A Comic Script based on Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Little Mermaid”
Page 1
Panel 1: An establishing shot of a modern coastal town. It is early morning and sailboats, fishermen, joggers, and people walking their dogs are out.
Panel 2: A shot of the sun rising above the ocean. All that is visible is the ocean and a lone fishing boat.
Panel 3: The view changes to the water. Fish are swimming in the shifting patterns of the sun.
Panel 4: Over an underwater sand dune, the kingdom of Atlantis is visible. The palace glitters and is the grandest building. Surrounding the palace is a mixture of large and small buildings that resemble a city. All the architecture is Greek-like, but with aquatic themes (i.e. giant shells compose some of the building’s roofs, stones and seaweed are arranged like palm trees along the streets.)
Panel 6: The palace zooms into view and five mermaids are visible looking into separate mirrors applying makeup or brushing their hair. The mermaids have green, flowing hair with aquatic flowers of different colors growing in it. Their eyes are large and yellow with thick eyelashes. Their ears are smaller than human ears and they have gills around their necks. Their tails are varying colors (purple, orange, and red) and they wear different types of shells and seaweed around their chests as different styles of shirts. They are beautiful, but definitely do not look human.
Page 2
Panel 1: The image further zooms into the room. While the five mermaids are attending to their hair, one mermaid, the youngest (the “Little Mermaid”) is sitting at her mirror, and looking out the window. Through her window, the sun’s rays shifting in the water are visible.
Panel 2: The Little Mermaid (LM) is still gazing out her window and one of her sisters approaches her with a brush in her hand.
The Sister: Are you dreaming about land again?
LM: No…
Panel 3: Other sisters are gathering around LM and all look excited and holding various pieces of jewelry made from shells and sparkling stones.
The Sister: You know Dad hates it when you start daydreaming…
Panel 4: LM gets up and swims through the window, leaving her sisters behind. Her sisters look wary.
LM: See you guys later.
The Sister: Just don’t get caught, sister!
Panel 5: LM is swimming between the ornate coral buildings and schools of fish. Other mer-people are seen going about their daily business (i.e. shopping, holding the hands of their young children, and swimming).
Panel 6: LM has an amused expression on her face as she swims towards the surface.
LM: Don’t get caught.
Page 3
Panel 1: LM breaks the surface in a little cove surrounded by rocks.
Panel 2: LM goes to a niche in the rocks where there is a journal and a pen tucked away.
Panel 3: LM opens the journal and thoughtfully sticks the pen in her mouth.
LM (narration): Last night I dreamt about music.
Panel 4: A scene from LM’s dream: she is sitting on a rock and watching people dance and play the fiddle. LM is sitting in the middle of the crowd, trying to participate, but obviously limited by her tailfin.
Panel 5: The scene changes to LM trying to play a broken down fiddle underwater, while dancing in a similar jig as she envisions in her dream.
LM (narration): This morning I tried to play music…
Panel 6: Same scene, but LM looks defeated because the fiddle will not sing and her tail is tangled up in seaweed from trying to dance.
LM (narration): …but it didn’t work.
Page 4
Panel 1: The scene switches back to LM writing in her journal.
LM (narration): I’ve had too many failures.
Panel 2-7: A series of smaller panels showing LM’s attempts to translate experiences she’s seen on land to her underwater home.
Panel 2: LM is in a position to start sprinting
LM (narration): Running underwater is just…
Panel 3: LM with her arms outstretched and her tailfin straight behind her. She has a frustrated look on her face.
LM (narration): …floating.
Panel 4: LM is half out of the water smelling a flower.
LM (narration): And flowers on land smell…
Panel 5: LM in a similar position but looking angrily at the aquatic plant-life that has no smell.
LM (narration): …unlike the ones back home.
Panel 6: LM is stealing a slice pie left close to the water from someone’s picnic.
LM (narration): And food on land is not…
Panel 7: LM with the same piece of pie in her hands but the pie is gross and destroyed from being underwater.
LM (narration): …slimy.
Panel 8: A view of LM writing in her journal again.
LM (narration): It’s time to see the Sea Witch.
Page 5
Panel 1: LM is swimming towards a murky area underwater where the seaweed forms creepy shapes similar to eerie bare-branched trees.
Panel 2: LM enters a cave and the Sea Witch is visible from behind putting together potions. There is a thick and sickly-looking fog surrounding her.
Sea Witch: Hello, Little Mermaid! I know why you’re here.
Panel 3: LM looks surprised and nervous. She faces the Sea Witch without making eye contact. The Sea Witch looks amused.
Sea Witch: You want to be a human.
Panel 4: The Sea Witch is facing the viewer, looking evil, and the LM is looking hopeful in the background.
Sea Witch: I can do it for you, but for a price.
LM: Really?! I’ll do anything!
Panel 5: The Sea Witch swoops down on the LM and holds onto her throat. LM looks scared.
Sea Witch: Give me your voice and I’ll turn you into a human.
Panel 6: LM brushes the Sea Witch’s hand away. The Sea Witch’s evil smile has changed into shock.
LM: Um, no thank you, then.
Page 6
Panel 1: LM is swimming away from the Sea Witch’s cave.
LM: Creepy old hag.
Panel 2: LM is swimming towards a building that says “Library.”
LM: I’ll find my own way to be human.
Panel 3: LM is reading books with the titles: Transformation for Dummies, So You Want to Be a Human?, Land 101, and The Art of Walking.
Panel 4: LM is wearing thick protective goggles and pouring glowing chemicals together in her room. There are a bunch of crumpled up notes and half full flasks surrounding her work area.
Panel 5: “Two months later” is in the corner of the panel. LM is sitting in her writing cove holding a glass bottle full of a glowing gold fluid. She has her journal open.
LM: Well, this is it! Here’s to a dry future!
Panel 6: LM is drinking the liquid and the background behind her is hazy and twisted with strange perspectives.
Page 7
Panel 1: A blank panel.
Panel 2: A narrowed view of rocks and water and the tip of a foot. This perspective is supposed to be through LM’s eyes waking up after taking the potion.
Panel 3: A more open view of two feet and legs from LM’s perspective.
Panel 4: LM is holding onto her toes with a huge smile on her face. Although she has legs, her appearance is still mer-like with her long, green hair with flowers growing out of it, large yellow eyes, small ears, and the slight indentation of gills around her neck.
Panel 5: LM tries to stand up, but is wobbly.
Panel 6: LM sees runners past her as she grabs onto the rocks around her for balance. She’s smiling.
Page 8
Panel 1: LM is creeping out from behind the rocks and takes some clothes left by people swimming in the ocean.
Panel 2: LM puts on the clothes and sees more runners pass by.
Panel 3: LM starts running after the joggers.
Panel 4: LM begins to stumble.
Panel 5: LM is falling.
Panel 6: LM falls to the ground and there is a large “CRACK” sound as she breaks her arm.
Page 9
Panel 1: LM is cradling her arm and silent tears are running down her face. Behind her an Old Woman is running towards her.
Old Woman: Oh my goodness, child! Are you alright?
Panel 2: The Old Woman helps LM up and is helping her walk to her car.
Old Woman: I think you broke it! Let’s get you to the hospital right away!
Panel 3: “Later” is in the corner of the panel. The Old Woman and LM are sitting in the Old Woman’s kitchen. The Old Woman is making soup for dinner. LM has a cast on her arm and looks defeated. LM’s gills are gone and her hair is streaked with brown. The flowers in her hair are gone.
Old Woman: So no physical activity for a while, missy.
LM: I know, I know.
Panel 4: The Old Woman is dishing out bowls of soup for both of them.
Old Woman: You say you are from out of town?
LM: Um, yes…
Panel 5: A zoomed out view of the Old Woman and LM talking at dinner. Both are smiling and enjoying each other’s company.
LM (narration): She didn’t ask too many questions.
Panel 6: A further zoomed out view of the house by the water where the Old Woman and LM are staying.
LM (narration): She’s an innkeeper and is letting me stay for free until I get well. Day 1 on land has proven to be interesting.
Page 10
Panel 1: LM is reading books titled: Psychology, Calculus, Modern Art History, and Plant Biology. She is seating in a comfy chair in the Old Woman’s house. The Old Woman is smiling and cleaning around LM.
Panel 2: It’s fall and the Old Woman is showing LM how to fly a kite on the beach. LM is amazed. LM’s hair is less green and her eyes are changing from yellow to green.
Panel 3: It’s winter and the Old Woman is showing LM how to bake brownies. LM’s cast is off. LM’s hair is long, but completely brown.
Panel 4: It’s spring and LM is running with a group of friends. She is waving back at the Old Woman and smiling. LM’s hair is in a ponytail and her eyes are a human-looking green. Her ears look human, too.
Panel 5: LM is sitting on the beach looking out at the water. She is alone and looks completely human.
LM (narration): I have a new life here. In a couple of months, I’m going to go to “college.” I’m happy and yet, I miss my family.
Panel 6: LM is walking away from the beach and a purple tailfin can be seen diving under the waves.
Page 11
Panel 1: It’s early morning and LM is tearing pages out of her journal and tying it together in a small roll. There is an empty bottle next to her on her desk. Her room is packed up in boxes to show that she is leaving and is about to head off to college.
Panel 2: LM is in a small sailboat going out to sea.
Panel 3: LM is adjusting the sails on the boat. Land is no longer visible around her.
Panel 4: LM is looking down into the waves, searching for any sign of Atlantis while dropping the bottle full of pages from her journal down into the water.
LM (narration): Sometimes I wonder if I dreamed up my life under the sea.
Panel 5: LM is sailing away towards land. A small piece of a purple tailfin is poking out of the water.
LM (narration): I just hope that if they’re still out there, they know how happy I am…
Panel 6: LM’s mer-family is gathered around the letter she put in the bottle. They are smiling; some of the sisters are brushing away tears.
LM (narration): and how much I still love them.
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