Launched in mid-December, Trigger 93 describes itself as “a radical new journal of literature, art, and the uncanny”, one that “juxtaposes magic(k)ally informed works created by established artists and academics with similar works created by established practitioners of magic(k)”. The journal is edited by Ayesha Adamo.
The first issue focuses on the Word, and includes contributions from Michael Taussig, James A Eshelman, Simryn Gill, Mikala Dwyer and Tamara Wyndham, amongst others.
The journal retails for 11$US and is available for purchase online.
I received a review copy a few weeks ago, and my review will be up shortly on SpiralNature.com.
It looks like a great new journal, and I look forward to reading future issues.
Update: Review has been posted here.
My review of Sexual Outlaw, Erotic Mystic: The Essential Ida Craddock, by Vere Chappell (Weiser, 2010) is up on SpiralNature.com here.
Craddock was indeed a remarkable person, but some of her notions about what was proper are… Well, here’s a quote from her 1900 treatise, “The Wedding Night”:
To approach a woman’s genitals with the finger for the purpose of excitation, is distinctly masturbative, and therefore wrong. The only lawful finger of love at her genitals is his sexual love organ.
It’s almost cute.
Actually, Craddock’s forthright approach to sex was fairly unique for its time, though much of what she wrote seems antiquated today it’s still a fascinating read. Continue reading »
Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods, directed by Patrick Meaney
Halo 8, 80 minutes, 2010
I suspect there are only a few kinds of people who’ll be interested in the documentary Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods – either serious documentary fans, devoted comic-book readers, or magical practitioners. Each of them will come away from this film quite happy.
Director Patrick Meaney largely works with a familiar pattern for this kind of celebrity documentary – one of mostly stepping back and letting the interviews (and, of course, editing) tell the story. There are several attempts to visually represent the psychedelic elements of the tale created by cinematographer Jordan Rennert, though the results are far less annoying than is often the case in such films! The perspective is mostly one which aims at the comic-reading audience, introducing them fairly gently to the core of occult thought that permeates his work.
The film opens with a montage of several comic-book writers and artists talking about Morrison’s reputation as a very successful comics creator who is also out as a practicing chaos magician who’s no stranger to psychedelics – and the usual kind of “drug-crazed madman” rumours that inevitably follow. Continue reading »
