Sean Rodman's Blog, page 15
March 15, 2013
brianmichaelbendis:
The Avengers #153, November 1976, cover...
The Avengers #153, November 1976, cover by Jack Kirby and Al Milgrom
Seriously, a villain called The Whizzer? Dressed in yellow? And his power is…?
March 14, 2013
March 13, 2013
distortus:
The Codex Gigas was once considered the eighth...
The Codex Gigas was once considered the eighth wonder of the world; the book is three feet long and weighs a hundred and sixty-five pounds. It has 600 pages which, contrary to legend, are made from calf skins, not donkey skins.
The Codex Gigas includes a combination of texts found nowhere else. In addition to the full text of the Latin bible, the book contains herbals, history books, cures for dangerous illnesses, texts caring for the soul, medical formulas for treating illnesses and diseases, conjurations, and even solutions to problems such as finding a thief.
The book got the nickname of The Devil’s Bible because it is the only bible to include such a large portrait of the devil. Half-clothed in royal ermine; half man, half beast; with claws, cloven hooves, and a huge serpentine red tongue, the drawing shows Satan walled up in a cell alone rather than loosed in Hell. Immediately across from the devil is a portrait of the Kingdom of Heaven, creating an interesting contrast [see here].
According to the Kungl Biblioteket, legend had it that the book was written by a monk condemned to be walled up alive. To spare his life, he promised his bishop that he would create the most wonderful book the world had ever seen, including the text of the Bible and the sum of all human knowledge up to that point in time – and he would do it in one night.
In order to accomplish this impossible task, he sold his soul to the devil. The legend is actually based on a misinterpretation of the word “inclusus” as the punishment of being walled up alive, but which actually refers to a monk choosing to live in a solitary cell away from the others.
Despite the legend involving the devil, in the time of the inquisition, this codex was kept by the monastery and studied by many scholars to this day.
March 12, 2013
A ridiculous yet appealing tumblr!
unypl:
On the left she’s...
What does it look like to fall off a mountain? Let’s...
What does it look like to fall off a mountain? Let’s watch! (video)
March 11, 2013
March 8, 2013
Again, love the films of Seth Worley. This one is a sweet riff...
Again, love the films of Seth Worley. This one is a sweet riff on dads, daughters, and bombs. @Awakeland3D
Eight Ways Writing a Novel Can Broaden Your Horizons
Miriam Joy and Charley Robson are Wrimos, high-schoolers, and all-around all-stars, who’ve recently co-authored a book. St. Mallory’s Forever! was independently published this past month. As young writers themselves, they took the time to share just how writing a novel can enrich, empower, and edify:
Though the title of ‘published author’ can take time to achieve, we’ve proudly been writers for years. Both of us have been writing since before we hit ten. That’s all very well, you might say, but surely it’s not terribly fulfilling for young people to spend their free time staring at a backlit screen, drumming their fingers on the keyboard and plotting the defenestration of that mocking, blinking, monitor.
But apart from the proper usage of various antiquated torture devices, and the effects of different types of alcohol, we’ve also learned a few more philosophical—and, one might say, surprising—things:
Noveling has taught us to be interested in people, places and experiences that we would otherwise have ignored, to be sensitive to cultures we have no part in, and to be patient in our judgement of others’ thoughts and motivations.
