The Morrigan Issue #2


Page 1

This should be a full page panel of Marian similar to the full page panel that began the previous issue.  This is our introduction to Marian in this issue and drawn by a new artist.  She should be in her Interceptor outfit and we should see her badge.  The background should be similar to the pastoral setting portrayed by the street in the previous issue but this time we do not see any kind of habitation.  The windows of building should be broken and any asphalt should be cracked.  The image should show the natural decay of the old world but none of the habitation expressed the last time around.  The scene should appear much less pastoral.

    CAPTION:  When the world ended a new world began.

    CAPTION:  We don’t really know what the old world was like though we live
    in its remnants.  All around us are the artifacts of that old world but we still
    know little of what came before.  Our repaired technology and found
    knowledge allow us to eke out a meager life for ourselves.

    CAPTION:  The Interceptors were created as a means of patrolling the outlands
    to protect Population form the bandits and nomads that plague the countryside.  
    When our funding was cut we became a more grassroots organization, existing
    to ensure that the lives of the people here are as well as can be expected.  While
    we still see to ‘intercepting’ the smugglers and criminals that attempt to get into
    Population we are more then that now.

    CAPTION:  While we do not know how much longer the world will survive we
    like to think that we are doing our part to prevent that final end.  We live in an
    echo of the old world and soon that echo will fade.  Until then we continue to    
    fight.

    CAPTION:  We are the Interceptors and these are our stories.


Page 2, Panel 1

We are outside Region 7 Headquarters from the previous issue.  In front of the building is Marian’s dusty black Chevy Nova.  The car should seem slightly out of place as it has just come from the wasteland and still bears the grime and dust from that setting.

Page 2, Panel 2

Marian carries Jacob through the door.  She is dusty and dirty from her fight at the end of the previous issue.  Across the room we see Frank, standing up.

    FRANK:  Marian!  Is Jacob okay?  Are you okay?

Page 2, Panel 3

Marian is close to Frank now.  She looks tired and Frank looks concerned.  We should see them closely.

    MARIAN: Yeah, he’s okay.

Page 2, Panel 4

A close up of Frank and Marian.

    FRANK: What happened out there, you were out of radio contact for a while?

    MARIAN:  Not right now, Frank.

Page 3, Panel 5

Marian is walking away with Frank at her side.


Page 3, Panel 1

We are in a lounge room of sorts.  There are some bookshelves and a couch.  Marian is entering the room with Jacob still in her arms.

Page 3, Panel 2

Marian is lying Jacob down on the couch.  He looks exhausted.

Page 3, Panel 3

Marian is across the room closing the blinds.  The room is mostly dim now and we no longer have the harsh sunlight.

Page 3, Panel 4

Marian is kneeling beside the couch caressing Jacob’s head.  He is sleeping now.

Page 3, Panel 5

Marian is leaning over Jacob, concerned.  We see what looks like a network of red lines across the sides and back of his neck.  They should form a basic grid shape like circuitry.  The lines go up into his hairline.

Page 3, Panel 6

With Marian in the foreground beside Jacob we see Frank standing in the doorway quietly and respectfully.


Page 4, Panel 1

Back out in the first room Marian and Frank are talking.  Frank looks concerned.

    FRANK:  Listen, I’m sorry, okay.  We’re friends and I should have backed you
    up.  I should have gone out there with you.

    MARIAN:  Frank, I understand your reasoning, okay.  Stop worrying.  The
    safety and security of the town is important.  It’s not like you were saying that
    you weren’t gonna go out after the kids.

Page 4, Panel 2

Marian and Frank are still talking.

    FRANK:  But the other kids didn’t make it back.  If I had gone they’d probably
    still be alive right now.

    MARIAN:  Those kids were killed long before I got there.  There wasn’t
    anything any of us could have done to change that.  If we had swept down there
    with a goddamn army the kids would still be dead.

Page 4, Panel 3

Marian and Frank are still talking.

    MARIAN:  Stop blaming yourself, Frank.

Page 4, Panel 4

We see Frank in close up.  It is clear that he is still blaming himself for the deaths of the children.

Page 4, Panel 5

Marian is walking out of the room, toward her car.

    MARIAN:  Now let’s check out this damn computer and see what we’re
    dealing with.

    FRANK:  I’ll get Johns in here.


Page 5, Panel 1

A short time later.  We are in a conference room of sorts.  The room is important and will appear at the end of the issue as well.  The computer is open on the long table in the middle of the room.  Sitting before the computer in Johns.  He is a scrawny and bald geek looking guy.  He wears thick glasses and is nearly hunchbacked.  His interceptor outfit is just jeans, sneakers and a black, button-up shirt with his badge on the arms.  His shirt is open at the collar and the sleeves are rolled up past his elbows.  Standing behind him, watching him work, are Marian, Frank and Dearbourne.

Page 5, Panel 2

A close up of Johns working hard.

Page 5, Panel 3

A close up of the others watching him.

Page 5, Panel 4

A close up of Frank, he is watching Marian and he looks concerned.

Page 5, Panel 5

A close up of Marian.  She looks haunted but not in a way that makes her seem weak.  She should seem all the more determined and fearsome with the deaths of the children now driving her.


Page 6, Panel 1

We see the four from the view of the table.  The computer is open in the low center of the frame.  Johns is still at the computer, partially obscured by the monitor.  Arrayed behind him are the other three.

    JOHNS:  This machine is quite a piece of work.  It’s encrypted up the wazoo.

    DEARBOURNE:  Is that what’s taking so long?

Page 6, Panel 2

This should be the same shot as before.

    JOHNS:  Sorta.  The programming is pretty intricate so I gotta be careful.  If I
    brick this thing we won’t learn anything about these guys.

Page 6, Panel 3

The four are still at the computer.

    MARIAN:  These guys weren’t simple raiders or nomads.  They were set up in
    some kind of underground bunker.  They had a whole network set up down
    there with a room full of machines.

Page 6, Panel 4

The four are still at the computer.

    MARIAN:  It wasn’t all found technology, either.  The machines were
    operational and they knew what they were doing with them.  I’ve never seen
    that kind of sophistication in nomads before.

Page 6, Panel 5

The four are still at the computer.

    JOHNS:  I don’t want to be rude or nothin’ but it’s kinda hard to concentrate
    with you guys vulturing over me AND chattering.

Page 6, Panel 6

The four are still at the computer but the talking has stopped.


Page 7, Panel 1

We are still in the conference room with the four.  Johns has his fists thrust into the air in triumph.

    JOHNS:  I’m in!

Page 7, Panel 2

Johns is hunched over the computer again.  The others are leaned in expectantly.

    DEARBOURNE:  What have we got?

Page 7, Panel 2

Johns is still hunched over the computer with his hand on his chin.  His face is twisted in concentration.  The others are watching expectantly.

    JOHNS:  hmm

Page 7, Panel 3

Johns is still looking at the computer and the others all seem to be waiting.

Page 7, Panel 4

This should be similar to the last panel.

    FRANK:  Johns?

Page 7, Panel 5

They are still around the computer.

    JOHNS:  Looks like this machine is set up to serve as an interface of some
    kind.  This computer is meant only to facilitate communication between a user
    and a system.  It’s set up for access either by cable or wireless.

Page 7, Panel 6

Still in the conference room around the computer.

    FRANK:  Is that all?

    JOHNS:  Yeah, looks like it.  There’s no data files that might tell us why they
    took the kids.  I’ll keep looking for hidden files but there’s nothing obvious.


Page 8, Panel 1

We are still in the conference room.  An Interceptor stands at the door.  If possible this should be an unnamed Interceptor we have seen before.

    INTERCEPTOR:  Hey guys.  I hate to interrupt but Miller just showed up and     
    you really gotta hear what he has to say.

Page 8, Panel 2

Dearbourne, Marian and Frank are walking away from Johns toward the door.

    DEARBOURNE:  Keep looking, Johns, and let me know if you find anything.

Page 8, Panel 3

As they are walking out we should have a medium shot of Marian and Frank.

    FRANK:  I got a bottle of Boone’s Farm that says this is related.

    MARIAN:  I guess we’ll see.

Page 8, Panel 4

Back out in the front room we see Miller standing with several Interceptors.  From a door in the back Dearbourne, Marian and Frank are entering.

Page 8, Panel 5

We see Miller in close up.  This is our introduction to him so we should see him well.  He is looking toward Dearbourne, Marian and Frank just entered the room.


Page 9, Panel 1

Dearbourne and Miller are shaking hands.  Marian and Frank are next to him.  We can still see the others in the room as well.

    DEARBOURNE:  What brings you all the way to Region 7, Miller?  We didn’t
    get any communiqués that you’d be coming.  This is out of the ordinary.

Page 9, Panel 2

Miller looks serious.  The others are still with him.

    MILLER:  That’s part of why I’m here, Dearbourne.

Page 9, Panel 3

A medium shot of Marian.  She does not look happy to see Miller.

    MARIAN:  Careful, Miller.  Out here you’re liable to get some dust on that
    fancy uniform of yours.

Page 9, Panel 4

A medium shot of Miller and Dearbourne.

    MILLER:  You know, I believe in this project as much as anyone.  If I didn’t
    liaise with OPP all the funding would dry up and the Interceptors would fade
    away.  What would things be like then for the folks out here?

Page 9, Panel 5

A wide shot of the conversation.

    MARIAN:  How do you know what it’s like out here if you never step foot
    outside of Population?

    DEARBOURNE:  Stop it, both of you.  Now, what were you saying, Miller?

Page 9, Panel 6

Miller is still talking to the other three.

    MILLER:  OPP lost all contact with Region 7 about a week ago.  No message
    could be sent for a meeting like we usually do.  However, I can see you guys
    are all okay and cheerful as ever.

Page 9, Panel 7

The same conversation.

    MARIAN:  What happened, then?

    MILLER:  Hang on, let me start at the beginning.


Page 10, Panel 1

The same conversation as the previous page.

    MILLER:  OPP had a message for you.  I wanted to arrange a meeting to pass
    on the information.  Outcast Control detected a group of criminals in the
    wasteland that had banded together.  Now that’s not all that uncommon but
    these ones figured out how to shed their collars.

Page 10, Panel 2

The same conversation.

    MARIAN:  That’s never good.

Page 10, Panel 3

The same conversation.

    MILLER:  Well, spies infiltrated the group to figure out what they were up to.  
    Turns out they had some high-minded ideals about a merging of technology
    and humanity and a strong technological base to back them up.

Page 10, Panel 4

The same conversation.

    MILLER:  The initial concern was that they would move on Population.  
    However, our last report had them moving toward the outlands, right for
    Region 7.

Page 10, Panel 5

We see Dearbourne, Marian and Frank sharing a concerned look.


Page 11, Panel 1

We are still in the same conversation as the previous page.  Now Marian has come forward and is the primary talker with Miller.

    MARIAN:  Your warning is a little late, Miller.  They hit us a few days ago.

Page 11, Panel 2

The same conversation.

    MILLER:  I was afraid of that.

Page 11, Panel 3

The same conversation.

    MILLER:  We tried to send a warning but we couldn’t raise you on any
    frequency.  I was sent out here to see what happened, it’s not the first time
    we’ve lost contact with an Interceptor region.  Sometimes it’s simple, usually it
    isn’t.

Page 11, Panel 4

Frank is leaning closer to Marian.

    FRANK:  You owe me a bottle.

    MARIAN:  I never agreed to that.

Page 11, Panel 5

The same conversation.

    DEARBOURNE:  We haven’t had any trouble with our equipment.  Everything
    is operating just fine.

Page 11, Panel 6

The same conversation.

    MILLER:  I know, I picked up your chatter as soon as I got close enough.


Page 12, Panel 1

The same conversation as the previous page.

    MILLER:  On my way out here I stopped at some of the relay towers on my
    route.  The first couple were fine and operating in the green.

Page 12, Panel 2

The same conversation.

    MILLER:  However, when I got a little closer I found some that had been
    sabotaged.  I found four others that had been rendered inoperable.

Page 12, Panel 3

The same conversation.

    FRANK:  Aren’t there safeguards on the towers?

    MILLER:  Yeah, they’re set up to broadcast a high-frequency squelch if they’re
    tampered with.  However, all of the safeguards were bypassed.  Whoever did it
    knew what they were doing.

Page 12, Panel 4

The same conversation.

    MARIAN:  Sounds like the nomads hit the towers and isolated us before they
    came in.

    MILLER:  If so then they’re displaying a tactical sense unheard of in this kind
    of group.

Page 12, Panel 5

The same conversation.

    MARIAN:  What’s the most recent word from the spies?

Page 12, Panel 6

The same conversation.

    MILLER:  There hasn’t been word from them in a while.  Outcast Control
    believes the spies have been lost.


Page 13, Panel 1

We are still in the same front room.  Marian has turned to Dearbourne.

    MARIAN:  I want to go out and look at the towers.  If Johns doesn’t pull up
    anything on that computer this is the only lead we’ve got.

Page 13, Panel 2

The same conversation.

    DEARBOURNE:  Go ahead and take a team out there.  Keep in touch, though,
    I don’t want any more surprises.

Page 13, Panel 3

The same conversation.

    FRANK:  I’m with you, Marian.

    MILLER:  I can show you guys the way.

Page 13, Panel 4

Marian is turning to leave.

    MARIAN:  Well, just be careful not to scratch the paint on your car.

    MILLER:  It’d take an awful lot to scratch up Hammerhead.

Page 13, Panel 5

Marian leads the way out of the room with Frank and Miller following her.


Page 14, Panel 1

Outside Region 7 headquarters Marian is getting into her car.  It should no longer seem out of place like it did at the beginning of the issue.  Miller is climbing into his vehicle.  His car is a hardened, futuristic vehicle reminiscent of the new Batmobile.  Frank is getting into his car, a black, 1967 Mustang.  The three are not in any special war gear outfits.

Page 14, Panel 2

We are still outside near the cars.  Frank is leaning over to Marian and Marian is shrugging.

    FRANK:  Hammerhead?

Page 14, Panel 3

The three cars are speeding along an isolated road in the outlands.  Miller is in the front.

Page 14, Panel 4

At a tall radio tower we can see it is surrounded by a tall chain fence, topped with barbed wire.  The fence has been cut open and pulled back leaving a big gap.  In the distance we can see Miller, Marian and Frank approaching.

Page 14, Panel 5

Miller, Marian and Frank are parking before the radio tower.

Page 14, Panel 6

Marian, Miller and Frank are parked before the tower.  Marian is walking toward it while the other two are still getting out of their cars.


Page 15, Panel 1

We are far away and see Marian standing before the control box for the tower.  Beside her are Frank and Miller.

Page 15, Panel 2

We are closer now.  Marian is still inspecting the circuit boards for the box.

    MARIAN:  These circuits have been totally destroyed.  There’s no way this
    tower will be operational without a lot of work.  Whoever did this knew
    electronics.

Page 15, Panel 3

We are still at the control box.  Miller has moved away some and is looking around.

    FRANK:  Any chump can bust up a circuit board, Marian.

    MARIAN:  Not like this.

Page 15, Panel 4

We are still at the control box.

    MARIAN:  The box is wired to detect tampering.  The circuits on the board
    also have multiple redundancies.  The cutouts were bypassed and
    systematically destroyed.  This box needs a whole new board now.

Page 15, Panel 5

We are still at the box.

    MARIAN:  I hate to sound like a broken record here but it’s pretty obvious
    we’re not dealing with regular nomads.

    FRANK:  If there was any doubt it’s gone now.


Page 16, Panel 1

Miller stands looking out at the road.  He is wearing sunglasses as he usually is outside but he is still shielding his eyes from the sun.

Page 16, Panel 2

We see Miller is close up.  He is still looking out.

Page 16, Panel 3

A close up of Miller pulling his sunglasses off and looking harder.

    MILLER:  Oh shit.

Page 16, Panel 3

We see Miller from farther away now.  He has turned and is shouting to Marian and Frank.

    MILLER:  Head up, guys!  We’ve got company!

Page 16, Panel 4

This should be a fairly large panel.  We see a band of nomads closing in fast.  There are five nomads on bikes and three in a car.  The bikes are a mish mash of modified street bikes and the car is a heavily customized 1965 or 1966 Barracuda convertible.  In the back of the car a nomad is sitting on the back seat with an AK-74 in his hands.  The bikes all have holsters strapped to the sides of their bikes containing things like bats or shotguns.


Page 17, Panel 1

Marian Frank and Miller have drawn their sidearms and are running for cover behind their cars.

Page 17, Panel 2

A close up of a biker who has drawn a Tec-9 from his holster and is firing.

Page 17, Panel 3

The nomad in the back of the car is standing now and firing his AK-74.

Page 17, Panel 4

Frank is ducking behind his car as bullets tear up the ground around her and blow out some of her windows.

Page 17, Panel 5

Miller is firing over the hood of his car as bullets spang off the armor.

Page 17, Panel 6

Marian has the door of her car open and is reaching inside.


Page 18, Panel 1

This should be a fairly large and dramatic shot.  Marian is coming up from inside her car with her M4 in hand.  She looks focused and determined.

Page 18, Panel 2

Marian has her assault rifle across the roof of her car and is firing.  

Page 18, Panel 3

The nomads are speeding past the group’s position.  The nomads should seem like they are going really fast.  The Interceptors are all shooting at them.  One of the bikers should be going down spectacularly as the others speed past.

Page 18, Panel 4

A long shot of Marian’s car speeding out onto the road as Frank and Miller are jumping into their vehicles.

Page 18, Panel 5

A close up of Marian in the driver’s seat of her car as she is speeding out after the nomads.


Page 19, Panel 1

A long shot of The Interceptors closing in on the nomads.  Marian is in the lead.

Page 19, Panel 2

The nomad in the back of the car is turned around firing at Marian’s car.  

Page 19, Panel 3

We see Marian’s car closer.  The bullets are punching holes through her windshield very close to her.  She is ducking.

Page 19, Panel 4

Marian’s car is screeching to a halt as Miller and Frank speed past her on both sides.

Page 19, Panel 5

Marian is back in the chase behind Miller and Frank.  She has the handset for her radio in her hand.

    MARIAN:  Region 7, this is Unit 13, do you copy, over?  ...  Region 7, this is
    Unit 13, do you copy, over?  ...  Shit.


Page 20, Panel 1

This should be a large panel.  Nomads are firing wildly at Miller and Frank.  Both cars are taking hits but the bullets are just spanging off Miller’s armor.  Frank is falling back and beginning to move behind Miller.

Page 20, Panel 2

A close up of the front of Miller’s car as he rushes up on the nomads fast.  Bullets are still spanging off from the car.  Painted on the front push bar are blocky letters that read ‘HAMMERHEAD’.

Page 20, Panel 3

A long shot of the action.  Miller’s car is close to the nomad’s Barracuda.  Guns are blazing.  Miller’s car should be partially airborne as he is crushing a nomad biker under his wheels.

Page 20, Panel 4

A medium shot of Miller through the window of his car as he struggles to bring it under control.  He should still be partially airborne.

Page 20, Panel 5

A long shot of Miller’s car going off the road into the ditch.  His car is not crashed but he is slowed as he kicks up dust off the road.


Page 21, Panel 1

Frank is veered to one side of the road as he speeds past the crushed biker and is bumping the back of another.  Close behind him we see Marian still in the chase.

Page 21, Panel 2

The biker Frank pushed in the last panel is flying from the road and has been tossed from his bike.

Page 21, Panel 3

A biker has a Remington Streetsweeper clutched in his fist.  He is aiming it behind him and firing.

Page 21, Panel 4

We see Frank’s car as the slugs from the shotgun tear holes in his grill, fender and tire.

Page 21, Panel 5

We see a close up of Frank as he struggles to retain control of the car.  He should look frantic but determined.

Page 21, Panel 6

Marian is rushing past as Frank’s car is flipping from the road in a cloud of dust and debris.


Page 22, Panel 1

We see Frank’s car smashed and overturned.

Page 22, Panel 2

Frank has pulled himself out of the car.  He is dirty and bruised but he is otherwise okay.  He has the handset for the radio to his mouth.

    RADIO:  Frank!

    FRANK:  I’m okay but I’m gonna need a lift when this is done with.

Page 22, Panel 3

Marian is closing in on the few remaining nomads, 2 bikers and the car.  Behind her Miller is spectacularly jumping his car back onto the road.

Page 22, Panel 4

Marian is slamming her car into the side of the nomad’s car and sandwiching one of the two nomad bikers between them.  He is getting torn from the bike rather messily.

Page 22, Panel 5

Marian is speeding past the car as it spins in the road.  We see the gunner in the back getting thrown from the vehicle and bouncing off Marian’s car.

Page 22, Panel 6

Miller is rushing in on the Barracuda as the last biker dodges his car.


Page 23, Panel 1

In a large panel we see Miller’s armored car smashing through the front end of the Barracuda.  His car is partially airborne as the front half of the car is both shredded and flying through the air or ground under his wheels.

Page 23, Panel 2

The remaining biker is slamming into the side of the smashed car.  Miller’s car can be seen continuing on in the background.

Page 23, Panel 3

The biker is landing hard on the road.

Page 23, Panel 4

Marian’s car is screeching to a halt across the road.

Page 23, Panel 5

Marian is jumping out of her car with her M4 in hand.


Page 24, Panel 1

Miller is pulling his car to a stop near Marian’s.

Page 24, Panel 2

Marian is running toward the downed biker and the wreckage.

Page 24, Panel 3

The biker is nearly dead but is staggering back to his feet with a knife in his hand.

Page 24, Panel 4

Marian is viciously slamming the butt of her rifle into the biker’s face.

Page 24, Panel 5

Miller is running along the road with his pistol in hand toward Marian and the biker.

Page 24, Panel 6

Marian is standing over the biker with her gun aimed at him.

    MARIAN:  Don’t move!


Page 25, Panel 1

The biker, bloody and almost dead, is looking up at Marian.

    NOMAD:  ... you’re ... the mother ...

Page 25, Panel 2

The same shot of the nomad only now he is obviously dead.

Page 25, Panel 3

Marian and Miller are standing in the road.

    MARIAN:  What the hell?

    MILLER:  Let’s just pick up Frank and get back to Region 7.

Page 25, Panel 4

A long shot as Marian and Miller are walking back to their vehicles.  We can see the wreckage from the end of the chase.

Page 25, Panel 5

A similar shot but from farther away but now Marian and Miller are gone.