TMNT - Mouser Time (sample pages)

Just thought I would post the TMNT sample pages and script from the Mighty Mike Exner  III

PAGE ONE – 3 panels

Panel 1.  The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are engaged in furious combat with dozens of mouser robots in their sewer home. The mouser robots are being taken apart systematically by the efficient and deadly attacks of the Turtles as they wield their ninja weaponry. Leonardo is the focus of the panel, as he dispatches the mouser robots with grim resolve.

LEONARDO:

Would somebody mind explaining how these mouser robots figured out where we live?

Panel 2.  Michelangelo and Rafael are engaged with mouser robots as well, and are fighting side-by-side. Raphael is spearing and slashing robots with his sai, and Michelangelo is bashing them with his nunchakus.

RAFAEL:

Aw, who cares, Leo? It’s not like this little slice of sewer was prime real estate or anything.

MICHELANGELO:

Yeah, besides--Donny’s the one with the big brain. Why don’tcha knock on his shell and ask him?

Panel 3.  Donatello is thrusting his bo staff through the mouth of one of the mouser robots with enough force that the end of the staff is bursting from the other end.

DONATELLO:
As much as I’m sure you’d enjoy that, Mikey, anybody lays a hand on my shell and they’re getting the shaft!

PAGE TWO – 5 panels

Panel 1.  Michelangelo is showboating, and dispatching two of the mousers with his twirling nunchakus, smashing them to pieces. But because he isn’t taking the threat too seriously, he fails to notice the mouser descending on him from above, its open jaws aiming for his exposed shoulder.

MICHELANGELO:

Pretty nice move, Don--but let me introduce you to a little maneuver I like to call the sayonara spin cycle!

Panel 2.  The mouser sinks its metallic teeth into Michelangelo’s shoulder, drawing blood. Michelangelo reacts to the bite by crying out in agony.

MICHELANGELO:
Aaaggghhh!

Panel 3.  Donatello’s face is registering his shock at the injury Michelangelo has received. He’s responsible for it, so he should look plenty distressed.

DONATELLO:
Aw, no! Mikey!

Panel 4.  Donatello uses his bo staff to vault over his two brothers as they continue to battle the mousers in an effort to keep the robots from the collapsed form of Michelangelo.

DONATELLO:
Coming through!

Panel 5.  Donatello presses a button on a crudely constructed electronic device that looks like a control stick of some kind.

PAGE THREE – 6 panels

Panel 1.  The mousers abruptly power down and cease to function. Raphael is perplexed by the sudden change, but Leonardo is already moving towards the injured Michelangelo.

RAPHAEL:

Hey, they ain’t chompin’ no more. What gives?

Panel 2.  Leonardo is crouched beside Michelangelo, holding a rag over his wound, but both he and Michelangelo are looking in the direction of Donatello. Leonardo has a grim expression, and the face of Michelangelo is registering both his physical and emotional pain.

LEONARDO:

Ask Donatello, Raph. I have a sinking feeling this was his doing.

MICHELANGELO:

Ugh. Sick burn. Say it ain’t so, dude.

Panel 3.  Donatello is approaching his brothers, with a shameful expression on his face.

DONATELLO:

Guys, let me explain. After our first encounter with the mousers I thought it prudent to study one for purely scientific reasons. Once I’d reverse-engineered the specimen, I found it remarkably simple to duplicate, and--

Panel 4.  Leonardo has jumped to his feet and is poking a finger in Donatello’s chest. He’s snapping at Donatello, and Donatello is snapping back

LEONARDO:

And what!? You adopted them as pets and decided to sick them on your family?

DONATELLO:

It wasn’t like that! I reprogrammed them, and figured they’d be useful as a training exercise or something.

Panel 5.  Leonardo and Donatello continue to argue with one another. Standing between and slightly behind them is Rafael, who sees something that his brothers do not because they are arguing so fiercely. Though we cannot see it, Raphael is seeing Splinter enter the room, and he’s trying to warn his brothers.

DONATELLO:
And this is why I didn’t tell you about it, dude--because I knew you’d get your panties in a bunch! You think you’re god’s gift to reptiles! Leo knows best!

LEONARDO:
I don’t think I always know what’s best, Donatello. But for as smart as you are, you can be seriously stupid sometimes! In what universe could this be considered a good idea!?

RAPHAEL:
Uh, guys…?

Panel 6.  Splinter has entered the room, and the Turtles have reverted to submissive positions in response.

SPLINTER:

What is the meaning of this!? One of you had better have an extraordinary explanation for me.

LEONARDO:
M-Master Splinter.

PAGE FOUR – 6 panels

Panel 1.  Splinter is regarding the Turtles with a firm expression.

SPLINTER:

I am waiting.

Panel 2.  Leonardo and Donatello both try to explain what happened to Splinter. In the background, one of the disabled mouser robots is lying on its side, with its head facing the scene in front of it. We’re going to start zooming in on the mouser robot, so it needs to be visible in this panel.

LEONARDO:

An ill-fated and misguided training exercise, Master Splinter. Michelangelo was injured as a result of Donatello’s carelessness.

DONATELLO:
Master Splinter, Michelangelo’s injury was an unfortunate accident--and if Leonardo was half as sharp as his katana he would realize this.

Panel 3.  We’re zooming in closer on the mouser robot now, so we should only be able to see certain parts of the Turtles, if any of them at all, as we move the shot away. Since the mouser robot is on the floor, we’ll probably only see their lower legs and feet or something like that. Whatever works best.

LEONARDO:
Oh, that’s real nice, Donny. And maybe if you’d take the bo staff out of your ass and listen for a change this never would have happened!

DONATELLO:

How about I take it and stick it up your ass instead, oh fearless leader?

Panel 4.  We’ve zoomed very close to the mouser now, and are seeing the distorted reflection of the Turtles and Master Splinter as he chides them in its eye.

MASTER SPLINTER:

Leonardo! Donatello! That is enough!

LEONARDO/DONATELLO:

Sorry, Master Splinter…

Panel 5.  Baxter Stockman is sitting in a chair in front of a sophisticated surveillance monitor watching the Turtles and Master Splinter as the Turtles begin arguing again.

DONATELLO:
But Leo started it.

LEONARDO:
Shut up, Don.

DONATELLO:
You shut up!

Panel 6.  Baxter Stockman is speaking into a communication device of some kind, and he has a supremely self-satisfied and smug expression on his face.

BAXTER STOCKMAN:

The rat is in the trap. Are you in position?

PAGE FIVE – 2 panels

Panel 1.  This is practically a splash page. Old Hob is standing on a New York street in front of a manhole cover flanked on each side by large amounts of mousers and his gang of street thugs. The thugs should be armed with various street weaponry such as chains, bats, tire irons, etc. If you want to give a few of them guns, go for it. Old Hob should be the central focus of the shot, and he should look vicious and menacing, hunched over the manhole cover, showing jagged teeth and claws, as if he can’t wait to pounce down onto the Turtles and their master.

OLD HOB:

Oh, we’re here all right. My boys are itchin’ to tear those green freaks to pieces.

Panel 2. Small panel. Close in on Old Hob. His face is twisted with hatred.

OLD HOB:
But the rat is mine. When he dies, I want to hear him squeal.