ISSUE 1
PAGE 1
PANEL 1
These first two pages all have a sepia tint to differentiate that this is a frame story, introducing our character who is telling the tale.
Big panel: Stone angel in the foreground, a garden ornament, weathered, covered with moss, seen from behind (throughout this series, we will NOT show the angels’ faces). It is on the edge of a garden; there are flowers in bloom, vegetables in rows in the garden, orchard trees all around, with APPLES, bright red, hanging from the branches. (Apples will be a metaphor throughout the story.)
Mid-ground, the real focus, is an old man, old OWEN HARDY, in a chair with a book on his lap, a journal, and a pen in his hand.
NOTE: Owen Hardy is an old man here, but he is NON-ETHNICALLY SPECIFIC … should have darker/olive skin, dark eyes, dark hair, could be Hispanic, Greek, Filipino, light-skinned black. Who can tell? This is an Everyman, worldwide.
CAPTION
Adventuring is for the young …
CAPTION
Remembering is for the old.
CAPTION
But in order to remember, one must have done the things in the first place.
CAPTION
Too many people forget that.
PANEL 2
Close-up of open book, blank page, hand holding pen, as Owen ponders.
CAPTION
It seems like a lifetime ago—which, of course, it was … all that and more. A good life, too, though it didn’t always feel that way.
CAPTION
How do I tell that?
PANEL 3
Three children go running through the garden, wild and rowdy, a girl pulling the string of a kite, a boy with a makeshift wooden sword, and ALAIN, a blond, freckle-faced kid.
SWORD BOY
You’ll never get me! I’m the Anarchist!
GIRL
You’re not smart enough … or evil enough!
PANEL 4
Alain stops and turns to face Owen, who is watching the wild kids with a trace of amusement.
ALAIN
Grandpa Owen, could you tell us a story?
OWEN
My stories are for everyone … but only those who want to listen.
PANEL 5
Sword boy and the kite girl tease Alain.
KITE GIRL
Come on, Alain! Do you want to sit around, or do you want to PLAY?
PANEL 5
The boy goes bounding off with his friends.
CAPTION
“And no one can listen all the time …”
PAGE 2
PANEL 1
A MONTAGE of images, like scattered photographs—use Hugh Syme’s paintings from the published novel, scattered images of memories, teasers of the story to come. Intersperse captions among them
CAPTION
From the very start, I had stability, measurable happiness, a perfect life.
CAPTION
Everything had its place, and every place had its thing.
CAPTION
I knew my role in the world. What more could anyone want?
CAPTION
I wanted more. And I got more … so much more.
PANEL 2
Birds-eye shot of the sprawling, colorful landscape, circus tents, striped and colorful practice pavilions.
CAPTION
Pirates, anarchists, alchemy, lost cities, treachery, explosions, adventure …
PANEL 3
Owen in his garden.
CAPTION
Adventuring is for the young … I wish that I could live it all again.
PANEL 4
Close-up of hand writing these words: “The best place to start an adventure is with a quiet, perfect life … and someone who realizes that it can’t possibly be enough.”
PANEL 5
Owen looks up at the sky.
PAGE 3
PANEL 1
Small panel, an echo of previous panel, but this time a young Owen, staring into the sky, same position.
OWEN
That one, there … it looks like a dragon.
PANEL 2
Owen is sitting under an apple tree on a hill. His back is against the trunk, feet sprawled out in front of him as he looks up at a big cloud in the sky. This panel is right out of the Rush song “The Analog Kid” on the Signals album. He is looking up at a big cloud in the sky, gray and puffy, but it is shaped just like the dragon from the cover of the Rush in Rio album.
OWEN
See its wings, the head, Lavinia?
PANEL 3
Pull back a little to show that Lavinia is standing next to Owen; she is a teenaged girl, brown hair, and everything about her reeks of No Nonsense. She has a basket of apples in one hand. In this panel, though it is almost exactly the same as Panel 2, the cloud looks like just a cloud.
LAVINIA
Owen Hardy, why do you always see shapes in the clouds?
OWEN
I wonder why I’m the only one who does …
PANEL 4
Owen picks an apple from a branch above his head.
OWEN
I like to dream of what’s out there in the wide world. The Watchmaker, Crown City, the Alchemy College … the Clockwork Angels!
OWEN
I can’t stop thinking big.
PANEL 5
Lavinia puts the apple in her basket; her expression is somewhat annoyed.
LAVINIA
I’d rather you spent more time thinking about being the assistant apple orchard manager and the town business of Barrel Arbor. We’re on the schedule to be married soon.
LAVINIA
That’s the Watchmaker’s plan. All is for the best.
PANEL 6
Owen stands, excited, on top of the hill, shading his eyes to look down in the sweeping valley below, where a STEAMLINER is passing by, like a bizarre steampunk caravan/freight train of zeppelin balloons, rail cars, gondolas with wheels, following a glowing blue line on the ground, like a magical rail. This is in the distance and we can just barely see how exotic it is. [We will get a full-scale look at it on page 12.]
OWEN
Ah, someday, to hop a steamliner, head off to see all of Albion …
PANEL 7
Lavinia stares at a pocketwatch in her hand.
LAVINIA
But not today. The Watchmaker has a rainstorm scheduled in thirteen minutes. We’ll have to run.
PAGE 4
PANEL 1
Hand in hand, with Owen carrying the basket of apples, the two run down the hill path toward the town. If possible, they run past a stone angel as a sort of marker at a crossroads (but the angel’s face is averted from us)
OWEN (LAUGHING)
Plenty of time!
PANEL 2
Running down the main street. The town of Barrel Arbor is a quaint, steampunk, almost medieval little British-style town, half-timbered houses, thatched roofs, fieldstone walls, a water wheel and a mill (just to give a feel … these don’t all have to be depicted.) ALSO NOTE, the symbol of the Watchmaker is the honeybee (see CLOCKWORK ANGELS novel for design). The honeybee symbol will appear as a detail on buildings, signs, etc., wherever Nick can slip it in.
As Owen and Lavinia run past, a shopkeeper or baker is inside his shop, leaning out the window and pulling the shutters closed. He calls to the two.
SHOPKEEPER
Hurry, you two, or you’ll be caught in the downpour. The Watchmaker is never late.
PANEL 3
Owen looks up at the town’s clocktower, a square stone tower, taller than any other building in town (but not huge) with a clock face on every side. The clock face shows 3:05.
OWEN
Six more minutes …
PANEL 4
Owen and Lavinia stop at a small brick shop, like a telegraph office. A hanging wooden placard outside the door says “NEWSGRAPH OFFICE, P. Paquette, Prop.” (There is a honeybee symbol on the sign.)
LAVINIA
I have to get inside and help my father. Take your apples to the cider house—and don’t be late.
PANEL 5
Owen close-up (possibly Owen and Lavinia two-shot). Owen has a longing look on his face.
OWEN
Wait! We’re going to be married soon enough—we should do something exciting. Meet me up on Orchard Hill at midnight.
OWEN
We’ll have a kiss in the moonlight … and watch the late-night steamliner heading toward Crown City.
OWEN
Please? Just this once …
PANEL 6
Lavinia, exasperated, ducks into the Newsgraph Office.
LAVINIA
Someday you’ll be cured of all this nonsense, Owen Hardy …
PAGE 5
PANEL 1
Carrying the basket of apples, Owen shuffles along the town street without a care in the world, whistling. Note, the figure’s position is just like the kid on the cover of the Roll the Bones album.
OWEN
What’s a little rain?
PANEL 2
Big dramatic panel. Owen, his back to us, encounters THE PEDLAR on the otherwise empty town street. He has matted and tangled gray hair, a stovepipe hat, an eyepatch. And he is standing by a remarkable, heavily loaded steampunk-style cart. [See full description in the novel.]
OWEN
OH! Where did you come from?
OWEN
A pedlar won’t have much luck selling his wares now. The town’s closed, on account of the scheduled rain …
PANEL 3
Close-up of the Pedlar, his eyepatch, hat, tangled gray hair. [Note, we will see by the end of this issue that the Pedlar is really the Watchmaker in disguise.]
PEDLAR
And what about you, young man?
PEDLAR
What do you lack?
PAGE 6
PANEL 1
Small panel, Owen’s face shows puzzlement. He’s never thought about this before.
OWEN
Ummm … what do I lack?
PANEL 2
Big panel. The Pedlar tinkers with his amazing steampunk cart, adjusting packages. THROUGHOUT: the steampunk alchemy in this world runs on coldfire, a pale blue glowing energy source, so most manifestations of technology will have a pale blue glow about them.
PEDLAR
No rush. I’ll give you time to answer.
PANEL 3
Owen crosses his arms, as if giving a memorized answer from school.
OWEN
We have food, we have coldfire for warmth and energy, we have our jobs, we have happiness. Everything has its place and every place has its thing. There has been no chaos in Albion for centuries.
OWEN
Our loving Watchmaker takes care of our every need. All is for the best.
PANEL 4
Small panel, close on Owen. He lifts his chin.
OWEN
I lack for nothing, sir.
PANEL 5
Extreme close-up of the Pedlar’s narrow, intense eyes. They seem to have a bit of blue coldfire glow, too.
PEDLAR
That is the best answer a person can give.
PANEL 6
The Pedlar follows his cart as it begins to chug down the street. Blue-tinted steam boils out of a narrow exhaust stack. The Pedlar calls over his shoulder.
PEDLAR
Although such consistent prosperity certainly makes my profession a difficult one.
PAGE 7
PANEL 1
With a concerned expression, Owen looks at the town clocktower. Ominous gray clouds are gathering. But the clock shows 3:16.
OWEN
The rain is late …
PANEL 2
Owen holds out his hand, palm up. (Can be just a close-up of his outstretched hand.)
PANEL 3
Large panel, Owen watches the Pedlar, who is far down the street now, his cart entering the forest at the edge of Barrel Arbor. (For ref, see Hugh Syme’s painting of the Pedlar and his cart in the woods.)
PANEL 4
Small panel, a couple of raindrops spatter the ground.
PANEL 5
As rain begins to pour, Owen goes running down the street toward a fieldstone cider house, carrying the apples in one hand, holding down his cap with the other. (Put a cap on him in previous panels).
PANEL 6
Owen stands in the doorway of the cider house, panting, looking out at the sheeting rain. His father is in the interior shadows.
OWEN’S FATHER
You’re late, son.
OWEN
So is the rain …
PANEL 7
Owen’s father wipes his hand on a towel. Interior of the cider house has barrels and barrels of apples, an apple press, jugs stacked in the corners.
OWEN’S FATHER
There was a newsgraph update an hour ago, delaying the rain by eight minutes. All is for the best.
OWEN’S FATHER
Now let’s have an early supper. They’ll be expecting us at the tavern later.
PAGE 8
PANEL 1
A wooden sign hanging outside a British-style pub. The TICK TOCK TAVERN
PANEL 2
Interior of the pub, very pleasant and homey, something out of every quaint fairytale; technology level is steampunkish, around the end of the 19th century. Villagers sit around tables, talking, drinking tankards, everybody having a good time. Owen’s father makes an announcement as he hands a big tankard to young Owen, who is sitting at one of the tables.
OWEN’S FATHER
A mug of real hard cider for my son Owen, who’ll be a man soon. He’s already received his congratulations card from the Watchmaker.
PANEL 3
Owen accepts the mug, looking intimidated; maybe show him taking a nervous sip. If there’s room in the panel, other tavern customers cheer for him.
OWEN
Th-thanks. I guess I’ll have to learn to drink hard cider now …
OWEN’S FATHER (SMALL VOICE)
If only your mother could see you now …
PANEL 4
An officious-looking man (late 40s) with pince-nez spectacles and extravagant sideburns, stands holding a long piece of paper, reading it aloud. (Stylistically, this could be a long and thin strip of paper, like a tickertape, to imply that he’s reading something special.) This is Mr. PAQUETTE, Lavinia’s father.
MR. PAQUETTE
*Ahem* Today’s report, received at the Barrel Arbor newsgraph office.
But first I’d like to add, on a personal note, my delight in the imminent betrothal of my daughter Lavinia to young Owen Hardy, as is to be expected. *Ahem*
PANEL 5
Close-up of Mr. Paquette as he reads.
MR. PAQUETTE
And now the news. The Watchmaker is saddened to announce the loss of another steamliner en route to Poseidon. The Wreckers are believed to be responsible …
PANEL 6
The angry crowd, grumbling. Paquette continues (possibly out of panel.)
MR. PAQUETTE
The Anarchist planted another bomb and ruined a portion of the northern line, disrupting steamliner traffic throughout Albion. Fortunately, the airship captain was able to lift his cars to safety just in time, and no one was hurt.
CROWD (VARIOUS)
Damn the Anarchist!
The Devil take him!
PANEL 7
Owen looks very troubled, baffled more than infuriated.
OWEN
But why would anyone want to ruin what the Watchmaker created? Doesn’t he know how dangerous the world would be?
MR. PAQUETTE
He’s a freedom extremist, boy. How does a disordered mind work?
OWEN’S FATHER
It’s not ours to understand. All is for the best. Now drink up … time to get back home.
PAGE 9
PANEL 1
Establishing shot of Owen’s house, a quaint and humble dwelling next to the cider house we saw earlier.
PANEL 2
Inside the house, a quiet and dull evening. There are clocks on the wall, on the mantel, and a big grandfather clock in the corner. Owen’s father sits in a chair beside the fireplace, reading a newspaper. Owen in a smaller chair (like father, like son) is reading a large book.
OWEN
Didn’t you ever want to see Crown City, Dad?
OWEN’S FATHER
Not really, and not since the last time you asked. It was never in the schedule … Ah, your mother was always a dreamer, too …
PANEL 3
Close-up, Owen turns pages of the book, is fascinated.
OWEN
At least we have these books she used to read. It’s all we have left of her …
PANEL 4
Close-up of a page of the book, a tintype showing the Watchmaker’s tower and the Clockwork Angels emerging like a glockenspiel (but no detail on the angels’ faces).
OWEN (OFF PANEL)
Someday, maybe I’ll get to see the Clockwork Angels.
OWEN’S FATHER (OFF PANEL)
That was what your mother always said, too.
PANEL 5
Owen’s father gets up, winding a clock on the mantelpiece, while Owen puts the book on a shelf.
OWEN’S FATHER
Come now, help me wind and check all the clocks before we go to bed.
PANEL 6
Owen adjusts the weights on a big grandfather clock as his father heads into the bedroom.
OWEN
Good night, Dad. I’ll stay up a little while longer.
OWEN’S FATHER
You always do …
PAGE 10
PANEL 1
Inside the living room of the dark house, the fire in the fireplace has burned down to embers, leaving only a dull orange glow. The clock on the mantelpiece says 11:40.
CAPTION
Almost midnight …
CAPTION
Lavinia … my true love.
PANEL 2
Dressed, Owen opens the front door and tiptoes out of the house. He is carrying a small cloth sack (it has a few apples in it)
CAPTION
Is the thought of a secret kiss really so exciting?
CAPTION
I hope she thinks so …
PANEL 3
Night shadows, a moon in the sky, Owen walks along a tree-lined lane, eating an apple from his sack.
PANEL 4
On top of the hill, a night version of what we saw on Page 3, the landscape is vast, sparkling under the starlight. Owen waits by the tree.
CAPTION
The world makes me feel so small … but I can’t stop thinking big.
PANEL 5
Small panel (will be repeated several times). In Owen’s hand, he opens his pocketwatch to show the time is midnight.
CAPTION
Midnight … It’s time.
PANEL 6
Small panel (will be repeated several times), close on Owen’s face, grinning, hopeful
PANEL 7
Small panel, Owen’s pocketwatch now reads 12:14
PANEL 8
Small panel, Owen’s face, troubled.
PANEL 9
Small panel, pocketwatch, now 12:35
PANEL 10
Owen’s face, frowning, deeply disappointed
PAGE 11
PANEL 1
Owen sits under the tree, sulking, knees drawn up against his chest.
PANEL 2
With more vehemence than is absolutely necessary, he hurls his apple core out into the night.
SFX
Runs along edge of Panel 2 and into Panel 3, growing larger, louder
clang Clang Clang CLANG
PANEL 3
On the hill, Owen looks down to see the brightening blue line of the coldfire rail (like a luminous single rail-track winding through the valley below), and a “long train of flares under piercing stars” as the steamliner approaches. This is a caravan of freight cars, zeppelin balloons, passenger gondolas. See full descriptions in the novel; it would also be a good idea to watch the Clockwork Angels tour animation for “Caravan,” which has some images of these steamliners (though we can be even more spectacular). Note, we’ll get the full jaw-dropping image of the steamliner on the next page.
PANEL 4
Close-up of Owen’s eyes lighting up with joy and wonder.
CAPTION
The night steamliner …
CAPTION
Of course, right on schedule!
PANEL 5
Owen starts running down the hill, hauling ass, holding his sack which bounces behind him. He’s going so fast that any second now he could go flying face-first.
PAGE 12
PANEL 1
Small panel, Owen reaches the track (which has a faint blue glow), stands on the siding and just stares in absolute wonder, like Dorothy facing the Wizard of Oz for the first time.
PANEL 2
Mostly full page, the jaw-dropper of the fantastical steamliner as it arrives, just passing him, a combination gypsy caravan, locomotive, steampunk freight-train. See book for description and some of Hugh Syme’s illustrations, as well as “Caravan” animation from tour. Owen looks very small in relation to it.
PANEL 3
Another small reaction panel, close-up of Owen showing awe. [We can do without this panel, if Nick thinks it’s more effective just to have the two shots.]
PAGE 13
PANEL 1
Big panel, as the steamliner thunders past (try to imply the exciting, swift passage, wind blowing Owen’s hair, his clothes), Owen looks down the line of the oncoming train and sees a man leaning out of one of the approaching cars (equivalent to a boxcar on a freight train), extending his hand. It’s a small figure, but coming fast as the steamliner rolls along.
STRANGER
Come on, kid!
PANEL 2
Closer in, we see the stranger now, holding onto the edge of an open boxcar door, leaning out into the night. What he’s doing looks dangerous, but the man doesn’t show any concern. (See the book for the full description of the man; this is the Anarchist.) He shouts at Owen.
STRANGER
Take my hand!
PANEL 3
Owen looks shocked, intimidated, balking. Caption should be on one side of the panel, Stranger’s dialog on the other.
CAPTION
This could be my only chance to see the world …
CAPTION
Going where I want—
STRANGER
You know you want to!
PANEL 4
Owen reaches out his hand, and the Stranger reaches down to grasp it; close-up on the two hands—copy the Hugh Syme illustration in the novel and CD booklet. Make sure we see the alchemy symbol on the Anarchist’s hand.
CAPTION
Instead of where I should …
PANEL 5
Outside view. The stranger grabs Owen’s hand and yanks him off his feet, dramatic, violent, pulls him into the open car.
CAPTION
On my way at last …
PAGE 14
PANEL 1
From inside the car, we see Owen sprawl face-first, and two apples tumble out of his sack onto the train car floorboards. In direct contrast to Owen’s flustered tumble, the Anarchist doesn’t look ruffled at all.
STRANGER
Welcome aboard. I’m proud of you. You did what most others wouldn’t dare …
PANEL 2
Owen gets up and stands unsteady at the edge of the open door, looking out at the countryside moving past, toward the distant clocktower and huddled buildings of his village.
OWEN
But what did I do … ?
PANEL 3
The stranger sits against the wall of the steamliner car and begins rummaging through Owen’s sack, pulls out an apple.
STRANGER
Didn’t you pray just to get away? Seek your fortune, see the world … see Crown City? Where a young man has a chance o making good?
STRANGER
I know you, young man … I know you very well.
PANEL 4
Owen is somewhat offended, summoning up pride and courage. He stands with his back to the open door, hands on hips, looking at the stranger who is too relaxed, seated on the floor.
OWEN
I am Owen Hardy from Barrel Arbor, son of Anton, and assistant apple-orchard manager. How do you know me?
STRANGER
I know a thousand just like you—and yet not like you. Very few have the nerve to resist the Watchmaker’s repression.
STRANGER
All is not for the best.
PANEL 5
Close-up, the stranger’s hand holding an apple as he brings it to his mouth to take a bite. His hand is burned and scarred (this is the opposite hand from the one that has the alchemical symbol tattoo.
OWEN (OFF PANEL)
What happened to your hand?
STRANGER
Life … and circumstance.
PANEL 6
Aerial shot, looking down, the steamliner rolls on into the night.
STRANGER (NOT SEEN)
Good for you to escape the rules, young Owen Hardy. The devil take the Watchmaker!
STRANGER (NOT SEEN)
Go where you want, do what you choose. All people should be free like that—not like what the Watchmaker commands!
STRANGER (NOT SEEN)
This is your chance to break from the past.
PAGE 15
PANEL 1
Owen is huddled in the shadowy steamliner car, crouched against some stacked lumber, other crates of materials being shipped.
OWEN
I’ve never seen Albion, the mountains where alchemical elements are mined, or the forests, or other villages …
OWEN
Or the Watchmaker’s Tower, or Chronos Square. Or Crown City … is that where we’re heading now? You’ve been there before?
PANEL 2
Stranger at the doorway of the car, with wind blowing in his face and whipping his hair.
STRANGER
As often as I like … more often than I prefer.
OWEN
You’ve seen the Clockwork Angels, then? Tell me about them.
STRANGER
Wind-up contraptions, symbols of oppression.
OWEN
Oppression! But they’re … the Clockwork Angels! They’re beautiful.
PANEL 3
Stranger stands silhouetted against the open door, hurls his apple core into the night.
STRANGER
They have some aesthetic merit, but to worship them because the Watchmaker lets them deliver pre-printed announcements? People believe such nonsense.
OWEN
But … that’s our loving Watchmaker!
STRANGER
Yes, he loves us all to death.
PANEL 4
Owen draws his knees up, hugging himself.
OWEN
That’s not what I was brought up to believe.
STRANGER
It’s easy to believe! Now learn the truth. See Crown City for yourself.
PANEL 5
Exterior view, at train level looking forward as the steamliner rolls toward a mysterious, exotic-looking skyline ahead as the sky is turning pale and full of colors with dawn.
OWEN (OFF)
I will.
PAGE 16
PANEL 1
Small panel (fuzzy border, dreamy). Owen’s little house in Barrel Arbor, just as dawn is breaking, wisps of mist around outside. One light on in one window.
CAPTION
“Back home right now, my father will be waking up for a new day.”
PANEL 2
Windup alarm clock on a small nightstand table (Owen’s clock), ringing
CAPTION
“But my alarm clock will just ring and ring …”
PANEL 3
The Stranger laughs.
STRANGER
Aren’t you glad you’re free from all that?
PANEL 4
The steamliner’s big steel wheels touch down on the glowing blue coldfire rail with a shower of sparks
SFX
Ssskkkkkeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
PANEL 5
Stranger, looking concerned
STRANGER
Almost there … The Regulators don’t like stowaways. Better not let them catch you!
PANEL 6
The Stranger stands perilously at the edge of the open doorway, like a skydiver about to jump. We can see trees, landscape rushing by. Owen looks alarmed, lost.
OWEN
But what do I do?
STRANGER
Get off the steamliner … before it’s too late!
PAGE 17
PANEL 1
Then the stranger just LEAPS OUT into the open air. Owen yelps, reaches out a hand. We can see the landscape whizzing by.
OWEN
Wait!
PANEL 2
Owen rushes to the edge, peers back down the track, sees the Stranger at the siding, picking himself up and brushing himself off. He is already far away.
PANEL 3
The Stranger, now much farther away, darts furtively into the bushes.
PANEL 4
The big steel wheels strike the coldfire rail again, sending even more sparks now, more dramatic
SFX
SSSKKKRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
PANEL 5
Small panel, Owen gulps, screwing up his courage.
PANEL 6
Owen crouches, LEAPS
PANEL 7
Owen roughly tumbles into the bushes, leaves go flying
PAGE 18
PANEL 1
Full page spectacular. Owen stands up, brushes debris off his sleeve. His back is to us, and he looks VERY SMALL—the steamliner has rolled on toward the horizon, but the view is FILLED with the incredible, exotic nearby skyline of Crown City, with the big Watchmaker’s tower in the city center, buildings all around. This should be like Dorothy and co. as they are approaching the Emerald City. See book for descriptions, but we should have the details of Crown City worked out as prep.
OWEN (SMALL VOICE)
On my way at last …
PAGE 19
Similar to the prologue (pages 1-2) these next four pages are a separate section, all from the Watchmaker’s POV. To differentiate, I would like a completely different background color between panels, a bleed … possibly a blueprint with random lines and designs drawn in the background, or the beige with line drawings of gears, as on the CD booklet.
PANEL 1
The Watchmaker’s Tower closer in, about the top third.
PANEL 2
Closer still, to a small window beneath the giant clock face. I see a hinged window swung open to let in air.
PANEL 3
Inside the Watchmaker’s office/laboratory/workshop. One chemistry table has beakers and chemicals on it, flasks, test tubes filled with glowing blue coldfire. There is a chalkboard filled with equations, as well as geometrical circles and lines. Blueprints hang down, mostly unrolled but curling at the edges. NOTE: make sure one of these blueprints shows the bolt-and-nut blueprint design from the Rush album Counterparts.
Remember, the Watchmaker’s symbol is the honeybee, so it should appear somewhere.
PANEL 4
Small panel. The Pedlar’s distinctive stovepipe hat hangs on a peg on the wall. A hand hangs a matted gray wig on an adjacent peg. There is one more empty peg to the side.
PANEL 5
Small panel, the hand now hangs the eyepatch on the last empty peg.
PANEL 6
Big panel, a Regulator arrives in the office, black uniform, crisp Prussian design, every detail perfect. Clicking heels, extremely officious. He has a sheaf of folders tucked under his arm, and it looks as if it would take a crowbar to pry them loose. We can perhaps show the arm and part of the shoulder of the Watchmaker at the edge of the panel, but don’t reveal until next page.
REGULATOR
Watchmaker, sir. It is 10:30 A.M. Time for your briefing. I am pleased to report that all is well, all is as it should be, and all is for the best.
PAGE 20
PANEL 1
Now we reveal the Watchmaker for the first time; see novel for description. He stands by his desk, which has many stacks of papers and folders. A tray with a pot of tea, a cup on a saucer, a little jar of honey, a honey dripper.
WATCHMAKER
As it always is.
PANEL 2
The Regulator delivers his sheaves of paper, setting them on the Watchmaker’s desk.
REGULATOR
Our long-range military ships have completed another section of the ordered grid mapping in our search for the Wreckers. They continue to destroy valuable alchemical shipments.
WATCHMAKER
The search has to be done properly, according to the pattern. And when the Wreckers are found, we must descend upon them with irresistible force.
PANEL 3
The Watchmaker picks up the dossiers, glances through them. We can see curled up peacefully on the floor near his desk is a spotted Dalmatian dog, seemingly asleep.
WATCHMAKER
I am much more concerned about the Anarchist. He has struck before, and he will strike again.
WATCHMAKER
Ah, that man had so much potential …
PANEL 4
Close-up of the Regulator, mostly rigid like a Buckingham Palace guard, but there’s a hint of unease on his face.
REGULATOR
If only he wasn’t so unpredictable …
WATCHMAKER
That is the point, Captain.
PANEL 5
The Watchmaker takes a seat, pours a cup of tea from the tray on his desk as the Regulator turns to leave like a windup soldier.
WATCHMAKER
That will be all.
REGULATOR
All is for the best.
PAGE 21
PANEL 1
The Watchmaker at his desk picks up another dossier from a neat stack on the other side (not one of the files the Regulator delivers). He sips his cup of tea.
PANEL 2
Close-up of the file. It says OWEN HARDY—BARREL ARBOR
CAPTION
What sort of effect could one young man have?
PANEL 3
Watchmaker unfolds a piece of paper (like old accordion-fold computer paper). The paper is covered with decision trees, branches after branches after branches.
CAPTION
A single person in a perfect world is little more than an identical grain of sand or a tiny pebble alongside the road.
PANEL 4
He unfolds more of the paper, 3–4 connected sheets, all of them a labyrinth of decision trees.
CAPTION
Yet, if a grain of sand got into the eye, or a sharp pebble lodged in a shoe, it could cause tremendous problems.
PANEL 5
He unfolds and unfolds and unfolds so that this is one very very long sheet of intricate decision trees, and he peers down at it.
PANEL 6
Close-up of his finger on the last decision tree on the last page, a branch point on which is marked OWEN HARDY
WATCHMAKER
This could be very interesting …
PAGE 22
PANEL 1
Watchmaker stands by the still-motionless, sleeping Dalmatian.
WATCHMAKER
Come, Martin … time for your walk. On schedule.
PANEL 2
Small panel, close-up, Watchmaker opens a small hinge on the dog’s spotted back, and he holds a vial of glowing blue liquid in his hand, pouring it inside a cavity of the dog. This is our first hint that Martin the Dalmatian is actually a clockwork dog.
WATCHMAKER
You were always such a good dog, so well trained, so well behaved.
WATCHMAKER
But like a bad clock, biology always runs down …
PANEL 3
Watchmaker’s hand winds a tiny key in the dog’s back, winding him up.
WATCHMAKER
Until we fix you up and make you good as new.
PANEL 4
Watchmaker and faithful dog, with tail wagging, walk away from us out the door of the Watchmaker’s office.
PANEL 5
The Watchmaker enters a brick-lined chamber, the master clockworks of the tower (see Hugh Syme painting of the clockwork). The dog stops and sniffs at something (image should be exactly the same position of the Dalmatian on the cover of Rush album Signals).
WATCHMAKER
Time for the Clockwork Angels to do their performance for the people …
PANEL 6
Watchmaker looks from behind, smiling, as one of the doorways opens, and the Clockwork Angel has emerged from an alcove like a glockenspiel, but we don’t see it, just part of the statue, from behind, and there is an ethereal glow around its head, like a halo. It’s dazzling, and he has a sense of wonder on his face.
WATCHMAKER
One of my best creations …
END OF ISSUE 1
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