Drama

PANEL 1 stretches across the entire page.
A cat with noticeably wide paws plays with a ball of yarn.
INSET close up of the paws on the ball of yarn.
LEGEND: “Have you ever seen a cat with unusually wide paws?”

***

PANEL 2 is half the width of PANEL 1, but the same height.
A medical diagram style close up of a normal cat’s paw.
LEGEND: “The extra size comes from extra toes! Sometimes as many as three or four extra!”

***

PANEL 3 is the exact same size as PANEL 2 and immediately adjacent.
A close up of a cat’s paw with extra toes.
LEGEND: “These cats are technically called polydactyl but more commonly known as Hemingway cats.”

***

PANEL 4 is the same size and PANEL 2, in a similar side-by-side arrangement with PANEL 5.
A young, glorious and unbearded Ernest Hemingway looks boldly into the shining future.
LEGEND: “Did you know that their name comes from famed author Ernest Hemingway?”

***

PANEL 5 is all text.
“It’s True! Without Mr. Hemingway, these special rare cats might be extinct or endangered in North America . . .”

June/July 2004
Script for Hemingway Cats Comix #1 by Kevin Dole 2 ON THE COVER: A Hemingway cat sits upright with its tail wrapped around a generic brown bottle of liquor. Around its neck is a single rifle cartridge on a tight chain.
	PAGE 1 is divided equally into three horizontal sections.
PANEL 1 stretches across the entire page. A cat with noticeably wide paws plays with a ball of yarn. INSET close up of the paws on the ball of yarn. LEGEND: “Have you ever seen a cat with unusually wide paws?” * PANEL 2 is half the width of PANEL 1, but the same height. A medical diagram style close up of a normal cat’s paw. LEGEND: “The extra size comes from extra toes! Sometimes as many as three or four extra!” * PANEL 3 is the exact same size as PANEL 2 and immediately adjacent. A close up of a cat’s paw with extra toes. LEGEND: “These cats are technically called polydactyl but more commonly known as Hemingway cats.” * PANEL 4 is the same size and PANEL 2, in a similar side-by-side arrangement with PANEL 5. A young, glorious and unbearded Ernest Hemingway looks boldly into the shining future. LEGEND: “Did you know that their name comes from famed author Ernest Hemingway?” * PANEL 5 is all text. “It’s True! Without Mr. Hemingway, these special rare cats might be extinct or endangered in North America . . .”
	PAGE 2
PANEL 1, same size as PAGE 1, PANEL 5, all text. INSET INTO PANEL 2 “Legend has it that Hemingway was introduced to this special species of feline by a sea captain on a voyage across the sea.” * PANEL 2 is most of the top half of the page half the page, contains PANEL 1 in the upper left-hand corner, as the American Flag contains its blue field of white stars. Hemingway, now a bit older, stares in amazement at a polydactyl cat playing with a rat pinned on the deck of the boat. * PANEL 3 INSET Close up of the rodent pinned in the cat’s paw. * PANEL 4, one quarter of the remaining page. Hemingway leans into the ship’s cabin. * PANEL 5, same size as panel 4, adjacent. The Captain looks up from his map. * PANEL 6, same size, under panel 4. Hemingway’s face. HEMINGWAY: “Those are some cats you got there.” * PANEL 7 The Captain’s face. CAPTAIN: “They’re good for catching mice and rats and other things down in the hold.”
	PAGE 3, nine panels of equal size.
PANEL 1, upper left hand corner. HEMINGWAY: “I’ll say.” * PANEL 2, same size as PANEL1. CAPTAIN: “A queen just had a litter. I can give you a few kittens to take with you to land if you like.” * PANEL 3, same size, upper right hand corner. Hemingway rubs his beard thoughtfully. He is thinking. Thought bubbles drift down to the PANELS below him. HEMINGWAY: “Hmmmmm . . .” * PANEL 4, this panel has cloudy borders, indicating that it is Hemingway’s thoughts, same size, under PANEL 1. Hemingway introduces three kittens to his cat in Key West. HEMINGWAY: “Dusty, meet Clawgrip, Manacle and, Mittsy.” * PANEL 5, thoughts, same size, under PANEL 2 The silhouette of a kitten with big paws in a cage. * PANEL 6, thoughts, same size under PANEL 3 An older, distinguished looking, white bearded Hemingway draws a chalk circle on the floor, with Dusty at one side and Clawgrip at the other. HEMINGWAY: “I want a clean fight to the death, no funny stuff, but don’t pussy out on me either, you hear?” * PANEL 7, thoughts, same size, under PANEL 4. A whiskey bottle shattering against a wall. * PANEL 8, thoughts, same size, under PANEL 5. The silhouette of a large cat in a cage. * PANEL 9 Hemingway’s wife walking out the door. WIFE: “It’s either those barbaric cats or me!”
	PAGE 4
PANEL 1, thoughts, same size as all PANELS on PAGE 3. The cartoon cloud of cats fighting. * PANEL 2, thoughts, same size. Hemingway staring morosely at a blank sheet of paper in his typewriter. * PANEL 3, thoughts, same size. The silhouette of a gigantic cat the size of a tiger in a cage. The paws are the size of catcher’s mitts, and each individual claw is distinct in outline. * PANEL 4, thoughts, the same height as the above PANELS, stretching the width of the page. The older, final Hemingway, overweight, bearded and red-faced from liquor, the full on “Papa” of legend is machine-gunning sharks from his boat. The gigantic cats are diving into the ocean to get the sharks. Hemingway is roaring with mad laughter. HEMINGWAY: “HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” * PANEL 5, thoughts, half the width of PANEL 4, same height. Hemingway turns the machine guns on his beloved monster cats. *** PANEL 6, thoughts, same size as PANEL 5. Hemingway shoving a bottle into the face of a polydactyl kitten. HEMINGWAY: “Drink you bastard drink! I’m Ernest Fucking Hemingway! I didn’t write all those lovely stories for nothing!”
	PAGE 5 is divided into 4 PANELS of equal size. These are no longer thought bubbles. The first 3 are of the young Hemingway in the exact same ponderous pose, rubbing his beard as the Captain looks on. The last is of Hemingway smiling and holding up a single finger as if struck by a great idea.
HEMINGWAY: “Give me all you got!”