Golden age chapter 6

Golden Age, Issue 6 � Michael Nevada

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PAGE ONE (5 panels of a TV screen) Panel 1. A shot of a TV screen. It's a news channel. There's a candid shot of the Taj Mahal covered in snow CAP: Channel 5 News reporting. Strange natural occurrences have sparked all over the world. Panel 2. A shot of Paris. Fire is spewing from the sky burning everything in sight. CAP: Every major city from Manila to Paris is in the process of being destroyed by natural disasters. Religious leaders are calling it the Apocalypse. Panel 3. A shot of the Alpha League in classic super hero pose in front of the press. CAP: But where are Major Alpha and the Alpha League? The UN and the US government are not telling the public at this time. Panel 4. A news anchor in a desk telling the news. NEWS ANCHOR: All we can do is hope that they're out there doing something about this problem. Our prayers are with everyone. CREDITS: Golden Age Chapter 6: Promises to Keep


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PAGE TWO (5 panels) Panel 1. Alpha leaning in to pat Marty’s back. The rest of the League are baffled and confused. Marty still in tears. ALPHA: Marty? Are you working for S.H.A.D.O.W? MARTY: No...I didn't want you guys coming here. Don't you see? Panel 2. A shot of Denise and General Ackart listening in on this conversation. They look surprised. MARTY (via microphone): I'm the one who's causing all this to happen...I'm the weapon. DENISE: Are you hearing this General? GENERAL ACKART: I am but I don't get it. Panel 3. A sobbing Marty, old and withered, his knees on the floor, telling this amazing story. MARTY: I didn't know at first...I didn't know for the last 40 years of my life. But now I do...


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PAGE THREE (4 panels) Panel 1. Marty's Dad is giving an 8 year old Marty a piece of paper before going on his school field trip. CAP: I thought I was going to camp. So did my parents. But it was the perfect alibi for S.H.A.D.O.W to gather test subjects. DAD: Don't forget to show Ms. Flores that superhero you drew. MARTY: Of course. It's the coolest drawing I've ever made! Panel 2. Close-up of the piece of paper as the Dad hands it to Marty. It's the drawing of Major Alpha that we've seen many times. Panel 3. Marty on a futuristic medical table, his brain open as machines prod him. CAP: S.H.A.D.O.W had kidnapped me and a bunch of other children from summer camps all across the US. Experimented on us. Panel 4. Marty sitting sadly in a prison. There are guards surrounding him. CAP: I was the only one who survived and showed some sort of result. They called me Project Alpha.


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PAGE FOUR (5 panels) Panel 1. One of the guards gives him some candy. It is a young Volkenburg. He talks to the young boy kindly. CAP: It was lonely. A young agent called Volkenburg would give me food. He was the only one who tried to help me. MR. CHEMISTRY: This is all the candy I could fit in my pocket without looking suspicious. Sorry, I couldn't find any chocolate. MARTY: Thanks. MR. CHEMISTRY: Our bosses have been lying to us. They tell us that you're sick and the doctors here are trying to cure you. But they've just been experimenting on you. Trying to make you some sort of weapon. Panel 2. Close-up of Chemistry holding the kids hand. A face of care and compassion MR. CHEMISTRY: I promise, I'm gonna get you out of here. So you can be with your family again. Just hang on, ok? MARTY: Ok. Panel 3. Marty in the prison cell, he's looking at his hands. CAP: S.H.A.D.O.W had no idea what I was capable of. Panel 4. Same as 4.1 except a chocolate bar has appeared from nowhere CAP: I could create things from my mind. Anything I imagined. S.H.A.D.O.W had built their weapon, they just didn't know that it...I... worked.


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Panel 5. A guard opens the prison door as Marty sits. CAP: And then one day I decided it was time to test how powerful I really was. GUARD: Come on, the boss wants to see you.


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PAGE FIVE (6 panels) Panel 1. Two Agents (the ones seen before) stare at Marty while doctors examine him. One agent speaks to the other AGENT Do you think the memory wipe is necessary? AGENT 2: Of course it is. If we want to create super soldiers, they have to be completely in our control. Panel 2. The two Agents inside Marty's quarters tying him to a futuristic bed. Think Frankenstein where the monster appears to be standing but trapped on a table as they strap him to it. Panel 3. The two Agents pulling him into a lab, the same one they do experiments on him with. Make the place look futuristic but old. Like a mad scientist's lab. The tools look rusty and painful. Panel 4. Marty in the lab. Beside him is a doctor in a lab coat preparing the serum (the same one used on Chemistry). Panel 5. Close-up of the doctor's hand injecting the serum into the arm of Marty. Panel 6. Close-up of Marty screaming MARTY: No! Stop it!


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PAGE SIX (4 panels) Panel 1. Close-up of Marty's eyes. They're wide shut. Make it look like he's trying to keep them shut cuz of the pain. MARTY: Just-- Panel 2. Same as 6.1 except Marty's eyes are open. They glow a neon green color. MARTY: --stop. Panel 3. There's a blast coming from the corridor that Marty was just in. Panel 4. Same as 6.3 except we see Marty running out of the corridor. The 2 agents are behind him. Agent #1 is screaming at his communication device. CAP: My memory was already fading. I couldn't stop them from injecting the serum. All I knew was I had to get out of there. AGENT: Project Alpha is escaping! Seal off all security doors!


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PAGE SEVEN (4 panels) Panel 1. Marty running outside of the base in the desert area. There are no roads ahead. CAP: I got pretty far because of my powers. Y'see everything I thought of, dreamt of, came into existence...anything. Panel 2. Marty in the middle of a road. It seems like a barren highway. Maybe show a gas station in the background to show Marty has reached civilization CAP: I don't know how I reached civilization. The serum fully kicked in and I didn't know where I had been for the past few months. I guess my powers ran on instinct...at least I think. How else could I have created you Alph? Panel 3. Close-up of Marty's face. His glasses have a reflection, a bus heading towards him. CAP: I was scared, frightened, and so alone. Can you imagine that? An 8 year old boy who had no idea where he'd been for a year? I needed someone there for me. To be my friend. Panel 4. Panoramic shot of the bus. We see Marty's back as he faces the bus. Make the school bus giant, as if it's gonna totally destroy Marty. CAP: To save me. MARTY: That can’t be good.


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PAGE EIGHT (5 panels) Panel 1. Shot from within the bus. The driver sees Marty. He's waving at him to get out of the way BUS DRIVER: Get out of the way kid! Panel 2. A blur carries Marty out of the way. The bus veers uncontrollably off the road. It's moving towards the gas station. CAP: And there you were. BUS DRIVER: Shit! Panel 3. Alpha now lifting the bus. Make him lift it above his head (An homage to Action Comics #1 where Superman lifts the car). CAP: My own personal superhero. Panel 4. Cameras and people in the bus are in the background. They're out of the bus and recuperating. There's a media group taking pictures. Alpha is leaning and talking to Marty. ALPHA: Are you okay? MARTY: I'm...I'm fine. Who are you? Are you some sort of alien? Panel 5. A close-up of Alpha's face. There's confusion and sadness in his eyes. Have him scratch his head, showing he has no idea where he is. ALPHA: I don't know. All I remember is a bright light and then seeing you in the middle of the road.


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PAGE NINE (3 panels) Panel 1. Same as 8.4 except Alpha is now standing and the image is blurry (to show that a tremor is occurring). Panel 2. A tight shot of Marty and Alpha. Alpha looks more terrified. Marty seems relaxed ALPHA: What was that? MARTY: Don't worry about it. It's a tremor, they happen once in awhile here on Earth. At least I think it is. It's my first one, but it's nothing to worry about. Panel 3. A giant panel. Make it as if we're looking at Alpha and Marty from the sky. There's a huge crowd staring at Alph and Marty talk. They're on the other side of the road. ALPHA: I hope so, or I'm gonna have to do this saving thing full time. MARTY: That'd be cool! You'd be like a real-life superhero! ALPHA: What's a superhero?


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PAGE TEN (4 Panels) Panel 1. A shot of Marty at the front porch of his house. His parents are hugging him so hard. Alpha is outside watching Marty reunite with his parents. CAP: The police said my memory was lost from post-traumatic stress. A really lame excuse...they were probably in on it too. But my parents didn't care, I was home. That's all that mattered. Panel 2. Volkenburg in an interrogation room being injected CAP: They found out Volkenburg was trying to help me escape. They gave him the serum but it messed him up. Panel 3. A shot of the golden age Mr. Chemistry in issue 2. CAP: His head couldn't handle the serum. It wasn't meant for normal people. He became S.H.A.D.O.W's greatest operative, but lost his sanity in the process. MR. CHEMISTRY: Hahahaha, I am the great Mr. Chemistry. Master of Science! Panel 4. A shot of Chemistry in the back of a police car. A reflection from the window shows a corpse bag carrying Carol. CAP: I think a part of his twisted mind knew what I was...what WE were. He just couldn't make sense of it all. He was looking for me the night he killed Carol. He thought he could save the world too.


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PAGE ELEVEN (5 panels) Panel 1. A photo of Marty and all the members of the Alpha League (except Galahad). Marty is around 17, smiling with his braces beside his girlfriend Carol. CAP: And I went on with my life, unaware of what really happened so many years ago. So many questions left unanswered. Why was I the first? Why is the world the way it is? Panel 2. Marty (in his late 40's, one day before his 48th birthday) sitting on a table. He leans his head on his hands, looking exhausted and tired. CAP: Till one day-- Panel 3. A shot of Marty's back, he's still on the table. A hand that looks like Alpha's hand except rotten and dead touches Marty's shoulder. CAP: --I got my answers. BIZARRO ALPHA: Hey buddy. Panel 4. Marty standing up looking terrified at this creature in front of him. The corpse is more relaxed in posture MARTY: Who are you!?! Alph!?! BIZARRO ALPHA: Well...not exactly. You mind if we sit down. I don't wanna be standing when I explain all this stuff to you. Panel 5. Marty and the Zombie Alpha sitting down on the table. Marty sits on the opposite side so they speak face to face. MARTY: Explain what?


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BIZARRO ALPHA: That's why I'm here. You created me with that amazing little of head yours to answer the questions that you can't explain.


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PAGE TWELVE (3 panels) Panel 1. Medium shot of Bizarro Alpha looking at himself. Maybe have him staring at his hands. BIZARRO ALPHA: You could've been a little less morbid in my appearance. I know your power only works subconsciously but geez. But enough about me, I got a lot of ground to cover before I turn into dust. MARTY: What? Panel 2. A shot of Bizarro with his arms up talking to Marty. Marty's hands are over his forehead as if a giant migraine just occurred. BIZARRO ALPHA: That little gap in your memory when you were a kid? A secret organization called S.H.A.D.O.W played a few experiments on you. Gave you powers, but you escaped. You lost your memory yadda yadda yadda, you'll remember soon enough. MARTY: Oh God. It’s coming back to me, all of it. BIZARRO ALPHA: Good. Now here's the juicy part. Panel 3. Close-up of Marty. It's as if he slightly dazed and staring at something else in the room. He's in fact just remembering his childhood BIZARRO ALPHA: When you lost your memory, you forgot you had powers. They still worked, you just didn't know it. Your deepest desires came to life, all you had to do was really want it.


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PAGE THIRTEEN (6 panels) Panel 1. A close-up of the Bizarro Alpha his face morphing into something. BIZARRO ALPHA: When you were alone and scared, you needed somebody to save you...then came Major Alpha. Panel 2. Zombie Alpha now transformed into a Zombie Siliniez BIZARRO ALPHA: When your Dad was first diagnosed with cancer you were scared. You couldn't live in a world without him. The wise and noble Siliniez was made to fill in the void. I mean come on? Two chemicals mixing together created this guy? Even a loon like Mr. Chemistry didn't believe it. Panel 3. Bizarro's head splitting into two. He's like clay, moulding into 2 things BIZARRO ALPHA: But then you grew up. Went to highschool. Now check this out. This one's a two-for-one deal. Panel 4. Bizarro Alpha now has two heads. They are the zombie heads of Living Light and Madame Mystery BIZARRO ALPHA: One thing Sil and Alph couldn't do was have a normal life. You needed friends that could grow old with you, to be young and make mistakes. Hence the Living Light and Madame Mystery. But then... you fell in love. Panel 5. Marty looking sad and Bizarro transformed to his Alpha appearance. MARTY: No...don't say it. Carol was fake too, wasn't she? She was too perfect. I loved her too much. BIZARRO ALPHA: Nope. Hate to rain on your overly-depressed parade. But she was a normal girl who fell in love with a not-so-ordinary guy. You got lucky with that one. When she died, no one could replace her. In your heart you didn't want to.


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Panel 6. Same as the previous panels, Zombie Alpha now looking like zombie Galahad BIZARRO ALPHA: The rage you felt to those like Chemistry created Galahad. A dark and mysterious-type that wasn't afraid to hurt his enemies.


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PAGE FOURTEEN (6 panels) Panel 1. A bird's eye view of Z. Alpha and Marty BIZARRO ALPHA: So now comes the part about the end of the world. Panel 2. Medium shot of Z. Alpha. His hands are swirling around to make a circle in the air (Not a real circle) BIZARRO ALPHA: Y'see. There's a balance to the universe. You can't just make things out of nowhere. By making heroes and bettering the world, the universe balances that out by making bad stuff happen. Hence, earthquakes and all that jazz. MARTY: I don't understand. BIZARRO ALPHA: Let me try to make this much clearer Panel 3. Medium shot of Z. Alpha pointing at Marty BIZARRO ALPHA: It's your fault. Fix it. Panel 4. Marty almost pulling his hair. He can't believe what just happened MARTY: No! This can't be happening!?! My whole life is a lie. Panel 5. Medium shot of the zombie smiling at Marty. Marty looks at him with hatred in his eyes. BIZARRO ALPHA: Well, not all of it. But...yah most of it. MARTY: Sh...shut up.


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BIZARRO ALPHA: Sorry, you said something? Panel 6. Marty strangling the zombie on the floor. His eyes filled with hatred. MARTY: SHUT UP!!!!!!!!


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PAGE FIFTEEN (5 panels) Panel 1. Marty burying the corpse in his backyard CAP: I buried the body. I thought that if I could hide it, maybe it'd go away. Like it never happened. Panel 2. Same as the first panel we ever see Marty in the first issue. He looks distant from everyone in the party CAP: That whole day, I thought about all the lives I've ruined. The earthquakes were getting worse. Panel 3. Marty, at night watching the TV CAP: Then the incident in New York came... NEWS ANCHOR: New York is being destroyed. The Alpha League is on their way in an attempt to find out what's happening. Panel 4. Marty tying the noose. CAP: I knew I had to end it. It was my fault. So I did what my creation told me to do. I fixed it. Panel 5. Marty kicking the chair CAP: If the disasters started with me, I figured it would end with my death.


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PAGE SIXTEEN (5 panels) Panel 1. Marty now standing up in the white room now back to the present day speaking to the Alpha League. MARTY: Next thing I knew, I was here. The place where it all started. You guys are all a part of me, I can't truly die cuz a part of me was always alive in you guys. And now I cant even save the world. ALPHA: Yes you can. Panel 2. A shot of Alpha, his eyes lowered. He hunches over. The League and Marty looking at him. ALPHA: Don't you see. It was never you causing all this stuff to happen. It was us... me. Panel 3. Alpha now straight up. Standing up and speaking to the Alpha league like the leader he is. ALPHA: Maybe all this strange stuff is God, the Universe, nature, whatever you wanna call it telling us...we're not needed. Panel 4. Mystery is putting her hand on her head unsure of what to do. Siliniez remains composed, as does Galahad. Living Light crosses his arms one eyebrow raised, looking at Alph like he's crazy SILINIEZ: Alpha is right. We've helped people not meant to be saved. We've upset the balance, that's why all this is happening. We fought the waves and now the tempest is coming. LIVING LIGHT: You're both crazy. I'm needed, I'm a superhero for Christ's sake! How are we even sure this is really Marty? Hell, S.H.A.D.O.W could be pulling our legs. I have a past, I grew up in San Jose. Had a dog named Fluffy, met Marty in high school. SILINIEZ:


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Are there any pictures of you in high school before you met Marty? LIVING LIGHT: Uh...no, but I always skipped them. Panel 5. Mystery hugging Marty. MADAME MYSTERY I sense it. It's him. I'm so glad you're alive, Marty.


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PAGE SEVENTEEN (6 panels) Panel 1. Medium shot of Living Light smiling a bit more. Galahad still remains stoic LIVING LIGHT: If Janet says it's him. It's him. Great I'm a figment of a guy's imagination. GALAHAD: What do we do now? The world is still ending. ALPHA: We don't do anything. It's all up to Marty. Panel 2. A shot of Denise listening in on the conversation. She's about to cry. DENISE: No. Don't say it. Panel 3. Alpha talking to the league ALPHA: He has to make us leave. Forget us, Make us disappear. Panel 4. Close-up of Marty. His eyes close to tears. MARTY: I can't. I won't let you go. You can stop this. You can do anything. Please, I don't want you to die! Panel 5. Alpha touching Marty's shoulder ALPHA: The world doesn't need us, it never needed us. YOU can do anything. All your life, you could never let go of the things you loved. Your dad and Carol...


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PAGE EIGHTEEN (4 panels) Panel 1. A sad Alpha (Close-up) ALPHA: You tried to hold on, but it eats you up inside and your whole world turns to hell. Sometimes things aren't worth holding on to. You can fight for the past, but sometimes moving on is just as…well…heroic. Panel 2. Marty and Alpha together. Alpha leans just like you would a little kid. Marty is on his own knees crying. MARTY: I can't let you guys go. Not this time. I've lost too much. You can save them. I don't need to make you disappear. ALPHA: It doesn't work that way, Marty. Let me do what you made me for. Please-- Panel 3. A close-up of Alpha looking up at Marty in a stoic pose ALPHA: --let me save you. Panel 4. Marty standing as he wipes his eyes. MARTY: I still miss her, y'know. God, Carol always said I was stubborn. Maybe I can prove her wrong.


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PAGE NINETEEN (5 panels) Panel 1. Galahad giving Marty a handshake. Panel 2. Siliniez a hug Panel 3. Mystery gives a hug Panel 4. Living Light gives a noogie MARTY: Aww quit it, that hurts. Panel 5. Alpha walks across Marty, they stare for a second sternly. Panel 6. Marty and Alpha shake hands.


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PAGE TWENTY (2 panels) Panel 1. The Alpha League standing in their heroic poses ready to be disappeared into oblivion LIVING LIGHT: Strike a pose ALPHA: We'll always be a part of you Marty. We'll never disappear. Panel 2. Close-up of Marty staring at them. His eyes glow similar to before. MARTY: I know. But still...good bye.


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PAGE TWENTY-ONE (3 panels) Panel 1. A shot of Alpha's eyes wide shut CAP: He closes his eyes, unsure of what lies ahead. Panel 2. A slight smirk comes from his face CAP: He smiles--the weight of the world no longer on his shoulders-- Cap: -- he’s reached his final mile-- Panel 3. The entire league, a weird wind circles around them CAP: --and kept his promises.


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PAGE TWENTY-TWO (3 panels) Panel 1. A giant bright light and sonic wave come out of the base that the League was in CAP: This is Channel 5 news reporting. Panel 2. The Taj Mahal now fine. There are people around fixing the damages CAP: The worldwide crisis is now over says General Ackart. He is the leader of the military unit who aided the Alpha League during this catastrophic event. Panel 3. Similar to 4.2 but in Paris CAP: There is no word from the Alpha League as of yet. Regardless, we are thankful for their services.


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PAGE TWENTY-THREE (5 panels) Panel 1. Again at the bomb shelter now in ruins. There are tanks everywhere. It's a bird's eye view; a soldier is running up to the General. SUB: Secret S.H.A.D.O.W Base, Ground Zero SOLDIER: General Ackart! Panel 2. General Ackart looking at the damage. The Sun is setting. In background, you see Denise helping to look at the rubble. A soldier run towards Ackhart with a question SOLDIER: The press wants an explanation. They want to know what happened to the Alpha League. GENERAL ACKART: Tell them the Alpha League destroyed the S.H.A.D.O.W weapon and sacrificed their lives in the process. No need to go into detail. Panel 3. General walking towards Denise who is now staring at the sunset SOLDIER: Martyrs? GENERAL ACKART: No. Heroes. Panel 4. Denise looking somewhat sad as she stares at the sunset. The General is beside her staring at the sunset as well as he speaks to Denise. GENERAL ACKART: You don't need to be here. Everything S.H.A.D.O.W had was destroyed years ago. We were wrong, they weren't behind this...not directly. DENISE: I know. I just thought...I don't know. He'd be here.


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Panel 5. General Ackart his back facing the other way leaving but looks back at Denise. Denise is still looking at the sunset. DENISE: We're alone now, you know. Just normal people fighting our own battles. No supervillains or heroes doing them for us. ACKART: And that's a bad thing? DENISE: No, not at all.


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PAGE TWENTY-FOUR (5 panels) Panel 1. Denise walking through the rubble. In the background you can see Ackart and his entourage leaving. Panel 2. Something moves in the pile of metal MARTY: Help! I'm stuck! Panel 3. Denise running to the area Panel 4. Denise pulling a child's hand from the rubble.


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PAGE TWENTY-FIVE (1 panel) Panel 1. An 8 year old Marty smiles at Denise. His face is innocent and happy. He scratches his head. MARTY: Uh...hi. I'm Marty, how did I get here?


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PAGE TWENTY-SIX (4 panels) Panel 1. Denise smiling at Marty. She bends over to hug him strongly CAP: Today is Marty's birthday… DENISE: Marty! You're alive! MARTY: Sorry miss, do I know you? I can't remember much. Come to think of it I can't remember anything at all besides my name. Panel 2. Denise holding the kid's hand. He's wearing the clothes he usually wears. CAP: He is 8 years old… DENISE: I don't think you'll remember anything. But hey, how about I help you out. MARTY: Thanks miss. Boy does my head hurt. Panel 3. Same as 5.2 except they're further out in the horizon. CAP: He was born in an age of marvels and wonders-- MARTY: You mind if we drop by somewhere to eat first? I feel like I haven't eaten in weeks. DENISE: No problem, we'll take our time. Panel 4. Same as 25.3 except now the 2 are mere spots. CAP:


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--A Golden Age THE END

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Golden age chapter 6