HORRORWOOD ISSUE 1: CARN-EVIL

FINAL VERSION

Written by: Brandon Terrell

Illustrated by: Brent Schoonover

Brandon Terrell
Houdini11@msn.com
651.341.6556
PAGE 1 SPLASH PAGE: MANOS, a magician wearing a long cloak
and a top hat, stands in front of a seedy bar. The neon sign
reads: Lost Dreams. Fitting.

CAPTION: Hollywood. The 1950s.

PAGE 2 & 3: A two-page spread.

PANEL 1: One man sits at the bar, behind which stands a

redhaired woman. This is SOPHIA.

SOPHIA
Come on, Bobby. You gotta haul on
out of here. I don't wanna have to
carry you again.

BOBBY
(slurring, drunk)
Hmmph...one more...

PANEL 2: Sophia points at him, lecturing.

SOPHIA
You know Frankie'd kill me for
serving you in the first place. You
don't wanna see me get fired, do ya
Bobby?

PANEL 3: Drunk Bobby looks unconcerned.

BOBBY
Don't give...a rat's ass...

PANEL 4: A close up of Sophia.

SOPHIA
Hurts my feelings, Bobby. And I
always thought you cared.

PANEL 5: The door opens, and Manos stands silhouetted in its

frame.

SFX: BOOM!

PANEL 6: Drunk Bobby and Sophia both turn to eye up the

stranger. Sophia looks annoyed.

BOBBY
Huh...?

PANEL 7: Manos enters, approaches the bar. Sophia points back

to the door.
 2.

SOPHIA
Huh-uh. Sorry, Mr. Grand Entrance,
but we're closing up for the night.
Take your business elsewhere.

PANEL 8: Manos has sat at the bar.

MANOS
Quite all right, my dear. I do not
seek your libations. I bring my
own.

PANELS 9 & 10: With a flourish of hands, Manos produces a

glass on the bar, filled with liquid.

SFX: Poof!

PAGES 4 & 5: Another two page spread.

PANEL 1: Drunk Bobby is impressed with Manos' skills.

BOBBY
What the...? That's...that's nice.

PANEL 2: A three shot of the occupants at the bar.

SOPHIA
Well, ain't you Charles Carter.
Look, Frankie ain't here. He's in
Tijuana doin' God knows what, and
I'm closing shop.

Don't make me have Bobby here

escort you out.

BOBBY
Escort...?

MANOS
Ah, Sophia...how you have grown.

SOPHIA
Do I know you?

PANEL 3: Sophia wipes down the bar.

SOPHIA
You ain't some autograph seeker,
are you? Had enough of those nuts.
I'm not an actress anymore.
 3.

MANOS
No, I used to bounce you on my
knee.

SOPHIA
Yeah, well now that'll cost you
around fifty bucks.

An extra hundred for spanking.

PANEL 4: A close up of Manos.

MANOS
My, how the weight of the world has
crushed you, child. You were but a
toddler when last I saw you.

PANEL 5: Close up of Sophia as she listens.

PANEL 6: Sophia has turned to the till as they continue their

conversation.

SOPHIA
Yeah, well, I've done a swell job
of forgetting my childhood, so
you'll have to forgive me for not
recalling some creepy magician from
my past.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm

closing this bar up. So you'll have
to reminisce outside.

MANOS
Actually--

PANEL 7: Sophia, her back turned to Manos, is reflected in

the mirror behind the bar. Manos' reflection stares at her.

MANOS
-- I'm looking for your father.

PANEL 8: Sophia and Manos face off.

SOPHIA
Tough.

MANOS
Tough?

SOPHIA
Tough luck, mystery man.
 4.

MANOS
Why? Is he dead?

SOPHIA
Your guess is as good as mine.

MANOS
Curious.

PANELS 9-11: Manos' hands dance, and the glass has once more
disappeared.

PANEL 12: Sophia, infuriated, points to the door.

SOPHIA
I'm gonna ask you kindly one last
time, but get the hell out of my
bar.

Go now!

PAGE 6, PANEL 1: Manos stands to leave, Sophia with her back

turned to him.

MANOS
I'll go, as I did not intend to
upset you. But I will not be far.

The Farrington Brothers Carnival is

in town. I love its light, its
electricity, the way it brings out
the childish imp in the young and
young of heart.

PANEL 2: A close-up of a calling card. On it can be read:

Manos. Trades in Magic.

PANEL 3: Manos walks out, the card in Sophia's hands.

MANOS
Here--

--I'll be indulging in some

childish whimsy of my own tomorrow
evening.

If, by some odd coincidence, you do

see your father, tell him I require
his assistance once more.

PANEL 4: Manos is by the door now, his words reaching back

into the bar.
 5.

MANOS
Just to make sure nothing is... out
of place, shall we say?

PANEL 5: Same panel, but now Manos turns back to address

Sophia.

MANOS
Of course, you and Roger are also
cordially invited. Farewell.

PAGE 7, PANEL 1: Sophia is rocked to her core. Her hand

covers her mouth.

SOPHIA
(whispers)
Roger?

PANEL 2: She rushes after Manos. Bobby holds up his mug.

BOBBY
Soph...my drink?

SOPHIA
Wait! Stop!

Stop right there you son of a--

PANEL 3: She bursts through the door.

PANEL 4: A large panel. Sophia stands in the street, alone.

Manos has disappeared into the night.

SOPHIA
-- bitch.

PAGE 8, PANEL 1: A long shot of an abandoned studio backlot.

Faded signs on the dusty walls read: King B Studios. A truck
drives towards the gate.

PANEL 2: The truck rumbles past the closed gate.

PANEL 3: Signs display defunct projects, as the truck motors

further into the studio.

PANEL 4: Sophia sits behind the wheel of the truck, which has
stopped in front of a large door marked: Stage 3A.

PANEL 5: Sophia's reflection in the rearview as she musters

up the courage to exit the vehicle.
 6.

SOPHIA
(mutters)
Can't believe I'm doin' this.

PAGE 9, PANEL 1: The gates of a freight elevator. A sign

proclaims it to be the third floor.

PANEL 2: Sophia pulls aside the metal doors.

SOPHIA
Uuugghhh. Pierce?!

SFX: CCRRRREEEAAKKKK!

PANEL 3: Behind Sophia, some sort of creature lurks in the

shadows. She either does not see it, or is not fazed.

SOPHIA
Hey Pierce? You here? 'Course
you're here.

PANEL 4: She moves into a room.

SOPHIA
Where the hell...?

PANEL 5: A close up as she turns on the lights.

SFX: Click!

PANELS 6-8: Legs dangle back and forth, off of the ground.

PANEL 9: Sophia looks unimpressed.

SOPHIA
There you are. Hello, Pierce.

PAGE 10 SPLASH PAGE: A man in glasses with a mustache, PIERCE

JACKSON, hangs from a noose. From some reason, he is fine,
though.

PIERCE
Um, hello Sophia. I wasn't...wasn't
expecting you.

PAGE 11, PANEL 1: Pierce speaks to Sophia as he dangles from

the noose.

PIERCE
Oh, well, impeccable timing.
Impeccable. Stool up and capsized.
 7.
Hadn't rightfully figured, if it
fell, how I'd have gotten...gotten
down.

PANEL 2: Sophia sets the stool up under his feet.

SOPHIA
This another one of your patented
tricks?

PIERCE
Yes. It's something I've devoted
time to. Yes. It's remarkable,
really remarkable.

PANEL 3: A long panel, in which Sophia hands Pierce the

calling card. We see a number of props and effects littering
Pierce's workspace.

PIERCE
Hides beneath -- this extra bit of
rope -- behind the back of the,
well, the victim. Heightens
believability. Quite an effect.
Quite an effect.

SOPHIA
And how exactly does that benefit
you in here? It isn't like studios
are knocking down your door,
Pierce.

PIERCE
You appear...not amused.

SOPHIA
Observant. Thought you should have
this. Here.

PANEL 4: Close-up. Pierce studies the calling card.

PANEL 5: Sophia blows smoke from a lit cigarette.

SOPHIA
An old chum of yours swung into the
bar last evening. Ring any bells?

PANEL 6: Pierce looks at the card, which he has propped on

the gruesome torso of an a prop alien, guts and all.

PIERCE
He came looking for you? Manos?
Why?
 8.

SOPHIA
No. You. I told him I didn't know
where you were, though I doubt he
bought it. Never was much of an
actress.

He wants you to assist him.

PIERCE
No!

PAGE 12 & 13, PANEL 1: An overhead as Sophia and Pierce speak

over the alien body.

SOPHIA
No?

PIERCE
No. I will do nothing of the sort.

SOPHIA
Well ain't that a shocker.

PANEL 2: Sophia has picked up a small sphere as, over her

shoulder, her father has picked up the calling card.

SOPHIA
Pierce Jackson, effects wizard,
locked away in a ratty old
warehouse on a studio that went
bankrupt, playing with his gizmos.

PANEL 3: Close-up. Sophia examines the sphere.

SOPHIA
So you ever plan on rejoining the
real world, pop? I mean, do you
venture out at all? For food?
Clothes?

PANEL 4: Pierce swipes the sphere out of Sophia's hands.

PIERCE
Yes Sophia, but I am -- I am
perfectly content to work here,
it's my passion and -- Be careful!

Dammit Sophia, this -- Manos -- has

nothing to do with you.

PANEL 5: Pierce examines the sphere.

 9.

PIERCE
Fragile, everything's so fragile.
You're, you're like your mother.
Never understood my life, my work.
Passion. My passion.

PANEL 6: Sophia drops her cigarette, gets ready to leave.

SOPHIA
Well, hiding away in here doesn't
do you a lick of good.

Besides, he said something about

Roger. He may know about Roger.

PIERCE (O.S.)
Who's Roger?

PANEL 7: Long panel, a series of locations as Sophia makes

her way towards the door, with Pierce following.

SOPHIA
Who's Roger? Pierce, you met Roger.
Remember? You know, that guy that
stopped by and, I don't know, asked
you if he could marry me.

PIERCE
Oh. Oh yes.

SOPHIA
Forget it. And I'm the one with the
understanding problem. If you won't
face him, I will.

He said something about the

carnival. Maybe I'll find him
skulking about there.

PIERCE
No. You cannot go.

SOPHIA
Stop me then. Better yet, follow
me. Come on.

PIERCE
Sophia, I order you to stop. That
man, that man is nothing
but...trouble. Pure trouble.

SOPHIA
Too little, too late.
 10.

PANEL 8: Sophia stands in the doorway, infuriated.

SOPHIA
Acting like a father doesn't suit
you well. It never has. Goodbye,
Pierce. Have fun with your
doohickeys.

PANEL 9: Pierce stands alone, bathed in the light of the

elevator.

SFX: SLAM!

PAGE 14, PANEL 1: A man stands before a podium. He holds his

hand out to silence an unseen crowd. This is THE FATHER.

THE FATHER
Welcome, sons and daughters.

PANEL 2: A close-up of The Father.

CROWD (O.S.)
We are blessed by your presence,
Father.

THE FATHER
It is a glorious night, and there
is much to do.

Your Father has brought you here

this night to prove your worth and
to test your loyalty. By the
purging of the abnormals, your
Father will determine your faith
and love.

PANEL 3: The Father raises a fist above his head.

THE FATHER
This city needs us, children. To
cleanse it. Your actions in the
following hours will test your
resolve. But be strong. For
together, we well prevail.

PANEL 4: He slams his fist into the podium.

THE FATHER
My children, my faithful children--

--Let us wash our hands clean, and

be free of sins.
 11.

PANEL 5: We see the crowd, and it is large. All of them wear

the same black hooded cloak as The Father.

THE FATHER
In your Father's name...

GO!

PAGE 15, PANEL 1: A long shot of a carnival, filled with

tents, games, and rides in the background. Random unseen
vendors shout to passerbys.

VENDOR #1
Over here! Step right up. Look at
how easy it is!

VENDOR #2
Easy winner! Three throws for a
dime!

VENDOR #3
Break three plates, win a prize for
your dates!

PANEL 2: Standing amongst the crowd is Sophia.

VENDOR #4
As simple as that! Win your lady a
teddy bear and win her heart!

PANEL 3: A close up of Sophia. Behind her, a man in a plaid

suit, SEAMUS O'MALLEY, stands atop a stage. He calls to the
onlookers.

O'MALLEY
Come one, come all! You won't
believe your eyes!

PANEL 4: We move away from Sophia, and close in on O'Malley

as he goes into his spiel.

O'MALLEY
Step right up, and dare yourself to
enter. Just two bits, twenty five
cents, and you will see--

PANEL 5: O'Malley, holding a cane, gestures wildly.

O'MALLEY
The rarest of rarities, the oddest
of oddities! Fine citizens, I bring
you...SEAMUS O'MALLEY'S SIDESHOW OF
MYSTERY!
 12.

PAGE 16 & 17: A two page spread.

PANEL 1: The cast of sideshow attractions. Two men stand next

to one another. One breaks the top of the frame and can only
be seen up to the shoulders, the other reaches merely to the
tall man's knees.

O'MALLEY (V.O.)
Joe, the Gigantic Gent!

And his brother, Wee Bob!

PANEL 2: The bearded lady lies sprawled atop a couch.

O'MALLEY (V.O.)
Gertrude, the Lady...with a Beard!

PANEL 3: A man stands scratching his head with his right

hand, which is in a large cast. Beside him, we see the hints
of an aquarium, and what could be an arm.

The big man in the cast is BRUNO BARNSWORTH.

O'MALLEY (V.O.)
And Gill, the Underwater Sensation!

BRUNO
This is killing me, Gill. It's
killing me.

PANEL 4: There is a tank next to Bruno, and inside is GILL,

swimming underwater, unaffected.

GILL
Relax, Bruno. It's only been a
week.

BRUNO
I know. It's bad, though. I'm going
out of my freaking mind here.

GILL
Hey, watch the language. There's
kids present.

PANEL 5: Bruno, frustrated, clenches his fists.

BRUNO
Yeah, yeah. This cast is driving me
nuts, though. They won't let me do
anything. I feel like a...like a...
 13.

GILL
A caged animal?

PANEL 6: A long shot, where we see Gill's tank is on a stage,

and there are people staring and pointing.

BRUNO
Exactly.

GILL
Surprisingly, I know the feeling.

BRUNO
Funny.

PANEL 7: Gill waves at the crowd, while Bruno rambles on.

GILL
Hi there folks! How's the weather
out there? Dry, I'll bet!

BRUNO
I tell ya, they give me any more
boring work to do, I'm hopping the
first train outta here.

PANEL 8: A two shot, as Gill speaks over Bruno's shoulder.

GILL
Will you stop bugging me about how
mind-numbingly bored you are that
Ralph isn't, I don't know, shooting
you out of a cannon or setting you
on fire anymore?!

BRUNO
Just because it's broke don't mean
I can't play.

PANEL 9: Bruno begins to leave.

BRUNO
All right, Splash, I'm getting some
grub. You need anything?

Something to drink?

PANEL 10: A long shot again as Bruno exits, leaving Gill to

work the stage.
 14.

GILL
Sorry about that, kids! How's
everyone doing this evening? Anyone
else getting pruned fingers?

PAGE 18, PANEL 1: Sophia is checking her watch in disgust.

She does not see the man creeping up behind her.

SOPHIA
Great. What a complete and utter
waste of my time.

PANEL 2: The man snatches Sophia's purse from her shoulder

and dashes off.

SOPHIA
Hey! My purse! Guy's got my purse!

PANEL 3: The man is making ground, Sophia in the distance.

SOPHIA
For crying out loud, somebody stop
him!

PANEL 4: The purse snatcher looks back and laughs.

PANEL 5: And runs straight into the massive bulk that is

Bruno.

SFX: BAM!

PANEL 6: Bruno scolds the man, who is dazed on the ground.

BRUNO
Whoa there, chief -- slow down and
watch where you're goin'!

PANEL 7: Sophia has caught up with Bruno, and crouches to

retreive her purse.

SOPHIA
Jerk stole my purse. Thanks.

BRUNO
Oh. Well, you're more than welcome,
miss.

PANEL 8: A close up of Bruno.

BRUNO
It was nothing. Really.
 15.
Just a big man. Take up a lot of
space.

PANEL 9: Sophia and Bruno stand facing each other. The purse
thief makes a mad dash, but Bruno has already forgotten about
him.

BRUNO
I'm, um, Bruno. Bruno Barnsworth.
Stuntman extraordinaire.

SOPHIA
Great. Thanks, Bruno.

PANEL 10: Sophia begins to walk away, but Bruno hurries after
her.

BRUNO
You know, you look familiar Miss...

SOPHIA
Sophia.

PAGE 19, PANEL 1: Sophia and Bruno walk across a small

bridge, away from the carnival.

BRUNO
Sophia. That's a pretty name. You
know, Bruno's not my real name.
Well, it is, but it hasn't always
been. It's kinda my stage name.

SOPHIA
Uh-huh.

PANEL 2: A long shot of the two as they stop walking.

BRUNO
I'm a stunt man. Well, was. Still
am. Just a little...sidelined, I
guess.

I broke my wrist when I was shot

out of a cannon. That's my job.
They shoot me out of a cannon.

Been at it for a couple of months

now. Until they fired me.

PANEL 3: Bruno moves in close, waits for her to laugh.

 16.

BRUNO
Get it?

Fired?

PANEL 4: Sophia remains straight faced.

PANEL 5: Bruno throws his hands up.

BRUNO
It's a joke! I didn't really get
fired. Well, I did, but only in an
'airborne human projectile' kind of
way. Ya know?

SOPHIA
I'm sorry, Bruno--

PANEL 6: They have crossed into an area with buildings, and

Sophia stops Bruno's rambling.

SOPHIA
--you seem like a nice guy, but I'm
kind of looking for someone.

BRUNO
Oh. Okay. I hear ya.

SOPHIA
He's an older man, dressed up like
some sort of creepy magician.

BRUNO
Is he your boyfriend?

PANEL 7: Sophia shudders at the thought.

SOPHIA
God no.

PANEL 8: A close up of Bruno. He smirks, back in business.

BRUNO
Oh. Well. No. No, I haven't seen
him. But, you know, I swear I've
seen you before, though.

PAGE 20, PANEL 1: They start walking again. In the

foreground, it appears as if someone runs towards them.

SOPHIA
Yeah, well, I was in movies.
 17.

BRUNO
Really? I bet that's it. Anything
I'd recognize?

SOPHIA
If it didn't have large fake-
looking rubber insect people in it,
then I wasn't in it either.

BRUNO
Fair enough.

PANEL 2: A man in a black cloak, one of The Father's minions,

bumps into Bruno as he passes, in a hurry.

SFX: Thump!

BRUNO
Hey! Excuse you, bud.

PANEL 3: Bruno offers the man his middle finger as the

stranger rushes on.

BRUNO
Geez. Not a very polite guy.

I must be a magnet for the weird

ones tonight. Present company
excluded, naturally.

So, who's this magician?

SOPHIA
Beats me.

PANEL 4: Sophia lights up a smoke.

BRUNO
Then why are ya lookin' for him?

SOPHIA
Well, Bruno, the guy seems to know
more about my social life than I'd
care to divulge. I'm gonna find out
why.

PANEL 5: A close up of Bruno. He's thinking hard.

BRUNO
Hold on a sec. I just thought of
something--

PANEL 6: Sam panel, but now he smiles, pointing at Sophia.

 18.

BRUNO
"The Man From the Outer Rim." Were
you in that one?

PANEL 7: They begin to walk down an alleyway.

SOPHIA
Sorry, but no. That was Gloria
Powers.

BRUNO
Good. I didn't like that one much.
Predictable.

PAGE 21, PANEL 1: A long shot as they walk down the alley.

SOPHIA
Where the hell are we now?

BRUNO
We, uh, looped around, back behind
where the sideshow's set up.

SOPHIA
You mean the freak show?

PANEL 2: Bruno scolds her.

BRUNO
They're not freaks. They're people,
just looking to make a buck like
the rest of us. And they're nice.
The nicest.

PANEL 3: They've stopped walking again.

SOPHIA
Yeesh. Sorry. How do we get back?

BRUNO
Straight ahead, take a corner.

PANEL 4: A silhouette shot of the two in the alley.

BRUNO
So tell me, what'd this guy say to
get you all riled up?

SOPHIA
If you don't mind, I'd rather not
share my life story with a complete
stranger.
 19.

PANEL 5: A close up of Bruno.

BRUNO
Hey. We're not strangers any more.

PANEL 6: A low shot. Something is on the ground in front of

them, illuminated by a street lamp.

SOPHIA
He said to look for anything that
was out of place.

PANEL 7: Close up of Sophia. Her eyes are wide with shock.

SOPHIA
Oh dear God--

PANEL 8: She and Bruno stand stunned looking down at--

PAGE 22 SPLASH PAGE: The decapitated head of the Bearded

Lady, laying in a pool of blood before them.

SOPHIA
Well that's out of place, wouldn't
you say?

BRUNO
Oh my God. Gertrude!

TO BE CONTINUED!

END OF ISSUE 1