BODARK: PREQUEL/DOC-ANON

ONE
PANEL 1: We open with the front shot of a ZIS-151 truck driving through
the rain down a dirt road. Its late, raining and the trucks headlights are
illuminating the rain as it moves. Truck ref:
http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/z/z151db64.jpg
1 DRIVER:

<Damn rain! I cant see shit!>

2 PASSENGER:

<Keep it slow and let the headlights keep the

road in our sight>

3 CAPTION:

TRANSLATED FROM RUSSIAN

CAPTION:

1956

PANEL 2: Now we see the two occupants via the windshield. Two Soviet
soldiers wearing ponchos, the driver has a stern look on his face with both
hands on the wheel trying to keep it steady. The other is keeping his eyes
forward trying to help guide him.
4 DRIVER:

<All this better be worth it. Its a pain in the

ass to navigate these roads!>

5 PASSENGER:

<Comrade, you know this isnt for us-

PANEL 3: The passenger points his gloved thumb over his shoulder at the
back. Hes signaling towards their special cargo for this assignment. The
driver still has his eyes forward obviously still ticked off about the conditions.
6 PASSENGER:

-its for him>

7 DRIVER:

<Really?>

PANEL 4: We get a look at the back compartment where Bodark is seated in

the middle. His features are hidden by the darkness but we can make out
the fur on his arms and legs along with his eyes glowing in the darkness.

There are small windows on both sides of him in the cloth covering the
compartment.
8 PASSENGER (OFF-PANEL):

<Unbelievably, he grew up here>

9 DRIVER (OFF-PANEL):

<That thing is human?>

10 PASSENGER (OFF-PANEL):

<He was human till the Officials got

their hands on him>

PANEL 5: Bodarks head (still obscured by darkness) is turned towards the

window on his right.
11 DRIVER (OFF-PANEL):

<No shit? What did he do to get turned

into that? Murder?>

12 PASSENGER (OFF-PANEL):

<Nothing>

PANEL 6: A shot of his face vaguely seen through the window with the
passing farmland reflected slightly in it. You can make out his muzzle, teeth
and his eyes are still glowing.
13 PASSENGER (OFF-PANEL):

<He volunteered>

TWO
PANEL 1: Were now in a sunny field where Maxim Akulov (Bodark when he
was human) is standing with a hoe over his shoulder and wiping some sweat
from his forehead. His human look is that of a semi-rugged man with black
hair thats slightly messy due to the work, hes got some dirt on his cheek.
Hes dressed in a white shirt with overalls. Outfit ref: http://cache1.assetcache.net/xc/523384407.jpg?v=2&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=9wZX0HltrnIVURV9
wxENK_E-DkChvCHVamyYbXNLDsIJtKB0BYsTL1hiFXDkpKO30
CAPTION:

1954

PANEL 2: Maxim looking over his shoulder due to his name being called. His
father, Anatoly Akulov, is calling out to him.
1 ANATOLY (OFF-PANEL):

<Maxim, my boy!>

PANEL 3: Anatoly is approaching from behind Maxim with his arms

outstretched and a smile on his father. His son returns the smile delighted to
see him as well. Anatoly is an older man with a slightly messy haircut
(almost same as his sons due to their work) wearing a button-up shirt and
pants with work boots going up nearly to his knees.
2 ANATOLY:

<Youve done a wonderful job with the

field today!>

3 MAXIM:

<Father, this is a typical days

work.>

PANEL 4: He wraps an arm around his sons shoulders and points to his
chest. They both still have smiles on their faces as they converse.
4 ANATOLY:

<Son, you know that the Motherland is

still on hard times. What you do here
helps the country thrive.>

5 MAXIM:

<There are other farmers in the Soviet

Union, Father>

6 ANATOLY:

<True, but were the best!>

PANEL 5: The two start walking away from the field, Anatolys arm still
around his sons shoulder. Maxim is now carrying the hoe in his right hand
as they move.
7 MAXIM:

<Dont celebrate yet, Father; we still

have to harvest the crops.>

8 ANATOLY:

<Son, why do you never take the time to

congratulate yourself? We do a fine job.
You do a fine job.>

9 MAXIM:

<Im not always so sure about that.>

THREE
PANEL 1: Anatoly looks at his son concerned from his previous words.
Maxims eyes are focused on the ground not wanting to look his father in the
eyes for his next few words.
1 ANATOLY:

<Maxim, whats wrong?>

2 MAXIM:

<I just dont feel like Im doing enough

here on the farm>

3 ANATOLY:

<What did I just tell you before?>

PANEL 2: Maxim is now looking at his father, the back of his head to the
reader.
4 MAXIM:

<You tell me these compliments almost

every day when we work the fields. I
feel as if Im needed elsewhere, not just
here on this farm.>

5 ANATOLY:

<And where would you go? Who would

give you that?>

6 MAXIM:

<The Red Army>

PANEL 3: The two have now stopped. Anatoly is looking at the ground
trying to take in what he was told. His arm is off Maxims shoulders while his
son still keeps his eyes on him waiting for his reaction. He looks like hes
bracing himself for what will be said.

PANEL 4: He looks at Maxim who is still watching him.

7 ANATOLY:

<Why?>

8 MAXIM:

<I just told you, its because-

9 ANATOLY:

<But why the military of all things?>

FOUR
PANEL 1: Maxim holds up his hands trying to explain his point but his father
points at him. He tries to drive home the consequences of what he would
want to do with that life.
1 MAXIM:

<I could travel, I could defend our homeland

with others who share the-

2 ANATOLY:

<THE RED ARMY SENDS YOU INTO A MEAT

GRINDER, MAXIM! ITS NOT A VACATION!>

3 MAXIM:

<Father, I->

PANEL 2: Anatolys angry face as he drives the point further in.

4 ANATOLY:

<DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY MEN DIED

DURING WORLD WAR II?! SEVERAL OF
THEM WERE POOR FARMERS FORCED
INTO THE SLAUGHTER! AND YOU WANT TOTO->

PANEL 3: Anatoly looks down once more unable to finish his sentence. His
son still in front of him somewhat taken back by the outburst. A moment of
silence passes between them. Were seeing this take place from a side view
with Maxim on the left and Anatoly on the right.

PANEL 4: Anatoly raises his head to look his son in the eyes.
5 ANATOLY:

<There are many men that can hold a gun but

none can work the fields like you, son>

PANEL 5: He turns to walk away while Maxim is standing there now looking
at the ground. Hes contemplating how to explain this to his father.
6 ANATOLY:

<Come, Maxim, your mother will have dinner

ready soon.>

7 MAXIM:

<Im sorry.>

8 ANATOLY:

<Its nothing Maxim. Thoughts like those are>

9 MAXIM:

<No you dont understand.>

FIVE
PANEL 1: A closer shot of Maxim as he finally confesses. He keeps himself
strong as he tells his father the truth, he doesnt let his emotions get the
best of him with this reveal.
1 MAXIM:

<Ive already enlisted.I leave in a few

days.>

PANEL 2: Anatoly looking over his shoulder at Maxim without saying a

word. He already let out what he needed to say before, theres no need to
repeat it. Maxim watches his father waiting for the next outburst.

PANEL 3: Anatoly keeps walking forward not even acknowledging the

statement. You can tell by the stern look on his face hes trying to hide how
much this hurts. His only son going off to the military.
2 ANATOLY:

<Lets just go get dinner>

PANEL 4: An overhead shot showing Maxim still standing there as his father
walks away.
4 CAPTION (BODARK):

Father was silent during dinner that night. My

mother was crying trying to convince me not to
go, he still said nothing. He knew I made up
my mind.

PANEL 5: Anatoly is still walking with the shot positioned behind Maxims
back. His father is still visible a short distance away heading back to the
farm house.
5 CAPTION (BODARK):

He just would never let me feel that

he supported it.

SIX
PANEL 1: We enter into a small collection of images detailing his time and
rise in the Red Army. This panel shows Maxim crawling through the mud in a
training exercise, his teeth gritted as he moves under barbwire, machine
gun fire from a post nearby keeping him and other recruits moving.

PANEL 2: Now inside the barracks theres a small circle formed around
Maxim and another soldier fighting. The soldier has the upper hand on
Maxim currently punching his face into the dirt.

PANEL 3: A punch across Maxims face. Blood flies out of his mouth
smearing the floor.

PANEL 4: The aftermath of the fight later that night where we see Maxim
seated at a table, his shirt is still stained with dried blood, theres bruises
across his face and only his knuckles. By candle light he tries to write a
letter to his parents. His mind still fixated on what happened earlier, how the
military life isnt entirely what he envisioned.

PANEL 5: Frustrated he crumbles up the letter and tosses it to the side. He

begins to write again but his discarded letter has landed on a small pile
placed next to him. Five crumbled up pieces of paper in total. Hes trying to
write a letter to his parents but the words just keep getting jumbled every
time he starts. Hes still adjusting to his new life in the army.

SEVEN
PANEL 1: The next day, Maxim is standing at attention with several other
soldiers. Their Sergeant is walking past the line shouting things about how
theyre unfit to serve, how hes got the worst recruits so far and they better
step up their game. The bruises on Maxim face have started to heal up and
fade a little.

PANEL 2: The Sergeant stops in front of him then stares him down. Hes
deciding that Maxim will be the one that gets an example made of him, hes
seen how hes been trying to adjust to life there. A farmboy trying to be a
man is how he sees it. Maxim keeps his eyes forward still at attention but he
knows the gaze of his superior could make any mans blood run cold.

PANEL 3: Maxim gets punched across the face by his superior. A spray of
blood flying out his mouth from the strong hit. The two soldiers at his left
and right look at the sudden display slightly shocked.

PANEL 4: Hes on his knee with a hand placed on his nose which is
bleeding. Compared to the first time he got beat down he was on the ground
but now its different. He doesnt look shocked at this sudden outburst but
instead aggravated.

PANEL 5: He lunges forward with an insane look in his eye, hes not going
to get another humiliating experience again. No hes going to fight back and
he doesnt give a crap if its his superior. The Sergeant is only watching this
with a smile satisfied he was able to rile up such a response.

PANEL 6: The two soldiers grab Maxim by his arms and hold him back as
their superior laughs. He may be the material he needs for a soldier after all,
hes just got to figure out how to direct that rage onto the right targets.

EIGHT
PANEL 1: We have Maxim back in training once more but this time hes
tackling it with much more force. Hes seen back in the mud pits crawling
under the barb wire but now leading ahead of the other soldiers as the
machine gun fire continues.

PANEL 2: Maxim is once again facing off the same soldier as before but now
theyre in a more official training area. Theyre in the dirt by the base with
several other soldiers also training in hand to hand around them. His arm is
raised up blocking a punch from the other soldier.

PANEL 3: The soldier knees him in the stomach making him kneel over.

PANEL 4: Maxim raises his head up smashing it against his opponents chin,
spurts of blood fly out of the guys mouth.

PANEL 5: He quickly follows up by delivering a punch to his face.

PANEL 6: The Sergeant is watching this display from afar noting the
changes in Maxim. How much more ferocious and determined he is
becoming in training like an unchained dog.

NINE
PANEL 1: The men are now all standing at attention in the middle of the
base. Everyone one of them is dirty but noted out of this line-up is Maxim
who still wasnt patched up from the fight earlier. Hes got some bruises on
his cheeks and blood on his white tanktop but he holds his composure as the
sergeant makes his rounds. Their Sergeant is seen moving down the line of
men.

PANEL 2: Their Sergeant pushes Maxim out in front of the others.

PANEL 3: Three other men are pushed out to the front as well. All four of
them are standing before a man dressed in a suit holding a clipboard. He
looks down at them noting what has been handed off to him.

PANEL 4: The Sergeant points forward signaling for the men to follow this
new stranger. The stranger is moving towards a truck and the men
cautiously follow. Maxim is the one who moves closer to the man intending
to ask him where theyre going.

PANEL 5: The man stands at the back of the truck now turned to Maxim.
His hand is on the side as he answers the soldiers question.
1 MAN:

<Were going to make you Russias shining example>

TEN
PANEL 1: Maxim is now strapped to a table in the middle of a dark room
with the other three men in a similar fashion. Theyre down to their briefs as
their eyes dart around the room. A single light shining down on them.
1 CAPTION (BODARK):

In the first days of boot camp they asked us,

How willing are you to serve the Motherland?
and the correct answer was, To our dying
breath.

PANEL 2: The rooms is revealed to have four armed guards standing at

each corner slightly out of the light. Theyre holding PPSH-41s and keeping
their eyes trained on the men. A scientist in a white lab coat (the man
earlier who was in the suit) is walking into the light with three other similarly
dressed scientists at his side. Each of them have syringes containing a green
liquid.
2 CAPTION (BODARK):

And in that lab-

PANEL 3 6: A shot of the mens necks getting a syringe pushed into

them.

PANEL 7: Maxims eyes shot open, he starts sweating profusely and gritting
his teeth. The other men could be seen having a similar reaction.
3 CAPTION (BODARK):

-Maxim Akulov drew his last breath.

ELEVEN
PANEL 1 LINE: Were now going down in a row formation for each man
detailing the extent of their transformation. The reader will be able to see
which ones make it through and which ones dont. All four are shown (third
is Maxim) looking down at their bodies from a first-person perspective,
theyre still sweating as the changes start to take place.

PANEL 2 LINE: All four are shown with hair starting to grow on their
bodies.

PANEL 3 LINE: One is shown starting to bleed from his pores as parts of his
skin tear open ending his life. The other three are steadily seen progressing
through the rest of the transformation as more fur forms and their bodies
appear to be growing.

PANEL 4 LINE: Ones panel is white signifying his death, two is shown
having ripped his hand from his bonds and staring at claws growing from his
fingers, Maxim and four are seen growing bigger now with more fur on their
larger bodies.

PANEL 5 LINE: Two now has his other claw free reaching out to a soldier
aiming his PPSH at him. Maxim is shown near the final stages of his
transformation as his body is completely covered in fur and his legs are
starting to change as well. Four now has a portion of his ribcage sticking out
of his chest ending his life.

PANEL 6 LINE: Two sees the muzzle flash of the gun ending his life while
Maxim has finally stopped shaking signifying the end of the transformation.

TWELVE
FULL PAGE: A fully transformed Maxim, he is now Bodark. Having broken
from the straps he stands there in the tattered remains of his clothing. His
mouth open revealing a full set of sharp teeth. The soldiers have their guns
aimed at him while the scientists are staring in shock surprised the
procedure worked on one of them.
4 CAPTION (BODARK):

And Bodark took over.

THIRTEEN
PANEL 1: Bodark is looking down at his clawed hands trying to take in what
he has become. One of the scientists has stepped closer holding out his hand
in a friendly gesture trying to get his attention.
1 CAPTION (BODARK):

They turned me into something else. A beast.

A monster. Void of whatever humanity I had
left.

PANEL 2: He stares down at the scientist with his teeth bared. The man
takes his hand back scared by the sudden change in his attitude.
2 CAPTION (BODARK):

But they looked at me like I was some kind of

prized animal. I could hear the chatter in the
room. The scientists surprised and the guards
on edge.

PANEL 3: He raises his claw in the air prepared to strike. The scientist holds
up his arms for defense, a look of terror fixated on him. Two of the soldiers
are seen in the background now with pistols raised.
3 CAPTION (BODARK):

They all had a right to be.

PANEL 4: The soldiers start firing their Tokarev pistols. These ones appear
to be specially modified to fire tranq rounds, if this can be noticed by the
reader is up to the artist.

PANEL 5: Bodark is now lying face down on the floor right at the scientists
feet. Hes slowly lowering his arms while the soldiers are approaching
Bodarks unconscious body.
4 CAPTION (BODARK):

Something inside my mind was screaming,

something screamed at me to tear them all
apart. I have no idea how I didnt succumb to
it faster.

FOURTEEN
PANEL 1: Bodark is chained to a wall by his neck and arms. His claws are
grasped at the metallic collar around his neck trying to pull it off. Teeth
gritted and drool dripping from it as he tugs and tugs.
1 CAPTION (BODARK):

The experiment worked with an unforeseen

side effect. My mind became feral. The only
thoughts cluttering it were to run, kill and
feast. Under normal circumstances I would
have been deemed a failure and executed.

PANEL 2: A surge of electricity tears through his body making him cry out
in pain.
2 CAPTION (BODARK):

But.

PANEL 3: A look at the room reveals Bodark is staring up at a windowed

control room where a scientist and military general are watching. The
scientist has a hand down on the button controlling the shock collar. The
General is watching with slight disgust on his face.
3 CAPTION (BODARK):

These werent normal circumstances. They

would do what they could to whip my mind
back into shape.

PANEL 4: Him grasping at the collar again holding onto it as it shocks him.
4 CAPTION (BODARK):

No matter how long it took.

FIFTEEN
PANEL 1: Bodark is still in the room now with two scientists present with
him. They have a board in front of him which is showing the signature
Hammer and Sickle symbol of the Soviet Union and pointing at it with a
stick. Theyre trying to bring out his old ideals first.

PANEL 2: A shot of him holding one of the pictures handed to him, looking
at it more closely. This one shows a farmer and his wife, a generic one, but
it reminds him off his parents.

PANEL 3: Him writing his name on the board. Hes now unshackled and
wearing a jumpsuit over his large body, the scientists look delighted at the
progress thats been made over the past few months.

PANEL 4: A shot of him running through the woods. His feet kicking up the
snow as he runs on all fours. Hes still dressed in his jumpsuit, mouth closed
as he moves finally stretching his legs. Watched to see how fast he can go.

PANEL 5: A soldier is holding up a folded uniform to him. The General

watches in the background as Bodark looks down at it slightly curious.

PANEL 6: Him now fully dressed in the uniform standing beside the General
and some of the scientists on a small stage. There are several cameras
flashing showing that this is the public unveiling of Bodark after his
transformation. The project is now finally deemed a true success.

SIXTEEN
PANEL 1: Were now back in the present day. An aerial view revealing the
truck is only a few steps away from the small house where the Akulov Family
resides. The two soldiers are now at the back of the truck, one is looking
inside.
1 PASSENGER:

<Comrade Bodark, we are here>

PANEL 2: Bodark moves out of the trucks interior, the rain striking his body
starting to wet himself and his uniform. The two soldiers watch as he exits.
2 PASSENGER:

<The lights are still on in the house. Do you

want us to accompany you?>

PANEL 3: The back of his head seen as he stares at the house. The lights
still on in all the windows. So many thoughts swimming through his head as
he tries to register whats going on, what he hopes will take place.
3 BODARK:

<There will be no need.>

PANEL 4: Him walking away from the truck as the soldiers watch on in the
background.
4 BODARK:

<I need to do this alone.>

SEVENTEEN
PANEL 1: His hand knocks on the wooden door a few times.
SFX:

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!