Archetyped!
November 17th, 2005,While driving off to the Wednesday Night Thing, I suddenly recalled something half-forgotten. When I got home, I did a quick search of my harddrive. Surprisingly, I still had it intact. It occurs to me that there is an awful lot of good photography in there, and I rather like the idea of taking still frames for a story I never actually finished.
Some excerpts from Archetyped!, a graphic novel I never finished writing in 2002.
Act I (prologue), Summary:
Hiro arrives at a home, receiving a warm welcome from the Mother, the Heroine, and The Innocent Child, all three of whom live there. He is not a member of this family, but clearly intends to be a guest there for at least a week. There is a definite chemistry between him and the Heroine. Mother departs to kitchen, Heroine departs through front door on errand, and Hiro and child head into the living room. The child asks why the protagonist and woman aren’t dating. Hiro responds with a fairy tale….
CREDITS SEQUENCE
[the following voice over occurs as we cut to different shots of the cards]
Hiro: “Well, you’ve heard the story about Snow White and Prince Charming, right? Well, have you ever heard the story of Prince Caring? You see, before Prince Charming showed up, many others tried to wake Snow White from her long, dark slumber. I mean, Prince Charming just swept in and woke her up, pulled her into his arms, and headed off to Happily Ever After. But before Prince Charming there was Prince Caring. Prince Caring knew what needed to be done, but he wanted to wait until Snow White seemed ready to wake, wanted her to want to wake for him. So he stayed by her side, and loved her as best he could, and tried to wake her through a thousand other ways, never once daring to be so bold as to perform the one act he knew would work. Eventually, he realized that she would never wake for him, and though he despaired, he left. He left, and he had adventures of his own.”
Excerpt from Act II, Scene IV:
Hiro: [back in the present, sort of] I saw a medusa once who reminded me of you. I caught a glimpse of her through a window in the Ruins of Irem. It was only later that I saw her to be the monster you always described yourself as. It was the way her eyes sought for intruders but shied away from any she found. We stood for an age, unlooking, each fearing inevitable transformations. Did you know that all medusae were once women? Men poison them. Her head became so full of poisoned thoughts that her hair became venomous. What is it about men that cause them to hunt, with spear and net, such creatures even before they change? [Pause] Oh, Angel. You always did draw the poet out of my stone heart.
Angel: I don’t understand.
Hiro: It doesn’t matter.
Angel: No. I don’t understand how you got all of this. It’s supposed to be in my basement! When did you pick it up? When did you get back? How could you unpack all of this before telling me you were back! I thought you were dead. [coming to tears] I thought you were dead, and I had to pack all your stuff!
[She collapses, and he reaches out to her, although he is not as natural doing so as before]
Hiro: It’s alright. I’m here now. I’m back, and I’ll never leave you again. [lightly ominous] This is your home now.