Here’s part four of my script for ‘Batman - Legacies’, a fan fiction comic book that is the Batman vs Joker 'endgame’, their final confrontation after nearly 30 years of being adversaries.
*None of the artwork below (except for the title image) belongs to me...
PAGE THIRTEEN
PANEL ONE
Batman presses a switch on his wrist, guiding another drone to his location in the building.
PANEL TWO
A drone moves across the roof of the swimming baths, looking for a place to gain access.
PANEL THREE
The drone moves down into the building through a smashed skylight, lowering in through the broken glass.
PANEL FOUR
A low shot of Joker, now in the empty pool with Batman (about ten feet separates them). The drone can be seen clearly (at about the same height as the top of the diving board) approaching the Joker (although it is behind him and he cannot see it).
JOKER - You’ve never been able to contain me, Bruce.
And now I’ll be free to get into the lungs of everybody in this city, like a relentless black smog.
PANEL FIVE
The drone is only a few feet away from Joker now. This shot is from the front of him, the drone almost in the empty pool at this point.
JOKER - I will be, at long last, immortal.
BATMAN - Reduce the voltage Oracle. I don’t want the pacemaker slowing or stopping.
PANEL SIX
A wide shot from ground level, the drone administering a shock to Joker from a similar device to what was used to freeze the C4. Joker is contorted in pain, his legs bending at the knee and his palms open, the detonator dropping to the ground. Batman is still, not reacting at all to the event.
JOKER - GAHHHHHHHH!
PANEL SEVEN
Batman has taken a few steps to close the gap between him and Joker. He is punching him hard in the jaw with his right fist, knocking him from his feet and to the ground. Joker’s eyes are closed and mouth open from the ‘THWUD’ of the impact.
PANEL EIGHT
A close shot of Joker on the ground, the side of his face against the tiles of the swimming pool floor. Batman stands over him.
BATMAN - I understand you in one way, Joker.
I'm sick. I'm tired. I've had my fill –
I’ve felt like this for a long time.
PAGE FOURTEEN
PANEL ONE
A close up of the detonator on its side at ground level.
PANEL TWO
The same drone that shocked Joker hovers just above the detonator, scanning it with a bright blue light.
PANEL THREE
Batman again listens as he receives information from Oracle, now pressing his hand to his earpiece within his mask.
ORACLE - The detonator appears to be a dummy.
A remote control to activate the blinking lights on the bombs but nothing more than that.
BATMAN - Gotcha.
PANEL FOUR
Batman continues to listen as he looks down as Joker on the floor. This shot looks over The Dark Knight’s shoulder at Joker, who has moved onto his front, his arms stretched out in front of him.
ORACLE - However, it looks like he wasn’t lying about the pacemaker.
It’s linked to a timed detonator on the explosives. Three minutes left on the countdown.
There’s no clear override.
I’d suggest destroying it is the only way to disarm the pipe-bombs.
PANEL FIVE
Joker is sitting up and turning to face Batman. He is looking over his shoulder in this shot.
JOKER - You thought I was bluffing!
I’ve outthought the World’s Greatest Detective!
I told you, sloppy – losing your touch.
PANEL SIX
Joker remains on the ground, but now sits and faces Batman, hands resting on the floor and knees up by his chest. He looks relaxed.
JOKER - You can’t even shake off that fall you took.
There was a time that you’d have been on your feet almost instantly.
PANEL SEVEN
A closer shot of Joker from the same angle as the previous panel.
JOKER - All this time has taken its toll on your body and your brain.
PANEL EIGHT
A wide shot, with Batman turning away from Joker. Joker remains sitting on the ground in the same position in the background.
BATMAN - You’re right.
I’m nowhere near as sharp as I used to be.
But as haven’t deteriorated half as rapidly as you have.
Resorting to such a shameful scheme as this.
You’ve always been insane.
But this is pathetic.
JOKER - YADDA YADDA YADDA, Bats.
Stop delaying the inevitable.
I’ve beaten you.
PAGE FIFTEEN
PANEL ONE
A low shot showing Batman’s feet and bottom of cape. Joker is further in the distance in this panel.
ORACLE - How shall we play this, Bruce?
You’re running out of time.
BATMAN - In my older years I’ve had to change.
Adapt my methods when physically I just couldn’t cut it.
And I have to admit it –
I’m stumped.
PANEL TWO A close-up of Joker’s beaming face.
JOKER - HA!
PANEL THREE
A shot of Batman from the side of his face. He is looking down at something on the ground.
BATMAN - But I’ll never take the easy way out.
When the ‘unstoppable force’ meets the ‘immovable object’, something’s got to give, right?
Somebody has to back down.
PANEL FOUR
Batman has moved over to where Joker’s revolver had settled on the ground and is reaching down to pick it up.
PANEL FIVE
Batman holds the revolver in two hands, cradling it like a venomous reptile. He looks down at the weapon.
BATMAN - And I wouldn’t. I really wouldn’t.
But too many children have lost their lives already.
You’ve got your wish, Joker.
PANEL SIX
A close up of Joker’s face. Still, shocked. He has got his wish but he didn’t expect it to be like this.
PANEL SEVEN
A close shot of a boarded up door, which is on the left side of the room. There are people gathering outside of it, angrily yelling and banging on the door.
PANEL EIGHT
A close shot of Batman’s face, the large boarded up door visible in the background. It is towards the same direction as where the kidnapped children are.
BATMAN - Right on time.
PAGE SIXTEEN
PANEL ONE
Batman is walking away from Joker, towards where the kidnapped children are. Joker is leaning forward in anticipation, beginning to slowly crawl after The Dark Knight.
BATMAN - When I found you here my drones sent a GPS tracking signal directly to the programmer of a memorial website for the first 10 children you murdered.
The coordinates of this building have been circling on social media ever since.
PANEL TWO
Joker is leaning forward onto his hands, staring down at the ground. A thin trail of saliva hangs from his open mouth.
PANEL THREE
Batman is climbing up a short ladder that leads out of the deep end of the swimming pool and up onto the level where the boarded up door is.
BATMAN - Your one mistake was assuming you knew everything about the people of Gotham.
PANEL FOUR
A shot of Batman from the front as he climbs up and out of the empty pool.
BATMAN - You don’t know a single thing about them.
PANEL FIVE
Batman pulls boards from the door, giving the mob outside access to the building.
PANEL SIX
Daylight spills onto Batman as he opens the door.
BATMAN - Make it quick.
PANEL SEVEN
A large wide panel showing an over-the-shoulder view from behind Batman, a large group of people gathered at the open door and coming inside of the building. Men and women hold various weapons, bats and pipes plus various blades.
PANEL EIGHT
A small panel in the corner of the previous one, showing Batman’s manic and desperate laugh. Anger is clear in his eyes.
JOKER - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA!
To be continued... Check back soon for THE FINAL PART!
Ben Errington
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