Følgende er et par korte uddrag af manuskripter fra Alan Moore og Neil Gaiman. De stammer henholdsvis fra første nummer af Watchmen og et nummer af Sandman (nr. 26) og har begge været trykt i mere komplet form tidligere (kilder er angivet umiddelbart før hvert eksempel). 

Manuskripteksempel fra Watchmen nr. 1 (1986), s. 1. Tegnet af Dave Gibbons. Uddrag fra Watchmen specialudgaven.

WATCHMEN ISSUE 1 ALAN MOORE

"AT MIDNIGHT ALL THE AGENTS.." (26 PAGES) PAGE 1

(PANEL 1)
ALRIGHT. I'M PSYCHED UP, I'VE GOT BLOOD UP TO MY ELBOWS, VEINS IN MY TEETH AND MY HELMET AND KNEEPADS SECURELY FASTENED. LET'S GET OUT THERE AND MAKE TROUBLE! THIS FIRST PAGE IS A SERIES OF VERTICAL JUMPS THAT TAKE US UP IN A STRAIGHT PROGRESSION FROM A MINUTE AND MICROSCOPICALLY DETAILED VIEW OF THE GUTTERS OF NEW YORK UP TO A PANORAMIC SHOT LOOKING DOWN UPON THE ROOFTOPS OF THIS FAMILIAR AND YET CURIOUSLY ALTERED CITYSCAPE. IN THIS FIRST PANEL WE ARE LOOKING STRAIGHT DOWN AT A DRAIN OPENING IN A PERFECTLY ORDINARY GUTTER. TO THE RIGHT OF THE PICTURE THE ACTUAL OUTER WALL OF THE CURB DROPS DOWN AWAY FROM US LIKE A MINIATURE CLIFF. OVER MORE TOWARDS THE LEFT, DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PICTURE, WE CAN SEE THE OLD AND WORN METAL OF THE DRAIN COVER WITH SOLID DARKNESS VISIBLE BETWEEN ITS SLATS. UP AT THE TOP OF THE PICTURE WE CAN JUST SEE THE DIRTY GUTTER RUNNING DOWN TOWARDS THE MOUTH OF THE DRAIN AT THE BOTTOM. THERE ARE ONLY TWO ELEMENTS THAT SEPARATE THIS IMAGE FROM A STANDARD EVERYDAY CLOSE-UP OF A DRAIN, AND THE FIRST OF THESE IS THE UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF BLOOD WHICH IS GUSHING DOWN THE AFOREMENTIONED APERTURE IN THE FIRST PICTURE. LIQUID FINGERS OF BLOOD, THICK AND BRILLIANT SCARLET, DRIBBLE DOWN THE WALL OF THE CURB OVER TO THE RIGHT. GARISH STREAKS OF BRILLIANT RED AGAINST THE MUTED CONCRETE-GRAY OF THE STONE THAT THEY TRICKLE DOWN ACROSS. THE GUTTER IS SIMILARLY FULL OF BLOOD, GURGLING HAPPILY TOWARDS THE DRAIN WHERE IT SPILLS OUT OVER THE METAL DRAIN COVERING AND DRIPS DOWN AS TINY GLITTERING BEADS INTO THE DARKNESS BENEATH. THE SECOND ITEM OF REMARK IS A 1" DIAMETER SMILEY BADGE, COLORED A VIVID SUNSHINE YELLOW AS IT LAYS THERE IN THE GUTTER SMILING UP AT US AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF LURID BLOOD RED. IT HAS SOMEHOW LODGED IN THE GUTTER SO THAT IT WON'T GO DOWN THE DRAIN, AND SIMPLY REMAINS STUCK THERE, STARING UP AT US WITH ITS JARRINGLY INANE EXPRESSION. A SMALL SPLASH OF CRIMSON STAINS THE FRONT OF THE BADGE. A SINGLE TINY SPATTER ACROSS ONE BLACK CARTOON EYE OF THE FACE ON THE BADGE. THAT'S BASICALLY THE WHOLE OPENING IMAGE, UNLESS YOU WANT TO STICK A CANDY WRAPPER THAT'S ABOUT TO FLOAT DOWN THE DRAIN, IN WHICH CASE WE HAVE A PACKET OF MELTDOWNS, WHICH ARE LIKE TREETS (ENGLISH) OR M&M's (AMERICAN) ONLY WITH LITTLE BRIGHTLY COLORED ATOMIC SYMBOLS ON THE WRAPPING. ONLY INCLUDE CANDY WRAPPING IF IT DOESN'T DETRACT FROM THE SIMPLICITY OF THE IMAGE WITH THE GUTTER, THE BLOOD AND THE BADGE, THOUGH, BECAUSE THIS IMAGE IS PRETTY IMPORTANT. IT GIVES US THE BLOOD SPATTERED SMILEY-BADGE, WHICH IS A PRETTY WORKABLE SYMBOL OF THE MYSTERY OF THE COMEDIAN'S MURDER WHICH RUNS THROUGH THE ENTIRE SERIES, AND IT ALSO GIVES US A FAINT SUBLIMINAL PREDICTION OF THE ENDING WITH IT'S IMAGE OF THE GUTTERS OF NEW YORK AWASH WITH BLOOD. ANYWAY, SEE WHAT YOU THINK AND LEAVE OUT THINGS LIKE THE SWEET WRAPPER IF YOU THINK THEY'RE EVEN SLIGHTLY DISTRACTING. WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO GET ALL OF OUR CUTE BRAND NAMES IN LATER ON IN THE SERIES. THE ACTUAL TEXT UPON THIS FIRST PAGE IS ALL TAKEN FROM RORSCHACH'S JOURNAL, WHICH WILL BE A MORE-OR-LESS CONTINUING FEATURE OF THE NARRATIVE THROUGHOUT THE SERIES. I MENTION THIS IN CASE YOU THINK IT MIGHT BE NICE TO VISUALLY DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN RORSCHACH'S JOURNAL AND OTHER CAPTION BOXES THAT MIGHT OCCUR BY GIVING IT A SPECIFIC COLOR A SPECIFIC SHAPE OR LETTERING STYLE OR SOMETHING. I SUPPOSE IT'D BE NICE IF WE COULD ACTUALLY GET OVER SOME OF THE CHARACTER OF RORSCHACH HIMSELF BY THE WAY HIS JOURNAL IS WRITTEN, ALTHOUGH I SUPPOSE A SUITABLY WARPED-LOOKING STYLE OF HAND WRITING MIGHT BE OFF-PUTTINGLY DIFFICULT TO READ OR TIME CONSUMING AND DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN. MAYBE YOU COULD SUGGEST A SORT OF SCRUFFINESS WITHOUT GETTING TOO ELABORATE, THOUGH. PERHAPS A MORE RAGGED EDGE OR A FAINT SPATTERING OF MESSY INK BLOTS IN THE BOXES HERE AND THERE AS IF THEY'D BEEN LETTERED BY A PEN WITH A SPLIT NIB OR SOMETHING. ANYWAY. THE OPTIONS ARE THERE, SO JUST DO WHAT YOU WANT. IN FACT, IF YOUR ANXIOUS TO SEE ANYTHING THAT EVEN SMACKS OF VISUAL FLUMMERY THE FEEL FREE TO MAKE RORSCHACH'S BOXES THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSES AND RELY UPON THE TEXT IN THEM TO SET THEM APART FROM OTHER NARRATIVE WITHOUT IMPOSING ANY VISUAL GIMMICKS NEEDLESSLY. OKAY . THAT'S THE PRE-AMBLE OUT OF THE WAY. SO GIVE IT ALL YOU'VE GOT AND LETS SEE SOME GOOD DRAIN ART HERE.

CAP.: RORSCHACH'S JOURNAL. OCTOBER 12th, 1985 :

CAP.: "dog carcass in alley this morning, tire tread on burst stomach. This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face. 

(PANEL) 2.
RIGHT.. NOW WE START TO PULL SLOWLY UPWARDS IN A DEAD STRAIGHT LINE FROM THE CLOSE UP OF THE DRAIN, SO THAT WE CAN SEE PROGRESSIVELY MORE OF THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE. WE CAN SEE THE STRIP OF GUTTER RUNNING DOWN THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE PANEL FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, AND WE CAN SEE THE WHOLE OF THE DRAIN NOW, AND WE CAN STILL SE THE BRIGHT YELLOW OF THE SMILEY BADGE THERE IN THE GUTTER, LODGED NEXT TO THE DRAIN, EVEN THOUGH IT IS OBVIOUSLY QUITE SMALL IN THIS PANEL. OVER TO THE RIGHT OF THE PICTURE, RUNNING FROM TOP TO BOTTOM AS WE LOOK DOWN UPON IT, WE CAN SEE A COUPLE OF FEET OF THE SIDEWALK ADJOINING THE GUTTER. OVER TO THE EXTREME RIGHT, WE CAN MAYBE SEE THE TOECAPS OF A PAIR OF GOLOSHES ENTERING THE PICTURE AND ALSO MAYBE THE NOZZLE OF A HOSE, PERHAPS BEING HELD IN A PAIR OF SKINNY MALE ADOLESCENT HANDS THAT ARE ALSO ENTERING INTO THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT. ALL OF THESE BELONG TO A SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD SHOPBOY WHO HAS THE UNENVIABLE TASK OF HOSING THE BLOOD OFF THE SIDEWALK AFTER THE HOMICIDE THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THIS LOCATION ON THE NIGHT BEFORE OUR STORY OPENS. WE HARDLY NEED TO SEE HIM AT ALL, AND IF YOU JUST WANT TO HAVE THE SPRAY OF THE HOSE ENTERING THE PANEL FROM OFF-PIC ON THE RIGHT THEN THAT'S FINE BY ME. WE CAN SEE A FEW SLABS OF THE SIDEWALK HERE, AND WE CAN SEE THAT THEY HAVE A WIDE BAND OF BLOOD BEING DRIVEN ACROSS TOWARDS THE GUTTER BY THE JET OF THE HOSE. WE CAN'T SEE ALL OF THIS PATCH OF BLOOD HERE, BUT IT'S MAYBE ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE FEET WIDE AT IT'S WIDEST POINT AND WE CAN AT LEAST SEE THE TOP EDGE OF THE BLOOD HERE WHICH LIMITS THE VISUAL HORROR A LITTLE FROM THE APPARENT PROSPECT OF STREET LITERALLY FILLED WITH BLOOD SEEMINGLY PROMISED BY THE VISUALS OF THE LAT PANEL. THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE OF THIS SHOT IS A PAIR OF SCUFFED AND BATTERED SHOES THAT ARE ENTERING THE PANEL UP AT THE TOP OF THE PICTURE, ABOUT TO WALK STRAIGHT THROUGH THE BAND OF BLOOD ON THE SIDEWALK WITH BLITHE UNCONCERN. AS WITH THE FIRST PICTURE ON THIS PAGE, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE IMAGE IS PUZZLING AT FIRST GLANCE BECAUSE THE NEXT IMAGE IN THE SEQUENCE RESOLVES ALL THE PROBLEMS AND PUTS THE IMAGE BEFORE INTO A BROADER PERSPECTIVE AS WE CONTINUE UP AND UP INTO THE HEIGHTS OF THE CITY.

CAP.: "The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. 

(PANEL) 3.
OKAY.. WE CONTINUE TO PULL UP INTO THE AIR. HERE, WE ARE SOME NINE OR TEN FEET ABOVE THE SIDEWALK AND THE ADJOINING GUTTER AND STREET, LOOKING STRAIGHT DOWN. OVER TO THE LEFT OF THE PICTURE WE CAN STILL SEE THE DRAIN, AND MAYBE EVEN A LITTLE TINY SPLASH OF YELLOW THAT REPRESENTS OUR LAST GLIMPSE OF THE SMILEY BADGE BEFORE WE ARE TOO HIGH TO SEE IT ANY MORE. WE CAN SEE A RIBBON OF ROAD-SURFACE ADJOINING THE BLOOD-FILLED GUTTER OVER ON THE LEFT AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR VIEW OF THE SURROUNDING SCENERY. OVER ON THE RIGHT WE NOW HAVE A FAIRLY GOOD SHOT LOOKING DOWN ON THE SIDEWALK AND WE CAN NOW CLEARLY SEE THE TWO PICTURES WHOSE EXISTENCE WE HINTED AT LAST PANEL. OVER ON THE RIGHT WITH HIS BACK TOWARDS THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE PANEL AS WE LOOK DOWN UPON HIM WE CAN SEE THE ADOLESCENT SHOPBOY STANDING THERE WITH GOLOSHES AND SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE A LONG BUTCHER'S OVERALL AND MAYBE A GOOFY PEAKED CAP ON HIS HEAD. HE IS HOLDING THE BUSINESS END OF THE HOSE, HOLDING IT IN ONE HAND WITH ITS JET DIRECTED DOWN TO A POINT A FEW FEET IN FRONT OF HIS TOE CAPS. THE BODY OF THE HOSE SNAKES BACK OFF THE EDGE OF THE PANEL BEHIND HIM TOWARDS SOME UNKNOWN SOURCE. WALKING INTO THE PICTURE FROM THE TOP OF THE PANEL AS HE WALKS DOWN THE STREET WE CAN SEE THE SMALL, SHABBY AND DISREPUTABLE FIGURE OF AN 'END OF THE WORLD IS NIGH' MAN. HE HAS SCRUFFY AND UNWASHED RED HAIR THAT OBVIOUSLY CUTS HIMSELF AND, DEPENDING ON WHAT DETAILS WE CAN SEE, A NUMBER OF UGLY FRECKLES ACROSS HIS BROAD AND PUG-UGLY. HERE, HE IS LOOKING DOWN AT THE BLOOD FLOWING OVER THE TOES OF HIS ANCIENT AND SEMI-ROTTED SHOES WITH A LOOK OF INCOMPREHENSION AND BEWILDERMENT, GAPING STUPIDLY. DESPITE THE STEEP ANGLE OF THIS PICTURE WE CAN JUST ABOUT READ THE PLACARD THAT HE IS CARRYING OVER HIS SHOULDER, CRUDELY HAND-PAINTED IT READS SIMPLY 'THE END IS NIGH'. THE SHOPBOY IS STARRING HARD AT THE DERELICT FIGURE OF THIS SHABBY RELIGIOUS FANATIC AND IS SHOUTING AT HIM AS HE POINTS WITH HIS FREE HAND TOWARDS THE BLOOD THAT DOOM-SAYER IS STUPIDLY WALKING THROUGH. I DON'T WANT ANY PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE ATTACHED TO THIS SCENE. I JUST WANT IT TO BE AS IF WE'RE LOOKING DOWN UPON A TRIVIAL AND BIZARRE LITTLE SOCIAL EXCHANGE FROM UP ABOVE. A LITTLE BIT OF OBSERVATION THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STORY AT ALL. THE END OF THE WORLD IS NIGH MAN IS TREATED PURELY AS A COMIC FIGURE HERE, LIKE ONE OF THE FUNNY LITTLE WALK-ON CHARACTERS THAT YOU GET PASSING THROUGH THE BACKGROUNDS IN BILL FORSYTH FILMS LIKE GREGORY'S GIRL OR 'THAT SINKING FEELING'. HE ISN'T MADE TO SEEM IMPORTANT BEYOND THAT POINT.

CAP.: "The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and about "Save us!"

CAP.: ".. and I'll look down, and whisper "No."

Og sådan fortsætter det. Manuskriptet til hele side 1 fylder ca. det dobbelte af det ovenfor gengivne, og det til trods for at alle billederne på siden er meget ens - zoomet fortsætter og man kan se mere og mere af det samme motiv.

Manuskripteksempel fra Sandman nr. 26 (1991), s. 3. Tegnet af Kelley Jones og George Pratt. Uddrag fra FEAR nr. 30, Juni 1991 (Newsfield Publications).

Page 3 panel 1
ANOTHER HALF PAGE PANEL. WE'RE NOW DOWN ON THE FLOOR OF THE BANQUETING HALL. IN THE FOREGROUND IS AN AREA OF TABLE. SITTING IN CHAIRS FACING US, ARE, LEFT TO RIGHT: BES, THE LITTLE EGYPTIAN DWARF GOD; BAST, THE CAT HEADED GODDESS OF THE EGYPTIANS, THOR - HUGE AND KNOT-MUSCLED AND ALREADY THREE-FOURTHS DRUNK, HIS HAMMER BESIDE HIS PLATE; AND ON THE FAR SIDE OF THOR, PROBABLY ODIN. BES IS EATING A PLATE OF RICE CAKES; BAST HAS A HUGE STUFFED MOUSE, WITH AN OLIVE IN ITS MOUTH; THOR HAS A WOODEN TRENCHER, WITH A HUGE HUNK OF MEAT ON THE BONE ON IT; ODIN'S COAT CAN BE SEEN AT THE EXTREME RIGHT OF PANEL. THOR ALSO HAS A HUGE GOBLET. HE'S A MESSY - AND QUITE DRUNKEN - EATER. HE HAS BITS OF MEAT IN HIS BEARD - WITH ONE HAND, WHICH HOLDS A LUMP OF MEAT, HE'S REACHING OUT TO ATTRACT BAST'S ATTENTION (SHE'S DOING HER BEST IGNORE HIM.) HE'S WAVING THE OTHER HAND AROUND TO ATTRACT THE ATTENTION OF A SERVANT. IF WE CAN SEE THE SERVANT COMING TOWARDS HIM, HE'S A YOUNG MAN WEARING STRIPY PAJAMAS, CARRYING A JUG OF WINE. IN THE BACKGROUND, DESCENDING THE STAIRS TOWARDS THE BANQUETING HALL, WE CAN SEE THE SANDMAN AND THE FAIRIES. IF WE CAN SEE THE ROOF OF THE BANQUETING HALL, WE MAY BE ABLE TO SEE THE TWO ANGELS HANGING ALMOST BACK TO BACK ABOUT 20 FEET ABOVE EVERYONE, THEIR WINGS FOLDED. BUT DON'T PUSH IT. 

Thor: D'you know who the mightiest of the Aesir is, eh? I'll tell you. It's me. S'right. 

Thor: Ho! More ale over here! And Step Lively!

Servant: Certainly, Princess Jemmy. Jemmy: I knowed you'd say that.

Hvis man sammenligner med andre eksempler på offentliggjorte Moore og Gaiman manuskripter - som f. eks. From Hell: The Compleat Scripts og manuskriptet fra Sandman nr. 17 (1990 - trykt i Sandman: Dream Country) - er de ovenstående ganske karakteristiske. 

Eksemplet fra Watchmen, med hensyn til hvilket man lige skal huske, at det er manuskriptsiden til seriens allerførste side og at den derfor måske er endnu længere end det ellers ville være tilfældet, bekræfter hvad man hører om Moores manuskripter - det er utroligt detaljeret. Meget lidt er overladt til tegneren; Moore har visualiseret sig siden fra billedformat og -komposition, helt ned til ting som de enkelte detaljer i billedet (f. eks. beskrivelsen af hvordan vandet fra vandslangen driver blodet henover fortovet og ned i rendestenen). Gibbons har ændret meget lidt; kun manden med vandslangens udseende er blevet forandret samt introduktionen af de to personer (manden med vandslangen i billede 3 og dommedagsprofeten i billede 2). Bortset fra det følger han manuskriptet fuldstændigt. Denne meget præcise visualisering lader mere eller mindre til at gøre sig gældende for Moores manuskripter generelt. 

Gaiman lader mere være op til tegneren. Hans manuskripter minder sandsynligvis mere om normale DC-manuskripter i deres grundighed. Men til trods for dette, er det tydeligt at Gaiman i høj grad også visualiserer siden for sig mens han skriver den. Og selve opbygningen i hans manuskripter minder meget om Moores. Deres fremgangsmåde er, til trods for forskellen i grundighed, meget ens og det er da, set i lys af deres indbyrdes bekendtskab, også sandsynligt, at de to har påvirket hinanden direkte. Alt andet lige giver manuskipteksemplerne et fascinerende indblik i de to herrers arbejdsproces - et indblik der, for fans (andre ville sandsynligvis være totalt ligeglade), er intet mindre end guf!