Life After Earth

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This is a sample of the script of my comic Life After Earth (2020-ongoing). I originally worked on this script from around 2018-2019, and further edits have been made more recently as I have finalized it for the drawing process. This chapter was finalized in 2020, the year that I drew it. Which sections of the script go to which pages is decided during the thumbnailing process, but has been added into the script. I currently do not intend to publicly release the entire script. Because I am my own artist, I did not go for a more professional format and writing style for the script, as it only needed to function as a drawing guide for me.

Chapter 1: Visits With Friends

Page 1:

The sun is just starting to set. George is walking through a field. He is wearing an overstuffed backpack. He looks tired and drained. Sil (catgirl alien) is standing in the field. She half-jogs over to him.

    Sil, nervous, trying not to seem nervous: Hi, George!

    George, neutrally: Hey... You said you needed to talk to me?

    Sil: Uhm...

   

Page 2:

    Sil: I- Uh- Have something important to tell you.

    George, concerned: Uhm... What is it?

    Sil: Walk with me.

    George, nervously: O... Kay.

She begins walking. George follows next her, looking confused.

    Sil: I- I do not know how to say this- Uhm... (next panel) My people are leaving this planet.

George looks a stunned.

   

Page 3:

    George: What?

    Sil: We've gotten word that something is coming. This planet will no longer be the safe, isolated place it once was.

    George: Is something bad going to happen?

    Sil: I think so, though I am not sure what.

George takes a moment to process this.

    George: When are you leaving?

   

Page 4:

Sil pauses for a moment.

    Sil: The day after tomorrow.

George looks stunned and little angry.

    George: Why didn't you tell me sooner?

    Sil: We only just found out.

George looks like he’s struggling to process what is happening.

   

Page 5:

    Sil: Maybe we can hang out before I go?

    George: I kinda made plans with other people today... I’m actually supposed to be there right now... I don’t want to let them down...

    Sil: Oh...

    George: I’ll try to visit you tonight.

    Sil: Alright.

   

Page 6:

They stop walking. They both look awkward and upset.

    George: Uhm...

    George: Well, I’ll see you later...

    Sil: Alright...

She hugs him. She steps back.

   

Page 7:

She glances at him and then turns to leave. He turns around and walks back through the field, looking vaguely stunned. He walks into the woods. He reaches a stream.

   

Page 8:

He crosses it. He walks along it on the other side. He walks along it for a little while until he reaches a part where a small metal shed is visible. He crosses the stream. He jogs down the road...

   

Page 9:

...until he reaches David and Tanya's house. He knocks on the door. David answers.

    David: Oh! Hi George!

    George, a little flustered: Uh- Hi!

   

Page 10:

Tanya rushes up behind David.

    Tanya, cheerfully: Hi George!

    George: Hey Tanya.

    Tanya: Nice to see that you actually came over.

    George: Well, I said that I would.

Tanya laughs.

    Tanya: Come on in!

   

Page 11:

George walks in, staring around awkwardly.

    George: So... What do you wanna do?

    Tanya: I have chores to finish up, so you two can hang out for a moment while I do that.

Tanya rushes out of the room. George and David stare at each other awkwardly.

    David, awkwardly: So... How are you doing?

    George, nervously: Uh... Do you want the polite answer or the honest answer?

    David, a little nervous: I don't know.

   

Page 12:

    George: Um... I saw something cool in the woods yesterday.

    David: What was it?

    George: A pile of animal bones. I collected them and brought them to my house.

    David: Oh. Cool.

They stand awkward for a moment.

    George: Anyway, how have you been doing?

   

Page 13:

    David: My favorite character in a show I like got killed off... But besides that I've been doing pretty good.

    George: Oh... I'm sorry about your... Character.

They both look awkward. David starts laughing.

    George, awkward and kind of nervous: What?

    David: I don't know.

George smiles awkwardly. Tanya walks back into the room.

   

Page 14:

    Tanya, cheerfully: There. Done!

She walks up to George.

    Tanya: So, what have you been up to?

    George, shrugging: I collected some animal bones in the woods yesterday.

    Tanya: Oh, cool!

    George: I've also been reading this really interesting book.

    Tanya: What's it called?

    George: Uh- How to Survive the Apocalypse by Jeremiah Johnson.

George takes off his backpack and opens it. He pulls out a large book.

   

Page 15:

He shows it to Tanya. She looks intrigued. David walks over and looks.

    George: It has all sorts of stuff in it about fighting and building shelters and herbal remedies.

    Tanya: Cool!

    David: Hmm.

George puts the book back in his backpack, closes it, and puts it back on.

    Tanya: Since you found bones in the woods, do you think that we should all look around and try to find more?

    George: Sure!

Tanya turns to David.

    Tanya: Are you gonna come?

    David: I guess.

   

Page 16:

They reach the woods and walk into it. They walk a little ways. They go across the creek. They walk past the shed. They hear clanging coming from it.

   

Page 17:

    David: What was that?

    Tanya: Let’s find out!

Tanya and George walk over to the window and peer in. There's an open trapdoor in the floor of the shed.

   

Page 18:

They walk around to the door and see that it’s locked from the outside.

    Tanya: It’s locked from the outside.

    Tanya: I think someone’s stuck in there.

They walk back over to the window.

    Tanya, to the window: Hello? Is anyone in there?

   

Page 19:

For a few moments there is no answer. Then they hear a loud scraping noise. Everyone looks surprised and concerned, especially David.

    Tanya: Hello? Are you stuck?

Tanya peers through the window.

    Voice: Get out of here!

Tanya jumps back.

   

Page 20:

    David, nervously: We should leave.

    George, quickly: Yeah.

Tanya turns around. They all walk away from the shed.

    Tanya, shaken: So, what are we gonna do now?

    George: Uh... We could hang out in some other part of the woods.

    David: I kinda wanna go home.

    George: We could hang out at your place!

   

Page 21:

    Tanya: Nah, let's just go to another part of the woods. (She turns to David.) You can go home if you want.

David hesitates.

    David: Ugh, it’s probably healthier for me to come with you guys than to sit around all day.

    Tanya: That’s the spirit!

Tanya leads them along the stream in the direction of the field. David looks disgruntled. George looks at David sympathetically.

   

Page 22:

They turn with the stream and continue to walk along it. They see a giant fallen over tree. Tanya runs over to it.

    Tanya: Look at this!

She jumps onto it. David and George walk over to the edge of the tree. George climbs on.

   

Page 23:

David watches. George begins to follow Tanya up the tree. David reluctantly climbs on and follows. Tanya finds a large branch to perch on on.

    Tanya: Come on!

David looks a little shaky trying to balance. He almost falls. Tanya bursts out laughing.

   

Page 24:

David regains his balance. He looks embarrassed. David slowly lowers himself so that he's sitting down on the tree trunk. George glances up at Tanya and then sits down beside David.

    Tanya: Cowards!

George laughs a little.

   

Page 25:

There is a pause as George stops laughing. David looks somewhat awkward. So does George.

    David: So, you're into... wilderness stuff.

    George: Yeah- Survivalism. Sorta. Not the community around it.

    David: Oh.

There is an awkward pause.

    David: So, do you- like- think the end of the world is gonna happen soon?

    George: No- not- not really, but it's good to be prepared for anything. Plus, it's fun to see what you can do with just basic supplies and the stuff in your environment.

    David: Yeah...

   

Page 26:

Tanya climbs down and walks towards them.

    Tanya: Let's walk around some more. It looks like that storm last night did some damage!

Tanya leaps off of the tree. George and David follow. The trio walks off into the woods together.

   

Page 27:

    Text: Later, that night...

George is in his room, sitting on his bed. It is dark outside. He walks over to the window. He gets onto his desk and slowly opens the window. He reaches forward to the tree outside his window and grabs on.

   

Page 28:

He climbs down. He lands on the ground. He cautiously walks out into the light. He crosses the road and walks into the woods.

   

Page 29:

He walks into the field. He walks a little ways in, shivering from the cold night air.

    George, calling: Sil?

He continues walking. He gets pretty far into the field.

    George, calling: Sil?

There is a rustling. Sil pops up from the grass.

   

Page 30:

    Sil: George! I did not think you were coming.

    George: Sorry that it took me a while. And that I was kinda rude to you earlier.

    Sil: It is fine. Let's find a place to sit down.

They walks through the field and into the woods. They sit down on a large rock jutting out by the stream.

    George: So, you're... definitely leaving tomorrow?

   

Page 31:

    Sil: Yes.

    George: And it's because something bad is gonna happen?

    Sil: Yes.

    George, somewhat annoyed, somewhat sad: Ugh...

    Sil: I suppose this is the end of our illegal friendship.

    George smiles a little: Well, it’s not technically illegal.

Sil laughs a little.

    Sil: I'm sure that everything will be alright for you, though I wish I could do something to help. It feels awful to leave Earth unwarned.

    George: We'll be alright. We have gazillions of guns.

   

Page 32:

They both laugh.

    George: By the way, we saw something weird in the shed earlier.

    Sil: Hmm?

    George: I don’t think it’s related to whatever’s gonna happen, though. The neighbors are just crazy.

Sil looks both disconcerted and amused.

    Sil: Maybe we should investigate.

    George: Yeah.

Sil and George stand up. They walk into the woods, along the stream.

   

Page 33:

As they get closer to the shed, they can hear noises. The walk cautiously over to it. Sil is on all fours. George is crouching down. They look inside through the window. The trapdoor is closed and the building is empty. They walk around to the door. It's locked. Sil knocks on it.

   

Page 34:

There is no answer.

    George: We... should leave. We’re gonna get in trouble.

    Sil: Yes. You are probably right.

They are both still suspicious. They walk back through the woods. They reach the rock again.

    Sil: It’s late. Do you need to go home?

George shrugs.

    George: Not really. And anyway, we don’t really have much time left to spend together.

They sit down next to each other on the rock.