Today is the release date for Supergods, a new work of non-fiction by Grant Morrison, author of The Invisibles, and numerous other comics.

Published by Spiegel & Grau (an imprint of Random House), Supergods bears the rather lengthy subtitle “What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human”.

Supergods explores the history and mythology of the superhero archetype. We’ve seen this before, notably in Our Gods Wear Spandex (my review here), but Grant Morrison’s likely to do it in a style unique to himself.

From the publisher’s description:

For Grant Morrison, arguably the greatest of contemporary chroniclers of the “superworld,” these heroes are powerful archetypes whose ongoing, decades-spanning story arcs reflect and predict the course of human existence: Through them we tell the story of ourselves, our troubled history, and our starry aspirations. In this exhilarating work of a lifetime, Morrison draws on art, science, mythology, and his own astonishing journeys through this shadow universe to provide the first true history of the superhero—why they matter, why they will always be with us, and what they tell us about who we are . . . and what we may yet become.

For more, see Scott Thill’s interview with Morrison in Wired.

Despite David Itzkoff’s mixed-to-negative review in The New York Times, I’m looking forward to reading this.

I know you’ve been asking yourself “What would a teaspoonful of neutron star do to you?” The answer: bad things.

Or you may be asking “Where has Psyche gone?” The answer is: nowhere really. I’ve just been busy. (Sorry.)

As it happens I’m still around, often on Twitter and Facebook, and I recently joined Google+ – which is pretty nifty. I blogged my initial thoughts about G+ over here. (BTW: if you’re intrigued and want an invite let me know and I will hook you up.)

I’ve also been posting reviews on Spiral Nature (see below for the full list of new stuff), and I have a few pieces forthcoming in various occult journals – further details upon publication.

Neat stuff keeps happening, and I want to share it. I don’t know where the time goes.

Here are a few things I’ve found:

• John Coulthart shares HP Loevcraft’s favourite artists over on Tor.com. Among them are Henry Fuseli, Francisco Goya and Sidney Sime. Also included? Lovecraft’s first sketch of Cthulhu. Nifty.
• Kalagni has great advice for sex with angels over on Blue Flame Magick. All the stuff you wanted to know, but were afraid to ask. Pro-tip: plan for bukakke.
• On Enfolding.org, Amy Hale discusses Pagan “Elders”, and challenges the term, even as it’s usage is growing. I’m not a big fan of the term myself, especially when most Pagan “Elders” are self-proclaimed.
• In other news, NewScientist shares a field guide to bullshit in an interview with Stephen Law, regarding his new book, Believing Bullshit. Could be useful. *cough*
• In Austria a Pastafarian has wont he right to wear a pasta strainer in his driver’s license photo. It’s religious headgear, you see.

As mentioned above, since our last Saturday Signal, our sister site has posted a number of new reviews which may be of interest:

• Divine Duality, reviewed by Ryan Valentine
• Defense Against the Dark, reviewed by Gesigewigu’s
• Man-Made Monsters, reviewed by me
• Teachings of the Santeria Gods, reviewed by Lilith Saintcrow
• Gift of the Dreamtime, reviewed by L. D. Taylor
• Witch Hunts, reviewed by Mike Gleason
• Loneliness and Revelation, reviewed by me
• Swami Panchadasi’s Clairvoyance & Occult Powers, reviewed by Gesigewigu’s
• The Weiser Field Guide to the Paranormal, reviewed by Lilith Saintcrow

And that’s the signal for this week.

I’ve missed you guys. What’s new with you?

The lovely Bkwyrm, whose review site is now archived on Hermetic.com, has created a new forum for unconventional parents called Parentes Nefarii.

I got into magick predominantly in my teens, and it’s been interesting watching the transitions of various friends as they integrate their magickal practice and alternative spiritualities into the traditional life streams of school, work, families. Many are navigating the bulk of it alone, often with partners who are sympathetic, but not always practitioners themselves.

I guess that’s where forums like this can help, by providing a space where occult parents or anyone involved with kids can get together, chat, problem solve and/or gripe about issues that arise.

Parentes Nefarii is described as a place

for parents (or parents-to-be) who are involved in the occult to come and discuss issues specific to these topics, and the intersection of these topics.

It’s intended for “mothers, fathers, step-parents, non-custodial parents”, pretty much anyone “as long as there’s a kid in your life and it impacts your spiritual practice in some way”.

If this sounds like you, stop by and check it out.