the-change
Original: the-change on Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Transcript
Panel 1: A balding man in glasses and a dark suit (Mr. Wagner) leans forward at his desk.
Mr. Wagner: SHIRLEY, COME TO MY OFFICE RIGHT NOW.
Panel 2: Mr. Wagner stands behind his desk, gesturing.
Mr. Wagner: YOU CAN'T DRESS UP AS A UNICORN. THIS IS AN OFFICE. WEAR OFFICE-APPROPRIATE ATTIRE.
Panel 3: A woman (Shirley) sits in a chair wearing a full pink unicorn costume with a horn, raising a fist.
Shirley: THE PANTSUIT IS A LIE.
Panel 4: Close on Shirley in her unicorn hood, speaking passionately.
Shirley: I WEAR ONE. I WEAR ONE EVERY DAY BUT IT'S LIKE PUTTING A TUXEDO ON A MONKEY, OKAY? IT'S A DECEPTION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING. I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M HERE. THIS OFFICE, THIS BUILDING, THIS PLANET.
Panel 5: Extreme close-up of Shirley shouting, the unicorn horn prominent against a red background.
Shirley: IF I AM GOING TO WEAR A LIE EVERY DAY - IF THAT IS THE PRICE OF FOOD AND SHELTER, THEN I CHOOSE THE LIE, MR. WAGNER! I CHOOSE THE LIE!
Panel 6: Mr. Wagner and Shirley face off, the unicorn-costumed Shirley shouting over a red background.
Panel 7: Close on Mr. Wagner's face, looking moved/resolute.
Mr. Wagner: (no dialogue in this panel beat)
Panel 8: Close on Shirley's determined face in the unicorn hood.
Panel 9: Silhouette of Mr. Wagner raising an arm dramatically against a black background.
Mr. Wagner: I SHALL BE AN EAGLE. A SOARING LORD OF THE SKIES.
Panel 10: Silhouette of Shirley (with unicorn horn) against a black background.
Shirley: THE CHANGE STARTS HERE, MR. WAGNER. IT STARTS WITH US.
Votey:
Panel 1: A speech bubble from off-panel: THIS COULD EVOLVE INTO A SEX THING.
Panel 2: A figure (Shirley, with crossed arms) replies, with another figure facing her: YOU READ MY MIND.
Mr. Wagner: SHIRLEY, COME TO MY OFFICE RIGHT NOW.
Panel 2: Mr. Wagner stands behind his desk, gesturing.
Mr. Wagner: YOU CAN'T DRESS UP AS A UNICORN. THIS IS AN OFFICE. WEAR OFFICE-APPROPRIATE ATTIRE.
Panel 3: A woman (Shirley) sits in a chair wearing a full pink unicorn costume with a horn, raising a fist.
Shirley: THE PANTSUIT IS A LIE.
Panel 4: Close on Shirley in her unicorn hood, speaking passionately.
Shirley: I WEAR ONE. I WEAR ONE EVERY DAY BUT IT'S LIKE PUTTING A TUXEDO ON A MONKEY, OKAY? IT'S A DECEPTION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING. I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M HERE. THIS OFFICE, THIS BUILDING, THIS PLANET.
Panel 5: Extreme close-up of Shirley shouting, the unicorn horn prominent against a red background.
Shirley: IF I AM GOING TO WEAR A LIE EVERY DAY - IF THAT IS THE PRICE OF FOOD AND SHELTER, THEN I CHOOSE THE LIE, MR. WAGNER! I CHOOSE THE LIE!
Panel 6: Mr. Wagner and Shirley face off, the unicorn-costumed Shirley shouting over a red background.
Panel 7: Close on Mr. Wagner's face, looking moved/resolute.
Mr. Wagner: (no dialogue in this panel beat)
Panel 8: Close on Shirley's determined face in the unicorn hood.
Panel 9: Silhouette of Mr. Wagner raising an arm dramatically against a black background.
Mr. Wagner: I SHALL BE AN EAGLE. A SOARING LORD OF THE SKIES.
Panel 10: Silhouette of Shirley (with unicorn horn) against a black background.
Shirley: THE CHANGE STARTS HERE, MR. WAGNER. IT STARTS WITH US.
Votey:
Panel 1: A speech bubble from off-panel: THIS COULD EVOLVE INTO A SEX THING.
Panel 2: A figure (Shirley, with crossed arms) replies, with another figure facing her: YOU READ MY MIND.
Alt text
A SMBC comic. A balding boss in glasses (Mr. Wagner) summons an employee: 'Shirley, come to my office right now. You can't dress up as a unicorn. This is an office. Wear office-appropriate attire.' Shirley, sitting in a full pink unicorn costume, raises a fist: 'The pantsuit is a lie.' She launches into an impassioned speech: she wears a suit every day but it's 'like putting a tuxedo on a monkey,' a deception, and she doesn't know what she's doing or why she's here on this office, this building, this planet. Shouting against a red background, she declares: 'If I am going to wear a lie every day, if that is the price of food and shelter, then I choose the lie, Mr. Wagner! I choose THE LIE!' Mr. Wagner, moved, faces her. In dramatic black silhouette, he raises an arm: 'I shall be an eagle. A soaring lord of the skies.' Shirley, horn visible in silhouette, answers: 'The change starts here, Mr. Wagner. It starts with us.' Votey: an off-panel voice says 'This could evolve into a sex thing,' and Shirley, arms crossed, replies 'You read my mind.'
Transcribed by Claude Opus 4.8.