Issue #1 Mute Meets Reader!
Vincent Wight Malatesta
Page 1, Seven Panels
Panel One:
Mute is tied to a chair with a gang member looking at her angrily in a dim room while she looks unamused.
Gang Member: “If you blink at me like that ONE more time I’m going to beat your ass.”
Panel Two:
Mute is looking at the gang member with a huge smirk on her face, her head slightly tilted
Mute thinking to herself: ‘I really need to figure out a better way to spend my day.’
Panel three: (small panel)
This panel is next to her eyes, inside of the panel is her eyes, both of them are closed
SLOW BLINK in an SFX bubble?
Panel four:
The gang member’s fist is coming towards mute’s face
Mute: ‘Time for him to learn!’
Panel Five:
Mute throws herself backwards in the chair that she was tied to. She’s midair, nothing is touching the ground, her arms are pulling at the restraints
Panel Six: (Small panel) next to mute’s hands
Mute’s wrists have torn through the restraints
SFX: TEAR
Panel Seven:
Mute lands on her hands, in a handstand, unbothered by her legs still being tied to the chair
Gang member: “Oh no”
Narration: ‘That’s when the gang member realized who he was dealing with, the trained assassin and mercenary Mute.’
Page 2, five panels
Panel One:
Mute rips restraints from around her legs with her own strength just by moving them apart
Panel two:
She flipped forwards towards the gang member, the chair seemed to stay where it was in mid
Panel Three: (Smaller Panel)
Mute’s hand on the leg of the chair, conveying movement in the air
Panel Four:
As she lands the chair hits the gang member in the chest
Panel five:
The gang member is on the ground, Mute is stepping over him and she flips him off
Page 3, Six Panels
Panel One:
She walked down the hallway thinking to herself.
Mute thinking: ‘It baffles me how stupid these snakes are. The Angels don’t touch me. The magicians avoid me and here are these idiots.’
Panel Two:
She comes around a corner and smashes a gang member’s head against the wall
Panel Three:
Mute helped the gang member to the floor and the door down the hallway is where she is going to go next.
Mute: ‘Jeez you’re all muscle aren’t you? Sleep tight.’
Panel Three:
Mute is at the door, she is mid kicking it in
Mute : ‘ Lets see behind door number two!’
Panel Four:
From the other side of the door
SFX: CRACK
Panel Five:
Still from the same angle. The door is open, cracked and hanging off a door hinge. Mute is in the doorway.
Mute: ‘Well I didn’t think that one through.’
Panel Six:
From over mute’s shoulder the reader can see into the room. There’s Four gang members around a table all looking at her.
Mute: ‘Lovely’
Page 4, six panels
Panel One:
The gang members are all grabbing weapons as they look at her in the doorway.
Mute ‘Too late to put the door back the way it was.’
Thug 1. “She’s here for the boy!”
Thug 2 “Kick her ass!”
Thug 3 “She did just kick the door in like it was nothing.
Thug 4 “ Shut up Jimmy.”
Narration. “Poor Jimmy was the only one with a head on his shoulders.”
Panel Two:
Mute grabs the broken door and pulls
SFX: Crunch!
Panel Three:
The door spinning end over end through the air.
Panel Four:
Thug one is on the ground out cold with the broken piece of door, they’re basically hugging it with their pistol next to them.
Thug 1: Guuuuhhhhh (Fading)
Panel Five:
Jimmy watches as Mute slams thug 4 with a mean right hook.
Panel Six:
From the view of the ground, a tooth is prevalent in the frame.
Jimmy pressed himself up against the wall as Mute smacks Thug 2 with a chair
SFX: “CHCHK”
Page 5, Five Panels
Panel One:
Mute looks at Jimmy, a slight smile on her face.
Jimmy: “Please don’t hurt me.”
Mute: ‘Oh I won’t’
Panel Two:
Mute pats Jimmy on the head and he looks relieved
Jimmy. “Th-thank you.”
Panel Three:
Narration: “Too bad. Oh I won’t hurt you too bad is what she meant.”
Mute lands a pressure point to the side of the head
Panel Four:.
Jimmy lies on the ground and Mute looks back at him from the doorway
Mute: ‘Finally someone with a head. I’ll have to write a formal letter to Idris. Have him promote Jimmy for his self preservation skills.’
Panel Five:
Mute looks down the hall with her arm out as she’s hanging from the doorway.
Mute: ‘They’re holding a boy hostage? Guess I’ve got to see what this is about.’
Page 6, six panels
Panel One:.
Mute is fumbling through a desk, A thug is slumped up against the wall behind her.
Panel Two:
Mute. ‘ Finally paper and a pencil.’
Focus on the crinkled paper and pencil on the dirty desk.
Panel Three:
The pencil tip breaks and there is no sharpener.
Panel Four:.
Close up on Mute’s eye twitches slightly.
SFX: Sigh.
Narration: Having no vocal chords sometimes made things very difficult.
Panel Five:
A close up on Mute’s scar across her neck
Narration: “Plus she hated the scar.
Mute. ‘There HAS to be a pen in here.
Panel Six:.
Mute’s eyes look happy as she holds up a pen with ink in it.
Page 7, four panels
Panel One:
Mute is standing over a thug with a broken leg, body language is showing that she looks bored.
Thug “What do you want from me?!”
Panel Two: (Large)
Mute held out the paper for the thug to read. Her handwriting is decently clean looking but you can see where the pencil graphite broke.
Paper reads “Where is the boy?”
Panel Three:
The thug scoffs.
Thug “Jeez if that’s it why didn’t you just say it?”
Narration : that was a mistake.
Panel Four::
Mute’s eyes are angry.
Page 8, two panels
Panel One:
Mute has the paper next to her with her arms crossed.
Thug “I am not telling you”
Panel Two:
Mute kicks him in the side of the head.
Mute: ‘Asshole’
Page 9, Four Panels
Panel One: (Large panel)
The Snakes hideout building. Multiple floors, a basement underneath.
A marker where Mute started and there’s another marker where she is. “Boy” is circled with a bunch of question marks.
Panel Two:
Mute crossed her arms at the three knocked out gang members.
Mute “Let’s hope one of these three tell me’
Panel Three:
Mute Kneels down and smacks one of the gang members in the side of the face
SFX: Slap
Panel Four:
The gang member has a scared look on his face
Gang member “What do you want?”
Page 10, six panels
Panel One:
Mute holds out the paper which now has fold marks.
Mute: ‘Just tell me so I don’t have to kick your ass again.’
Panel Two:
The gang member gives her an odd look
Gang member: “oh!”
Panel Three:
Mute waves her hand for him to continue.
Mute: ‘Just get on with it please.’
Panel Four:
The gang member flinches as she holds up her fist.
Gang member: “The boy is on the top floor, next to the boss’s office.”
Panel Five:
The building again. Boy is now highlighted and has an arrow pointing to the top floor (Floor twenty two)
Panel Six:
The gang member is knocked out again. Mute folds the paper and is putting it in her pocket
Mute: ‘Thanks for the cooperation.’
Page 11, Four panels
Panel One: (Small panel)
Mute is standing in an elevator. The floor number is at 7
Panel Two: (Small Panel)
Multiple cuts to different floor numbers up to twenty two.
SFX: Ding!
Panel Three: (Large panel)
The doors are partially open, the view is behind mute and she’s pulled out two metal bars from the holsters on the sides of her thighs.
Panel Four: (Small panel)
Close up of the metal bars being clicked together
SFX: Click!
Page 12, seven panels
Panel One:
From outside the elevator there’s a group of people with guns trained on Mute as the doors are fully open as she stands there with a stainless steel rod, she’s holding it near the bottom and it goes above her head.
Mute: ‘Ah shit’
Panel Two:
Mute points a finger gun at them with a smile
Panel Three:
Mute is below the elevator button panel.
SFX can be an array of things associated with gunshots.
Panel Four:
Mute slaps the door close button while one of the floor 12 is lit up
Panel Five:
SFX: Ding!
Elevator doors are open Mute peaks around the corner
Panel Six: (Small panel)
Right side of the hallway
Narration: Clear
Panel Seven: (Small panel)
Left side of the hallway
Narration. Clear
Mute: ‘Guess they’re not here yet’
Page 13, six panels
Panel One:
From inside the elevator, mute is fully outside of it and the buttons have been christmas treed.
Mute ‘Let’s hope that puts them off my trial for a little’
Panel Two:
Mute heads down the hallway, the stainless steel metal rod nearly touches the floor as she goes towards one of the staircases with a door
Panel Three:
Focus on the door, SFX Thuds getting louder as gang members come down the steps.
Panel Four:
Mute ducks into a room silently as the door to the staircase opens.
Panel Five:
A large group of Gang members come out of the staircase
Gang member: “Search the floor. We need to find her!”
Panel Six:
Mute hides off to the side of the door, maybe on a cabinet or a counter? As a gang member comes to the door.
Page 14, seven panels
Panel One:
A single gang member comes in, looks left and right quickly while mute is ready to strike.
Gang member: “Nothing here”
Panel Two:
Down the hallway, Multiple gang members can be seen while the one that was just in the room with mute is walking away
Panel Three:
Mute slinks out of the doorway
Mute ‘Idiots.’
Panel Four:
In the stairwell. Mute is taking multiple steps at a time as she goes up, listening for doors, the stainless steel rod still tight in her hand.
Panel Five: (small panel)
The floor number 16
Panel Six: (Small panel)
The floor number 19
Panel Seven:
Staircase looking up
SFX: Screeeeee
Page 15, Five Panels
Panel One:
Mute stops dead in her tracks and listens as another large group of gang members come down from two floors above.
SFX: Sounds of people coming down the stairs.
Panel Two: (Small panel)
Floor 18.
Panel Three:
Mute goes through the door as the sounds continue.
Panel Four: (small panel)
Mute ‘Damn’
Panel Five: (Large panel)
Mute is face to face with two gang members, one further down the hallway.
Page 16, four Panels
Panel One:
Before either gang members can raise their guns mute strikes first, the metal rod connects with one of the gang members head
SFX: whack
Panel Two:
Gang member 2 “he-”
Mute had gotten past the gang member, the metal rod choking him.
Panel Three: (Big Panel)
She flips the gang member over and his head connects with the ground first.
SFX: THUD
Panel Four: (Big panel)
Mute is on one knee and her hand is out as she just threw the rod. It’s spinning through the air.
Page 17, five panels
Panel One:
Gang member being absolutely bodied by the metal rod.
Gang member three “HurK”
Panel Two:
Mute picks up her Metal rod
Mute ‘Seems like that hurt.’
Panel Three:
She looks at the elevator and sees that the elevator is still changing numbers
Mute ‘Hope that is still confusing them’
Panel Four:
Mute opens the door back to the staircase again as she can hear people going down the stairs below her.
Panel Five:
Mute ‘Up to the top’
She starts back up the stairs
Page 18, Six Panels
Panel One:
Floor number 22
Panel Two:
Mute is walking down the hallway, there’s much more open space on this floor.
Mute ‘where is Idris’s office?’
Panel Three:
An office plaque reading “Idris Jacobs” next to a door
Mute ‘Well. That was much easier than I thought it would be.’
Panel Four:
Narration “And across the hall…”
Another door
Mute ‘Lets see if this boy is really here.’
Panel Five:
Narration “She learned from kicking the door in last time.”
Panel Six: (Small panel)
She pulls the door handle slowly, this can be from any angle. Maybe from a low angle?
Page 19, four panels
Panel One: large panel
Mute is standing behind three gang members with the door open behind her. They’re not paying attention. The stainless steel rod poised to strike
Mute ‘Well that was easy.’
Narration “They somehow couldn’t feel their impending beating behind them”
Panel Two:
Mute knocks one of the gang members (1) over the head with the metal rod
SFX: WHACK
Panel Three:
The two gang members are turning as she kicks one in the side. The one she had hit over the head was falling to the ground face first.
Gang member 2 “OOF”
Panel Four:
the back of gang member 2s head hits the wall first and Mutes metal rod is across gang member 3s head (turned to show impact)
SFX : SLAM
Page 20, two panels
Panel One: (This panel is the whole page)
Mute stands in the middle of the room, one end of the metal rod on the ground with her hand on the other (Nearly like resting a cane) as she admires her work.
Mute: ‘Well that was easy. Now, who is this boy and why do they want him?’
Reader: “We’ll I’m glad you’re a badass, I’m Freddie Kirkland….”
Narration: She was not expecting an answer.
Panel Two: (Small panel)
Mute’s right eyebrow is raised and there’s a baffled look in her eyes.
Mute ‘Huh?’
Page 21, five panels
Panel One:
Mute is looking directly at Freddie who is tied to a chair in a corner of the room that we haven’t seen yet. Mute is pointing to her throat
Mute ‘How can you hear me?’
Reader: “Well, Are you here to set me free? Or to kill me?
Panel Two:
Mute holds up her hands like she’s about to sign to him. She looks lost and confused. The metal rod is held under her arm.
Mute: ‘I don’t need to sign if he can hear my thoughts..’
Panel Three:
Mute is next to Freddies chair
Mute: ‘I have no reason to kill you.’
Reader: “I know. Just double checking.”
Panel Four:
Mute is cutting through the rope with a knife and Freddie is flexing his hands. The metal rod leaned up against the wall
Mute: ‘You’re really throwing me off here. How can you hear my thoughts?
Narration: “That may have been a stupid question.”
Reader: Telekinetic. I’ve always been able to read minds
Narration: “Stupid question.”
Panel Five:
Mute is now standing as she puts the knife back into a sheath and she reaches out for the metal rod.
Mute: ‘Oh lovely. So why didn’t you get yourself out of this if you’re telekinetic?’
Reader: “I need to work on that. Too weak to take on everyone. so I didn’t do anything at all.”
Page 22, six panels
Panel One:
Mute looks out the door while Reader watches her. He nudges one of the gang members with his foot.
Reader: “So how are we getting out of here?”
Mute ‘There should be a roof exit not too far and then the fire escapes is what I was thinking. I’ve been here before.”
Panel Two:
Reader follows her out of the room and down the hallway
Reader: “So why have you been here before?”
Mute: ‘I’ve worked with them before.’
Reader: “Oh you’ve worked with them before? What does that make you?”
Mute: “Jeez kid, interrogate me much? I used to be an assassin. Now I’m kind of a mercenary I guess?’
Reader: “I see.”
Panel Three:
Mute opens the hatch to the roof exit with Reader not far behind.
Reader: “So you haven’t been paid to take me anywhere?
Panel Four: (Small panel)
Mute gives reader a look like she’s done having the conversation
Mute: ‘No.’
Panel Five:
Mute is climbing up the ladder with Reader at the bottom
Reader “So why were you here?”
Mute: ‘One of the idiot gang goons must’ve thought I was with a gang they aren’t on good terms with.”
Reader. “Ah so you work with these gangs a lot huh? Really can’t trust you can I?
Mute: ‘Well… yes. I do work with them, but you can trust me.”
Page 23, five panels
Panel One:
Mute is on the roof and Reader is climbing out of the hatch.
Reader: “I guess if you say sooooo. You did break me out.”
Mute: ‘you talk a lot.’
Reader: “You do too. I could hear you through the entire building.”
Panel Two:
Mute is making the mocking talking gestures with her hands
Mute: ‘I could hear you through the entire building. -Thanks. Why didn’t you say anything in my head?’
Reader: “I uh. Can’t do that yet”
Mute ‘huh sucks not being able to talk doesn’t it?’
Panel Three:
Reader is looking down at the ground, with an upset look.
Mute: ‘Hey kid, Freddie. I’m just giving you shit. I haven’t talked since I was five?’
Reader: “honestly your situation is worse than mine. I’ll stop pouting.”
Mute: ‘good plan. Let’s get going.’
Panel Four:
Mute and Reader are looking down at the fire escape/ ground from the edge of the roof
Mute: ‘Looks good enough. You go first in case anyone comes out of the roof exit for us.’
Panel Five:
View from the camera as its recording: Mute flips off the camera as she goes down the fire escape.
Page 24, five panels
Panel One:
Mute looks down the street with Reader not for behind
Mute ‘Where do you need to go?’
Reader: “Well. No where technically.”
Mute ‘huh?”
Reader: “I have nowhere I need to be.”
Mute ‘Oh. Okay well….. Are you hungry?’
Reader: “Cradle robber much?”
Panel Two: (Small panel)
Mute makes an angry yet reserved face
Mute: ‘ I-’
Panel Three:
Mute is in the middle of the road, away from Reader.
Mute. ‘Absolutely not. You’re literally like 12.’
Reader: “I’m 16!”
Mute: ‘exactly my point. Literally like 12.’
Panel Four: (Small panel)
Focused on readers shoes standing still
Reader: “Hey.”
Panel Five: (small panel)
Readers shoes as he starts to run
Reader: “wait up! I am hungry!!!”
Page 25, Four panels
Panel One:
Mute looks behind her at reader as she’s passing a parked car
Mute: ‘decided to not be a little shit huh?
Panel Two:
Reader with his hands on his knees.
Reader “Please -huh- wait -huh- up.”
Mute: ‘You’re out of shape’
Panel Three:
Reader is standing up straight again and mute has her arms crossed as she looks at him.
Reader: “I am not a – huh- mercenary assassin or whatever you are. -Huh-”
Mute: ‘Point taken.’
Reader: “Thanks for the consideration.”
Mute: ‘Now what kind of food do you like?”
Panel Four:
Reader smiles as he walks closer to her
Reader: “burgers would be amazing.”
Mute: ‘Burgers it is then, Jeez you’re looking even more pale than before. You okay?’
Reader: ‘I’m fine, just need some food.’
Page 26, four panels
Panel One:
Mute and reader are sitting across from each other in a semi clean looking burger joint. All the other people look busy. Except there is a man at the far end with gray hair that is watching everyone (This is gilded gun)
Reader: “Oh I’m so ready for this. Also I haven’t gotten your name?”
Mute. ‘Daisy. Call me Mute though. Seems to be a name that’s stuck, also it’s better not to use your own name if you’ve got abilities or yaknow, you’re an assassin, or a mercenary.’
Reader: “oh, it’s nice to know the name of the person who saved me from the Snakes. Guess I’ve got to work on a name then.”
Mute: ‘What do you think would be fitting? What do you like?’
Panel Two:
Reader is looking down at his mostly eaten burger
Reader: “Well. I can read minds without expending any energy sooooo”
Mute: ‘So?’
Reader: “How about The mind reader?”
Mute: ‘Absolutely not. How about Just…. Reader?’
Panel Three:
Reader looks as if he’s thinking about it.
Reader: “I think I might be good with that. I’ll just have people like you call me Reader.”
Panel Four:
Mute makes a shocked and hurt face
Mute ‘People like me? So rude.’
End Issue one
Vincent Wight Malatesta 