Level 10 Comics - Issue 001 - JUMP Review

Before I provide my opinions about the issue, kudos to Level 10 for having brought to India a localized comic book, that can very well be compared to well-established comic book producers at the other end of the globe (no, I am not giving them free publicity ;)). This is a tremendous shift from the typical perception of Indian comic books that people have. Hope it changes the mentality of people and make them look at comics as a creative outlet.

Now for the review. Being a not-so-active blogger (wait, I am not even a blogger !), this review will be somewhat rustic but I hope I get my views across. And, also hope the Level 10 guys will take kindly to the criticisms (yeah, sue me, sue me !...nah, I kid the creative guys :)).

Overall, the issue gets a thumbs up. Three stories with different foundations and premises - The Northern Song, a story about a demon hunter - Shaurya, a story about a group of superpowered teens and The Rabhas Incident, a story of Bangalore being zombified ! All were easy reads, with the ups and downs of course, and with amazing, amazing artwork in all the three issues. The art will easily take the comic up a notch up compared to the generic fare of Indian comic books.

The Northern Song - Written by V Mohanty and drawn by Vivek Goel. Frankly, I found the story to be a bit generic, but I hope that it is just the first issue. There is not much happening in the story and not much scenes that brings the oomph factor into the book. A good comic book is something that should consist of moments - moments where the reader should say "wow" and this I found a bit lacking here. Not that the story lacked such opportunities but I felt that such opportunities were not leveraged upon. For example, the scene showing the demon come out of the cave - maybe some description or some lead or something that the hero says in the previous scene instead of just "Hraaaaaaaahh". But nevertheless, the story was cohesive and the emotions were portrayed very well. The art was good, if not the best and the diagonal portrayals felt a bit unique. I am not an artist, so I cannot give my comments here and I will let the art experts do the job :). Mohanty did a nice job getting the reader into the village kind of feel and he has the command of the mythological aspects of the story. So, great job but can still be made better. Also, pssst, I didn't understand what happened at the end of the issue ! Rating - 3.0/5

Shaurya - Easily the best story of the week. It gave a vibe of desi X-Men. Wait, it IS desi X-Men or from what I have seen of it so far. The premise was incredible and the spread of the "villain" in the third page was visually awesome or as the current generation of youngsters say, I jizzed in my pants seeing that page ! (And, this is exactly what I meant by "moments" in the earlier review). The issue felt more of a introduction issue and it introduced all the characters one by one, which I felt could have been handled in a better way, jelling the origins gradually and slowly along with the main story. The characterization was indeed good and hope it sticks along in future issues. The dialogue gets a bit cheesy in between and looks overdone("Fraandship"? Really, Shreyas? What were you thinking? :) A spoofing dialogue in a serious book is a big no-no). But, Shreyas as the writer and Sharma as the artist did a great job and ended it quite well, on a mysterious note. Rating - 4.5/5

The Rabhas Incident - Personally, I am not a fan of zombies but I felt that this was handled well for one. Suhas wrote the script and Harsho Mohan handled the art. The art was dark and inked heavily, which enhanced the feel of the issue. As a zombie outbreak story, there is not much room for a full-fledged story but Suhas does well by bringing in side-stories of journalists and They-who-should-not-be-named Sene into the story. Again, good characterization of those two, dwelling deep into their psyche, to know their motivation. However, the same characterization lacked for the hero, which I guess is a deliberate ploy by the writer. The artwork involving Bangalore roads were a nice touch and as a Bangalorean I felt quite good seeing those pages :). But all said and done, the issue works and that is what matters. Oh, just a small note. Don't end the book with the hero at the crossroads and then show which path he took right on the next week's cover page, that you can see as soon as you turn the page :). Rating - 3.75/5

Overall, a must-buy issue if you are a comic book fan. Oh actually, it doesn't matter if you are a hardcore comic fan, borderline comic fan, I-dont-like-superheroes-but-I-wouldnt-mind-being-one comic fan or even an I-am-not-a-comic-fan type of person, just buy the book and taste the experience once. At Rs. 60 per month, you can, of course, afford it.

P.S Oh, and just a thought to the Level 10 artistes. Maybe the double-page spreads should be ditched. Unlike the US comic issues, the JUMP issue is thick and the double page does not show well due to the tight glueing. But, not a major concern anyway.

Death Wish

What is Death? Is it the end of one's existence or the beginning of a new story?

Darkness had set in and in a posh room of the Taj, Peter longingly waited for his newly married wife Melanie to finish her bath. In the lobby, Ashok Sharma smiled at his subordinate Rajiv, as he edited a final point in his presentation which he was about to present to a prospective client. Unknown to them, two pairs of dark, emotionless eyes communicated among each other their intended plans for the night.

In the blackness, he moved slowly on the pavement, enveloped by the darkness both physically and mentally. He could see the guests in the lobby, busy with their own work. Rich, pampered infidels. Even though a pang of jealousy cropped within his sinister mind, a persistent hatred remained towards those disbelievers. He adjusted his heavy backpack and pulled together his overcoat, hiding the weapon intended to put an end to the enemies of his religion. He signaled to his companion, "Ready when you are brother. Let us show no mercy to these disbelievers. No love"

"I love you Mel", Peter uttered as he caressed Melanie's lips with his. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift to the moment they had kissed for the first time; back in Australia, about an year back. They had been together since then and had entered into the blessed union of marriage last week. It was Melanie's idea to have the honeymoon in India, she being interested in its heritage and its mystical history. "I am so happy that we are here", said Peter, holding her in his arms, "Here's to our successful union".

"Successful deal, I am telling you; this IS going to be a successful deal", Ashok Sharma spoke excitedly to Rajiv. Rajiv smiled and nodded approvingly. "How important are they to us?", he enquired. Ashok looked at him and replied, "Very important. Especially at this time of crisis. A deal such as this could make us a strong player in our domain. So, you better be ready. We need to impress them. Watch out, I am going to pull our division from the jaws of death itself".

So, what is death, you might ask? A severance of our connection to the mystical Earth? A complete annihilation of consciousness? A state where emotions cease to exist? An abrupt obstacle to the journey of hope? Is it more than just an end of life?

Life seemed to stand still for Peter and Mel as they embraced, naked, in the bed of their hotel room, having lost all sense of time. He looked at Melanie, her perfect contours mired by the mish-mash of her long, tangled hair. "You are amazing", he said, "You look so perfect now, your body, your eyes, your hair". So perfect. So beautiful. And so chaotic.

"Chaos. That is what we are going to bring here brother", the terrorist shouted at his companion, as he removed the AK-47 from under his overcoat. No remorse showed in their eyes. "Everything will collapse. They should fear us and fall.", replied the other and signalled, "It's time".

"What time are they supposed to be here?”, Rajiv asked. Ashok looked at his watch and answered, "Almost ti.....". The abrupt end to his voice was followed by an open mouth, as he heard a loud shot and observed his colleague fall down to the ground. He quickly turned and noticed two masked men showering bullets indiscriminately. Before he could react, a bullet pierced his heart and he collapsed, cringing in pain; no time to worry about the other lives lost.

They lost no time in brutally killing people in the lobby. Bodies littered around them. Covered in blots of blood, they moved over the bodies, into the interiors of the hotel, continuing their dastardly deeds whenever a human life appeared in front of their eyes. Seconds passed, minutes passed and all the while their fingers decided the life of any human being they saw. The darkness stared at many; absolute darkness. They went along the narrow corridors of the hotel, opening every room and hunting down people. They were there that day to decide everyone's fate.

"Destiny. Nobody can change what is written on the brow. Look at him". The commandos had entered the hotel, on hearing about the incident. It had started about an hour back and the initial reports indicated some individuals shooting each other. Only when they reached the lobby did they realise the magnitude of the attack. Bodies, covered in crimson blood, lay all around the lobby. Exquisite sofas were drilled with bullet holes and painted with blood. Broken vases could be found everywhere. It was a mess, a bad mess. "Look at him", one of them said, "I know him. He was in news last week. Ashok something. Educated, big shot, achiever. Achieved a lot in his day. Yet, was destined for much more. Look at him now. A body among a number of bodies". Death, a terminator of hopes, culminator of achievements, disruptor of destinies, bringer of darkness.

Peter hid in the dark, under his bed. Melanie was next to him, shaking and cowering in fear, tears in her eyes. The shots and blasts appeared to come from a nearby room. Suddenly, the pattern of the shooting changed and it appeared that the terrorists were fighting the police or some security forces. Melanie held his arm and asked, "What's happening Peter? Stay here. With me". Peter kissed her forehead and hugged her. A loud blast followed and the door cracked and shattered. Two black masked men entered the room, and took defensive positions near the entrance and started firing at the commandos outside. On seeing them, Melanie screamed and one of the terrorists suddenly turned and fired a deadly shot killing her. Peter stood aghast, his eyes refusing to believe what had happened. A bullet pierced his arm and he fell down on the ground and crawled towards Melanie. The other terrorist lost his concentration and a bullet from a commando pierced his head and splattered his skull. The surviving terrorist shouted, abused, forgot the presence of Peter in the room and bit a grenade. A bullet hit his hand and the grenade rolled and a loud blast ripped the corridor. The terrorist screamed and collapsed, unconscious.

Melanie's lifeless body lay in front of him, her face still displaying fear. The once beautiful, perfect body was now limp and punctured. Peter, could still see her, despite the dust and debris all around. He crawled next to her, ruing his misfortune. Death had taken his love. Death had clipped and separated the connection he had with her. He tried hard to keep his tears from flowing but Death had created a deep hole in his heart, ironically, without a bullet.

Bullets and splinters covered him, as he clutched his arm. A searing pain shot across his hip and he was bleeding profusely from a hole in his waist. In his death throes, he felt a previously unfelt remorse over his victims. He imagined how he might have affected people, killed their hopes, clipped their aspirations and separated hearts. But, it was all for a reason. He was doing God's work. He was fighting his enemies. Death might be a loss for many. But, death.....A bright light appeared in front of his eyes. He found himself in a lush, beautiful garden. The ground was beset with soft, green grass and it felt wonderful walking on it. Bright flowers decked the edges of the garden and there were all kinds of flowers. Lilies, roses, jasmines, dahlias, orchids and every imaginable flower ever. There even was a pleasant lake full of bright lotus. He felt no pain whatsoever, but free of all discomforts in a shaded shelter. From the edge of the garden, he noticed a bunch of beautiful maidens with plates full of delicacies. Was this his reward? Was this heaven? Jannat?....But Death, for him, was a bringer of hope, the beginning of a new stage of life, the giver of eternal pleasure, the sustainer of unimpeded happiness.

His smile turned into a flinch because of the pain which had returned. He opened his eyes and through the blood between his eyes, he saw Peter groveling towards him. He saw him painstakingly lift a plank of wood and before he could react, it came heavy on his head. The last thing he heard was "Go to hell, you bastard. Rot in hell. Rot in hell".

De-Hassled

It was a dew drop on his eye that was the primary cause for sleep to drain away from Arjun. He rubbed his eyes sleepily while pulling the torn bed sheet tighter and trying to adjust his position on the coir cot. It was not freezing but pleasant, with a slight coldness settling all around him. It was for the first time that he was sleeping outdoors and while the experience was not comfortable, it was memorable. A cock crowed in the distance, shooing away the darkness and welcoming the sun. Arjun squinted as the first rays of the sun hit his eye directly, as if pounding him to wake up. He sat up on the cot, admiring nature at the gates of dawn. For the first time, he was waking up without any schedules or plans for the day, and it made him smile.

He noticed the owner of the dhaba coming to him with a steaming hot tea in his hand. "I saw that you are awake, sir. Here, enjoy the tea", he said. Arjun thanked him and started sipping the tea, as the heat slowly spread across his chilled body. He felt like a man who had no responsibility and completely free of worries. As soon as he finished his tea, he packed his bag, paid the dhaba owner and went to his bike parked a few meters behind the dhaba. He had been a biker in his youth and he considered the bike a close friend. Ignoring the mild cold, the started his bike and gave a long look at the sun and rode along the road towards it.

And, after a long time, he felt happy.

2 days earlier:

"The manager needs the report in 30 minutes Arjun. Can we have it by then?" shouted Priya from the end of the aisle in his office. Arjun looked up lazily and replied "Yes, of course. It will be ready". He sighed. On top of finishing a client presentation, he had to get this report ready too. Though it was only a few final touches, the report still needed some work. He went back to his laptop and started typing vigorously. The client would be coming the next day and he had to prepare a draft for his manager. He had been working on it since morning and it was finally beginning to get some shape. He worked on a few pages, simultaneously thinking of why he was doing the work without even liking it. He liked to travel, he liked to see places, but all he did now was interacting with clients, making exaggerated presentations and all the while being holed up in a building.

"So Arjun, how about a night at the pub today? You are supposed to treat us for your birthday, right?”, came a voice from the next cubicle. It was James, his irritating colleague, to whom he had mistakenly promised a treat earlier.
"Yeah, I will give the treat but not today James. I am really busy and I think my fiancée would like me to go with her today", replied Arjun with a resigned voice.
"But Arjun, today is the best..." continued James.
Arjun frowned and rubbed his head with his hand. His headache was increasing and this idiot was rambling even after he told him no.
"...when you promised last week itself..." continued James.
Arjun noticed an error in his presentation and started correcting it with one hand while rubbing his head with the other. How could he not notice that he was working on a very important presentation?
"...so we all planned to go out tonight..." continued James, until he was rudely interrupted by Arjun.
"All right, I am trying to work here and I have to finish this by tonight. I told you that I would give the treat later, right? Not possible tonight", he shouted and suddenly calmed down when he realized that he was perhaps too loud.
"I am sorry...", he began when his telephone started to ring.

He lifted the phone, with irritation clearly showing on his face and held it to his ear. Suddenly, he saw Priya coming down the aisle. "Damn, the report. I totally forgot about that!", he mumbled.
"What report, dear?", came a sound from the other end of the phone. It was his fiancée Lakshmi.
"Nothing", he said with a fake laugh,” I was talking with someone else here. And yeah, I remember that I had promised you to take you to the exhibition today. We need to buy some stuff for the new house when we get married. I remember my plans well".
"Ah, I just wanted to confirm", replied the friendly voice. "I think you are busy right now. I will talk to you later in the evening then. So, I hope to see your motorbike in front of my house by 7:30 tonight?"
"Sure, dear. Bye", replied Arjun and put the phone down. He cringed abruptly, when he realized that he had still not got his motorbike from the repair-shop. It had completely slipped from his mind.

He started dialing the number of the repair-shop. "Did you finish the report?", demanded Priya. Arjun looked up, wide eyed, and shook his head sullenly. "I don't know what you are going to do. The manager is eating my head for it. I want it in another 15 minutes max", she growled. Arjun just nodded and turned his attention to the phone. He enquired about the bike and the expression in his face turned from a cringe to that of a worried-some look. They informed him that they are not yet done with it and they would only be able to give it on the next day.

"There's so much to do. And there's never enough time. I feel pressured and hassled all day, everyday, seven days a week....”, he thought, ignoring the splitting headache that he had developed. He put the phone down and collapsed on his desk.

It was 7'O clock by the time Arjun left office. He had finished his presentation, submitted the report to his manager, somehow pacified his fiancée about his lack of transportation and shoo-ed away his irritating colleagues. He waddled wearily to the nearest bus stop and sighed. It was the peak time and there was a huge crowd, possibly waiting for the very bus that he had to get on. There were people of all ages, in different colorful dresses, with the only common thing on them being their tired and stressed faces. A red colored bus slowed down near the bus stop, which he soon realized was his. Immediately, about 20 passenger started shoving their way in order to get into the bus. Arjun somehow managed his way in and adjusted himself next to a seat, sandwiched among a hundred other passengers. The bus started moving and as luck would have it, the person in the seat next to him got up to get down in the next stop. Arjun hurriedly sat down before other competitors could vie for the seat. The tiredness kicked in and the slow wallowing of the bus introduced him to the land of dreams, by singing a sensuous lullaby.

Arjun woke up, startled to see that the bus was empty, with only the driver guiding the vehicle at the front. All the seats around him were mysteriously devoid of people, and he could hear no sound except for the whirring of the engine. He blinked twice and explored the bus again with his eyes. No, it was not completely empty, as he could see a lone passenger sitting right at the front of the bus. Arjun stood still as a rock when the lone passenger turned, looked at him and gave him a wide smile.

Arjun had not yet moved from his seat, when the mysterious stranger walked towards him and sat in the seat next to his.
He looked simple, dressed in an unattractive but a neat shirt. His face was glowing, like a strange aura exuding off him.
"Do you know that a human brain can process information about six to seven times faster than real time?", he abruptly uttered. Arjun quizzically looked at his face and was about to speak when the man explained, "That is, the actual event could take up to an hour. But, you just need a few minutes to recollect all of those moments!".
"What?", questioned Arjun, perplexed beyond limits. The man replied, "Isn't the brain a very busy part of your body? See, even now when you questioned me, unable to understand this moment, your brain would have processed a lot of thoughts simultaneously. They say that stress can destroy your brain cells". He came close to Arjun's face and whispered, "Do you want to destroy your brain?".
"Who are you? How do you know me?", asked a bewildered Arjun.
"Well, some people call me God, especially when my advices are advantageous to them. If my advices act negatively against them, they call me Satan. It is up to you to realize who I am. If you want you can just call me your conscience, instead of raising me on a holy or a diabolical platform", answered the man, with a charismatic look in his face. "But, why I am here is to give you an advice, like I always do. You have been in your worst day of your life today. This is not what you wanted to do but have been forced to do. Now tell, me what is that one thing that you have always wanted to do but haven't done yet? Think, that one precious thing!'
Arjun adjusted himself on his seat, all the while looking at the face of the stranger. It was a look that a hungry dog would give to a complete stranger offering it food, not knowing whether he would capture him or help him. "I....I....", he started pondering when the man stood up and smiled, "I don’t want your answer. I just want you to think. Good bye, and nice meeting you. Remember, every action has a price. it is up to you to decide whether you want go down a particular path".

As abruptly as he came, he strutted down the aisle and got down the bus. Arjun had not even noticed the bus stop, busy with his own thoughts. At the last minute, the man turned his face, gave him a reassuring smile (or a grin; he couldn't make out) and alighted. The bus started again with a jolt.

Arjun woke up, gasped and found himself in the same bus, now overflowing with passengers. He looked out when he realized that it was almost his stop. He jumped up and shoved the people, to rush to the door. With great difficulty, he managed to alight just as the bus was about to start again. His headache seemed to have reduced, but it was his home which beckoned him now. He walked silently towards his home.

Arjun woke up the next morning, fresh but still tired, happy but still worried. He had spent the entire night thinking about his dream the previous night, which had come as a rainstorm during a parched summer. He had a huge schedule ahead of him that day. First, he went to the repair-shop and got his motorcycle, after making the mechanic apply the final touches to his bike in front of him. He then packed few essential stuff in his carry-bag, making sure that it was not very heavy. He then started working on a huge mail to his manager, explaining to him that he is taking a month's leave. There would be repercussions, but he was willing to pay the price. Finally, he called his fiancée. There would be repercussions here too, and he was willing to pay any price. After a lot of convincing and arguing, he made her agree that he would be left to his own for a whole month, after which he would devote himself to her completely. She finally agreed and questioned, "So, what exactly are you going to do?". Arjun replied, "See, I am stressed to my limits right now. I needed some time to relax, enjoy, and have some time with absolutely no responsibilities. So, I decided on doing something which I had always wanted to do but couldn't for lack of time".
"And, what is that?", she asked.
Arjun answered that, with excitement pronouncedly visible on his face, "A solo motorbike trip across India".

We, The Dreamers

Oh, I am bored uncle. Nothing interesting to see here"

Shalini, the 8-year old niece of Rajan, complained, unable to contain her boredom. Rajan smiled at her and crouched beside her and whispered "Just a few minutes dear. I have to see someone important here. I will show you more places after I finish talking with him. Please be patient, will you?” Shalini nodded with a frown and he sighed. He understood her fretfulness. What would an 8-year old enjoy in a Technical Monitoring Station? On the contrary, she had spent her entire life in this unimaginative extra-terrestrial colony in Moon; but then, this station was far more bland.

He was one of the first residents of this colony in the Moon, which was constructed about 18 years ago. Shalini's parents, his sister and brother-in-law had moved over here from Earth about 8 years ago, looking for a better life. She had spent almost her entire life in this unnatural jungle, broken away from the nurtures of nature. Rajan himself had started as a Technical Manager here and was involved in the construction of the station. He and his team had worked hard to ensure that minimal freak accidents occurred and make the colony a viable alternative to the bleak pollution-ridden new Earth.

"Tere mere sapne, ab ek rang hain" sang the button-sized radio placed on the edge of his ear. It was a song from a movie released about 80 years ago, but still fresh in his ears. "They no longer make such movies", he thought. He was correct in a way, as the movie making techniques had improved over the years; for better or worse, nobody could say. It was more about the power of computers than the emotions of men these days.

"What a sweet little girl", interrupted a voice. Mr. Das, Rajan's boss waded into the room, his large frame making his presence quite an eyeful. He bent and shook the cheeks of Shalini, went to a compartment shaped window at the side of the room and pressed a button. A tiny robot, about 4 feet tall, trudged into the room, balancing a freshly made chocolate cake in its metallic hands. With no noticeable emotions, it proceeded towards Shalini and gave the cake to her. Shalini beamed and grabbed the cake as soon as it was offered to her and started relishing it.

"Irfan told me that you were visiting the Station with your niece. I had a very good news to tell you and that's why I called you here", continued Mr. Das. Rajan could see the excitement brimming in his chubby face. "Do you remember that we were looking for some land to expand in Moon? Well, just yesterday, we bought a large piece of land from our neighbouring South Africa here. It was an important acquisition for us. Do you know why? Because if we build another colony there, we would be the 4th nation in the world to have 3 colonies in Moon! Aren't you excited Rajan?”

Rajan could now understand the enthusiasm in his boss' face. This was a big news to the company, the pride of India resting in their hands. They had started this colony following similar efforts by other countries and had ramped up to the rest of the world with their innovative techniques and untiring work. "That is great news, Mr. Das. Glad to know that we are making strides in this area", responded Rajan.

Mr. Das replied, "But, I didn't call you just to give out this news. You, Rajan, have been selected to lead the execution of the whole project. In other words, you are promoted to General Manager. Congratulations".
Rajan beamed with happiness. But, he was also worried about the expectations that he had to handle. He had never undertaken any task as gargantuan as this. Besides, Mr. Das was not one who would take his projects lightly. He was a man of ambitions, a man who ardently undertook whatever he desired of.

"I expect a lot from you Rajan" continued Mr.Das. "I have dreamed of this for a long time. Imagine, the more we expand here, much of India's problems could be solved. So much land is lying empty here. With our technology improving continuously, I don't see why we can't move forward. Do you know what my ultimate dream is? To be the first nation to set up a colony in Mars. I hope to see that happening in my tenure, Rajan"

Rajan smiled. He knew that Mr.Das was a dreamer, just like a typical human being. Like most, he always dreamt of things bigger than him. Man had always dreamt ideas that took him away from Earth, ever since his illustrious birth on the planet. Literally, as well as figuratively. Every invention and every discovery that he made, took him away from nature; a habit which differentiated him from other animals, thus showcasing his intelligence. When he founded cities and communities, he moved away from his uncivilized abodes in nature. With each technological invention, the closeness he had with Earth diminished. He even invented machines to change the textures of Earth. And now, he had literally started moving away from his own planet. How much more would a man dream, even when he no longer had any connection with Earth?

Suddenly, he felt a tug. He turned and noticed Shalini pleading with him to leave. She had finished her cake and was looking really bored. "Looks like I have to take my leave, Mr.Das. I shall contact you tomorrow and we will discuss this forward. I am happy to be working here, Mr. Das", said Rajan and thanked his boss. With a smile, he picked up Shalini and took her out of the room.

The way out was desolate, with that day being a rest day. Technological jungles beckoned them whichever direction they observed. Lights, all around the room, glared at them gloomily, reflecting off every corner as they moved in the Trans-pod across the Station. Creaking noises broke the silence at every corner. All along the way, Shalini had a thoughtful look while Rajan pondered over the situation.

"Uncle, this place looks very boring. Not just this but also the area where my house is located", started Shalini. She stood up abruptly, as if she remembered something important. "Do you know, I had a beautiful dream last night", she continued. "It was like being in heaven. I was playing with a soft looking dog, lapping me gently, in a field full of lush green grass. Colorful butterflies flew around me playing with every part of my body. A pleasant breeze whispered to me softly. Trees, large enough that their tops weren't visible, were looking at me kindly. Strange white four-legged animals, furry and small, peeked through their holes eyeing me suspiciously. I was the only one there, Uncle. It was such a wonderful place. I had never seen anything like that before in my life". She was jumping in excitement as she narrated her dream. With an instant change of emotion, she scowled, "It was totally different from this place. This place looks really really really boring".

Rajan reflected on what she had just said. What she had described sounded very close to Earth. Though she had spent almost her entire life in this colony, she had spent some time in Earth as an infant. Even though the parks and gardens, that she described, were rare in Earth, her parents must have visited one of the preserved forests as part of a leisure trip. Was she dreaming remnants of the past attached to her brain cells? Or, was the dream a manifestation of her infantile memories? He could not clearly say anything.

"I want to go there Uncle, and stay there. Can you take me there?“, pleaded Shalini.

Rajan pacified her making her understand that it was just a dream and that no such place existed. But a thought flashed across his mind. He remembered how, after meeting Mr. Das, that he realized that humans always ventured away from Earth. Wasn't it ironical that there still existed a remnant eagerness to go back to the evergreen nature!? There existed a delicate balance between their dreams and desires. The more that humans desired of progressing, the more they dreamed of going back the nascent earth. The more the humans reveled in the beautiful nature, the more they dreamed about progressing away from it. These desires and dreams co-existed in the complex human mind, pulling it from opposite ends. For everything that a man desired, they dreamt exactly the opposite.

It was a bitter truth that humans could never let go of their desires. Suddenly, “Banwara mann dekhne chala ek sapna” crooned the radio in his ear. He started wondering, “Can we ever stop dreaming?”

Dream's End

The day was bright and sunny, yet pleasant enough for me to go and have a nap in the lawn. The hammock tied to the nearby tree beckoned me, swaying gracefully in the wind as if tantalizing me to sleep on it. I climbed on to the hammock and lay there, waiting for SLEEP to enchant me. Through the corner of my eye, I watched my friends, playing cards; but I was in no mood to play. The only thing I wanted to do now was, to sleep!

Why blame me? For sleep is a trait given to man which he neither can deny nor can accept it gracefully. Well, who can deny sleep which is a portal that teleports you from the plane of reality to a land of imagination and fantasy? And, at the same time, who can accept it, for it draws all kinds of demons and combines them into a fearful nightmare? But for me, sleep is the gift which helps me forget the present; a gift that neutralizes all the miseries that Pandora unwittingly brought onto this world; a gift that helps me achieve those unattainable dreams that I cannot achieve in this plane of reality.

And soon, I fell into this blissful state.

SLEEP - Those little slices of death, how I loathe them.
Edgar Allen Poe

First, let me tell you about the happenings in my life over the past few months. I must confess that I am a male chauvinist. According to me, God created women only to serve men. And, for that reason, I always hated girls.

I was in my house, few months back, talking with my friend over a pack of cards. It was a hot day outside and there was no way I could sleep. “I hate girls”, I told him suddenly. He looked at me, surprised, as if he was seeing some alien who had taken the shape of man and descended on Earth.

“What do you mean? You surely don’t mean that, do you? “, he asked as he proceeded to play his card. It was a Joker which nobody throws. He thought I was joking.

“Why don’t you see around? You can clearly see that women are the weaker species. They are clearly made to be weaker. See, every species has a weaker gender. Take the case of the lion. The female lion is the huntress and not the male. In the case of lion the female is better. Take the case of the spider. The black widow eats her male once the mating is done. In the case of the spider too, the female is better. But, among human beings, male is definitely better”

“Don’t tell me that”, he replied. ”They are not genetically different”.

“Of course they are. Isn’t a male athlete faster than a female one? Isn’t a male better suited for a physically challenging job? How many female scientists do you know when you consider oodles of their male counterparts? Don’t the facts speak for themselves? Logically then…”

But, before I could complete the sentence the door-bell rang like a gong indicating me to stop and showing me the error of my ways. It sure changed me for when I opened the door, there stood outside the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. She was standing there, smiling at me as I stood, speechless.

She asked, “Mister… mister… the landlord sent me here. I am here to stay in the apartment next to yours. The landlord asked me to meet you for the key. Can you please get me the key?”

I nodded, my face full of embarrassment as I left to get the key. Inside, I made a decision not to fall into the pits of love and my pride eventually won. I saw her just as any other woman standing near the door, begging me to give the key. I smiled victoriously and gave her the key. But my pride took another bashing when she said, “I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation with your friend. You were loud enough to wake the whole building, you know. I want to discuss with you on the subject tomorrow, while we have coffee. OK?”

I couldn’t help but nod and had no time to recover and say no. She left immediately and I was standing there as dumb as a duck.

Some men see things as they are and say why... I dream of things that never were and say why not.

George Bernard Shaw

As I slept on the hammock, the dream inevitably followed.

The demon approached me cautiously, holding a large and deadly claymore. His bright red, fiery eyes, created to induce fear among the mortals, glanced at me furtively. His huge flaming body, designed to weigh any opponent, swayed sideward thus making room to swing his dangerous sword. He was a sight to petrify any weak-hearted man but a warrior like me, a demon hunter, would never be mortified by a puny demon. I grinned at him, slyly, sure of adding one more demon-head to my collection. The demon knew his end was near and he lunged at me at what would be his final assault. I parried with ease and with a swift blow cut off his hand. The limp hand, still holding the sword, fell on the ground and I saw, through the burning blood that splashed onto my face, the demon screaming. A push and I was on top of his chest, hand raised victoriously and ready to decapitate him with my majestic sword, the life-taker, the bane of demons. His eyes displayed fear, pleading me not to kill him and I smiled at his incompetence.

"Humans do claim a great deal for that particular emotion (love)."

Commander Spock from Star Trek

Next day, I met her at the coffee house. It was a short debate between adversaries. The debate continued but I no longer saw her as an opponent. I had been captured, harassed and tortured by her beauty and soon, fallen in love with her. I recited the same arguments as before, not as a fiery rebel but as a surrendered soldier. It was not a surprise that I eventually accepted defeat.

“You see, women are as good as men. Its just the circumstances that deceives people into thinking that the men are better”, she said even as I stuttered, searching for proper words to speak.

“Ah, you win today. I was not in my best form, you see. Maybe, someday I could convince you how I feel about the matter. Anyway, I got to leave. Have a hell of an assignment.”.

I left her that day but she did not leave me from the bottoms of my mind. Something was telling me that she too liked me; that she wanted me as much as I wanted her. I decided to tell her how much I loved her.

“I want to tell you something.”, I told her the next time we met. “You know, for the past few days, I have been feeling different. I …I…”. Ah, nothing followed after that. Whenever I tried to tell her my feelings for her, the words stopped and I had to change the subject. I never could get it out of my mouth. It was as if it was a taboo; not supposed to be told. And we remained just friends.

Days passed and I was still the same, old dumb fool; literally dumb to express my feelings for her. I was getting desperate each day and yet (surprisingly) unable to unite her heart with mine. Then, out of the blues, lady luck seemed to smile at me. The younger people of the apartment were going out for picnic and I thought of this as my best opportunity.

"It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui."

Helen Keller

Vanquished demons don’t think. They accept their defeat as soon as they know that their end is near. So, I took some time before I laid my sword over its head. It was a momentary delay I should never have taken. For as I was about to cut its head, (Bamf! ) a puff of violet smoke appeared out of nowhere and a beautiful lady appeared from it. She was not just a beautiful lady, as I soon realized, but the lady whom I loved. Like a gallant knight rescuing a troubled lady, I proceeded towards her, forgetting the demon that lay below my feet. That was my second mistake as the demon teleported and grasped the lady in its horrible arms. With a menacing smile, blood dripping from the cut arm, the demon held her, making a small cut on her neck indicating his victory. It was a small cut, not a lethal one. But yet, the pain caused to her made my eyes moist.

“Wait a minute”, I thought. “What am I doing? I am a warrior and am not supposed to submit to such trivial issues like this. After all, she is just a woman and my job is to kill demons. The task of killing demons holds more priority than a petty, whining woman”.

“You are not going to live, you wretched devil”, I shouted to the demon.” Leave her and accept an easy death. Don’t make me torture you before I kill you. Leave her, now”.

“Muahahahahahahahaha”, laughed the demon, fiendishly, “You think I got her just to leave her? One more step and she dies. I know you pine for her. That’s why I brought her here. Go away and she lives“

I was not ready to accept defeat to a fiend. “This is your last warning, filthy creature. I do not care for any woman. It is you that I want and it is you who I will get. Only your punishment will be greater if any harm comes to the lady”.

As the demon stood laughing, I could hear a faint sound from her.

” Please save me. Don’t let this …this thing harm me”.

I was in a dilemma, not knowing what to do. Her soft cry for help stopped me from going directly for the demon. Yet, the demon needed to be killed. I couldn’t let anyone come in between me and my job. It HAD to be done.

I stood there, motionless, pondering whether to kill the laughing demon or save the panicked lady, who languished in my torn heart.

"A good memory and a tongue tied in the middle is a combination which gives immortality to conversation"

Mark Twain

The day had come when I thought it was time to empty my heart. It was a beautiful day for picnic and everyone had a merry time. Everyone, except me. I was burdened with a heavy heart, which had sabotaged all my thoughts. Disappointed, dejected I sat on a bench assimilating my thoughts. A soft wind blew onto my face as if consoling me and telling me that I was not alone. Silent, serene was the atmosphere but not me.

Why can’t I just say it? Why am I so afraid?

The thoughts that intruded my mind made no sense. When the brain doesn’t listen to the heart, there is nothing one can do. I saw two lovebirds chirping happily on the tree, mocking me. I felt a pang of jealousy seeing the birds.

Why me? I am a stupid, good-for-nothing fellow.

“Hey, what are you doing here, alone?”, I heard a sweet voice behind me. I was so lost in my thoughts that I failed to notice her standing beside me.

“People are planning to play cards now. Wanna join?”, she asked.

“No, I don’t feel like playing now. Look at the beautiful day. Don’t you feel good today? I just want to lie somewhere and sleep. Yes, sleep. That’s what I want to today”.

“Suit yourself. But you look sad. Can I ask you why?” I stared at her for some time before speaking anything. She stood there, majestic, like a queen, like an Oracle, like someone who knew everything that was happening.

“Sit beside me for some time. Will you? I want to speak with you. Something important”, I told her. She smiled and took the seat next to me, her eyes expecting something

Oh boy! At last! This is the best time. Come on now. Don’t fail

“Look at the two birds on the tree there. Don’t they look beautiful?”

Yes, this is the best time…

“You know what they are? Like why they are so colorful?”

Thank you lovebirds! This time I won’t fail.

“They are…uh…. they are…ah…. they are…. birds of the genus Agapornis. They are members of the parrot family and they are so colorful because...”

Damn!! Damn!! GET TO THE POINT

“Thanks a lot for that scientific enlightenment.”, she cut me off. “I have no more time for this. Looks like they have started playing and I better join them. Are you coming or not?”

She sounded disappointed. I could see in her lovely eyes that she expected me to mouth the same words that I wanted to. But when it didn’t come, she didn’t have a reason to stay.

“No”, I replied. “I don’t feel like it. I will do the only thing I am good at. Sleeping. See you later”. I left without listening to her reply. I had a good memory and had my tongue tied, and yet this conversation didn’t get immortal. It didn’t matter what she said now. I had blown my only chance and now it looked as if there was no redemption.

The day was bright and sunny yet pleasant enough for me to go and have a nap in the lawn. The hammock tied to the nearby tree beckoned me. I climbed on to the hammock and lay there. Through the corner of my eye, I watched my friends, playing cards; but I was in no mood to play. The only thing I wanted to do now was, to sleep! And soon, I fell into this blissful state.

“Wake up!
You can't remember where it was
Has this dream stopped?”

The Doors – Wake Up

Chivalry, the trait hidden only in men, was the only thing that prevented me from going directly at the demon. I could sense the desperation in its eyes as it clutched the maiden, who to my untainted eyes, looked like my lost love. So much bad blood flowed between us that it was difficult for me to choose whether to kill the demon or save the woman. I decided to do both, but realized grudgingly that it wouldn’t be an easy task. I had to try, since it was certain that the wretched fiend would kill her eventually. I had to try.

“Why do you want to save her? “, the gruff voice of the demon reverberated in my ears. It took me by surprise to hear the demon ask me the very question that would prompt me to kill it. Why was the demon asking it?

“I know that you dedicate yourself to the task of killing demons.”, it continued. ”I am one and I should have been killed by now. Yet, I am alive. Now, why would a hardcore demon hunter pause, even for a minute, to kill the demon that he always wanted to kill? Hmm, I know it. I know it all, else why do you think I would take a step like this?”. The grin on the fiend’s face turned to a wide smile. All of a sudden it turned menacing. “Leave me now and I promise you that I would liberate her later”.

I was not going to fall into the demon’s trap; yet it took me by surprise. How did it know my feelings for her?

“Look, you should realize that killing you is my first priority and nothing else would daunt me from completing it.” The demon started baring its teeth. “I did hesitate but it had nothing to do with her”.

I released a secret knife from the back of my belt. I could feel the demon’s name written on it. Soon, before it realized what I was doing, the demon would find a way to … um … hell!

“But, why did you hesitate?”, the demon growled. “Why do you want to save THIS woman???”. It was just a matter of minutes before I get to throw the dreaded knife from my hands onto its eyes. But, before I could raise my hand, I heard the familiar voice of the woman. “Why do you want to save me?”.

I stopped hastily, the knife still hidden behind my back. Why was she saying that? Had the demon hypnotized the woman without my knowledge? Or did she become disillusioned with my half-truths that I spoke to deceive the demon? “Because you are in danger”, I replied “and I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me”.

“No”, I heard her sweet voice again. “You wouldn’t have done that to anyone else other than me. Why only me?”

I had to grudgingly admit that this was going out of control. Earlier, it was the demon and now her! I had to finish the job fast; had to do it quick and neat.

“I would have done this to anyone who was in trouble. Now, would you allow me to talk to the demon? I am here to save you!”.

This whole episode had really gotten out of control and flowing in a weird way. I sensed the knife in my hands and I had to throw it now. Why is she questioning me like that?

Again, she asked “Why do you want to save ME?”.

Frowning, I answered, “Didn’t I say I don’t want you harmed? Why are you making me angry like this?’. She knew the answer to her questions and yet she was asking me those same questions! Why? I had to end this. I had to end this NOW.

I heard her voice again, louder and determinate “WHY DO YOU WANT TO SAVE ME?”

“BECAUSE…”, I answered as I proceeded to throw the knife right at the center of the demon’s eyes, “BECAUSE …. “, I continued as the knife pierced the eye and felled the demon, “BECAUSE…… I LOVE YOU”.

The transformation was sudden and subtle. The plane of fantasy, created involuntarily by Sleep had dematerialized to reality. I was doubtful when the exact point of transformation, the exact moment when I woke up was. But, it was soon cleared when behind me I heard the same familiar voice that had dazed me for so long. “Me too dear, me too “, she exclaimed to my amazement “I love you too. I was waiting all these days for you to mouth those words. Why didn’t you say it before?”

I blinked at her, not believing my ears. Did I really tell her that I loved her? Those very words which were stuck deep inside my throat? I couldn’t believe anything what was happening. I had slept a dejected man and had woken up involuntarily to solve the very issue that dejected me. Sleep, wonderful sleep, had done the trick. Thank you Morpheus, thank you for your unforgettable help. At least, now I know that the God of Sleep never sleeps.

“Oh, you were playing cards, weren’t you?” I asked. “How did you come here?”

She glared at me, bewildered. ”Uh…I saw you trashing in your sleep and I … wait a minute… You didn’t know that I was behind you? Oh, doesn’t matter. I know that you loved me and I just wanted you to … tell me that yourself.” Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued,” Oh, how did you ever propose your love to me exactly at the same time I arrived here? How?”

That answer I could never explain to her. I couldn’t explain to her the dreadful nightmare that had prompted me to wake up shouting those magical words. I couldn’t explain to her the circumstances that untangled my worries. All I had to say was “This time for true. I love you”.

Review - Munich

Munich, the latest offering by director Steven Spielberg narrates the aftermath of the dreaded 1972 Munich Olympic Games massacre of 11 Israeli atheletes (popularly known as the Black Septemer). It talks about five Mossad agents and their orders to kill the Palestine terrorists responsile for the massacre. Led by Avner (played by Eric Bana), the five rag-tag ensemble proceed to track their targets and avenge their countrymen.

Spielberg has masterfully weaved the story enfolding their actions. Even though the description sounds pro-Israeli and a normal thriller intially, Munich grows to be a thought-provoking movie asking the basic question "When will the violence end?". As the agents track and kill their targets, they begin to question the morality of their actions. Avner understands, through a conversation, that the terrorists blame Israel Government for their troubles and realises that they have left their family, just like him, to carry out their cause (again, just like him). The movie shows both the Mossad agents and the Arab terrorists in the same light, to re-inforce the idea that both are equally wrong in their doings and that someone needs to stop exacting revenge, in order for PEACE to prevail.

The direction is masterful in the manner in which every scene is presented. Screenplay by Eric Roth and Tony Kushner brings out the emotions and thoughts perfectly. However, the one thing that pulls down the movie is the pitiful acting of Eric Bana. No offense to his fans, but this guy cannot act :) . Even the emotional climax looks ruined because of uninspired acting by Bana. To-be James Bond Daniel Craig is just mediocre in his role as the second Mossad agent (I have no hope for this guy too). Geoffrey Rush, as the Mossadi contact of the agents, acts as the saviour for the acting department. Overall not a great movie but a good watch, ending with a heavy dose of moral questions.

Oscar Fever - Good Night and Good Luck

Bit by the oscar bug, I am on a crazy drive to see all the Oscar nominated movies. Completed so far, Crash, Good Night and Good Luck and Brokeback Mountain. So, here are the reviews for these movies.

Good Night and Good Luck

Directed by renowned actor, George Clooney, it tells the story of two journalist's altercation against Joseph McCarthy, an US Senator who was infamous for his drive against communists.

This is not a movie which can be liked by everybody nor is made to please everybody. To enjoy this movie, one should
1) Be an ardent movie fan, with enough appreciation for direction, acting, screenplay and other arts associated with a movie
2) Be knowledgeable about US history, especially about Joe McCarthy and his Red Scare.
3) Be able to enjoy a dialogue-oriented movie with nil or minimal action.

In layman terms, this looks more like a documentary than a movie. Based on true events happening around 1954, the movie is about Ed Murrow, a journalist for CBS who disliked the way Joe McCarthy acted against Communists. Joe McCarthy eploited the prevailing post-war Communist fear and rallied against the communists mercilessly. He would brand people as a communist without evidence and prosecute them. Anyone opposing him would automatically be branded as a communist too. Even then, Ed Murrow started a news show against him, aware of the dangers he would face. Even the channel and sponsors would stand against Ed during this time. How effective his campaign was forms the basis of the movie.

The best part of the movie is that nobody plays Joe McCarthy. Instead actual footages of McCarthy's speech and his rebuttal to Ed Murrow are used. Even the news items of people condemned by McCarthy appear as actual footages. The only actors in the movie are the journalists, channel people and few others. Clooney has blended the footages effectively in the movie. Not to say that the entire movie is in Black and White

The movie basically makes us think (in Ed Murrow's words) about the use of television as a tool to emphasise the reality of the world we live in rather than as an entertainment machine.This is best summaried by a line Murrow's speech when he says about Television, "This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire, but it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires and lights in a box"

Whatzz in a name??

Hmmm... when I was asked for a title for my blog, I was thrown into a dilemma. What should I name it? Something pseud ( alas, IIT slang hits again :( ) - something special - something different? Well, in the end i decided to name it something that defines me ... a lover of sleep :).

Well, yeah....i like sleep above everything else. In fact, in my college, I was known for sleep. Dont I remember those days when i missed classes everyday just because I was enjoying my sleep in my cozy little bed? It did nothing useful for me but those happy mornings where I was troubled by nothing sure helped me being the happiest guy in earth :P

But then again, what is the importance of this title? Its a dedication for the first and only short story I have written. I am not a writer nor aspiring to be one. Hence, its not a great story. Inspired by O Henry, the greatest writer ever, I wrote this when I was too bored to work. Surprisingly, it has been liked by many people and hated by some too. So go ahead, read it, review it , make me write some more.

Enough said ... heres my story