The Hive is pleased to announce our latest motion comic project “The Straw Man”.

“The Straw Man” – Motion Comic Synopsis

A reclusive former gunrunner Frank Mansfield hides out in small desert town, Pahrump Nevada.

He’s hiding from his former boss Art Brown, a leading provider of assault weapons to the Mexican cartels and one of Southern California’s most untouchable criminals. Art Brown is the man with the money, the ATF connections and the cartel ties.

Frank Mansfield was his right hand man for several years. Decades even. Frank Mansfield grew tired of his life, not just the criminal aspects but everything. He didn’t just want out. Frank wanted to reinvent himself, a total reboot. So he decided to pull a final job to finance his permanent escape.

Frank Mansfield - The Straw Man Motion Comic

Art Brown was to be victim. Frank earned Art’s complete trust, now he was going to use it against him. It was time to rob Art blind. He decides to sell Art’s guns on his own, to a rival cartel. Soon after he leaves the only home he had known Los Angeles and the only love he had known Eva Martinez behind.

Eva’s a beautiful damaged girl. A flash in the pan actress who’s career is on the wane. Her drug use and self destructivness has pushed Frank and everyone else away. His love for her is real but so is his disgust. She’s become someone else. A walking tinsel town cliché that he’s tired of dealing with. Frank disappears without warning. Leaving her to sink deeper and deeper in desperation quick sand.

The comfortingly anonymous life that Frank Mansfield is leading suits him just fine. Or at least that’s what he tells himself. Frank thought a change of scenery and a boatload of money would work. But there’s one problem. You can’t get away from yourself and your memories. He misses Eva. Frank can’t erase her from his mind. A romanticized version.

Concept Art - Motion Comic

Art ends up swooping Eva up at her weakest moment. She’s without her anchor, her rock; she thought Frank loved her unconditionally. Now she is depending on Art to survive, a man she needs but doesn’t love. Since Frank has completely vanished this is as close to revenge as Art is going to get. Besides she’s a fun plaything to him. Soon Eva starts feeling that Art is done with her. Art is pushing her away just like everybody else. She can’t let this happen. Eva makes it clear to Art that if she leaves her she will open her mouth about his business. Art can’t let that happen.

It’s a late night in Los Angeles. Eva’s best friend and former body double Ana drops her off in front of an old Hollywood party spot.

Motion Comic Art - "The Straw Man"

Ana was there for Eva in the good times now she’s hear for the bad. Her last real friend. Eva is there to see Arnie Klein America’s largest comedy star in more ways than one. Arnie gets rough with her at his big debaucherous party. Eva bolts. She can’t do this even if it would help her career.

Now she’s alone in the heart of the city. Eva doesn’t notice the creeping SUV that is tailing her. The SUV pulls into the alley. As Eva passes a pair of hands yank her in. She’s murdered under the cover of night.

Frank feels a twinge as he watches one of Eva’s old films. He needs to talk to her. So he calls and gets the machine. He leaves her a message

Ana goes to Eva’s apartment the next morning. She’s worried that she never got the pick up call she was expecting. As she enters and sees that Eva is no where to be found, a couple of policemen follow her in. Ana knows know, Eva is dead.

The police make it clear that they really aren’t the men for the job. This is completely routine for them, not a whole lot of compassion for a girl like Eva. Ana withheld something from the police though. Eva’s phone. That’s why she walked she was messed up and phoneless. Ana sees that there is one missed call and it’s from Frank Mansfield.

Frank receives a call. He thinks it’s Eva but it’s Ana. He hears about Eva’s fate in stunned silence.

Frank hits the road. Even if Art Brown and his business partners have made Frank persona non grata in LA. He can’t just let this go. Frank is back.

He will follow the trail from Arnie the movie star to Art Brown his old nemesis. Art needed to make Eva disappear so he used Arnie to lure her into a trap. A hired hit.

From the backlots of Burbank to the projects of South LA. Frank will go anywhere and through anyone to find out what he needs.

For more information, contact Yesenia Higuera yesenia@hivedoes.com or (310) 926 4932