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Chapter Text

Issue #0
SUPERGIRL VS. THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES
Page Count: 22 Pages

Prelude
Page 1

Panel 1
Setting: The Endless Library of the Dreaming. Vast, impossible shelves stretch into infinity, filled with every book ever written, or thought of, or dreamed. LUCIEN, the librarian—a gaunt, formal figure with a book for a head—stands by a towering shelf, meticulously shelving a tome.

Caption: Some libraries contain all knowledge. This one contains all stories. And Lucien knows them all.

Panel 2
Lucien pauses, his head tilted. His "eyes" (implied through his body language) are drawn to a specific point in the air before him. A faint, shimmering light begins to coalesce.

Panel 3
A new book manifests out of thin air. It's not placed by hand; it simply forms, spine and cover materializing from nothing, landing with a soft thump on a nearby lectern. Its title gleams with an unnatural, almost painful brightness.
SFX: THUMP

Panel 4
Close on the book. Its title is bolded, stark, and deeply unsettling to Lucien's ordered mind.

Book Title: The Biography of Kara Zor-El, Vol Two of One: The Maid of Might

Panel 5
Lucien's expression shifts to one of profound alarm. His typically stoic librarian's posture is broken; he recoils slightly, a rare tremor running through his frame. This book shouldn't exist. This story shouldn't be told.

Panel 6
Lucien turns, his form blurring as he moves with uncharacteristic speed, abandoning his post. He's rushing towards somewhere or someone, his alarm palpable.

LUCIEN: (Urgent, voice tight with dread) No… no, this is impossible!

Page 2

Panel 1
Setting: DANIEL HALL, the current Dream of the Endless, sits on his throne in his castle, eyes closed, deep in contemplation. The castle walls shimmer with the light of myriad dreams. Lucien bursts into the throne room, panting, holding the glowing book.

Panel 2
Close on Daniel. His eyes slowly open. They are ancient, unfathomable. He looks at Lucien, sensing the librarian's immense distress.

Panel 3
Lucien holds out the book, his hands trembling slightly.

LUCIEN: My Lord! A new volume! It appeared from nowhere! A story that… that was concluded. Erased.

Panel 4
Daniel reaches out a hand. The book floats from Lucien's grasp into Daniel's. Daniel's fingers brush the cover, and his expression turns from calm contemplation to one of deep, cosmic concern, tinged with a flicker of recognition.

Panel 5
Daniel looks out, past the reader, his gaze piercing beyond the veil of the Dreaming, as if seeing into the very fabric of the cosmos. His voice is a low, resonating hum.

DANIEL HALL: (A sigh, more concept than sound) "She's back."

Panel 6
Transition panel. Black.

Caption: THE 31ST CENTURY.

The Legion's Intervention
Page Count: 22 Pages (This seems to be a total page count, not a repeat for this section, so I'll put it once.)

Page 1 (of the main story)

Panel 1
Splash Page.
Setting: The upper atmosphere of a neutral planet, scarred by recent conflict but now eerily still. Below, a gigantic, shimmering containment dome pulses with soft light, holding two once-warring nations in an enforced, unnatural peace. Above it, in a dramatic, almost theatrical entrance, the Legion of Super-Heroes arrive via time-bubble. They are spread across the sky, a mythic cavalry against a serene, terrifying backdrop.

Caption (top, subtle): This isn't a war. It's an intervention.

Character Caption Bubble:
COSMIC BOY
Homeworld: Braal
Magnetism. Leadership.
Built like a quarterback. Commands like a CEO.

Page 2

Panel 1
Setting: The atmosphere above the dome. Cosmic Boy lands first, his magnetic field rippling around him. He's flanked by Lightning Lad (crackling with electricity) and Saturn Girl (her aura shimmering with psychic energy). Below them, Bronze Age Supergirl floats down, her expression calm but stern, a small, benevolent smile on her face.

Character Caption Bubble:
LIGHTNING LAD
Homeworld: Winath (the twin planet)
Electric blasts. Twin drama.
Still mad about losing that arm that one time.

Panel 2
Close on Kara's face. Her smile doesn't waver.

KARA: You didn't have to come.

Panel 3
Close on Saturn Girl. Her face is filled with sorrow and fierce determination. She makes direct eye contact with Kara.

Character Caption Bubble:
SATURN GIRL
Homeworld: Titan
Telepathy. Tact.
Has better hair than you. Can also hear your thoughts about it.

SATURN GIRL: You taught us to hope. And now you’re building a cage for it.

Panel 4
Ultra Boy flies in from behind, a powerful, earnest figure. He cracks his knuckles, clearly itching for action but trying to contain himself.

Character Caption Bubble:
ULTRA BOY
Homeworld: Rimbor
One power at a time. All of them eventually.
Hot. Dumb. Brave. Pick two.

ULTRA BOY: Can we please skip the talky part?

Panel 5
Lightning Lad takes a step forward, electricity arcing around his hands.

LIGHTNING LAD: If we let you keep going, we become you.

Panel 6
Full shot of Kara, unfazed. Her expression is a mix of sadness and deep, almost hurt, conviction.

KARA: I died for you once. You remember that, right? If you want to hurt me—fine. But don’t pretend you came here to help.

Page 3

Panel 1
Phantom Girl attempts to phase through the dome. She's a shimmering blur, but a subtle energy field from the dome itself (Kara's work) stops her cold, forcing her back.
SFX: WHUMMMP!

Panel 2
Kara glances at Phantom Girl, a mild, almost apologetic look. Then, she effortlessly hurls Ultra Boy into the stratosphere. He's a tiny speck against the stars, already toggling his invulnerability. Saturn Girl flinches, a ripple of distress crossing her face.

Panel 3
Cosmic Boy reacts instantly. He pulls gravity inward, focusing a localized magnetic field directly on Kara, attempting to pin her down. Dust and debris from the planet's surface rise and swirl around her.

Panel 4
Kara's eyes glow red. She blasts through the magnetic field with heat vision, shards of rock exploding outwards. She's still smiling, but it's a tight, focused smile.

Panel 5
Brainiac 5 watches from a nearby, shimmering projection platform. His posture is rigid, his expression a mask of calculation and reluctant grief.

Character Caption Bubble:
BRAINIAC 5
Homeworld: Colu
12th-level intelligence. Emotional constipation.
The smartest sad boy in the galaxy.

BRAINIAC 5 (whispering to himself): She's not trying to hurt them. She's trying to win without hurting them. That’s worse.

Page 4

Panel 1
Lightning Lad unleashes a full-scale ionic barrage at Kara. She shrugs it off, the electricity crackling harmlessly around her, her skin glowing faintly.

Panel 2
Kara delivers a swift, precise backhand. Lightning Lad is knocked out cold, spiraling away into the distance, electricity dissipating around him.

Panel 3
Cosmic Boy shouts into his comm. He's exhausted, but determined.

COSMIC BOY: (Strained) She's too fast... too strong...

Panel 4
Saturn Girl makes a desperate psychic push. A wave of raw mental force impacts Kara, who winces slightly, her smile faltering for a moment. But it doesn't stop her.

Panel 5
Kara closes the distance to Saturn Girl in a blink. She doesn't punch, but gently, yet firmly, grasps Imra's shoulders. Imra's psychic field flares, then collapses as Kara's grip seems to drain her.

KARA: You know I don't want to do this, Imra.

Panel 6
Saturn Girl falls back, unconscious, a trickle of blood from her nose. Kara catches her gently before she floats away, then lays her carefully on a stable piece of debris.

Page 5

Panel 1
Karate Kid enters the fray with grace, landing lightly on a piece of floating debris. No powers, just perfect, disciplined form. He bows formally to Kara, then adopts a fighting stance.

Character Caption Bubble:
KARATE KID
Homeworld: Earth (but could take Earth in a fight)
Master of every martial art—past, present, and hypothetical.
No powers. No fear. No chill.

Panel 2
Close on Kara and Val. Val feints right, then strikes for a pressure point on her neck. Kara reacts faster than light, but Val redirects her force into a massive piece of asteroid, which shatters. She's briefly stunned, impressed.
SFX: WHUMMM! (Of the asteroid shattering)
SFX: THWIP! (Of Val's kick)

KARA (thought bubble): He's faster than I remember. And... smarter. Jim

Panel 3
Dynamic sequence. Val lands a precise blow to her inner ear, disrupting her balance. Kara recovers almost instantly, her heat vision grazing his shoulder, tearing his cape. He doesn't scream, just grimaces. Val spins under her counter-punch and uses a Kryptonian nerve pinch, causing her arm to momentarily seize.
SFX: TSSSSHHH!
SFX: THWACK!

KARA (thought bubble): A Kryptonian pinch? He researched me!

Panel 4
Close on Kara's face. A hint of a smile plays on her lips, a look of genuine respect and amusement. She's briefly caught.

Panel 5
Kara's grin widens, now a mix of admiration and amusement. With her free arm, she effortlessly, almost gently, grabs Val by his gauntlet. He's suspended in the air, struggling against her grip, but utterly helpless.

KARA: (Chuckles, a warm, clear sound) You’ve improved, Val. Really, you have.

Page 6

Panel 1
Wide shot, Val suspended in Kara's grip. He's still trying to break free, a testament to his sheer will, but he can't. Kara's expression is one of amused fascination, like a benevolent adult observing a clever child.

KARATE KID: (Straining) You... you're not seeing this clearly, Kara! You're making...

Panel 2
Kara's face hardens slightly, her amusement fading into a focused resolve. She cuts him off, not angrily, but with absolute conviction.

KARA: I'm making a better future. A future where no one has to fight like this, Val. Where no one has to learn to fight like this.

Panel 3
Dynamic action shot. Kara doesn't punch him. Instead, she pulls him close, then with a powerful but controlled push, she launches him. He sails like a perfectly thrown dart, not crashing, but moving with controlled momentum through three distant, derelict orbital structures. They shatter into dust and debris around him as he passes clean through. He's sent far, far away, but visually unharmed, a testament to her precision and his endurance.
SFX: FWIP! (Of Val being launched)
SFX: CRUMBLE! CRASH! (Of structures breaking)

Panel 4
Close on Kara's face. She watches Val's distant trajectory, a serene, almost contemplative look.

KARA (to herself, satisfied): Perfect form.

Panel 5
Val lands on a new, stable asteroid fragment far in the distance. He's battered, his costume ripped, gasping for air, but conscious and pushing himself up. He stares back at Kara, a mixture of awe and grim resolve on his face. He knows he couldn't win, but he made her work for it.

Panel 6
From Brainiac 5's perspective. He's watching the whole fight unfold, his data streams flowing. He's processing Kara's immense power, her calculated restraint, and the unsettling effectiveness of her "non-lethal" solutions. He sees the "fun" in her eyes and it chills him.

BRAINIAC 5 (internal): She doesn't hate us. She doesn't even dislike us. She just thinks we're... a problem to be solved.

Page 7

Panel 1
Setting: The vastness of space, strewn with wreckage. Kara hovers, alone, having just dispatched Karate Kid. She looks strong, serene, but perhaps a tiny bit weary. Below her, the containment dome shimmers. Suddenly, a massive, gold-skinned figure streaks towards her. It’s MON-EL.
SFX: WOOOOSH!

Panel 2
Close on Mon-El's face. He's grim, resolute. This is personal.

Character Caption Bubble:
MON-EL
Homeworld: Daxam
Strength. Speed. Invulnerability.
The only one who can truly match her blow for blow.

Panel 3
MON-EL delivers a thunderous punch directly to Kara’s jaw. The impact is immense, sending a shockwave through the debris field. Kara is pushed back significantly, her head snapping to the side.
SFX: KRA-KOOM!

Panel 4
Close on Kara's face. Her head is still turned from the punch. Her eyes are wide with surprise. She actually felt that one. A flicker of respect, and then a competitive glint.

KARA: Mon-El! Good to see you, old friend! You've gotten stronger!

Panel 5
MON-EL follows up relentlessly. He unleashes a rapid, furious barrage of punches, each one rattling Kara. Debris spins around them from the sheer force. Kara is forced into a defensive posture, blocking and weaving, unable to simply shrug off the blows.
SFX: BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

Panel 6
From Brainiac 5's observation platform. He watches, his face a complex mix of calculated observation and deep, personal pain. Data streams scroll wildly across his screen, indicating extreme energy readings.

BRAINIAC 5 (internal): Mon-El is the only one who stands a chance. But even he...

Page 8

Panel 1
Dynamic two-shot. Kara, momentarily overwhelmed by Mon-El's flurry, counters with a powerful heat vision blast that forces Mon-El back. He deflects it with his arm, gritting his teeth.
SFX: TSSSSHHH!

Panel 2
Another figure enters the fray from above: STAR BOY. His hands are outstretched, and the debris field around Kara suddenly becomes crushing. She's pulled downwards, the artificial gravity intensifying around her.

Character Caption Bubble:
STAR BOY
Homeworld: Xanthu
Gravity Manipulation. Temporal Instability.
When he gets stressed, entire planets get heavy.

Panel 3
Kara struggles against the sudden, immense weight. Her posture bends, and her boots kick against nothing. The containment dome below seems to ripple under the influence of the magnified gravity.

KARA: (Straining) Unfair advantage, Thom! But clever!

Panel 4
MON-EL capitalizes. While Kara is pinned by gravity, he smashes into her with a flying tackle, driving her deeper into the intensified gravitational field. The dome below them cracks slightly from the pressure.
SFX: CRACK! (Of the dome)
SFX: WHUMPH!

Panel 5
Wide shot. Kara is momentarily pinned against the shimmering dome, grunting with effort. Mon-El is pressing her down, Star Boy's aura pulses with gravitational energy, intensifying the pressure. It's the first time she's truly been held.

Panel 6
Close on Brainiac 5's face. A sliver of hope, quickly replaced by a deeper grimace. He knows this isn't sustainable.

BRAINIAC 5 (internal): A momentary advantage. But her reserves... they're inexhaustible.

Page 9

Panel 1
Kara's eyes blaze. With a furious burst of power, she overrides the gravity, sending a shockwave outwards that throws both Mon-El and Star Boy back. The containment dome below shudders violently, cracking further.
SFX: KRA-KOOOM! (Of her power surge)

Panel 2
Two new figures arrive, launching a synchronized assault. SUN BOY unleashes a blistering torrent of solar energy, bathing Kara in intense heat and blinding light. Simultaneously, WILDFIRE, in his energy form, blasts her with raw anti-energy, trying to destabilize her.

Character Caption Bubble:
SUN BOY
Homeworld: Earth
Solar Energy Absorption & Projection.
Less subtle than a supernova.

Character Caption Bubble:
WILDFIRE
Homeworld: Earth
Anti-Energy Projection & Absorption.
Living energy, fighting fire with… well, anti-fire.

Panel 3
Kara in the center of the storm. She's covered in blinding light and crackling energy. She grimaces, visibly uncomfortable. The heat and anti-energy are taxing her, forcing her to push her defensive aura to its limits.

KARA: (Grunts) You're really trying to make me sweat!

Panel 4
Ultra Boy re-engages, a determined glint in his eye. He dodges a stray energy blast from Wildfire, then shifts to super-speed and streaks directly at Kara.

ULTRA BOY: My turn again!

Panel 5
Dynamic sequence. Ultra Boy, at top speed, tries to hit Kara before she can fully process the energy attacks. He aims a blur of punches. Kara deflects some, but others land. One particularly hard hit to her side. He switches to invulnerability to absorb a retaliatory heat vision blast from Kara.
SFX: FWOOSH! WHAM! CRACKLE!

Page 10

Panel 1
Mid-action shot. Sun Boy maintains his solar barrage, the heat intense. Wildfire unleashes another torrent of anti-energy. Ultra Boy continues his rapid-fire, power-toggling assault. Kara is a whirlwind of defensive blocks, energy deflections, and swift, non-damaging counter-strikes.

Panel 2
Kara decides to take the offensive, with her unique brand of "help." She flies directly into Sun Boy's solar stream, unharmed, then uses her superior speed to grab him. She doesn't punch him; instead, she swiftly but firmly wraps him into a tight, energy-dampening coil of debris, effectively "silencing" his solar output.

KARA: (Chiding, almost playful) Now, now, Dirk, let's keep the light show contained!

Panel 3
Wildfire reacts with fury. He projects immense energy blasts. Kara meets them head-on, her own solar energy pushing back against his anti-energy. The clash creates a blinding, unstable sphere of light and shadow.
SFX: BOOOOOM! (Of clashing energies)

Panel 4
Mon-El returns to the fray, having recovered. He sees the struggle with Wildfire and launches himself into a full-body tackle, aiming to take Kara down into the containment dome below.

MON-EL: (Roaring) We can't let her do this!

Page 11

Panel 1
Massive impact panel. Mon-El's tackle connects. Kara, already engaged with Wildfire's energy, is driven downwards. They smash into the containment dome. The dome fractures explosively, sending debris everywhere and releasing the two "pacified" armies into chaos.
SFX: KRA-THOOOOOOM! SHATTER!

Panel 2
Below, the "pacified" armies react. Confusion, then a growing anger and fear as their enforced peace shatters. Some look ready to fight again. Kara's work is undone, ironically, by the attempt to stop her.

Panel 3
Close on Kara. She is kneeling on the fractured dome, momentarily winded, but more exasperated than defeated. Mon-El is slumped beside her, having given his all. Wildfire's energy form flickers, weakened from the immense drain. Ultra Boy floats nearby, panting, exhausted. Star Boy falls to his knees, drained from the effort of manipulating gravity.

KARA: (Sighs, weary but not broken) See? This is why I had to do it. You just make things messier.

Panel 4
From Brainiac 5's perspective. He sees the chaos, the defeated Legionnaires, and Kara, still standing, still believing she's right. His face is a mask of despair. They have failed to stop her through force.

BRAINIAC 5 (internal): No... No matter what we do... she keeps going.

Panel 5
Dream Girl, bloodied but resolute, pushes herself up from where she fell earlier. Her eyes are fixed on Kara, filled with a terrible certainty. This is her moment.

DREAM GIRL: (Voice clear, carrying over the distant chaos) Kara!

Page 12

Panel 1
Kara pauses, mid-action. She turns, surprised to hear her name, and sees Dream Girl. Her expression softens for a beat, a flicker of genuine affection and old memory.

Panel 2
Close on Dream Girl's face. Tears stream down her cheeks, but her gaze is unwavering. She's reaching for Kara, not physically, but emotionally.

DREAM GIRL: I’ve seen it, Kara! A thousand ways this ends. You don't win this by fighting. You don't win this by forcing.

Panel 3
Kara's face shifts. The benevolent smile wavers. Dream Girl's words are getting through, bypassing her defenses. She looks genuinely confused, almost hurt.

KARA: But... I'm helping them. I'm making peace.

Panel 4
Dream Girl pushes forward, a moral force. She's speaking directly to Kara's heart, her core belief in goodness.

DREAM GIRL: You're wrong, Kara! And you know it, deep down. You're going to realize it. And you don't want to look back on this moment, on us, and regret what you did to get there! Don't do anything you'll regret on your way to realizing you're wrong!

Panel 5
Wide shot. Kara is visibly shaken. Her aura flickers. The very fabric of reality around her seems to waver, subtly distorting. The paradox of her presence is being aggravated by her emotional distress and the moral assault from Dream Girl. The containment dome below her shimmers.
SFX: HUMMMM (Of reality itself vibrating)

Page 13

Panel 1
Close on Star Boy. His eyes are wide with terror and recognition. He can feel the temporal instability, the gravitational anomalies triggered by Kara's very essence being challenged.

STAR BOY: She's... she's rupturing the timeline! It's because of her!

Panel 2
Brainiac 5. His head snaps up. He sees Star Boy's reaction, processes the data, and his eyes widen in horror. He understands what's happening. This isn't a planned escape; it's a spontaneous breakdown of reality around her.

BRAINIAC 5: (Voice raw, horrified) The Miracle Machine... it's manifesting... she's destabilizing...

Panel 3
Dramatic shot. A blinding burst of energy erupts around Kara. The Miracle Machine spontaneously manifests next to her, not summoned, but drawn by her deepest, desperate desire to "fix" things and to be somewhere she "belongs." Her body glows with immense, uncontrollable power.
SFX: KRA-THOOOOOOM!
SFX: WEEEEEEEOOOOOM! (Of the Miracle Machine activating)

Panel 4
Kara's face. A complex mix of fear, desperate hope, and a flash of her old, simple Bronze Age optimism. She's not making a conscious wish, but her very being is propelling her to a different time.

KARA (whispering, almost inaudible): Just... help them...

Page 14

Panel 1
Splash Page.
Full-page white-out. A blinding flash of light consumes the page, leaving only stark white.
SFX: FWIIIIIIIIIIIIISH!

Page 15

Panel 1
Setting: The exact same space above the neutral planet. But Kara is gone. The Miracle Machine is gone. The light has faded, leaving only scattered debris, stunned Legionnaires, and the still, unsettling containment dome below. A profound silence hangs in the air.

Panel 2
Brainiac 5 on his knees. His head is bowed, shoulders slumped. He doesn't look up. The full weight of what just happened, and what he didn't do, crushes him.

Panel 3
Cosmic Boy, battered, looks at Saturn Girl.

COSMIC BOY: Did she... did she finally break?

Panel 4
Dream Girl stands over Brainiac 5, looking down at him with immense pity. Her voice is quiet, heavy with cosmic understanding.

DREAM GIRL: She didn't break. She just realized this wasn't the right place... or time... to be right.

Panel 5
Close on Brainiac 5's clenched fist. He could have acted. He didn't.

BRAINIAC 5 (raspy whisper): She's gone.

Panel 6
Final panel. A split panel:

Left side: The empty space where Kara vanished, the silent planet below.

Right side: A small, vibrant panel showing a single, bright star streaking into a blue sky. It's the modern Earth.

Caption (bottom): NOW: 2025 A.D. EARTH.

The Watchtower Briefing
Page 16

Scene: The Brainiacs
Setting: The Watchtower. Earth orbit. Conference chamber. The alarm klaxons have gone silent—but no one in the room feels safe.

Panel 1
Wide shot. The Trinity stands before the teleporter pad. A soft whir. Blue light crackles.

Caption (Batman): “He said he was coming from the 31st century.” “He didn’t say he was bringing the other one.”

Panel 2
The teleporters resolve.
Brainiac 5 stands with composed grief, wearing the whites and gold of the Legion.
Brainiac 2 stands beside him in crisp green and black L.E.G.I.O.N. attire, arms folded, already annoyed.

WONDER WOMAN (low): “You brought him?”

BRAINIAC 5 (gentle): “I didn’t. He insisted.”

BRAINIAC 2 (dry): “I have a vested interest in not watching reality collapse into nostalgia therapy.”

Page 17

Panel 1
Superman steps forward, hope flickering like a dying star.

SUPERMAN: “Is it really her?”

BRAINIAC 5 (quietly): “Yes. Kara Zor-El. Of Argo City. The Supergirl who died to save everything. She shouldn’t exist.”

Panel 2
Batman projects holograms from his gauntlet: Kara’s return, her impossible Moon landing, the Crisis footage.

BATMAN: “No time travel. No clones. No multiversal migration. She just… appeared.”

BRAINIAC 2: “She reasserted. Like a glitch. Like a system that can’t forget a truth it was told to delete.”

Panel 3
Wonder Woman watches the footage with narrowed eyes.

WONDER WOMAN: “How is this even possible?”

Panel 4
Brainiac 5 activates a cosmic map. Kara’s death. The collapse. The Crisis. Erasure.

BRAINIAC 5 (composed, strained): “In 1985, time ended. The Crisis tore down the structure of everything. She died—and was unmade. Even the idea of her was erased.”

Panel 5
Superman, hands shaking.

SUPERMAN: “But I remember her. Not facts. Not events. Just… the feeling of her. Like a warmth you forgot you had.”

Page 18

Panel 1
Brainiac 2 steps forward, steepling his fingers.

BRAINIAC 2: “She’s not a paradox. She’s a reversion. A fixed point of sentiment the Multiverse failed to cauterize.”

Panel 2
Wonder Woman, disturbed.

WONDER WOMAN: “A resurrection?”

BRAINIAC 2: “Not a resurrection. A relapse.”

Panel 3
The hologram glitches. Kara’s return creates a visual of the Multiverse twisting inward.

BRAINIAC 5: “She didn’t survive Crisis. She outlasted it.”

Panel 4
Batman, low and grim.

BATMAN: “She fell through a wound in reality.”

Panel 5
Brainiac 2, nodding slightly.

BRAINIAC 2: “And the scar tissue formed around her.”

Page 19

Splash Panel.
The holographic projection becomes chaotic: threads of the Multiverse twist violently toward a central splinter. Kara Zor-El smiles in the center—brilliant, timeless, too bright.

BRAINIAC 5 (off-panel): “She broke causality the way only love ever does.”

BRAINIAC 2 (off-panel): “And now Darkseid wants it patched.”

Page 20

Panel 1
The Trinity stands across from the Brainiacs. Kara’s silhouette hovers behind them on the holoscreen.

SUPERMAN: “She’s helping people. I’ve seen her.”

BRAINIAC 5 (quietly): “She always tried to help. That’s what makes it harder.”

Panel 2
Wonder Woman leans forward.

WONDER WOMAN: “Then what’s the danger?”

Panel 3
Brainiac 2 raises a brow.

BRAINIAC 2: “She doesn’t ask permission. She doesn’t consult consensus. She just fixes things. Perfectly.”

Panel 4
Batman, arms folded.

BATMAN: “Paradise. Built by one person. How long until it stops being paradise?”

Panel 5
Brainiac 5 looks down, visibly pained.

BRAINIAC 5: “She means well. Kara always meant well.”

Panel 6
Brainiac 2, arms behind his back, matter-of-fact.

BRAINIAC 2: “That’s why it’s dangerous.”

Page 21

Panel 1
Wonder Woman turns to Brainiac 5.

WONDER WOMAN: “Why now? Why did she return now?”

Panel 2
Brainiac 5 hesitates, his gaze distant.

BRAINIAC 5: “She didn’t come back because the universe needed her. She came back because someone wanted her more than the universe wanted her gone.”

Panel 3
Superman, hushed.

SUPERMAN: “Who?”

Panel 4
Brainiac 5 doesn’t answer. He just looks at the projection. Kara smiling. Reality unraveling behind her.
PAGE 22

Panel 1
Setting: Daniel's study. Warm, cluttered, filled with ancient maps and books. The atmosphere is quiet, contemplative. Daniel is at his desk, surrounded by stacks of tomes. A single, distinct book lies open before him. It's old, leather-bound.
Character Caption Bubble: DANIEL
Homeworld: The Dreaming
Lord of Stories. Collector of forgotten truths.
More observant than you'd think.

Panel 2
Close-up on the open book on Daniel's desk. The pages are worn, the ink faded, but the title is clear.
Book Title: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF KARA ZOR-EL: THE MAID OF MIGHT
Subtitle: VOL. 2 OF 1
DANIEL (to himself, a soft, knowing smile): And so, another chapter begins... before its first.

Panel 3
Daniel looks up from the book, his gaze distant, as if seeing beyond the physical page.
DANIEL: You see, the Miracle Machine... it's not just a device. It's a dream engine. A wish-granter. It manifests that which is willed into being with enough force and enough belief.

Panel 4
Brainiac 2 gestures on the Watchtower, and a final hologram appears.
The Pre-Crisis Multiverse. Towering, impossible, bright. Gone.
BRAINIAC 2 (Watchtower):
“This was your world.
The one she remembers.
The one none of us were meant to survive.”

Panel 5
Brainiac 5, somber, stands on the Watchtower.
BRAINIAC 5 (Watchtower):
“I loved her in that world.
I watched her die.
Now she’s back.
And it should be a miracle.”

Panel 6
Tight on the Trinity: a triptych of their reactions.
Left: Wonder Woman: resolute, jaw set.
Center: Batman: calculating, eyes narrowed.
Right: Superman: aching, uncertain, a tear threatening to fall.
Caption (Brainiac 2):
“She’s not just your cousin anymore.
She’s the return of an idea.
And ideas don’t fade.
They colonize.”

Chapter Text

PAGE 1
Panel 1 (Wide):
A moonscape. Stark, vast, silent. A domed complex is half-built in a crater. Smooth Kryptonian-style tech meets human-scale livability. Nothing sinister — just too clean. Too thought-out.
Kara Zor-El floats mid-air in jeans and a Kryptonian work vest, effortlessly positioning part of the dome’s framework.
CAPTION (KARA):
Every apartment has light. Water. Privacy. Art.
No keys. No weapons. No newsfeeds.
No exits.
Panel 2:
She welds the structure with precise heat vision. Her eyes glint gold in the reflection. Behind her, a lounge chair, a thermos, and a floating table suggest someone's watching.
Panel 3:
Close-up of Brainiac 2, sipping from a delicate teacup, hovering cross-legged in the vacuum of space. He’s in his diplomatic uniform, jacket unzipped, tie floating slightly in zero-G. He raises a brow.
BRAINIAC 2:
I always find it charming when Kryptonians weld things.
So precise. So unnecessary.
Panel 4:
Kara glances back over her shoulder, bemused but not surprised.
KARA:
You could’ve brought a chair.
BRAINIAC 2:
I did. I simply prefer to float. Reminds me of my clone-father.
Very dramatic, that one.
PAGE 2
Panel 1:
Kara lands next to the half-finished dome, arms crossed. She’s relaxed, but wary.
KARA:
You came to stop me?
BRAINIAC 2:
Drinking his tea.
No.
You’re not hurting anyone.
Yet.
Panel 2:
Kara starts walking slowly along the complex, gesturing as she talks.
KARA:
I just want… somewhere safe. For the people who can’t stop breaking things.
Until they learn how.
Panel 3:
Brainiac 2 hovers behind her, hands in pockets now.
BRAINIAC 2:
You mean a prison.
KARA:
No.
There’s no punishment.
Just… waiting. And books. And sunlight.
Panel 4:
Close on Brainiac 2’s face, unreadable. Then:
BRAINIAC 2:
The version of me who collects cities wrote a psychological profile on you.
Filed it under “Significant Redundant Variables.”
Your cousin’s just listed as “Emotional Obstacle.”
Panel 5:
Kara looks away, jaw tight. She doesn’t like hearing that.
KARA:
You think I’m like him.
BRAINIAC 2 (off-panel):
You’re like me.
PAGE 3
Panel 1:
Kara is sitting now, suddenly tired. She gazes at the Earth above the horizon.
KARA:
I died for that planet.
Panel 2:
Brainiac 2 finally sits too, folding neatly onto a floating cushion conjured from unseen L.E.G.I.O.N. tech.
BRAINIAC 2:
Yes.
And then the universe rewrote itself to forget that you had.
Panel 3:
Kara frowns, very slightly. It’s the kind of comment that hurts in a small, precise way.
KARA:
You want me to feel bitter?
BRAINIAC 2:
No.
I want you to notice that your sense of moral authority may have outlived the reality it was built in.
Panel 4:
Beat panel. Kara doesn’t respond.
Panel 5:
Brainiac 2 continues, lightly:
BRAINIAC 2:
The one from the 30th century — my great-something-grandson —
he still speaks of you in a way that borders on theological.
Panel 6:
Kara finally smirks, just a little.
KARA:
That’s Brainy. Always a little bit in love with his existential crises.
PAGE 4
Panel 1:
She rises again, levitating a stack of carefully-packed furniture into place within a newly finished dome cell.
KARA:
I’m not a god.
I’m not trying to punish anyone.
I just want to keep people from hurting each other until they stop wanting to.
Panel 2:
Brainiac 2 watches her float the final wall section into place — no doors.
BRAINIAC 2:
You know what we call that, Kara?
KARA (flat):
Don’t say “re-education.”
Panel 3:
He smiles, but not unkindly.
BRAINIAC 2:
I wasn’t going to.
I was going to say “a soft reboot.”
Panel 4 (Wide):
The dome completes. She seals it silently with a heat vision seam. Inside, it looks like a lovely studio apartment… with no way out.
CAPTION (BRAINIAC 2):
You’re not a tyrant, Kara.
Tyrants know what they’re doing.
PAGE 6 — Arrival & Setup
Panel 1:
Wide shot of Metropolis. Early evening. Skyscrapers in silhouette, the sky warming into gold. Parasite and Metallo are tearing through a plaza. Civilians run for cover. Clark Kent, in rolled-up sleeves and loosened tie, is pinned under a streetlamp.
CAPTION (KARA):
They always come back.
Metropolis never gets a day off.
Panel 2:
Kara crashes down between the villains. Dust kicks up. Her landing cracks the pavement. She’s calm. Composed. Not glowing. Just there.
PARASITE (grinning):
Hey, hey, look who’s back.
Blonde, bold, and full of juice.
Panel 3:
Clark’s POV. Blurry from pain. Kara is backlit by the sun. For a moment, we see her overlaid with the image of the Turner Supergirl—midriff exposed, low-rise skirt, hair in disarray.
CAPTION (CLARK, internal):
Kara?
Panel 4:
Kara glances at him. Her face hardens. Behind her, Parasite lunges with a grin.
KARA (quiet):
Not today.
PAGE 7 — The Grapple
Panel 1:
Parasite grabs her in a full nelson from behind. Her boots lift off the ground. He’s leering.
PARASITE:
Let’s see what you’re made of, sunshine.
Panel 2:
Close-up of his hands on her shoulders. Electricity crackles. His smirk vanishes. His face twists in panic.
PARASITE:
Wait—
It’s too much—
Panel 3:
Kara slams both feet down. A shockwave erupts. Parasite flies backward, smoking and screaming. He crashes into a delivery truck.
KARA (dry):
Next time, ask before you bite the reactor.
Panel 4:
Metallo steps forward, arm transforming. A green glow emanates from his chest cavity.
METALLO:
You’re not walking out of here.
Not after what you did to Rudy.
PAGE 8 — The Kryptonite Moment
Panel 1:
Metallo fires. A bright green beam hits Kara square in the chest. It refracts and disperses, shimmering like heatwaves. She barely moves.
KARA (calm):
Pretty light.
Panel 2:
Metallo, startled. His eyes widen.
METALLO:
That’s Kryptonite!
It should’ve dropped you!
KARA:
Not my flavor.
Panel 3:
She walks toward him. Her footsteps crack pavement. She doesn’t raise her voice. The beam intensifies. Still nothing.
Panel 4:
She grabs the emitter on his chest and yanks it loose with one hand. Sparks fly. Metallo stumbles, his core exposed.
KARA:
Mine was greener.
PAGE 9 — Clark’s Vision
Panel 1:
Clark’s blurred vision. Kara walks toward him, holding Metallo’s cracked core. The Turner version overlays her again—bare midriff, floating poise, too light to be real.
Panel 2:
Clark blinks. Focus sharpens. Kara’s silhouette becomes solid. No frills. No exposed skin. Just muscle and momentum.
CLARK (soft):
Kara?
Panel 3:
She kneels beside him. Her tone is clinical, but her eyes are kind.
KARA:
You’re concussed.
Don’t get up until your ears stop ringing.
Panel 4:
Clark tries to sit up. His eyes meet hers again. This time, no overlay. Just her.
CLARK:
You’re real.
KARA:
We both are.
PAGE 10 — Aftermath
Panel 1:
Police and emergency services arrive. Kara stands off to the side, hands clasped behind her back like a cadet on review.
Panel 2:
A reporter, off-panel, shouts out the question on everyone’s mind.
REPORTER (off-panel):
Supergirl—where’ve you been?
We thought you were off-world!
Panel 3:
Kara doesn’t turn. Her voice carries.
KARA:
I’ve been thinking.
Panel 4:
Clark, finally standing with help. Watching her. His expression is unreadable. Awe, fear, recognition, confusion—all at once.
CAPTION (CLARK, internal):
That’s not the girl I remember.
But everyone thinks she is.
CAPTION (CLARK, internal):
And she’s not saying otherwise.
PAGE 11 — Green Light Go
Panel 1:
A full-width panel.
Supergirl streaks through low Earth orbit like a sunbeam, dragging two unconscious villains (Parasite and Metallo) in glowing containment fields behind her. Earth’s curvature is in the background.
A bright green wall snaps up in front of her path.
KYLE (off-panel, from ring):
“Unidentified Supergirl — you are interfering with United Nations jurisdiction.”
Panel 2:
She halts one inch from the green wall. A sonic BOOM ripples out. The containment fields holding the villains wobble but don’t snap.
KARA (calm, patient):
“You’re going to want to drop that wall.”
Panel 3:
Close-up on Kyle Rayner’s face inside his construct helmet — surprised, impressed, and wary. Ring energy pulses around his arm.
KYLE:
“With respect, I’m going to need you to explain who the hell you are and why you’re kidnapping two Class-A felons.”
Panel 4:
Close-up on Kara’s hand. She snaps her fingers.
SFX: snap
Panel 5:
The green wall shatters into icy dust from a precise blast of arctic breath. Kyle reflexively raises a glowing shield — but it’s too late.
KYLE (caption):
“That’s not supposed to happen.”
PAGE 12 — Minimal Contact
Panel 1:
Kyle creates a Gundam-style mech suit with the ring — green armor plating, shoulder missiles, glowing fists. Kara calmly flies forward.
KARA:
“Are we doing a bit?”
Panel 2:
She taps the giant mech’s foot with her knuckle. The construct fractures, and the whole thing buckles like cardboard. Kyle ejects.
KYLE (ring):
“Manual override! Eject—!”
Panel 3:
Kara reaches out, grabs a piece of the dissolving mech — a giant green gauntlet — and whips it like a lasso.
Panel 4:
The gauntlet is tethered to Kyle by ring connection. The whip sends him flying like a yo-yo into the panel border.
SFX: WRAK!
Panel 5:
Kyle lands on a hard light surfboard just in time to catch himself — bruised, coughing.
KYLE (to ring):
“Update Kryptonian threat profile. This one’s faster than Superman.”
PAGE 13 — Point Made
Panel 1:
Kara is right next to him. Not a hair out of place. Hands behind her back, smiling politely.
KARA:
“You’re new.”
KYLE:
“Not that new.”
KARA:
“Then you’ll know I’m not trying.”
Panel 2:
She flicks her finger. It creates a green shockwave ripple through Kyle’s ring construct armor — which buckles like tin foil.
KYLE (caption):
“Oh God she’s not lying—”
Panel 3:
Kyle makes a giant green fist and throws a punch. Kara catches the construct — and tugs. Kyle is yanked forward like a rag doll.
Panel 4:
Kara steps aside and lets him fly past her, spinning through space. Still smiling.
KARA (casual):
“We’re done now.”
Panel 5 (full width):
She flies off with Metallo and Parasite again, this time no longer trying to explain herself. Kyle floats stunned, watching her go. His ring glows nervously.
KYLE (to himself):
“That wasn’t Supergirl. That was a whole different animal.”
PAGE 14
Panel 1:
Wide establishing shot — The lunar gulag, shimmering softly under Earthlight. Kara stands near the edge, her cape fluttering. Suddenly, a bright green glow bursts into the frame — Guy Gardner arrives in full Green Lantern regalia, flying fast and aggressive.
GUY (cocky grin):
“Well, well, look what the cosmos spat out. You’re way out of your league, toots.”
KARA (calm, confident):
“Guy Gardner. I expected someone with more manners.”
Panel 2:
Close-up on Guy, grinning wider, cocky and cock-eyed.
GUY:
“Manners? Come on, I’m here to cut the crap and see if you’re all talk.”
Panel 3:
Guy fires off a green energy punch construct — a giant gauntlet smashing toward Kara.
KARA (raising a hand):
“You’re about to find out.”
Panel 4:
Kara casually deflects the punch with a finger snap, causing the construct to shatter into shards of green light.
PAGE 15
Panel 1:
Guy snarls and creates multiple sharp green whips around Kara, trying to bind her arms.
GUY:
“Try breaking outta this, doll.”
Panel 2:
Kara’s eyes flash bright red for a split second, energy shimmering just beneath the surface.
Panel 3:
Kara breaks free effortlessly; the green whips snap and dissolve.
KARA:
“Really? That all you got?”
Panel 4:
Guy smirks, forming a massive green mace construct and swings at her.
PAGE 16
Panel 1:
Kara ducks under the mace and grabs the handle.
Panel 2:
Using the mace’s weight, she whips Guy around, tethered by the construct, throwing him sideways through a crater wall.
Panel 3:
Guy crashes into the rock, groaning but smirking.
GUY:
“Okay, okay, you’re no joke.”
Panel 4:
Kara floats forward, her expression serious now.
KARA:
“I’m just getting started.”
PAGE 17
Panel 1:
Kara’s eyes glow fully red, her aura flaring as she raises her hands.
KARA (voiceover):
“Let’s turn it up… just a bit.”
Panel 2:
She unleashes a controlled blast of heat vision, narrowly missing Guy, who barely dodges.
Panel 3:
Guy creates a massive green shield, protecting himself but visibly impressed and a bit on edge.
Panel 4:
Close-up on Kara, half-smiling but serious.
KARA:
“You wanted to test me, Gardner. Now you know.”
PAGE 18
Panel 1:
Guy Gardner slowly opens his eyes, lying on a surprisingly comfortable metallic cot in a sleek, softly glowing cell. There’s a heavy, high-tech door with a subtle glow of locks.
GUY (thought bubble):
“Ugh… where the hell am I now? Not your usual prison cell, that’s for sure.”
Panel 2:
Brainiac 2, nicknamed Dox, sits cross-legged on a levitating cushion near Guy’s cot, calmly sipping tea from a delicate porcelain cup. His expression is neutral, almost amused.
GUY (grinning):
“Well, if it isn’t the universe’s favorite overachiever, Dox. Still sipping tea while the galaxy burns?”
Panel 3:
Close-up on Dox, a slight smile forming.
DOX:
“Tea improves cognition. It also soothes the chaos within. Something you might find beneficial, Gardner.”
Panel 4:
Guy sits up and rubs his neck, eyeing the room.
GUY:
“Gotta admit, this place ain’t half bad for a gulag. No bars, no grime, comfy bed… You sure you’re not just lazy?”
PAGE 19
Panel 1:
Dox raises the tea cup in a mock salute.
DOX:
“Containment, not punishment. We provide the necessary conditions to prevent escape without inflicting needless suffering. Efficiency is paramount.”
Panel 2:
Guy chuckles, swinging his legs off the cot.
GUY:
“Well, efficiency’s fine for you brainiacs, but I’m used to things being less… polite. Muscle over manners, you know?”
Panel 3:
Dox’s eyes briefly flicker with something akin to warmth.
DOX:
“Muscle without strategy is a blunt instrument. Muscles with minds are far more effective.”
Panel 4:
Wide panel showing the cell’s layout. Parasite and Metallo sit in separate but visible containment cells, observing silently. Guy looks over toward them with a smirk.
GUY:
“So, how long do you figure we’re neighbors? You got your Kryptonite, and he’s got his… whatever that parasite thing is.”
PAGE 20
Panel 1:
Close-up on Parasite, his pale face lit by the soft glow of the containment field, eyes narrowed.
PARASITE (thought bubble):
“New muscle in the yard. This one might actually break the routine.”
Panel 2:
Metallo, partly mechanical, watches Guy with calculating eyes.
METALLO (thought bubble):
“He underestimates the cage he’s in. None of us leave until she says so.”
Panel 3:
Guy leans back, arms behind his head, grinning at Dox.
GUY:
“Well, Dox, guess I’m stuck with you geniuses for now. Hope your tea’s strong enough.”
Panel 4:
Dox sips tea serenely, eyes locked on Guy with a subtle smirk.
DOX:
“You might be surprised at what patience and a good brew can accomplish.”
PAGE 21 — Clark Kent
Panel 1:
Clark at the Kent family farm, in the barn loft. The sun is setting. He’s in flannel. The air is golden and still.
CAPTION:
Clark doesn’t talk about her.
He’s not even sure she existed.
Panel 2:
Close-up: an old trunk opened. Inside — a yellowing photo of the Silver Age Legion. Kara is in the background, just slightly out of focus. Almost erased.
CAPTION:
The records say she was a dream.
The multiverse forgot her.
So he tried to.
Panel 3:
He holds the photo gently. His hands shake slightly.
CLARK (whispers):
You were real. Weren’t you?
Panel 4:
He looks up at the darkening sky, thoughtful, uncertain — and afraid.
CLARK (softly):
…What brought you back?
PAGE 22 — Karen Starr (Power Girl)
Panel 1:
Karen in her Manhattan penthouse, standing in front of a wall of screens: news footage of Kara’s fight in Metropolis plays on loop. Metallo. Parasite. The crater she left behind.
CAPTION:
Power Girl has always felt like a copy.
Even when she was the original.
Panel 2:
Zoom in: Karen’s clenched fist. Fingernails digging into her palm.
CAPTION:
She used to dream of another her.
A brighter one. Younger.
Perfect.
Panel 3:
She shuts off the screen. Her face is calm, but her posture is pure tension.
KAREN (quietly):
I don’t care where she came from.
I just want to know whose legacy she thinks she’s walking in.
Panel 4:
She looks into the mirror — her reflection cold and unreadable.
CAPTION:
Power Girl doesn’t get confused.
Not out loud.
PAGE 23 — Linda Danvers
Panel 1:
Linda sitting alone in a cathedral pew at night. Dim stained glass. Light from a thousand years of faith filters down.
CAPTION:
She met Kara once.
Not in the flesh.
But in the fire.
Panel 2:
Flashback overlay: Kara — the Bronze Age Supergirl — all bright cape and golden certainty, reaching out through the white void of the Crisis. Linda as a frightened silhouette, reaching back.
CAPTION:
When they merged, Linda saw the truth.
A girl who died smiling.
Who knew what sacrifice meant.
Panel 3:
Linda now, tears welling up, but not falling.
LINDA (softly):
They never knew you.
Not like I did.
Panel 4:
She lights a candle on the altar. Her face is lit by flame. It’s not grief. It’s reverence.
LINDA (whisper):
Welcome back, Kara.
PAGE 24 — Psycho-Pirate (Roger Hayden)
Panel 1:
We open on a gorgeous, crumbling theater stage in some collapsing corner of the multiverse — curtains like red velvet bleeding into the void. Psycho-Pirate stands center stage beneath a cracked spotlight, arms outstretched, gold mask catching too many glints from no visible source.
PSYCHO-PIRATE (shouting to no one):
SHE’S BACK.
SHE’S BACK SHE’S BACK SHE’S BACK SHE’S BACK—
Panel 2:
He spins, gesturing madly to empty seats filled with ghosts of continuity: Pre-Crisis heroes half-faded, Elseworlds echoes watching in silence, an audience of shadows.
PSYCHO-PIRATE:
Do you feel that?
The weight in the air?
Like a hymn you haven’t heard since childhood?
Panel 3:
Close-up: He grips the front of his mask like it’s burning him — eyes wild beneath, rimmed in tears and mascara. We see Kara reflected in the gold: not Michael Turner’s waif, but Bronze Age Kara, all clean lines and godlight.
PSYCHO-PIRATE (whispering):
She was the first to fall.
She was the only one who smiled as she did it.
And you—
You forgot her.
Panel 4:
He collapses backward onto a velvet fainting couch that’s somehow appeared behind him. One hand splayed dramatically across his chest, the other to the ceiling like Sarah Bernhardt in mourning.
PSYCHO-PIRATE:
And now she walks among the living like a resurrection-shaped guilt trip—
Oh, the audacity of memory!
Panel 5:
He sits bolt upright, manic now, eyes blazing.
PSYCHO-PIRATE (shouting):
I REMEMBER HER!
I REMEMBER ALL OF HER!
And that means…
so will you.
PAGE 25 — Psycho-Pirate and The Spectre
Location: A ruined church floating in the void outside time. Stained glass windows depict scenes that never happened. The pews are full of shadows. Psycho-Pirate sits where the priest would. The Spectre stands in the aisle, silent and vast.
Panel 1:
Psycho-Pirate lounging in the pulpit, mask on, arms wide like a televangelist mid-sermon.
PSYCHO-PIRATE:
Welcome, welcome, sinner and saint alike!
Have you heard the Good News?
She’s back.
And no one knows why—except me.
Panel 2:
The Spectre towers over the altar. His cloak flutters without wind. His face is half in shadow, half in cosmic fire.
THE SPECTRE:
You speak of Kara Zor-El.
She was judged.
She was absolved.
She was taken.
PSYCHO-PIRATE (smiling):
And now she’s returned.
Funny, huh?
Like a clerical error in the Book of Destiny.
Oops! Our bad. Let’s just undo death.
Panel 3:
Spectre raises one glowing hand, and the shadows in the pews ignite — silently screaming. Psycho-Pirate keeps smiling, but his eyes are watering.
THE SPECTRE:
This is not your theater, Pirate.
This is mine.
And I do not forgive trespass.
Panel 4:
Psycho-PIRATE, still calm, now gently setting down his mask on the pulpit like a relic. He’s not mocking now — he’s intimate, reverent.
PSYCHO-PIRATE:
I just wanted to see if you remembered her.
You do.
Even you.
That’s enough.
Panel 5:
Final panel. Psycho-Pirate is gone — no flash, no flourish. Just absence. Spectre stands alone in the empty chapel. The shadows in the pews slowly regenerate into new, undefined forms.
CAPTION (SPECTRE’S THOUGHT, biblical tone):
She was light untempered by prophecy.
She was not meant to burn so bright.
And yet…
I remember her smile.

Chapter Text

PAGE 1: “Two Men Walk Into a Genre…”
6 panels. Shifting tones from ominous to absurd to unnerving.
Panel 1:
Location: A shadowy theatre lobby. Everything is in chiaroscuro. Posters line the walls for surreal performances: “THE RETURN OF THE GIRL WHO SHOULDN’T EXIST,” “THE COMEDY OF TRAUMA,” and “KRYPTON, ACT III.” A black stage door glows faintly.
Psycho-Pirate, in full regalia, is stepping through the door, holding his Medusa Mask like a gentleman would a fedora.
Caption:
“There is a place between the Act and the Curtain. A place where the script is sealed, but the actors still bleed.”
Panel 2:
Interior: A crumbling stage set — it looks like both an old Silver Age Daily Planet office and a post-Crisis Arkham cell. A spotlight flickers.
Psycho-Pirate walks confidently onto the warped stage.
From off-panel:
“Psst. You’re late. But don’t worry. The plot hasn’t noticed yet.”
Panel 3:
Ambush Bug drops down from the rafters wearing a director’s beret and holding a clearly fake version of the DC Comics 2025 editorial calendar. It’s backwards. He’s munching on it like a sandwich.
Ambush Bug:
“I read ahead. Oooh boy. You’re gonna love Issue #19. Or maybe you’ll sob through it. Eh. Same difference.”
Panel 4:
Psycho-Pirate stands stock-still, unamused. Behind him, the scenery melts: a Legion of Super-Heroes skyline bleeding into 1985’s Infinite Crisis rubble.
Psycho-Pirate:
“You think this is comedy. But the tragedy is old. Ancient. Repeating.”
Ambush Bug:
“Oh, buddy. The tragedy is your delivery. I mean, listen to you. All that gravelly portentous whispering. It’s like Watchmen and Phantom of the Opera had a baby and dropped it down a stairwell.”
Panel 5:
Close-up: Psycho-Pirate lifts the Medusa Mask just a little. It doesn’t activate. It just gleams. Like it wants to know if you’re looking.
Psycho-Pirate:
“I know why she’s here. I felt it before it happened. That’s more than you can say, even with your… 'script.'”
Panel 6:
Ambush Bug walks offstage left, trailing mime ropes and pulling the edge of the panel border like it’s a shower curtain.
Ambush Bug (smirking):
“Oh no, no, no. See, I do know. I just respect the spoiler tags. You’re the one dripping foreshadowing like a leaky Claremont caption box. Keep your secrets, Pirate. I already saw the director’s cut.”
PAGE 2: “Enter: The Greek Chorus with Capes”
Full-page layout mimicking a stage playbill, but it’s a real moment between them. A distorted cosmic curtain surrounds them. Both are seated in old velvet theatre chairs. Kara’s silhouette looms like a stage light on the curtain behind them.
Psycho-Pirate sits like a man haunted by a story he didn’t write but was written into.
Ambush Bug perches upside down in his chair, sipping from a drink that reads “Eisner-flavored.”
Floating around them in the curtain’s folds are fragments of possible Kara origins:
– The Miracle Machine igniting.
– A Legion flight ring burning.
– A cosmic hand reaching through the Multiverse.
– A crumpled Who’s Who entry labeled “Kara Zor-El (Deceased?)”
Dialogue (two overlapping speech bubbles):
Psycho-Pirate (darkly poetic):
“She isn’t back. She’s still here. She always was. The Crisis just made us forget the tune.”
Ambush Bug (casually smug):
“And now she’s humming it again. Off-key. Loud. Punching gods in the face. Y’know—the usual.”
Small caption at bottom corner (in fine print):
“We apologize. The narrative is currently experiencing minor reality-based turbulence. Please remain seated until your plot threads have come to a full and satisfying conclusion.”