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INT. TONY’S OFFICE – DAY
TONY
It was clear from that point on,
you two weren’t going to make it.
FELIX
She said she’d marry me regardless?
TONY
What was she supposed to say?
Felix doesn’t have an answer.
INT. BLAM! COMICS – RECEPTION – MOMENTS LATER
Felix leaves Tony’s office. Gwen looks up from doodling in a sketchbook.
TONY (OS)
Issue twelve, Felix. I need it
yesterday.
FELIX
Yeah, yeah.
Gwen smiles at Felix, who walks past her, missing it.
GWEN
Um, Felix?
Felix stops at the door.
GWEN
I was wondering- I um, was hoping
that you would take a look at a
pitch for a comic I’m working on.
It’s sort of a cross between Gossip
Girl and Night of the Living-
FELIX
I really don’t have the time, Gwen.
GWEN
Oh. Okay. No problem, I know
you’re busy with Pendragon. The
next issues going to be great, I
just know it is. So, maybe some
other-
Gwen realizes she’s been babbling to herself. Felix is already gone.
EXT. FELIX’S NEIGHBORHOOD – DAY
The boys are at it again, tossing the pigskin.
TROY
Sootch, go long!
Sootch takes off down the middle of the street. Troy throws a long pass, which goes through Sootch’s hands, hits him in the head and bounces toward Felix’s car.
Before it hits the car, Felix catches it.
Felix carries the ball to a nearby fence with metal spikes.
He pops the ball on a spike, then tosses it back to the boys who look on in horror.
MATT
Awww, man!
SOOTCH
Jerk-bag!
SKATE (OS)
Damn, Felix. That was cold!
Standing on Felix’s doorstep is SKATE, 22, African-American, whose style is a fusion of hip-hop and skater punk. Skate holds an art portfolio.
FELIX
Hey, Skate.
Felix unlocks his front door.
SKATE
Don’t “Hey, Skate” me.
INT. FELIX’S HOUSE – MOMENTS LATER
Felix enters, Skate follows.
SKATE
You can’t call a dude back?
FELIX
I don’t check my voicemail.
Stan Lee greets Felix. Felix ignores him.
SKATE
Don’t think I don’t know what
you’re doing.
FELIX
Huh?
Stan Lee goes to Skate instead, who kneels down to pet him.
SKATE
You ain’t replacing me on
Pendragon. That’s some ol’
bullshit, and I won’t stand for it.
(to Stan Lee)
No, I won’t.
FELIX
What?
Skate pulls away from the dog and confronts Felix in his living room.
SKATE
Who you want to work with instead?
Jack Rizzo?
FELIX
Rizzo?
SKATE
I saw the way you were drooling
over his stuff at Comic Con.
(talking white)
“Oh, look at the detail. You’re
crosshatching is incredible. We
definitely need to work together
soon.”
(back to normal)
Please. You were sweating him
harder than I’d sweat my bitch.
That is, if I had a bitch, which I
don’t, because I don’t have any
money, because I don’t have any
damn pages to draw!
FELIX
Skate, it’s not-
SKATE
I read the fan mail and troll the
message boards! Half the praise on
“Pendragon” is for the art. My
art. More than half!
FELIX
Skate, you’re doing a great-
SKATE
Yeah, I’m a raw talent, but the sky
is the limit for me. My shit is
getting tighter every time I pick
up a pencil and I will work for the
Big Two some day.
Skate opens his portfolio and shows Felix some comic art.
SKATE
Look here.
ON COMIC PAGE
A gorgeously rendered pencil drawing of a warrior princess fighting a dragon.
ANOTHER PAGE
A beautiful drawing of an army of knights charging into battle with dragons flying behind them.
ANOTHER PAGE
A drawing of a large dragon holding a cartoon Felix upside-down by it’s teeth. A cartoon Skate stands on the ground looking up at him. Skate’s word balloon reads, “Where the #$%! is the script, Felix?”
ANGLE ON FELIX AND SKATE
Felix flips through the portfolio. Skate looks at him, needing validation. Felix puts down the pages.
FELIX
I’m not trying to replace you,
Skate.
SKATE
Then what’s the deal? No calls, no
emails. It’s been months, man.
Felix picks up the copy of his graphic novel.
FELIX
I haven’t written it. I haven’t
done anything. For months. Except
this.
Felix hands Skate the book. Skate flips through it.
SKATE
Oh, shit. Is this you, Felix?
FELIX
No, it’s…yeah. It’s me.
SKATE
Damn. It’s thick.
Skate continues to flip through.
SKATE
That’s your old girl, isn’t it?
You guys broke up, what, a year
ago?
FELIX
Seven months and thirteen days.
SKATE
You been working on this since you
broke up?
FELIX
Not exactly.
Your Thoughts…