Out of Nowhere Written by Stephen Ribuffo Page 1 NOTE: The Tavern has an old western style look with copper accents. I think copper has a more “steam-punk” feeling compared to brass. To take from the story bible, “think of this as a combination of Mel's Diner and Cheers. The Tavern is a smallish room with an L-shaped bar near the grill that seats 12 (8 on the long side, 4 on the short). There are also 6 booths and 6 tables.” Panel 1: It’s night. A low angle shot of the font of The Tavern. The warm-colored light from the inside is cast through the saloon-style, swinging doors. Travis (OS): This smells like puke! Panel 2: Travis is in the foreground sitting at the bar with a questioning look toward the orange colored liquid in his glass. Feng is in the background pouring a liquor bottle filled with the orange liquid into Glabothinsy’s glass, he’s looking at Travis with a tired expression. Glaborthinsy is holding his glass at eye level close to his face; he peers at it with one eye closed. Feng: It’s free, Travis. So stop complaining. Glaborthinsy (small text; mumbling): Almost perfect… Panel 3: Chester is filling a copper mug at the tap with frothy beer; he is looking over his shoulder. There are three other copper mugs on the bar counter in front of him each topped with foam; one has foam running down the side. Penny is holding a tray is on hand and is getting ready to place the mugs on it. Chester: Feng, stop giving out free drinks or it’s last call! Panel 4: Close up on Feng winking. Feng: The first taste is always free. That’s when you get them, Chester. Panel 5: We’re back outside The Tavern, a high, downward angled shot of SHIVERS MCTIMBER standing just outside of the swinging doors. He wears an open, worn duster jacket with frayed seams, which is caught by a slight breeze. On his head he wears a wide brimmed leather hat with a few holes and ripped edges. His clothes resemble a man who has seem some action, and lived to talked about it. In a gloved hand he holds a piece of paper, but we cannot see what it says. Chester (OS): You better be right, I doubt anyone will pay to look at this stuff. SFX: HA HA! HA! HA!
Panel 6: Zoom in on Shiver’s duster. His hand pulls his duster closed, and we can just make out the grip of a gold plated pistol in a shoulder holster. Panel 7 (slightly overlaps Panel 6): Zoom in on Shiver’s placing the piece of paper in the pocket of his duster. Page 2 Splash page: We’re looking toward front door from the counter of the bar. Just barely in the frame is the copper mug with the foam running down the side. Shivers is holding the swinging door open with one hand, in his other he is holding his hat. He’s an older looking fellow with long, dark hair streaked with gray. He has a handle bar mustache. He wears suspenders over a patched, grey shirt. Chester is in the foreground of the shot from the nose down. His back is to Shivers, but his head it turned toward the door. Travis is between Chester and the mug, his drink is raised as if he was about to drink, but he is looking at Shivers. Odelia is on the left hand side of the frame with her boots propped up on the table, and leaning back in her chair. Her hand rests on the grip of her pistol in a thigh holster. Title: Out of Nowhere Credits: Writer: Stephen Ribuffo, Penciler: Arthur Drawsalot, Inker: Pen Bick, Letterer: Al Fabet, Editor: Roland Mann Page 3 Panel 1: Shivers braces himself against the bar. Travis is facing forward but is looking at Shivers out of the corner of his eye. Chester’s cog powered arms is just in frame. Chester: Last call, friend. I could warm up some left overs if you’re hungry. Shivers: Just a beer if you would, neighbor. Chester: Willem! Panel 2: Shot of Willem turning. Panel 3 (slightly overlapping Panel 2): Overhead shot looking down between Shivers, Willem, and Travis just barely in frame. Shivers points a thumb in Travis’s direction. Willem: What’s your poison? Shivers: I’ll have what he’s having. Travis (small text; mumbeling): Sure you can handle it, old-timer? Panel 4: We’re looking at Willem through the space between Shiver’s arm and body. Shivers is trembling. Willem looks quizzical.
Willem: You alright? Panel 5: We’re looking over at the bar from Odelia’s table. Odelia is in the foreground still with her boots propped up, and leaning back. She has a glass of the orange liquid almost to her mouth. Willem is placing a glass with the orange liquid in front of Shivers, and Feng is looking toward us with an angry look. Willem: I’m fine. Odelia: You won’t be after to take a swig of this crap. It’s distilled from carrots, so that ought to say it all. Feng: If you don’t like it don’t drink it, Odelia! Odelia: I’m not one to turn down a free drink. Panel 6: Shot from behind the bar. Shivers is in between Travis and Glaborthinsy with the drink half way to his lips. Travis has his glass to his lips and looks at Shivers out of the corner of his eye. Glaborthinsy is bent over eyeing his drink on the counter. Shivers: Thanks. Panel 7: Shivers sits at a table in the corner. Page 4 Panel 1: Close up on Penny. She has an eyebrow cocked and a slight grin. Panel 2: Low angle shot from Penny’s waist down, focusing on her butt on the right edge of the panel. She is in a sexy pose. Shivers, sitting at his table, is on the left side of the panel. SFX (Penny’s hips): Swish. Swish. Panel 3: Penny is bent over resting her elbows on the table, and her chin in the palms of her hands. Her cleavage is very visible and it would appear that her breasts could fall out of her shirt at any moment. Penny: Hi, I’m Penny. What brings you to Westville, stranger? Shivers: Business. Panel 4: Front shot of Shivers as he places his glass down. Penny: What kind of business. Shivers: The personal kind.
Panel 5: Close up on Penny looking surprised. Penny: Oh, well… Panel 6: Penny is walking away, one hand waving in a dismissive gesture. Shivers has fallen from his chair and has landed on his side on the floor. Penny: Just holler if you need anything, sug. SFX: THUDUMP! Page 5 Panel 1: Wide angle shot centered on Shivers lying on the floor. Chester, Glaborthinsy, Feng, Willem, Odelia, Travis, and Penny with her hands to her mouth all stare. Panel 2: Focus on Odelia taking a swig of her drink. In the background Feng and Glaborthinsy can be seen walking to Shivers. Odelia: Some people just can’t hold their liquor. Panel 3: Up angle shot of Feng kicking Shivers with his boot. Glaborthinsy kneels over Shivers and has his hand extended. SFX: FUP! Feng: Glaborthinsy, tell him to get up. Glaborthinsy: I don’t think he’s breathing… Panel 4 (smaller panel slightly overlapped on Panel 3): Zoom in on Glaborthinsy checking Shivers’s pulse on his neck. Panel 5: Wide angel shot of The Tavern. Travis is spitting his drink out in a spray over his shoulder. Penny is shielding herself with her tray against Travis. Odelia has both feet on the ground and is spitting her drink out on the floor. Willem is staring cautiously at the orange liquid in the bottle. Chester is squinting toward Shivers. Feng kicks Shivers again, and Glaborthinsy is gripping his wrist and staring at his hand in horror. Glaborthinsy: He’s dead. SFX: FUP! Glaborthinsy: I need to wash my hands!
Panel 6: Over the shoulder shot of Chester looking over at Shivers. Shivers duster is open and there is a glinting shiny just under the flap of the jacket. Glaborthinsy is running just out of frame. Panel 7 (smaller panel slightly overlapping Panel 6): Close up of Chester raising an eyebrow. Page 6 Panel 1: We’re looking at Chester as he leaps over the bar. Glaborthinsy is in the background scrubbing his hands under a running faucet behind the bar, while Willem face palms. Panel 2: Chester removes the gold plated pistol from Shivers’s holster and holds it up smiling. Feng’s mouth is open in shock. Chester: Dibs! Panel 3: Close up on Feng. He has a look of irritation. Feng: No, it’s mine! It was my drink that killed him! Panel 4: A shot of Glaborthinsy with his head turned, his hands still under the running water. Glaborthinsy: It wasn’t the drink. If it were we’d all be dead. Panel 5: Wide angel shot. We see everyone in The Tavern. Chester and Feng both stand trying to stare each other down. Penny is crying with her arms folding around her head. Willem is trying to comfort her. Travis is eyeing the pistol from the bar, and Odelia is walking closer toward the bar. Glaborthinsy still has his hands under the water. Chester: I saw it first, so it’s mine! Feng: No, it’s mine! Page 7 Panel 1: Close up on Travis. Caption: Maybe if I backup Travis, he’ll give me a cut. I could definitely use that money… Panel 2: Travis is standing from his seat. Penny is seen just over his shoulder with her hands in the air and her head craned back with her mouth open as though she were wailing, tears stream from her eyes. Willem has taken a step back, as though he is surprised by her sudden fit of despair.
Travis: Back off, Feng. Chester saw it first. SFX (Penny wailing): WAAAAAH! Panel 3: Overhead shot looking down over Chester, Feng, and Travis. Feng is pointing at Travis. Chester is looking at Travis. Feng: Screw you, Travis! Butt out! Chester: Travis, if you back me up I’ll split the take with you. Panel 4: We see Travis and Chester shaking hands just over the shoulder of Odelia. Caption: No way I’m letting these losers get the take. This could be my ticket back… Panel 5 (smaller panel just overlapping Panel 4): Close up of Odelia’s eye narrowing. Panel 6: Shot of Odelia with her hand on her hip as she leans against the bar. Odelia: Let me check with Pinkerton, we need to find out who he is—was—before we do anything. Panel 7: Profile shot between Travis and Odelia. Willem is between them behind the bar. Travis is pointing at Odelia with a sneer, and Odelia leans toward him with her fist clenched. Travis: Says you! What do you care? Odelia: Because if he’s one of mine, you’ll be sorry. Willem: I’m with Odelia. It’s the right thing to do. Page 8 Panel 1: Close up of Chester’s eyebrow raised. Glaborthinsy is in the background still washing his hands. Panel 2: We’re looking at Glaborthinsy washing his hands in the foreground with his shoulders hunched and a winced expression, as though he was discovered after doing his best not to be seen. In the background we see Chester yelling. Chester: Anything to add, Glaborthinsy?! Glaborthinsy: Let me have a look. Panel 3 (smaller panel overlapping Panel 4): Close up of the pistol.
Panel 4: Close up on Glaborthinsy squinting. Panel 5: Wide angle shot. We’re facing Glaborthinsy, he’s on the left side of the panel, looking down as if in thought. Everyone else can be seen on the right side of the panel. Glaborthinsy (text starts out normal size then gradually gets smaller): Gold plated, blowback-operated pistol, chambered for the 9 by 19 parabellum cartridge, with a 15 round magazine, barrel is polygonal rifled, hope its clean, gold isn’t a practical alloy for such a device, relic, heirloom maybe? Collector? No, doesn’t look like a collector. Panel 6: Shot of everyone, except for Penny who is still crying, and Chester who is shouting, face palms. Chester: Snap out of it, Needlebiscuit! Panel 7: Close up of Glaborthinsy. He’s leaning to one side with a wincing look on his face. Glaborthinsy: Uh, flip a coin? Page 9 Panel 1: Feng rests his hand on Shivers’s chair, bending down to sit. Panel 2 (smaller panel slightly overlapping Panel 1): Close up on Feng’s face. Caption: Screw this. I’m taking it at the first chance…snatchies! Panel 3: Travis sits back at the bar and swirls his glass of carrot liquor. Panel 4 (smaller panel slightly overlapping Panel 3): Close up on Travis’s face. Caption: Christ, this tastes like shit. Panel 5: Chester’s back is to us and Glaborthinsy is in the background. Odelia is on the right side of the panel slapping her forehead. Chester: You got a coin? Glaborthinsy: It’s in my pocket. Chester: Great! Give it to me. Glabothinsy: I’m not done washing my hands. Odelia: Seriously?!
Page 10 Panel 1: Odelia stomps over to Glaborthinsy. She looks angry, and her fists are clenched. Panel 2: Odelia grabs Glaborthinsy with both her hands pulling him over the counter. Glaborthinsy: AAAAAAH! Panel 3: Odelia slams Glaborthinsy against the wall; her forearm is braced against his chest. His head slams against the wood. SFX: HWUNK! Glaborthinsy: Hey! Panel 4 (smaller panel slightly overlapping Panel 3): Zoom in on Odelia removing a silver coin from Glaborthinsy’s pocket. Panel 5: Odelia is a step back from Glaborthinsy and she plucks one hair from his head. Glaborthinsy looks surprised. Glaborthinsy: What are you— SFX: PLUCK Glaborthinsy: Dear God! Panel 6: Low angle shot looking up at Odelia pointing. Glaborthinsy is sitting on the ground with his back against the wall with his hands on his head. Odelia: Feng, call it! Glaborthinsy: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17… Panel 7 (smaller panel slightly overlaps Panel 8): Zoom in on Odelia flicking the coin with her thumb. SFX: SHRING Panel 8 (smaller panel): Close up on Feng. Feng: Heads! Panel 9: Odelia catches the coin then slaps it on the back of her other hand. SFX: SWAP
Panel 10 (smaller panel slightly overlapping Panel 9): Zoom in on the coin, tails side up. Odelia: Tails. Page 11 Panel 1: Shot of Travis on the left edge of the panel pointing at Feng with one hand, his other resting on his stomach. His head is bent back and he is howling with laughter. Feng sits dejected with his arms crossed. Travis: WA HA HA HA! Panel 2: A shot over Feng’s shoulder looking at Chester. Chester is grinning proudly. Panel 3 (smaller panel slightly overlapping Panel 2): Close up on Feng’s snarling face. Panel 4: Chester’s surprised look is just barely in the left side of the panel. Feng is lunging toward Chester arms extended, the chair hitting the ground. Travis is barely seen at the top of the panel standing from his bar stool. SFX: KA-CHUNK Feng: It’s mine! Panel 5: Chester pins Feng’s head to the table with his cog-powered arm. SFX: CH-SSSSK SFX: THA-BUNK Panel 6 (slightly overlaps Panel 5): We’re looking at the back of Chester’s head. Odelia is in the background. Chester: Odelia, flip it. Panel 7 (smaller panel): Zoom in on Odelia flipping the coin. SFX: SHRING Chester (OS): Heads! Panel 8 (smaller panel): Zoom in on the coin. Panel 9 (smaller panel): Close up on Feng.
Panel 10: Feng slips from under Chester’s grasp. Panel 11: Wide angle shot. On the left edge of the panel Travis punches Feng across his face. On the right edge of the panel Odelia misses the coin catch and the coin falls passed her hand. SFX: SUPAK! Panel 12 (smaller panel overlapping panel 11): Zoom in on the coin stuck in a crack in the floor. Page 12 Panel 1: We’re back outside The Tavern. Felicia turns her head toward the front door, with a shocked expression. Chester (OS): Odelia, is it heads? Penny (OS): Travis, you killed Feng! Odelia (OS): It’s stuck in the floor, I don’t know! Travis (OS): Calm down, woman! He’s alive! Panel 2: Back inside The Tavern. Wide angel shot. Felicia burst through the doors holding them open with her arms extended. Everyone turns and looks. Felicia: What’s going on?! Panel 3: Felicia sees Shivers laying on the floor and rushes over to him. Panel 4: Felicia looks up at Chester. Felicia: Did anyone check to see if he was alright? Panel 5: Close up on Chester looking ashamed. Chester: Uh…Glaborthinsy did. Panel 6: Felicia rolls Shivers over and has a shocked look on her face. She goes into a fit of hickups. Penny kneels beside Felicia. Felicia: Uncle Shivers! SFX: HIC HIC HIC HIC Panel 7: Penny puts her arm around Felicia.
SFX: HIC HIC HIC HIC Panel 8 (smaller panel slightly overlapping Panel 7: Zoom in on Felicia removing a piece of paper from Shivers pockets. Panel 9: Shot of Felicia and Penny. Penny: What’s it say? Felicia: Uncle Shivers found my father, and the pistol belongs to me. THE END