About Dave Bradley

Dave Bradley is a magazine journalist and editor with a 25-year career in the international entertainment media. His influence spans diverse sectors, including games, home computing and films. For many years, he was editor-in-chief of the leading science fiction magazine SFX, a publication he still writes for every month. Day to day, he works at Steel Media on projects like Pocket Gamer Connects, a series of international events for game makers. When not playing games, reviewing books or travelling the world, he writes short stories - but this is his first webcomic. https://linktr.ee/davebradleywriter

Script

STONED 

by Dave Bradley + PJ Holden

PANEL 1.1

EXTERIOR, DAY. A MEDIEVAL TOWN SQUARE. Basically, a wide dirt space with a sense of old buildings and people around it. in the centre of the square: A ROCK, about waist height. Embedded in the ROCK: the SWORD EXCALIBUR! You can see the blade emerging from the stone, and its shiny hilt. Maybe there’s Celtic writing on it, you know the sort of thing. It’s a Big Deal.

1.2

We get the impression of a CROWD OF PEOPLE gathered, even if we don’t see their details. maybe we just hear them, or see them in silhouette beyond THE SWORD IN THE STONE.

CROWD [CHANTING]: Excalibur! Excalibur!

1.3

MERLIN THE WIZARD presides over the SQUARE. He’s an old guy in robes. He points at THE SWORD IN THE STONE. His face is stern, pompous. He addresses the GATHERED PEOPLE, especially ONE BURLY KNIGHT who stands ready to take the trial. The KNIGHT looks the part: shiny armour, determined stance.

MERLIN: Destiny is upon us! Behold the legendary sword of kings!

1.4

The KNIGHT grips the SWORD hilt. We see the effort in his eyes, his arms shaking with the force of trying to pull the LEGENDARY SWORD out of the ROCK. 

MERLIN: After so many years, we will bear witness to the great...

1.5

The SWORD breaks in two. The KNIGHT staggers back, holding JUST THE HILT AND A BIT OF THE BLADE. The rest of the BLADE, jaggedly broken, still visibly pokes out the STONE/ROCK, obviously damaged and useless.

SWORD [SOUND EFFECT]: SNAP!

1.6

MERLIN and anybody else you fancy drawing in the background stand in shocked silence, their MOUTHS OPEN. The KNIGHT stands still, slightly EMBARRASSED, holding the BROKEN BIT OF THE SWORD.

KNIGHT: Erm...

1.7

The KNIGHT holds up the broken bit of the sword, half-heartedly offering his bit to Merlin. MERLIN has a look of disappointment on his face.

KNIGHT: Shall I…?

MERLIN [speaking flatly]: Just leave it.

Artists Note

I rather messed up on some of the panels here, so altered the dialogue to fit (big no no, but I'd already committed about 5 hours to this one...)