being honest, I thought I was going to die.
Panel 3: (Flashback): Same shot. Everything is bright now. We see Toby still pressed against the wall, her head turned and her eyes squeezed shut. The brightness makes the monstrous hand a blur so we can’t make it out.
2 CAPTION (Toby): There was a sudden flash and I thought that was it for ol’ Toby Raynes.
3 CAPTION (Toby): “So that’s what happens when you die,” I thought.
Panel 4: (Flashback): Same shot. Toby’s eyes are open now. She looks at the hand in confusion. Now we can tell that it is just a cheaply-made prop. A busted mannequin hand attached to a pole.
4 CAPTION (Toby): But of course, it was just that Kent had got the lights back on.
Panel 5: (Flashback): Toby steps away from the wall and can now see the whole of the figure. It’s a cardboard cutout of a monster that had extended from a hatch in the hallway wall. The “arm” was a telescoping pole extending from the same hole in the wall as the cutout.
5 CAPTION (Toby): When I could see it clearly, it was embarrassing that I’d ever fallen for it.
6 CAPTION (Toby): A setup like something out of a cartoon, using my own imagination against me.
PAGE TEN
Panel 1: (Flashback): Large panel. Outside the haunted house, the sun is rising. Flashback Clark, with arms folded, watches from the sidelines as a handful of police officers handcuff Oswald Loomis, a pudgy white man with a bad moustache and bad teeth. Loomis is shouting obscenities at Clark. Flashback Toby is taking photos. There is a hole dug in the yard from which the ends of a bundle of electric cables are being pulled. More police are digging in the hole.
1 CAPTION (Toby): And, as you’ve read, it was the neighbour. That Loomis guy. He’d posed as a renovator and set up expertly-hidden little fake ghost traps like that all over the house.
2 CAPTION (Toby): Somehow Kent found the buried cables that Loomis was using to power his gadgets. They led straight to his place, so the police had all they needed.
Panel 2: Lois finishes her drink. Toby turns her palms upward as if letting the story float away.
3 TOBY: So that’s it.
4 TOBY: Sorry I don’t have any insights into Kent or his process or anything. He’s aloof.
Panel 3: Lois leans back in her chair.
5 LOIS: Aloof is right.
6 LOIS: He’s supposed to be helping us on this story that Jim and I are doing, but I’ve seen him twice. Once when he ditched us immediately after we met him, and once at the meeting where he agreed to stick around because he thinks we’re onto something.
7 LOIS: Otherwise he–
8 TOBY: Wait, he told you what?
Panel 4: Toby raises her eyebrows in surprise.
9 TOBY: Lois listen, I may have been fooled in the dark by that haunted house, but at no point did Kent believe in ghosts.
Panel 5: Toby places on hand on Lois’s hand and looks her dead in the eyes.
10 TOBY: Whatever story he’s helping you with, if he thinks there might be something paranormal to it, it’s a bigger story than you think.
PAGE ELEVEN
Panel 1: Clark is in a dingy hallway in an apartment building. He is absolutely still wearing his sunglasses even in the dim hallway. He is knocking on the door to unit 4C.
1 CAPTION (Journal): October 6th.
2 CAPTION (Journal): Confronted Mr. Wong at his apartment in Bakerline. It did not go well.
3 SFX: Nok nok.
4 HENRY (from inside): Who’s there?
Panel 2: Same shot. The door opens slightly, the chain lock still in place, and Henry Wong looks out. As with last issue, he radiates a visual effect that looks like ripples in the air around him, though we can only barely see here.
5 CLARK: Mr. Wong, hello. My name is Homer Ramsay. I’m writing a book and I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.
6 HENRY: A book? I think you got the wrong guy.
Panel 3: Same shot. Henry opens the door a little wider, but his face has a puzzled expression.
7 CLARK: Not at all. You were referred to me by your friend Mr. Chantey.
8 HENRY: Snake?
9 CLARK: That’s right. You see, the book is about… former gang members who have turned their lives around. I want to talk to you about… Snake’s journey from the streets to W-LEX.
Panel 4: Same shot. Henry’s eyes widen.
10 HENRY: Snake never said anything about a book.
11 CLARK: No, this is a relatively new development. If you’ll let me in we can discuss it further and I can arrange your payment.
12 HENRY: Payment?
Panel 5: Same shot. The door closes.
13 SFX: K-klik.
Panel 6: Same shot. The door opens with the chain removed and Henry gestures for Clark to come in. One of Henry’s hands is hidden from Clark’s view by the door.
PAGE TWELVE
Panel 1: Clark steps into Henry’s apartment, a very small, sparsely decorated place. The door opens into the kitchen/living room section. As Clark steps in and glances around the apartment, Henry closes the door behind him, one hand still hidden.
1 CLARK: Of course, as an interviewee you will be entitled to a small–
2 HENRY: Shut up.
Panel 2: Same shot. Clark turns to see Henry is now pointing a gun at him.
3 HENRY: There’s no way in hell Snake woulda said anything about W-LEX.
4 HENRY: So, you’re gonna sit down, I’m going to call him to come over, then we’ll see who you–
Panel 3: Same shot. Clark peers over his sunglasses at the gun, which bursts into flame, causing a startled Henry to drop it the floor.
5 SFX: FSHASH
6 HENRY: Yaah!
Panel 4: Same shot. Henry stomps at the flaming gun at his feet, extinguishing the flame. Clark crosses his arms and watches.
7 HENRY: Holy–
Panel 5: Same shot. Henry looks back up at Clark, who hasn’t moved.
Panel 6: Same shot. Henry’s radiating lines flare out and he becomes translucent. While doing this, he also tries to creep toward the door.
PAGE THIRTEEN
Panel 1: Clark steps between Henry and the exit, placing his hand on the door, all while keeping his eyes on the invisible man.
1 CAPTION (Journal): Unlike the time at the museum, seeing Wong activate his powers apparently allowed my special vision to follow him as he moved slightly out of phase with physical world. Useful to know, but…
2 HENRY: You can see me?
Panel 2: Same shot. Henry looks despondent having his one advantage taken away.
3 HENRY: But I’m in the Blindspot!
4 HENRY: How can you–
5 HENRY: Wait, are you touched by Xa’du too?
Panel 3: Same shot. Clark lowers the hand at the door, trying to appear less aggressive.
6 CLARK: I may be. I don’t know what that is. I’m here for answers.
7 HENRY: Oh man!
8 HENRY: If you’re not, then what are you? The Molium will want to study you!
Panel 4: Same shot. Henry grabs at Clark’s collar.
9 HENRY: And if I bring you in, they’ll reward me.
10 HENRY: You’re coming with me.
Panel 5: Same shot. Clark peers over his glasses again and a small lick of flame erupts on Henry’s shoulder.
11 SFX: FSHASH
12 HENRY: Ahh!
Panel 6: Same shot. Henry backs away, covering his burnt shoulder with a hand.
13 HENRY: Freak!
14 HENRY: I don’t know how you see me, but I can get further away!
PAGE FOURTEEN
Panel 1: We’ve got a full-body two shot of Clark and Henry standing by the door to the apartment. Clark is plaintively raising his hands, but Henry is panicked.
1 CLARK: I’m not going to hurt you. I only want answers!
2 HENRY: I can move further into the Blindspot. I can hide… I can–!
Panel 2: Same shot. Henry is struggling and looks even more faded than he had. The radiated waves around him thrash like a puddle being stomped.
3 HENRY: No! It’s pulling!
4 HENRY: It’s too strong!
Panel 3: Same shot. Clark reaches out and tries to grab Henry, but he is too insubstantial now.
5 HENRY (fading): Help me!
6 HENRY (fading): Help–
Panel 4: Same shot. Clark is now alone in Wong’s apartment. His shoulders droop with defeat. The ripples in the air fade.
Panel 5: Same shot. Clark stiffens back up. He runs a hand through his hair and checks his pocket watch with the other. There are no more ripples in the air.
Panel 6: Same shot. Clark opens the door and leaves the apartment.
7 CAPTION (Journal): …ultimately I lost track of him.
8 CAPTION (Journal): Wong’s disappearance is frustrating, but perhaps will cause W-LEX to slip up in some way I can use to my advantage.
9 CAPTION (Journal): Words to seek out: “Zadu”, “Molliam” or something similar.
PAGE FIFTEEN
Panel 1: It is late and it is dark. Lois and Jimmy are leaving the bar, now wearing coats and, in Jim’s case, a scarf. The sidewalks are all but empty as they stride confidently across the street. A closed sign appears in the window of the bar behind them.
1 LOIS: You want to share a cab?
2 JIMMY: Nah, there’s a subway just a block over.
Panel 2: The two continue walking down the road as they talk to each other.
3 JIMMY: So what did Toby have to say about our mysterious friend?
4 LOIS: Sounds like he’s always been a lone wolf.
Panel 3: Rounding a corner, Jim shrugs at Lois.
5 JIMMY: So I guess we shouldn’t take it personally.
6 JIMMY: No point in worrying too much. He wants us out of his way, but that means that he’s staying out of our way.
Panel 4: Lois smirks as the two walk on. Jim has a confused look.
7 SFX (from off panel): Hisssssssss
8 LOIS: I guess that’s a good way of–
9 JIMMY: Did you hear some–
PAGE SIXTEEN
Panel 1: Large panel. The camera looks over and between the shoulders of the two reporters. We find that there are three toys standing on the sidewalk and staring up at them. Each is about a two feet tall and has gems for eyes. The gems catch the light and glint with a pinkish hue. The leftmost of the toy trio is the Clown, a white-plastic-faced doll with a bright orange nose and curly yellow hair that is wearing a polka-dot suit. In one hand the Clown is holding a pitchfork, its handle broken off part of the way down so that it is an appropriate length for the small user. On the right side of the pack is the Bear, a teddy bear wearing a tiny trenchcoat and fedora. The Bear is holding a metal spike so big that it requires both hands to carry it. In the centre and standing slightly ahead of the others is the Waif, raggedy cloth doll with long red hair, red patches on its cheeks, and a green dress. The Waif is holding a kitchen knife in one hand and points at the two humans with the other.
1 THE WAIF: Hisssssssss!
Panel 2: Lois, already turning on her heel, grabs Jim by his jacket. Jim is shocked and wide-eyed, still looking at the toys, but pulled along by Lois.
2 JIMMY: What the–
3 LOIS: Run!
PAGE SEVENTEEN
Panel 1: Lois and Jim run back down the dark street. Jim is trying to look over his shoulder as he goes.
1 JIMMY: Lois, what’s going on?
2 LOIS: I don’t know, but it isn’t good.
Panel 2: The two running reporters round the corner onto the other street which is still empty and quiet.
3 LOIS: Back to the bar.
4 JIMMY: They locked up!
5 SFX (from off panel): Hisssssss!
Panel 3: Lois and Jim are still running down the street and approach an alleyway, to which Lois gestures.
6 LOIS: Down here!
Panel 4: Lois and Jim run down the alley. There are a couple garbage bins, and we can see bundle of electrical cables connected to a fusebox or something (one of those outdoor alleyway fuseboxes, y’know? Just roll with it, I don’t have time to make this more believable right now). There is a big wooden fence ahead, but a ladder leading to a fire escape is visible near it.
7 LOIS: Dammit! Dead end!
8 JIMMY: Fire escape.
Panel 5: Jim gets under the ladder and laces his fingers together and puts them out for Lois to step up on them.
9 JIMMY: I’ll boost you.
Panel 5: Lois is about to take the step when the Clown’s pitchfork flies by her, stabbing into the wooden fence just inches from her head.
10 SFX: THNK!
PAGE EIGHTEEN
Panel 1: From over the fence, the Bear jumps onto Jim’s shoulder and raises his spike to stab. Lois pulls the pitchfork out of the fence.
1 THE BEAR: Hisssssss!
Panel 2: Holding the pitchfork, Lois turns to see the Clown leaping toward her. Behind her Jim and the Bear grapple and head back down the alley away from the fence.
Panel 3: Lois slashes the Clown across the face with the pitchfork, its jewelled eyes fall to the ground.
2 SFX: SKRKK
Panel 4: Lois pauses for a moment to look down at the motionless fallen toy. In the shadows behind her, two glints of pinkish light.
3 LOIS: Hhh. Hhh.
Panel 5: Same shot, but the glints of light, and the Waif they are attached to, leap forward and slash at Lois’s face with the knife. Lois got her arm up in time to deflect, but her forehead is cut and blood spurts forth.
4 THE WAIF: HISSS!
5 LOIS: Aaarh!
PAGE NINETEEN
Panel 1: Blood drips down Lois’s face as she swats the knife from the Waif’s hand. But the toy is still clinging to Lois’s arm.
Panel 2: Lois pins the Waif to the wooden fence by sticking the pitchfork through its torso.
1 SFX: SHHNK
Panel 3: The Waif struggles and tries to pull the fork from itself.
2 THE WAIF: HIIISSSSSS!
Panel 4: Lois watches the Waif struggle.
3 THE WAIF: Hissssss!
Panel 5: Lois punches the toy in the face. The jewels in its eyes fall out.
4 SFX: SMACK
Panel 6: Lois looks at the now-lifeless Waif.
PAGE TWENTY
Panel 1: Applying pressure to her forehead wound with one and and holding the Waif’s knife in the other, Lois heads back up the alleyway, finding her way around a garbage bin.
1 LOIS: Jim?
Panel 2: Lois drops the knife as she raises a hand to her mouth.
2 LOIS: Oh no.
Panel 3: We look down over Lois’s shoulder to see Jimmy Olsen’s lifeless body slumped against the wall next to the bundle of electric cables. The Bear, also lifeless, is still holding on to its metal spike and hangs above the ground because the spear has impaled Jimmy at an angle, going right through him into the cables. The Bear’s jeweled eyes have burst, leaving only smoking holes in their place.
3 LOIS: Oh no.
4 LOIS: Oh, Jimmy…
5 TITLE: Lost Soul of Krypton: Chapter Two Completed
6 TITLE: Standing Alone In The Darkness