The Smell of Print and Death

I've pretty much given into my inner nerd the last year. I think it was a long fueled obsession with Joseph Campbell's interpretation of mythology and Jungian concepts, or a heart felt passion for the power of symbolism, archetypes, and the shadowy richness of the occult and magick. I crave these stories like I crave food or water. Stories are what sustain us, what shape us, what bring us to terms with and further our understanding of the human condition.

In no literature or fiction is this conveyed any better then in the world of comics. Some bring you into a world shaped by the Ubermensch, the dreary and blood soaked streets of Jack The Ripper's London, or into the very depths of hell itself.

The power of allegory has the ability to change one's life, to help them understand the power of personal will, and with what symbols we channel that power into our world. So in a sense we become the empowered, the superheroes, the gifted in strength or intelligence if we suspend disbelief for a short time and allow ourselves to become enveloped in the world of comics.

Neil Gaiman has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Many of you will know him for work like Coraline but long before Gaiman essentially founded a legacy of comics drenched with Gothic obsessions and reference. 

The Sandman introduces you to the King of Dreams. The character "Dream" is essentially a civil servant for creation. He regulates and maintains the dreams of all living creatures. He's a sad brooding type with a weakness for black clothing and heart break fueled revenge. His family consists of the concepts Death, Destiny, Desire, Despair, and Delirium as actual manifestations. His business dealings take him to Lucifer's domain and into forgotten dimensions. 

I don't wish to say too much but that the content is rather dark. It's not reading for the timid as you'll be introduced to quite a bit of murder, sadomasochism, and sexual fetishes. That makes it the much richer though. Quite honestly this is one of those series that I'll re-read throughout my life.

Spin off series are highly suggested, the most noted being Lucifer.

If you don't know who Alan Moore is or you haven't seen or read any of his work you've probably not been on planet earth long. Moore is a modern pagan priest. No really, I think he actually is. Many describe him as a Gnostic but his love of Crowley and the occult is undeniable. It's referenced in almost ALL of his work and he has alot of fucking work. You've seen The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, V for Vendetta, Watchmen etc. Well don't just watch his stuff, read it! He still has a plethora of work that I hope will never be translated to film. The content of some is just too sacred to be brought to screen. The transformation process of discovering your inner God/Goddess isn't going to be done justice by Hollywood.

From Hell is my most recently new found love from Moore's twisted mind. Simple, it's about Jack The Ripper right? This isn't the Jack The Ripper you know. This is a Free Mason, a royal physician, and Theologian. This isn't a man who kills for shits and giggles(and believe me the murders look gruesome on paper). The most famous murderer of all time kills for empowerment, to maintain male dominance, to protect the Masonic brotherhood, to become God. 

Y: The Last Man is what I've been currently reading. I love love love survival, apocalyptic, last man on earth stories. Basic premise is that a plague(thats up for debate) has wiped out all the males(human and animal) on Earth with the exception of a man by the name of "Yorick". He has to figure out 1. how to not be killed my roaming hordes of Amazons 2.how to find his girlfriend and repopulate the planet 3. and if there are any other men besides himself left.

Y shares more in common with the famous novel Earth Abides than it does with I am Legend but expect a fair bit more comedic relief. Regardless, the subject matter is intriguing. How exactly would women remodel the world?