Superman - The Man of Tears by Matt Johnson Page 1 Pin-up shot of Metropolis. Dead center is a sky-scraper office building. text box: THANKS FOR SEEING ME. Page 2 Panel 1: center shot of the office building from previous page text box: WELL, TO BE HONEST, I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW I CAN HELP YOU, BUT I'LL DO ANYTHING I CAN. Panel 2: close shot of one floor of the building from the outside. text box : THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING FOR. Panel 3: shot of a middle-aged man, a little overwheight, balding, with glasses, in a suit. a desk behind him Psychiatrist: LET'S GET STARTED THEN. WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEM --- Page 3 Pin-up shot of Superman sitting on a psychiatrist couch, leaning on his knees, head down text box: ---SUPERMAN. Page 4 Panel 1: Superman lying on the couch, his hands on his chest, his cape drapping on the floor Superman: WELL DR. ROBBINS, I'M SUPER-STRONG. MUCH STRONGER THEN HUMANS. Panel 2: Superman on the couch in the same position. The doctor sitting in a chair with a notepad next to the couch. Dr. Robbins: YES YOU ARE. IS THAT THE ISSUE YOU CAME TO DISCUSS? Superman: PARTLY, YES. BECAUSE OF THAT, I CAN NEVER ... BE A FATHER. Dr. Robbins: AND WHY IS THAT? Superman: ... Panel 3: close-up of Dr. Robbins' face. his eyes are wide in a really shocked look. Dr. Robbins: OH! BECAUSE YOU'RE STRONGER THEN HUMANS YOU CAN NEVER... I UNDERSTAND. SAY NO MORE, I REALIZE HOW EMBARRASSING THIS SUBJECT CAN BE. Panel 4: close-up of Superman's face. he's blushing Superman: YES. IT IS VERY EMBARRASSING FOR ME......WILL YOU EXCUSE ME FOR A MOMENT DOCTOR. Page 5 Panel 1: Superman flying back in the office window Superman: SORRY. A CAR ON A MONTANA MOUNTAIN TRAIL JUST LOST CONTROL AND FELL OFF A CLIFF. Panel 2: Dr. Robbins looks shocked again. Dr. Robbins: A-A-ARE THEY OKAY? Panel 3: Superman is sitting on the couch, looking at the doctor who's off -panel Superman: YEAH. THEY'RE FINE. BUT, IT REALLY BOTHERS ME. I LOVE KIDS. Panel 4: Dr. Robbins sitting in his chair. Superman in off-panel Dr. Robbins: IT BOTHERS YOU THAT THOSE KIDS IN MONTANA ARE FINE? BECAUSE YOU LOVE KIDS? Panel 5: Superman and Dr. Robbins looking at each other, both confused Superman: NO. I'M HAPPY THEY'RE ALRIGHT. IT BOTHERS ME THAT I CAN'T HAVE CHIRLDREN. Dr. Robbins: OH! I'M SORRY, SUPERMAN. I'M NOT USED TO HAVING META-HUMAN PATIENTS. (ALTHOUGH I'D LIKE TO GET BATMAN IN MY OFFICE). Superman: AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT IF SOMEHOW MY POWERS GET TAKEN AWAY AND I CAN HAVE KIDS, I'M NOT SURE IF I WOULD. page 6 Panel 1: shot of Dr. Robbins, still looking confused. Dr. Robbins: WAIT. EVEN IF YOU COULD, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE KIDS? Panel 2: Superman flying out the window. Superman: EXCUSE ME AGAIN DOCTOR. Panel 3: Superman flying back in the window. the doctor sitting in the chair. Superman: ARMED ROBBERY ON RODEO DR. BECAUSE I'M NOT NATIVE TO THIS WORLD, DR. ROBBINS Dr. Robbins: WHAT? Superman: I DON'T THINK I'D TRY TO HAVE KIDS BECAUSE I'M AN ALIEN TO EARTH. page 7 Panel 1: Dr. Robbins writing furiously on his notpad Dr. Robbins: WHY WOULD THAT STOP YOU FROM HAVING KIDS? Panel 2: Superman looking a little annoyed Superman: BECAUSE MY GENETICS MIGHT BE WAY OFF FROM YOUR'S. HOW DO I KNOW IF I'M EVEN COMPATABLE WITH A HUMAN. AND IF I AM, HOW DO I KNOW THE BABY WON'T COME OUT WITH 8 EYES AND 4 LEGS. Panel 3: Dr. Robbins with a look of ephiney on his face Dr. Robbins: OH. YES, I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT. Page 8 Panel 1: Shot from ceiling of superman laying on the couch Superman: BUT I COULD WORK THROUGH MY CHILD HAVING EXTRA LIMBS OR BEING MENTALLY RETARDED. WHAT I COULDN'T WORK THROUGH IS... Panel 2: shot of Dr. Robbins. Supeman is gone, wind from him leaving blows the note pad out of his hands Panel 3: Dr. Robbins picking up his notebook Page 9 Panel 1: Dr. Robbins writing on the note pad Panel 2: Dr. Robbins starring blankly at the wall Panel 3: Dr. Robbins looking at his watch Page 10 Panel 1: Dr. Robbins pacing right Panel 2: Dr. Robbins pacing left Panel 3: Dr. Robbins pacing right while checking his watch again Page 11 Panel 1: Dr. Robbins sitting at his desk. he's pressing the intercom button Dr. Robbins: MARY? Intercom: YES, DOCTOR? Dr. Robbins: CANCEL ALL MY APPOINTMENTS FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. MAKE UP AN EXCUSE. DON'T TELL THEM ABOUT MY...CURRENT...PATIENT. Intercom: YES DOCTOR. Panel 2: Dr. Robbins with his head down on his desk, sleeping. text box: 6 hours later Panel 3: Superman tapping Dr. Robbins on the shoulder Panel 4: Dr. Robbins putting his glasses back on. Superman standing next to him Superman: SORRY ABOUT THAT DOCTOR. LOBO CAME LOOKING FOR A REMATCH. Dr. Robbins: QUITE ALL RIGHT, SUPERMAN. Page 12 Panel 1: Dr. Robbins motioning for Superman to sit back down on the couch Dr. Robbins: SUPERMAN, YOU CAME HERE AS A FRIEND. AS A FAVOR. BECAUSE OF THAT I'M GOING DO SOMETHING THAT I WOULD NEVER DO WITH ONE OF MY REGULAR PATIENTS. Panel 2: Dr. Robbins and Superman looking at each other intently Dr. Robbins: MAYBE YOU NOT HAVING A CHILD IS A GOOD THING. Superman: WHA...? Dr. Robbins: PLEASE JUST LISTEN. MAYBE YOUR INABILITY TO HAVE KIDS IS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE. Panel 3: Close-up of Dr. Robbins Dr. Robbins: THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MOMENT. YOU'RE THE GREATEST HERO IN THE WORLD. YOU'RE THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE UNIVERSE. YOU'RE ALWAYS OUT SAVING THE DAY, WHICH YOU HAVE TO DO EVERY WEEK IT SEEMS. Panel 4: Close-up of Superman text box: THINK ABOUT YOUR LIFE. ABOUT WHO YOU, SUPERMAN, ARE. Page 13: Panel 1: Superman being punched by Darkseid text box: YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, SUPERMAN. NOBODY DENIES THAT. Panel 2: Superman being choked by Mongel text box: WHENEVER SOME WOULD-BE WORLD CONQUERER SHOWS UP, YOU'RE ALWAYS THERE TO SAVE THE DAY. Panel 3: Superman being shocked by Braniac text box: YOU ALWAYS THINK OF OTHERS ABOVE YOURSELF. YOU'RE ALREADY THE SURROGATE FATHER TO THE ENTIRE WORLD. Panel 4: Superman fighting Doomsday text box: BUT WOULD YOU MAKE A GOOD FATHER? NO, YOU WOULDN'T. AND YOU KNOW YOU WOULDN'T. YOU CAME TO ME TO HEAR SOMEONE ELSE SAY IT, NOT BECAUSE YOU ACTUALLY NEED HELP. Page 14: Panel 1: Close up of Dr. Robbins looking really serious. Dr. Robbins: I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU'RE GREAT WITH KIDS. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT KIDS LOVE YOU AND YOU LOVE THEM. Panel 2: Close up of Superman. a tear is running down his cheek text box: YOU HAVE EVERY QUALITY A GOOD FATHER WOULD HAVE... EXCEPT ONE. AND IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITIES. Panel 3: shot of Superman with his head in his hands, Dr. Robbins is looking at him Dr. Robbins: YOU'RE ALWAYS OUT SAVING THE WORLD. BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU'D NEVER BE HOME. YOU'D NEVER BE THERE TO BE THE FATHER YOU WANT TO BE. Page 15: Panel 1: Superman standing up off the couch text box: I'M SORRY I HAD TO TELL YOU THIS, SUPERMAN. BUT, YOU KNOW THAT I'M RIGHT. YOU'D BE THE PERFECT FATHER, YOU'D JUST NEVER GET THE CHANCE. Panel 2: Superman walking towards the window, past Dr. Robbins Dr. Robbins: JUST ONE MORE THING. EARLIER YOU SAID THERE WAS ONLY ONE THING THAT YOU COULDN'T HANDLE ABOUT YOUR CHILD? Panel 3: Superman standing by the window, looking back at Dr. Robbins. the sun is setting behind him Superman: I WISH THAT IF I COULD HAVE A CHILD, THAT HE WOULDN'T HAVE SUPER- POWERS. I DON'T WANT HIM TO LIVE THE LIFE I LIVE. I WANT HIM TO HAVE A NORMAL LIFE, NOT THE LIFE OF AN ADVENTURER. AND I ESPECIALLY WOULDN'T WANT HIM TO KNOW--- Page 16: pin-up shot of superman flying out the window Superman: ---WHAT IT'S LIKE TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE A CHILD.