Mister Sticky™ # 1 Script
In progress: the comic book script for the first issue of MISTER STICKY™, MASTER OF INVISIBLE GLUE, a superhero romp that's also an homage to the bodacious Bronze Age.
In real life, indecisive 20something Tanner Talbert can’t “stick” to anything. But as Mister Sticky, Master of Invisible Glue, this guy can stick to anything!
Mister Sticky™ Concept and Characters
Concept: A new young, superhero in a rousing, fun, family-friendly series that’s also a loving tribute to Marvel Comics of the Bronze Age. (“When comics were fun to read.”)
Colorful villains and fights amid the skyscrapers, but also quieter scenes dense with interpersonal conflicts, self-doubt and flirting. (“Go get ‘em, Tiger – er, Sticky!”)
Setting: St. Louis, 1999. A thriving Midwestern city (with an Arch for stick to) in a year well before All This Madness: there are still busy crowds, commerce, crime. The internet is young. People still read newspapers. And the big worry is the impending “Y2K” virus!
Tone: Funny but involving. We want readers to say, “I have to have issue #2!” Lots of humor and banter. Though we go right to the edge of full parody, we don’t cross it. You don’t have to know those Romita Spidey books to enjoy, but it helps.
Creative possibility: Explore an entire “Sticky-verse” of flawed heroes and wonky villains that resonate back to Marvel. “Hogg” could be our “Hulk,” for example: a blunt, powerful pawn sought by teams good and bad.
Overall story themes: Believe science. (Sticky’s alter-ego is a young chemist.)
Believe in yourself. (Our young hero has some growing to do.) Most of all: “Stick” (commit) to something. And someone. In other words: Be more sticky!
Characters
His alter-ego: Tanner Talbert, age 25, a big kid of a guy who considers his otherwise serious job as a chemist at a Monsanto-like chem giant as a way to play and tinker in a lab somebody else pays for. (It’s where on weekends he developed his “sentient glue.”) But he’s ready to walk out the door any minute for another job; he’s juggling three or more potential girlfriends (see below), and he seems to deliberately avoid any and all commitments. In other words, he can’t “stick” to anything!
In time, Tanner will learn he is just one of a group of new heroes being secretly monitored – and eventually recruited – by the mysterious team known as The Hero Nots.
Sticky’s constant nemesis: Rhoda B. Blabbit, the acerbic, science-disputing muckraker on TV’s Flux News. She believes Mr. Sticky’s “sentient glue” must be a trick, calling him a fraud and dangerous side-show to law enforcement.
Tanner’s constant nemesis: Bad boss Mateo Martinez, bureaucratic manager of Robert’s lab. Their employer, Bigly Chemical, claims to be about “innovation,” but Martinez’ reflex for the status quo makes sure no actual progress happens. This spurs Tanner to keep his “sentient glue” invention to himself.
Girlfriend Possibility 1: An equally gorgeous, anti-big-chemical environmental activist, fiery, red-haired Lucy O’Shea is Tanner’s friend from college. She constantly tries to get him to quit and put his knowledge of chemistry to better use. (If only she knew!)
Girlfriend Possibility 2: Bad Ashlee. The bad girl option. A leather-wearing, rob-the-rich diamond thief who crosses Sticky’s path amid skyscraper penthouses. Are those sparks flying from flirtation… or her “energy-whip?”
Best friend: CD-Ron, a nerd in the burgeoning world of “desktop computers,” and an amateur welder who helps Tanner with his wackier hardware requests. Builds furniture out of AOL disks.
Rogue’s Gallery:
Feral Hogg. Half-human. Half-mammal. All Hogg. The mutant who can eat through steel is always hungry. Always. Hungry.
The Answer™. A Mr. A-type character, who appears from the mists to cause confusion and make needless judgments about everything.. “Who are you?,” his victims ask. “Good question,” he says, nonchalantly. “But you already know… The Answer.” [POW!]
Bad Ashlee [[see above]]
Kiss My A Man. A Captain America-type gone wrong, doling out punishment by making bad guys “kiss” the giant A on his triangular shield.
There they are. Ready to go. So let’s do go.
Into the Stickyverse.
Page 1 – Full-page splash
Indirectly emulating the splash page of Amazing Fantasy #15, in which Peter Park casts a shadow on the wall as Spider-Man. (Only we shall, of course, see the shadow of Sticky.)
A bright conference room at Enzyme Chemical. It’s electronics recycling day, and stuff is starting to pile up: old computers, VCRS, desk lamps, coffee makers…
In mid-ground, Lucy O’Shay – red-haired, gorgeous, business very casual in sweater and leggings, hands on hips, disappointed. She is looking at our protagonist, Tanner Talbert. Tanner (Mr. Sticky in civilian identity) is in foreground walking to us and out the room, whistling nonchalantly at Lucy’s taunt. But Tanner’s shadow on that wall reveals Mister Sticky, clinging to the wall.
CAPTION: The place: A conference room at Enzyme Chemical, an industry giant in St. Louis, Missouri.
CAPTION 2: The moment: A confrontation – with a side helping of irony.
LUCY 1: Tanner Talbert! You’re quitting the electronics recycling committee? We’re just getting started!
TANNER: It can’t be helped, Luce! I’m… over-committed.
Lucy 2: Ugh! That’s what you said last time! Let’s face it, dude…
Lucy 3: You can’t stick to anything!
Logo: MISTER STICKY, Master of Invisible Glue
End page 1
Page 2
Panel 1 – Past Lucy at Tanner, who stops at the door to the conference room and turns back to her. He’s holding out a stuffed-with-papers satchel.
TANNER: Look, my alpha-volunteer, I’ll circle back with you on the Green Roof Initiative, okay?
TANNER 2: Right now, my life is work, grad school, and a, uh, new side hustle I can’t talk about yet. Like I said…
Panel 2 – Tanner shrugs, trying to be charming.
TANNER: “Over-committed!”
Panel 3 – She leans into him, a little too close for just work friends. She’s speaking softly to him.
LUCY 1: Oh, you have commitment issues, all right, Tanner.
LUCY 2: Let’s see, it’s Tuesday. What new thing will replace an old thing in your life today?
Panel 4 – They lean in to whisper, one of them eyeing CD Ron to see if he notices their moment of intimacy. He doesn’t.
TANNER: Hey! Chill! Who’s the one who said we should keep it platonic while we’re both working for Enzyme?
LUCY: I did. But you didn’t disagree.
TANNER: No, I didn’t disagree. We both know workplace romances are nothing but…
Panel 5 – Tanner’s watch goes off. He looks at it with alarm. Lucy is still made.
SFX: Beep beep beep
TANNER (thought:) Trouble!
Panel 6 – Tanner is running down the corridor, waving goodbye. Lucy is looking out the door of the conference room at him, aggravated.
TANNER: I gotta go, Luce. Enjoy all your junk!
LUCY: All my…
SFX: JUNK?
End Page 2
Page 3
Panel 1 – A quiet alcove in the corridor. Tanner has pressed a button on his watch. A hologram of Gnatty pops up. (Gnatty, the drone/droid in the shape of an insect.)
TANNER: Yeah, Gnatty, what’s going on?
GNATTY (electronic): It’s Mister Sticky, Tanner. He’s being summoned.
TANNER: “Summoned?”
Panel 2 – Outside. Up angle of Gnatty in full flight.
GNATTY: Protocols require I contact you when your name is invoked publicly.
TANNER (from off, electronic): Yes, I know. Where are you right now?
Panel 3 – A down angle. Gnatty is over the high-tech Enzyme Chemical Campus. A big logo glows atop a rooftop plaza. On the rooftop are crowds of people. Looking up.
GNATTY: I’m overhead right now.
TANNER (from off, electronic): You’re over Enzyme?
GNATTY: Affirmative.
Panel 4 – Back inside. Tanner puts his fingers to the bridge of his nose.
TANNER: We agreed you’d stay away from my work.
GNATTY (from off, electronic): As your personal drone/droid, I say:
GNATTY 2 (from off, electronic): “See previous protocol.”
Panel 5 – Back above Enzyme Chemical. We are in the middle of hazy clouds of sand. Through one break, we can see Gnatty, looking in.
GNATTY 1: Your alter-ego is being addressed in the skies above Enzyme, sir.
GNATTY 2: A question has formed…
GNATTY 3: In clouds of sand.
Panel 6 – Angle up at Talbert looking at his tablet in alarm. We only see the back of the tablet.
TANNER: A question?
GNATTY: (from off, electronic): In clouds of sand.
TANNER: Gnatty! What do the words say?
GNATTY 2 (from off, electronic): They say…
End Page 3
Page 4
Second full-page splash. Looking over Tanner’s shoulder at the screen on his tablet. On it is an image Gnatty has taken of the sky. Clouds of sand have formed the words:
MISTER STICKY,
WHERE ARE YOU?
[CREDITS]
End Page 4
Page 5
Panel 1 – Tanner looks around the corner, seeing a common area with lots of Enzyme employees conferring in small groups. Many are wearing lab coats.
GNATTY (electronic): May I suggest you rush to your secret lab, sir?
TANNER: Gnatty! You’re on speaker!
TANNER 2: I don’t see why some showy sky illusion…
Panel 2 – Tanner opens a door to an outdoor courtyard in the sky. It, too, is a common area, but for the moment deserted.
TANNER: …is a reason to switch to Sticky-mode.
TANNER 2: I don’t want to encourage these stunts.
TANNER 3: Whoever needs me can tag me on Twitter.
Panel 3 – GNATTY flying through one of the clouds of sand. It’s lost visibility.
GNATTY: This is different, sir. Sensors registering something mystical.
Panel 4 – Close-up on Tanner, looking up, scowling, not buying any of this.
TANNER: What? How do sensors register something…
Panel 5 – Exact same close-up angle, but now Tanner is shocked at something. There’s a kind of explosion off panel.
SFX: BOOOM!
Panel 6 – Longer shot on this outdoor plaza. A FURY – one of the Greek supernatural dieties of vengeance – has crashed up through the ground and is hovering in mid-air, calling out to nobody. Pieces of the floor are scattered where she came through.
WEIRD BALLOON from the Fury: ENZYYYYYYYYYYME
End Page 5
Page 6
Panel 1 – Closer on this Fury, eyes glowing.
WEIRD FURY BALLOON: IIIIIIII AM VEEEEEEENGEEEEEENCE
Panel 2 – The Fury shoots directly up into the sky. Where is she going?
WEIRD FURY BALOON: AIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE
Panel 3 – Tanner rushes back inside, talking to Gnatty. He’s changed his mind about urgency.
TANNER: Okay, I better get to the secret lab.
GNATTY: As advised.
Panel 4 – An interior elevator. Tanner is pressing the down button with his foot (for no reason other than he stretches to keep in shape.
TANNER (THOUGHT 1): That was some weird sh*t.
TANNER (THOUGHT 2): I remember when Mister Sticky dealt only with prowlers and crime lords.
TANNER (THOUGHT 3): Adversaries these days seem to come with their own CGI.
Panel 5 – Past Tanner as the elevator doors open. Oh, no! It’s his boss, Mateo Martinez. He has under both arms miscellaneous electronic equipment: CD players, monitor, shredder…
TANNER (THOUGHT): I mean, what the hell was that…
SFX: DING!
MARTINEZ: Tanner!
TANNER: Mr. Martinzes!
TANNER (THOUGHT): Oh, no! The boss!
Panel 6 – Rushing out, Martinez tries to hand off one of his loads to Tanner.
MARTINEZ: Don’t just stand there, son. Help me with this electronics recycling!
TANNER (THOUGHT): Oh, no!
End Page 6
Page 7
Panel 1 – Tanner begs off, one hand making a stop sign, the other gesturing with thumb in the diarection of the plaza.
TANNER: I’d love to, Mr. Martinez, but I gotta inform Security…
TANNER 2: There was an explosion on the plaza!
MARTINEZ: An explosion? What kind of…
Panel 2 – Tanner and Martinez are lifting off the ground by a building-shaking explosion, this one louder than before.
SFX: BOOM!
Panel 3
The electronics come crashing to the floor.
SFX: CRASH! KLANK! THUD!
TANNER: That kind. Get to safety, Mr. Martinez. I’ll be back.
Panel 4 – Inside the elevator alone, Tanner pulls his shirt open like Superman to reveal his Sticky shirt underneath. A heroic moment.
TANNER (THOUGHT:) As Mister Sticky!
Panel 5 – Close-up on Tanner’s hand as he is about to press the emergency stop button.
TANNER (THOUGHT): Some superheroes take elevators to their secret labs.
TANNER (THOUGH): I’ve turned this elevator…
Panel 6 – Standing in the middle of the elevator is Tanner. He holds up a tiny remote, pressing it. At its command, square panels on the wall automatically fold down into tables, revealing two metal suitcases.
SFX: BE-BOOP (on the remote) WRRR-KLAK WRRR-KLAK (on the section of walls)
TANNER (THOUGHT): Into my own secret lab.
TANNER (THOUGHT 2): Convenient this way. It’s hiding in plain sight.
TANNER (THOUGHT 3): And accessible from any floor.
End page 7
Page 8
A “getting ready” montage.
Panel 1 – Close on Sticky’s gloved hand, fingers extended, his other hand adjusting the cartridges at his wrist.
STICKY (THOUGHT 1): Checklist:
STICKY (THOUGHT): Super-glue pressurized in cartridges, sent to finger-nozzles. Check.
Panel 2 – Close on Sticky’s waist as he puts on the cartridge belt.
STICKY (THOUGHT):: Extra cartridges with LEDs signaling capacity. Check.
Panel 3 – Sticky pulling the mask down his face.
STICKY (THOUGHT):: Ultra-thin polymer mask reacting to face muscles. Check.
Panel 4 – Close on Sticky’s eyes in a determined expression.
STICKY (THOUGHT): Contacts for telescopic and night viewing. Double-check.
Panel 5 – Wider shot of whole elevator. Sticky is turning the dial on his belt, and a trap door in the floor of the elevator springs open.
STICKY (THOUGHT): One jump out the double-secret trap door…
STICKY (THOUGHT 2): And…
Panel 6 – Inside the elevator shaft, looking up at the bottom of the elevator. Sticky has fallen through the trap door, arms crossed across his chest, as if to reduce drag. He’s in free fall!
STICKY (THOUGHT): Into the Sticky-Verse!
End page 8
Page 9
Panel 1 – As he falls straight down, Sticky turns both palms up and spreads fingers, all pointing straight up. He’s about to shoot using all 8 nozzles.
STICKY (THOUGHT): The lab resets into an elevator after 60 seconds. And my drop is slowed…
Panel 2 – Closer on his hands as the glue shoots out of those nozzles, 8 streams straight up.
STICKY (THOUGHT): …with Sticky Super-Glue!® (Registered trademark.)
Panel 3 – Looking up the elevator shaft at the bottom of the elevator as all 8 streams hit it, making tiny little puddles as they adhere.
SFX: BLOP BLOP BLOP BLOP BLOP BLOP BLOP BLOP
Panel 4 – Sticky’s fall is being slowed. He’s grabbed all 8 strands and turned them into essentially two bungie cords. His legs are up, ready to swing.
STICKY (THOUGHT): The effect is like bungie-jumping, I’d say… though I haven’t hurled myself off any bridges lately, so I wouldn’t know.
Panel 5 – Sticky’s fall is slowed enough that he can swing into a super-large vent in the side of the elevator shaft.
STICKY (THOUGHT): There’s my shaft. Glad they made ‘em Sticky-sized.
STICKY: Cowa…
Panel 6 – From the side of the shaft in a cut-away view. Sticky has released the “bungie cords” and is flying horizontally, feet first, through the shaft.
STICKY: …bungie!
End Page 9
Page 10
Panel 1 – From outside the building looking at a section of the wall. Sticky is flying out feet first.
STICKY (THOUGHT): I gotta work on that pun.
Panel 2 – Sticky spins in mid-air, now shooting glue from just his index fingers, thumbs up, like guns.
STICKY: P-TU! P-TU!
STICKY (THOUGHT): Hmm. Smells like sulfur out here again. That must be a sign of…
Panel 3 – Past Mister Sticky. The glue hits a flag pole. But from behind it, rising from below, is the howling fury again, screeching.
STICKY (THOUGHT, FROM OFF): This weirdo.
FURY (screams again): EEEEEEENZZZYYYYYYMMMMME
Panel 4 – Swinging now from the flagpole, aiming right for the Fury.
STICKY 1: We get it. You’re scary and seem to have a grudge.
STICKY 2: But are you solid?
Panel 5 – As Sticky collides with the Fury, she dissipates into steam.
STICKY: Not solid.
STICKY 2: So how…
Panel 6 – Sticky has completed the swing by landing on the side of the building, sticking to it.
STICKY: Did you write my name in sand in the sky?
VOICE (from off): She didn’t, Mister Sticky…
End Page 10
Page 11
Full page. At far left, Mister Sticky is looking at something in awe. There, hovering in mid-air, surrounded by swirling mists of sand, is the mistress of magic known as… SAND WITCH. She is holding a large jar decorated in the style of ancient Greece, covered in renderings of furies. The jar has no lid.
SAND WITCH 1: I did.
SAND WITCH 2: I need you, Mister Sticky.
SAND WITCH 3: To help capture that Fury. Get her back in this jar. And glue it shut.
SAND WITCH 4: My name is Sand Witch.
SAND WITCH 5: We have no time to lose.
STICKY (THOUGHT): [[Sigh.]] Is it still Tuesday?
End Page 11
To be continued!