Premise & Inspiration
for The Adventures of Zea
This project is an episodic series of science fiction adventures featuring fantastic and whimsical characters and emotional narratives witnessing and participating in a recurring pattern of lessons about ourselves & the Earth from alien counterparts. The Adventures of Zea (AoZ for short) is set 3 trillion years into our universe, and is connected with another story, Tarxhan ("Tahr-ZHAHN"), which takes place 20 trillion years later, near the end of the age of starlight. The AoZ aims to epitomize cultural learning and empathy for others by exploring human dynamics through the lens of alien worlds in our future ancient universe strewn with mysteries and hidden meanings. The comic series in production as the first installment of the AoZ and Tarxhan cinematic universe will feature deep narratives and engaging characters. The AoZ, though structured around a Homeric plot, is more humorous and lighthearted than the sheer scale of conflict in the Tarxhan Chronicles. Here on this page you'll find reference to some of the works that have inspired the AoZ and its companion stories...
The first iteration of creativity that brought the AoZ to life from an ordinary science fiction began at a Doctor's appointment. My doctor mentioned the word Akathisia, a medical term for extreme restlessness, and its lethargic opposite, Dystonia. The words evoked, to me, the likeness of character names. Writing them down opened the portal to the charm and wit that became the central characteristic of the Adventures...
The Phantom Tollbooth
By Norton Juster
From left to right: Toc, Milo, and the Humbug.
Artist: Mikaela Johansson
In experimenting with characters as concepts, I realized that my writing reminded me powerfully of the characters and settings of a childhood favorite of mine, The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Much of the inspiration for my characters representing concepts within language, mathematics, and society has stemmed from Juster's tale of a boy named Milo who discovers realms of estranged peoples who need an outside perspective to show them how to restore balance to their lives. In the Adventures, Zea's purpose as an otherworldly hero derives in part from Milo's role in The Phantom Tollbooth. Milo's character is among those characters who taught me that heroes don't need to use weapons or superpowers to accomplish their quests. Zea is a hero because her heart, her bravery, and her perseverance touch the lives of others in meaningful ways.
Guardians of the Galaxy
By Roy Thomas, Stan Lee, & Arnold Drake
(Marvel Cinematic Universe)
The Adventures of Zea would not be what it is without its interplanetary saga. The work of Marvel studios, especially the Guardians of the Galaxy, has served as an inspiration for both the episodic planet-hopping and character-building of the Adventures. Crescendo and Lumin were originally based on Ego and Mantis, before they became well-defined. The Guardians of the Galaxy also has a multiworld cast of allies which resemble Zea's team.
"So here we are: a thief, two thugs, an assassin and a maniac. But we're not going to stand by as evil wipes out the galaxy. I guess we're stuck together, partners."
--Peter Quill, Star Lord
The symbolic surrealism that populates the Wizard of Oz is reflected in the Adventures of Zea. Inspiration emerges from the conflicts of Oz, the Wicked Witch, and from the main characters' quests to restore some aspect of themselves. The munchkins and monkey bats are also inspiration for some of the peoples of the Adventures. The Wizard of Oz's strongest influence is for the characters of Geod'hn, whose encounter with Zea's team is inspired by that of the Tin-Man with Dorothy and the Scarecrow. and the Wizard of Aaa, who appears in Episode 10.
The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum
The yellow brick road is reflected in some of the episodes, particularly in the world of Locomon.
This longest-running TV show in human history is always a brilliant source of science fiction inspiration, particularly for emotional and witty stories. The Adventures of Zea is inspired and uplifted by the themes of Doctor Who, especially the characters, humor, episodic format, and the common thread of nonviolent solutions (as with Milo from the Phantom Tollbooth). The character of Wro is deeply connected with that of the Doctor. Wro and the Doctor are both long-lived interstellar survivors, the last of their species, who are capable of telepathy and changing form. Doctor Who is my all-time favorite science fiction story.
Doctor Who
Originally by Sydney Newman
In seventh grade, I had the delight of checking out from the school library Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. What a fun story! Looking back on that time, I think reading that first book in the series (and a couple of its sequels) led to some of the creative science fiction wit and humor that permeates the AoZ. While the Hitchhiker's Guide is, overall, a great deal sillier in plot than the Adventures, its priceless moments of hilarity throughout serve as an inspiration to me. In addition, the story itself is told in an expansive world-hopping scenario similar to that of the AoZ. Reading the books and watching the 2005 film adaptation has given me an arsenal of tools in my work.
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
by Douglas Adams
The Babel Fish, a universally translating biological organism, along with Doctor Who's TARDIS translation, were the inspiration for the Vault Ship's language microbes that simplify communication in the AoZ.
