DETECTIVE 726
"HELL BELOW ZERO"
STORY, CHUCK DIXON
PENCILS, GRAHAM NOLAN
PAGE FOUR
PANEL ONE
LARGEST PANEL
NIGHT
A shot of an old cemetary. It's on hilly ground and the headstones and masoleums are crowded close together like the graveyards out in Brooklyn. There's a couple of guys digging up a grave on a hilltop under a gnarled tree. This would be right out of James Whale but there's the skyline of Gotham in the background. A pall of vapor rises from the grave.
CAPTION: "HE'S A PROBLEM FOR THE CITY NOW.
ROBBER 1: HOLD THE LIGHT HIGHER. I HIT THE VAULT.
ROBBER 2: I HATE THESE CONCRETE BOXES.
PANEL TWO
The robbers are in leather and wear ghastly face paint like voodoo priests. They work with shovels in the grave. A mist rises from the grave. One smiles at the other. The other makes a "yuck" face.
ROBBER 1: SEE THAT FOG? THIS ONE'S FRESH.
ROBBER 2; SO I SMELT. LET'S POP THE TOP AND GET THIS OVER WITH.
PANEL THREE
ROBBER 2: YOU HEAR SOMETHING?
ROBBER 1: YEAH. THE FOLDING MONEY THOSE JERKS ARE GONNA PAY US.
PAGE FIVELARGEST PANEL
NIGHT
A shot of an old cemetary. It's on hilly ground and the headstones and masoleums are crowded close together like the graveyards out in Brooklyn. There's a couple of guys digging up a grave on a hilltop under a gnarled tree. This would be right out of James Whale but there's the skyline of Gotham in the background. A pall of vapor rises from the grave.
CAPTION: "HE'S A PROBLEM FOR THE CITY NOW.
ROBBER 1: HOLD THE LIGHT HIGHER. I HIT THE VAULT.
ROBBER 2: I HATE THESE CONCRETE BOXES.
PANEL TWO
The robbers are in leather and wear ghastly face paint like voodoo priests. They work with shovels in the grave. A mist rises from the grave. One smiles at the other. The other makes a "yuck" face.
ROBBER 1: SEE THAT FOG? THIS ONE'S FRESH.
ROBBER 2; SO I SMELT. LET'S POP THE TOP AND GET THIS OVER WITH.
PANEL THREE
Low angle shot from the floor of the grave. Robber 1 shovels and Robber 2 looks up in alarm. We can see a great bat shape moving above them.
ROBBER 1: THIS ONE WAS AN ARCHBISHOP. ALL I CAN SMELL IS GOLD.ROBBER 2: YOU HEAR SOMETHING?
ROBBER 1: YEAH. THE FOLDING MONEY THOSE JERKS ARE GONNA PAY US.
PANEL ONE
Robber 1 turns to see Robber 2 being hauled out of the grave with a jerk. Clods of mud spray from Robber 2's kicking feet.
ROBBER 2: (OFF PANEL, ABOVE) urrrk!
ROBBER 1: GLEN!
PANEL TWO
Robber 1 has pulled a handgun from his waistband and holds it meaningfully. He also has a cel phone in the other hand.
ROBBER 1: SHAME TO WASTE A FRESH GRAVE, WHOEVER YOU ARE!
ROBBER 1: BRING THE VAN OVER, MAX! PRONTO!
PANEL THREE
Robber 1 is levering himself from the grave with pistol in hand and fires at a bat silhouette projected against the lights of a van pulling over the bumpy ground.
ROBBER 1: THERE MAX! I SEE 'IM! I SEE 'IM!
SFX: BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
PANEL FOUR
A batarang wings out of the dark to take Robber 1 in the forehead. Hard.
ROBBER 1: uh!
PANEL FIVE
Downshot of Robber 1 lying unconscious atop the partly uncovered concrete slab in the grave.
PAGE SIX
PANEL ONE
Batman is crouched as the van comes ripping toward him, knokcing over headstones as it bumps toward him, Raising a cloud of dst behind it. Headlights throw Batman into stark relief.
PANEL TWO
From behind Batman comes a column of flame that washes over the van spectacularly,
Batman crouches even lower.
FROM SOURCE OF FLAME: BATMAN!
FROM SOURCE OF FLAME: DOWN!
PANEL THREE
The driver leaps from the burning van looking terrified. He's dressed like the other two. He has a gun in his fist.
DRIVER: HELP!
PANEL FOUR
The driver slips and crashes headlong into a gravemarker with painful effect. His gun goes flying.
DRIVER: uk!