spandex and monster (cosplay, comics, paranormal, and fetish items from Jerry Williams))

Harry Potter and friends engage in wizard's chess In this fictional world of Harry Potter, there is a game along with quiddich called wizard's chess which is training for young wizards to hone their power.  What is surprising is that there is actually a modified chess game which allegedly used the game to both instruct and channel the occult.  Chess as a game has an unclear origin, but most believe it was a cross breed of european, hebrew, and some Asian games.  A favorite of nobility...chess became the game of kings, and has retained a mystical aura from its beginnings to modern times. The modern magic movement started in the late 1800's with the hemetic order of the golden dawn, and they adopted and modified the enochian magic system of occult astrologer John Dee who was an important part of Queen Elizabeth I. Royal magician of the court, John Dee S.L. Macgregor Mathers, Leader of the Golden Dawn finished the wizard chess rules of Dee into the form where it could played...

Victoria Cosplay Victoria Cosplay In this episode of spandex and monster, we return to the cosplay aspect and celebrate superheroine cosplay with well known Victoria Cosplay.    Here are a few of her recent efforts with cosplay. fantasy and comic book heroine cosplay outfits from recent photo shoots Steampunk Alice in Wonderland Snow White cosplay photo shoot, photo by Piera oddly enough, predicting the Disney/Star Wars merger from a recent NY comicon For more information about Victoria, see her website. Victoria Cosplay (official site) Victoria Cosplay (fanpage) Muchas gracias Victoria! La Mujer Murcielago or 'The batwoman' from Mexico In Mexico, the Luchador or masked wrestlers have a popular place in Mexician culture, and the line between wrestling and superheroes gets blurry.   The most popular one is the immortal El Santo who starred in a series of quick exploitation films who would fight secret age...

magic 8 ball, and it's occult connection Everyone has dabbled with the magic 8 ball at least once.  A crystal ball novelty toy with a free floating die in a blue dissolved fluid with 20 possible answers from 'yes' to 'reply hazy'.  What is less known is that this novelty toy has roots in automatic writing and spiritualism.  Albert C. Carter, son of a medium from Cincinnati, created the prototype for the magic 8 ball or as it was known The Syco-Seer , and was based on his mother's automatic writings devices. Syco seer variation called the Syco-slate late 40's Carter approached storekeeper Max Levinson, and together they created the novelty devices for his shop and acquired the patent for the syco seer.  Levinson and his brother in law modified the original patent into something Though the original syco seer didn't grab the national attention, the revamped product caught the attention of Chicago's Brunswick Billiards, and in 1950 they commissioned  a v...

Watchmen, and possible parallel universe Few can deny comic book writer Alan Moore, has altered the shape of comic books (much to his chagrin), and now it is common to see a 'superhero' film aimed at adults or tackling adult themes.  His work is primarily focused on the comic book medium, and after finding himself in legal hassles over the idea of league of extraordinary of gentlemen where a 'hollywood' producer claimed Moore stole his idea for a film, Moore swore off all things cinema and hollywood (it's not uncommon for him to remove his name from any cinema adaption of his works).  Primarily, Moore focuses on his work in the comic book medium. writer and occultist Alan Moore Moore also is into the occult and lists himself as a ceremonial magician and uses these techniques in his writings.  Primarily he believes in the concept of 'idea space' whereas the concept of characters and interaction give birth to the writings of the writer, ie, there a...

'Dark Mary Marvel' is now seen by cosplay artists Mary Marvel was the first female spin off a male comic book superhero (Captain Marvel), and Mary Marvel predated Supergirl by at least a decade.  She is the long lost sister of Billy Batson, and when she utters the word Shazam...she is given powers from the wizard Shazam, although her heroes are different from Billy Batson. Mary Marvel was introduced in Fawcett comics Mary's design and personality was created by artist Marc Swayze.  He dramatically embued Mary Marvel's design and personality upon American actress Judy Garland . Judy Garland in a still from the wizard of Oz Over time, Mary's origin, powers, and costume have changed, but the core idea of a woman powered by magic is still a popular one.  Mary along with Supergirl, Power girl, and Wonder Woman is a staple with cosplay artists, and comic book conventions worldwide.  Alan Moore's legendary 'missing series' twilight of th...

President Nixon, terrorism, and the soothsayer  President Nixon who believed in psychic Jeane Dixon  In this post 9/11 world, many don't realize that most of the nation's infrastructure to antiterrorism had its origin with President Nixon and the soothsayer, celebrity psychic Jeane Dixon.  At that point in her career, Dixon had made several psychic claims that had come to pass (notably the assassination of President Kennedy).   Dixon was well known, and was a consultant to several presidents. astrologer and psychic Jeane Dixon In 1949, she predicted Nixon would become president, most scoffed at the idea, but it came to pass that Nixon had indeed become the president of the United States.  Some of her predictions did not pan out, but some of them actually came true to her predictions.  It was this sometimes positive result, that some in power secretly consulted her.  Dixon was a cause of chagrin to the Reagan administration since Nancy Reagan w...

Michael Keaton as Batman (1989) Few characters evoke such primal reactions as Batman.  Created from violence, Bruce Wayne dedicates his life to fighting crime.  His adversaries are a rolling register of  flamboyant criminals that are carnival mirrors of the madness lurking in the human soul.  I love the cosplay culture, but there is a darker world where some lose track of reality.  You could argue about that point with any pop culture aspect, and I still remember the frantic mania of people convinced my time at roleplaying games would led to madness, and craziness from alleged backward music on those judas priest tapes.  For the record, I had a blast role playing, and the hysteria involving dungeons and dragons along metal music was just smoke and hot air,  Hysteria is the shortcut sometimes when it comes to cosplay, comics, and other pop culture items.  The media will create a slot if one doesn't exist and now that roleplaying games a...