Our Gods Wear Spandex
Our Gods Wear Spandex

Author: Chris Knowles

Publisher: Weiser Books

Published: 2007-11-30

Total Pages: 259

ISBN-13: 1609253167

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Was Superman's arch nemesis Lex Luthor based on Aleister Crowley? Can Captain Marvel be linked to the Sun gods on antiquity? In Our Gods Wear Spandex, Christopher Knowles answers these questions and brings to light many other intriguing links between superheroes and the enchanted world of estoerica. Occult students and comic-book fans alike will discover countless fascinating connections, from little known facts such as that DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz started his career as H.P. Lovecraft's agent, to the tantalizingly extensive influence of Madame Blavatsky's Theosophy on the birth of comics, to the mystic roots of Superman. The book also traces the rise of the comic superheroes and how they relate to several cultural trends in the late 19th century, specifically the occult explosion in Western Europe and America. Knowles reveals the four basic superhero archetypes--the Messiah, the Golem, the Amazon, and the Brotherhood--and shows how the occult Bohemian underground of the early 20th century provided the inspiration for the modern comic book hero. With the popularity of occult comics writers like Invisibles creator Grant Morrison and V for Vendetta creator Alan Moore, the vast ComiCon audience is poised for someone to seriously introduce them to the esoteric mysteries. Chris Knowles is doing just that in this epic book. Chapters include Ancient of Days, Ascended Masters, God and Gangsters, Mad Scientists and Modern Sorcerers, and many more. From the ghettos of Prague to the halls of Valhalla to the Fortress of Solitude and the aisles of BEA and ComiCon, this is the first book to show the inextricable link between superheroes and the enchanted world of esoterica. * Chris Knowles is associate editor and columnist for the five-time Eisner Award-winning Comic Book Artist magazine, as well as a pop culture writer for UK magazine Classic Rock. * Knowles worked with Robert Smigel on The X Presidents graphic novel, based on the popular Saturday Night Live cartoon, and has created designs and artwork for many of the world's top superheroes and fantasy characters. * Features the art of Joe Linsner, creator of the legendary Dawn series, and more recently a collaborator with comics maestro Stan Lee.

Mutants and Mystics
Mutants and Mystics

Author: Jeffrey J. Kripal

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2011-11-15

Total Pages: 392

ISBN-13: 0226453839

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"Account of how comic book heroes have helped their creators and fans alike explore and express a wealth of paranormal experiences ignored by mainstream science. Delving deeply into the work of major figures in the field - from Jack Kirby's cosmic superhero sagas and Philip K. Dick's futuristic head-trips to Alan Moore's sex magic and Whitley Strieber's communion with visitors - Kripal shows how creators turned to science fiction to convey the reality of the inexplicable and the paranormal they experienced in their lives. Expanded consciousness found its language in the metaphors of sci-fi - incredible powers, unprecedented mutations, time-loops and vast intergalactic intelligences - and the deeper influences of mythology and religion that these in turn drew from ; the wildly creative work that followed caught the imaginations of millions. Moving deftly from Cold War science and Fredric Wertham's anticomics crusade to gnostic revelation and alien abduction, Kripal spins out a hidden history of American culture, rich with mythical themes and shot through with an awareness that there are other realities far beyond our everyday understanding."--Jacket.

The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll
The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll

Author: Christopher Knowles

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2010-10-01

Total Pages: 221

ISBN-13: 1573445649

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Sex. Drugs. Loud music. Wild costumes. Dazzling light shows. These words can all describe a great rock concert or a hot dance club, but they were also part and parcel of the ancient cultural phenomenon known as the “Mystery religions.” In this book, author Christopher Knowles shows how the Mystery religions got a secular reincarnation when a new musical form called rock 'n' roll burst onto the scene. The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll traces the history of the Mysteries — their rise, their fall, and their survival through long centuries of repression. Knowles shows how the Mysteries prefigured subcultures as diverse as Santeria, Freemasonry, Mardi Gras and even the Holiness churches of the American frontier, and explains exactly how ancient rituals and music found their way to the New World. In the process, The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll traces the development of rock's most popular genres such as punk and heavy metal, and reveals how many of rock's most iconic artists play the same archetypal roles as the ancient gods. You'll see how many of the rituals and customs and even musical styles of our postmodern society have stunning ancient parallels. You'll meet history's first pop

Classics and Comics
Classics and Comics

Author: George Kovacs

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 280

ISBN-13: 0199734194

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Classics and Comics is the first book to explore the engagement of classics with the epitome of modern popular literature, the comic book. This volume collects fifteen articles, all specially commissioned for this volume, that look at how classical content is deployed in comics and reconfigured for a modern audience.

The Myth of the Superhero
The Myth of the Superhero

Author: Marco Arnaudo

Publisher: JHU Press

Published: 2013-05

Total Pages: 218

ISBN-13: 1421409534

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Translated for the first time into English, The Myth of the Superhero looks beyond the cape, the mask, and the superpowers, presenting a serious study of the genre and its place in a broader cultural context.

Halo
Halo

Author: Chris Knowles

Publisher: Sirius Entertainment Incorporated

Published: 1997

Total Pages: 96

ISBN-13: 9781579890056

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Clash City Showdown
Clash City Showdown

Author: Chris Knowles

Publisher: PageFree Publishing, Inc.

Published: 2003-12

Total Pages: 270

ISBN-13: 9781589611382

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A collection featuring the best of the acclaimed clash City Showdown website and new material focusing on the true legacy of the legendary Punk Rock Band. Featuring biographical and historical information, reviews and in-depth analysis lavishly illustrated with cartoons and rare photographs.

X-Men and Philosophy
X-Men and Philosophy

Author: William Irwin

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2009-05-18

Total Pages: 255

ISBN-13: 0470730366

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X-Men is one of the most popular comic book franchises ever, with successful spin-offs that include several feature films, cartoon series, bestselling video games, and merchandise. This is the first look at the deeper issues of the X-Men universe and the choices facing its powerful "mutants," such as identity, human ethics versus mutant morality, and self-sacrifice. J. Jeremy Wisnewski (Oneonta, NY) is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Hartwick College and the editor of Family Guy and Philosophy (978-1-4051-6316-3) and The Office and Philosophy (978-1-4051-7555-5). Rebecca Housel (Rochester, NY) is a professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, where she teaches about writing and pop culture. For William Irwin's biography, please see below.

The Complete X-Files
The Complete X-Files

Author: Matt Hurwitz

Publisher:

Published: 2008-11-11

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13:

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The inside track on all nine seasons of the 'X-files' show and movie, plus creator Chris Carter's new commentary and explanation of previously unresolved mysteries.