Draft - January 9, 2025

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Superheroes know how to find the action.

And that’s what I do.

I’m Actionboy.

Picture sequence of Actionboy running through the city chasing down two laser drones and crushing them together

 

You might think that being a superhero is the best part of my life, but I like the regular part too.  

I love my family.  (Even my sisters.)

Family pictured in apartment with big windows overlooking the city - sister teasing him somehow

 

And I love going to school with my friends and teachers.     

Spot pics of hanging up backpack with friend, reading book, partner math, writing, cutting

I work hard in school.     

 

And I work even harder saving the world in remarkable ways.

Back in the city leaping and catching a brick that is falling toward a baby, diving to grab the leash of a dog that has escaped its owner

 

Today is one of those days when it’s really really really hard saving the world!

Battling giant robots attacking the city

 

[this text in comic book narration box]  As our hero, Actionboy, is wrapping things up at the evil robot attack…

Actionboy wrapping a robot’s legs together while unknowingly kneeling on a seesaw-like board in the rubble

 

Actionboy is launched catapult-like (by an untied robot foot) to a land very far away.

 

-BONK!-  Well, that was unexpected!

Lands out in the country somewhere

 

[ ]  Actionboy now seemed to be a long way from home.  He wondered where he was and what he should do next.

 

[ ]  He super-climbed as high as he could go.

Climbs a tree at the top of the hill

 

[ ]  Actionboy could see how far he was from home.  The great distance was very unexpected.  He had a sudden longing to be home with his family.  He missed his parents’ hugs, his baby brother’s gurgly giggle, and even his sisters’ teasing.

In a tree looking out at the city in the far distance with some foreshadowing in the land between.  Red hearts around him as he looks toward home.

 

[ ]  A branch SNAPPED!  Actionboy’s cape ripped as he fell to the ground with a THUD!

 

[ ]  With his cape severely torn, Actionboy decided to run in the direction of home.

 

[ ]  But an unexpected rock mountain stood in his way.

 

[ ]  Actionboy super-climbed up.  The mountain was steep and tiring.

 

[ ]  At the top, he unexpectedly met an unfriendly and unstable cliff.

Loses footing and falls WAY down with his fall broken by thorny bushes

 

[ ]  The spikeweed bushes below broke Actionboy’s fall, but ripped his suit and his mask.

Mask now has a bolt-shaped rip on right cheek.

 

Superheroes always keep going.  That’s why we’re super!

[ ]  Actionboy moved forward again.  His confidence was strong all the way to the…

 

[ ]  Actionboy stopped just short of entering a mysterious fog that seemed to be sparking and popping like massive shocks from a doorknob on a cold, dry day.  Seeing no other way to get home, he entered the sparkfog.

 

ZaPop!  PaPow!  ZaPop!  ZaPow!

 

[ ]  Actionboy emerged from the sparkfog burned and weary.  He wondered why all these bad things kept happening to him.

Ripped cape, torn mask and suit, smoking black burn marks visibly depict his misery.

 

I don’t think most superheroes have so many problems.  WHY IS ALL OF THIS HAPPENING TO ME?

 

Because that is how this story goes.

Speech bubble from top of the page.

 

What?  Who said that?  Where are you?

 

I am the one who has caused all of this, Actionboy.  I am the author of the story.  I am the writer of everything that happens in this book.  And, yes, these challenges you have faced are extremely difficult, even for a superhero.

 

Uh, yeah, I know!  And I’m failing!  I’m not even close to home yet and I’m getting weaker and weaker.  No one wants to see the hero fail, so you need to change this story right now!

 

I cannot promise that it will get easier for you, Actionboy.

 

[ ]  Discouraged, Actionboy moved again toward home.  

Encounters a storm of firehail, a field of rootvines, and finally crawls his way out of sinksand

 

I tried.  But I don’t think I can go on.

 

I know, Actionboy.  Sometimes challenges are just too great and cannot be overcome.  It can happen in stories, and it can happen in real life as well.

 

But you’re the author.  Can’t you please write a happy ending?  Everyone wants a happy ending!

Especially me.

 

Not all stories have a happy ending, Actionboy.  And I’m sorry, but this is one of those stories.

 

[ ]  Realizing he was on his own, Actionboy tried to crawl again toward home.  At that moment, the ground shook violently and giant cracks appeared.

 

[ ]  As the sun set, Actionboy gave up all hope.  He fell to the ground knowing this was the end of the story.  

The end of his story.  

Actionboy was finished. 

Lying {dead} in the dark on a lone pillar of earth surrounded by an enormous chasm.  Home city can be seen faintly in the great distance.

 

Next spread zooms in on his face/body.  A faint glow illuminates his forehead from stage left.

 

Next spread shows a glowing bridge stretching from Actionboy’s isolated pillar of earth to the mainland where there is an illuminated path toward the home city.  On the near side of the bridge, these words are scrawled in handwriting:  “Actionboy, I am the illustrator of the book and I have drawn you a bridge and a pathway home.  Hurry!  Hurry!” 

 

Next spread shows Actionboy energetically running home to the city in the distance.

 

Final illustration shows Actionboy getting hugged by his family. 

 

Blank page on the right side.

 

Next page is blank white with handwriting scrawl:  

“That was unexpected.  It won’t happen in the next book.  You can be sure of that, Actionboy.    -The Author”    

 

Next page turn:   Coming Soon:  Actionboy vs. The Illustrators