Revenge!!

Like most people in America, I have been watching the Super Bowl, but for only one reason: to see the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer.

HOLY EVER LOVING ME!!! 

It was awesome. I geeked out so hard my wife was in shock for fifteen minutes…well…not really. She’s used to me by now, but still. WOW! That move is gonna rock. I don’t care if it sucks story-wise the way the first one did, because if you’re like me, you noticed how bad the story sucked after watching the movie fifteen times, but even then you don’t care because the movie is freaking awesome and there’s nothing you can or even want to do about it. 

Transformers 2 is the movie of the year for me even though Wolverine, Watchmen, G.I. Joe, DragonBall and Terminator are all coming out. Yes, that is an impressive lineup, but not one of them is Transformers.

Freaking awesome…but…who was that punching Optimus? I hope he/she/it gets its head cut off the way the rollerblading decepticon did in the first movie.

Sucka…

I am a Starkiller!

Let me tell you a story. I got into mythology via the pop culture phenomena that is Star Wars. As the story goes, when I was a baby, not more than two years old or something like that, my father used to put on “The Empire Strikes Back” to calm my little baby butt down. Apparently I would watch the movie until one of two things happened. Either I fell asleep or the movie ended. Either way, if I was still fussy when the movie went off or I woke up, if my father put “Empire” back on, I’d watch it again. From what I know, this baby sitting technique worked every time it was used. 

To this very day, “Empire Strikes Back” is my favorite movie of all time. I LOVE THAT MOVIE!!!!

Now, let me tell you another story. Growing up with my name was kinda difficult. For some reason people like to mishear and mispronounce my name: Galen. Somehow people hear my name as “Gayland”-like I’m some weird section of a Disneyland theme park or pronounce it as “Gallon.” As a child I was teased a lot. Supposedly because my name was Galen I was actually “Gay.”

Whatever.

As I’ve grown up I’ve come to appreciate my name. It is rather unique. I don’t know many other Galens and the ones I do know, I only know of.

However, earlier this week, I found out something very, very exciting for me.

Now, if you’re like me, a fan of the Original Trilogy of Star Wars and are rather infuriated by the craptacularness of the New Trilogy, then Ahsoka is of rather little interest to you (she isn’t for me), however, the Force Unleashed is something I’ve wanted to see of and from Star Wars since I figured out Jedi had Force powers. I want to see what kind of crazy powers the Force could bestow upon a Jedi not afraid to use it. Finally, the Force Unleashed has arrived and maybe I’ll get to see and experience an answer to my questions.

But wait, there’s more. 

The main character. The bad arse Secret Apprentice, code named “Starkiller,” has a rather unique real name: Galen Marek.

Galen! Like me!

For those of you that know me, and even for those of you who don’t, this is EXTREMELY fun and exciting news for me. I have vicariously become a part of Star Wars history. Now, if anybody ever wants to make fun of my name, I can just think to myself: “You may think I have a funny name, but a guy from a video game with my name could whoop Darth Vader’s butt, therefore your arse is grass, my friend.”

Dorkstyle, I know. But it works for me.

A Little About Sci-Fi

In general, science fiction stories allow you to explore the question of “what if?”  Science Fiction involves new possibilities using some form of science that has already been created or is fictionalized.  That is, it is fiction based on a science theme. You can develop a world of the future or even mix science to the past to create a new concept of the world.  

The “what if” element of science fiction lets the writer present ideas of the type of world that could evolve in the future. What if people no longer used a vehicle to travel?  What if plants didn’t exist as a food source?  

What if—?

When Joker meets Loki

I’m sure many of you by now have seen “The Dark Knight.” I’d hate to presume anything for anybody out there, but I have to say that that was the BEST superhero movie I’ve ever seen and possibly ever made. I cannot, and therefor will not, stop raving about how impressive a performance Heath Ledger gave as the Joker. It makes me sad for a guy I never knew to know that he did such a fantastic job and he’ll never get to see  how far his career will go as a result of “Dark Knight.” Similarly, we’ll never get to be wowed by another awesome performance by an awesome actor.

As sad as his passing is for a lot of people, Ledger’s performance as Joker struck me as truly mythic. Ledger’s Joker reminded me heavily of a force of nature. He wasn’t just a man, he was chaos. To me, Dark Knight wasn’t a story of Batman vs. The Joker. It was Batman vs. Chaos in human form. One name that came to my mind throughout the movie was Loki.

Some of you might know who Loki is. For those that don’t, popular legend has it that he’s Thor’s brother. He is commonly known as the Norse Trickster god. Long story short, he’s the Norse version of the Christian devil. (I make this assumption on my own, so don’t wikipedia it and try to prove me wrong.) 

Loki is a shape changer, lier, trickster and murder. He causes chaos and mischief among the Norse god’s seemingly just for kicks. Well, Joker seemed to do the same thing in Dark Knight. Like the Norse god, Joker was a monster and a schemer. He seemed to be everywhere and was always one step ahead of the good guys. Every move was planed out almost perfectly and the most frightening thing about both these characters is that they knew full well what they were doing and had no shame about it at all. That’s creepy.

Both characters have been characterized as comedic or more or less harmless figures in some instances as well. We don’t usually associate characters as menacing and frightening as Ledger’s Joker with words like “mischief.” Mischief is something Dennis the Menace does. The seeming reality of these characters, the darker versions of them, have comedic elements, but those elements are always overshadowed by their menace. Take Joker’s pencil trick. That display was more frightening than it was funny.

Comics are our modern form of mythology and our modern mythology is saturated with characters, back stories and alternate histories, but the legends live on despite what version of the character is being told. Dark Knight’s Joker, Heath Ledger’s swan song, will live on as more than a man or a performance but as a legend in its own right. 

Galen

To Lovers of the Genre

I have to admit something…I love Sci-Fi.

I was raised on Empire Strikes Back as a child and that has shaped my creative life. As such, I have been interested in writing Sci-Fi since I was a child and I took that interest to college with me. However, when I got there, I found that many academics in the writing programs felt my interests were not a “real” form of writing.

I had to pause for a minute and ponder what I was being told: “Writing Sci-Fi isn’t real writing.” Well, that didn’t make sense to me. If I wrote “To be or not to be,” is that more real than, “Galactic Federation Starship”?

One quote was written by one of the most recognizable poet/playwrights of all time, the other is a more or less accurate quote of one of Sci-Fi’s greatest creators.

Does that make the words less real?” I thinks not, matey!”

Look forward to exploring all types of ideas on writing myth and science fiction. Make this YOUR blog if you’re into these writing styles.

Galen

Welcome Modern Myth Makers!

Welcome to the Modern Myth Makers site. This is where lovers of myth and science fiction gather to write together.  You will feel free to be as creative as you want at this site as long as it’s clean and “family friendly” (you know what I mean).

I’m starting writing classes in mythology and science fiction in the San Francisco Bay Area next month. I’m taking off for September for a very important occasion.  You see, I’m geting married to the woman my mother says she’s been “Praying I meet” all my life.  So glad to make my mom happy!

After I take care of that important business, I’ll be back and ready to move forward with classes. Meanwhile, I’ll be posting some information on the blog about writing myths and science fiction. I’m also finishing up the class workbook. You can purchase it in class or buy it online.

Glad you made it here! 

Galen