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EXT. SMALL TOWN – DAY
High above a small New England town on a summer morning.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD – DAY
Cars line both sides of a quiet street. Three pre-teen BOYS toss around a football.
INT. APARTMENT – DAY
FELIX HUGHES, 28, sleeps.
Roused by the boys’ CHATTER, Felix rolls over, still half asleep. He throws his arm around a mass next to him.
FELIX
(Groggily)
‘Morning baby.
Felix springs up, confused. He’s hugging a pillow.
Felix throws the pillow from his bed, which lands on STAN LEE, a beagle sleeping on the floor. Stan Lee BARKS in disapproval.
FELIX
Quiet, Stan Lee.
Felix flops back down. The PHONE rings. Irritated, Felix lets it ring several times before picking it up.
TONY (VO)
Look who answered his phone.
Felix gets out of bed, on the phone with TONY TUTTLE.
FELIX
Hi, Tony.
Phone to his ear, Felix stretches in the center of a bedroom containing two large bookshelves filled with graphic novels and comic books. A large drawing table covered in art supplies sits next to a computer.
TONY (VO)
Felix, I just talked to Skate.
Tells me he still doesn’t have the
script to issue twelve.
Framed copies of eleven issues of Fire of the Pendragon, a fantasy comic book, hang on the walls.
FELIX
Uh huh.
TONY (VO)
We’re going to have to move back
the solicitation date. Again.
Felix enters his living room, picking up a stack of dishes.
His apartment an unadorned bachelor’s pad. Stan Lee follows.
FELIX
It’s a comic book, Tony. They ship
late all the time.
TONY (VO)
It’s your book! Where the hell is
the script?
Felix enters the kitchen, tossing the dishes into a sink already brimming with dirty plates.
Felix removes a carton of milk out of his sparse fridge.
FELIX
The script is-
Felix sniffs the milk.
FELIX
(surprised)
Still good.
TONY (VO)
What?
Felix pours himself a bowl of Kellogg’s Corn Pops.
FELIX
I’m a little behind. I’ve been
working on something else.
Stan Lee stands next to an empty dog dish. He barks at Felix.
Felix sees he’s all out of dog food.
TONY (VO)
Felix, you’re under contract with
me for twelve issues of Fire of
the Pendragon. That’s your first
priority.
Felix fills up Stan Lee’s bowl with the rest of the cereal.
Stan Lee looks at him like he’s an asshole.
FELIX
And for eleven issues it has been.
I took a little break to work onlet’s
call it a passion project.
But you’re the first publisher I’m
taking it to.
Felix walks back to his bedroom with the bowl of cereal and sits down at the art table.
TONY (VO)
Pendragon is on a deadline, Felix.
FELIX
I’m finishing this other thing
today. Expect an email.
Felix takes a big spoonful of cereal.
TONY (VO)
Alright, Felix. But my balls are
in your hands, here.
Felix spits out a bit of cereal at that mental picture.
TONY (VO)
Blam! Comics can’t have late books.
Felix tosses his cell phone aside.
He takes out a sheet of pre-lined comic art paper. He sharpens a pencil.
ON PAPER
Felix labels the page Title: OVER, Page #: 250 of 250.
Felix stretches his arms over his head, shakes them loosely, preparing to draw. He focuses on the page.
Just as he is about to place the pencil to paper, Felix is jarred by a loud THUD, immediately followed by a CAR ALARM.
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