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EMPOWERED AND THE GIANT-SIZE ISSUES #1 thumbnails & script, pt.5
🕑 Added 2020-04-14 13:00:03 +0000 UTCHoly crap, not only did I forget to post another excerpt from this defunct project in March, I also forgot to post a promised second excerpt in February! Anyhoo, here's the (belated) rest of the first issue, folks!
(You can check out part 4 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 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 #1 script
PAGE 22
PANEL 1: Open, "vignette" format continues. Insert headshot of EMP in the upper left corner, rolling her eyes a bit as she speaks. Below her, an image of a sweaty, puffing EMP in civilian workout clothes, NOT supersuited, as she struggles and strains desperately to lift her chin over a pull-up bar. Beyond her, a shirtless THUGBOY looks on with some concern; in fact, we can see his hands around/on her midsection, quite possibly lifting her up a bit. Open, white BG, or perhaps an abstract color BG representing EMP's struggle and strain.
EMP: AAAANYWAY.
EMP: I DO TRY TO WORK OUT BUT, WELL, MOTIVATION IS AN ISSUE.
EMP: SEE, WITH THE SUPERSUIT ON, I'M STRONGER THAN ANY HUMAN WHO EVER LIVED.
EMP: WITHOUT IT, I'M JUST ANOTHER FLABBY GIRL WHO CAN BARELY DO ONE STUPID PULL-UP.
PULL-UP EMP: (wavy balloon) (h-b) >HNNGH<
PANEL 2: This could probably be considered part of panel 1, but what the heck… (see rough.) Anyhoo, we see an image of a fully supersuited and masked EMP happily raising a very large BOULDER on her back, Atlas-style. Her suit is glittering extra brightly, indicating that its superpowers are being utilized. An abstract color BG emphasizes the awesomeness of EMP's feat, perhaps with sparkles and/or bokeh.
SUITED EMP: (at upper right) (h-b) >HFF<
SUITED EMP: (at upper right) ATLAS CAN SUCK IT, YOU FEELIN' ME?
PANEL 3: Big panel, with an actual, real-world BG this time! We're seeing EMP and NINJETTE running down a sunlit parkway (cobblestone?) path, with sun-dappled foliage as a BG. They are, in fact, RUNNING, as this is high-intensity interval training, which alternates bursts of all-out sprinting between slower stretches of jogging or trotting. CARDIO EMP, as she'll be called in this scene, is running with a great deal of effort, huffing and puffing sweatily, limbs flailing and face contorted with effort as she sprints.
She's wearing elaborate workout gear, though the tricky bit is figuring out exactly what someone as insecure and body-conscious as EMP might wear. Possibilities: Tank top over sports bra, loose shorts or training capris, running shoes, hair tied back with a headband; she might have a Fitbit-type wristband, or phone tucked away in an arm sleeve.
Contrasting with CARDIO EMP's elaborate, reasonably fashionable array of workout gear is NINJETTE, who's far more casually dressed in tied-off T-shirt (could be the "NINJA PRINCESS" tee from EMP v.1), low-riding cutoff (jean) shorts and flip-flops, with her usual shuriken earrings (and belly ring) jingling merrily and ponytail bobbing about. Despite her casual attire, she's having no problem whatsoever keeping up with the sprinting EMP, trotting beside her effortlessly while gesturing to and addressing her in a supportive manner.
CAPTION: MY BEE-EFF-EFF KOZUE TRIES HER BEST TO ENCOURAGE ME, WHEN I TRY TO GET MY CARDIO ON WITH SAD ATTEMPTS AT HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING OR WHATEVER.
EMP: (wavy balloon) (h-b) >HUHH<
EMP: (wavy balloon) (h-b) >HAHH<
NINJETTE: JUST ANOTHER TWENTY SECONDS OF ALL-OUT SPRINTING, OKAY?
NINJETTE: YOU CAN DO THIS, EMP!
PANEL 3: Panoramic panel. Up-angled close-up of CARDIO EMP and NINJETTE's faces. A sweaty EMP is huffing and puffing, glancing sidelong with a despairing expression (as she wheezes heavily) over at the clearly unfazed, NOT out-of-breath NINJETTE, who's looking over at EMP with a plaintively supportive expression as her ponytail bobs about merrily. Trees and sun-dappled greenery as a BG.
CAPTION: (between EMP and NINJETTE) IT'S SWEET HOW MUCH SHE HOLDS HERSELF BACK, TRYING SO HARD NOT TO DEMORALIZE ME WITH HER OBVIOUS PHYSICAL SUPERIORITY…
CAPTION: …BUT, WELL, SHE IS A NINJA, AFTER ALL.
PAGE 23
PANEL 1: Panoramic panel (or vignette, I suppose). EMP insert headshot at left, addressing the camera with a sour expression. The rest of the panel shows a metaphor for the pair's cardio disparity: Namely, we see a pudgy little WELSH CORGI frantically trotting along beside an effortlessly loping GREYHOUND. The CORGI's short legs are churning and its tongue lolling as it pants wildly with exertion; the GREYHOUND looks over (and down) at it with whatever level of concern you can make a dog's face convey.
Clarifying matters further are a pair of INSERT PANELS, each tagged to one of the dogs. Tagged to the CORGI is a close-up headshot of a puffing, sweaty, straining CARDIO EMP; tagged to the GREYHOUND is a close-up headshot of a worried but supportive NINJETTE.
EMP: HER BODY IS A WEAPON.
EMP: MY BODY IS A BURDEN.
EMP: TOGETHER, WE LOOK LIKE A CORGI TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH A GREYHOUND.
INSERT EMP: (wavy balloon) OH, GOD… (h-b) >HFF<
INSERT EMP: (wavy balloon) I'M DYING…!
NINJETTE: GAMBARE, EMP…!
PANEL 2: Shot of a wheezing, sweaty EMP flopping down on a backless park bench in the shade of a towering oak or the like. (BTW: Image search "backless park bench" for many possibilities.) Huffing and puffing, she's addressing NINJETTE with a "go, be free" gesture as she speaks, breathless. NINJETTE, meanwhile, is kicking off her flip-flops and looking happy as she makes a vague "you okay?" gesture to EMP. BG: We need to see more tall trees and sundappled park foliage beyond them.
EMP: (wavy balloon) T-TIME OUT, 'JETTE… (h-b) >HFF<
EMP: (wavy balloon) I RELEASE YOU… FROM YOUR BURDEN OF ME… (h-b) >HAHH<
EMP: (wavy balloon) GO… GO NINJA IT UP FOR A BIT, OKAY…?
NINJETTE: YOU'RE SURE, EMP?
NINJETTE: THANKS!
PANEL 3: Big panel takes up the rest of the page. The camera's up in the trees and looking down, where we see CARDIO EMP sprawled on the backless park bench at the foot of a shade tree. She's looking up to see multiple foreground and middle-ground images of a joyous-looking NINJETTE athletically vaulting, leaping, flipping and swinging over, under and through the branches (and around the trunks) of several different trees. One image (of an upside-down NINJETTE) is large and prominent in the shot's FG, while smaller images of her gambol freely about the trees.
CAPTION: NO QUESTION, WHEN I LOOK AT NINJETTE BEING AWESOME…
CAPTION: …I THINK, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY WHAT A REAL SUPERHEROINE'S BODY SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
PAGE 24
PANEL 1: Insert headshot of EMP at upper left. As she speaks with eyebrows archly raised, she's glancing over at a large shot of NINJETTE, whose body is arched in a gymnast-like pose as she springs off a tree branch, ponytail swirling and shuriken earrings jingling. Note that her shorts-clad behind needs to be prominent in this shot, as it's the subject of EMP's word balloon. Somehow overhearing EMP's comment, NINJEETE reacts with a quizzical expression and half-smile as she speaks. Leafy, sun-dappled foliage as a BG.
EMP: NOTE THAT SHE, TOO, HAS A RATHER, UM, PROMINENT BEHIND.
NINJETTE: UH, EXCUSE ME…?
PANEL 2: Here, a shot recalling an image from EMPOWERED vol.3, specifically referencing page 40, panel 6. We're seeing NINJETTE in her full, uh, NINJETTE costume, and EMP in her supersuit, with mask pulled down. A clearly buzzed EMP is addressing the camera, holding a (spilling) mixed-drink glass with one hand while straight-up grabbing NINJETTE's eponymously labeled behind with her other hand. A likewise buzzed and flushed NINJETTE is reacting with some amusement, holding a karaoke mike (with cord) in one hand and a beer bottle in the other as she more or less embraces EMP. As in the EMP3 panel, they're framed against a stage curtain, most likely bright red in color.
NINJETTE: (small) WELL.
NINJETTE: (small) GETTING FELT UP AGAIN BY THE THREE-DRINK BISEXUAL, AM I?
EMP: BUT UNLIKE MY HIGH-FAT HEINIE, HER BUTT IS, LIKE, ALL MUSCLE.
EMP: GIRLFRIEND HAS SERIOUS GYMNAST BOOTY, Y'ALL!
MUSIC1: (electrical balloon; contains musical notes) ♫♪
MUSIC2: (electrical balloon; contains musical notes) ♪
PANEL 3: Back to the park setting. The camera's down behind workout-gear-clad, sweaty CARDIO EMP as she remains slumped on the park bench from page 23, the backlessness of which gives us a good view of her rather broad backside. Ruefully, she's looking back over her shoulder and addressing the camera with a look that says, "Yes, I definitely have a big ol' butt." In the BG, we see a three-figure progression of NINJETTE (in tied-off T-shirt and cutoff shorts) swinging down out of the trees and alighting nimbly on the (possibly unseen) ground nearby EMP, the motion of her ponytail tracing her movements. As she lands, she's grinning and gesturing commandingly towards the foreground EMP. Trees, foliage as a BG.
EMP: WHEREAS I HAVE, WELL, "WATCHES GYMNASTS ON TV EVERY FOUR YEARS," COUCH-POTATO-ISH BOOTY.
NINJETTE: (contains Japanese kana; will dig up a version for lettering use) わっしょい
NINJETTE: BACK TO WORK, MISSY!
SFX: (by NINJETTE, landing) THAPP
PANEL 4: Same angle as panel 3. Sweaty CARDIO EMP in profile at FG left, pursing her lips (and maybe puffing poutily) as she reacts sourly to NINJETTE, who now looms over her in the BG and addresses her with a devilish grin.
NINJETTE: THAT CITY'S NOT GONNA SAVE ITSELF, Y'KNOW!
EMP: (h-b) >SIGH<
PAGE 25
PANEL 1: Back to the REAL WORLD setting for the rest of the issue. Break out those black gutters! Here, a panoramic panel looks down at the cracked surface of a city street, with EMP's SUPERSUIT-clad feet stomping along the pavement as she hauls a heavy load (the nature of which will be revealed fully in panel 3). NOTE: EMP's SUPERSUIT is glittering especially brightly during pp. 25-26, indicating that its superpowers are being used. Bits and chunks of concrete and shattered glass are scattered along the pavement, indicating that an urban disaster is still unfolding.
SFX: (at left; large) SPANGG
SFX: (by EMP's footstep) THMPP
EMP(OP): (burst balloon) (h-b) >HNNH<
PANEL 2: Another panoramic panel. Here, a shot of the windows of a tilted-back AIRPORT SHUTTLE (see next panel for more details), with the panicked faces of an assortment of PASSENGERS visible behind them; these folks are travelers fresh from the airport, naturally. Several of the SHUTTLE's windows are cracked and starred, presumably due to the chunks of building debris raining down from (off-panel) above.
SFX: (at left; larger) KLUNKK
SFX: (by cracking window; smaller) KCHINKK
EMP(OP): (burst balloon) STAY INSIDE THE VAN, FOLKS-- (h-b) >HFF<
PANEL 3: Big panel. The camera pulls back to show a good view of what's happening: A supersuited (and fully masked) EMP has lifted up the front of a partially wrecked AIRPORT SHUTTLE full of passengers, put it on her back, and is now dragging the inoperable vehicle down a debris-strewn city street, as a churning trail of dust and/or "tire-streak" flashes cast by the SHUTTLE's rear set of tires clearly indicates. (Actually, depending on the design of the SHUTTLE, it's quite likely that the rear of the uptilted vehicle could be scraping HARD along the pavement, casting up flurries of sparks, shedding a rear bumper and so on.)
Puffing a bit with exertion, crouching bent-over under the weight of the SHUTTLE's underside, EMP is stomping down the street as speedily as she can muster (as indicated by puffs of "footstep dust" trailing back behind her). Meanwhile, she's yelling in an attempt (probably futile) to be heard by the SHUTTLE's PASSENGERS.
For the SHUTTLE, I'd be looking for something along the lines of a very large van or small bus; image search "airporter shuttle" for some choices. Whichever version you choose, though, it needs to be a design with a protruding engine block, rather than a flat-front cab-over-engine design. That's because we see a very large piece of debris has smashed into the SHUTTLE's engine compartment and lodged itself there, rendering the wrecked vehicle in need of EMP's assistance; for good measure, one of its wheels is badly mangled, explaining why EMP can't just push or pull it. A SHUTTLE design with a raised roof compartment would be a good idea, too, as we see pieces of concrete and building-material debris (large and small) plummeting down and bouncing off the SHUTTLE's increasingly dented and damaged roof. Through the SHUTTLE's windows, we can see a selection of the alarmed and terrified PASSENGERS inside the van.
Meanwhile, assorted, larger pieces of building debris are raining down from above, landing on and all around the SHUTTLE as it's dragged down the street, along with gouts and sprays of falling glass shattering on the pavement. (And don't forget loose sheets of windblown paper, a result of blown-open offices.) BTW, I do recommend strategic use of churned-up clouds of dust to obscure difficult street-environment details. We see a few parked cars on the side of the street, roofs battered and smashed in by falling debris; one of them might be burning, to add both visual interest and helpfully obscuring clouds of smoke to the setting. A panicked civilian or two might be running hither and yon in the background, but I'd prefer to keep the sidewalks clear of foot traffic (and, presumably, keep down the casualty levels).
SFX: (larger; by bigger debris impacts) KTHUNKK SKRANGG
SFX: (smaller, by various falling glass impacts) TINKK TINKK KTINKK
SFX: (by VAN tires) SKRRRKK
LOGO, on van: HEROIC CITY AIRPORT SHUTTLE
EMP: (burst balloon) --AND I'LL GET YOU UNDER COVER, AND OUTTA THE DEBRIS FALL-- (h-b) >HUHH<
EMP: (burst balloon) --IN JUST A SEC, ALL RIGHT--?
PAGE 26
PANEL 1: Camera's down under the upraised front of the AIRPORT SHUTTLE, with EMP's hair swinging around her face as she labors under the weight of the vehicle; as before, she's yelling for the benefit of the (unseen, here) PASSENGERS. She's looking across the street, where she sees the helpfully labeled entrance to a PARKING GARAGE in the BG at right. Note, by the way, that the garage's entrance needs to be fairly high, so she can squeeze the SHUTTLE through it. Meanwhile, chunks of debris continue to rain down all around her, along with falling glass, blowing papers, etc.
EMP: (burst balloon) IF YOU'RE FROM OUTTA TOWN--
EMP: (burst balloon) (h-b) >HFF<
SFX: SPANGG KLUNKK
on SIGN: PARKING
on SIGN: ENTER HERE
PANEL 2: Vertical panel. Close-up on a grimly determined EMP, her face likely smudged with grease from the SHUTTLE's underside, steering the SHUTTLE she's laboring under towards the off-panel PARKING entrance as she yells to be heard by the (unseen) PASSENGERS. We might see debris a-tumbling in the BG, or maybe just speed lines to indicate her change of direction.
SFX: (at top) KLANGG
EMP: (burst balloon) --SORRY THAT YOU'RE NOT SEEING OUR CITY AT ITS BEST, RIGHT NOW--!
EMP: (burst balloon) (h-b) >HFF<
PANEL 3: Long shot from inside the PARKING GARAGE, where we see EMP hauling the AIRPORT SHUTTLE to a stop, its path into the structure helpfully delineated by a trailing arc of sparks and dust. EMP has stepped out from under the SHUTTLE and is gently lowering its wrecked front end to the concrete floor of the GARAGE, while smiling reassuringly and yelling to the van's PASSENGERS. In the BG, through the open GARAGE entrance, we see falling debris and churning dust clouds in the street outside.
SFX: (outside, beyond parking garage opening) KTHUNKK (smaller, by bits of glass) TINKK TINKK
SFX: (by VAN tires) SKRRRKK
EMP: (burst balloon) OKAY!
EMP: (burst balloon) YOU'RE SAFE-- WELL, SAFE-ISH-- NOW, FOLKS!
PANEL 4: Reverse angle, with EMP in the FG and running past the BG SHUTTLE towards the camera (and PARKING GARAGE entrance/exit, off-panel). The SHUTTLE's side doors have opened, and the dazed assortment of PASSENGERS are spilling out; they're being addressed by EMP, who's tossing a suggestion over her shoulder as she runs. One PASSENGER is a frazzled, sour-looking businesswoman, muttering with chagrin about the ill-starred city she's arrived in. Another is a young (20-ish) MAN, who's gesturing and addressing the departing EMP with a quizzical expression.
EMP: (burst balloon) JUST STAY OFF THE STREETS FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER, WON'T YOU?
WOMAN: (wavy balloon; small; black, "censored" block over indicated letters) GOD, I HATE THIS FUCKING CITY--!
MAN: HEY, THANKS, SUPERCHICA--
MAN: (black, "censored" block over indicated letters) --BUT WHAT THE F**K'S HAPPENING OUT THERE--?
PAGE 27
PANEL 1: The young MAN, shrugging with some confusion, yells a question to the departing (and here, off-panel) EMP. PARKING GARAGE interior, SHUTTLE front quarter, fellow PASSENGERS as a BG.
MAN: (black, "censored" block over indicated letters) IS THIS SOME KINDA SUPERVILLAIN S**T, OR WHAT--?
PANEL 2: Reverse angle, similar to p.26's panel 2. The young MAN is at FG right, gesturing as he continues to yell to EMP, who's trotting off towards the GARAGE's exit in the BG (and looking back over her shoulder at him). Through that opening, we see more debris raining down and dust clouds churning up in the street outside.
MAN: YOU GOT ANY IDEA WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE--?
SFX: (outside, beyond parking garage opening) SKRANGG KLUNKK
PANEL 3: Zoom-in on EMP looking back towards the camera, an uncertain look on her masked face as she stammers a reply. She's framed against tumbling chunks of building debris, bits of falling glass and (mainly) plenty of churning dust in the BG.
EMP: UM…
EMP: …WELL…
EMP: …I KINDA HAVE AN IDEA, ALL RIGHT…?
PANEL 4: Panoramic panel. The camera's out in the street with EMP, viewing her in profile as she looks up to the sky and mutters to herself with a plaintive expression. Falling building debris and churned-up dust clouds as a BG.
SFX: KTHUNKK
EMP: THEY DO SEEM A LITTLE, WELL, FAMILIAR…!
SFX: (smaller) TINKK TINKK KTINKK
PANEL 5: Panoramic panel, from EMP's POV looking up to the looming office buildings lining the street. As will be more clearly depicted on pp.28-29, some of the personal issues and imagery EMP discussed throughout the issue have now been literalized and manifested as kaiju-sized airborne entities!
Here, we're seeing a partial view of a floating, giant-sized version of the HEADSTONE (of EMP's late father) from p.7 panel 1, now smashing against the top of an office building with a vast spray of building debris and gushing clouds of dust and glass; the HEADSTONE might be too close-up, here, for the readers to fully grasp what they're seeing. While the HEADSTONE and its collision with the building dominate the shot, we might see glimpses of other "EMP EMO KAIJŪ" looming in the BG nearby, depending on how you lay out the next two pages' spread. Meanwhile, in the rest of the BG: Other building tops, framed against a blue sky with puffy white clouds.
THUG (OP): (All the giant critters on pp.27-30 have special, burst-type "ALIEN BALLOONS," containing white lettering inside a black balloon) SQUEEZABLY SOFT
on HEADSTONE: (probably only partially visible) NICHOLAS IAN POWERS
(pixelized blur over XX, obscuring dates) 19XX- 20XX
SFX: (by headstone's impact with building) KTHOOM
ALIEN(OP) ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) #PROBLEMATIC
PAGES 28-29 (DOUBLE-PAGE SPREAD)
PANEL 1 (page 28):
Pp.28-29 comprise one giant, up-angled panoramic shot, giving us a good, clear, three-point-perspective view of the city's skyscrapers and office buildings framed against a bright blue sky with white clouds. Across this double-page spread, we now see many gigantic examples of EMP's now literalized and manifested personal issues—or "EMP EMO KAIJŪ"—with all of them airborne and drifting about the tops of the city buildings, several of which are visibly damaged from collisions with the giant monstrosities. (The idea, here, is that the floating monstrosities are blundering into the buildings, rather than deliberately attacking them.)
Prominent on this page is the floating slab of the HEADSTONE from p.7, now quite clearly visible as it withdraws from the office building it crashed into on the previous page; debris rains down from the damaged structure, while a gushing cloud of dust slowy drifts from the impact site.
At upper left looms the overinflated "T&A EMP" from the fan art on p.12, hips and chest goofily prominent (and limbs dwindling) as she looks down towards REAL EMP on p.29, giggling through grotesquely inflated lips.
At lower left, a giant, contorted-looking THUGBOY head peeks up from behind the top of another building, mirrored sunglasses glinting as he coos to p.29's REAL EMP. Nearby, a hooded, masked SISTAH SPOOKY head similarly pops up from behind (or beside) another skyscraper.
At lower right floats the distorted caricature of HOODIE EMP; she appears as a giant (hoodied) head and a tiny, foreshortened body, as if we're seeing her with a fish-eye lens; sneering, her face framed by wavy hair drifting out from her hood, her giant head is addressing p.29's EMP as well.
Finally, bridging the double-page spread at the top right of this page (and top left of p.29) is the hulking, airborne mass that I've designated as "the FACEBALL." Based on the BG cavalcade of headshots and onscreen AVATAR representing online commentary from p.11's panel 2, this is a spherical shape composed entirely of a seething, roiling collage of faces from that panel, all of them sneering and shouting down at p.29's REAL EMP. Adding to the grotesqueness: The avatar heads are all at different scales, some being relatively enormous, others comparatively small; note also that some of them aren't human at all, depending on what the user chose for an avatar or icon. As in, could be a robot, monster, dinosaur or other non-human pop-culture reference; howeva, we'd likely need to disguise or alter direct references a bit, to avoid trouble. If you like, we could probably get away with an actor- or celebrity-based resemblance, such as a Nicholas Cage or T-Swift or the like.
T&A EMP: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) THIS IS ALL EVERYONE SEES WHEN THEY LOOK AT YOU, SILLY
T&A EMP: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) (h-b) >GIGGLE<
HEADSTONE: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) I AM SO VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU, EMP
THUGBOY: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) SQUEEZABLY SOFT
FACEBALL: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) DEAR EMPOWERED: YOUR RIDICULOUS SUPERSUIT MAKES ME FEEL BAD ABOUT MY BODY
FACEBALL: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) #PROBLEMATIC
HOODIE EMP: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) NICE JOB OF ROLE-MODELING FOR YOUNG WOMEN, FUTURE SELL-OUT ME
PANEL 2 (page 29):
Continuing the panorama: A giant version of IDEALIZED SUPERHERO EMP is perched atop a skyscraper, cape flowing in the breeze as she looks down towards EMP (at FG right) with a contemptuous expression on her masked face.
Looming between that EMO KAIJU and EMP in the FG is a gigantic, airborne tube of raw COOKIE DOUGH, as seen on p.7, panel 1, with dough oozing forth from its open end.
An enormous, sinister-looking version of the BACKYARD TREE climbed by EMP on pp.4-6 now swarms over the top of another office building, branches undulating as it "climbs" the structure (and damages it in the process, shattering plenty of windows). If you like, you could give the TREE's trunk a sinister, twisted face, but I'm fine without it; up to you.
Further into the FG at right looms the upside-down, floating form of a gigantic version of fleshy, fan-art TIED-UP EMP from the bottom of p.12, flesh bulging around the ropes binding her, blonde hair streaming down despite her knotted-on blindfold and gag.
Finally, EMP herself stands in the extreme FG at lower right, craning her head back to stare up at the bizarre panorama looming above her; she's shaking her head, a look of despair on her masked face.
FACEBALL: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) OMG SHE'S SO DISGUSTING ALSO REVOLTING BUT MAINLY DISGUSTING
DIALOG BOX: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) #WORSTSUPERHEROINEEVER
TREE: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) GOOD LUCK TRYING TO CLIMB ME, FAT GIRL
BOUND EMP: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) (h-b) >MMPH<
IDEAL EMP: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) YOU'RE PATHETIC.
DOUGH: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) EAT ME, EMP
DOUGH: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO
on TUBE: GOURMET CHOCOLATE CHUNK
COOKIE DOUGH
(smaller) DO NOT EAT RAW COOKIE DOUGH
REAL EMP: (at lower right) ….
PAGE 30
PANEL 1: Panoramic panel, up-angled like the previous double-page spread. At FG bottom, EMP is turning to look behind her, indicating that this panel effectively continues the "EMP EMO KAIJŪ" panorama of pp.28-29.
She's looking up to see a particularly disturbing, giant-sized manifestation of her issues looming in the sky above: Based on page 23's vision of EMP and NINJETTE as CORGI and GREYHOUND, we're seeing a grotesque mash-up of all four entities at once. That is, we’re seeing a giant CORGI body with a (human) EMP head and an even more gigantic GREYHOUND body with a (human) NINJETTE head, with the CORGI and HOUND torsos merging at right angles, like an especially odd form of conjoined canine twin. The EMP head is woofing obliviously, her blonde hair streaming to and fro; the NINJETTE head is grinning with an expression mirroring page 24's panel 4, her giant ponytail likewise swaying at rooftop height. Both heads could be grotesquely distorted, if you like, but still need to be recognizable as EMP and NINJETTE. Anyway, the hulking, airborne "mash-up" entity is banging up against another building the BG, causing another spray of debris and dust and glass.
MOM(OP): ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER, EMP
CORGI EMP: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) WOOF
NINJHOUND: ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) CITY'S NOT GONNA SAVE ITSELF, Y'KNOW
GIRL(OP): ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon)
HI THERE, ROOMIE
GIRL(OP): ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon)
WE'RE GONNA BE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS (little heart) ♥
PANEL 2: Three panel "zoom-in" progression. The camera's looking down on EMP from on high, seeing her standing (as a full-figure shot) in the debris-strewn street, hands on hips as she stares up into the sky with an exasperated frown.
EMP: SO.
EMP: SOMEHOW, MY READILY APPARENT BODY-IMAGE ISSUES HAVE BECOME EVEN MORE READILY APPARENT.
CORGI(OP): ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) WOOF
CORGI(OP): ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) WOOF
SFX: SKRANGG
PANEL 3: Zoom-in on EMP standing in the debris-(and dust-cloud-)strewn street, frowning and staring up into the sky as she mutters sourly under her breath. Shards of glass rain down around her (bouncing off her?) and shatter on the pavement.
EMP: AS IN, LITERALIZED AND KAIJŪ-SIZED--
EMP: --FOR EVERYONE TO SEE, AND BE THREATENED BY.
THUG(OP): ("ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon) SQUEEZABLY SOFT
SFX: TINKK TINKK TINKK
PANEL 4: Zoom-in ends with a tight, down-angled close-up on EMP staring up into the sky (and off-panel), sighing exasperatedly.
EMP: PRETTY SURE THIS IS SERIOUSLY GONNA SUCK.
EMP: (h-b) >SIGH<
PANEL 5: Technically, this isn't actually a panel as such; instead, we're seeing a giant, somewhat rectangularly oriented "ALIEN" word balloon. Artwise, you could just leave the bottom portion of the page open, letting panels 2-4 cut off an inch or so high of the bottom of the page.
CAPTION: (in fact, a tailless "ALIEN" balloon; white lettering inside black burst balloon)
TO BE CONTINUED!
<And that's it for Empowered and the Giant-Size Issues #1, folks! I'll likely start posting roughs and script from issue #2 next week, or possibly wait until next month. This ain't exactly one of my Patreon's more popular recurring features, after all.>
TOMORROW ON THIS HERE PATREON: The DISTRESSED DAMSELS Wednesday feature for the $5+ tiers rolls on, either with continuing serialization of the Pint-Size(d) Ninja Platoon story or possibly with a DiD grab-bag post, as a bunch of miscellaneous pieces with such content have piled up of late—including s'more Hushed Half-Elf pages!
Comments
KranberriJam
Well, this is getting interesting.
Strypgia
Talk about taking on your anxiety issues...
The Silver Socialist
Post series? We still haven't found out where Empowered's supersuit came from.
Adam Warren
Ehh, I wouldn't worry too much about that, as I've never had much interest in the whole "SECRET IDENTITY IN JEOPARDY" trope.
Aidenke
I'm glad to see this post-series come back. I'd always wondered how this comic was meant to go, and this seems like a fun way to realize it as it's a bit far back from the current narrative's place.
The Silver Socialist
I'm fearful for Emp's secret identity. I always get nervous whenever superheros have their secret identities in jeopardy.
Phillip Donnelly
I do wish this could see publication in some form, even if just an online only, black and white format. It's a long wait between volumes!
Jack Hallows
Ninjetie looking sexy haha
J.
The cookie dough. Omg. That got me right in the funny bone.
