brian's christmas tale--a little late

okay...

needless to say, this week too has been incredibly busy. i don't usually like to make excuses and i really don't wanna bore you with the stupid details of MY life, but sorry i missed wednesday.

and friday.

and what i planned to post--and will here below--would have only taken a minute or two to do so...but that's how little time i had...

this being the day-late replacement, your "five on friday" are at the bottom of this post...but don't skip. there might be an answer or two hidden in the body of this post... : ) (oh, and though i promised "movie quotes" as a subject, i'll hafta do that instead this friday 'cause i wanna be absolutely sure of wording...)

for those of you who were fortunate enough to read brian's perhapanauts "down in the dump" script a couple months back, we wanted to show you the pin-up/cover for that story that brian commissioned from the very talented scott wegener! you can see more of scott's stuff over at his website -- www.scottwegener.com --and keep an eye out for his miniseries, ATOMIC ROBO, with brian clevinger, due out later this year!



as the title of this post reveals, here is brian's little christmas tale. as you can see, his affection for (obsession with) molly endures, and this is his happy offering of the holidays at bedlam.
enjoy!


A Holiday Tale of the Perhapanauts

PAGE ONE – A Four Panel Page

Panel 1 – A Half Splash

Description: The setting is the main lobby at Bedlam. It is 11:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Sitting at the check in desk is Officer Brian Mulcahy, Second in Command of the C.R.I.C.K.E.T. Unit. Officer Mulcahy, in his full battle armor, is the only one from the unit on duty as it is Christmas Eve and, since for the past month all has been calm and all has been bright, the Chief decided to give everyone a break so they could be with their families over the holidays. In front of him is his disassembled blaster that he is cleaning. On his head is a telephone headset. In the background the song “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is playing.

Title: Todd and Craig’s The Perhapanauts in “The Ghost of Christmas’s Present”

Credits: brian –– words TBA –– pictures TBA –– colors

Mulcahy: I know mom, I wish I could be there too, but somebody’s got to watch the store. Uh, huh, Uh, huh. No, I’ll definitely be there tomorrow night. Yeah I love you too. Ok, mom, I’ll see you tomorrow . . . oh, and don’t forget to save me some stuffing.

Panel 2

Description: Close shot of Officer Mulcahy at the desk cleaning his weapon. Officer Mulcahy is now singing along to the final line of the song.

Mulcahy: “I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my . . .

Panel 3

Description: Totally black panel

Mulcahy: That can’t be good.

Panel 4

Description: A second totally black panel

Mulcahy: “Ah here it is”


PAGE TWO – A Four Panel Page

Panel 1:

Description: Officer Mulcahy is now standing at the check in desk. In his hand he is holding a large light stick that is illuminating the area around him. Behind him can be seen Molly standing there with a neutral expression on her face.

Panel 2:

Description: Officer Mulcahy turns to reach behind him to activate the emergency light switch. Upon turning he is startled to see Molly standing there and involuntarily recoils. Molly, startled by Officer Mulcahy’s reaction, also recoils. With a look of shocked surprise on her face

Mulcahy: Now where is that emergency power switch . . . Ahhhh!

Molly: Whaaaa!

Panel 3:

Description: Officer Mulcahy and Molly, both now are regaining their composure.

Mulcahy: Sorry, Ms. MacAllistar, you startled me. I thought I was the only one here tonight.

Molly: Please, call me Molly.

Mulcahy: Ok, and you can call me Brian.

Molly: Sure. As for why I’m here, unfortunately, outside of a Christmas Carol, there’s not much place for folks like me this time of year. So, I was just hanging out in my room when I got a telepathic message from Arisa that there’s something wrong with the trans-dimensional gate in the secure vault down in sub-level 7. I was on my way here to tell the duty officer about it when the lights went out.

Panel 4:

Description: Officer Mulcahy hits the emergency light switch and the lobby is illuminated in half-light. At the same time, he is picking up his side arm because his blaster remains disassembled on the desk.

Mulcahy: Well, we better get down there stat. Ms. Mac . . . Molly, you go ahead and I’ll meet you down there. The emergency power isn’t enough to run the turbo lifts so I’m going to have to grab my gear and repel down the elevator shaft.

Molly: If it’s ok with you, Brian, I’d prefer to stick close to you. I know it may sound silly, me being one of those things that go bump in the night and all, but, to be honest, I’m a little frightened and really don’t want to be alone down there.

Mulcahy: No problem. Glad to have the company.


PAGE THREE – A Six Panel Page

Panel 1

Description: Point of view is from the inside of the turbo lift. Officer Mulcahy is prying open the doors with his bear hands. Officer Mulcahy is showing a fairly high level of exertion, as this is no easy task. Over his should can be seen Molly looking on.

Mulcahy: Errrrr. Ahhh. That’s got it.

Panel 2

Description: Officer Mulcahy secures his line to the side of the shaft.

Mulcahy: There, that ought to do it.

Panel 3

Description: Officer Mulcahy secures the line to the clip on his belt. As he is doing this he turns to Molly to speak:

Mulcahy: You ready Molly.

Molly: Yes. Is it all right if I catch a ride down with you?

Panel 4

Description: Officer Mulcahy still looking at Molly, but now with a smile on his face.

Mulcahy: No problem. I’m pretty sure the line will support both our weights.

Molly: (Giggling) Silly, if it will hold you, it will hold us.

Mulcahy: (still smiling) Ok then, hop aboard.

Panel 5

Description: Molly grabs hold to Officer Mulcahy by wrapping her arms around his chest from behind and nestling in against his back. [Yeah, I wrote it Dezago, what ya gonna do about it?]

Mulcahy: All Set?

Molly: All set.

Mulcahy: Ok then please put you seat in its upright and locked position and prepare for take-off.

Molly: “Giggles”

Panel 6

Description: Officer Mulcahy and Molly swing out into the shaft and plunge down the turbo shaft.

Molly: Wheeeeeeeeee! (do as a sound effect trailing down the shaft after them).


PAGE FOUR – A Six Panel Page

Panel 1 – a page wide thin panel

Description: To the far left you see Officer Mulcahy with Molly behind him having come through the elevator doors into sub-level seven. Officer Mulcahy has his sidearm out and in his right hand. The light in the room is low due to only being illuminated by the emergency lighting. To the far right of the panel can be seen the door to the secure vault has been torn open, its jagged edges pushing out into the room.

Panel 2

Description: A tight shot of Officer Mulcahy and Molly

Mulcahy: That does NOT look good.

Molly: It looks like it was pushed open from the inside.

Panel 3

Description: Officer Mulcahy standing in front of the vault door, his back to the viewer.

Mulcahy: Yeah, it definitely was forced open from the inside. That’s really not good.

Molly: (from off panel) BRIAN!

Panel 4

Description: Officer Mulcahy quickly turns toward Molly, a look of surprise and concern on his face. Over his shoulder a large figure completely obscured in shadow can be seen charging toward him

Mulcahy: What is it Molly!

Panel 5

Description: Tight shot of Molly’s face, fear and concern evident from her expression as she shouts a warning.

Molly: BEHIND YOU!

Panel 6

Description: Point of view from behind Officer Mulcahy. The figure that was charging toward him, still obscured in shadow, has smashed into him launching him in the air and sending his side-arm flying out of his hand.

PAGE FIVE – A Six Panel Page

Panel 1

Description: Large Sound Effect – Crash – at the top of the panel. Molly is standing with a look of shock on her face as Officer Mulcahy’s side-arm comes sliding to a stop at her feet.

Molly: Oh Boy . . .

Panel 2

Description: Large sound Effect – Slam – at the top of the panel. Molly is bending down and reaching for the weapon.

Molly: Come on Molly, you can do this, you can do this. All you have to do is concentrate. Remember what JoAnn said, the trick to this is to believe you can do it. Visualize that you are lifting the object and it will lift!

Panel 3

Description: Large sound effect – Smash – at the top of the panel. Tight shot of Molly’s face concentrating intensely.

Molly: You can do this Molly, I know you can.

Arisa: (from way off panel) I know you can too Molls

Molly: Arisa!

Panel 4

Description: Officer Mulcahy is lying on the ground propped up on one elbow. He looks a little worse for wear and there is a large crack running across the chest plate of his battle armor. He is looking up at his attacker. Standing with a long large club shaped piece of scrape metal torn from the vault door poised above his head ready to be brought smashing down on Officer Mulcahy is a figure that looks exactly like a Skorm, but this one is almost seven feet tall with the build of a bodybuilder not afraid of needles

Mulcahy: I thought you guys were supposed to be small, you know like elves. What the heck have they been feeding you?

Panel 5

Description: Tight shot of Molly with Officer Mulcahy’s side arm held in front of her aimed off panel at the Skorm.

Panel 6

Description: Very similar to panel 4, but now Officer Mulcahy has raised one arm in an attempt to shield himself. Molly has fired from off panel hitting the Skorm that is now outlined in bright light; his figure has become transparent with his skeletal structure showing through as he disintegrates into nothingness.


PAGE SIX – A 7 Panel Page

Panel 1

Description: Shot of Molly a look of shock and amazement on her face as Officer Mulcahy’s side arm now passes through her hands and falls to the floor with a load clank.

Molly: Oh my.

Panel 2

Description: Officer Mulcahy has now come over and is standing beside Molly.

Molly: What just happened?

Mulcahy: I’m not clear on all the details, but I’m pretty sure you just saved my life. Thank you, I believe that’s the nicest Christmas present I’ve ever got.

Panel 3

Description: Molly and Officer Mulcahy are standing looking at each other. The Bedlam automated announcement system in the background is stating, “Twelve A.M. December 25th and all is well.”

Mulcahy: Merry Christmas Molly.

Molly: Merry Christmas Brian.

Panel 4

Description: Half body shot with Officer Mulcahy standing on the left and Molly is standing on the right. The two are facing each other. Officer Mulcahy has his head tilted up looking at the empty space above Molly’s head. Molly does not look up, but rather is looking straight at Officer Mulcahy.

Mulcahy: Why Ms. MacAllister, I believe that you are standing under the mistletoe.

Molly: (without looking up) Why Officer Mulcahy, I believe you are correct.

Panel 5

Description: Tight shot of Officer Mulcahy and Molly’s faces seen from the side. Officer Mulcahy. Both have their eyes closed and are leaning toward each other as if to kiss.

Panel 6

Description: Sound effect on Officer Mulcahy’s side of the panel “pop” and Officer Mulcahy has disappeared. Molly’s eyes are now open with a very surprised look on her face as she stares at the empty space where Officer Mulcahy had just been.

Panel 7

Description: Shot of Molly, facing straight out of the panel looking directly at the reader with an annoyed/angry/frustrated look on her face and.

Molly: TODD!

Editors Note: (In a box at the bottom of the panel) Due to circumstances completely within our control the character of Officer Mulcahy is temporarily unavailable. todd & craig.


Story Copyright 2007 Brian T. Mulcahy

The Perhapanauts™ Copyright © Todd Dezago & Craig Rousseau.
All Rights Reserved. All characters featured herein and the distinctive
Likenesses thereof are trademarks of Todd Dezago & Craig Rousseau.
(Hey, you guys trademarked me. What’s up with that.)

so, here's the funny part--inspired by brian's tale of molly and the crickets, craig COULD NOT get this image out of his head! he kept telling me about it, over and over, he couldn't stop picturing it and really couldn't get much else done until he drew it!
(and of course, even though this story could never really happen, i love it!)

thanks, brian!



disclaimer:
i guess i should say now, as they used to post on all of those fan fic message boards and websites, that, while craig and i--and brian--encourage ALL of you to send in your own tales of the perhapanauts, none of these stories should be taken as actual 'haps continuity. there are several instances in both brian and alison's stories that directly contrast with either the future plans for or the heretofore untold backstories of certain characters. sorry. have fun. play safe.

and now, your "five on friday"...

1. what film featured tim allen as the washed-up star of a cult tv show?

2. what was the name of the small green alien that visited bedrock from time to time? who did his voice?

3. what were the names of the four aliens on "3rd rock from the sun"? and who played them?

4. who designed the original alien in "alien"?

5. what was "the fifth element"?

smell ya later!
todd