From time to time I like to post a fun blog not directly related to (though sometimes informed by) my research. Regular articles will resume after this entry.
Anyone who follows me on social media will know that I generally do not like modern adaptations of Journey to the West (Xiyouji, 西遊記, 1592; “JTTW” hereafter) (see here and here, for example). But thanks to enjoying this book, I’ve learned to temper my negativity. I’ve, therefore, decided to mirror the format of a series of past art-based articles [1] and shine a spotlight on the author of a JTTW-related fanfiction that I actually like. My hope is that such posts will expose their work to a wider audience interested in JTTW, while also documenting modern day perceptions and depictions of the novel and its characters.
Our first writer goes by the online handle DarkscytheDrake (AO3, Fanfiction.net, Spacebattles). They were kind enough to answer some interview questions, as well as allow permission to display some of their work.
I. Q & A
1) Can you tell me a little about yourself?
I’m 24 years old and live in the Middle East. I’m a huge fan of mythologies and old stories. I dabble in many aspects of the art world, and writing has been a hobby of mine since high school. Since I was a kid my dad used to bring me books from abroad to read. I’ve travelled the world thanks to my parents’ business trips and was exposed to many cultures and stories, which made me fall in love with them even more.
2) Are you self-taught or have you taken writing classes?
I’m self-taught, using the example of others. By the time I seriously thought about writing, there weren’t any writing workshops in my area, at least ones that didn’t focus on the genres I wanted to write in. English is my second native language and most books I read are in English.
3) What are your main sources of literary inspiration?
My main inspirations are the Inheritance Cycle, Shogun (book and TV show), The Hobbit (book and movies), and Bone. Manga like Fullmetal Alchemist have also taught me a lot about storytelling and character arcs.
4) How did you learn about Journey to the West?
I first became fully aware of Journey to the West proper, meaning not expys like Dragon Ball, when I visited China for the first time. I saw a lot of ads and costumes for the Monkey King, and I asked our guide who this character was. I did some research to get acquainted with the story and main players, and I left it alone until Black Myth: Wukong was announced, which revitalized my interest and prompted me to purchase an abridged version of the book, Monkey King. I read the Anthony C. Yu translation online. From there, I also watched some of his spin-off works like Lego Monkie Kid.
5) Who is your favorite character?
Sun Wukong is my favorite character, and while half of that does come from the sheer insanity of his powers and adventures, the other half comes from how much he learns in the journey, and the family he finds within his companions. His moments of innocence, like when he plays in the snow or his more vulnerable moments like in the White Bone Spirit arc. Princess Iron Fan has got to be my second favorite, though. She takes a lot of shit from her husband, suffered the imprisonment of her son and had to deal with Wukong’s antics, but ultimately remains a decent person and one of the few demons on the journey who isn’t wicked or wants to eat Tripitaka.
6) Do you have a favorite episode from the novel?
My favorite episode would have to be the fight against Demon Bull King, because of how personal it is to Wukong and the sheer scale of the fights that ensue there, like Wukong and DBK transforming into their giant forms and duking it out. Really, all of the Demon Bull family’s episodes (Iron Fan and Red Boy) are the best.
7) Does the novel have a special meaning to you?
I’m honestly surprised by the sheer depth the novel has for its age. There’s a lot of worldbuilding there which is on par with Tolkien‘s work, and those who grew up in Asian culture are aware of its deeper meanings, so it transcends ‘modern’ worldbuilders in that sense. And when I see just how influential the novel is and how it led to one of the greatest anime of all time…I’m humbled.
8) Can you tell me about your ongoing JTTW-related project?
My current JTTW project is a fanfiction story called “Great Sage, Equal to Heaven and Above Brockton” (AO3, Fanfiction.net, Spacebattles), and it’s a crossover with the webnovel Worm by Wildbow. The world of Worm is filled with superpowered humans called ‘capes’ (fig. 1), but unlike DC and Marvel, many capes use their powers for crime. There are heroes who battle these villains of course, but matters aren’t as clear-cut as they appear. On top of that, giant monsters attack cities every few months and cause untold damage. The main premise of my story is that an untold amount of time after the journey, Sun Wukong wakes up in Worm‘s main setting of Brockton Bay, a coastal city [north of Boston, MA, USA] with a lot of capes, nazis, Asian gangsters and heroes. From there he investigates the modern era, having fun and tries to find out what’s going on with these strange superpowered humans. It’s a classic premise of ‘OP character gets dropped into a lower-ranked world’, but it’s also a study of how a character who found a home suddenly gets dropped into a new one, and how power doesn’t always solve problems. And if it does, what are the potential consequences?
[Jim here: As of this writing, chapters one to 11 are available for free online, but chapters 12 to 13 (and a ch. 14 preview) are still only available on patreon.]
Fig. 1 – Cover for a fake Worm comic book featuring the original story’s main character, who makes an appearance in the Great Sage story (larger version). Illustration by @codetrillogy on Twitter. Used with permission.
II. Writing Sample
The following excerpt comes from an event in chapter six. After befriending a young boy, Sun Wukong jumps in to save his sister from gangsters attempting to take her in lieu of a missed “protection money” payment:
The Monkey King spun around and his tail whacked the knife away. The thug cursed and loosened his guard, prompting Wukong to spin again and this time, his tail wrapped around the girl’s waist and pulled her away, sending her into her mother’s arms. The thug sharply turned to him and reached into his jacket, but Wukong pulled out his staff from his ear and threw it at the thug. The hair-sized weapon expanded into its usual height and struck the thug head-on, sending him tumbling into the car. The machine then rumbled and Wukong spotted a face in the window. Not wasting any time, he dashed to the curb, picked up his staff, and made it shoot through the car’s inside and out its door, ripping a hole. Gripping the staff with two hands, he lifted it and with it, the vehicle and its two passengers, right before he slammed them back down to the earth. The street cracked beneath the force of the blow and metal flew out of the car to the side. Not stopping for a moment, Wukong retracted his staff and walked to the broken vehicle. He ripped open the front door and tossed the driver out, sending him tumbling.
He then went to the big door and picked up the leader – who was thoroughly battered and bruised – by the hem of his jacket.
“Too bad,” he mock-lamented. “Had you accepted my offer, your karma might have turned.”
He turned to look at the streets, where people began walking out of the nearby buildings, looking stupefied and mortified in equal measure. Whispers and mutterings began to fill the air as more people took out their phones and held them high. As he looked, he spotted a metal cylinder with an open top a few steps away. Upon reading the words on its side, he perked up and hummed.
“You need time to reflect on your actions, and I know just where to put you,” he said to the leader, who was unable to respond with anything more than slurring. He walked up to the cylinder, lifted the man high and dunked him headfirst into it.
He took a step back to admire his work and dusted his hands. “Much better! At least these mortals attempt to clean up after themselves.”
With that done, he turned to the family, who were now whole and hugging each other for dear life. He approached them as he twirled his staff and they quickly took notice.
“You were so cool!” exclaimed Thao,* running up to him and bouncing in place. “You just jumped and BAM! And then you went WHOOSH! And then you did it like in Street Fighter and -”
Wukong laughed heartily and patted the boy on the head. “I am pleased to know you admired my actions. It was the least I could do for providing me with such an entertaining game!”
Thao kept running around him and proclaiming his admiration. Wukong kept smiling, then he turned to the two ladies he had rescued. He approached them with measured steps, startling the two from their embrace. The mother looked at him with teary eyes and he saw her tense, strengthening the hold on her daughter.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you so much. It was just one payment. They were going to take my little girl away to those -”
“It was no trouble; I could hardly stand back and watch such tragedy happen,” he replied, waving his hand in reassurance. He then looked at the little girl and got down on one knee. “You must be Mei.** Are you alright?” he asked gently.
Mei nodded and sniffed. Looking closer, she appeared older than Thao, with a green-white shirt and two small pigtails in her hair. He slowly reached for her face and paused when he saw the mother tense. She then nodded, and he carefully rubbed her neck, where the thug’s knife was placed.
“She is unharmed, do not worry,” he said to the mother. He looked at Mei again and traced her cheek with his knuckle. “You are a strong one, Mei. You did not shed tears before that villain. Take pride in your strength and the love of your family.”
She nodded and whispered thanks to him. Thao came from behind him and latched onto his sister in a tight embrace, which she quickly returned just as strongly.
He stepped back and slammed his staff on the ground, drawing the attention of everyone on the street. “Hear me now!” he proclaimed with a mighty voice, looking around him. “Any who lay their hands upon children in this land will suffer the same consequences as these ruffians!” He gestured to the broken car and strewn bodies. “They claim to be led by a dragon,*** and to this I say: I do not fear him! I have faced his ilk before and will gladly do so again! If he wishes to fight, then he need only ask, and Old Sun will gladly show him his place!”
* The boy’s name.
** The boy’s sister.
*** The name of a local gang leader. Monkey comically believes he is a literal dragon.
Note:
1) As of this writing, I’ve made three such art posts here, here, and here.