Recommended works of art?

[g8d3v1l]

Hello, everybody. I've been introduced to psychedelics in 2007, and they have changed my insight on life. In between, I have devoured the works of comic book writers like Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, Warren Ellis, Mike Carey, Neil Gaiman...and now there's not much left in that area for me to read. So I was wondering if there are any psychedelic/magick inspired works of literature out there worth reading. I am not looking for instructionals or non-fiction, rather for works of art that stem from an inherent understanding of the psychedelic/mystical/enlightened state of (non)mind.


Films are also welcome. I recall David Cronenberg's "Naked Lunch" as a good example.


If this has been discussed before, I'd be grateful to who points me to the relevant threads.

 

[ophiuchus]

hey, welcome to the forum!

have you checked out promethea by alan moore? i've heard good things but haven't had a chance to check it out yet. i think the invisibles is another good one, though i know next to nothing about it. im actually just getting into sandman, it's sooo good.

in terms of film, have you seen any of the twin peaks stuff? there was a twin peaks movie too, called fire walk with me. both david lynch creations.

there's so much good stuff out there, but not all of it explicitly relates to magick. what other kinds of film or media are you into? i've seen many many good movies.

 

[g8d3v1l]

Well, first of all, please note that I use the word "magick" very loosely. I know little about it, besides the stories I've read.


This said, "Promethea" is nice. Consider it a Magic 101 in comics. It tells you things about tarot, notions of Crowleyan magic and the magic inherent in supposedly banal and mundane actions. Story-wise it's more interesting at the beginning than at the end, but still an good read overall. From Alan Moore, I liked "From Hell" more. It can be difficult to read, but its gets better when you get the hang of it. It explores one of the most famous theories about who was Jack the Ripper, but it's actually more a vehicle to expose Moore's views on Spirituality. The punchline is brilliant!


There are other good ones, but I'll focus only on the Psychonaut-relevant ones.



Grant Morrison's "The Invisibles" is one of my all-time favorites. rayer:Very whacky, it's a melting pot of every piece of 60's era counterculture, conspiracy theories and various forms of spirituality. It was allegedly the inspiration for "The Matrix", but it is tenfold more mind-expanding. From the 3 volumes, I found the last one to be the most difficult, but that's Morrison for you, creating stories that still intrigue you years later. Another good one is "The Filth". Equally or even more crazy, I'd describe it as what "Men In Black" might have looked like, had it been directed by David Cronenberg. :drool:



"The Sandman" is great stuff. My first serious comic, actually. For those who don't know, it's the story of Morpheus, Lord of Dreams, and an exploration of the concept of dreaming and what it entails, expanding to other mythical realms and concepts further on in the series. I'm not so much a Neil Gaiman fan, but "The Books Of Magic" also has interesting things.


Vertigo Comic's "Hellblazer" chronicles the life of John Constantine, sort of a "magic detective". Twenty-five years long, many acclaimed writers have laid their mark on it, exploring all sorts of obscure magical references in a contemporary setting. The only downside is that it can be a heavy read for its dark and cynical tone.



By Warren Ellis you can try reading his free, online webcomic "Freakangels". Less enlightening than the ones above, but a funny and down-to-earth way to look at certain themes involving the human potential.



Finally, Mike Carey's "Lucifer" is, obviously, about Lucifer and the things he set out to do after the story we all know. Spin-off series to "Sandman", Volume 4 - read this one first, if you can. From the same author, "The Unwritten" is about the power of widely-known stories in the collective unconscious.







Films, I know less. I watched some David Lynch films about 10 years ago, but couldn't relate to them. Perhaps I should give it a try now. I liked David Cronenberg's style in "Videodrome" and "Naked Lunch". I remember Peter Greenaway's "Prospero's Books" is visually spectacular. And obviously everybody here must know "The Matrix".



I can't remember any others. I know Philip K. Dick wrote and inspired great stuff, but I'm reluctant to read his books because I wonder if they're still relevant to a contemporary audience. I read some books of Carlos Castaneda as well, which is purportedly biographical non-fiction, but denounced as fiction, though I have to say the same as of Lynch: I found it too strange at the time, but I might get back to it.




If nothing else, I hope I've given you valid pointers on good stuff to check out!

 

[ophiuchus]

definitely! sounds like i've got some reading to do...

interesting choice with 'from hell'. ill have to check that out as well. the only thing of alan moore's i've gotten my hands on so far was watchmen, which i have to say was one of my first wholly synchronistic experiences. every time i picked that book up i related to it more than ever with everything that was going on in my life at that moment...

so what kind of films have you seen/are you into? i've seen many more films than i've read (graphic)novels... are you into anime? what are the boundaries? maybe i could give you some good choices... sounds like you've gotten into some good stuff already.

 

[Hark]

I like the diffrent ppl in Heavy metal

 

[g8d3v1l]

definitely! sounds like i've got some reading to do... interesting choice with 'from hell'. ill have to check that out as well. the only thing of alan moore's i've gotten my hands on so far was watchmen, which i have to say was one of my first wholly synchronistic experiences. every time i picked that book up i related to it more than ever with everything that was going on in my life at that moment... so what kind of films have you seen/are you into? i've seen many more films than i've read (graphic)novels... are you into anime? what are the boundaries? maybe i could give you some good choices... sounds like you've gotten into some good stuff already.

Films are already pointed out at the end of my post...I could always say more, but that's the gist of it. Anime, I liked Satoshi Kon's "Paranoia Agent" and "Paprika". Both explore the boundaries of imagination and reality. Though not in a similar vein, I like Shinichiro Watanabe. ("Cowboy Bebop", "Samurai Champloo") I've been meaning to watch the compilation "Genius Party" and "Kids on the Slope", but haven't gotten to it yet. Loved "Ninja Scroll", watched "Overfiend" many years ago. Saw the "Ghost in the Shell" film, but I wasn't impressed. I'm always curious for more, though I have less time than I used to. Any good things, I'll be glad to hear about it.

 

[Hark]

Desert punk!.......its on hulu. I'm not a fan of reading what i'm watchen on tv and hulu has it dubed sometimes and then it goes away ..idk its odd