Steph Brown Adventures No. 1

The Further Awesome Adventures of the Unsinkable Stephanie Brown #1

Zombie Ninjadors of Chupacabrageddon


PAGE ONE: Five panels. Panel one is horizontal across the top third of the page. Panels two, three and four are stacked below this on the left side of the page. Panel five is the remaining lower two-thirds on the right side of the page.


PANEL ONE: An exterior view of a typical university museum building with steps and columns. "Museum of Unnatural History" can be read across the facade of the building. The purple figure of Batgirl with blond hair crouches atop the roof. An actual bat can be seen flying past the museum columns.

CAPTION: Gotham University Museum of Unnatural History.

STEPH: Halloween seems like a good enough excuse to wear this costume one more time.


PANEL TWO: Inside the museum a large stone sarcophagus sits in the middle of a display of artifacts. The sarcophagus is shaking.

CAPTION: Mesoamerican Exhibit.


PANEL THREE: The same as panel two except that the carved lid of the sarcophagus has been pushed aside by a bandaged hand.

CAPTION: What's this?


PANEL FOUR: A mummy, wrapped in bandages from head to toe is stepping out of the sarcophagus. An alarm is sounding. (WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP) runs from panel four over into panel five.

CAPTION: Another Halloween costume?


PANEL FIVE: The mummy looms as a huge hand reaches for a crystal skull in the foreground. From off panel comes (POOT).


******


PAGE TWO: Two panels. Panel one takes up the top half of the page and panel two takes up the bottom half.  


PANEL ONE: The museum from the inside as the slender figure of Steph in costume swings in on a zip line from the foreground toward the mummy as alarms sound. (WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP) runs across the bottom of panel one and top of panel two.

STEPH: Don't touch that...


PANEL TWO: Steph is cartwheeling over a display case with the crystal skull in her free hand even as the big, bandaged hand of the intimidating mummy shatters the display case. (KRRACK!)

STEPH: ...skull! No trick or treating on my watch!

MUMMY: (GRRRR...)


******


PAGE THREE: Four panels divided fairly equally by one horizontal and one vertical gutter but with the whole thing tilted a bit clockwise to suggest rough action.


PANEL ONE: Steph ducks down as the mummy's fingers rip the cowl back from her face. (RRRIP!)

MUMMY: (...RRRRR!)

STEPH: Yikes!


PANEL TWO: Steph punching up into the chin of the mummy and wincing in pain. (KERTHUD!)

STEPH: Yeouch!


PANEL THREE: Steph's face contorted in pain as she ducks down, wide-eyed and shaking her hand as the mummy explosively punches a hole through the wall behind her. (KBLAMM!)

STEPH: Wholly hand grenades!


PANEL FOUR: Steph lies on her back, trailing a zip line entangled with and wrapped around the legs of the mummy, firing her grapple pistol upwards even as a huge bandaged fist is posed to come crashing down. (POOT)

STEPH: This better work!


******


PAGE FOUR: Splash page. Title and credits at bottom. The mummy hangs upside down from a zip line, arms pinned to sides by a spiral of tight zip line around its bandaged body from head to toe. Steph admires her work with a smirk.

MUMMY: (MMMMRRRR!)

STEPH: Guess that's a wrap! Oh crap! That reminds me I have a history paper due tomorrow. Gotta run!

TITLE: STEPH BROWN IN "ZOMBIE NINJADORS OF CHUPACABRAGEDDON!"

CREDITS


******


PAGE FIVE: Six panels. The first three are horizontal panels in the top half to two-thirds of the page. The second three panels are vertical panels across the bottom half to a third of the page.


PANEL ONE: Wider at left than right side. Steph is looking in from a doorway on the right wearing casual clothes, a "blood drive" t-shirt and jeans. She has a purple backpack slung over one shoulder. A hood figure can be seen passing by behind Steph in the hallway. To the left an overweight woman with short dark hair wearing a floral print dress sits behind a desk. A nameplate on the desk reads "Inez Marie Paine."

CAPTION: The morning after.

STEPH: You wanted to see me, Professor Paine?

PROF PAINE: Yes, Brown. You're not doing well. I'm concerned by your spotty attendance, and this paper on early American cultures looks like you spent ten minutes on it at best.

STEPH: Would you believe twenty? I'm very sorry, but I've been...


PANEL TWO: Wider at right than the left side. The image is much as the prior except slightly tighter on the two and Steph has entered the room. From slightly behind Steph we see the dark-haired woman is rolling her eyes.

PROF PAINE: Busy?

STEPH: Well I've been helping my mother with the West Mercy Hospital Blood Drive and...

PROF PAINE: I'm aware of certain nocturnal 'extracurricular activities.' Unfortunately, the university doesn't offer academic credit for impersonating costumed vigilantes.


PANEL THREE: This panel is wider on the left than the right side. The angle is tighter and we see Steph gaping from over the shoulder of the dark-haired woman.

STEPH: Err...

PROF PAINE: Actually I appreciate your stopping the mummy from taking that skull last night. Quite the show I must say, but you really should be more careful about losing your hood with security cameras running.

STEPH: It's a cowl! Err, I mean... ah... crap! Who else knows?


PANEL FOUR: A close-up of Professor Paine semi-smirking.

PROF PAINE: Relax, Brown. It's obvious you're not the one true Batgirl. But I am prepared to offer you an opportunity to earn some 'extra credit' by doing fieldwork fitting your particular area of expertise.

STEPH (From panel five): But... expertise... moi?

PROF PAINE: Mmhhmm, the little known martial art of Snafu from what I observed.


PANEL FIVE: A close-up of Steph scowling, perhaps chewing at her lip.

STEPH: So not funny, Professor.

PROF PAINE (from panel four): Anyway, the research project I have in mind involves helping me obtain more skulls for the university collection. Just retrieve, make an oral report, and I'll accept this in lieu of your term paper and final exam.

STEPH: WAIT A MINUTE! It's not about me. I do what I do to help people!


PANEL SIX: Professor Paine is now on the right side of panel as she hands Steph a plane ticket over the desk. Steph on the left appears to be nodding, a serious purposeful look on her face as she takes the ticket.

PROF PAINE: Well the incident last night with the reanimated mummy seems to validate the theory that someone with knowledge of arcane arts wants to assemble the thirteen skulls, possibly to promote a cataclysm of some sort before the end of 2012.

STEPH: So By helping you I could be preventing Armageddon? COUNT ME IN!

PROF PAINE: You come highly... well... you're available. I've arranged for a local guide to meet you, Brown. Here is your ticket.


******


PAGE SIX: Five panels. The first two panels are side by side in the top third of page. The second two panels are side by side in the middle third and the fifth panel stretches horizontally across the bottom third.


PANEL ONE: Desert backdrop. A large native-American man in jeans and unbuttoned vest stands in front of a dilapidated yellow taxi. He holds a sign on which is scrawled "Stef Brown." His shoulder is tattooed with a sunburst and arms with animals - bear, cougar, deer and eagle.

CAPTION: Next day. Mexico.


PANEL TWO: Steph in khaki shorts and loose-fitting white t-shirt that reads, "Hate is NOT innate." and carrying a purple duffle bag in her left hand.

STEPH: Hi. I'm Steph. You must be... Mojo?


PANEL THREE: They stand in front of the taxi. Steph is shaking the big man's hand as he looks down the loose-fitting t-shirt that is draping open a bit.

JOE: Joe. Bags?

STEPH: Nice to meet you, Joe! I don't believe in a lot of baggage. This carry-on is all I've got!


PANEL FOUR: They are both in the taxi. Steph is pointing out the window to the right side of the page.

JOE: Where go?

STEPH: My professor says there should be some sort of ancient temple. I have coordinates and a GPS tracker so we'll just have to start driving and use dead reckoning I guess.

JOE: Dead?

STEPH: Reckoning. Just start driving... let's see... that direction!

JOE: Si.


PANEL FIVE: The taxi going along a desert road from left to right. A shadow of something is running across the road in front of it.

STEPH (From taxi): Not exactly a big talker are you, Joe? Hey, what's that? Look out!


******


PAGE SEVEN: (CRRRRASH!) in big letters across the top of page. Seven panels. One and two are side by side. Three is horizontal across the whole page. Four and five are side by side next with six and seven side by side below that.


PANEL ONE: Joe is standing in front of the taxi. Its hood is up and steam is billowing out. Steph is standing by the car with a thumb up.

STEPH: Not much traffic... and what there is doesn't seem interested in stopping to give us a ride.


PANEL TWO: A close-up of Steph gaping indignantly, her cheeks flushed as she swats at a dragonfly.

JOE (from panel one): Flash 'em.

STEPH: Do what? You so have to be kidding me!

JOE (from panel one): You flash. Joe stop.


PANEL THREE (horizontal panel): From behind Steph we see her standing by the road with her top pulled up as a tricked-out hotrod Lincoln drives past.

STEPH: If mom could only see how dedicated I am to getting top grades.


PANEL FOUR: Her top back in place, Steph blinks as a man in a business suit and wearing a mask with a big A on the forehead kneels to kiss the back of her extended hand.

STEPH: Hey! Would you please give us a ride?

COMMANDER (Kissing hand): You are certainly most forward, Miss. Commander Code-A at your service!

STEPH: I'm Stephanie Brown. Just call me Steph. This is my guide, Joe.


PANEL FIVE: Commander holds the backwards-opening door as Steph climbs in the hotrod with her purple duffle. She is looking over her shoulder and sticking her tongue out at Joe as he simply steps over the side into the back of the convertible.

COMMANDER (Holding car door): My pleasure, Miss Brown. YOU may call me Code-A.

STEPH (Sticking tongue out at Joe as she gets in car): Thanks, Cody... such a gentleman! Pay attention, Joe. You might learn something about how to treat a lady.

JOE: If Joe meet one.


PANEL SIX: The three in the car as it motors down the road away from the still steaming taxi.

COMMANDER: So, did your car overheat?

STEPH: We hit something. What was it, Joe... an armadillo or a coyote or something?

JOE: Chuppy.

COMMANDER: Ahh, a chupacabra. Nasty little buggers.


PANEL SEVEN: The convertible continues to wind along a desert road.

STEPH: So are you a wrestler, Cody?

JOE: Luchador.

COMMANDER: I prefer Ninjador. I'm so much more than a simple grappler! I fight for honor... for glory... for...

STEPH: So you're a superhero like Batman?

COMMANDER: You might say that. I'm searching for the drug-smuggler El Dorado who murdered my teammates. Rumor has it he's offering great riches to those who join him.


******

PAGE EIGHT: Three panels, one half-page above two quarter-page. The top panel and bottom two panels are divided by a slightly diagonal rule from lower left to upper right so that the top panel is taller on the left side. This also makes the lower left panel shorter than the lower right panel.


PANEL ONE: Done as if from an aerial perspective, the tricked out jalopy carrying our three protagonists is pulling into a junky single pump gas station in the desert, a trail of dust over the road behind. A sign over the station reads "LAST GASP" except that the P has come loose and hangs upside down. There are mountains in the background. Parked next to the station is a biplane with an emblem of a marihuana leaf on top of one wing and with a lucha mask with a star on top of the other wing. Speech bubbles come from the car.

CAPTION: Soon.

COMMANDER: Time for a pit stop! I need to fill up and maybe this place can help with your car.

STEPH: Thanks, Cody. I need to go go go like Speed Racer! It'll be such a relief just to...


PANEL TWO: A tight shot of Steph's face, eyes wide with terror, mouth open and screaming. Her face is turned slightly toward panel three.

STEPH: Ohmyfreakingawd!


PANEL THREE: A female skeleton stands in the doorway of the station wearing a dress and beads, holding a bouquet of marigolds in her boney hands, a scorpion perched in the jaws of her skull, tail arched and pointing like a stuck-out tongue. There should be some lines suggesting movement around the figure. There is a rodeo poster on the wall next to the door. (AIYEEEEEEE!!!) in large letters across the bottom of panel.


******


PAGE NINE: Three panels. Two panels divided by a diagonal rule from lower left corner to upper right corner take up the top two-thirds of page. This diagonal should potentially bisect the female skeleton figure in the dress, a portion of which appears in each of the two panels, facing towards the reader on the left and away on the right. There is a horizontal panel across the bottom of the page.


PANEL ONE: A midget dressed as in overalls and with make-up like a rodeo clown stands to the left of the front of the dress-wearing skeleton. His shoulders are scrunched up to his cringing painted face, his brows raised.

MIDGET: Can you be helped?

STEPH (Connected to panel two): You scared the pee out of me!

MIDGET: I'm just setting out my Catrina for the Day of the Dead.

STEPH (Also connected to panel two): Day of the what?


PANEL TWO: Steph standing in shorts and loose-fitting white t-shirt. There is dark shading on a portion of the crotch and inner thigh of her khaki shorts. Joe stands to the right, a boot raised to crush the scorpion on the ground at the feet of the back of the skeleton in the center of the page. Commander Code-A is behind them in the background by his car at the pump.

JOE: Dead.

MIDGET (Connected to panel one): A day to celebrate and be with one's ancestors.

STEPH: That's totally creepy.

COMMANDER: I need to fill up, Clown.

MIDGET (Also connected to panel one): Hold your horses... ladies first!


PANEL THREE: The midget holding the bouquet of marigolds up to Steph in such a way as to hide his face from her view as he leers under it. Her cleavage is at his eye-level or just above. The midget is smiling broadly, his eyes wide, his tongue hanging out even. Steph is biting her lip and has a brow lofted as she looks at the flowers.

MIDGET (RODEO LAD): Nice to meet you, señorita. I'm Rodeo Lad. And I'm sorry I startled you. Here, take these flowers as an offering.

STEPH: Okay... Rodeo Lad... thanks... I think? I'm Steph. Where's the restroom?


******


PAGE TEN: Four roughly equal horizontal panels.


PANEL ONE: The three men stand by the gas pump in front of the car, staring.

CAPTION: As Steph goes to change clothes.

COMMANDER: What a lovely uplifting young woman.

JOE: Nice.

RODEO LAD: Ass.


PANEL TWO: The midget pumps gas into the tricked-out car as Commander and Joe watch him.

RODEO LAD: So where are you people headed?

COMMANDER: I picked them up a few miles back down the highway where their car broke down.

JOE: Hoses?

RODEO LAD: Sure, inside. I should have what you need to get properly hosed. Hahaha.


PANEL THREE: Commander hovering over Rodeo as he pumps gas. Joe is walking away in the background to the right.

COMMANDER: I'm looking for the notorious El Dorado. Have you heard anything?

RADIO LAD: They say El Dorado takes from the gringos and gives to the people.


PANEL FOUR: The masked ninjador scowls at Rodeo and points a finger as the midget replaces the nozzle on the pump.

COMMANDER: That little bastard murdered my fellow ninjadors! I WILL not rest until I have hunted him down!

RODEO LAD: Hahaha. You just don't like the little people. Let me take care of the others.


******


PAGE ELEVEN: Six panels set two across and three deep.


PANEL ONE: The midget Rodeo Lad is seen from behind, his eye to the keyhole of a door, his clown overalls around his knees, his unseen hands in front of him.

RODEO LAD: Hoochie Mama! Mi Dios! I got your fanny service right here!


PANEL TWO: A tight shot of Joe's angry face as he looks down toward the center of the page.

JOE: Filthy runt!


PANEL THREE: Joe's kicking boot striking the midget's bare backside.

JOE (bubble arrowed from panel two): Shoo.

STEPH (bubble from behind the door.): What's going on...


PANEL FOUR: Steph's head is looking out and around from behind the now partially opened door which she has pushed open with purple-gloved-hand. Perhaps a leg and an arm are also visible, making it seem clear that she is undressed.

STEPH: ...out here! Joe!? What do you want?

JOE (bubble from panel two above): Nothing. Joe talk.

STEPH: Okay, go ahead while I finish getting dressed.

JOE (bubble from panel two above): Joe go, fix car. You wait here.


PANEL FIVE: A tight shot of Steph's face as she bites a lip and looks up to the center of the page with earnest eyes.

STEPH: Joe, my mission can't wait for you to fix the car. I have to be there by sundown! I'll see if I can get Cody to help me... or I'll walk.


PANEL SIX: Joe walking away into the desert carrying a piece of hose. A coyote is watching from behind a cactus.

JOE: Vaya con Dios, Chica.


******


PAGE TWELVE: Splash page. The side of Commander Code-A's masked head and shoulder frame a portion of the left side and bottom of page.  Enough of his face can be seen in profile to tell that he is gaping in astonishment. He is looking at Steph as she stands there as Batgirl in full costume with a determined expression behind the cowl.

COMMANDER: Miss Brown?

STEPH: Batgirl. Here to help!

COMMANDER: Batgirl?

STEPH: Well... having trouble giving it up... I've come so far.

COMMANDER: I could never put such a lovely young woman in danger.

STEPH: I have the means to lead you to this El Dorado of yours, but only if you take me with you!

COMMANDER: You're no ninjador, Miss Brown.

STEPH: Batgirl! Do you want to avenge your fellow ninjadors or not?

COMMANDER: You... I... you drive a hard bargain, Miss Br...atgirl!



******


PAGE THIRTEEN: Five panels. Panel one is horizontal across the top fourth of the page. Panels two, three and four are side by side across the second fourth of page. Panel five takes up the whole bottom half of page.


PANEL ONE: From behind car stopped in the foreground we see dense jungle ahead of them. Steph is standing up on the passenger side and pointing ahead into the jungle.

CAPTION: A mere twenty minutes later.

STEPH: My GPS tracker indicates the location should be only like another 400 yards straight ahead.

COMMANDER: Are you sure? All I see is a tropical rain forest.

STEPH: Don't you think dense jungle in the middle of a desert is a bit strange?

COMMANDER: True. Fortunately Batman isn't the only one with toys in his boot.


PANEL TWO: They are out of the car, standing by the open trunk of the car and Commander Code-A is handing Steph a chainsaw he apparently took out of it.

COMMANDER: Here, you take the chainsaw...


PANEL THREE: Commander Code-A wearing a flamethrower tank and torching some jungle.

COMMANDER: ...and I'll take the flamethrower.


PANEL FOUR: Steph cutting her way through jungle with the chainsaw.

STEPH: Nice toys, Cody!


PANEL FIVE: Commander and Batgirl in a clearing surrounded by thugs with automatic weapons. The leader of the thugs is grinning. There is a golden pyramid in the background.

CAPTION: Nightfall, after a couple hours of slash and burn.

STEPH: We should be almost there.

COMMANDER: I think I see... a gang of thugs.

STEPH: With guns!

THUG LEADER: El Dorado promises gold for human sacrifices. Gracias for volunteering.


******


PAGE FOURTEEN: Four panels. Panel one fills top two-thirds of the page. Panels two, three and four are equal-sized across the bottom of the page below that.


PANEL ONE: Golden pyramid rising out of the ground. El Dorado stands atop a golden pyramid next to a female crystal skeleton. The skeleton is wearing a robe and carrying a scythe with a long handle in one bony hand and a golden globe in the other hand. El Dorado is a midget dressed in a golden bodysuit with a star on the forehead of his mask. Four bodies dressed like Commander Code-A lie on slabs around El Dorado. A beam of yellow gold energy is coming down from the night sky into the crystal skull. Four smaller beams emanate from a golden orb that hangs around the skeleton's neck, one each going into each of the four bodies on the slabs. All are dressed in suits like Commander Code-A but each has a different mask. One has bat ears and wings. One has a coyote face. The female one has a dragonfly design. One has a braided ponytail that looks like a scorpion's tail.

EL DORADO: ...grant me power over death and I shall use it to bring you back to life, my goddess!


PANEL TWO: Steph's gaping face looking up.

STEPH: What's happening up there?


PANEL THREE: Commander Code-A's face with a grim clenched jaw behind the mask.

COMMANDER: That fiend El Dorado is turning the corpses of my dead teammates into zombies!


PANEL FOUR: El Dorado with a maniacal grin on his masked face, pointing a finger downward.

EL DORADO: Kill them. Kill them all. Except the girl. I need her alive!


******


PAGE FIFTEEN: Four panels. Panel one is top two-fifths of page. Panels two and three are side by side horizontally in the middle fifth. Panel four is the bottom two fifths.


PANEL: Big battle scene. The thugs that surround Commander Code-A and Steph are being ripped apart by the four zombie ninjadors even as the thugs fire their guns without effect.  The zombie ninjadors are now humanoid monsters wearing costumes that look like knock-offs of famous characters: Batman, Foxbat, Dragonfly, Scorpion. The Batman one with cowl and wings is breaking the neck of a thug near Steph. The Foxbat one with coyote features grins even as he is shot by a gaping thug. The slender female Dragonfly one with gossamer wings, bodysuit and visor is flying at Code-A. The Scorpion one has his claw-like hands around a thug throat as his braided ponytail that looks like a scorpion's arches over his head and stings the grimacing thug.

STEPH: They're unstoppable!

COMMANDER: We'll just see about that...


PANEL TWO: Commander Code-A using his flamethrower on the dragonfly ninjador, engulfing her in flames.

COMMANDER: Cremation time, old friend!


PANEL THREE: Steph grimacing as she uses the chainsaw to lop an arm off of the batman masked ninjador, blood and guts spraying everywhere.

STEPH: Rest in pieces... eww... just EWWW!


PANEL FOUR: Commander Code-A has backed into Steph as he continues to shoot flames at the burning female ninjador. Steph is making a face as she looks down. An arm, a wing, the watching head and two legs of the ninjador are already severed and lying about her. The remaining arm on the torso at her feet is grabbing her boot as she cuts it off at the wrist with the chainsaw.

STEPH: It won't die! It just keeps coming!

COMMANDER: Because it's already dead.

STEPH: They're like the four ninjadors of the apocalypse!


******


PAGE SIXTEEN: Five panels. Panel one is the top third of the page. Panels two, three and four are side by side horizontally across the middle third of page. Panel five is the bottom third.

PANEL ONE: Steph is posed as if she has just thrown the chainsaw which is impacting and knocking the coyote ninjador off his feet. Commander Code-A is struggling hand to hand with the scorpion ninjador who with a claw has just snipped the line between the flamethrower in Code-A's hands and the tank on his back. Fuel from the line is squirtng on the back of Code-A's mask.

STEPH: Crap, I just ran out of gas!

COMMANDER: Likewise. Run, senorita, while I hold them off!


PANEL TWO: Steph pointing her grapple gun upwards and firing off a line. (POOT)

STEPH: Not before I get that crystal skull.

COMMANDER (From panel one): What?


PANEL THREE: Steph with a self-satisfied smirk on her face, her hands gripping the zip line.

STEPH: The skull's the key, Cody! Got it!


PANEL FOUR: A grapple hook has snared the base of the crystal skull, however El Dorado is using the blade of the scythe in the skeleton's hand to cut the zipline. (SNAP)

EL DORADO: I don't think so!


PANEL FIVE: Steph looking at Commander Code-A with a crestfallen expression and a slack zipline in her hands as Code-A sidekicks the Scorpion ninjador away. The burning ninjador and coyote ninjador are approaching in the background from either side.

STEPH: Well I DID have it for a second there.

COMMANDER: Back to the car! Now!


******


PAGE SEVENTEEN: Four horizontal panels, the divisions between being slightly tilted as fits the action.

PANEL ONE: Commander Code-A and Steph are surrounded by a multitude of little leathery creatures and the burning ninjador. The reptilian creatures that look like a cross between gremlins and shriveled old aliens with fangs and claws. None is taller than about the waist of our heroes. The golden pyramid looms in the background behind them.

STEPH: What in the world...

COMMANDER: Chupacabra! Not of this world.


PANEL TWO: Steph is leaping up and splits kicking a chupacabra on either side while throwing a third into the approaching coyote zombie ninjador. Code-A is flipping the flaming female zombie ninjador over his shoulder into several chupacabra.

STEPH: There must be thousands of them!

COMMANDER: More like millions. Keep fighting!


PANEL THREE: Steph's eyes are wide behind her mask as she looks over at Code-A while elbowing one chupacabra and sidekicking another. Code-A's mask is engulfed in flames. Chupacabras swarm his lower body as he reaches to the mask.

STEPH: Cody! Your mask is on fire! Get it off quickly!

COMMANDER: But a ninjador never removes his...


PANEL FOUR: Steph is gaping at Commander Code-A with a horrified expression as the chupacabra swarm her in mass. Code-A holds his flaming mask in one hand. His brows are raised as if in disbelief as he is shown his own still beating heart which the clawed hand of the scorpion zombie ninjador has just ripped from his chest.

COMMANDER: mask... urk...

STEPH: Ohmygawd! Nooo...

COMMANDER: it's up... to you... now... Brat...

STEPH: But I'm just one girl against...


******


PAGE EIGHTEEN: Five panels. Panels one, two and three are side by side across the top half of the page. Panel five is the bottom half of the page. Panel four is a circular inset over the bottom of panel one and top left of panel five.


PANEL ONE: Steph battling chupacabra with her staff, knocking two away even as others are hanging on her legs and one is seemingly wrenching the staff away from her.

STEPH: So many!

EL DORADO (from panel four): Alive I said!


PANEL TWO: Chupacabra are hanging all over Steph as a kick from the scorpion zombie ninjador doubles her over.

STEPH: (Ooph!)


PANEL THREE: Steph falling forward into the horde of chupacabra as the coyote zombie ninjador judo chops her from behind.

STEPH: Ungh.


PANEL FOUR: The maniacal face of El Dorado in his golden mask with the star on forehead.


PANEL FIVE: Only a few glimpses of Steph are visible through the swarming horde of chupacabra on top of her as tattered pieces of equipment and purple costume going flying in all directions.

EL DORADO (From panel four): Strip her and bring her to me!

STEPH: AiyeeeEEEEE!!


******


PAGE NINETEEN: Three horizontal panels.


PANEL ONE: The view is from an angle below the slab. Steph is being bound to a golden slab by chupacabra, a couple of which are strategically positioned to block any possible view of Steph's crotch or chest areas. Steph's head is to the left side of panel and she has a furious indignant expression on her face as she looks up at El Dorado. El Dorado is seen at an angle from behind in the foreground to the right of panel as he watches the proceedings. The coyote zombie ninjador can be seen standing in the background.

EL DORADO: Stretch her out. Yes. Tightly.

STEPH: You crazed sex fiend!


PANEL TWO: The perspective has shifted upwards to slab level and been rotated clockwise. El Dorado is standing to the left of Steph. Steph is now seen from directly behind a chupacabra in the foreground standing between Steph's spread eagle legs. It is obvious the ropes binding her ankles to metal rings in the stone are very tight. Chupacabra are swarming all about and over Steph, again blocking the view as needed. Her questioning face can be seen over El Dorado's shoulder. The female skeleton with crystal skull and scythe can be seen standing in the background beyond and to the left of Steph's head.

EL DORADO: Heh. You're comely, chica, but I'm more interested in making it possible for Mictecacihuatl to walk this world once more!

STEPH: Mmm-icked-eek-as-see-who?


PANEL THREE: Another shift of perspective upwards above slab level and clockwise. Steph is still bound to the gold slab, swarming chupacabra strategically positioned to block any possible view of Steph's crotch or chest areas. Steph's head is to the upper right side of panel and she is biting her lip in an expression of worry as she looks up at El Dorado. El Dorado is now standing next to the skeleton with the scythe. They are behind Steph and slab in the middle of panel. He looks at her with a smirk. The scorpion zombie ninjador can be seen standing in the background to the left.

EL DORADO: The goddess of the dead. Once I've skinned you alive and the power of the stars fuses your skin to her bones she will live once more!

STEPH (thinks): I've been in tighter spots than this... LIKE HELL I HAVE!


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PAGE TWENTY: Splash page. The view is from above. Steph's head is to the lower right corner of the page. El Dorado is at her right shoulder with a big knife in his hand and a huge grin on his lips. Chupacabra are swarming all over her body so that you, dear reader, still see no naughty bits.

EL DORADO: Now to attend to the gruesome details. I suspect this will be unbelievably painful. Feel free to scream, but don't move. Oh right. You can't! Hahahahaha!!!

STEPH: You demented bastard! You're insane!

EL DORADO: Really? You cut me with your words. Allow me to return the favor with a keen edge.

CAPTION (At bottom of the page): Join us next month to see if our heroine can ever be comfortable in her own skin again and if there will even be a Further Awesome Adventures of the Unskinable Stephanie Brown #2.


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