Science Lesson Comic Script

Recently I was given to opportunity to write a sample comic book script for Purun New York Inc., who were looking for freelance comic book writers to do science, social studies, and math comic book strips for 3rd and 4th graders. I opted to write a sample science strip. Unfortunately, the company wanted to go with someone with a public school teaching background. They wanted someone with more knowledge of the science standards and NYC science curriculum. But I wrote a cool script and I see no reason why it should go unprinted. So here it is...

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Science Lesson--Grade 3-4
What are Living Things?

Key Words:

Organism – (n) a living person, animal, or plant

Nutrient - (n) 1. of food; nourishing 2. nutritive substance or ingredient.

Inorganic - (adj) 1. being composed of matter of other than plant or animal origin : 2. MINERAL

Organic – (adj) 1. of, relating to, or arising in a bodily organ 2. ORGANIZED 3. of, relating to, or derived from living things.

PANEL 1.
(We are in a laboratory. In the background we see beakers, Bunsen burners, etc. In the foreground we see a man with horn rimmed glasses wearing a rumpled lab coat and a towheaded girl blowing a pink bubble-gum bubble and wearing a backwards baseball cap. The man addresses the readers).

Man: Welcome friends! I am Dr. Science and this is my assistant, Hannah Banana. Together we unlock the mysteries of science.

Girl: Yo

PANEL 2.
(Suddenly, a clunky looking robot that might have escaped from a 1950s Buck Rogers serial comes smashing through the wall of the lab. He has lobster like metal pincers for hands and a glass bubble dome for a head. Through the glass head we can see cogs and vacuum tubes. Dr. Science and Hannah cringe in shock and surprise).

Robot: I am Tobor the living robot! Halt or be destroyed!

Dr. Science: Newton’s apple!

Hannah: Yikes!

PANEL 3.
(Tobor is waving his mechanical pincers in a menacing fashion. The good doctor and Hannah have composed themselves somewhat and are facing their guest).

Tobor: Now humans, cower before a superior life form, or face the fury of Tobor the living robot! (buzzzzzzz) BWA-HA-HA!!!

Hannah: Hey, who does this goon think he is?

Dr Science: Indeed. How can you call yourself a living robot? That’s just silly.

PANEL 4.
(Tobor is now scratching his bubble like head in confusion. Dr. Science has placed a fatherly arm around his metal shoulders. Hannah is opening a door in the lab which leads to a lush, green, park outside).

Tobor: Tobor... Is not alive?

Dr. Science: Ha ha ha... Of course not. Follow me outside and I’ll explain.

Hannah: Lets use the door this time.

PANEL 5.
(The three are not outside, standing by a pond in the park. It is a sunny day and there are trees in the background. We see birds and dragonflies in the sky, fish and frogs in the pond and a cat is licking her paws under one of the trees).

Dr Science: There are certain things that all organisms have in common.

Tobor: Organisms?

Hannah: That’s just another way of saying "living things."

PANEL 6.
(Dr. Science is now gesturing towards the pond where we can see a mother duck and several of her ducklings swimming in the water along with the frogs and fish. One of the frogs is sitting on a lily pad catching a dragonfly with it’s tongue. In the background, we can see that the cat is now standing in a litter box with her tail up).

Dr. Science: Organisms, like animals, need air, water and food in order to live and thrive.

Hannah: Living things also have babies, produce waste and eventually die.

Tobor: Then Tobor is not a living thing? Tobor is like a tree?

PANEL 7.
(Now the three are standing by a tree. Flowers grow at their feet).

Dr Science: Wrong again, my metal friend. Plants are organic, which means living.

Hannah: Plants need air, water, light and nutrients in order to live. Nutrient is another way of saying "food," by the way.

Tobor: Tobor is so confused. What is Tobor?

PANEL 8.
(The three are still outside, but now they are standing in front of a table. On the table is a rock, a glass of water, a baseball bat, and a toaster).

Dr. Science: You, my friend, are inorganic, or non-living. Inorganic things do not live and thrive. They can be naturally occurring like this rock and water.

Hannah: Or human-created, like the baseball bat and the toaster.

Tobor: Tobor is a toaster?!

PANEL 9.
(Tobor is now standing between Hannah and Dr. Science. Smoke is shooting out of what passes for his ears and sparks are shooting out of his head like a tiny fireworks display).

Hannah: Yeah, you’re more like a toaster than a man. Now you’ve got it, rusty!

Tobor: (choke) Tobor is not alive. Tobor is just a machine. Activate self-destruct device in 5... 4... 3...

Dr. Science: Well, we’ve all had a lot of fun today and I’d like to think we’ve learned a little something along the way. Now lets get out of here before this crazy robot explodes!

Sources: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai October 15, 2005

This is an original John Michael Decker comic book script. Please be aware that this is copyrighted material and not to be used for sale or publication without my express written permission.

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"And I'd have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for those meddling kids!"

John Michael Decker

New Sci-Fi/Fantasy Shows Reviewed (Spoiler Free)

Well, now that I've had the chance to watch all of the new Sci-Fi/Fantasy television Pilots for the 2005/2006 season, it's time I put in my two cents worth.

SURFACE (Timeslot: Mondays at 8PM on NBC)

Review: I only watched the Pilot episode of this show, but I must admit that it just didn't capture my attention. The premise is interesting enough in theory, but in execution, it was just too slow to invest me. It didn't help that the characters are not at at all engaging. I've decided to give this series a miss in favor of Arrested Development and Kitchen Confidential, two excellent comedies on in the same time slot on FOX.

Surface Grade: C-

THE GHOST WHISPERER (Timeslot: Fridays at 8PM on CBS)

Review: The two shows that this will be compared to the most are Joan of Arcadia, the show it has replaced, and Medium, the NBC show with a similar premise. Unfortunately this does not hold up well to either of those shows. It lacks the emotional complexity of Joan of Arcadia and is not grounded in realism the way Medium is. What we are left with is a sappy hour of overly optimistic drivel. Jennifer Love Hewitt is hot though.

The Ghost Whisperer Grade: D-

INVASION (Timeslot: Wednesday at 10PM on ABC)

Review: Yet another extra-terrestrial invasion series. This is only slightly more engaging than Surface. The characters are a little more interesting as well (especially William Fichtner who plays the morally ambiguous town sheriff, Tom Underlay). The Pilot was very exciting, but subsequent episodes have been rather dull. The mysteries are also not interesting enough to keep me coming back week after week. This is a poor companion show to Lost which keeps you coming back week after week with it's combination of excellent characterization and amazing cliff hangers.

Invasion Grade: C+

THRESHOLD (Timeslot: Fridays at 9PM on CBS)

Review: This show has been a real mixed bag. Like the other alien invasion shows, the mysteries that we are presented with week after week just aren't that exciting. On Lost and Veronica Mars, each week the audience is presented with mind blowing puzzles which grab the viewer by the throat and force them to return the next week. Threshold and Invasion just have half-assed Invasion of the Body Snatchers mysteries. Brent Spiner (as Dr. Nigel Fenway), Rob Benedict (as Dr. Lucas Pegg) and Peter Dinklage (as Dr. Arthur Ramsey) are all uniformly excellent and the show comes alive when they are on screen interacting with each other. On the other hand Carla Gugino (as Dr. Molly Caffrey), Charles S. Dutton (as J.T. Baylock) and Brian Van Holt (as Cavennaugh) all have pretty two dimensional, cookie-cutter characters who have failed to capture my interest. Perhaps, given time, they could become more engaging, but the alien invasion plot just isn't good enough for me to give it the time.

Threshold Grade: C+

SUPERNATURAL (Timeslot: Tuesdays at 9PM on The WB)

Review: This is a very fun, if somewhat formulaic, hour of television. Every week the Winchester boys (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) drive into a new town in their 1968 Chevy Impala, take on some new supernatural threat (usually with some kind of original twist), one of them gets to kiss a hot chick, and then, like a couple of young Lone Rangers, they drive off towards some new adventure. The acting and production values are very good, and if they could find a way to change up the "monster of the week" formula, it could go from being just good to great. But then, the first season of Buffy: the Vampire Slayer was just a "monster of the week" show, and it eventually evolved into something greater and more unique. This comes closer to the spirit of the 70s "monster of the week" extravaganza Kolchak: the Night Stalker, then the new Night Stalker television show does, but see the next review.

Supernatural Grade: B+

THE NIGHT STALKER (Timeslot: Thursdays at 9PM on ABC)

Review: The show reminds me much more of the X-Files than it does of the original Night Stalker series. This is not surprising considering the show runner is former X-Files producer Frank Spotnitz. Unfortunately, it is not as good as the X-Files was. Nor is it as fun as the original Night Stalker. Stuart Townsend just isn't as good a character actor as Darren McGavin was. But then, Stuart Townsend's Carl Kolchak is closer to the X-Files' Fox Mulder than to Darren McGavin's Kolchak. But at least Agent Mulder had a sense of humor. Townsend's dour Kolchak is so much of a downer, it's hard to get on his side. Still, the second episode was better than the pilot. Both episodes I've seen did have some genuinely spooky moments and if Townsend can lighten up a little to counter the darkness of the plots, this could be a very watchable show. I'm giving it a few more episodes before I decide weather or not I'm going to continue watching.

The Night Stalker Grade: C

Anyway, for my money the best shows to watch this season are Lost (ABC), Veronica Mars (UPN), (the new) Battlestar Galactica (Sci-Fi Network), Gilmore Girls (the WB) and Justice League Unlimited (Cartoon Network). That's all for now...

Decker out...