1. Script

STICKFIGHTER
Issue Zero
"DAYS OF BLOOD" Part 1
Written by Fidel Namisi
Art by Ryan Winn.
Draft 1.0 - 2013/07/27

PAGE 1

PANEL 1

South African township. That means a mish-mash of closely packed small houses, interspersed with shacks and dilapidated hovels. Winding narrow roads snake their way around the maze of buildings. The sun hangs low in the horizon, casting long shadows. Evening.

PANEL 2

Few people on the streets. A chubby woman heavily laden with shopping bags. Two young men in beanies and skinny jeans, heading past her. An old drunk sits on the road side, staring into space and clutching onto a huge bottle of Black Label beer. .

PANEL 3

The drunk looks up.

CAPTION

Cr-r-r-r

PANEL 4

A horse drawn jalopy of a carriage rumbling past. The carriage is a more like a box. The wheels are old car tires. The driver is wrapped in a blanket and wears a Sotho hat.

PANEL 5

Close Up on the driver. A young man with a clean, pleasant face. Fifteen, maybe sixteen years old. His brow is wrinkled, deep in thought. (This is Rabz, our hero.)


PAGE 2

PANEL 1

The jalopy in front of an old shack. Rabz is leaping off it.

PANEL 2

Rabz speaks to his horse.

RABZ
This is our last delivery Musa. Then we're home.

PANEL 3

An elderly grandma covered up in blankets and a beanie stands in front of the open shack door. This is MA NOXY.

MA NOXY
Thank you so much my son.

PANEL 4

RABZ
Sorry I'm late Ma Noxy. I got delayed at Bab Hlongwe's.
MA NOXY
I've got a bit of money today Rabz. I want to...
RABZ
No ma. Keep it. I promised you you'd never have to pay.
MA NOXY
Thank you my son. God bless you.

PANEL 5

Rabz is in the driver's seat of the carriage.

RABZ
Let's go home Musa.

PANEL 6

Rabz and Musa making their way up an abandoned road.


PAGE 3

PANEL 1

Rabz and Musa going past an open grassland (a.k.a veld). It's devoid of humanity. In the background, we see houses nestled a long way away, a haze of brown lazy smoke hanging above them.

PANEL 2

Musa pulls up, snorts and whinnies.

CAPTION

Wh-h-h-h!

PANEL 3

Rabz is concerned.

RABZ
What is it Musa? You smell something?

PANEL 4

A Man in jeans, sneakers, t-shirt and a cap runs onto the road.

PANEL 5

His one arm cradles his other bleeding hand.

PAGE 4

PANEL 1

Rabz and Musa. Surprised.

PANEL 2

The man takes one wearied, panicked look at them. He's wide eyes are in shock.

MAN
(hoarse whisper)
Urg-g-gh..

PANEL 3

The man stumbles off, hobbling up the road.

PANEL 4

Close up on the man's hand. Missing a couple of fingers.

PANEL 5

Wide on Rabz and Musa (same as first panel on the page). A high pitched scream rips through the panel.

CAPTION

Aaaarrrgh!


PAGE 5

PANEL 1

An open area of grassland. A gang of SEVEN THUGS in jeans, dirty t-shirts and torn sneakers encircle a girl in a sweater, short skirt and knee high socks - her school uniform.

PANEL 2

On the girl: high cheekbones, full lips, tears on the edge of her bright eyes. Her name is ZANELE.

ZANELE
Please.

PANEL 3

A dirty, dreadlocked thug licks his lips lasciviously.

DREADLOCKS
Me first.

PANEL 4

A rotten-toothed, grinning THUG pushes Zanele into Dreadlocks.

ROTTEN TOOTH
Scream again and we'll cut off those little tits before we kill you.

PANEL 5

Two thugs pinning Zanele to the ground as Dreadlocks unzips his pants.(Wide)

PAGE 6


PANEL 1

Close on Dreadlock's ear a something flat WHIZZES past it.

CAPTION

Shy-aa-kk!

PANEL 2

A dreadlock on the ground next to Zanele's feet.

PANEL 3

A panga (machete) buried in the ground where it landed, blade first.

CAPTION

Zing-g-g.

PANEL 4

DREADLOCKS
What the ...?

PANEL 5

A silhoutted figure steps up behind the circle of thugs.

RABZ
Yo yo yo! I can smell you guys from here.

PANEL 6

Close on Rabz, spinning twin fighting clubs with knobbed tips in both hands.

RABZ
No wonder you're not getting any at home.

PANEL 7

Close on the twin fighting clubs. The tips have metal spikes on them.

PAGE 7

PANEL 1

On the thugs: whipping out blades and machetes. One of them is already lunging at Rabz's neck.

PANEL 2

Rabz flings aside his blanket cape to reveal a suit of partial armour. (See reference image)...

PANEL 3

Rabz smashing his way through the thugs. Leaping acrobatically , clubs whirling.

PANEL 4

His club sends teeth and blood flying of a smashed face.

PANEL 5

Another blow gouges out an eye.

PANEL 6

A thug coughs blood as Rabz's stick rams into his stomach.

PAGE 8

PANEL 1

On Zanele. Staring at the scene in wide eyed astonishment.

PANEL 2

The scene: Rabz stands alone, surrounded by a mass of writhing, moaning injured criminality.

PANEL 3

Rabz standing over to Zanele.

RABZ
What were you doing out here alone?

PANEL 4

Close on Zanele's shocked face.

ZANELE
Look ou...

PANEL 5

DREADLOCK fires a pistol at Rabz.

CAPTION

BAANG!

PANEL 6

Rabz hurled through the air by the impact of the hit.

PANEL 7

Dreadlock standing over Rabz, a wry smile of his face.

PANEL 8

Rabz's face. Still conscious. Still breathing. Looking up at Dreadlock's levelled pistol.

PAGE 9

PANEL 1

Dreadlock cocks the pistol.

DREADLOCKS
I'll chop of your balls and shove them down your throat. I'll watch you... 

PANEL 2

Close on Rabz's hand. A blade juts out.

CAPTION

Zw-i-i-i-ck!

PANEL 3

On Dreadlock's face as the blade wipes past it.

DREADLOCKS

Urgh...

PANEL 4

Dreadlocks on his knees screaming.

CAPTION

A-a-a-r-g.

PANEL 5

Close on his face. His lips are gone.

PANEL 6

Rabz getting up.

RABZ
You talk too much.

PANEL 7

The thugs scamper into the veld.

PANEL 8

The blade on Rabz's hand recedes, as petals of blood drip off it.

CAPTION

Zw-i-i-i-ck.


PAGE 10

PANEL 1

Rabz walking away.

PANEL 2

Zanele calls him back.

ZANELE
Wait!
(beat)
Let me come with you.

PANEL 3

Rabz faces her.

RABZ
Go home.

PANEL 4

Zanele closes in on Rabz, but keeps a safe distance. Not entirely trusting him.

ZANELE
I know who you are Stickfighter. I know what they did to you and to your family. 
(beat)
I know what they did to your hand.

PANEL 5

Rabz. Surprised.

PANEL 6

Zanele pleads.

ZANELE
My name is Zanele. Let me come with you.
(beat)
Rabz.

PANEL 7

Rabz is angry.

RABZ
You put yourself in danger intentionally? What if I didn't come.

PAGE 11

PANEL 1

Same panel that we saw three panels ago, with the two-shot.

Zanele looking away, ashamed.

RABZ
How do you know my name?

PANEL 2

Zanele, pleading..

ZANELE
I saw it...in the lake...I too have the calling. Just like you. Let me come with you.

PANEL 3

Rabz, even angrier now.

RABZ
Go home and forget you ever saw me.

PANEL 4

Wide. Same two-shot from before. Rabz whirling around and striding away.

PANEL 5

On Zanele. Watching him going. Hurt. Yet determined.

PANEL 6

Wide. Three panels. Rabz receding into the gloom and swallowed up by the dusk.

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