#12: 12 Creatures Creeping From, “Jurassic Park” – Michael Crichton Fantastic creatures were the first characters to enter monster lore. Some, like gryphons, had mythological origins. Others, like dinosaurs, were around before humans were but got wiped out by an asteroid—or, depending on your belief system, by a flood. Then again, maybe they weren’t wiped out. But they fear the encroaching dominance of humans. So the dragons, leviathans, and other dino descendants retreat to the seclusion of caves, forests, and Loch Ness so they can be left alone. And perhaps they occasionally pose such threats to public safety that eventually someone like a Perseus or Beowulf must be dispatched to look into the matter. The script of monster villain and hero human is followed faithfully for centuries. But then in the 19th Century along comes a third character: the mad scientist. A human of this type is so consumed by curiosity and hubris that he believes he can make better versions of the fantastic fauna spawned by the gods. Of course, the results are disastrous; after all, it’s not nice to fool (with) Mother Nature. Thus, not only does the scientist create monsters, but becomes one himself. And cheering on his demise are members of the clergy class, who aggressively detest these advocates of inquiry over faith. BTW: Stay alert. Who knows where the other six raptors may be hiding?! “Props” to 3D Café (office furniture), Archive3D (LCD monitor), and anyone I may have missed. Selections from the same shelf: “A journey to the Center of the Earth,” Jules Verne “The Island of Dr. Moreau,” H. G. Wells “The Fatal Eggs,” Mikhail Bulgakov