Mr. Sandman (12 page)

 

Page 5 (9
panels)

 

Page 5 panel 1

 

Dream Lord (concealing his weakness, trying to act tough): In fact, I don't want to hear another word out of your mouths unless it's an explanation of who the hell you are and what you're doing here.

 

Narrator (vet): The 'Cong said they were going to kill my partner, and that set me off. Even though I was hurt, could barely stand up, I tried to defend him. I told them we were both wired with explosives, and if they touched either of us, they would die, too.

 

Narrator (Farley): Adams's finally showing some spunk! I didn't
think
he would bow his head and let them slip the cuffs on. Lucas, let's give him a little line before we reel him in. Tell the Brigade to feed him some data.

 

 

 

Page 5 panel 2

 

Night Terror: Very well, sir. We are members of the Night Brigade, a new branch of the armed forces of the United States. Through the use of mechanisms developed by Project Dream Lord, we have been empowered to travel into this dimension of dreams.

 

 

 

Page 5 panel 3

 

Dream Lord: Go away. You people have no authority here.

 

Night Terror: Negative, Doctor. We've officially claimed this alternate space as territory of the United States of America.

 

 

 

Page 5 panel 4

 

Dream Lord: You're joking, right?

 

Night Terror: No, sir. Based on our rights of first discovery, and the fact that this space is currently not claimed or governed by any other state, we have annexed it. Right now, we are in the process of establishing a permanent manned presence here.

 

 

 

Page 5 panel 5

 

Night Terror: We have designated this space "Slumberland One."

 

Dream Lord: That is utterly
ridiculous
! You can't
claim
the Dream Zone -- it isn't some land mass or strip of ground! Really, it isn't even a
place
! It's a manifestation of dream energy, an after-image of mental processes!

 

 

 

Page 5 panel 6

 

Dream Lord: This dimension is in a constant state of flux and disruption. It's never the same from one day to the next. It's controlled by unimaginable forces which explode and recede without warning.

 

Hangover: So? Sounds to me like Latin America!

 

 

 

Page 5 panel 7

 

Catnap: Dr. Adams, your theories and reservations are noted, but inconsequential. Slumberland
is
a place, with physical dimensions and measurable properties. As such, it comes under the jurisdiction of any government wishing to claim it first.

 

Dream Lord: I'm not getting through to you, am I? This dimension doesn't belong to any one nation or group, and it never will! It belongs to all
humanity
, every living being!

 

 

 

Page 5 panel 8

 

Dream Lord (forgetting much of his fear, shunting aside his pain as he becomes angry): Everyone who
dreams
has a stake here, an irrefutable
legacy
! Everyone shares this world, has their own personal part of it. You couldn't keep anyone out if you
wanted
to!

 

Symbol: An immigration policy is currently being formulated in Washington, Dr. Adams, to deal with that problem.

 

 

 

Page 5 panel 9

 

Narrator (vet): The enemy soldiers finally made their move, and I knew there was no way out. We were both going to die.

 

Narrator (Farley): Okay, that's enough. Adams's confused and stirred up now, so he'll be reckless and easy to capture. Give the order to attack.

 

Night Terror: Dr. Adams, I'm sorry to say that we must now charge you with trespassing in American territory. Do you have any papers or a passport?

 

Dream Lord: You're crazy! You've got no claim here!
Y
ou
people are the trespassers!

 

 

 

 

Page 6 (7
panels)

 

Page 6 panel 1

 

Night Terror: Your personal citizenship in the U.S. was revoked when you stole government equipment and went into hiding. Citizenship in Slumberland is not retroactive, and cannot be obtained through squatter's rights.

 

Dream Lord: What? What the hell are you talking about?

 

Catnap: Doctor, you're under arrest for trespassing and for attempting to subvert the native government of Slumberland.

 

 

 

Page 6 panel 2

 

Lullaby (She is whispering to the Dream Lord, touching his arm.): Buddy, how are you feeling?

 

Dream Lord: Not so good. Better than before, but not by much.

 

Lullaby: Well then, I think that maybe we oughtta' take a deep breath...

 

 

 

Page 6 panel 3

 

Lullaby: ...and get the hell out of here!

 

She dives off the side of the cloud, pulling the Dream Lord along with her. Behind them, the Night Brigade scrambles into a pursuit formation.

 

Narrator (vet): All of a sudden, my partner and I took off! We ran like mad into the jungle and somehow got away from the Vietcong. Behind us, I could hear them running, their guns and canteens rattling as they shouted.

 

Narrator (Farley): There he goes! Kelsey, keep a fix on him at all times! Lucas, transmit his coordinates to the team as he moves. Instruct the Night Brigade to pursue and pacify target.

 

 

 

Page 6 panel 4

 

Night Terror (gesturing toward the fleeing Dream Lord and Lullaby, his team already flying off the cloud at his orders): Capture Adams ASAP! The girl is unimportant, so terminate her! Catnap and Hangover, you're the first wave! Let's go!

 

 

 

Page 6 panel 5

 

Lullaby and the Dream Lord fall through the blue sky, pushing themselves as fast as they can to escape the Night Brigade.

 

Lullaby: Man! You are
definitely
havin' a bad day here! First, you get killed by that Bogey-nut...then you rise from the dead...and now these weekend warriors wanna' kick your butt! Maybe you should go back and start your life over!

 

Dream Lord: Those people are
not
going to give up and let us get away, Stacy...and I don't have enough energy to defend both of us. Hell, I don't have enough to defend
myself
! I want you to get away from here, run as far and as fast as you can.

 

 

 

Page 6 panel 6

 

Dream Lord: I'll try to keep them occupied.

 

The Dream Lord turns in mid-fall and flies back toward the Brigade. Lullaby shoots past him.

 

Lullaby: Dream Lord! You dumb cowboy! Haven't you figured it out yet?

 

 

 

Page 6 panel 7

 

Dream Lord is already in the distance, approaching the first two members of the Night Brigade, but Lullaby soars after him.

 

Lullaby: I'm your guardian angel, buster! I'm watching out for
you
! And you need
too
much watching over!

 

 

 

 

Page 7 (9
panels)

 

Page 7 panel 1

 

Hangover (smiling and enjoying the battle): Hey hey, here comes our boy now! I think the little coward wants to
fight
us, Ruby! He looks real
baaaad
, don't he?

 

Catnap: Shut up and do your job! Take him out quick and yap about it later! And don't use civilian names on a mission!

 

 

 

Page 7 panel 2

 

Hangover: Pardon me, babe, but I'm gettin' carried away. This kinda' stuff really turns me on...almost as much as
you
do!

 

Catnap:
Button
it, you idiot! Here he comes!

 

 

 

Page 7 panel 3

 

Dream Lord approaches the two, gritting his teeth and gathering all his strength for the battle.

 

Hangover: Hey, dumbass! You must really be a masochist to take
us
on! Gonna
gut you
and
burn
your little girlfriend! And you're gonna
feel
it! We're...

 

Catnap (off-panel): Dr. Adams!

 

The Dream Lord looks in the direction of Catnap's voice, away from the hulking Hangover.

 

 

 

Page 7 panel 4

 

Catnap (pointing at the Dream Lord, her hand glowing brightly): You look like you could use a little rest.

 

 

 

Page 7 panel 5

 

The Dream Lord suddenly passes out in mid-flight, his eyes closing and his head falling backward.

 

Dream Lord: What are you...

 

 

 

Page 7 panel 6

 

A single frame of complete blackness, as the Dream Lord sleeps for a split second.

 

 

 

Page 7 panel 7

 

Closeup of the Dream Lord's face as he abruptly regains consciousness. His eyes spring open, and he looks surprised.

 

Dream Lord: ...doing?

 

Hangover (off-panel): Ha ha! You stupid jerk! We already got you!

 

 

 

Page 7 panel 8

 

Medium shot. Hangover has grabbed the Dream Lord and is crushing him in a bear hug. The Dream Lord, still in pain from his earlier, fatal injuries, grimaces and shouts.

 

Hangover: What a tough guy! You didn't even get a shot in, and you're already squashed like a bug! How did you like Catnap, huh? She's a real
knockout
, ain't she?

 

Dream Lord: Aaaaarrrrggh!

 

 

 

Page 7 panel 9

 

Hangover: Aw, does this hurt? Does it really
bother
you?

 

Dream Lord: Aaaoww! Let...go!

 

Hangover: What's that? It doesn't hurt
enough
? Gee, I forgot you
like
pain so much! Here, I can fix that.

 

 

 

 

Page 8 (8
panels)

 

Page 8 panel 1

 

Hangover lifts one huge, hairy hand and clamps it over the Dream Lord's face. The Dream Lord writhes around, trying to get away.

 

Hangover: See, my code name is "Hangover," twerp, and that's what I can do to you! I can make you sick like you've never been before, give you a pain all through your body that's a thousand times worse than any hangover you've ever had!

 

Dream Lord: YAAAAA!!!

 

 

 

Page 8 panel 2

 

Hangover: Now ain't that a neat power, Adams? I can make you hurt and hurt and hurt, and you don't have to touch a drop of booze! Here, let me turn it up a little more for ya', so you can get comfortable.

 

Catnap (hovering nearby while Hangover laughs and the Dream Lord shrieks with pain): Hangover! Finish him now! We're on a timetable, and we don't have time for your sadistic crap!

 

 

 

Page 8 panel 3

 

Hangover: Hey now, honey girl, there's
always
time for kicks! You like it, don't you, baby? It makes you hot, I can tell!

 

Catnap: Here comes the girl! I'll take care of her!

 

 

 

Page 8 panel 4