The Comic Book Play

Tracy and Stacy are aspiring comic book writers. As they work away on their laptop, a superheroine comes to life on the stage. Her adventures are enacted as Tracy and Stacy write them. They give her a secret identity, an origin story, and an arch-villainess as her nemesis. In the end, justice shall prevail, and the forces of evil shall be vanquished. But it won’t be easy. This play features a teen cast and is intended for a teen audience.

About the playwright:

Peter Mitsopoulos was born and raised in San Diego, California. He has had a few one-acts produced in his local area along with I, Joan, which is a one-woman play about Joan of Arc. His adaptation of Mark Twain’s The Prince and The Pauper is available on Drama Notebook. Peter is a graduate of San Diego State University and also served in the US Air Force.

Excerpt from the Play:

CHARACTERS:

TRACY – Comic book writer
STACY – Comic book writer
NORMAN GILMORE – Our heroine’s friend
GLORIA CLARK – Our heroine’s younger sister
MARSHA AND KATHY – Cheerleaders
THREE CELESTIALS – Agents of goodness (any gender)
THREE INFERNALS – Agents of evil (any gender)
VIPER WOMAN – Supplementary villainess (could be played by Gloria or one of Celestials)
SHE-CLOPS/SANDRA – Chief villainess and her secret identity
INDEFATIGABLE WOMAN/TIFFANY CLARK – Our heroine and her secret identity

(Scene One)

(LIGHTS UP on a bare stage. TRACY and STACY are sitting on a bench at stage left. They’re wearing jeans, sneakers, and tee shirts. STACY has a laptop computer on her knees and is typing away furiously. TRACY peers at the screen.)

TRACY
A name! She’s gotta have a name!

STACY
I’m thinking! I’m thinking!

TRACY
Aardvark Girl!

STACY
Aardvark Girl?! Are you bonkers? What kind of superhero would dress up like an Aardvark?

TRACY
What kind dresses up like a bat? Or a spider?

STACY
Good point. But I still don’t like it. It’s got no panache.

TRACY
Panache? Isn’t that some kind of French cheese?

STACY
Forget it. And besides, she’s not a superhero. She’s a superheroine. How ‘bout Astounding Woman?

TRACY
No.

STACY
Stupendous Woman?

TRACY
No.

STACY
Fearless Female?

TRACY
No-no-no!
(STACY stops typing and looks up in exasperation.)

STACY
Then what are we gonna call her?!

(For a long beat, TRACY presses her fingers against her temples and closes her eyes. She suddenly opens her eyes and points at STACY.)

TRACY
I’ve got it.

STACY
Let’s hear it.

TRACY
Her name will be…

(TRACY puts her hands on her hips.)

TRACY
…Indefatigable Woman!

(As STACY stares at TRACY, INDEFATIGABLE WOMAN ENTERS running from the wings. She leaps into the air and lands at downstage center. There she stands with her arms akimbo, and head held high.

INDEFATIGABLE WOMAN – henceforth known as INDE – is a tall young lady with long flowing hair. She wears a colorful costume: a short skirt, a long-sleeved sweater, gloves, boots, and a short cape. There is a mask over her eyes. On her chest is the letter I.

STACY and TRACY don’t turn to look at INDE.)

STACY
(Still staring at TRACY) You are bonkers.

TRACY
You don’t like it?

STACY
Indefatigable Woman? It doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, does it? A comic book publisher will never buy that. And what does it mean?

TRACY
If someone is indefatigable, that means they never get tired and they never give up!

(INDE excitedly pumps her fists.)

STACY
Awight, it’ll do for now. What next?

TRACY
A costume. Superheroes always wear a colorful costume.

(As STACY types, INDE spreads her arms and looks down at herself.)

STACY
(Stops typing.) What do you think?

TRACY
Sounds good.

(INDE grins and displays a double thumbs up.)

TRACY
Now for a slogan. They always have a slogan.

STACY
Try this.

(STACY taps on the keyboard as TRACY leans closer to watch.)

INDE
(Thrusting a fist upward) Justice, I say! Justice now and forever!

TRACY
(To Stacy) Ida know. Sounds a little sappy.

STACY
Not sappy. Old fashioned. I like it.

TRACY
Then we’ll use it. But now we need something that will really make the story happen.

STACY
The villain.

TRACY
The heavy.

STACY
The bad guy. Somebody she can fight it out with.

(INDE nods and assumes the stance of a pugilist. She briefly shadow boxes.)

TRACY
We’ll need a name for him, too.

STACY
Him? Why not a her?

TRACY
A female villain?

(INDE staggers backward in shock.)

STACY
Sure. A villainess.

TRACY
Hmmm. Lemme think a minute. The Viper Woman?

(The VIPER WOMAN ENTERS with a flourish of her long red cape. She’s dressed all in red with a mask and wide-brimmed hat.)

VIPER WOMAN
The Viper Woman is here! And soon I shall rule the world!

INDE
You’ll never win, Viper Woman! Justice shall prevail!

(INDE and the VIPER WOMAN assume fighting postures and begin to circle each other.)

STACY
Nah. She sounds a little too tame. Let’s dump ‘er.

(VIPER WOMAN throws up her arms in exasperation. She slouches toward the wings and EXITS.)

STACY
I know! The villainess will be wearing a patch over one eye!

TRACY
An eye patch?

STACY
Yes! And we’ll call her the Cyclops!

(INDE’S mouth falls open in dismay.)

TRACY
But since she’s a woman, let’s call her…the She-Clops!

STACY
The She-Clops it is.

(As STACY types with TRACY looking on, INDE glances around nervously. A beat later, the SHE-CLOPS ENTERS unseen by INDE.