Another Day, another case
By Elizabeth Argall
Biography
Sepia tones black and white, this is film noir at its finest.
Panel 1: Foreground, really foreshortened legs and shoes on cluttered desk like we’re looking over the guy’s shoulder. Among the debris a half full tumbler and an ashtray with a few stubs. In the background frosted glass door, black lettering we can sort of see through the glass, writing which says backwards. “Philip K Dick, Private Eye.” Through the glass, a part silhouette of a female form.
Panel 2: similar foreground, except a half extinguished cigarette stub has been added to the ashtray. Background, the figure has come into the room. Her face is still in shadow, wearing one of those cute film noir hats, maybe with a bit of a veil slanting down diagonally. A tailored suit (which will need a neckline capable of some plunge) going to a tiny waist with a belt, thigh length skirt, holding a purse in both gloved hands. Classic filmnoir female in trouble.
Panel 3: Looking down at the detective, hat half slouched over his eyes, but we know he has raised one eyebrow ever so slightly. His feet still on the desk, tumbler half way to his mouth.
Panel 4: Curvaceous figure leaning forward onto the desk, creating lots of cleavage, looking pleading and somehow quite innocent. Huge eyes framed by thick black mascara, pale face, black hair and dark red lipstick
Panel 5: She perches on the desk, one leg half on it, probably explaining her terrible plight, but who knows what she’s saying
Panel 6: Detective pushing his hat up a little with one finger, a sign of deep emotion from this private eye.
Page 2
Panel 1: Detective turning his head, while refilling his glass with a bottle.
Panel 2: A more cartooney rather than grubby realistic Tink standing in a shabby corner of the office doing a huge gesticulatory I don’t know shrug.
Panel 3 Profile of the Detective and the Dame looking at each other hard in the eye, smoke wafts up from the ashtray, hmmm now that we look at the Dame, she looks like Muse!
Panel 4 Foreground, his messy desk, ash tray with remains of a cigarettes, a thread of smoke wafting up from one of the stubs, the tumbler and bottle Johnny Walker. Background the frosted glass door, the writing, a hint of a silhouette.
Panel 5 Detective slouches hat over his forehead and goes back to sleep.
Panel 1: Foreground, really foreshortened legs and shoes on cluttered desk like we’re looking over the guy’s shoulder. Among the debris a half full tumbler and an ashtray with a few stubs. In the background frosted glass door, black lettering we can sort of see through the glass, writing which says backwards. “Philip K Dick, Private Eye.” Through the glass, a part silhouette of a female form.
- Caption: I COULD TELL SHE WAS TROUBLE THE MOMENT SHE
WALKED IN THE DOOR
Panel 2: similar foreground, except a half extinguished cigarette stub has been added to the ashtray. Background, the figure has come into the room. Her face is still in shadow, wearing one of those cute film noir hats, maybe with a bit of a veil slanting down diagonally. A tailored suit (which will need a neckline capable of some plunge) going to a tiny waist with a belt, thigh length skirt, holding a purse in both gloved hands. Classic filmnoir female in trouble.
- Caption: SHE HAD IT STAMPED BACKWARDS ON HER FOREHEAD,
SOME DAMES ARE LIKE THAT.
Panel 3: Looking down at the detective, hat half slouched over his eyes, but we know he has raised one eyebrow ever so slightly. His feet still on the desk, tumbler half way to his mouth.
- Caption: I WAS IN A CONFERENCE WITH MY PARTNER JOHNNY
WALKER AT THE TIME, BUT SHE DIDN’T SEEM TO MIND.
Panel 4: Curvaceous figure leaning forward onto the desk, creating lots of cleavage, looking pleading and somehow quite innocent. Huge eyes framed by thick black mascara, pale face, black hair and dark red lipstick
- Caption: SHE HAD THE KIND OF ATTITUDE THAT SAID I CAN
GET WHAT I WANT AND IF I DON’T I’LL POUT.
Panel 5: She perches on the desk, one leg half on it, probably explaining her terrible plight, but who knows what she’s saying
- Caption: IT HELPED THAT SHE HAD LEGS SO HIGH YOU COULD
WALK UNDER HER WITHOUT HAVING TO STOOP.
Panel 6: Detective pushing his hat up a little with one finger, a sign of deep emotion from this private eye.
- Caption: I KNEW GETTING INVOLVED WITH A DAME LIKE THIS
COULD PUT ME IN WAY OVER MY HEAD.
Page 2
Panel 1: Detective turning his head, while refilling his glass with a bottle.
- Caption: SO I TURNED TO MY PARTNER JOHNNY FOR ADVICE,
BUT HE WASN’T MUCH HELP.
Panel 2: A more cartooney rather than grubby realistic Tink standing in a shabby corner of the office doing a huge gesticulatory I don’t know shrug.
- Caption: HE’S THE SILENT TYPE.
Panel 3 Profile of the Detective and the Dame looking at each other hard in the eye, smoke wafts up from the ashtray, hmmm now that we look at the Dame, she looks like Muse!
- Caption(top left hand side): SO I SAID, “WHAT’S
A LADY LIKE YOU DOING IN A JOINT LIKE THIS?”
- Caption(bottom right hand side: SHE SAID “DON’T
ASK ME, YOU’RE THE ONE SMOKING.
Panel 4 Foreground, his messy desk, ash tray with remains of a cigarettes, a thread of smoke wafting up from one of the stubs, the tumbler and bottle Johnny Walker. Background the frosted glass door, the writing, a hint of a silhouette.
- Caption: AND JUST LIKE THAT SHE WAS GONE.
Panel 5 Detective slouches hat over his forehead and goes back to sleep.
- Caption: I COULD TELL IT WAS GOING TO BE A LONG DAY.