jeriendhal | Officer Wayne: Issue #0 (Reply)

This was a request by Naziha Zahed, for something she could practice her comic skills on.

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Establishing Shot: Gotham City, a panoramic view of the whole city, the evening sky dark and grey with clouds, a few snowflakes floating past.

Narration: Gotham City, twenty-five years ago.

Scene: Crime Alley, outside the Monarch Theater. Dirty snow is shoveled into mounds on the sidewalk. Two uniformed COPS, GORDON and BULLOCK are walking past a YOUNG ALFRED, who is wearing a chauffeur uniform, waiting beside the Wayne's Rolls Royce limousine.

BULLOCK: Jim, it ain't stealing. Y' don't take much, just a little somethin' here and there, so they know you're watching them.

GORDON: I don't want to hear this.

BULLOCK: Look, I'm just tellin' ya so you'll fit in. Nobody's gonna put themselves on the line for a stiff neck like you.

GORDON: Bullock, stop talking. You're making my head hurt.

They start walking past the entrance to the alley beside the theater.

S/FX: CRACK! CRACK!

Gordon and Bullock both turn in alarm at the sound.

MARTHA WAYNE: (not in view, voice coming from the alley) Tom! Oh, God! TOM!

SCENE: Looking from the alley entrance out into the street, as Gordon and Bullock start running into the alley, pulling their pistols out, as we hear another CRACK! CRACK!

BULLOCK (yelling into his radio): Dispatch, this is Bullock! Shots fired! Shots fired! Monarch Theater at the corner of Miller and Conroy!

SCENE: Overhead shot, looking down into the alley. The classic pose of young BRUCE WAYNE standing bereft before the crumpled, bleeding bodies of his parents, his mother's pearls spilled out along the ground. But this time he's flanked by two other people, JOE CHILL at one end, and GORDON at the other, both with their pistols raised.

POV BRUCE: Looking up at GORDON, the police officer silhouetted from the light outside the alley, pistol raised, his face hard and determined.

GORDON: Put the gun down! DROP IT NOW!

WIDER SHOT: Camera's POV is bit behind GORDON, BRUCE is kneeling now in front of his parents, eyes wide as he looks up at the police officer. Behind them both CHILL is raising his arms, his pistol on the ground.

SCENE: A few moments later, BULLOCK is shoving CHILL against the wall as he cuffs him, while GORDON checks the bodies of the Waynes.

GORDON (speaking into the radio): Dispatch, Gordon. We need a black and white and two ambulances. Two victims and a survivor.

cont. (talking to Bruce now, taking hold of his shoulders): Son, are you hurt?

BRUCE (in shock): N-no.

GORDON: What's your name?

BRUCE: B-Bruce... Bruce Wayne.

BULLOCK (turning from where he's standing over a bloody-nosed CHILL): Wayne? Those Waynes? Oh @#$%!

GORDON: Shut up, Bullock! Just hold onto the suspect while I talk to the boy.

(cont.) (leading Bruce out of the alley, away from the carnage. The snow is picking up. Off in the distance we can see ALFRED looking over at them in alarm.)

I know it's hard, but I need you tell me exactly what happened, son.

BRUCE: We were leaving the theater. It was crowded. Dad said going through the alley would be faster. The man with the gun told us to stop. Dad stepped in front of me and Mom, then the man... the man....

Gordon kneels down to gather Bruce in his arms as the boy begins to sob.

GORDON: We got him, Bruce. I know that's not enough, but we got him.

ALFRED (running up, alarmed): Master Bruce! What has happened?

BRUCE: The man shot Mom and Dad. (sniffs) This officer saved me.

LONG SHOT: A panoramic view of the street, Gordon still holding onto Bruce, as a police car and ambulance turn onto the street and a shocked crowd begins to gather.

(cont.) The policeman saved me...

NARRATION BOX: Sometimes one man, in the right place, at the right time, can make all the difference in the world.

SPLASH PAGE: Adult BRUCE WAYNE, twenty five years later, standing proud and tall in his patrolman's uniform. At the bottom of the shot is the title OFFICER WAYNE, a GCPD shield where we would normally expect to see the Batman logo.