Cat-Man and Kitten: “New Life” Pt. 1

Welcome to the first part of a brand-new comic book script for a Cat-Man and Kitten one-shot! As mentioned in my previous post, I decided to do a re-imagining of the public domain heroes for this site (and to keep my writing muscles working).

I’m splitting the script into 4 parts for easy reading, with each part consisting of about 8 pages, and I’ll ideally be updating the site weekly with the next part. I thought this might be easier for readers (hopefully I have those) to get through rather than one giant post of 32 script pages.

I’m very excited about this new endeavor and I hope you all join me for it! Comments welcome, and please enjoy this first part of the all-new Cat-Man and Kitten in “New Life.”

PAGE 1

Panel 1
On top a large stack of shipping containers crouches CAT-MAN, aka 32-year-old David Merrywether. He wears a colorful costume consisting of a long-sleeved orange singlet with shorts, and red belt, gloves, boots, cape, and cowl complete with cat ears. It’s a costume that some would call “traditional” and others would call “dated.” He gazes down toward the entrance of a nearby warehouse, its rooftop about 15 feet from his location. It’s dark, near pitch black, with the only light coming from the full moon and stars above. Yet he does not squint, nor are his eyes open in strain. He looks as though he was in a well-lit room.

CAT-MAN: Well, this certainly is the right place. I see our guy...

Panel 2
Close on the focus of David’s gaze. A shady guy walks toward the entrance of the warehouse hauling a large case. He looks over his shoulder nervously, making sure he wasn’t being followed.

CAT-MAN (Off Panel): ...but I don’t see you.

Panel 3
Pressed against a wall of the warehouse, around the corner from the entrance is KITTEN. The 28-year-old Katie Conn is dressed in an outfit nearly identical to David’s, including the full cowl with cat ears. The biggest difference is that her shorts matches the red of her accessories. Her head is turned toward the corner’s edge, having just leaned away from view. She’s calm and collected, a professional in her element.

KITTEN: Other side of the warehouse. I was worried he’d see me... tailing... him. Meet on the roof in 20.

Panel 4
A large, wide shot of the warehouse. From one side, we see Cat-Man leaping across the gap between the shipping containers and the roof, the movement whipping at his cape. On the other side, Kitten is mid-spring upward.



PAGE 2

Panel 1
On the rooftop, Cat-Man holds his lower back with one hand, a grimace on his face, as he walks toward Kitten, who lifts and begins to enter a skylight window.

DAVID: I forgot how much aging past 30 takes a toll.

KITTEN: I wouldn’t know.

DAVID: You remember.

Panel 2
Now inside the warehouse, with a bird’s-eye view, Cat-Man and Kitten sneakily crawl across the rafters and beams. Far below them, we see a group of people facing a large table. Theirs backs are toward us but on the table, we can see stacks of money and bricks of drugs.

Panel 3
Cat-Man silently lands on his feet some distance behind the group. Kitten is mid-drop next to him.

Panel 4
Having crept closer, Cat-Man and Kitten stand dynamically and heroically behind the group. Kitten has her hands on her hips but Cat-Man points toward them, his body turned at a slight angle to emphasize his gallantry. A bit of over-the-top superheroism tugging at him.

CAT-MAN: Stop what you’re doing and turn around slowly.



PAGE 3

Panel 1
The group at the table have turned around to face the off-panel Cat-Man and Kitten. From the neck down, they’re dressed in normal street clothes. T-shirts. Jackets. Jeans. But on their face, each one wears a wooden mask in the shape of a wolf. Most are gray and black, stylized and painted with exaggerated features, but one is red with a wide grin of bared teeth.

Panel 2
Back on Cat-Man and Kitten, their enthusiastic postures have dropped slightly. Kitten stands with a bit of quiet exasperation while Cat-Man’s pointer hand has lost its passion and lowered down toward his waist.

KITTEN: Remember how we used to just fight bank robbers?

CAT-MAN: That was 70 years ago.

Panel 3
Weapons in hand—a collection of chains, crowbars, and spiked knuckles—the gang advances on Cat-Man and Kitten, led by the man in the Red Wolf mask. They’re cocky, positive that because they outnumber the duo, they can easily take them.

RED WOLF: Looks like a bunch of curious cats have stumbled into the den of... THE WOLFPACK!

KITTEN (under her breath): Oh god.

Panel 4
The pack charges at Cat-Man and Kitten who brace for the fight, striking combat ready but feline-like poses. David stands arms up at his waist, claws out. Kitten crouches down, one hand on the floor, the other raised high.

RED WOLF: And you know what they say about curiosity and the cat.

DAVID: No, tell us. We’ve never heard before.



PAGE 4

Full Page Splash
Cat-Man and Kitten mid-fight with the Wolfpack. A determined Cat-Man catches a swinging crowbar with one hand while punching out a member of the pack with the other. Kitten grins as she slinks down the ground on all fours, dodging a chain from behind that ends up colliding with the face of a different pack member.

TITLE & CREDITS



PAGE 5

Panel 1
Unconscious members of the Wolfpack scatter the area, some on the ground, others crashed into crates. One member even lays knocked out and bent over the table. Kitten pulls a medallion out from one of the pack member’s coat while Cat-Man fills the case the shady guy from Page 1 was carrying in with the cash on the table.

KITTEN: Got the medallion.

CAT-MAN: Nice work. We should probably turn in all this cash, too.

Panel 2
Back outside, Cat-Man and Kitten stroll away from the warehouse side-by-side. Cat-Man carries the case of money in one hand as the two casually chat. Kitten stretches one arm horizontally across her body. She squints and her eyes look up and to the side as she contemplates David’s question. Unseen by them, the battered Red Wolf leans against the warehouse doorframe, a gun-like weapon in hand.

CAT-MAN: What are you thinking for dinner tonight?

KITTEN: Not sure. What’s even open this late?

Panel 3
Cat-Man dodges to the side and deftly tosses the case of cash straight at the Red Wolf, which smacks him hard in the face. The pack leader drops to the floor as the gun goes off, firing wildly.

RED WOLF: Di—*

Panel 4
Rising back to his feet, a pleased Cat-Man looks over his shoulder toward Kitten, who stands in silhouette from the waist up in the foreground.

CAT-MAN: Thank you cat reflexes. Am I ri...

Panel 5
A reverse angled shot of the previous panel. This time, Cat-Man stands in the foreground in silhouette. A confused Kitten holds her hands over her abdomen, blooding seeping from between her fingers and over her hands.

CAT-MAN: Katie...?



PAGE 6

Panel 1
David helps the severely injured and bleeding Katie down an alley, one hand around her lower back for support and the other holding onto her arm draped across his shoulder. Both their masks are off, revealing their mutually strained faces. David has dark brown hair and a rugged face while Katie sports short-cropped, bright blonde locks. Blood soaks much of Katie’s costume and her feet drag as she tries to walk, even with David’s help.

DAVID: Come on, Katie. We have to get to a hospital. Come on.

Panel 2
Both heroes begin collapsing to the floor, David unable to carry Katie any farther. Katie’s eyes are already closed, and David’s are halfway there, heavy and lidded. Sweat covers David’s face and Katie’s seems white and pallid.

DAVID (woozy, tired): Got to... keep moving...

Panel 3
David and Katie on the floor of the alley. Katie is unresponsive, lying on her back. David is on his side, still conscious but only barely, seconds way from fading completely.

DAVID: ... keep... mov...

Panel 4
A wider, more pulled out shot of the previous panel. David and Katie lie on the floor, unmoving.



PAGE 7
This page features a series of images, flashes of moments that begin bleeding together, coming faster and faster, a rush of information.

Panel 1
A Tigress approaches an 8-year-old David weeping in the jungle, the bodies of his dead parents and sister surrounding him.

Panel 2
An older David, around 15-years-old, living in the jungle with the Tigress and other tigers.

Panel 3
A dying Tigress places her paw on the chest of a 20-year-old David, a glowing energy between them. They’re no longer in the jungle but in a city.

Panel 4
David and a noticeably young 11-year-old Katie as Cat-Man and Kitten. They are both smiling widely, a very old-school “Golden Age” look about them.

Panel 5
A concerned Cat-Man with his mask off holding the hand of a dying 16-year-old Kitten. The same glowing energy that was between David and Tigress now between their hands.

Panel 6
A much older David and Katie—40 and 36, respectively—argue with each other. Neither wear their costumes.

Panel 7
A younger looking David and Katie compared to the previous panel. They’re both in darker-colored costumes, gritting their teeth as they punch out two thugs.

Panel 8
David and Katie as we knew them, David smiling and the short-haired Katie with a smirk on her face.



PAGE 8

Panel 1
Katie bolts up with a gasp. She’s sitting in the alley we last saw her in but looks significantly younger. Her costume hangs loosely off her and her hair is longer, down to her shoulders.

Panel 2
Katie gazes down at herself, taking in her younger appearance and frame in dismay. Behind her stands a more fresh-faced David. His costume also hangs off his slightly less muscular build. He stares off toward the distance, listening to approaching sirens.

KATIE: Oh, no. Not again.

DAVID: I’m afraid so. We got to go.

Panel 3
David and Katie rapidly climb and jump their way up the side of a building, scaling the structure with ease. Katie brushes her hair out of her face in frustration.

DAVID: It does feel good to be this spry again.

KATIE: You say that now but wait till you try to do a flip kick and fall on your ass.

Panel 4
The two make their way across a city skyline, bounding across rooftops in cat-like leaps. Their ill-fitting clothes flap in the wind as much as their capes.

KATIE: Barely even a decade. This sucks!


END PART 1