Osaka, Stories, and Other News

Of late, life has been good. I have been on vacation from work, allowing me to write and sleep in. I recently saw an Egyptian exhibit at the Ueno Museum and last night started up a gaming group with some friends. I worked at an English summer camp in Tokyo for three days and got a nice supplement to my income. And tomorrow, Jamie and I travel to Osaka for the first time. Life is good.

Despite living in Japan for more than a year, I’ve not seen a lot of the country. Osaka is famous as a foodie paradise, and I expect to taste every flavor of the rainbow deep-fried in oil and seared to crispy perfection. I will also be hitting up Universal Studios Japan, which apparently had an awesome Attack on Titan exhibit but I missed it so will not have cool photographs of homunculus kaiju turning me into a horrific vore fetish entrée. If that previous sentence is something you can easily understand without the need of Google, then you have spent too many hours in the internet’s dark back alleys. Beyond food and amusement parks, we will see Osaka Castle and the Osaka Aquarium, take a day trip to the ancient capital city of Nara, and then spend four days in Kyoto. Kyoto is, like Nara, a former capital of Japan, and full of all the shrines, temples, and other architectural wonders you’d expect to come from something like that.

In other news, I had another short story come out with 3ft Left last month. I won’t spoil anything about it, but you should read it. Ok. I’ll spoil three things. One, it has a very hot scene I’m quite proud of. Two, photographer Jason Weller synced up some of his photographs in this issue with my story and I really like how they go together. And three, my editor somehow decided to market it as a “chilling tale.” We laughed about it when he realized this. He just got a new job where he pulls off a proper 12-hour Japanese workday because he has a samurai’s constitution, so he has more important things to worry about than temperature metaphors. But seriously, Will, if you’re reading this, congrats on the job and everything else going on in your life!

A couple other cool projects are going on. I’ll only say two things. One, I’m going to be working on a script to send into 2000AD. They’re looking for new writers, and want 4 page scripts with a summary of the story attached. Anyone who writes and loves sci-fi, comics, or Judge Dredd should look into this. And also, another of the stories I’m working on requires a research trip to Aokigahara, the fabled “Suicide Forest” on the north slope Mt. Fuji. And yes, this is a research trip, so nobody send me emails trying to talk me down from a rash decision. My only up-coming rash decisions will be with the foods I put into my gullet.

The only downside to life right now is money. I am well paid, and love teaching, so that’s not the issue. But since the yen crashed, it’s been a pain to pay my bills back in the states. We wired money back to the states, and lost about $500 USD in the transfer process between fees and the yen crashing in a fiery plummet of economic horror. Then our bank seems to have failed to receive the transferred money and we had to pay another fee. Then our bank’s server seems to have crashed. We still aren’t able to pay our bills in the states. So that’s something.

Hope you all are well, and expect a proper update from the Land of the Rising’s Sun’s City of Ten Thousand Deep Fried Foods. And yes, I did just make up that nickname for Osaka.

Jamata!

Remembrance of Rod Landreth: Eulogy for a Gothi

This morning I woke up and my spouse, Jamie, told me our friend Rod Landreth had died. And by the gods, will he be missed! I write this now because the world was richer for knowing Rod, and I lay these words down to honor a man who should be remembered.

I only met Rod once face-to-face, at the 2013 Carolina Moot. It was the first ever Carolina Moot, and he attended as the guest of honor. He gave a lecture on the Heathen soul complex, breaking down the different parts of the soul as they were understood by ancient Germanic societies, and his lecture was both erudite and accessible. He would use metaphors that related to geek culture, bringing up Doctor Who for example, but also would explain the way different aspects of the physical body and incorporeal self related and their importance, using specific terminology from medieval Germanic languages. On the night of the main blót, he held a spae-rite, and the words spoken by his lips that night while he sat deep in trance still affect me. In one weekend, he demonstrated his knowledge of lore, his immense hospitality, a joyous wit, and his personal familiarity with respected leaders in the Heathen community. And while I have not been present in many spae-rites, his was the most moving and personally significant I have ever witnessed or been a part of.

In the years since, I continued to get to know Rod through emails and social media. We would chat occasionally on Facebook, and write multi-page emails that covered a myriad of topics. When I moved to Japan, he agreed to help guide me in learning seidhr from afar, which I need not say is no small task.

Rod will be remembered as a leader in the Heathen community. Others who knew him better can say more about his influence than I can, and no doubt will. But he had a no-nonsense approach to life, being able to live an ideal while never diminishing the importance of the world’s realities. In our conversations, he would discuss everything from the speech of birds to understanding Ragnarok as a phenomena in the past, present, and future all at once, a series of endings that had happened, were happening, and would one day occur. I would discuss a book I had where his opinions were cited in one email, and whatever his answer was, he always wrote words that helped expand not just my understanding, but my very consciousness. His discussions likening Kami to Landvaettir, or the different shamanistic cultures, were a testament to his academic knowledge as well as his experiential wisdom. He was a teacher who helped me immensely, though I feel my lessons with him had only just begun. He never gave me easy answers, but always gave me good answers (or good questions and riddles as the times dictated). Now that he is in the halls of the gods, I will continue to remember him and fare forth on the path of wisdom he helped set me along.

But he was more than a Heathen or a teacher. He was an LGBTQ advocate, a geek, and a strong believer in the importance of human rights. His love of Marvel’s Doctor Strange, roleplaying games, and geek culture, as well as his wry (and often bawdy) sense of humor ensured he always had something interesting to say. He spoke what he meant, and considered words like “friend” and “brother” to have real meaning that he didn’t waste on anyone undeserving of the terms.

I began this blog as part of a promise to Rod. After the spae-rite, I said I would write essays that might help the Heathen community. He could have asked for another form of payment, but instead, he sought to help others.

He lived with his husband Jason. They had enjoyed fifteen years together, and while I never met Jason, I wish they could have shared thirty.

Tonight, I did my best to honor him. I chanted the runes that spell his name, raised a memory-cup to him, and set out a bowl of plum wine for him to enjoy in the life after (since I don’t have any mead readily available to me right now). I will carry Rod’s memory, and his wisdom, until I too reside in the halls of the Aesir.

Hail, Rod Landreth! You dwell in the halls of the gods now, and there may you be forever remembered for the great man you were!

Guess Who’s Back

Hey all,

So I’ve been bad about posting lately. This shall change.

I’m about to have a series of blog posts up in the next month or so, covering a few varied topics.

But why have I been absent you ask? Well, I could give you the usual excuses about work and life happening which everyone invokes in these busy times. Or I could tell you how awesome the videogame Pillars of Eternity is and that it is truly a great way to lose track of time. And both are true, but I’ve also been juggling some different projects going on in life, such as preparing writing for the next issue of 3Ft Left, working on my novel, readying myself for the GRE, getting a second job (yeah, there’s the work excuse!), and expanding my social network here in Japan. I also got my plans for late summer worked out and will be in Kyoto and Osaka for a bit come August, so am excited about that. (Plus, I got my tickets for a steal!)

I have a couple of blog posts I want to get up soon, but this seems like a great time to talk about the future of this blog.

Ideally I want to juggle a few different topics here, but don’t know how well that will work out. I would like to be able to discuss literature, Heathenry, and history in equal parts. Of course, as anyone whose had Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream knows, some things just SHOULD NOT BE MIXED TOGETHER. And as I often insert my own biases or perspectives into things, the flavor of this blog might turn sour if I take on too much, so we will see if this works, but I won’t try to force it.

A few future posts I’d like to get up here in the long term are as follows:

-a book review of historically accurate novels about the Viking Age

-an examination of how cult leaders can affect religion & how to spot them

-a look at a few polytheistic countries and their cultures

-a study of historical gender roles in Germanic society

-a review of fantasy books with comprehensive real-world magical systems

–comics as literary fiction

-an examination of Heathen law vs. national laws

-a few updates about my own life, for those friends who care

That’s some of the stuff I have planned for this site and a fair bit of it I’ve already begun and just need to clean up. Hopefully I get to it all by year’s end. I figure if I drink enough coffee to manifest my superpowers, then this schedule should be easy to keep.

I’m also looking at the possibility self-publishing a series of historical fantasy short stories very soon. There is a bit of a double standard in the self-publishing community however, and the same things that make it really possible to succeed also make it really easy to make irreversible mistakes, so I want to do more research before I take the plunge. There are a couple themes and characters kicking around in my head, but basically I’m thinking of taking the Robert E Howard approach by doing a series of standalone stories that follow a particular character on wild crazy adventures. Stories would be set up in one of several very different time periods, and I have protagonists suited for each possible setting. All of these protagonists are quite spirited, products of their times, and trying to hack their way out of my head and onto the digitized page of my word processor and your preferred ereader. But they—like you—have to wait for me to hammer out a few more details before I unleash them upon the page.

Okay, I think that sums it up. Thanks for reading, and for bearing with me in this long absence.

Until my next post, let me wish everyone a happy belated Midsummer, and say that I hope your coming days have no shortage of mead, plunder, or heavy metal!

Hail

The 15 Best Comics from The New 52

The DC Universe is ending!!!!!

….again.

And because I am behind on the current events of dead fictional universes, I’m writing a list of fifteen fantastic titles from DC Comics’ The New 52 universe. But first, in case you’re new to comics, I’m gonna provide you a quick explanation for WHY the DC Universe is rebooting. So, if you want to skip the details and just enjoy the stories, then fine, be that way. You can skip ahead, see the good stuff at the end, but then you won’t get to read all the juicy details.  Your loss.

For those of you who didn’t know, DC Comics rebooted their universe back in 2011 and started anew. After 25 years of uninterrupted stories, it was just getting hard to follow everything. This was a chance to give new readers a chance to get to know the characters, and it turned out pretty well. But there were some notable problems.

Some titles like Justice League and The Flash restarted from scratch, while other titles like Green Lantern and Batman seemed to carry over from the old universe, making there a lot of inconsistencies. A few titles, such as Batgirl and Batwoman, simultaneously had original elements and references to stories from the previous universe. So there were continuity issues, to say the least.

Also, there were some issues where women were sometimes drawn or written more like big-boobed sex objects and where several characters of color mysteriously disappeared from existence. Naturally, the internet responded with rage, criticism, and emojis of moral indignation.

This new universe, called The New 52, got better over the past four years, and DC addressed a lot of these issues. However, it seems the problems with continuity could not be salvaged, so now DC is writing a big crossover event in which they are combining every alternate reality, alternate timeline, and previous reality-altering crossover event into one colossal story. The story is called Convergence.

With the ending of The New 52 in Convergence, I thought people deserved to know some of the best DC comics written in the past four years. Sadly, because I don’t have millions of dollars to spend on comics, I haven’t read everything, so there are some really good Superman and Green Lantern stories I’ve heard about, but I never got to reading all of those so they’re not on the list (because I won’t recommend to you what I can’t personally vouch for).   Also, there is a disproportionate number of white straight characters in comics, and that is reflected in this list. (I could have included the Static Shock book, as I love the character immensely, but the story just felt too convoluted to make my list).

But here it is at last….[DRUM ROLL] The top fifteen trade paperbacks from The New 52!

15. Justice League vol 1: Origin

If the title didn’t give it away, this is [gasp!] the Justice League’s origin story, and believe me, it’s as funny as it is epic. The basic premise involves Batman and Green Lantern meeting as they both try to identify an otherworldly attacker, only to bump heads with Superman, then the Flash, and eventually drag in several other heroes as a few robo-aliens turn out to be the prelude to a full on invasion from Apokolips! The story is straightforward and much of the dialogue is clunky. But it’s hilarious. Writer Geoff Johns understands comedy, and more importantly, he knows the characters better than they know themselves. Also, Jim Lee’s artwork is absolutely breath-taking.

14. Wonder Woman vol 1: Blood

Confession: I didn’t like this. Wonder Woman was one of the best titles of The New 52, and people loved it! But this isn’t MY Wonder Woman, so I’m biased here. The story is compelling, and Brian Azzarello is a magnificent writer with a brilliant grasp of language. The art is also gorgeous, with Cliff Chiang giving us dynamic scenes of conflict that leap off the page. But this is not the Wonder Woman of the previous universe and the portrayal of mythological elements was jarring and felt out of place both in the context of superheroics and the original myths. Still, it’s worthy of checking out, and it spawned five sequel volumes that kept fans raving so don’t let my biases keep you from the series. If it wasn’t great, it wouldn’t be on the list.

13. Superman Action Comics vol 1: Superman and the Men of Steel

This is the origin of a young arrogant Superman making himself known in Metropolis. He’s a young idealistic guy standing up against economic injustices. And in his secret identity as broke blogger Clark Kent, he writes about these issues. Then things get real. Not only does “the man” (aka., the military industrial complex) put him in his place, but suddenly aliens invade and there are robotic armies attacking Metropolis. While this sounds like a mere action hero story, it’s so much more, and a great example of Grant Morrison exploring the nature of the modern myth of one man fighting cosmic forces and social injustices in the pursuit of doing the right thing.

12. Aquaman vol 1: The Trench

Aquaman is the biggest joke in modern comics. I mean, his power is TALKING TO FISH! Except, if you actually READ the comics, you know this isn’t true! Writer Geoff Johns knows people take Aquaman for granted, but he also knows just how badass the hero really is! We get great scenes here of Aquaman showing up to stop a crime, and the cops shaking their heads as they wonder why they couldn’t have gotten any other hero. Or the scene where Aquaman eats in his favorite seafood restaurant. But beyond these moments, we also see him face a threat coming out of the sea—a race of subaquatic predatory menfolk whose lack of a food source has driven them to attack the shore. It’s a story with real feelings, real consequences, and a villain whose motive is fighting against impending extinction. This is a must read!

11. The Flash vol 1: Move Forward

Do you like the Flash TV show? It doesn’t matter! Because this comic is so much better than the show that you’ll be racing to your nearest comic shop to get its sequel! This story focuses on two villains. The first is Barry Allen (AKA, The Flash)’s old friend, Manuel Lago, who has been turned into Mob Rule, a villain with the power to replicate copies of himself. The second is Captain Cold, who has broken out of prison to wreak havoc on the city as he has internalized the cold powers of his freeze gun. What makes this piece so great is its exploration of characters and its handling of advanced physics. Also, Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato provide us with dynamic art full of flashy colors that really capture the element of movement in the story.

10. Green Lantern Corps vol 1: Fearsome

It’s easy to forget Earth isn’t the center of the universe, especially in comics where half of the cosmic heroes seem to come from earth (and all the aliens seem interested in invading our prime real estate). Green Lantern Corps is a comic focusing on, well, the eponymous Green Lantern Corps, the interstellar police force tasked with using their power rings to keep the galaxy safe. In particular, the series focuses on two Green Lanterns of Earth, John Stewart and Guy Gardner. One of the things about the Green Lanterns is they’ve realized that Earthlings are unreasonably stubborn—something incredibly useful since their Green Lantern rings are powered by willpower. But another aspect about the Green Lanterns is that their leaders, the tiny blue men known as the Guardians, are essentially space fascists who commonly are willing to inflict unmeasurable suffering to meet their goals. In this story, some of the horrors of the Guardians’ past are brought to light, while Guy and John battle foes who are immune to their power rings. This is a story of moral ambiguities and complex emotional developments that explores many of the technicalities of what being a Green Lantern means. I can’t recommend this enough.

9. Forever Evil

Good guys are boring. And it’s not their fault, but those law-and-order types just don’t have the same appeal as the bad boys, bad girls, and bad evil pirate ninja robot aliens. Think about it. Batman is the coolest superhero ever. Batman is just one kill away from crossing the line into villainy. So, here we have a story of all villains. The Justice League is dead. They have been replaced by their evil counterparts from another dimension—the Crime Syndicate. As the Crime Syndicate takes over the earth and quashes any remaining heroes (like Nightwing and the Teen Titans), they rally other villains to their cause. But some villains won’t go down so easily. Lex Luthor won’t let ANYONE else rule his planet. The Rogues from Central City are happy to blow up a hospital, but they want to evacuate it first since they have their code against killing. And Black Manta? Black Manta’s sole purpose in life is to kill Aquaman, and the Crime Syndicate stole that from him. He will make them suffer!

This is an amazing crossover where we get to see the villains exposed for the people they are—rather than just plot devices for our heroes to stop. And among the characters we get to meet is the Crime Syndicate’s evil version of Batman, called Owlman, who is even darker than Gotham’s familiar Dark Knight.

8. Batman and Robin vol 1: Born to Kill

Don’t think of this as a superhero story. Think of this as a story of an estranged father and his homicidal son who was raised by ninjas. A true heartfelt father-son epic with lots of feely emotions. Like so many of the stories on this list, it features a new villain [DUN DUN DUNNNN!]. Unlike the other stories, I really don’t care about the villain, because the greater conflict is whether the father (Batman) can impart the lessons he’s trying to on his son (Damian Wayne, AKA Robin). The art is beautiful, and this is the story that got me paying attention to writer Peter Tomasi (who has yet to write a story I didn’t like).

7. Batwing vol 1: The Lost Kingdom

If you’re new to comics, you need to know there are two Batwings. Okay, technically, there are three—the third (or really, the original) being Batman’s private stealth jet. However, this story focuses on David Zavimbe, the first of the two characters to don the mantle of Batwing as his superhero nom de gare. A Congolese policeman, David was hired by Batman to fight crime as an African superhero, and provided with the equipment and training necessary for such a task. Most of Africa’s former superhero team, the Kingdom, have been missing for years. But suddenly the heroes from the Kingdom are being killed by a villain named Massacre. The story describes child soldiers, local warlords and police corruption with a frank honesty that makes it one of the boldest stories DC has produced in recent years, and writer Judd Winick did amazing work with this title. This comic offers a perspective sorely lacking in modern comics.

6. Demon Knights vol 1: Seven Against the Dark

One problem with comics is they all seem to feature people in spandex punching their problems away in haphazard free-for-alls of collateral damage. Thankfully, Demon Knights breaks that trend by offering us a story of Camelot, drunken Vandal warlords, invading armies, velociraptor dragons, bawdy jokes, and tavern brawls! This story was part of DC’s horror run–the Dark. Except it’s far too funny and clever to be labeled mere horror. It is actually my favorite team book produced by The New 52. This is a medieval tale worthy of the troubadours of old, and just as ribald, rude, and over-the-top. It features old and new DC heroes, and actually has some fun archaic references for anyone who enjoys medieval history. So sit down at a trencher table, swig a horn of mead, and enjoy this illuminated grimoire of comic madness.

5. Batgirl vol 3: Death of the Family

Gail Simone’s run of Batgirl is one of the best things to happen to comics. Being a woman, Gail Simone took objection to how often women in comics were brutalized. So she used the opportunity of The New 52 to reboot the character of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl—a character whose superhero career came to an end in the last universe after the Joker shot her through the spine, stripped her naked, and tortured her. While everything Gail Simone wrote for Batgirl is fantastic, the third volume is particularly poignant. Part of the “Death of the Family” story arc, this shows the Joker hunting down each of Batman’s allies, forcing Barbara to confront the man who still haunts her nightmares. On top of all that, she also has to deal with her sociopathic serial killer of a brother, juggle her love life, and have a heartfelt moment with her roommate that I won’t spoil for you. This series (and particularly this book) is smart, bold, and honest. More importantly, it sees crime not as bad guys opposing good guys, but as a phenomena of violence driven by economics and human psychology.

4. Animal Man vol 1: The Hunt

While Animal Man was once a costumed hero, this is actually a horror story. Buddy Baker is a father, husband, activist, actor, and still recognized by the public as the (former) superhero Animal Man who can mimic the powers of animals. But when the personification of rot rises up to attack his family, there’s only so much he can do. He’s not the savior, after all. His six-year-old daughter is, and he doesn’t know if he’s strong enough to keep her safe from the things coming to kill her. This story is one filled with grim body horror, nightmares, and zombies, but the real drive comes from how Buddy Baker struggles to hold his family together through these trials as he does all he can to be worthy of their love.

3. Batwoman vol 2: To Drown the World

Batwoman is a title whose art is even more compelling than its story—and it has a really fascinating story! An organization called the D.E.O. is blackmailing Kate Kane (in her Batwoman identity) to hunt down her fellow superheroes, chief among them Batman. Meanwhile, children have been going missing in Gotham, and Kate’s girlfriend, Police Lieutenant Maggie Sawyers, is struggling to bring them back. Folktales come to life in the dank alleys of Gotham’s waterfront in this bleak tale with magnificent artwork and one of the most compelling romances in DC’s New 52 lineup.

2. Green Arrow vol 4: The Kill Machine

When The New 52 began, the first few story arcs of Green Arrow were so bad that the series probably only survived cancellation because of its TV show. Then Jeff Lemire took a shot at writing the character and hit the target dead on! Page one opens with an argument. By page three there’s a murder. From there the story goes onto include brutal interrogations, psychotropic dream revelations, arcane secrets revealed, covert ops work, and trick arrows in a story that is shooting ever onward at an alarming speed! Sorrentino’s artwork lends itself to the story with vivid images that are among my favorites in all of comics! This series managed to reinvigorate the title at a time it was desperately languishing.  In fact, I will go so far as to say Jeff Lemire’s run of Green Arrow is one of the best the character has ever seen in over 70 years of publication! Needless to say, it hits the mark.

1. Batman vol 3: Death of the Family

If you didn’t know Batman was going to rank number one, you clearly have missed out on this amazing title. There hasn’t been a single bad issue of Batman in The New 52. But of all the stories written, my favorite is “Death of the Family.” This is the most twisted horrific tale of sadistic madness ever to crawl out of the blood-stained walls of Arkham, and it stars the faceless Clown Prince of Crime in his most macabre incarnation to date! Throughout the story, the Joker stalks through Gotham wearing his own flayed face as a mask while preying on everyone Batman loves (from Alfred to the little kitties). Every single Bat-title tied into this story during the crossover, and its finale actually caused me to double over in shock as I turned the pages. Scott Snyder’s writing and Greg Capullo’s art have made Batman the best title in The New 52, and this may be the best story of the whole run!

So there’s the list. And there’s plenty more I could have here. Gotham Academy, Superman/Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Swamp Thing and Superman Unchained are definitely great reads. And from what I’ve heard of Geoff Johns’ Superman run and Green Lantern stories, or all the love titles like Harley Quinn and Red Lantern Corps were getting, they maybe worth checking out too.   At the end of the day, this list should probably be a “Top 25” instead of a “Top 15.”  But I haven’t read everything, and while a few things I’ve read (such as Batman Eternal and Superman Unchained) really belong on the list, anymore than 15 would have me stretching things out, or vouching for materials I can’t personally verify.

Anyway, I hope this helps, because The New 52 really did have some great things going for it and I’ll be sad to see it come to its end.  May these titles help it live on in memory.

Of Ghosts and Godpoles: A Review

I finally bought my copy of Thorbeorht Linleah’s Of Ghosts and Godpoles this past weekend.  Unfortunately, I probably won’t be able to read it for the next year, as I didn’t pay for international shipping to get it to my address here in Japan. But some of the contents of the book were previously published, and those that I’ve read were a rich trove of lore, scholarship, and insight!

So, here is my review for a book I’ve not read. Thankfully, I have read the previously-published sections and have chatted with Thorbeorht online about the topics discussed, so am able to write with some authority here.

Of course, Thorbeorht is a bit of a legend among Thiodish Heathens.  I can’t speak to the full extend of his legend, nor have I been a member of his guild though close friends of mine have and they speak nothing but praise of the man.  What I can say is that whenever he and I have spoken, he has demonstrated educated knowledge, experiential wisdom, and a fine wit.  Also, he has a fine full beard, a trait which should never be underestimated.

But onto the actual book!  It’s seldom I get to review a book I haven’t finished reading.  Normally, such a review would tell you that I began reading the book, grew dissatisfied, and decided to test its aerodynamic qualities.  So giving a positive review for an unfinished book is something new to me.

The first of the essays I read was printed in a pamphlet entitled “Searching for Saxnot.”  It explored the identity of the god “Saxnot,” recorded in only two written records of Heathen gods, and both times counted among a list of other gods.  The scarcity of texts make them difficult to analyze, but Thorbeorht manages to analyze linguistic evidence, to successfully connect Saxnot to the Saxon people, and to compare the way the surviving texts to similarly-phrased documents.  He really hammers home his point with a clear argument that is well worth reading for anyone interested in the lore.

In the second essay, Thorbeorht recounts a history of the Continental Saxons, including their interactions with the Britons, Franks, and their westward migration toward Transylvania.  I read this while elbow-deep in unrelated Saxon research and still learned an immense amount (while all of my own research was confirmed by his erudition).

I have heard that I apparently read these two essays in backwards order to how they appear in the book, but I give you my impressions based on the order in which I read them.

Thorbeorht writes with a clear style that is both academic and engaging.  His book has already been compared to Eric Wodening’s book We Are Our Deeds—one of the most valued linguistic studies of Germanic ethics.

The book is not a purely academic work, but nor is it marred by an excess of unverifiable UPG (unverifiable personal gnosis) that may not relate to the experiences of others. It deals with archaeology, linguistics, and historical documents in an educated manner that speaks directly to the heart of these topics.

Sadly, the book is not on Amazon at this time.  You’ll have to buy it from Lulu.  Or get your local bookstore to order you a copy.

Of course, there is one problem with the book.  Not enough people have read it yet.  So go out and get yourself a copy.  I’d say it’s the perfect addition to any bookshelf, but I don’t expect people to put it down often enough for it to sit there long.

10 DC Comics for New Readers

The modern world is saturated with an abundance of comic book movies, T-shirts, action figures, and internet memes, because let’s face it, comics rock!  Even people who have never read a comic book are infatuated with these stories and characters, and able to enjoy them through movies and TV shows.  While Marvel has dominated the movie market, DC is about to catch up in a big way with a series of movies planned for release!

Many fans of the characters want to read the comics, but it’s not always easy for new readers to pick up a series and understand what’s going on.  After all, DC characters have 70 years of history behind them. What’s more, there are multiple universes, reboots, and crossovers. It all gets to be a bit much.  So, I am writing a list of 10 DC Comics that anyone can pick up and use to learn about the world of the DC Universe.

This isn’t a list of the best DC stories for individual characters, but the best stories for learning about the greater DC Universe.If you’ve only ever seen the TV shows and movies, or have only read Batman titles, or if you’ve been committed to Marvel but now you’re getting curious and want to try experimenting with DC, then this list is for you.

All of these titles are written between 1985 and 2011, during the peak of the Modern Age of Comics.  In 2011, the DC Universe rebooted and the current run is called The New 52.  I’ll make a later list for The New 52, but everything below is designed to give you an enjoyable read while making it easier to pick up other DC titles you’re not familiar with.

10. The Flash: Rebirth  Barry Allen is the star of DC’s TV show The Flash, the upcoming movie, and the current run of comics in The New 52. However, he was dead in the comics for over two decades before being brought back in The Flash: Rebirth, which had him racing back to the forefront of comics. The book showcased all of the major speedsters of the DC Universe and most of Flash’s villains.  There’s also a great scene with Flash and Superman racing one another.  The sheer amount of information might be a bit overwhelming, but it’ll introduce readers to a lot of new characters and major concepts relevant to DC’s speedsters.

9. JLA: The Deluxe Edition, vol 1 by Grant Morrison
This is the beginning of the fantastic run of Justice League of America by Grant Morrison, and contains the first three stories of the series.  It focuses on the big names in DC, letting Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman flex their muscles. This collection contains the first 9 issues of Morrison’s JLA run, and was specifically designed to showcase the bravest and best of DC’s heroes.

8. DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore  Alan Moore is a writer known for taking the innocent escapist children’s picture books we call comics and turning them into nightmarish grimoires filled with substance abuse, black magic, and horrible reminders of our own grim mortality.  His stories are epic, twisted, and defy all expectations, not unlike his beard.  In the mid-80’s, he found time between writing V For Vendetta and The Watchmen to showcase some of DC’s characters in a series of stories as creative and captivating as any being written at the time.  This volume captures his work on Superman, Green Arrow, Vigilante, the Green Lantern Corps, and includes one of the most memorable Batman stories ever written—The Killing Joke.  It is a great collection of different titles to help new readers learn about comics.

7. Superman: The Death of Superman  I thought a lot about which Superman story to use before finally deciding on this 1993 classic.  At the time, the Lois and Clark TV series was popular. Someone had the great idea to sync up the TV show and the comics. They planned to have Superman’s wedding in the comics and TV show at the same time. Of course, when the wedding got pushed back to season 4 of the TV show, the comics needed to do something else with Superman. Apparently the DC writers decided death and marriage were similar enough, and this heart-rending epic is the result. This tale shows the mettle of the Man of Steel in his final moments, as he sacrifices everything to keep people safe from the monster Doomsday, who not even the combined might of the Justice League could stop.  It’s sequel, A World Without Superman, is a good follow-up read should you be interested.

6. Wonder Woman: Eyes of the Gorgon  Wonder Woman is not just a comic book character.  She’s a cultural icon.  Her larger-than-life legacy cannot be contained in the pages of the comics that spawned her.  Eyes of the Gorgon presents a story in which Wonder Woman faces a challenge worthy of her Amazonian might.  This story has the Themysciran princess going head-to-head with the Gorgon Medusa, and even facing off against the Gods of Olympus!  Set during writer Greg Rucka’s legendary run of the character, we see the mythological and political aspects of the DC Universe that other writers gloss over. This comic is as much a classic as the myths that inspired it!  UPDATE: Since I first wrote this, Rucka has returned to writing Wonder Woman, and his original run is being reprinted as Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka.

5. Green Lantern: Rebirth  Green Lantern is one of those really intimidating titles for new readers.  This is only fair since there are five different Green Lanterns of Earth and most of the stories take place in deep space.  This particular story focuses on Hal Jordan, the most famous of the Green Lanterns, and his return to life after being killed in the early 90’s.  It not only introduces almost all the major characters relevant to the Green Lantern storylines (which is a lot), but also explores Hal’s relationships with many other classic heroes.  This story was a difficult pick, but it introduces elements into the Green Lantern mythos that have had repercussions lasting into the present, making it the perfect jumping-on point.

4. Batman: Hush
This beautifully-drawn story by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Jim Lee is one of the greatest Batman classics of all time!  Many of the Dark Knight’s classic villains and allies make appearances, as do a number of characters from other parts of the DC Universe (most notably Metropolis).  Through the pages of this epic tale, we watch Batman’s love life, his fears, his friendships, and his family ties laid bare, marveling at each new revelation about the brooding B.A.M.F. Dark Knight that we know and love. It won’t give you a feel for everything in the DC Universe, but it’s perfect for delving into any of the Gotham characters or Bat Family titles.

3. Green Arrow: Quiver  In a dark time before Green Arrow had his own TV series, the character’s sales were plummeting.  DC decided it was better to kill a character than lose any more money on the title, so they blew him up.  A couple years later, he was brought back to life in Green Arrow: Quiver.  The story was masterfully handled by writer Kevin Smith who mixed his trademark humor with more serious themes like crime, poverty, and boxing glove arrows.  What’s more, this tale reintroduces a lot of the major events of DC’s history in an accessible way while also bringing in a huge ensemble of characters from the Justice Leaguers to Etrigan the Demon (and of course, all of “Team Arrow”). It’s funny, dark, and one of the greatest Green Arrow stories ever written!

2. Batman: Knightfall  This should be in anyone’s top 5 list of classic Batman stories.  After the villain Bane breaks all the inmates out of Arkham Asylum, Batman must fight each of his foes one after another as he is practically drowned in a sea of enemies. Each of his rogues engages him in brutal combat, until finally, battered and bloodied, he must confront Bane in a final showdown. With phenomenal art and powerful writing, this is a must-read. The story was reprinted in three extra-huge volumes following the release of The Dark Knight Rises, but all you really need is the first volume to get a feel for the story and the world.

1. Crisis on Infinite Earths 

Nowadays, every time DC or Marvel pitch a crossover they advertise character deaths and the universe being irreparably altered.  We are usually disappointed.  Crisis on Infinite Earths actually delivered on those promises.   This is the story that ended the DC Universe(s) we knew and loved and set the stage of comics for the next quarter century.  Eventually, The New 52 replaced the established timelines, but that doesn’t make this story any less important.  Due to it’s immense cast of characters, I don’t recommend this as your first DC comic, or maybe even your fifth, but this story is well worth reading and it literally has everyone in DC Comics who was a major player at the time.

That’s the list. It’s by no means complete, but it’s a solid list. What’s more, you can pick up any of these books, enjoy the story, and (if you’re a fairly new reader) learn something important about the comics and their characters.

But just in case you’re looking for a little more, I am including my “Honorable Mention” list below for great stories that just barely didn’t make the top 10 for whatever reason.

Honorable Mention:

No Man’s Land: The basic premise is that Gotham has been declared no longer part of the United States (who are sick of giving money to repair the damage done every time a supervillain blows something up). Cut off from the outside, Gotham is ruled by marauding gangs as people struggle for survival. Thus Batman, his fellow Gothamite heroes, and the police are just another couple of gangs fighting for turf in their plight to protect as much of the city as they can defend. It’s a tale of urban desperation and phantasmagoric grit, but it’s length and it’s scope might make it hard for new readers.

Identity Crisis: The story begins with the murder of Elongated Man’s wife, and one by one, other superheroes’ loved ones are being targeted by an unknown threat, while a dark secret of the Justice League’s past is revealed. It features some epic fight scenes, some heartfelt emotional moments, breath-taking art, sharp writing, and a brutal assault on the Elongated Man’s wife that has been discussed by fans ever since.  A darkly controversial crossover, I felt this story has too many characters for it to be accessible to new readers.

52: My favorite crossover event, it is 52 issues long and collected in 4 out-of-print volumes or one very expensive omnibus, making it unfeasible for many readers to obtain.  It shows a lot of the second and third tier heroes of the DCU, as they step up to face Lex Luthor, mad scientists, the Religion of Crime, time paradoxes, and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  Meanwhile, the big three—Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman—are nowhere to be found. An awesome read, if you can find it.  UPDATE: Since initially writing this, 52 has been reprinted in two thick books.

Sinestro Corps War: I almost picked this instead of Green Lantern: Rebirth, but the story is three volumes long, which is a bit much for someone new to comics.  Here writer Geoff Johns remade the Green Lantern mythos as we understand it, while showcasing almost all of DC’s cosmic (and cosmological) big baddies in an intense struggle that is both deeply personal and set for universally high stakes.

Blackest Night: Another Green Lantern story by Geoff Johns, in which an apocalyptic prophecy of the Green Lanterns is fulfilled and all the dead of the DCU return to life, perverted by the power of the Black Rings. Lots of characters appear in this tale, and it is a dark intriguing exploration of the major DC heroes and what drives them, as well as much of the cosmology of the Lantern mythos.   In my very biased opinion, colorist Oclair Albert gives this story some of the best coloring ever printed!

RIP, Terry

I wish I could have met Terry Pratchett just once. Now, I’ve missed my chance to do it this life. He will be missed.

But I have a confession to make.  I was a bad Pratchett fan.

In fact, I only ever read one of his books. And that one, I audiobooked. And I got it because it was a Neil Gaiman book. Yes, that’s right. The only Terry Pratchett book I’ve read is Good Omens.

And yet, I still consider myself a fan of Terry Pratchett.

I could write a bunch of very true clichés about how he touched my heart, but such words will come off as trite considering how he managed to simultaneously defy most clichés while simultaneously reinvigorating them. But Terry Pratchett wrote a book that was simultaneously one of the funniest, most hopeful and most British books I’ve ever read. That the book happened to be about the end of the world makes it humor and optimism all the more portent.

I have in my own oh-so-un-Pratchett way, given someone immense guilt for not reading a copy of Good Omen I gave them.

And yet, Pratchett continues to find new ways to enter my life. I have enjoyed both the Hogfather film and the TV series Terry Pratchett’s The Colours of Magic. I have given his books as gifts to friends and family. And I even sat with friends for “story time” as we called it in our very adult way when we read Discworld books to each other, lounging around over tea, cakes, and deliciously good company.

One of my best friends—Tess—is perhaps most responsible for my love of Pratchett. She had the misfortune to know me both in high school and college (at opposite ends of the country, no less). For years I’d see her reading one Pratchett book after another in the school cafeteria. She was responsible for organizing the story time tea parties, actually, which is itself something perfectly Pratchetty with a nice blend of British wit, irony, and comfort. But why do I mention my friend here? Because she understood something about Pratchett’s books that she taught me with her insistence on reading him over meals and tea—that the Discworld books nurture the body and soul in a way only a hearty meal or good tea among friends can.

He could address issues like the Biblical Apocalypse with a cozy cuppa Earl Grey, and could give us a world of power-hungry wizards, streetwise assassins, and ancient barbarian warriors that turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to crumpets. He discussed issues of race, religion, and social injustices with a profound insight yet managed to lighten our hearts while showing how to acknowledge these heavy issues.

Many people have linked to Terry Pratchett’s final Tweet, where he took Death’s hand and walked away to the end.

I will do my best to honor him by keeping a part of him alive as I read and share those books I never got to before he took Death’s hand and walked off the page. Thus, I will end with one of his quotes about life and death that has survived him.

“Build a man a fire, and he’ll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he’ll be dead for the rest of his life.”

Wait.  No.  Not that quote.  This one:

“It is often said that before you die your life passes before your eyes. It is in fact true. It’s called living.”

You lived well, Sir Pratchett. Thank you for your life, your words, your wisdom, and your wit. You will be missed.

Sincerely,

A fan who wishes he’d been better

Yeah, that one. You live well, Sir Pratchett. Thank you for your life, your words, your wisdom, and your wit. You will be missed.

Superstitions of Atheists

I share a very particular trait with thousands of Americans, including pretty much all of Washington’s political caste: I love House of Cards.  I don’t care that it’s unrealistic, or that it uses sexuality as a shock tactic, or even that its characters have less morality than a North Korean prison warden.  It’s a damned fine show, and the villainous protagonist Frank Underwood is a great guy (even if he is a sociopath).  He believes exclusively in two things, it seems—himself, and power.  Sure, he cares for ribs, his wife, Greek love, and breaking the 4th Wall, but just because he’s a pathological narcissist doesn’t mean he can’t also be a person!  In fact, it’s one particular trait of his I want to discuss.

See, if you watch the show, as you should, you’d know Frank Underwood loves to knock on wood.  Literally.  When asked about his habit of fist-banging every hardwood surface he encounters, he says that there are two reasons for it. 1. He wants to be prepared, so is hardening his knuckles. 2. He wants to be lucky. That’s right, the guy who fears neither God nor the consequences of his own evil actions is superstitious enough to knock on wood for good luck. It’s funny, but this is surprisingly common.  Think how many people rely on unfounded superstitions outside of their religion. Think how many Americans stay up til midnight on New Years for good luck.  In Japan, most people identify as atheists, yet they go to shrines every New Year to make a wish and receive a fortune of their luck for the New Year.  In Iceland, people who are not Heathens and have never seen an elf or troll still believe in the mythical creatures.  In Romania, the atheist leader of the Communist government, Nicolae Caeucescu had a personal witch he consulted with.  In Maoist China during the Great Leap Forward, women among the Yi began manifesting signs of spiritual possession in accordance to the tenants of their ancestral faith—a faith they had discarded under Mao and that many had forgotten. A friend of mine who is an atheist still believes in lucky clovers.  All of these are superstitions that exist as part of a cultural belief system manifesting in the absence of a religious identity. It’s surprisingly common, though, and this sort of behavior isn’t limited to elves, ghosts, and prophecies. Many American capitalists believe in the American dream, or the myth that if you work hard you will success and become economically rich.  Addicts in recovery give credit of their recovery over to a “higher power.”  Many gamers have lucky dice.  American police consistently label their shooting as “good shooting,” regardless of the circumstances, under the belief that they are the “good guys.”  Gamblers believe that if they haven’t won they are due to win soon, or that inversely they are on a winning streak and are more likely to win than not.  I believe that one day they may bring back Firefly. There is no more empirical data to support these beliefs than there is evidence in the tooth fairy or Balkan witch prophecies.  Yet still we believe. Perhaps people need to believe in something.  Perhaps humans are inherently susceptible to logical oversights.  Perhaps we are all just biased by the cultures we grow up in.  But whatever the case, even without religion, belief continues. So the moral of this ramble about belief?  Go watch House of Cards!  It may not seem logical, but at least one of us believes it’s the right thing to do.  And if you marathon all the episodes in one sitting, you’ll get three wishes.

Thor: Thunder’s Worth

There new issue 1 of Thor just came out, featuring the highly anticipated female Thor and taking both the character and the story in a new direction from what we’ve seen before.

Jason Aaron’s run of Thor: God of Thunder has been highly praised for its storytelling since the comic’s release. Aaron tried to look at Thor not merely as a superhero, but as a god. As such, he took a note from Trinitarian theology and focused on three aspects of Thor—his past, his present, and his future. With a young warlike Thor faring forth to battle in the Viking Age, the modern superheroics of Thor as the hero of the Avengers, and an elderly one-armed Thor sitting on the throne of Asgard in the distant future, the comic explored different aspects of the character. Fans loved the results. Many a drinking horn was raised in the meadhalls of Marvel Comics to praise Aaron’s glorious success of poetics and quarterly profit gains.

Recently, Marvel announced that the new “Thor” would be a woman, while the new Captain America would be a black man and Iron Man would get a spiffy new mech suit. The internet went to war and forums became bloody battlefields arguing over the validity of the change of Thor’s identity. Some people praised these decisions as nuanced and Marvel’s acknowledgement that unlike most of its heroes, not all of its readers are white males. Others called this pandering to trends in political correctness. And an even otherlier group proclaimed that they frankly didn’t care either way, since any changes would be temporary.

See, as comics fans know, the world of comics is in an ever-changing state of flux, affected by time travel, magic, alien invasions, crossover events, editing, and retcons. Even death cannot keep characters from their daily lives, as Spider-Man demonstrated earlier this year when he returned from the dead just in time for his new movie to be released.

The new issue 1 of Thor by Jason Aaron reboots the title in the wake of the recent Original Sin crossover event, during whose storyline Thor became “unworthy” to wield the Hammer Mjolnir. The issue opens with a submarine beneath the ocean depths piloted by two men working for Roxxon, the evil corporation that other evil corporations tell horror stories about. The sub is venturing down into an undersea trench, where it loses radio contact with the Roxxon sea base when it encounters something. That something then crawls out of the trench and attacks the undersea base, and as readers turn the page they are treated to a magnificent splash panel of a horde angry frost giants charging out of the trench.

The scene changes and goes to the moon, where Thor is kneeling before his hammer Mjolnir. Gathered about him are Odin, Freyja, the Warriors Three, and other Asgardians. Dialogue explains that during a battle on the moon, Thor dropped his hammer when Nick Fury whispered something to him, and he became unworthy. We also learn that Odin has returned to the throne of Asgard after time away, in which Freyja ruled as All-Mother. This is a turning point, for we see Thor in a state of deep depression, surrounded by friends and family yet inconsolable without his hammer. It’s also showing not only what’s led up to this point, but what will come later.

The scene returns to the undersea base of Roxxon, and Thor’s old enemy Malekith the Accursed shows himself as the leader of the frist giant attack. Thor, having learned of the attack from the ravens Huginn and Munnin, rushed forth to battle, armed with an axe and looking a lot more like 90’s drawings of Aquaman (from DC comics) as he swims through the deep sea with his thick blonde beard and hair whipped by ocean currents. Whether because Thor is now unworthy or because of his weakened physical and mental state, Malekith defeats him and disarms him—literally.

The last image of Thor is of him falling through the watery depths of the trench with blood rising from his stump, as Malekith gloats over his success and demonstrates that he knows how to make being evil a fun time.

Finally the book ends with the new “female Thor” we’ve all heard about, as panel by panel, we see this new character take up Thor’s hammer Mjolnir.

Thus we see a new female Thor briefly at the end of the issue, teasing out suspense to keep reading.

And frankly, this is the best part of the issue, piquing my interests so I want to know more.

We don’t know it this is some new character taking up the mantle, or if this is the god Thor reborn as a woman after his potential death at the hands of Malekith.

But unlike Captain America, Thor is not a title, but a person. Captain America is a title and a symbol, used by the person Steve Rogers. However, when Rogers’ partner Sam Wilson (known to most as the hero Falcon) takes the role of Captain America, Sam needs merely to change his costume.

Sam Wilson has been Cap’s partner since 1969, and recently appeared in the movie Captain America: The Winter Soldier. But Captain America is a title, and can be taken up by any man. Indeed, the role of Captain America has been taken up by others, such as his former sidekick Bucky, Roscoe Simons, and the African American World War II hero Isaiah Bradley (who, along with several other American black soldiers, was subjected to tests recreate the Super Soldier serum, tests reminiscent of those performed in real life on the Tuskegee Airmen).

Thor is not the superhero nickname of someone wearing a mask. He (or now, she) is the God of Thunder. So Marvel’s decision to make the character a woman is a bit controversial, to say the least. Furthermore, many people forget that a number of people actively worship Thor and the other Norse gods. The Heathen writer, mystic, and runosopher Freya Aswynn expressed her sentiments on the topic. After saying the word “fuck” numerous times and calling the move insane, she said, “There is a story about Thor cross-dressing to get his hammer back, and that obviously is a psychological teaching for men to connect with the feminine side of themselves….If we accept for the sake of argument that the gods, in addition to what they are, are also archetypes, one could say that the way they behave as archetypes is there handle, is how they can make themselves known to us.”

Comics, like myths, play on archetypes. Noble and tragic heroes battle villains for the fate of things greater than themselves. It’s part of what inspires comic book writers to draw from mythology for their stories.

But the Norse god of legend and the Marvel franchise character are not the same anymore than Jesus of Nazereth is the same as the character in the Green Day song “Jesus of Suburbia.”

It’ll be interesting to see how Aaron handles the symbolism and myth of the comic character with this new attempt at writing Thor as a woman. The character of myth is arguably the most masculine of all the Norse gods, and through the years, Marvel has written the comic character to correspond to perceptions about idealized masculinity.

Thor’s worth has played an important part in the comics, and is what allows him to wield the hammer Mjolnir. Notably, others have also proven worthy to wield Mjolnir, such as the alien Beta Ray Bill. Worth comes not from one’s gender, sex, race, or species. If the comic explores the concept of worth and handles the gendershift skillfully, it might be worth reading.

Jason Aaron has demonstrated he understands who the character was, is, and has the potential to become.

The comic is off to a good start, but Aaron’s last run of the character, Thor: God of Thunder, was great. There are lots of good and great comics being produced right now, as there are lots of good and great heroes in the Marvel Universe. But of all of those heroes, only a few are worthy of wielding Mjolnir.

Perhaps most revealing about the direction the comic can move in is the scene on the moon in which the characters Odin and Freyja look at Thor as he kneels before his hammer, and Odin condemns Freyja for “coddling” Thor while she ruled Asgard as All-Mother, but Freyja’s wisdom proves truer than Odin’s determination when he tries to lift the hammer.

The comic offers us a new character, as it shows the new direction Asgard—and Thor—can look to as the understanding of worth comes not from tradition, but from wisdom.

“Can I Has Shaman Now?”: How Everything You Know About Shamanism Is Wrong

A long time ago, in a distant age of the world, I worked at a bookstore in a land where “education” was a bad word. My boss found out I was a practicing Heathen, and so invited me to meet him for drinks at the “Valhalla Pub” in Charlotte (just outside the land of illiteracy’s outer limits). I agreed, and by the time my shifted ended and I got there, a crowd of Renaissance Faire enthusiasts, Wiccans, and Heathens had gotten off to a drunken head start. For the two hours I’d ben stuck on closing shift, they’d apparently been talking about me—the Viking shaman.

Note of full disclosure: I’m not a shaman. I’m not a Viking. Hel, I may wear black a lot but won’t consider myself a real Goth til I sack Rome. Yet, my boss had decided to call me a Viking shaman. And I had corrected him, Many times.   But not knowing the term’s proper context, he kept using them.

So, there I was, meeting my boss for drinks, when this long-haired man indignantly walks up to me in a fury and goes “so you’re a Viking shaman huh?” Because this man knew that a “Viking shaman” is about as ridiculous as a “Catholic Dalai Lama.”.

To this man’s question, I answered no, I’m not a shaman, as

1) I’m not Siberian, and

2) I don’t worship tigers.

And that was the right answer.

See, “shaman” is a word that should be applied to a figure within Siberian and Evenki religious rites. The particulars are highly debated by scholars today, but a short summary might be to say that they hold the tiger, flame, and multiple deities/spirits to be sacred, and that they are known to enter into an ecstatic trance-like state. In this trance they are known to beat upon a drum and shake convulsively until they leave their bodies behind and go forth to deal with spirits, demons, and gods.
Now, other cultures have similar practices. Similar, but not the same. The Oracle at Delphi went into a trance in sacred rituals. The Saami beat magic drums in magical rituals. Bonpo priests in Tibet entered into ecstatic shaking states where they left their bodies to ascend up the mountainsides to meet with spirits.

But these aren’t shamans!

And it’s easy to see people could not know this. “Shaman” is perhaps the most misused word in magic, religious studies, and anthropology. Some of the best books out there use the word wrong. Hel, the most notable scholarly book on Shamanism written by Mircea Eliade is called—you guessed it—Shamanism. And the book uses the word “shaman” incorrectly. In every chapter.

Now, lots of things are shamanistic. The Oracle at Delphi, called the Pythia, had shamanistic qualities. A Bonpo in Tibet is shamanistic. Even Goku flying on his flying nimbus in the Dragon Ball Z anime is shamanistic.

But there were no Viking Shamans. There were no Celtic, Egyptian, Greek, Latverian, Duthraki, or Vulcan Shamans either.

And to outsiders who don’t know the difference it’s an easy mistake to make. But if people want to use a term properly, they should understand it’s meaning, especially when speaking about the term in a culturally specific context.

Which brings me around to another story.

A girl new to occult studies posted on a Heathen message board a bit ago. According to this girl, she had encountered Odin in a dream, and thus concluded she was destined to become a great Viking Shaman. She wanted to know how to do this. Except this happened on the internet, and she phrased her question as she had her story—in net speak:

“Can I haz shaman now?”

No she cannot has shaman now. Not to be mean, but that’s the honest answer to her question, which some one on the forum observed. She was informed that it’s literally impossible to be a Viking shaman, as Shamanism is a tradition insularly separated from the Vikings religiously, culturally, and geographically.

The term “Viking” should also be put into context, as this is also not what the girl meant, nor quite what my old boss meant (though he was closer to the mark). The “Vikings” were the people who went a-viking, which meant either trading, exploring, or pillaging by ship, and it is derived from the term “vik” meaning “bay.” Lots of Germanic people raided and traded by “Viking”has its own meaning.

Many modern Heathens identify with the Norse cultures, but many are pan-Germanic, Anglo-Saxon, Old Saxon, or Pennsylvania Dutch—completely separate form religious practices of the Scandinavians who went a-viking. And while the world’s economy is bad, the invention of the 401K package to mean most are financially stable enough not to need to vike anymore.

I won’t disparage peoples’ personal practices. Syncretic worship is perfectly fine. But some traditions and beliefs have such a divergence in their goals and ideology that while they may work for an individual, they cannot be practiced traditionally without ideologies conflicting.

The truth is you cannot be a Viking Shaman—at least not as either of those terms were contextually used.

Now, you can adhere to shamanistic practices.   But there’s a difference between shamanic and shamanistic practices.

One can study Heathenry and all of it’s history, lore, and mysteries. And one can learn the old ways of the Shaman among the Siberians who beat their drums about the sacred flames.

But the term “shaman” means more than most realize, and if one wants to be a shaman, it is a long personal pursuit. A personal pursuit for a personal practice. However, for communal worship, one cannot faithfully practice Shamanism while trying to force it to fit another style of worship, such as the Germanic faith worshipped by the Vikings.

So no, you cannot “has Viking shaman.”