Atlas Triumphant Concept Art

Savior of the World

Who is it? Or rather, should I say, “Who am I?”

My name is Dennis Thorne. I never had the luxury of choosing my path. If I did, I would have ruled the world by now. For those of you who have no clue about me, I’ll tell you an unbelievable story.

I was born in New Eden City, United New Eden Commonwealth. To elaborate on my country’s history would mean writing volumes on the two Water Wars and the reason why New Eden was built. Then I would have to talk about the two races of scientists rivaling each other to prove something to the world. One person begged to differ: my father. Before I was born, he was taken away from me.

When I grew up, I had only a few friends. I became popular after acting in a play called ‘Robinhood: Tales From Sherwood’. But what altered my course of life was my best friend Patrick, Patrick Roger Joaquin. He was a transmit addict, which was why he fell prey to a terrorist syndicate called Terrortech. We crossed paths with a smuggler… I met with an accident because of that.

I had fallen into a coma, and there was no way to save me. My mother and a family friend used the SUPERMAN technology on me… Thus, I became a hybrid human. I thought of using my powers to bail my friend out. Instead, my attack on Terrortech led to the loss of many innocent lives, including poor Patrick. Out of guilt, I decided to be more careful… my mother taught me how to use my abilities wisely. I started a private war on transmit smuggling and traveled a lot for this purpose. My mother guided me throughout my life.

There is something I haven’t told you about my past. Yes, all of you know what happened when I was twelve, and thirty. But there were eighteen dark years in between that really made a difference in my life. Now, follow me as I take you deeper into my life story.

The Age of Reinstatement

Working Title: Atlas Triumphant
Alternate Titles: Atlas Reborn 2, Atlas: The Next Crusade, Atlas Reborn II: Savior Instincts, Savior Vs Nemesis, Atlas: Ruler of the Skies

Plot

Three-and-a-half years after saving New Eden from total annihilation, Atlas fears the return of an old enemy. This adversary is a nightmare from the past capable of manipulating the world's future like an expert chess player. Dennis Thorne's personal problems have quadrupled. Old relationships take ugly turns, as his love interest goes farther away. Now begins a race for power. May the best man or woman win.

The theme and characters were established in Atlas Reborn. Atlas makes a statement, but will the world take it in the right sense? Dennis Thorne will have more challenges while maintaining his dual life. Isn't it time for him to settle down? What turn will his friendship with Donna-Jaye Warner take? Where will destiny take them? Here is a sneak peek into the second chapter in Atlas' life:

This will be darker than the first one. I intend to expand the writing canvas in Atlas Reborn II. Other cities will be explored. There will be a world beyond New Eden that needs Atlas' attention. Consumed by technology and financial surplus, innocent civilians will become arrogant. Therefore, the odds against Atlas / Dennis Thorne are staggering.

Characters

Atlas / Dennis Thorne - Hacker, PR agent

Ruth Thorne - Security Head, World Unity Federation Operations

Dr. Davidson – CEO, Darwinopolis

Agent Stewart - Solar Guardian agent

Donna-Jaye Warner - Brand ambassador, Darwinopolis

Tom Clarke - President, United New Eden Commonwealth

Dr. Frank Greene - Social worker, Thorne Ministry

Alan Grimm - CEO, Newsfolk

Capt. Jeremy West - Solar Guardian

Edward Hamilton - Spin doctor

Cary Dawson - Ex-Terrortech

Paraphrased Texts from Various Contexts

1. This is a quote from a conversation between Dennis Thorne and Ruth Thorne on questions of his immortality.

Dennis Thorne: "This is the twenty-second century. I may live to the twenty-third, or if I push it, the twenty-fourth. But to live for a millennium? That's stretching things too far."

2. Dennis Thorne meets Dr. Davidson after a party.

Dr. Davidson: "I know everything about you, Thorne. You are an open book to me."

3. Ruth assures her son that he should not be downhearted.

Ruth Thorne: "Even though you are Atlas, you will always remain Dennis Thorne."

4. When Dennis is faced with a difficult choice, his cousin makes a statement.

Dr. Frank Greene: "Destiny never takes our permission."

5. Donna-Jaye and Dennis debate on the morally ambiguous times.

Donna-Jaye Warner: "Be grounded, for once!"

Trivia

- The book was originally supposed to be ready by December 2008, but due to certain conflicting schedules, it has been postponed to Summer 2009, although even that is uncertain.

- This book plays on the notion of binary opposition.

- Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, Thomas Hardy's The Return of the Native and William Shakespeare's Macbeth have been cited as major literary influences.

- The author describes the sequel as a cross between the movies Crash (2004), Equilibrium (2002) and Escape from New York (1981).

- This book will contain a tribute to director Orson Welles.

The Greatest Love Story Never Told

Archeology is my favorite subject. Being an Indian, I was obviously interested in dabbling with the intricacies of the heritage that I was trained to believe in. The experience has been a mixed bag, because of the absence of a lot of linguistic evidence. One has to reconstruct the past from used human accessories.

Therefore, I decided to go into something at the familial level. While it is traditionally believed that we had connection with the Sabarimala Ayyappan, our Christian hybridization had taken over at some point in history and made over our Dravidian culture. Even that is open to debate.

So, during the course of my research, I had chanced upon the story of the legendary Thaiparambil Thommi Dominic. He is known to his town-village as Dominic Sir. What really intrigued me was his love for his wife Annamma. I would consider it greater than playwright William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, which to me, very frankly speaking, was the result of a sort of teenage love. Do not get me started on the Hollywood director George Lucas’s Star Wars. The antagonist Anakin Skywalker had almost destroyed an entire galaxy to keep his wife safe. Everything had come to naught.

However, the story I am about to tell you is one that bore fruit time and again. Named after the St. Dominic’s Church, Alwaye, Kerala, India, the man had foregone his position in society when the time had come to tie the knot. He migrated to the south. Normally, it would be difficult for one to gain the confidence of the new neighbors. Dominic Sir was an Air Force officer, both during the British colonization of India and after.

Chief among his credentials are the wars fought against China and Pakistan, along with tours around the world to be trained to handle aircraft purchased by the armed forces. Meanwhile, back home, his wife Annamma looked after the dwelling and the two symbols of love to be raised as responsible human beings.

One grew up to be a dependable husband, father and grandfather. The second became a conscientious wife, daughter-in-law, mother and citizen. Dominic Sir took care of the borders, and Annamma withstood all odds to preserve her territory and everything associated with it.

Finally, retirement from the Air Force had brought the husband and wife together for good. Four grandchildren and ten years later, blindness blanketed Annamma. His relentlessness had restored her sight. Dominic Sir fathered her as she descended deeper into her second childhood. He loved her to the extent that he would eat the Diabetes medicine like her. In reality, he did not need it.

Almost two years had passed. Her birthday was accompanied by a storm that had the voice of Armageddon in its consequences. It was an omen for the month that followed. Annamma collapsed. Two days he suffered with her. Appetite had left him, and a low sugar attack would have taken his life.

Annamma went to the world beyond.Dominic Sir should have lost the will to live, but he did not. Instead of wallowing in sorrow, he re-adopted his widowed daughter and her son. They had remained the symbols of his love for Annamma. For a person who would even sacrifice his need for a ceiling fan’s wind for the sake of his wife’s ailment, this was just the beginning of a new chapter.

He raised his grandson, the one who would carry on his legacy of love and spread it around the globe. That boy has grown into a man. He salutes Dominic Sir. That grandson is me.

And to begin with, I have inherited his relentlessness.

Critical Mass: The Nandigram Story 2007

The chain reaction started when the Special Economic Zone Nandigram was allotted to the Indonesian conglomerate Salim Group. Since the West Bengal government’s effort to industrialise the state agitated the agriculturists, an armed Marxist cadre tried to suppress the uprising. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) could find no room for terror. Even the government had no access to the ‘Special Explosive Zone’, and then Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee added a political flavour to it at the grass root level.

Going back to the 2004 general elections, the CPI (M) got 41 out of 44 seats from West Bengal, Tripura and Kerala. Although this is the highest ever, its coalitions in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu notwithstanding, the party does not have much hold in Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan. Realising that CPI (M) is not so popular in the Hindi-speaking belts, it had to address its weaknesses.

Three years later, the wake-up call came in the form of the Nandigram crisis. Meanwhile, Congress has the option of functioning either as the coolant to dissipate the heat or as the slow-moving neutron that will set off a political chain reaction all over again. Whether this will cause a political meltdown for the CPI (M) or end the issue with a whimper will be decided by the masses in the next general elections.

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut

Director: Richard Donner

Starring: Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Marlon Brando, Margot Kidder and Terence Stamp

This version of Superman II was supposed to follow the 1978 original, but never made it to the big screen. The 2006-released DVD dubs it as ‘As Originally Conceived and Intended Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut’. Containing footage filmed by Richard Donner that was heavily excised in Richard Lester’s comical rendering of the story, the movie uses an epic approach much akin to that of Paradise Lost.

Superman (Reeve) hurls a rogue missile into space, which shatters the Phantom Zone and releases three aliens from his home planet. General Zod (Stamp), the leader, then embarks on a destructive invasion of the planet Earth. Meanwhile, Superman sacrifices his powers to pursue a human life with his love interest Lois Lane (Kidder). One can easily draw a parallel between this and the Fall of Man.

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut is a good blend of science-fiction and romance. Jor-El (Brando) appears in scenes never seen before, eliminating the gaps in the story in the 1980 version. Although the film is incomplete, it may satisfy the audience to a certain extent. Those familiar with Reeve’s portrayal of the title character in Superman II, Superman III (1983) and Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987) will find a whole new angle to him in TRDC.

However, John Williams’ familiar music cues from Superman: The Movie and constant repetition of Ken Thorne’s tracks tend to diminish the effect of the film at times. Editors Stuart Baird and John Victor-Smith, who had worked brilliantly on the first two films in the 70s, were succeeded by Michael Thau’s unimaginative cuts. Yet TRDC’s special effects compensate for these issues. As far as cinematography is concerned, Donner describes the late Geoffrey Unsworth’s handiwork as a view through a little haze and that it is slightly untouchable.

Superman fans had signed a petition to get this film released. Thus, it took almost three decades to actualise a director’s attempt to revive an esoteric dream. The end product is fair enough to leave a somewhat lasting impression on even those not familiar with the iconic super-hero’s mythos.

2007: Gazing Back

The contract for Atlas Reborn had been signed, and it was on its way to publication. All I had to do was to wait. Indian television channels Indiavision and Asianet covered this news. Reborn 2 was already taking a solid form, albeit severe redrafting. I took the next step.

Joining M.S. Communication at Christ College (Autonomous) was that milestone. My experience was a mixed bag. One of my teachers opened up my mind to infinite possibilities of imagination exploration. Another sensitized me to the current issues of not just the country, but the world as well. One teacher, and an old friend, continued to give me encouragement. Since Christ College was a familiar ground, it did not take time for me to adapt to the environment. I was one of the oldest students in the class, though.

As a relic, dealing with a younger crowd made me feel a sense of responsibility. This was my second birth, giving me a new lease of life with new allies. Of course, there were a couple of major heartbreaks during the first semester. Yet I decided to overcome my personal breakdowns. Strength is essential to survive in this cruel world. In the meantime, I came across the best set of seniors a student could ever have. Compassion came in from unexpected places.

Then the internship at The Week brought to life my thirst for research. The researcher in me was already there. Comic-book archaeology is my current area of specialization. My return to college for the second semester was a bit lukewarm, but I knew where I stood because of that. Balancing the internship viva preparation with a Chennai tour with a fluctuating health was a challenge. Fortunately, I was able to pull off both without major hassles. If I say that, I would be lying. Life had taken its toll on my sleep. The rewards were sweet, starting with an interview on Radio Indigo, a leading radio station in Bangalore, India.

In addition, the subject Film Studies fulfills what I wanted to do for as long as I can remember. My paper presentation at Chennai was a success. Finally, my first semester results proved that hard work has its rewards. But then, as usual, December is one of my low months despite the celebration attached to its twenty-fifth day and the month preceding it, and the week following it. Some know the reason, some knew it and forgot and others are unaware of the significance of the month. However, it is also the month I unleashed my storytelling urge, years ago.

Now, let’s move on to some trivia. Atlas Reborn was completed in 2005, the year my favorite movie was released: Batman Begins. I had signed the contract with the publisher a little after Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut came on DVD. Reborn 2 is slated for completion by the end of 2008, the same year as the much-awaited release of The Dark Knight. So the two super-heroes Superman and Batman have a link with my life.

Last, but not the least, this blog is nearing its first anniversary.