Epic/Issue One

Transcript
We open in space. An astronaut in a red suit is seen drilling into an asteroid. A voice comes over the intercom in his suit. A shadow floats over E-45, who looks up in shock. The next panel is black. On earth, a slightly overweight teen with messy hair is seen falling from up high while screaming. Luckily, a line attached to him catches him from hitting the floor. A blonde teen walks over to him. Victor pushes Jackson and Jackson grabs the wall and starts crawling up it. He slips. A hand grabs Jackson before he falls. Jackson looks up and sees the person who saved him, who is revealed to be a blond girl with pink highlights in her hair. Jackson grabs on to the wall again. The girl climbs far faster and farther than him. Gwen makes it to the top with Jackson not far behind. Jackson crawls up and jumps, attempting to grab the top of the wall. He falls and plummets all the way back down, failing again. Jackson looks up at Gwen. Gwen detaches Jackson's wire and he finally hits the ground. Victor helps him up. Victor turns and sees Jackson walking away. Jackson walks out of the building and down the road. Jackson runs up ahead and sees a large teen grabbing another by the shirt collar. David looks at Jackson. Mike turns around, revealing Jackson is gone. He's seen hiding behind a wall. A loud crash is heard and Jackson winces. Mike walks out of the alleyway, not noticing David. David walks out after him, revealing he has a bruised cheek and is covered in garbage. David turns to Jackson. Jackson stands completely still while David walks off. Jackson sits in the alleyway. A blue light shines on Jackson. Jackson looks up at something and begins screaming. Everything goes white. Jackson wakes up strapped to an operating table. He looks around in a panic before turning left and seeing E-45 on the table next to him. Jackson starts struggling, the table bouncing and wobbling as he does. The pair hear a door opening and turn, spotting a hooded figure sliding into the room. The hooded figure ignores him and drags E-45's table to the other side of the room. The figure pulls their hood down, revealing their face as they shush Jackson. The alien grabs E-45's arm and tendrils extend from its forearm and start spreading around E-45's body, hovering over him. The tendrils break E-45's helmet. Some flood into his helmet. E-45 grabs the alien's wrist and it starts steaming and sizzling. The alien draws back its tendrils and drops to its knees, letting out a distorted scream of pain. Suddenly, the straps holding Jackson and E-45 down retract, letting them go. Jackson begins running in panic, E-45 following behind. They run into a golden room with a floating metal disk suspended by a blue beam. They hear someone scream in an unrecognizable language and turn, revealing the alien standing a few feet behind them. He lifts his arms up and they start stretching towards them. E-45 quickly runs over and grabs the disk. Tendrils come out of the disk and it attaches itself to E-45's suit, transforming it into a far different, silver armor. The arms stretch towards E-45 but he very quickly dodges and, using superhuman speed, grabs Jackson and starts running. E-45 manages to outrun the alien's grasp and stops running, putting Jackson down when he does. Jackson is clearly terrified. The two walk off. It's revealed that the two have stumbled upon a window revealing that they are in outer space and are several hundred miles away from Earth. Suddenly, walls appear around them, blocking off the hallways around them. A red light flashes and an alarm rings. They turn and see the alien, who is staring at them through a window in the wall. He once again says something in the unknown language. Tom thinks for a minute. The suit disappears from him and the disk appears in his hand. E-45 puts the disk on Jackson's chest and the suit forms around him. The window opens and the two are sucked out. Jackson is seen falling to earth now in his full armor for the first time.
 * Director 17: Space Miner E-45, this is Director 17, do you read me?
 * E-45: This is Space Miner E-45, I hear you loud and clear.
 * Director 17: What is your report of the day?
 * E-45: So far I have found traces of silver, gold, and iron inside of the asteroids I've mined. Will be sending them back down to you in ground control in a bit.
 * Director 17: Alright. Be safe up there, okay?
 * E-45: Worried about me, Karen?
 * Director 17: I'm Director 17 right now, Tom.
 * E-45: Oh right, must've forgot.
 * Director 17: You didn't forget at all.
 * E-45: You're right. I just think it's cute when you're mad.
 * E-45: Oh... my god...
 * Director 17: What is it?
 * Director 17: Space Miner E-45, do you copy...? 45, do you copy? Tom, what's happening?
 * Blonde Boy: How do you keep slipping while climbing the wall? You really gotta take care of that, it's becoming a pattern, Jack.
 * Jackson: I have naturally s-sweaty palms, you know th-that, Victor! And stop calling me Jack, i-it's really annoying!
 * Victor: Jackson, seriously, I know you wanna lose weight but clearly this isn't working out. It's okay to give up and try something else, guy. Like maybe try the treadmill.
 * Jackson: I-I don't wanna give up!
 * Victor: Why?
 * Jackson: B-because I d-don't!
 * Victor: Okay, Jesus... one more try and if you fall again we're leaving, alright?
 * Jackson: Fine...
 * Victor: I'm gonna give you a push. Grab the wall when you're close enough.
 * Jackson (narration): I'm Jackson Pierce. I'm a 14-year-old high schooler attending Paul Britain High. Growing up, I looked up to action movie heroes, hero army guys, and just people who "save the day". They were my idols. Me and my best friend, Victor Nyman, have been training at this gym for a while. He's doing it to impress girls, but me... I'm doing it to be just like the heroes in the movies. I wanna grow up and I wanna save the day. But man is it a hard journey to get to that point... harder than most of the heroes' plights to become special. But I think I can do it!
 * Jackson (narration): Or not.
 * Jackson (narration): Or...?
 * ???: Hey, you alright?
 * Girl: Almost fell again.
 * Jackson: Uh... n-no, yeah, I'm fine...
 * Jackson (narration): That's Gwen Neilson. She's one of the popular kids at my school and she loves doing stuff like this. Climbing, jogging, if it involves exercise in any way she's probably into it. She's so cool, I can't believe she isn't even afraid of being this high up...
 * Gwen: So are you okay?
 * Jackson: Yeah, I'm cool. You know, I've just been exercising so much today. My arms must be finally giving way!
 * Gwen: Oh, you don't need to lie to impress me.
 * Jackson (narration): Immediately assumed I was lying... ouch...
 * Gwen: Come on, we're almost at the top. I'm ninety percent positive you can do this.
 * Jackson (narration): She thinks I can... wow... come on, Jackson, don't let her down!
 * Gwen: Come on, guy, just a bit more!
 * Jackson (narration): Probably shouldn't of went for the style points...
 * Gwen: Hey!
 * Gwen: You did pretty good! next time you might even make it!
 * Jackson: Uh... thanks! th-thank you so much!
 * Gwen: You're welcome!
 * Victor: You alright?
 * Jackson: Ow... y-yeah, I'm fine...
 * Victor: So... Gwen Neilson, huh? Goddamn... you know, from down here I can almost see up her shorts.
 * Jackson: You're a weird guy, Victor...
 * Victor: I am. I am a weird guy. And I have no problem with that. So, you interested?
 * Jackson: In... in what?
 * Victor: In her, bro!
 * Jackson: W-what?!
 * Victor: Cause if you are, I can be your wingman. I am a bit of a ladies' man, after all.
 * Jackson: Yeah, no, I don't think so...
 * Victor: Oh, come on! With just a bit of advice from little ole me basically any girl you want will--
 * Victor: Think about it!
 * Jackson (narration): Gwen's pretty and all but I don't think taking advice from Victor will help me out... at all. In fact, I'm almost positive it'll hurt my chances. Wait no, I'm entirely positive it will. Sad I embarrassed myself in front of Gwen like that but she seemed cool about it. Wonder if she'll remember me...
 * ???: Let go!
 * Jackson: Huh?
 * Large Teen: Come on, last a round with me and I'll give you anything you want!
 * Smaller Teen: I don't wanna fight you!
 * Jackson (narration): That guy's Mike Papoutsis... he's gonna beat up David Di Stefano... I... I have to do something, right...?
 * Mike: Don't be a coward! One fight and I'll leave you alone, promise!
 * David: You'll obviously win!
 * Mike: What're you looking at?
 * Mike: Alright, fine. Don't wanna fight? I respect that. Now...
 * Mike: Get outta my sight!
 * Jackson: David, I'm sorry, I--
 * David: No, it's fine... I don't know why I expected you to do anything. You're not a hero, after all...
 * Jackson (narration): He's... he's right... Damn it, he's right! I'm not a hero. A hero would've helped. A hero wouldn't have done... nothing...
 * Jackson (narration): How the hell could I be a hero...?
 * Jackson: What...?
 * ???: Hey... Hey kid... Kid!
 * Jackson: Huh?!
 * E-45: How's it goin'?
 * Jackson: W-where am I...?
 * E-45: I'd like to know myself... when I woke up, I was here.
 * Jackson: Why a-aren't you p-panicking?!
 * E-45: I've been here a while so the shock of the situation's worn off.
 * Jackson: How long have you been here?
 * E-45: Six hours.
 * Jackson: Six hours?!
 * E-45: Precisely.
 * Jackson: W-we need to get the hell out of here!
 * E-45: The straps are tight as hell. There's no way you can get loose.
 * Jackson: Well, we have to try!
 * Jackson: Hi? Can you tell me what the hell is going on?
 * Jackson: Excuse me, I'd like to get some answers here!
 * E-45: Uh... trust me, pal, I can see this guy's face and he doesn't seem like the type to speak English.
 * Jackson: What? W-what the hell does that mean, i-is he Korean or something?!
 * E-45: Definitely not... more like alien...
 * Jackson: W... what...? What the hell're you t-talking about, t-that's... h-how can...
 * Jackson: Aaahhh! It is an alien!
 * E-45: What the hell?!
 * Jackson: What's happening?!
 * E-45: Aah!
 * Jackson: What? H-how did that happen?
 * E-45: It doesn't matter! Run!
 * E-45: Why'd you lead us in here?
 * Jackson: I-I don't know, I was just running! I didn't kn-know where I was g-going! I have no idea what an exit looks like in this place!
 * E-45: Come on, do something! Help us!
 * Jackson: What... the hell...? what happened to you?
 * E-45: I don't... what in the... Shit!
 * Jackson: Whatthehellwhatthehellwhatthehell!?
 * E-45: Okay... okay... okay...
 * Jackson: What the hell is happening?!
 * E-45: Listen, if I knew I would tell you, okay? I guess the disk, like..., messed with my suit and now I can do... stuff...
 * E-45: Okay, you're a little freaked out, that's okay. Uh... listen, what's your name, kid?
 * Jackson: Jackson.
 * E-45: Okay, hi Jackson, I'm Tom. Very nice to meet you.
 * Jackson: Uh... Hi Tom.
 * E-45: Look, I'm just as confused as you are. I have no idea where I am, what this suit is, how to get back home or... or anything, really. Seriously, I was a space miner before today. Like... my god... But trust me, I will get you back home. Even if I can't get myself back, I will get you back. Alright?
 * Jackson: Y... yeah.
 * E-45: Alright... Let's go.
 * E-45: It can't be too hard to get out of here, I mean... oh...
 * E-45: Oh god...
 * Jackson: We are in space?!?!
 * E-45: I guess so...
 * Jackson: What?!
 * E-45: Huh?
 * E-45: I understand him...
 * Jackson: W-what's he saying?
 * E-45: He's saying he's going to open the window and suck us into space. Apparently I'll survive thanks to the suit but he'll come to Earth to collect it off of me...
 * Jackson: W-what?! I-I don't wanna die!
 * E-45: Heh... you know... this kinda reminds me of the old comic books I read as a kid. Isn't this the perfect origin story for a superhero? Only, obviously, in those stories, if kids were in danger the hero could always save them, beat the bad guy, and everybody would come out happy in the end... But real life doesn't work like that, does it?
 * Jackson: What're you talking about?
 * E-45: Jack, I'm gonna get you home safe no matter what.
 * E-45: Got it?
 * Jackson: W-what? b-but then you'll...
 * E-45: Yeah... but that doesn't matter. I'm gonna help you kid. Cause that's what heroes do. If this guy goes through with his word and comes for ya, go to the McGregor Space Mining Company and tell them about me. They'll get you in touch with people who can help. And if you meet a Karen Besser while you're there, tell her I wish we got to go on that date...
 * E-45: See ya, kid...