The Secret Origin of Supernova[]
Introduction[]
Scenes from a futuristic city are shown.
Announcer: The place, Futuropolis! The year, twenty-six twelve! Arthur Read works as a clerk for Federated Mutual Insurance...
Arthur sits in an office wearing a suit and hat. He hears a voice on the intercom and presses a button.
Arthur: Yes, Mr. Bronson. The insurance claims will be ready in just a few more minutes.
Outside the window, a powerful spotlight projects a rabbit’s head onto the sky.
Arthur: The signal! Trouble is afoot in Futuropolis!
Arthur runs into the men’s room.
Announcer: But when Futuropolis is threatened by danger, darkness, or disaster, he becomes... he becomes... A-hem!! He becomes... Arthur comes out as Supernova. Supernova!
Arthur leaps into the air. He is joined by D.W.
D.W.: And don't forget his trusty sidekick, Starchild!
Arthur: Starchild, leave me alone! I'm doing this by myself!
D.W.: But Supernova, I'm helping! Pal flies alongside them. That's Sirius, the Superdog!
Pal: (barks)
D.W.: Ever wonder how Supernova came into existence? Well, stay tuned for “The Secret Origin of...Supernova!"
Title Card: Super Sister[]
Dark Bunny sets a toppling building upright, then lands next to the police chief.
Police Chief: Thank you, Dark Bunny! You saved our city once again. How can we ever thank you? They shake hands, then Dark Bunny is gone. Dark Bunny? Dark Bunny? Where did he go?!
Dark Bunny flies up into the sky.
The Dark Bunny Show is followed by an advertisement for the Durham Region Comic Book Convention. Arthur and Buster watch it on TV at Buster’s condominium.
Announcer (on TV): Hey, kids! The All Star Comic Convention is coming to your town! Go to our website for more information!
Buster: Let's check it out!
They use a laptop.
An advertisement is seen in which Clown Face attacks Dark Bunny.
Clown Face: Grrr! Dark Bunny knocks down Clown Face and his minions. Defeating bad guys sure gives me a workout, that's why I get an energy boost from new DB Might-A-Max energy drinks! He drinks. Aaaah. Guaranteed to restore all the energy you lose leaping across the skyscrapers of Rabbitopolis!
Arthur: Cool!
Arthur imagines lying on his bed reading a Dark Bunny comic.
Mr. Read: Arthur! You haven't done your chores!
Arthur: Coming!
He drinks an energy drink. Then he blows on the toys in his room which fall into their right places on the shelves. Next, he empties the dishwasher in record time, runs out with the garbage bag and throws it several yards into the trashcan.
Mr. Read: Arthur, how can we ever thank you for your heroic service to the family? Arthur? Arthur?
Arthur flies up into the sky.
The fantasy ends.
Buster: The comics convention is coming to Elwood City next week.
Arthur: Come on, we need to get costumes!
They run out.
***
Arthur and Buster stand in a costume shop. They look at a Bionic Bunny and a Dark Bunny costume.
Buster: One of us should be Dark Bunny, and the other should be Bionic Bunny.
Arthur: I'll be Dark Bunny.
While standing at the cashier, Arthur sees a display of energy drinks. He gets one.
Arthur: In case I need a little energy boost!
***
Arthur sits in the cafeteria with Buster, Brain and Francine. He has the energy drink beside him.
Buster: So, I'm going as Bionic Bunny and Arthur's gonna be Dark Bunny.
Arthur: I even got a new DB Might-A-Max energy drink. I'm saving it for later in case I need a boost of energy.
Brain reads the back of the bottle.
Brain: You know, this so-called energy drink is just junk food.
Arthur: What??
Brain: Look at the ingredients. It's just water, sugar and food coloring.
Arthur: But Dark Bunny drinks it! He wouldn't say something's good for you if it's not!
Francine: Arthur, he's a character on a TV show. The people who created him just want to sell you things.
Arthur: I know, but he lives by a self-imposed code of honor.
Brain: Sorry, Arthur. The facts don't lie.
Arthur: I don't even want this anymore.
He throws the bottle into the recycling bin.
***
Arthur lies on his bed and looks at the ceiling.
Arthur: Selling junk food. What kind of self-imposed code of honor is that?
He imagines Dark Bunny meeting in a room with a group of frogs dressed as businessmen.
Dark Bunny: Commence, gentlemen!
One frog shows a chart.
Frog: Ever since we introduced our new line of so-called healthy food-related products profits have skyrocketed. So has production. So has our stock price.
Dark Bunny: Excellent! More money for me.
He opens a safe behind a painting and puts stacks of money inside. The frogs look out of the window.
Frog: That's the Dark Bunny signal! Don't you need to go?
Dark Bunny: In the middle of a board meeting? I'm sub-contracting all crime-fighting operations overseas, so I'll be free to make more money!
Frogs: (Excellent! More money for us! That sounds good! Brilliant, D.B.!)
The fantasy ends.
Arthur: I should have known, Pal. I should have known.
Arthur takes a Dark Bunny poster off his wall. He puts comic books and fan articles into a box, including a board game. Then he puts the box out with the trash.
***
At soccer practice, the referee blows his whistle. Arthur, Francine and Buster have normal drinks at the bench.
Arthur: No new DB Might-A-Max energy drink today, Arthur?
Arthur: I'm done with Dark Bunny!
Buster: What about the convention? We were gonna go together... in costume.
Arthur: I'm still going, there's gotta be some other superhero to dress up as.
Buster: What about the ones I invented, like Captain Pomodoro, or Cat Saver?
Arthur: Thanks, but I think I'd like to find one of my own.
Buster: I know just the place to look!
***
Arthur and Buster enter Meteor Comics.
Freddy K.: Hey, there, Buster!
Buster: Hey, Freddy K, can my friend Arthur and I look through the big book?
Freddy K.: You sure you can handle it?
Buster: Oh, yeah. He's a really big comic book fan.
In a back room, Freddy K. takes a big book off a shelf and puts it on a table.
Arthur: "Rodwell's Giant Encyclopedia of Superheroes, Sidekicks, Rogues and Villains."
He opens it. The pages show comic characters.
Buster: How about the Putty Person?
Arthur: Too stretchy.
Buster: Dr. Night?
Arthur: Too creepy.
Buster: Queen Sapphirella!
Arthur: I can't dress up as a girl!
Buster: That's sort of narrow-minded, don't you think?
Arthur: Hey! How about Manacle?
***
Arthur has decorated his room with Manacle posters and bedclothes.
***
Arthur walks with his dad through the supermarket.
Mr. Read: I don't understand why it's so hard to find a simple thing like almond extract in this place!
Arthur: Manacle cereal!
He takes out a carton. His dad looks at the ingredients.
Mr. Read: Arthur, this stuff is loaded with sugar! It's like candy!
Arthur puts the cereal carton back.
At home he rips a Manacle poster off the wall.
***
Arthur and Buster look at the Encyclopedia of Superheroes again.
Arthur: Hey, Doodle Dog! I used to love those old cartoons. Whatever happened to them?
Flashback: Three-year-old Arthur and Buster watch a Doddle Dog cartoon. Doodle Dog flies through the air and lands next to an old lady who is standing at a zebra crossing. He helps her across.
Doodle Dog: Allow me, Ma'am! Remember, boys and girls, respect your elders, and never cross the street except in the crosswalk!
The flashback ends.
Arthur: Doodle Dog would never try to sell kids stuff!
***
Arthur hangs up a Doodle Dog poster in his room. Pal barks at it.
***
On the school playground, Arthur drinks from a Doodle Dog bottle.
Francine: Arthur, is that a Doodle Dog water bottle?
Arthur: Yeah, what's wrong?
Francine: Come with me.
They go to the slide, where Amanda, Liam and Kyle are playing.
Francine: These are kindergarteners, okay? Excuse me, what do you think about Doodle Dog?
Liam: Doodle Dog?
Kyle: Yeurgh!
Liam: That's for little kids!
Arthur throws the bottle into the trash.
Arthur: (sighs) There goes the last of my allowance!
***
In the Encyclopedia of Superheroes, Arthur looks at Comet Bunny and Putty Person.
Arthur: No... No... No... Buster, I'm never gonna find a superhero!
Buster: Hey, Freddy K., do you have a favorite hero?
Freddy K.: Well, if I had to pick just one: Jack Kirby.
Arthur: Who's that?
Freddy K.: He created great characters in the 1940s, '50s and '60s.
Buster: But he's not a superhero, right? I mean, Jack Kirby doesn't have special powers.
Freddy K.: Being able to think up all these characters is kind of like a special power.
Arthur: I can't dress up as Jack Kirby for the convention! Thanks, Freddy K., but it's hopeless.
He and Buster leave the shop.
Buster: So, who are you gonna dress up as?
Arthur: I don't think I'm gonna go. Sorry, Buster, you'll just have to go without me.
***
Arthur gets into bed.
In his dream, a flying snail-like villain shoots slime at buildings.
Escargota: After I destroy Futuropolis, the entire city will be mine!
Dark Bunny stands on a roof.
Dark Bunny: Halt right there, Escargota! Now clean up that mess you've made!
Escargota: Ha! Make me!
Dark Bunny: I will! I just need a gulp of my new DB Might-A-Max energy drink! Urgh!
A ball of slime knocks him down and entraps him.
Escargota: This is just sugared water with some food coloring! You don't scare me!
Arthur, D.W. and Pal land on the rooftop in their superhero outfits.
Arthur: Maybe not, but I will! I'm Supernova!
D.W.: And I'm his sidekick, Starchild! And this is his superdog, Sirius!
Pal: (barks)
Arthur: Starchild, I told you, I don't need your help!
D.W.: You never let me help! I won't get in the way, I promise!
Escargota shoots slime at them.
Arthur: Hey! Leave her alone!
He raises his staff and it emits a bright light.
Escargota: Argh! I can't see! Argh!
D.W.: You'll never escape from my superpower blankie!
She throws a blanket which wraps around Escargota.
Outside the building, the police chief congratulates the three heroes.
Police Chief: Thank you, Supernova! You've saved Futuropolis!
Arthur: Remember, always check the ingredients on beverages. They may not be as healthy as advertised!
An aide brings a medal, but the heroes are gone.
Police Chief: Where...? Where did he go?
The dream ends. Arthur gets out of bed.
Arthur: I'll make my own hero! Like Jack Kirby!
***
Arthur gets clothes from drawers and a strainer and a metal plate from the kitchen.
He looks at his costume in the mirror in his room.
Arthur: Who am I kidding? This is just plain...
D.W. stands in the door.
D.W.: Coool! Wow! What a great costume! Can I be your sidekick?
Arthur: You really think it's cool?
D.W.: Yeah! Of course, you're gonna need some facepaint. And that logo needs a little work.
***
A while later, both Arthur and D.W. are wearing costumes that look slightly less fancy than in Arthur’s fantasy. Instead of a staff, Arthur holds a toilet plunger.
Arthur: We've gotta get to that convention!
***
Arthur and D.W. are at the convention in their costumes.
Arthur: D.W., I wonder if this was a bad idea.
Binky approaches in an Uncle Slam costume.
Binky: What are you supposed to be? Toilet Tamer? (laughs)
Arthur: I'm a hero called Supernova. I’ve made him up!
Buster is dressed as Bionic Bunny.
Buster: You made up your own hero? Hey, Muffy, Francine! Arthur made up his own hero!
Arthur: No, I...
Francine and Muffy come running. Francine’s dress resembles a cowboy, Muffy is dressed as Queen Sapphirella.
Francine: It's amazing!
Muffy: Yeah!
Freddy K.: Great character! Guys, you gotta come see the vintage Dark Bunny comics I just got in!
Arthur: I kind of swore off Dark Bunny after his energy drink turned out to be full of sugar. But... I still like the comics, and I guess I don't have to buy everything with a Dark Bunny logo.
The kids walk away. D.W. addresses the camera.
D.W.: And that's the origin of Supernova and his sidekick, Starchild!
She flies off.