Blog Post 002: Writing Sample 001- Horror Comic Book (5 pages)

 I decided to include various writing samples throughout my blog. For my first offering, I decided to post the first five pages of (a Horror Comic Book Writing Sample) "They came from the Mountain." Sadly Blogger does not like the Scrivener formatting. I hope you enjoy what follows.

~Roger, the Struggling Writer

[Comic Book Writing Sample]

[Issue 01]

”[They came from the Mountain]” Part [01]

By

Roger l. Alderman jr.

Draft 1.0 - <2022-05-10>

CHARACTERS

DANIEL

Mid-30s married father of two. 

JESS

Daughter. Wild Child nineteen.

MIKE

Son. Reserved laid back usually quick with a joke or jab fourteen

STEPHANIE

Wife Mid-30s. Good mother and excellent wife. Supportive but a secret alcoholic.

PAGE <01>

PANEL <01>

Daniel sits alone on the wooden steps of a house drinking a bottle of rum. The door of the house hangs from its last hinge. Beneath the roof of the wrap-around porch, the windows are shattered. Fragments of the broken glass cover the majority of the porch.

PANEL <02>

Danial glances down at a rusty old revolver sitting next to him. Four unused bullets are standing beside the revolver. A single bullet lay on its side near the revolver handle. 

PANEL <03>

Daniel takes the revolver in hand. 

PANEL <04>

Daniel props the revolved under his chin closing his eyes, one last time.

DANIEL

They deserved better. I brought them here to save them-

PANEL <05>

A black panel with a singular sound effect, BANG!

PAGE <02>

SPLASH PAGE

Back page with credits and the story title.

“They came from the Mountains!”

PAGE <03>

PANEL <01>

“1969 Outside of Clinto, OH” 

A 1960s-style station wagon winds its way along a busy Ohio highway.

RADIO 

Thousands flee the rising body count of the Hong Kong Flu...

PANEL <02>

Inside the station wagon, Jess, an enraged teenage girl screams at her parents in the front seat, as her younger brother, Mike,  stares out of his window. Daniel drives the car. Stephanie, his wife, sits in the passenger seat.

JESS

I wish I was never born. I wish, I wish... I was never part of this family.

PANEL <03>

Jess flops backward against her seat with folded arms and raging opinion.

JESS

Isn’t that what you want dad? Someone to come along and take all your

troubles away. Like a thief in the night, right?

PANEL <04>

Jess rages on against her father.

JESS

Can’t believe we're driving to the middle of nowhere because you’re afraid of getting a cold.

PANEL <05>

The station wagon follows a highway turn-off. The roadside sign shows Clinton 30. 

JESS

We were going to go to Woodstock. You know it and just don’t want me to go. You’re afraid I may enjoy my life.

PANEL <06>

The station wagon moves along a two-lane country road in need of repairs. The travelers and road below are concealed by a thick canopy of elderly tree branches.

JESS

This is exactly how horror movies start.

DANIEL/STEPHANIE

Shut Up, Jess.

PAGE <04>

PANEL <01>

The rural town of Canton, OH remains all but invisible in the winter months thanks to a sprawling forest surrounding it and a record-setting snowfall. The normal sounds of life have been throttled by winter’s death-like grip. The sound of numerous power generators struggling to keep electricity flowing to residents.

PANEL<02>

Few members of the community dare to expose themselves to the elements given the cold and bitter winds. Those that journey outside bundle themselves in layers of clothing to not risk full exposure to the unforgiving weather. Other than the Sheriff post and the Kendall Family Grocery Store no other business remains open to customers

PANEL <03>

From above most aircraft would never notice their passing above the rural township far below. Even those who dwell in this place would be hard pressed to believe that they are not alone in Canton during the fall and winter months. The community and surrounding territory find themselves concealed by winter’s permanent dusk.

PANEL <04>

A lone plow truck attempts to push fallen snow from roads to give residents access to the roadway. The plow truck struggles to move once it reaches the end of the paved roads. Even it loses traction once on top of the wet mud and clay sideroads sending debris flying to the side and behind the heavy truck.

PAGE <05>

PANEL <01>

A single deputy sheriff’s truck moves beyond the boundary of Canton proper in a slow march to the surrounding resident's homes. Sparks erupt nearby from a power pole transformer as ice and moisture overwhelm its components shorting it out. Smoke rises skyward from the hail of blue white shower covering the roadway behind the passage of the pick-up truck.

PANEL <02>

The deputy carefully emerges from his vehicle walkie talkie in hand. He calls for assistance with what has now become a community-wide blackout. Hearing the operator's response he returns to his truck happy with the knowledge that someone trained to deal with the situation involving power loss.

PANEL <03>

The family’s station wagon makes its slow crawl through the town. The deputy smiles waving as they pass.

                       DANIEL 

See aren’t you glad I stopped and put the chains on when I did.

STEPHANIE

Just drive hero.

PANEL <04>

“Later”

The station wagon stops outside the red brick wall and wrought iron gate. The land and dilapidated house are covered by a thick snow cover. The family stands outside the station wagon with the door open wide.

MIKE

Uh, Dad?

STEPHANIE

You haven’t been here in a  while huh?

JESS

I think I know why grandma and grandpa left you the house when they died-

MIKE

So you can identify the killer.