DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
19
PHINEUS: THE RETURN OF JOE MAGARAC Part 2: Misty Watercolor Memories Bob DelBane
NEW CHARACTERS
1) JACKIE DI: Jackie is the manager of Weng-Chiang’s Magic Shop, which is owned by his father. He is an old friend of Phineus and Sara’s.
2) MRS. IRENE FERGUSON: Irene is Ike’s mother. She is a kind and gracious host, if a bit eccentric and absent minded. A show business veteran, she is more than happy to tell her visitors about her son, whom she adores.
3) MR. ISAAC FERGUSON/MESMERO THE MAGNIFICENT: We only see Isaac in flashback sequences. He has a tall, imposing, dramatic presence.
19
PHINEUS: THE RETURN OF JOE MAGARAC Part 2: Misty Watercolor Memories Bob DelBane
NEW CHARACTERS
1) JACKIE DI: Jackie is the manager of Weng-Chiang’s Magic Shop, which is owned by his father. He is an old friend of Phineus and Sara’s.
2) MRS. IRENE FERGUSON: Irene is Ike’s mother. She is a kind and gracious host, if a bit eccentric and absent minded. A show business veteran, she is more than happy to tell her visitors about her son, whom she adores.
3) MR. ISAAC FERGUSON/MESMERO THE MAGNIFICENT: We only see Isaac in flashback sequences. He has a tall, imposing, dramatic presence.
NEW SETTINGS
1) WENG-CHIANG’S MAGIC SHOP: The shop is a hub for the region’s performers of magic. Though Phineus knows the shop and is friendly with its proprietors, he hasn’t had much need to do business there. A wielder of real magic has little use for tricks and illusions. The shop is a storefront business in a neighborhood like Bloomfield. Inside it is densely packed with all forms of magic tricks, from children’s hobby kits to professional equipment.
2) THE FERGUSON FAMILY HOME: The home is a modest two-story structure in an old Pittsburgh neighborhood. The interior is in a very conservative style, last decorated by Ike’s parents many years ago.
PAGE 1
Panel 1
Interior of a neighborhood bar, possibly the same one Joe and his friend were in in part 1. Phineus, Sara, and Joe have gone there to regroup after their experience with Ike in the park. Phineus and Sara sit at the bar. She is trying to console him. Joe complains to the bartender.
JOE (to the bartender): You got how many Croatian and Italian customers? How come there ain’t no polkas in the jukebox?
PAGE 2
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara at the bar. Phineus has both elbows on the bar as his head droops over the mug of beer. Sara is next to him, her arm around Phineus.
PHINEUS: I’ve been a mage for over a quarter century.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
20
PHINEUS: What am I if I can’t remember how to cast spells?
Panel 2
Same as panel 1. Sara leans in toward Phineus so she can whisper in his ear.
SARA: Casting spells is not your only talent.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Phineus as he ponders what Sara said.
PHINEUS: I can’t make money doing that.
PHINEUS: I can’t make much money doing that.
Panel 4
Same as panel 3. A beer bottle flung from Sara’s direction hits Phineus in the head.
PAGE 3
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara at the bar. Phineus is rubbing his head where the bottle hit him.
PHINEUS: Well, at least we know who we’re dealing with.
PHINEUS: Did you find Ike’s address?
Panel 2
Same as panel 1. Sara is checking a tablet.
SARA: No, it’s not listed. Are you sure he lives in the city?
PHINEUS: His family is from the area, so I assume he still lives here.
Panel 3
Same as panel 1.
PHINEUS: Let’s go see Jackie at Weng-Chiang’s.
PHINEUS: Ike used to be in the magic business. Maybe Jackie will know where to find him.
Panel 4
Same as panel 1. Phineus and Sara both drink.
JOE (off-panel): Some Frankie Yankovic…Jack Tady…Sumthin’…
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
21
Panel 5
Same as panel 1.
SARA: Okay. One question: What do we do when we find him?
SARA: You still have your powers, I think, but you don’t remember how to use them.
Panel 6
Same as panel 1.
PHINEUS: One problem at a time.
PHINEUS: When we find him, we find a way to make him give me my memories back.
PAGE 4
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara at the bar.
JOE (off-panel): Doesn’t have to be polka. What about some Sinatra?
SARA: What if Ike makes us forget to ask?
Panel 2
Same as panel 1.
PHINEUS: Yeah, well, maybe the stuff he erases can be relearned.
Panel 3
Same as panel 1.
SARA: You’re going to relearn to be a mage?
PHINEUS: Why not? Jerry Garcia relearned to play the guitar.
Panel 4
Same as panel 1. Phineus takes a drink.
SARA: Fighting all the evil the supernatural can throw at this city is not like playing forty-minute guitar solos.
PHINEUS: That’s why it’s plan B.
Panel 5
Same as panel 1. Phineus stands up and puts money on the bar.
JOE (off-panel): Dean Martin…Louis Prima…Work with me here!
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
22
PHINEUS: Let’s get Joe and go before he destroys the jukebox. I want to go see Jackie first thing in the morning.
Panel 6
Medium shot of Sara standing at the bar. Phineus is off-panel, already moving toward the exit.
SARA: Okay.
SARA: Wait, what’s plan B, relearning to be a mage or playing forty-minute guitar solos?
PAGE 5
Panel 1
Exterior of a Pittsburgh street. Long shot from behind Phineus, Sara, and Joe as they stand in front of the edifice of Weng-Chiang’s Magic Shop. It’s a simple inner-city storefront. The font style of the name of the shop suggests early twentieth century carnivals and amusement parks.
JOE: Tell me again why we’re at a toy store?
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe from their front.
PHINEUS: It’s not a toy store. It’s a magic shop.
PHINEUS: All the professional magicians in the city shop here.
PHINEUS: Ike used to be a magician, so maybe they’ll know something about him.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Joe. Phineus and Sara are off-panel, already moving toward the shop’s entrance.
JOE: Someone’s trying to kill me and I’m hanging out with štreberi*.
CAPTION: *Štreberi is Croatian for nerds.
PAGE 6
Panel 1
Medium shot of Joe inside the shop. The interior is cluttered with magic tricks, Halloween props, models, kits, and toys. Joe mutters to himself.
JOE: Magic shop, he says. Professionals shop here, he says.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Joe and Phineus. Joe picks up a Harry Houdini action figure in its case.
JOE: You know, I met Houdini once. This don’t look like him.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
23
Phineus rolls his eyes.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Sara holding a magic kit.
SARA: Hey, look at this: The Junior Magician’s First Magic Kit.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Sara and Phineus. Sara is still holding the magic kit. Phineus is not amused.
PHINEUS: Really?
Panel 5
Same as panel 4.
SARA: You said you may have to relearn everything.
PHINEUS: Magic, not illusions.
Panel 6
Same as panel 4.
SARA: Come on, you know this stuff was your gateway drug.
SARA: You relearn this, it might be easier to relearn real magic.
PAGE 7
Panel 1
Medium shot of Sara and Phineus. Sara is still holding the magic kit.
PHINEUS: I don’t need to relearn the kid stuff. I know all the kid stuff.
Panel 2
Same as panel 1. Sara holds a set of linking rings, a staple of children’s magic kits, out to Phineus.
SARA: Really? Separate these rings.
Panel 3
Same as panel 1. Sara is smug as she hands the linking rings to Phineus. Phineus unhappily, glumly reaches for the rings.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Phineus as he delicately tries and fails to separate the linking rings.
Panel 5
Same as panel 4. Phineus more vigorously tries and fails to separate the linking rings.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
24
Panel 6
Same as panel 4. Phineus tries too strenuously to separate the linking rings and breaks them.
JACKIE (off-panel): Hey! You break it, you buy it.
PAGE 8
Panel 1
Medium shot of Jackie. He is an Asian-American man wearing an elaborate silk robe, something that Ching Ling Foo might have worn.
PHINEUS (off-panel): Hi, Jackie.
JACKIE: How are you guys? It’s been a while.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, Joe, and Jackie. Jackie and Joe are on either side of the panel while Phineus and Sara are between them.
PHINEUS: This is our client, Joe Magarac.
PHINEUS: Joe, Jackie’s family has owned this shop for decades.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Joe and Jackie. Jackie reaches and shakes Joe’s hand.
JACKIE: THE Joe Magarac? No kidding?
JOE: Pleased to meet you.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Phineus and Joe. Joe looks at Phineus.
JOE: You really think Fu Manchu here can help us?
Panel 5
Medium shot of Phineus, Joe, and Jackie. Phineus has his eyes closed.
JACKIE: Fu Manchu? Glad to see you brought some old-timey bigotry with you.
Panel 6
Medium shot of Jackie, arms spread aggressively to show off the robe.
JACKIE: This a costume, you know, for ambiance.
JACKIE: A lot of our customers are a bit dramatic.
JACKIE: My dad makes me wear the robe because he’s seen too many movies.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
25
PAGE 9
Panel 1
Medium shot of Sara and Jackie. Jackie’s arms are still spread aggressively to show off the robe, although his demeanor has softened.
SARA: It looks like something Ching Ling Foo would have worn.
Panel 2
Same as panel 1. Jackie, arms still spread, begins to happily spin like a model to show off the robe.
JACKIE: Good eye, Sara. Isn’t it awesome?
Panel 3
Medium shot of Joe.
JOE: I’m sorry. I didn’t mean nothin’.
JOE: You gotta nice place here and you speak real good English.
Panel 4
Close-up of Jackie. His face is a slow burn.
JACKIE: Speak real good…? Dude, I’m from Altoona.
Panel 5
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, Joe, and Jackie. Joe looks at Jackie. Jackie glares at Joe. Phineus and Sara are in the middle being uncomfortable.
Panel 6
Same as panel 5. Joe turns to leave.
JOE: I think I saw a bar across the street.
PAGE 10
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Jackie.
PHINEUS: Sorry about that, but don’t judge him too harshly. Someone is trying to kill him.
JACKIE: Can’t imagine why. How can I help you?
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus.
PHINEUS: Do you remember Ike Ferguson?
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
26
PHINEUS: His dad was Mesmero the Magnificent. He took over the act for a while after his dad died.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Jackie.
JACKIE: Yeah, he used to come in a lot.
JACKIE: Nice guy. Terrible act, though.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Jackie.
PHINEUS: We’re trying to find him because he’s trying to kill Joe.
SARA: More like he’s trying to erase Joe from existence.
Panel 5
Same as panel 4.
JACKIE: Ike? No. The guy’s a pussycat.
SARA: Yeah, well, he admitted as much when we ran into him last night. Then he took Phineus’s power.
JACKIE: What?
Panel 6
Medium shot of Phineus.
PHINEUS: It’s true. I can’t remember how to cast any spells, even the basic stuff.
PAGE 11
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Jackie.
JACKIE: He made you forget, like, really specific things?
PHINEUS: Unbelievable, but yeah. Why?
Panel 2
Medium shot of Jackie.
JACKIE: Well, after he stopped being Son of Mesmero, he went into counseling.
JACKIE: He would help people forget stuff, like traumatic events. I figured he used some kind of hypnosis.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
27
JACKIE: He came in once and dropped of his card. I’ve got it here somewhere.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Sara and Jackie. Jackie hands Sara Ike’s business card.
SARA: So he uses hypnosis to make people forget things?
JACKIE: I don’t know. Maybe.
Panel 4
Same as panel 1.
JACKIE: I did hear that some of the people he helped voluntarily regained their memories, though.
JACKIE: But, I mean, if a trauma’s that bad, why would you want to regain it?
Panel 5
Same as panel 1.
SARA: Did Ike give them their memories back or did they regain them on their own?
JACKIE: That I don’t know.
Panel 6
Medium shot of Phineus, looking pensive.
PHINEUS: So it is somehow possible to regain what he makes you forget.
PAGE 12
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara. Phineus is in the same pose as the previous panel, except he is looking at Sara out of the corner of his eye. Sara is smiling and holding the children’s magic kit.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus and Jackie. Phineus is handing money to Jackie.
PHINEUS: Thanks for your help, Jackie. Here’s for the rings I broke…
PHINEUS: …and for The Junior Magician’s First Magic Kit.
Panel 3
Exterior of another Pittsburgh city street. Panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe standing outside Ike Ferguson’s home. It’s a quaint middle-America, early twentieth century design.
JOE: Doesn’t look like the home of an evil mastermind.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
28
PHINEUS: They never do.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe as they face the front door.
JOE: So, do we bust the door in, or…
SARA: No, we knock, then we consider other options.
Panel 5
Same as panel 4.
PHINEUS: I don’t know. Ike’s already proved to be adversarial. Maybe we should…
The doorknob rattles from inside the home.
PAGE 13
Panel 1
Straight on medium shot of Mrs. Irene Ferguson in the open doorway. She is holding up a rolling pin. Some or all of Phineus, Sara, or Joe are seen from behind in silhouette.
IRENE: Oh, thank goodness. I thought it was those awful Middlemen.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Irene from over Sara’s shoulder. Irene has put down the rolling pin.
SARA: Who?
IRENE: Oh, that’s not important dear. How can I help you?
Panel 3
Medium shot of Phineus and Irene as they face each other.
PHINEUS: We’re looking for Ike. Is he here?
IRENE: Isadore? No. Those Middlemen have my son running around doing something or other.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Sara, Irene, and Phineus.
SARA: Excuse me, ma’am. Who are the Middlemen?
Panel 5
Same as panel 4.
IRENE: Oh, I don’t think I’m supposed to say.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
29
Panel 6
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe.
PHINEUS: Mrs. Ferguson, my name is Phineus. This is Sara and this is Joe.
PHINEUS: We’re worried about Ike, Isadore, too. We’d like to help if we can.
PAGE 14
Panel 1
Medium shot of doorway. Irene has already turned around and is walking toward the inside.
IRENE: Well, why don’t you all come in, have some tea, and I’ll tell you about it.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Sara and Joe.
JOE: I thought we came to pound the little runt.
SARA: You catch more flies with honey.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Joe.
JOE: Who the hell wants more flies?
Panel 4
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Irene. They are following Irene through the sitting room into the dining room.
IRENE: I was just sitting in here reading, waiting for Isadore to return.
IRENE: I just love reading plays. I used to be in show business, you know.
Panel 5
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara. Sara is holding Irene’s play.
SARA: PYGMALION? We did this in college. It was an all-female cast.
Phineus has a look of incredulity.
Panel 6
Medium shot of Sara.
8. SARA: What? It was edgy.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
30
PAGE 15
Panel 1
The panel runs the width of the page. Medium shot of a dining room table, around which are sitting Phineus, Sara, and Joe. Irene is standing, holding a pitcher. There are drinking glasses in front of each of them.
PHINEUS: We know Isadore used to be a magician, but he seems to have some actual magical powers.
IRENE: Yes, well. Please have some tea and I’ll tell you the story.
Panel 2
The panel runs the width of the page. This is a flashback in Irene’s story.
Medium shot of Mesmero the Magnificent, Ike’s father, during a performance. He is tall, imposing, with a strong jaw and elegant moustache. He is wearing a full tuxedo and tails. He is striking a dramatic pose. A sign behind him reads “MESMERO.”
There are some magical props on stage, too. Among the props on a table is a memory box, which will be significant later. The memory box is a small version of an antique travel trunk.
CAPTION (IRENE): “Isadore’s father, Isaac, was a great magician, Mesmero the Magnificent.”
Panel 3
The panel runs the width of the page. Long shot, similar to panel 2, but we now also see Irene and Ike standing behind Isaac/Mesmero. Ike is dressed very similar to Isaac, but without the dramatic flair. Irene is dressed in a garish dress with sequins, feathers, and ruffles, like one of Mae West’s gaudier outfits.
CAPTION (IRENE): “At a young age, Isadore joined the act and he and I were his father’s assistants.”
PAGE 16
Panel 1
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Isaac, Irene, and Ike during a performance. Isaac and Irene are posing dramatically while Ike is in the background, just barely out of sight of the audience, putting a rabbit into a top hat.
CAPTION (IRENE): “Isaac taught Isadore to do the tricks in the act. The illusion would only work if no one paid attention to Isadore.”
CAPTION (IRENE): “He was very good at that.”
Panel 2
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Ike and Irene. Ike is performing Isaac’s act, posing as his father would. However, because of his stature and his gaudily dressed mother looming over him, the effect is comic instead of dramatic. Few people are in the audience.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
31
CAPTION (IRENE): “He tried to take over the act when his father died, but Isadore is not really a showman.”
Panel 3
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Ike and a client, each sitting in a chair, facing each other. Ike is gesturing as if he is speaking. His client is sitting attentively.
CAPTION (IRENE): “He decided to give up show business and open a clinic to help people forget painful memories.”
CAPTION (IRENE): “He has some special technique. I don’t know how it works.”
CAPTION (IRENE): “He’s always enjoyed helping people.”
PAGE 17
Panel 1
Medium shot of Irene seated at the dining room table.
IRENE: We have been quite happy until those awful men visited us.
Panel 2
Close-up of Irene. Medium shot of Phineus in the background.
PHINEUS: The Middlemen you spoke of?
IRENE: Yes. That’s what Isadore called them.
Panel 3
This panel runs the width of the page. This is a flashback. In the same room and around the same table, three Middlemen speak to Ike and Irene. Isaac’s memory box from the magic act is sitting on a shelf between the Middlemen on one side and Ike and Irene on the other.
Though they may be of various ethnicities, all the Middlemen are wearing the same 50s-style conservative grey flannel suit.
One of the Middlemen is speaking and gesticulating while the other Middlemen stand behind him. Ike looks sidelong at his mother, who looks a bit confused.
CAPTION (IRENE): “They wanted him to use his ability to help them, but I didn’t understand how.”
Panel 4
Same as panel 3. This panel runs the width of the page. The Middleman who was speaking is now sitting with a kindly bemused smile on his face, his hands folded in front of him on the table. Irene looks worriedly at Ike, who is looking down and scratching his head.
CAPTION (IRENE): “They said their employer, a Mr. Corp, would be very grateful if Isadore would make people, all people, forget…someone.”
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
32
PAGE 18
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Irene.
PHINEUS: Do you remember whom they wanted everyone to forget?
Panel 2
Same as panel 1.
IRENE: Why, yes. It was…
IRENE: Hmm…
IRENE: It seems to have popped out of my head.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Irene and Joe, who is seated next to Irene, opposite Phineus. Irene is holding the pitcher of iced tea.
IRENE: Would you like some more tea, Mister…?
JOE: Magarac.
Panel 4
Same as panel 3.
IRENE: Magarac. What an interesting name.
IRENE: I don’t think I’ve ever heard that name before. Is it Polish?
Panel 5
Same as panel 3.
JOE: It’s Croatian, ma’am.
IRENE: Oh, how nice.
Panel 6
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara as they share a knowing glance. They realize that Ike has erased his own mother’s memory, possibly as proof to the Middlemen that he had taken the job.
PAGE 19
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus. He has turned back to Irene.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
33
PHINEUS: Um, how did Ike, Isadore, respond to the Middlemen?
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus and Irene.
IRENE: He turned them down.
IRENE: He said it wasn’t ethical to make someone forget something they didn’t want to forget.
Panel 3
This panel runs the width of the page. This is a flashback. The Middlemen are on one side of the table and Ike and Irene are on the other. A Middleman is gesturing as if talking about Ike and Irene’s home. Ike and Irene are listening quietly.
CAPTION (IRENE): “They offered to pay him enough money to retire, but he was obstinate.”
CAPTION (IRENE): “Then they threatened him.”
CAPTION (IRENE): “It was a veiled threat, but a threat nonetheless.”
CAPTION (IRENE): “You know how bureaucrats can be.”
Panel 4
Same as panel 3. This panel runs the width of the page. All the Middlemen are standing. One of them is holding Isaac’s memory box. Ike is looking down. Irene stares ahead blankly.
CAPTION (IRENE): “They mentioned his business, our home…”
CAPTION (IRENE): “Then they took his father’s memory box and told us it would be in everyone’s best interest to cooperate.”
CAPTION (IRENE): “Isadore didn’t have much of a choice.”
PAGE 20
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara sitting at the table. Irene has gotten up and is out of the panel.
IRENE (off-panel): Oh, the tea’s run out. Let me get some more.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara sitting at the table and Joe who is now standing behind them.
SARA: The memory box might be some kind of talisman.
Panel 3
Same as panel 2.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
34
SARA: If we can get our hands on it, maybe we can get Ike to stop.
PHINEUS: Right. Let’s go. We have work to do.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe as they are headed for the door. Phineus calls to Irene, who is off-panel.
PHINEUS: Mrs. Ferguson, thank you so much for your time.
PHINEUS: We have to go, but we will do what we can to help Isadore.
IRENE (off-panel): Thank you, young man.
Panel 5
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe confronted by Ike in front of Ike’s house. They are surprised, and Ike looks angry.
IKE: You shouldn’t have involved mother.
PAGE 21
Panel 1
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe confronted by Ike in front of Ike’s house. Phineus has stepped toward Ike.
PHINEUS: Ike, Isadore, Mr. Ferguson, we know you don’t want to do this.
PHINEUS: Let us help you. We can figure something out.
Panel 2
Close-up of Ike’s face. His expression is pained as he doesn’t know what to do.
Panel 3
Same as panel 2. Ike looks away from Phineus and toward his home’s front door.
Panel 4
Medium shot from Ike’s point of view of Irene in the doorway. She is holding a book.
Panel 5
Close-up of Irene’s book, which is clearly her copy of PYGMALION.
PAGE 22
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Ike, who has turned his attention back to Phineus.
IKE: I don’t want to hurt you, but I will not allow you to interfere with my endeavor.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
35
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus looking surprised. Ike has disappeared.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Phineus and Joe.
JOE: Aww, not again.
Panel 4
Same as panel 3.
PHINEUS: Joe, let’s scour the neighborhood. He can’t have gotten far.
PHINEUS: Sara, why don’t you head back to the office and see what you can come up with on Mr. Corp and the Middlemen.
Panel 5
Medium shot of Phineus and Joe from behind. They are looking over their shoulders.
SARA (off-panel): “What you are to do without me I cannot imagine.”
PAGE 23
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe. Phineus and Joe are looking quizzically at Sara, who also looks confused.
Panel 2
Same as panel 1.
PHINEUS: I’m sorry, what?
JOE: That sounds like some old fashioned, highfalutin’ speech to me.
Panel 3
Same as panel 1.
PHINEUS: Are you okay?
PHINEUS: Those don’t sound like…words you would use…
PHINEUS: …in that order.
Panel 4
Same as panel 1.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
36
SARA: “Can you shew me any English woman who speaks English as it should be spoken? Only foreigners who have been taught to speak it speak it well.”
Panel 5
Same as panel 1. Phineus and Joe look at each other.
Panel 6
Same as panel one. Phineus, Sara, and Joe look toward the front door.
IRENE (off-panel): It’s from PYGMALION.
PAGE 24
Panel 1
Medium shot of Irene, standing in the doorway holding her book.
IRENE: Isadore’s not an evil or cruel man.
IRENE: He wanted to leave her with some memory of speech.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara. He looks into her eyes as he holds her by the shoulders.
PHINEUS: You can only speak in lines from PYGMALION? Great.
Panel 3
This panel runs the width of the page. Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe. Phineus is embracing Sara.
4. PHINEUS: Let’s hope speech is all you forgot.
Panel 4
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Phineus, Sara, Joe, and Irene. Phineus and Sara are still embracing. Joe is holding his hat. Irene is still in the doorway.
5. SARA: “If you can’t appreciate what you’ve got, you’d better get what you can appreciate.”
6. JOE: Amen, sister.
End part 2
1) WENG-CHIANG’S MAGIC SHOP: The shop is a hub for the region’s performers of magic. Though Phineus knows the shop and is friendly with its proprietors, he hasn’t had much need to do business there. A wielder of real magic has little use for tricks and illusions. The shop is a storefront business in a neighborhood like Bloomfield. Inside it is densely packed with all forms of magic tricks, from children’s hobby kits to professional equipment.
2) THE FERGUSON FAMILY HOME: The home is a modest two-story structure in an old Pittsburgh neighborhood. The interior is in a very conservative style, last decorated by Ike’s parents many years ago.
PAGE 1
Panel 1
Interior of a neighborhood bar, possibly the same one Joe and his friend were in in part 1. Phineus, Sara, and Joe have gone there to regroup after their experience with Ike in the park. Phineus and Sara sit at the bar. She is trying to console him. Joe complains to the bartender.
JOE (to the bartender): You got how many Croatian and Italian customers? How come there ain’t no polkas in the jukebox?
PAGE 2
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara at the bar. Phineus has both elbows on the bar as his head droops over the mug of beer. Sara is next to him, her arm around Phineus.
PHINEUS: I’ve been a mage for over a quarter century.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
20
PHINEUS: What am I if I can’t remember how to cast spells?
Panel 2
Same as panel 1. Sara leans in toward Phineus so she can whisper in his ear.
SARA: Casting spells is not your only talent.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Phineus as he ponders what Sara said.
PHINEUS: I can’t make money doing that.
PHINEUS: I can’t make much money doing that.
Panel 4
Same as panel 3. A beer bottle flung from Sara’s direction hits Phineus in the head.
PAGE 3
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara at the bar. Phineus is rubbing his head where the bottle hit him.
PHINEUS: Well, at least we know who we’re dealing with.
PHINEUS: Did you find Ike’s address?
Panel 2
Same as panel 1. Sara is checking a tablet.
SARA: No, it’s not listed. Are you sure he lives in the city?
PHINEUS: His family is from the area, so I assume he still lives here.
Panel 3
Same as panel 1.
PHINEUS: Let’s go see Jackie at Weng-Chiang’s.
PHINEUS: Ike used to be in the magic business. Maybe Jackie will know where to find him.
Panel 4
Same as panel 1. Phineus and Sara both drink.
JOE (off-panel): Some Frankie Yankovic…Jack Tady…Sumthin’…
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
21
Panel 5
Same as panel 1.
SARA: Okay. One question: What do we do when we find him?
SARA: You still have your powers, I think, but you don’t remember how to use them.
Panel 6
Same as panel 1.
PHINEUS: One problem at a time.
PHINEUS: When we find him, we find a way to make him give me my memories back.
PAGE 4
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara at the bar.
JOE (off-panel): Doesn’t have to be polka. What about some Sinatra?
SARA: What if Ike makes us forget to ask?
Panel 2
Same as panel 1.
PHINEUS: Yeah, well, maybe the stuff he erases can be relearned.
Panel 3
Same as panel 1.
SARA: You’re going to relearn to be a mage?
PHINEUS: Why not? Jerry Garcia relearned to play the guitar.
Panel 4
Same as panel 1. Phineus takes a drink.
SARA: Fighting all the evil the supernatural can throw at this city is not like playing forty-minute guitar solos.
PHINEUS: That’s why it’s plan B.
Panel 5
Same as panel 1. Phineus stands up and puts money on the bar.
JOE (off-panel): Dean Martin…Louis Prima…Work with me here!
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
22
PHINEUS: Let’s get Joe and go before he destroys the jukebox. I want to go see Jackie first thing in the morning.
Panel 6
Medium shot of Sara standing at the bar. Phineus is off-panel, already moving toward the exit.
SARA: Okay.
SARA: Wait, what’s plan B, relearning to be a mage or playing forty-minute guitar solos?
PAGE 5
Panel 1
Exterior of a Pittsburgh street. Long shot from behind Phineus, Sara, and Joe as they stand in front of the edifice of Weng-Chiang’s Magic Shop. It’s a simple inner-city storefront. The font style of the name of the shop suggests early twentieth century carnivals and amusement parks.
JOE: Tell me again why we’re at a toy store?
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe from their front.
PHINEUS: It’s not a toy store. It’s a magic shop.
PHINEUS: All the professional magicians in the city shop here.
PHINEUS: Ike used to be a magician, so maybe they’ll know something about him.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Joe. Phineus and Sara are off-panel, already moving toward the shop’s entrance.
JOE: Someone’s trying to kill me and I’m hanging out with štreberi*.
CAPTION: *Štreberi is Croatian for nerds.
PAGE 6
Panel 1
Medium shot of Joe inside the shop. The interior is cluttered with magic tricks, Halloween props, models, kits, and toys. Joe mutters to himself.
JOE: Magic shop, he says. Professionals shop here, he says.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Joe and Phineus. Joe picks up a Harry Houdini action figure in its case.
JOE: You know, I met Houdini once. This don’t look like him.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
23
Phineus rolls his eyes.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Sara holding a magic kit.
SARA: Hey, look at this: The Junior Magician’s First Magic Kit.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Sara and Phineus. Sara is still holding the magic kit. Phineus is not amused.
PHINEUS: Really?
Panel 5
Same as panel 4.
SARA: You said you may have to relearn everything.
PHINEUS: Magic, not illusions.
Panel 6
Same as panel 4.
SARA: Come on, you know this stuff was your gateway drug.
SARA: You relearn this, it might be easier to relearn real magic.
PAGE 7
Panel 1
Medium shot of Sara and Phineus. Sara is still holding the magic kit.
PHINEUS: I don’t need to relearn the kid stuff. I know all the kid stuff.
Panel 2
Same as panel 1. Sara holds a set of linking rings, a staple of children’s magic kits, out to Phineus.
SARA: Really? Separate these rings.
Panel 3
Same as panel 1. Sara is smug as she hands the linking rings to Phineus. Phineus unhappily, glumly reaches for the rings.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Phineus as he delicately tries and fails to separate the linking rings.
Panel 5
Same as panel 4. Phineus more vigorously tries and fails to separate the linking rings.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
24
Panel 6
Same as panel 4. Phineus tries too strenuously to separate the linking rings and breaks them.
JACKIE (off-panel): Hey! You break it, you buy it.
PAGE 8
Panel 1
Medium shot of Jackie. He is an Asian-American man wearing an elaborate silk robe, something that Ching Ling Foo might have worn.
PHINEUS (off-panel): Hi, Jackie.
JACKIE: How are you guys? It’s been a while.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, Joe, and Jackie. Jackie and Joe are on either side of the panel while Phineus and Sara are between them.
PHINEUS: This is our client, Joe Magarac.
PHINEUS: Joe, Jackie’s family has owned this shop for decades.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Joe and Jackie. Jackie reaches and shakes Joe’s hand.
JACKIE: THE Joe Magarac? No kidding?
JOE: Pleased to meet you.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Phineus and Joe. Joe looks at Phineus.
JOE: You really think Fu Manchu here can help us?
Panel 5
Medium shot of Phineus, Joe, and Jackie. Phineus has his eyes closed.
JACKIE: Fu Manchu? Glad to see you brought some old-timey bigotry with you.
Panel 6
Medium shot of Jackie, arms spread aggressively to show off the robe.
JACKIE: This a costume, you know, for ambiance.
JACKIE: A lot of our customers are a bit dramatic.
JACKIE: My dad makes me wear the robe because he’s seen too many movies.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
25
PAGE 9
Panel 1
Medium shot of Sara and Jackie. Jackie’s arms are still spread aggressively to show off the robe, although his demeanor has softened.
SARA: It looks like something Ching Ling Foo would have worn.
Panel 2
Same as panel 1. Jackie, arms still spread, begins to happily spin like a model to show off the robe.
JACKIE: Good eye, Sara. Isn’t it awesome?
Panel 3
Medium shot of Joe.
JOE: I’m sorry. I didn’t mean nothin’.
JOE: You gotta nice place here and you speak real good English.
Panel 4
Close-up of Jackie. His face is a slow burn.
JACKIE: Speak real good…? Dude, I’m from Altoona.
Panel 5
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, Joe, and Jackie. Joe looks at Jackie. Jackie glares at Joe. Phineus and Sara are in the middle being uncomfortable.
Panel 6
Same as panel 5. Joe turns to leave.
JOE: I think I saw a bar across the street.
PAGE 10
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Jackie.
PHINEUS: Sorry about that, but don’t judge him too harshly. Someone is trying to kill him.
JACKIE: Can’t imagine why. How can I help you?
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus.
PHINEUS: Do you remember Ike Ferguson?
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
26
PHINEUS: His dad was Mesmero the Magnificent. He took over the act for a while after his dad died.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Jackie.
JACKIE: Yeah, he used to come in a lot.
JACKIE: Nice guy. Terrible act, though.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Jackie.
PHINEUS: We’re trying to find him because he’s trying to kill Joe.
SARA: More like he’s trying to erase Joe from existence.
Panel 5
Same as panel 4.
JACKIE: Ike? No. The guy’s a pussycat.
SARA: Yeah, well, he admitted as much when we ran into him last night. Then he took Phineus’s power.
JACKIE: What?
Panel 6
Medium shot of Phineus.
PHINEUS: It’s true. I can’t remember how to cast any spells, even the basic stuff.
PAGE 11
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Jackie.
JACKIE: He made you forget, like, really specific things?
PHINEUS: Unbelievable, but yeah. Why?
Panel 2
Medium shot of Jackie.
JACKIE: Well, after he stopped being Son of Mesmero, he went into counseling.
JACKIE: He would help people forget stuff, like traumatic events. I figured he used some kind of hypnosis.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
27
JACKIE: He came in once and dropped of his card. I’ve got it here somewhere.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Sara and Jackie. Jackie hands Sara Ike’s business card.
SARA: So he uses hypnosis to make people forget things?
JACKIE: I don’t know. Maybe.
Panel 4
Same as panel 1.
JACKIE: I did hear that some of the people he helped voluntarily regained their memories, though.
JACKIE: But, I mean, if a trauma’s that bad, why would you want to regain it?
Panel 5
Same as panel 1.
SARA: Did Ike give them their memories back or did they regain them on their own?
JACKIE: That I don’t know.
Panel 6
Medium shot of Phineus, looking pensive.
PHINEUS: So it is somehow possible to regain what he makes you forget.
PAGE 12
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara. Phineus is in the same pose as the previous panel, except he is looking at Sara out of the corner of his eye. Sara is smiling and holding the children’s magic kit.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus and Jackie. Phineus is handing money to Jackie.
PHINEUS: Thanks for your help, Jackie. Here’s for the rings I broke…
PHINEUS: …and for The Junior Magician’s First Magic Kit.
Panel 3
Exterior of another Pittsburgh city street. Panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe standing outside Ike Ferguson’s home. It’s a quaint middle-America, early twentieth century design.
JOE: Doesn’t look like the home of an evil mastermind.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
28
PHINEUS: They never do.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe as they face the front door.
JOE: So, do we bust the door in, or…
SARA: No, we knock, then we consider other options.
Panel 5
Same as panel 4.
PHINEUS: I don’t know. Ike’s already proved to be adversarial. Maybe we should…
The doorknob rattles from inside the home.
PAGE 13
Panel 1
Straight on medium shot of Mrs. Irene Ferguson in the open doorway. She is holding up a rolling pin. Some or all of Phineus, Sara, or Joe are seen from behind in silhouette.
IRENE: Oh, thank goodness. I thought it was those awful Middlemen.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Irene from over Sara’s shoulder. Irene has put down the rolling pin.
SARA: Who?
IRENE: Oh, that’s not important dear. How can I help you?
Panel 3
Medium shot of Phineus and Irene as they face each other.
PHINEUS: We’re looking for Ike. Is he here?
IRENE: Isadore? No. Those Middlemen have my son running around doing something or other.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Sara, Irene, and Phineus.
SARA: Excuse me, ma’am. Who are the Middlemen?
Panel 5
Same as panel 4.
IRENE: Oh, I don’t think I’m supposed to say.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
29
Panel 6
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe.
PHINEUS: Mrs. Ferguson, my name is Phineus. This is Sara and this is Joe.
PHINEUS: We’re worried about Ike, Isadore, too. We’d like to help if we can.
PAGE 14
Panel 1
Medium shot of doorway. Irene has already turned around and is walking toward the inside.
IRENE: Well, why don’t you all come in, have some tea, and I’ll tell you about it.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Sara and Joe.
JOE: I thought we came to pound the little runt.
SARA: You catch more flies with honey.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Joe.
JOE: Who the hell wants more flies?
Panel 4
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Irene. They are following Irene through the sitting room into the dining room.
IRENE: I was just sitting in here reading, waiting for Isadore to return.
IRENE: I just love reading plays. I used to be in show business, you know.
Panel 5
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara. Sara is holding Irene’s play.
SARA: PYGMALION? We did this in college. It was an all-female cast.
Phineus has a look of incredulity.
Panel 6
Medium shot of Sara.
8. SARA: What? It was edgy.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
30
PAGE 15
Panel 1
The panel runs the width of the page. Medium shot of a dining room table, around which are sitting Phineus, Sara, and Joe. Irene is standing, holding a pitcher. There are drinking glasses in front of each of them.
PHINEUS: We know Isadore used to be a magician, but he seems to have some actual magical powers.
IRENE: Yes, well. Please have some tea and I’ll tell you the story.
Panel 2
The panel runs the width of the page. This is a flashback in Irene’s story.
Medium shot of Mesmero the Magnificent, Ike’s father, during a performance. He is tall, imposing, with a strong jaw and elegant moustache. He is wearing a full tuxedo and tails. He is striking a dramatic pose. A sign behind him reads “MESMERO.”
There are some magical props on stage, too. Among the props on a table is a memory box, which will be significant later. The memory box is a small version of an antique travel trunk.
CAPTION (IRENE): “Isadore’s father, Isaac, was a great magician, Mesmero the Magnificent.”
Panel 3
The panel runs the width of the page. Long shot, similar to panel 2, but we now also see Irene and Ike standing behind Isaac/Mesmero. Ike is dressed very similar to Isaac, but without the dramatic flair. Irene is dressed in a garish dress with sequins, feathers, and ruffles, like one of Mae West’s gaudier outfits.
CAPTION (IRENE): “At a young age, Isadore joined the act and he and I were his father’s assistants.”
PAGE 16
Panel 1
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Isaac, Irene, and Ike during a performance. Isaac and Irene are posing dramatically while Ike is in the background, just barely out of sight of the audience, putting a rabbit into a top hat.
CAPTION (IRENE): “Isaac taught Isadore to do the tricks in the act. The illusion would only work if no one paid attention to Isadore.”
CAPTION (IRENE): “He was very good at that.”
Panel 2
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Ike and Irene. Ike is performing Isaac’s act, posing as his father would. However, because of his stature and his gaudily dressed mother looming over him, the effect is comic instead of dramatic. Few people are in the audience.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
31
CAPTION (IRENE): “He tried to take over the act when his father died, but Isadore is not really a showman.”
Panel 3
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Ike and a client, each sitting in a chair, facing each other. Ike is gesturing as if he is speaking. His client is sitting attentively.
CAPTION (IRENE): “He decided to give up show business and open a clinic to help people forget painful memories.”
CAPTION (IRENE): “He has some special technique. I don’t know how it works.”
CAPTION (IRENE): “He’s always enjoyed helping people.”
PAGE 17
Panel 1
Medium shot of Irene seated at the dining room table.
IRENE: We have been quite happy until those awful men visited us.
Panel 2
Close-up of Irene. Medium shot of Phineus in the background.
PHINEUS: The Middlemen you spoke of?
IRENE: Yes. That’s what Isadore called them.
Panel 3
This panel runs the width of the page. This is a flashback. In the same room and around the same table, three Middlemen speak to Ike and Irene. Isaac’s memory box from the magic act is sitting on a shelf between the Middlemen on one side and Ike and Irene on the other.
Though they may be of various ethnicities, all the Middlemen are wearing the same 50s-style conservative grey flannel suit.
One of the Middlemen is speaking and gesticulating while the other Middlemen stand behind him. Ike looks sidelong at his mother, who looks a bit confused.
CAPTION (IRENE): “They wanted him to use his ability to help them, but I didn’t understand how.”
Panel 4
Same as panel 3. This panel runs the width of the page. The Middleman who was speaking is now sitting with a kindly bemused smile on his face, his hands folded in front of him on the table. Irene looks worriedly at Ike, who is looking down and scratching his head.
CAPTION (IRENE): “They said their employer, a Mr. Corp, would be very grateful if Isadore would make people, all people, forget…someone.”
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
32
PAGE 18
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Irene.
PHINEUS: Do you remember whom they wanted everyone to forget?
Panel 2
Same as panel 1.
IRENE: Why, yes. It was…
IRENE: Hmm…
IRENE: It seems to have popped out of my head.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Irene and Joe, who is seated next to Irene, opposite Phineus. Irene is holding the pitcher of iced tea.
IRENE: Would you like some more tea, Mister…?
JOE: Magarac.
Panel 4
Same as panel 3.
IRENE: Magarac. What an interesting name.
IRENE: I don’t think I’ve ever heard that name before. Is it Polish?
Panel 5
Same as panel 3.
JOE: It’s Croatian, ma’am.
IRENE: Oh, how nice.
Panel 6
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara as they share a knowing glance. They realize that Ike has erased his own mother’s memory, possibly as proof to the Middlemen that he had taken the job.
PAGE 19
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus. He has turned back to Irene.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
33
PHINEUS: Um, how did Ike, Isadore, respond to the Middlemen?
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus and Irene.
IRENE: He turned them down.
IRENE: He said it wasn’t ethical to make someone forget something they didn’t want to forget.
Panel 3
This panel runs the width of the page. This is a flashback. The Middlemen are on one side of the table and Ike and Irene are on the other. A Middleman is gesturing as if talking about Ike and Irene’s home. Ike and Irene are listening quietly.
CAPTION (IRENE): “They offered to pay him enough money to retire, but he was obstinate.”
CAPTION (IRENE): “Then they threatened him.”
CAPTION (IRENE): “It was a veiled threat, but a threat nonetheless.”
CAPTION (IRENE): “You know how bureaucrats can be.”
Panel 4
Same as panel 3. This panel runs the width of the page. All the Middlemen are standing. One of them is holding Isaac’s memory box. Ike is looking down. Irene stares ahead blankly.
CAPTION (IRENE): “They mentioned his business, our home…”
CAPTION (IRENE): “Then they took his father’s memory box and told us it would be in everyone’s best interest to cooperate.”
CAPTION (IRENE): “Isadore didn’t have much of a choice.”
PAGE 20
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara sitting at the table. Irene has gotten up and is out of the panel.
IRENE (off-panel): Oh, the tea’s run out. Let me get some more.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara sitting at the table and Joe who is now standing behind them.
SARA: The memory box might be some kind of talisman.
Panel 3
Same as panel 2.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
34
SARA: If we can get our hands on it, maybe we can get Ike to stop.
PHINEUS: Right. Let’s go. We have work to do.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe as they are headed for the door. Phineus calls to Irene, who is off-panel.
PHINEUS: Mrs. Ferguson, thank you so much for your time.
PHINEUS: We have to go, but we will do what we can to help Isadore.
IRENE (off-panel): Thank you, young man.
Panel 5
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe confronted by Ike in front of Ike’s house. They are surprised, and Ike looks angry.
IKE: You shouldn’t have involved mother.
PAGE 21
Panel 1
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe confronted by Ike in front of Ike’s house. Phineus has stepped toward Ike.
PHINEUS: Ike, Isadore, Mr. Ferguson, we know you don’t want to do this.
PHINEUS: Let us help you. We can figure something out.
Panel 2
Close-up of Ike’s face. His expression is pained as he doesn’t know what to do.
Panel 3
Same as panel 2. Ike looks away from Phineus and toward his home’s front door.
Panel 4
Medium shot from Ike’s point of view of Irene in the doorway. She is holding a book.
Panel 5
Close-up of Irene’s book, which is clearly her copy of PYGMALION.
PAGE 22
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Ike, who has turned his attention back to Phineus.
IKE: I don’t want to hurt you, but I will not allow you to interfere with my endeavor.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
35
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus looking surprised. Ike has disappeared.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Phineus and Joe.
JOE: Aww, not again.
Panel 4
Same as panel 3.
PHINEUS: Joe, let’s scour the neighborhood. He can’t have gotten far.
PHINEUS: Sara, why don’t you head back to the office and see what you can come up with on Mr. Corp and the Middlemen.
Panel 5
Medium shot of Phineus and Joe from behind. They are looking over their shoulders.
SARA (off-panel): “What you are to do without me I cannot imagine.”
PAGE 23
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe. Phineus and Joe are looking quizzically at Sara, who also looks confused.
Panel 2
Same as panel 1.
PHINEUS: I’m sorry, what?
JOE: That sounds like some old fashioned, highfalutin’ speech to me.
Panel 3
Same as panel 1.
PHINEUS: Are you okay?
PHINEUS: Those don’t sound like…words you would use…
PHINEUS: …in that order.
Panel 4
Same as panel 1.
DelBane/The Return of Joe Magarac
36
SARA: “Can you shew me any English woman who speaks English as it should be spoken? Only foreigners who have been taught to speak it speak it well.”
Panel 5
Same as panel 1. Phineus and Joe look at each other.
Panel 6
Same as panel one. Phineus, Sara, and Joe look toward the front door.
IRENE (off-panel): It’s from PYGMALION.
PAGE 24
Panel 1
Medium shot of Irene, standing in the doorway holding her book.
IRENE: Isadore’s not an evil or cruel man.
IRENE: He wanted to leave her with some memory of speech.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara. He looks into her eyes as he holds her by the shoulders.
PHINEUS: You can only speak in lines from PYGMALION? Great.
Panel 3
This panel runs the width of the page. Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe. Phineus is embracing Sara.
4. PHINEUS: Let’s hope speech is all you forgot.
Panel 4
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Phineus, Sara, Joe, and Irene. Phineus and Sara are still embracing. Joe is holding his hat. Irene is still in the doorway.
5. SARA: “If you can’t appreciate what you’ve got, you’d better get what you can appreciate.”
6. JOE: Amen, sister.
End part 2
Phineus + Magician for Hire 