Learn to be a supervillain, learn to work potent magick. Learn to work magick to harm others, gain wealth and beat others. This magick is valuable and here it is.
Contributions by Jerold J. Abrams, José Alaniz, John Carey, Maurice Charney, Peter Coogan, Joe Cruz, Phillip Lamarr Cunningham, Stefan Danter, Adam Davidson-Harden, Randy Duncan, Richard Hall, Richard Heldenfels, Alberto Hermida, Víctor Hernández-Santaolalla, A. G. Holdier, Tiffany Hong, Stephen Graham Jones, Siegfried Kracauer, Naja Later, Ryan Litsey, Tara Lomax, Tony Magistrale, Matthew McEniry, Cait Mongrain, Grant Morrison, Robert Moses Peaslee, David D. Perlmutter, W. D. Phillips, Jared Poon, Duncan Prettyman, Vladimir Propp, Noriko T. Reider, Robin S. Rosenberg, Hannah Ryan, Lennart Soberon, J. Richard Stevens, Lars Stoltzfus-Brown, John N. Thompson, Dan Vena, and Robert G. Weiner The Supervillain Reader, featuring both reprinted and original essays, reveals why we are so fascinated with the villain. The obsession with the villain is not a new phenomenon, and, in fact, one finds villains who are “super” going as far back as ancient religious and mythological texts. This innovative collection brings together essays, book excerpts, and original content from a wide variety of scholars and writers, weaving a rich tapestry of thought regarding villains in all their manifestations, including film, literature, television, games, and, of course, comics and sequential art. While The Supervillain Reader focuses on the latter, it moves beyond comics to show how the vital concept of the supervillain is part of our larger consciousness. Editors Robert Moses Peaslee and Robert G. Weiner collect pieces that explore how the villain is a complex part of narratives regardless of the original source. The Joker, Lex Luthor, Harley Quinn, Darth Vader, and Magneto must be compelling, stimulating, and proactive, whereas the superhero (or protagonist) is most often reactive. Indeed, whether in comics, films, novels, religious tomes, or video games, the eternal struggle between villain and hero keeps us coming back to these stories over and over again.
This tongue in cheek guide to the "dark side" includes: how to do an evil laugh, the evil henchmen guide, fashion for the evil-doer, and the evil plan generator.
Having foreseen an unimaginable evil that will soon envelop the Marvel Universe, the Eye of Agamotto has passed the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme on to the one man who has the unique gifts to stave off the coming darkness - but is Doctor Voodoo ready for the momentous duty as avenger of the supernatural?
The millions of fans of Dracula and Harry Potter consist of all ages and varied enthusiasm, ranging from a curious reader or leisure cinema observer to seriously devoted academic scholars. However, followers of each universe have been chiefly segregated &– rarely mingling apart from an occasional culture convention, dominated by Star Wars, Star Trek, and Marvel heroes' groupies. But Stoker and Rowling readers have a lot in common because Count Dracula and Lord Voldemort have much in common. These two internationally acclaimed bestselling novels possess a remarkable kinship.Prepare to be delightfully surprised to discover that the godfather of all vampires and the infamous dark wizard share a deep character bond that goes far beyond the title &‘monster.' Be intrigued to uncover what a coffin and a horcrux share or to dig further to unearth that the often-overlooked scars which Bram Stoker wrote of in Victorian England are just as significant as those described by J.K. Rowling in the modern era. Indeed, it cannot be mere coincidence that Dracula is born in 1897 and 100 years later, Harry is too.A Tale of Two Villains is a love letter to both sets of fans paying homage to two superb authors and their extraordinary respective works, setting both masterpieces on pedestals, side by side for the first time, exploring their similar themes, unique parallelism, and mystical symbolism. The author delves profoundly into the interesting characters, their traits, conflicts, and motivations, to show how literary art is born. This book is a must for any Stoker or Rowling fan. Calvin H. Cherry is the author of STOKER: Evolution of a Vampire and fantasy and horror scholar.
Challenging the human understanding of life and death, the zombie figure represents a fragmentation of personhood. From its earliest appearances in literature, the zombie characterized a human being that was no longer an indivisible whole, embodying the ontological debate over which elements of personhood are most uniquely human. Through its literary evolution, the zombie's missing element gradually approached a finer definition, as narratives moved beyond highlighting metaphysically opaque concepts like "soul" or "will." Studying over a century of American literary history, this book explores how zombies translate cultural concepts and definitions of personhood. Chapters detail how literary zombies have long presented narratives of American cultural self-examination.
They have crossed the dimensions, purging them all of sorcery, one by one. Now the Empirikul are here. And with Earth's Master of the Mystic Arts weakened beyond measure, is there any chance of stopping them? The Sorcerer is no longer Supreme, and he will find himself at the mercy of the Imperator! With his magic destroyed and his world on the brink of disaster, are there any more tricks left up Strange's sleeves? Or, failing that, how about some cool weapons? Plus: as the Empirikul wreak havoc on magic users across the Marvel Universe, discover Wong's ultimate sacrifice, watch Brother Voodoo make a stand, and meet a new player just as she is about to lose the game! COLLECTING: DOCTOR STRANGE 6-10, DOCTOR STRANGE: LAST DAYS OF MAGIC 1
Some comics fans view the industry’s Golden Age (1930s-1950s) as a challenging time when it comes to representations of race, an era when the few Black characters appeared as brutal savages, devious witch doctors, or unintelligible minstrels. Yet the true portrait is more complex and reveals that even as caricatures predominated, some Golden Age comics creators offered more progressive and nuanced depictions of Black people. Desegregating Comics assembles a team of leading scholars to explore how debates about the representation of Blackness shaped both the production and reception of Golden Age comics. Some essays showcase rare titles like Negro Romance and consider the formal innovations introduced by Black comics creators like Matt Baker and Alvin Hollingsworth, while others examine the treatment of race in the work of such canonical cartoonists as George Herriman and Will Eisner. The collection also investigates how Black fans read and loved comics, but implored publishers to stop including hurtful stereotypes. As this book shows, Golden Age comics artists, writers, editors, distributors, and readers engaged in heated negotiations over how Blackness should be portrayed, and the outcomes of those debates continue to shape popular culture today.
Challenge your assumptions about witchcraft, Paganism, and spiritual seeking and learn how to craft your own magical path with this timely and entertaining exploration of what it means to practice witchcraft from the host of the Inciting A Riot podcast. If you’ve ever wanted to burn your ex’s old stuff in a trash can while drinking wine with your friends and reading tarot cards under the light of the full moon, you already know that magic is an essential part of our human existence. But what is magic, anyway? And are witches real? Where do I start if I want to build a deeper, more personal magical practice? (I mean…can I just make sh*t up?) Perfect for anyone who has wanted to get a little witchy but not known where to start, The Dabbler’s Guide to Witchcraft provides everything you need to discover more about modern witchcraft while forging your own magical path in a responsible and informed way. Fire Lyte takes us on a thoughtful, compulsively readable, and provocative journey, addressing topics such as: -Pop culture and witchcraft -The intersection of science and spirituality -Gatekeeping and inclusivity in the magical community -“Good” vs “bad” magic (spoiler alert: there’s no such thing!) -Why a coffee pot or Dutch oven is just as effective as a cauldron He also provides eleven spell canvasses, perfect for beginners and practicing witches alike to expand their spell-casting repertoire. Whether you’re just starting on your spiritual journey or recent events have inspired you to reexamine your current magical path, this humorous, practical, and insightful book provides a roadmap for anyone curious about enriching their practice.
It turns out Persephone Bloodstone, the long lost heir to one of the five royal families of dark magic. Destined to learn how to manipulate the world with fear and to stand beside the four other scions: the scorching-hot, arrogant young men who rule this school. Unfortunately, having trouble locating my supposedly wicked skills. I don't want to use a power that feeds off people's pain, but I have to tap into my talents fast if I want to survive. I've got no time to grieve for my family. The students here are even more vicious than the teachers, and my fellow scions are worst of all. The four of them crush anyone who doesn't kowtow. No way will I bow to any villain, no matter how brutally alluring. They can turn on the charm or tear me down, but they can't break me, even if I can barely get my magic working. They've never met anyone like me before. I don't care about ruling. I just want to avenge the people I loved.