header1
header2
header3

TV Script: Justice League Unlimited `Time Warped`

July 30th, 2012 | Posted by Eugene Son in Scripts - (Comments Off)

This is a script snippet from the Justice League Unlimited episode, “The Once and Future Thing, Part Two: Time Warped.”

Dwayne was really proud of how well this scene turned out. In the first season of Ben 10: Ultimate Alien, actor Peter MacNicol was cast to play a recurring character. Dwayne was really excited to use him again, because MacNicol had done such a tremendous job playing Chronos on Justice League.

Dwayne wrote an amazing scene. This is from Dwayne’s draft, dated May 6, 2004.

EXT. TITANIC – NIGHT

It’s the Titanic, parked on the Neo Gotham streets. Nearby, also on the ground, is the tip of the ICEBERG that sank it.

INT. TITANIC SUITE – NIGHT

It’s the nicest stateroom on the ship. David Clinton, now “CHRONOS,” is sitting on the bed, his legs dangling. He kicks them as a little kid would. Seated next to him is ENID, dressed in formal, Elizabethan-era finery. She looks terrified. She’s trying to mollify him.

CHRONOS

Enid? I have to say that I’m vexed. Yes, “vexed” is precisely the word for it.

ENID

You shouldn’t let yourself get upset, David.

He reaches over to gently cup her cheek in his palm. She flinches but forces herself to let him. He hops off the bed to the floor.

CHRONOS

You’re right, dear. But here we are.

New angle reveals the JOKERZ (only two Didis), standing in a row before him. They’re very nervous.

CHRONOS (CONT’D)

Look at it from my point of view. I go to the trouble of taking over the whole city, so I have a nice place to keep my collection...

ENID

And it’s a beautiful collection, David.

CHUCKO

I was going to say the same thing, Boss. For instance, this is a really nice boat. Big!

CHRONOS

Don’t patronize me Chucko. And especially don’t interrupt me.

CHUCKO

Sorry.

CHRONOS

Sorry, what? Everybody?

JOKERZ

(like dutiful schoolchildren)

Sorry, Lord Chronos.

Chronos walks back and forth in front of them, like a drill Sargent inspecting his troops.

CHRONOS

It doesn’t seem right. I go to the future. I get the technology that gives you all your new superpowers. I let you run amok in my town in return for the occasional ... security job. And what do you do in return?

BOTH DIDIS

Ummm...

CHRONOS

Rhetorical. My point is, I give you an easy job: Take care of Batman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern. It should have been ten minutes work.

BONK II

But the JLU showed up. They got in our way.

CHRONOS

Yes, they did. And the question arises, who told them where and when our targets would arrive? I mean, I told you and I only know because I’m the undisputed master of space and time.

CHUCKO

I’ll look into it boss. I’ll find out where the leak was.

CHRONOS

Don’t trouble yourself, Chucko. No. Don’t bother.

Chronos cups his hand over his mouth and leans into Chucko’s ear, as if to whisper a secret.

CHRONOS (CONT’D)

(Sotto Voce)

I already know.

Chronos pushes a button on his belt and a TIME VIEW OPENS. It’s a floating hole in space.

THE TIME VIEW

In a dark alley, somewhere in Neo Gotham. Batman Beyond is giving money to someone we can’t see.

CHRONOS (CONT’D)

Somebody’s getting a payoff. Yes, he is.

Now we can see who’s getting the cash, it’s Chucko.

CHUCKO

Sweating as he sees the evidence.

CHRONOS

Frowning as he closes the Time View.

CHRONOS (CONT’D)

[tsk, tsk] Chucko, Chucko, Chucko. You’ve been a very bad clown.

Chronos grabs Chucko’s sleeve and opens a TIME SLIDE. They both VANISH.

CUT TO:

EXT. CRETACEOUS/TERTIARY PLAIN – NIGHT

A prehistoric shoreline, heavy with vegetation. DINOSAURS graze peacefully and wade in the large body of water nearby. A TIME SLIDE OPENS depositing Chronos and Chucko.

CHRONOS (CONT’D)

Enjoy your stay.

Chronos VANISHES again in a time slide. Chucko looks around, frightened of a Dinosaur who seems to be taking a mild interest in him. Chucko FIRES UP his energy staff and blusters.

CHUCKO

You think I’m scared? I’ll be running this dump in a few yea--

Chucko reacts to the SHADOW passing over him. He looks up to see what’s blocking the sun, A GIGANTIC ASTEROID is heading right for the camera. Resigned, Chucko lets his energy staff fall from his limp hands. His shoulders sag as he realizes what’s about to happen.

CHUCKO (CONT’D)

Aw, Fooey.

EXT. EARTH – NIGHT

The Asteroid strikes the Earth like a gigantic hammer blow. There is a HUGE EXPLOSION.

CUT TO:

INT. TITANIC SUITE – NIGHT

Chronos TIMESLIDES back into the scene.

CHRONOS

Do you know what killed the Dinosaurs?

BONK II

N-no, sir.

CHRONOS

Well, Chucko does. And unless you want to find out first hand, you’ll go finish off the Justice League.

On San Diego and Toothbrushes

July 9th, 2012 | Posted by Eugene Son in Dwayne McDuffie Stories - (Comments Off)

The annual Comic Con International in San Diego starts later this week. It’s one of the times of year when Dwayne’s presence is missed the most. So many great memories of buying books, meals, parties, panels, signings. Even just sitting in the lobby of the San Diego Marriott to stay up late and talk and tell stories.

Trying to think of the “best” Dwayne/Comic Con story to tell, but this is the one that pops to mind. It happened way before I met him. It took place when Dwayne was working for Marvel Comics – I’m guessing around 1987. It was when the San Diego Comic Con was nowhere near as big as it is now, and it was held back in the old San Diego Convention Center.

Dwayne told a story of a bunch of fans who came down to hang out at the Marvel booth – just wanting to talk Marvel comics. On Thursday, these fans had the greatest time simply chatting with anyone and everyone who made Marvel Comics. Most of them were fine, but there was one comic book fan in their group that had a problem.

His breath. His breath was awful.

It was so bad that no one wanted to speak to him. When he’d come around to talk, the person on the receiving end would immediately cringe and try to get away from him. It was just rancid. And he was apparently completely oblivious. It just made everyone who was working the Marvel booth miserable.

And that was just Thursday.

He came back on Friday. To chat and talk and ask questions and spend time around the entire staff of Marvel Comics. And his breath was just unbearable. Saturday rolled around, and sure enough, he and his friends came by to spend time with the people at Marvel – most of whom they knew now from three days of conversing with them.

On Sunday he returned. But this time Dwayne was ready for him. Before the guy could talk, Dwayne immediately shoved a toothbrush in the guy’s face.

The guy was stunned. He tried to stammer that he already had one, but Dwayne interrupted him and said, “You’re clearly lying.” Dwayne told the guy to take the toothbrush and use it.

The guy didn’t know what to say, so he looked to his friends to say something. Dwayne responded, “They know. Your friends know. They’ve just been too polite to say anything about it to you.” The friends turned red and looked away or down. Dwayne was right.

Dwayne continued, “Now it’s going to bleed the first time you do this. That’s normal because you haven’t been brushing regularly. But you have to brush your teeth. Twice a day.”

With that, the guy took the toothbrush and left. Since it was Sunday, we’ll never know if the guy took Dwayne’s advice. But I personally like to think that somewhere out there is a comic book fan who has better oral hygiene thanks to Dwayne McDuffie.

Okay, one last memory from Dwayne’s last Comic Con in 2010. It was late Friday night in the lobby of the San Diego Marriott. Dwayne was hanging out with Charlotte and Tom Kenny when they got a text from Yuri Lowenthal (voice of Ben 10) that he was coming by with a friend. Yuri showed up along with actor Aaron Douglas, aka Tyrol from Battlestar Galactica.

Dwayne was excited about getting to meet him. He was genuinely excited to chat with an actor from one of his favorite sci-fi tv shows.

With all the work Dwayne did over his career, he was such a giant in comics and tv. But even for a pro’s pro like Dwayne, there were times when it wasn’t just work. There were times when it was okay for him to just be a fan.

Even if it was only once a year every summer in San Diego.