- Sep 22, 2013
- 4,956
- 250
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I wanted to write a short-story Fan-Fic about America's peculiar fascination with comic books, costumes/masks, and vigilantism.
The purpose of the story is draw in fans of horror films and/or Halloween shenanigans, comics, and crime stories alike.
Enjoy!
====
Ajay Singh was an Asian-American student at Yale University, studying criminal psychology. Ajay was a big fan of comic books and was writing his senior thesis about the history of vigilantism in America. Ajay became fascinated with the subject of vigilantism psychology after seeing news reports on TV of impressionable American youngsters committing 'copycat crimes' modeled after Oliver Stone's controversial violence and crime-glorification film Natural Born Killers. Ajay's uncle Raj was a member of the vigilante group the Hell's Angels during the counter-culture movement.
Ajay was studying the American horror film series The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which featured the iconic chainsaw-wielding cannibal Leatherface who symbolizes pure mania and pedestrian horror. Ajay was convinced that the eerie screen presentation of Leatherface's zany perspective on crime and horror made the ghoulish avatar representative of American pathology and general extreme angst about crime and justice. Ajay decided to include in this Yale thesis notes about how Leatherface could create dangerous images in the minds of impressionable young American horror film fans.
Thomas Shepherd was an emotionally deranged Caucasian Texan growing up watching the Texas Chainsaw Massacre horror films and reading comic books. Thomas' favorite comic book character was Carnage (Marvel Comics), a freakish super-villain mutant who used his flair for mayhem to create absolute carnage. Thomas dressed up in Carnage costumes every Halloween as he was growing up, and he started to believe he was the reincarnation of Leatherface. At the age of 24, Thomas purchased a sturdy chainsaw from a local Home Depot hardware store and promptly used it to fill a Texas police officer on Halloween Eve, a terrible crime for which he was never caught.
Thomas was reading the Texas Gazette when he came across a special editorial about a special Yale University senior thesis (by Ajay Singh) about the history of vigilantism in America. The editorial discussed Ajay's special note about how the distribution of images of the American horror film avatar Leatherface could pose a difficult obstacle to those working with juvenile criminal psychology, since screen presentations of Leatherface glorified violence and could sway impressionable youngsters to become 'copycat killers.' Thomas was enraged at Ajay's thesis and the suggestion that film presentations of Leatherface would motivate youngsters to become 'copycat killers.'
Thomas sent in a retort citizen's op-ed to the Texas Gazette:
"If Mr. Singh claims there is academic value in the analysis of vigilantism psychology in America, since dissemination of images of pure crime and violence (e.g., Leatherface films) inspire 'copycat crimes,' he must consider the possibility that not everyone wants to grow up to be a police officer, and horror films speak to this general pedestrian consciousness!"
Ajay read Thomas' op-ed and realized that Thomas was very dramatic about his criticism, since he himself was considering committing copycat crimes modeled after Leatherface. Ajay didn't know who to report this hypothesis to, so he decided to travel to Texas and confront Thomas Shepherd and see if he was obsessively debating about Leatherface.
When Ajay arrived in Texas, he discovered the news report of a police officer who was killed with a chainsaw on a Halloween Eve. Ajay was convinced that Thomas Shepherd was the culprit and had evaded detection, since he was psychologically and deviously experimenting with becoming Leatherface (a copycat psycho) and tricking the authorities. Ajay wrote in his diary that Thomas most likely believes himself to be some kind of incarnation of Leatherface. Ajay purchased parts to make himself a rope-gun fitted with a grappling-hook, an electric stun-gun, and a crossbow. He attached his weapons (the rope-gun and electric stun-gun) on his belt and on a strap (his crossbow) which went across his back.
Halloween Eve approached, and Ajay (who was now calling himself 'Street-Knight') was sure Thomas/Leatherface was going to roam around searching for a cop to kill with his chainsaw. Ajay surmised that since the last cop killed with a chainsaw was in Austin, this next cop would be a Dallas cop. Ajay traveled to Dallas and walked around the streets on Halloween telling kids he was The Street Knight. Thomas (dressed up as Leatherface) was indeed in Dallas, walking around with his chainsaw, and noticed Ajay introducing himself to kids as the 'Street Knight.' Thomas/Leatherface was sure this man costumed as a vigilante was Ajay Singh.
THOMAS: Hey, you! Why do you call yourself 'Street Knight?'
AJAY: Well, I'm a vigilante-wannabe. Are you a Leatherface-wannabe?
THOMAS: No, silly. I am Leatherface!
AJAY: Don't be psychotic. I know it's you Thomas Shepherd. You killed that Austin cop.
THOMAS: Yes, and I just killed a Dallas cop, so you're too late, Mr. Singh!
AJAY: How did you know who I am?
THOMAS: I surmised it from your Yale thesis, which I read about in the Texas Gazette.
AJAY: I wrote that thesis to stop people like you.
THOMAS: We're not so different, Ajay. We're both prophets.
AJAY: No, sir. I'm simply a public servant.
Thomas/Leatherface turned his chainsaw on and started running towards Ajay (The Street Knight) with his chainsaw on what was an isolated and unlit Dallas side-street. The Street-Knight used his wits and grabbed his rope-gun and fired it at Thomas' legs. Thomas/Leatherface fell down and his chest landed on his own buzzing chainsaw. The Street-Knight (Ajay) ran towards him and moved the chainsaw away from Thomas so it didn't rip him apart. He then used his electric stun-gun to shock and disable Thomas and then his rope to tie him up before calling the cops. Thomas/Leatherface was hauled off to jail, and Ajay (aka, the 'Street-Knight') was given commendation for his citizens' arrest.
Ajay visited Thomas at the Institute for the Criminally Insane where Thomas was being kept under maximum security conditions (before returning home a hero).
AJAY: You were found guilty for the murder of two policemen, Thomas.
THOMAS: Call me Leatherface.
AJAY: Why not? You're obviously obsessed with the avatar.
THOMAS: I told you, I am Leatherface!
AJAY: Thomas, you suffer from some martyrdom complex.
THOMAS: I'm a saint! You're a politician.
AJAY: I'm only a psychology student.
THOMAS: You're a vigilante.
AJAY: I'm merely a Halloween defender.
THOMAS: We all wear masks, Mr. Singh.
====
The purpose of the story is draw in fans of horror films and/or Halloween shenanigans, comics, and crime stories alike.
Enjoy!
====
Ajay Singh was an Asian-American student at Yale University, studying criminal psychology. Ajay was a big fan of comic books and was writing his senior thesis about the history of vigilantism in America. Ajay became fascinated with the subject of vigilantism psychology after seeing news reports on TV of impressionable American youngsters committing 'copycat crimes' modeled after Oliver Stone's controversial violence and crime-glorification film Natural Born Killers. Ajay's uncle Raj was a member of the vigilante group the Hell's Angels during the counter-culture movement.
Ajay was studying the American horror film series The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which featured the iconic chainsaw-wielding cannibal Leatherface who symbolizes pure mania and pedestrian horror. Ajay was convinced that the eerie screen presentation of Leatherface's zany perspective on crime and horror made the ghoulish avatar representative of American pathology and general extreme angst about crime and justice. Ajay decided to include in this Yale thesis notes about how Leatherface could create dangerous images in the minds of impressionable young American horror film fans.
Thomas Shepherd was an emotionally deranged Caucasian Texan growing up watching the Texas Chainsaw Massacre horror films and reading comic books. Thomas' favorite comic book character was Carnage (Marvel Comics), a freakish super-villain mutant who used his flair for mayhem to create absolute carnage. Thomas dressed up in Carnage costumes every Halloween as he was growing up, and he started to believe he was the reincarnation of Leatherface. At the age of 24, Thomas purchased a sturdy chainsaw from a local Home Depot hardware store and promptly used it to fill a Texas police officer on Halloween Eve, a terrible crime for which he was never caught.
Thomas was reading the Texas Gazette when he came across a special editorial about a special Yale University senior thesis (by Ajay Singh) about the history of vigilantism in America. The editorial discussed Ajay's special note about how the distribution of images of the American horror film avatar Leatherface could pose a difficult obstacle to those working with juvenile criminal psychology, since screen presentations of Leatherface glorified violence and could sway impressionable youngsters to become 'copycat killers.' Thomas was enraged at Ajay's thesis and the suggestion that film presentations of Leatherface would motivate youngsters to become 'copycat killers.'
Thomas sent in a retort citizen's op-ed to the Texas Gazette:
"If Mr. Singh claims there is academic value in the analysis of vigilantism psychology in America, since dissemination of images of pure crime and violence (e.g., Leatherface films) inspire 'copycat crimes,' he must consider the possibility that not everyone wants to grow up to be a police officer, and horror films speak to this general pedestrian consciousness!"
Ajay read Thomas' op-ed and realized that Thomas was very dramatic about his criticism, since he himself was considering committing copycat crimes modeled after Leatherface. Ajay didn't know who to report this hypothesis to, so he decided to travel to Texas and confront Thomas Shepherd and see if he was obsessively debating about Leatherface.
When Ajay arrived in Texas, he discovered the news report of a police officer who was killed with a chainsaw on a Halloween Eve. Ajay was convinced that Thomas Shepherd was the culprit and had evaded detection, since he was psychologically and deviously experimenting with becoming Leatherface (a copycat psycho) and tricking the authorities. Ajay wrote in his diary that Thomas most likely believes himself to be some kind of incarnation of Leatherface. Ajay purchased parts to make himself a rope-gun fitted with a grappling-hook, an electric stun-gun, and a crossbow. He attached his weapons (the rope-gun and electric stun-gun) on his belt and on a strap (his crossbow) which went across his back.
Halloween Eve approached, and Ajay (who was now calling himself 'Street-Knight') was sure Thomas/Leatherface was going to roam around searching for a cop to kill with his chainsaw. Ajay surmised that since the last cop killed with a chainsaw was in Austin, this next cop would be a Dallas cop. Ajay traveled to Dallas and walked around the streets on Halloween telling kids he was The Street Knight. Thomas (dressed up as Leatherface) was indeed in Dallas, walking around with his chainsaw, and noticed Ajay introducing himself to kids as the 'Street Knight.' Thomas/Leatherface was sure this man costumed as a vigilante was Ajay Singh.
THOMAS: Hey, you! Why do you call yourself 'Street Knight?'
AJAY: Well, I'm a vigilante-wannabe. Are you a Leatherface-wannabe?
THOMAS: No, silly. I am Leatherface!
AJAY: Don't be psychotic. I know it's you Thomas Shepherd. You killed that Austin cop.
THOMAS: Yes, and I just killed a Dallas cop, so you're too late, Mr. Singh!
AJAY: How did you know who I am?
THOMAS: I surmised it from your Yale thesis, which I read about in the Texas Gazette.
AJAY: I wrote that thesis to stop people like you.
THOMAS: We're not so different, Ajay. We're both prophets.
AJAY: No, sir. I'm simply a public servant.
Thomas/Leatherface turned his chainsaw on and started running towards Ajay (The Street Knight) with his chainsaw on what was an isolated and unlit Dallas side-street. The Street-Knight used his wits and grabbed his rope-gun and fired it at Thomas' legs. Thomas/Leatherface fell down and his chest landed on his own buzzing chainsaw. The Street-Knight (Ajay) ran towards him and moved the chainsaw away from Thomas so it didn't rip him apart. He then used his electric stun-gun to shock and disable Thomas and then his rope to tie him up before calling the cops. Thomas/Leatherface was hauled off to jail, and Ajay (aka, the 'Street-Knight') was given commendation for his citizens' arrest.
Ajay visited Thomas at the Institute for the Criminally Insane where Thomas was being kept under maximum security conditions (before returning home a hero).
AJAY: You were found guilty for the murder of two policemen, Thomas.
THOMAS: Call me Leatherface.
AJAY: Why not? You're obviously obsessed with the avatar.
THOMAS: I told you, I am Leatherface!
AJAY: Thomas, you suffer from some martyrdom complex.
THOMAS: I'm a saint! You're a politician.
AJAY: I'm only a psychology student.
THOMAS: You're a vigilante.
AJAY: I'm merely a Halloween defender.
THOMAS: We all wear masks, Mr. Singh.
====
