The Purge Sample Comic Script Pages

Page Eleven (five panels)

Panel One: Charles stands on a rooftop, staring at the bright waning moon, his shoulders reared, his back bent behind him. He wears a large, black trench coat, but is barefoot. From below the corner of the rooftop, the city can be seen at large, showing that this rooftop towers up with the tallest of the city's skyscrapers.

CAP: The moon bothers me now, it's too bright. But it's the only thing around to look at.

CAP: If that makes any sense.

Panel Two: A horizontal panel, taking up an entire row, cascading downward from the first, Charles walks toward the panel, his hair messier, his eyes droopier, he walks down a dark, velvety hallway, passing by numerous pictures of the moon following him.

CAP: But it still bothers me.

CAP: And it won't go away.

Panel Three:  Charles continues to walk down the hallway, his face now visibly annoyed and his lips turned upward into a scowl. Behind him and to the right, another robot in a different colored tuxedo raises his arm and pulls for Charles's attention. Charles's monologue text box is interrupted by the space taken for the robot's speech.

CAP: Twenty minutes lying awake in bed and all I got was the knowledge that this night as well would not be rest(ful) –

ROBOT (HAROLD): Master Acosta!

Panel Four: In the same horizontal row as panel five, Charles has his back to Harold, who occupies panel five in the same geographical space through the row, as in only a border, not a change in space or drawing, separates Charles to Harold. Charles's head tilts down, his eyes shut and his shoulders drawn up tight.

HAROLD: Your patterns for the past two weeks have been recorded.

Panel Five: Harold has his head drawn high and his posture straight while speaking to Charles. Pictures of the moon can be seen in the background, as if constantly following Charles.

HAROLD: In anticipation, we've prepared a tray of cutlets and two servings of scotch down in the dining hall.


Page Twelve (eight panels)

Panel One: In a zoomed out portrait of the last two panels of the previous page, Charles looks back at Harold puzzlingly, his back twisted, his feet still planted where they previously were. The robot still stands perfectly straight, perhaps even bent back a little, but the stare is blank and empty.

CAP: My birthday was two weeks ago.

Panel Two: Charles turns back away from Harold, his head down and his shoulders drooped. A shadow looms over Charles in both color and outlook.

CAP: That's exactly what I wanted right now.

CHARLES: I'll be right down.

Panel Three: An extremely thin, vertical panel showcases Charles's eyes in shock and the caption appears small and close to Charles's head. The scenery is invisible and his face is dark in contrast to the whites of his eyes.

CAP: Wait.

Panel Four: Charles has turned an entire 180 degrees and marches toward Harold, who still stands steadfast. Charles's eyes are widened and alert, though still depressingly dark.

CHARLES: You! Maybe you know something!

Panel Five: Harold's artificial eyebrows raise and his shoulders stand on edge, ready and willing, still is unable to look as though he(she) truly feels anything.

HAROLD: Can I help you?

Panel Six: Charles's mouth widens, his eyes gaze hard as they do in the next two panels and the moon paintings are visible to the right of Charles's head.

Panel Seven: Charles works through his dumbfounded obliviousness and opens his mouth, eyes still alert and completely uncomprehending.

CHARLES: I…

Panel Eight: The panel spreads out to an even greater area of the moon-speckled hallway, Charles stands quietly three heads away from Harold, still staring intently, finishing the half-formed sentence he had started.

CHARLES: … hope so.


Page Thirteen (seven panels)

Panel One: Having moved in closer to Harold, Charles places his hands on Harold's shoulders, staring at him with purpose in the place of previous obliviousness and keeps his body stiff.

CHARLES: Listen.

Panel Two: The borders here, along with the borders for panel three, have faded to black to visually cue a flashback. Panel two, partially obscured by panel one in front of it and to the left, shows a bed with high rising posts and an uncomfortable looking lump underneath its covers. The background is pure black once again.

CHARLES (OP): I need you to listen very carefully.

CHARLES (OP): Please.

Panel Three: The same large posted bed stands still, but Charles sits on its side and holds his head in his hands, hair covering his face, his shoulders hunched and defeated.

CHARLES (OP) (weak): Please.

Panel Four: A bird's eye view of Charles gripping the robot anxiously, Charles speaks directly into Harold's face.

CHARLES: Why are the nights getting longer?

Panel Five: Harold's face, as visibly disturbed as the robots' features will allow, speaks, shoulders raised and eyes barely comprehending.

HAROLD: I'm sorry?

Panel Six: Charles lowers his head and, though partially obscured by Harold's shoulder, shows only exasperation and defeat.

CAP: It's nervous. I didn't know robots could get nervous.

Panel Seven: The panel, lying at the bottom of the page, wider than the others, shows a profile shot of Charles passing by multiple printed images of the moon, away from Harold, his posture sad and drooping.

CHARLES: Just getting frustrated. Back to work, Harold.


Page Fourteen (seven panels)

Panel One: Back in the grittier, dirtier universe, another bird's eye view shows Charles and Eric walking down dirty, rain-slick alleyways, talking and trudging through the meaner parts of the city streets.

ERIC: The nights last forever here, Charles, you know that.

Panel Two: Eric finally to Charles as to finally reveal a side of Eric that isn't perturbed or confused. His cigarette is dwindling and becoming dogged. The walls behind Eric are littered with graffiti and dirt.

ERIC: You are speaking metaphorically, right?

Panel Three: Viewing the two at ground level and into the cracks in the alley walls that lead into streets and other alleys, Charles and Eric walk away from the panel, nearly silhouetted by the contrasting light of the openings in the walls and skies.

CHARLES: Yeah, probably. But I don't know anymore. I mean, like, say… have you ever heard of a robot?

ERIC: No, what's a robot?

CHARLES: It's like a tin man.

ERIC: Never heard of it.

Panel Four: Charles's back is raised and from behind the two, we can see Charles turning toward Eric as he speaks. Eric's cigarette has nearly gone out.

CHARLES: I've asked everyone around. They all think I'm talking nonsense.

Panel Five: Throwing down his cigarette butt and biting his lip, possibly shaking his head, Eric looks downward, not meeting Charles's eyes.

ERIC: No offense, buddy, but you are. I don't know what you're getting at, but it sounds important.

Panel Six: From above the rooftops, we see the two turning to their right, down another grimy, darkened alleyway.

ERIC: This way.

Panel Seven: A profile shot of Charles's face shows off the exasperated wind that Charles has been letting out by speaking to Eric. Relieved, but still worried.

CHARLES: I must sound like a lunatic to everyone.

CHARLES: But reality's going. I can feel it.


Page Fifteen (seven panels)

Panel One: Passing by a construction ground, the two pass by steel fences and the heavy machinery that looms above them. The panel is close to the ground to accentuate the distance they've been walking.

ERIC: Yeah, you said that. Left here. But I still don't get it.

Panel Two: The cluttered, ugly downtown city skyline, presses itself against the dully illuminated night sky. The buildings are bent and twisted.

ERIC (OP): You're talking about reality like it's something you can touch.

Panel Three: Eric turns to Charles, who is off panel, as he lights up another cigarette, revealing his habitual chain smoking. His eyelids are lowered and his brow turned down.

ERIC: Define reality, Charles.

Panel Four: Charles stares, mouth closed and his eyebrows slanted upwards in concern. Appropriately, above the skyline over his head, the moon stares down on the two of them, full and attention grabbing as before, following Charles as it did in the other reality.

CAP: It's…

Panel Five: In a heavily stylized panel, both Eric and Charles are completely silhouetted and the buildings in one point perspective bleed into a heavy white, while the night above the building create a dividing line between Charles and Eric as they speak, the darkness ending at ground level and the moon shining at the top of the panel juxtaposed the black sky.

CHARLES: It's where everything is real. It's where the people and places are… well… existent I guess.

Panel Six: Eric leans backward and blows some smoke into the air, more of his body visible here and his shoulders still straight and padded.

ERIC: Wouldn't you say reality is a place where you're tested… then die?

Panel Seven: From the top of a building, the POV continues to focus on the two men walking, discussing. The lighting is moody and dim, away from the harsh streetlights and encased in moonlight.

ERIC: I could be wrong.