K.M. Alexander's Blog, page 36

H.P. Lovecraft Really Liked Sending Christmas Poetry

Hey, it’s December 2nd, how’d that happen? For a while now, I’ve taken the holiday season as an opportunity to share some of Lovecraft’s more seasonal, often strange, and always festive poetry. I even put a handy guide together last year. Many of these poems are filled with inside jokes and were written for specific individuals (and sometimes cats.)

But there was one poem that, until recently, I hadn’t been able to track down. Lovecraft’s 1918 verse: To the A.H.S.P.C., on Receipt of the Christmas Pippin—hplovecraft.com, my go-to respiratory didn’t have it, and it wasn’t in any of the books in my collections. After some searching, I finally found a copy on the Hungarian site hplovecraft.hu and I present it here as written.

 To the A.H.S.P.C., on Receipt

of the Christmas Pippin

Like some astronomer, whose dazzled gaze

Looks for a star, but finds the moon’s bright rays,

The carping critick trembles with surprise

As the new Pippin greets his awestruck eyes!

Precocious train, whose infant genius glows

In faultless verse and Addisonian prose;

Whose countless talents scintillate and shine

Thro’ polish’d paragraph and lustrous line;

What ag’d assemblage can compare with you?—

Your gifts so many, yet your years so few!

High o’er the band euphonious HARPER tow’rs,

Blest with a poet’s and a cynic’s pow’rs;

Who can with equal skill and vigour shew

A press club’s virtues, and November’s snow,

And hold with majesty the office of a MOE.

Not less in altitude, nor less in wit,

See mighty GALPIN on his dais sit;

Swiftest of bards, whose hasting pen can trace

Impromptu numbers—foremost in the race!

From him we turn to THAYER—refulgent star—

(Tho’ inter nos methinks we turn not far:)

Experience gleams thro’ each pathetic verse—

O leer ye not—some day you’ll suffer worse!

But see!—above the present’s tawdry theme

Soars a fleet WING, with high auspicious dream;

Prophetic singer! ere thy lines are done,

Rejoicing Freedom views the vanquish’d Hun!

All hail, FRANCISCO, who canst rhyme so well

Of the once-potent autocrat of h***:

Proud Lucifer a rival King must own,

Who keeps his evil, tho’ he lose his throne!

Now comes the prose, but sure, the change is slight

When we behold YEED’S ethereal flight:

With airy grace she sails celestial deeps,

And finds the wealth that pleasing Fancy keeps.

More fancy shines as we admiring look

At Santa’s tale—Pieria’s undamm’d brook;

With tranquil tide the stream melodious flows,

And poesy beams thro’ the faultless prose.

The page now blazes with collegiate fire,

As M. PATRICIA smites the sounding lyre;

In classic halls a virtuous phantom see,

To mould the lives of heroes soon to be!

Christmas again! This time a RYAN’S quill

Describes the w. k. season of good will;

Each reader praises, as his eyes behold

A noble theme, and classic style, unroll’d.

Such are the parts—what language can we find

To sing the merits of the whole combin’d?

Superlatives in vain the critick tries

In praise of aught so witty and so wise

Old age, with friendly grandpaternal glance,

Surveys each prodigy in swift advance:

If in the youthful mind such art appears,

What heights of glory wait your riper years?

As far as Lovecraftian holiday verse goes, it’s not my favorite (that honor goes to Yule Horror.) I have no idea why “hell” is censored when he uses it freely in other work. (Call of Cthulhu comes to mind, among others.) Maybe the AHSPC was more prudish?

For those wondering: a “pippin” is a type of apple, not a 90s NBA star. I’m guessing the capitalized words are names calling out members of the AHSPC. Galpin shows up in other works as well (and was reportedly the inspiration for Old Bugs.) Lovecraft didn’t stop with this poem, he also wrote a similar one thanking the AHSPC for the May Pippin. Because of course.

All this and much much more is collected in S. T. Joshi’s The Ancient Track: The Complete Poetical Works of H. P. Lovecraft so if you’re hankering for more of Lovecraft’s weird verse, it’s a solid collection and a good place to start (and end actually, it has everything.)

Want to stay in touch with me? Sign up for Dead Drop, my rare and elusive newsletter. Subscribers get news, previews, and notices on my books before anyone else delivered directly to their inbox. I work hard to make sure it’s not spammy and full of interesting and relevant information.  SIGN UP TODAY →

The 2018 Lovecraft-Inspired Holiday Gift Guide

The List of Lists is back for its 5th year and it’s bigger than ever! Once again I’ve assembled a highly curated collection of Lovecraft-related items for your holiday season. Here you can find a plethora of paraphernalia for the weird-fiction fanatic, cosmic-horror connoisseur, or mythos maniac in your life. (And maybe a little something for yourself. You need gifts too.) As with previous years, I’ve worked to assemble a list of great items for all ages and budgets.

As before, I’ve organized the list by category and ordered them by price making it easy to browse. Have a favorite new weird or mythos-themed item I left off? Leave a comment at the bottom and let everyone know! Appreciate the work I put into this list? Please share it with your friends! Happy shopping!

QUICK LINKS
Books • Music • Apparel • Games • Housewares • Miskatonic

BOOKS

[image error]The Sea Dreams it is the Sky by John Hornor Jacobs

$3.99 (eBook)

A new cosmic horror novella written by one of the most talented new mythos voices working today. A young professor finds herself meeting a mysterious poet known only as “The Eye.” Her relationship leads to an ancient and profane grimoire and a pull home that cannot be ignored. (Also look into John’s fantastic and wonderfully weird Incorruptibles series.)

[image error]A Song for Quiet by Cassandra Khaw

$11.99 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $3.99 (eBook)

Returning to the world of the haunted John Persons from her debut novella Hammer on the Bone (Featured in 2017’s Gift Guide) Khaw introduces us to rambling bluesman Deacon James who’s horn calls up far more than he bargained in this gritty cosmic horror novella.

[image error]The Stars Were Right by K. M. Alexander

$14.00 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $2.51 (eBook)

With Book Four on the way, now is the perfect time to start reading my Bell Forging Cycle. Follow Waldo Bell as he is sent careening through the multi-level megalopolis of Lovat fighting to clear his name as he’s stalked by a bloodthirsty killer. It’s mystery and monsters, chases and cults, and an ancient evil in a world that is similar but not quite like our own.

[image error]Sip by Brian Allen Carr

$15.00 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $9.99 (eBook)

This poetic and wildly bizarre post-apocalyptic novel hooked me from the beginning. A story of violence and addiction set in a world where people can drink (and then begin to crave) shadows. Wildly creative, gritty as hell, raw, unapologetic, and wonderfully written—Sip is a must-read for weird fiction fans that like their weird on the darker side.

[image error]Beneath by Kristi DeMeester

$16.99 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $6.99 (eBook)

Set in rural Appalachia, Beneath follows Cora Mayburn, a journalist, assigned to cover a snake-handling cult. Struggling against her own history, Cora soon discovers there is much more going on behind the fundamentalist sect. Something darker, something that lies… beneath. (Signed paperback & ebook bundle available directly from Word Horde.)

[image error]Deep Roots by Ruthanna Emrys

$20.19 + Free Shipping (Hardcover) $13.99 (eBook)

The second novel of the Innsmouth Legacy Series (the first of which was featured in 2017’s Holiday Gift Guide) follows Aphra Marsh as she seeks to reclaim the village of Innsmouth—her homeland—from the hands of greedy developers. This is much more than a struggle over land, people begin to go missing and Marsh must unravel the mystery before losing everything.

[image error]The Searching Dead by Ramsey Campbell

$30.13 + Free Shipping (Hardcover)

The first novel of The Three Births of Daoloth, the first cosmic horror series from Ramsey Campbell, arguably one of the greatest modern horror writers of our time. Dominic Sheldrake is a student in ’50s Liverpool who’s field trip to France revels much more than he expected and exposed him to secrets much darker and deeper than he could begin to realize.

Not finding a book you like? Check out the books featured on one of the previous guides.

• 2014’s Books • 2015’s Books • 2016’s Books • 2017’s Books •

MUSIC & AUDIO

[image error]Yog-Sothoth by Cryo Chamber

$9.00 (Digital Download) $19.00 + Shipping (CD)

The latest in their Lovecraftian dark ambient soundscapes, the crew of Cryo Chamber creates an album of surrealist dread that takes us across the eons and is fitting for the outer god of time. (If you really want to full experience I highly recommend the full Lovecraft Bundle as a set they’re damn near perfect. This is music I like to write to.)

[image error]The Music of Erich Zann by Forma Tadre

€9.00 ($10.00 USD) (Digital Download)

I found myself pleasantly surprised by this album—and I’m not generally into EDM. A mix of dark ambient and German electronic with a touch of industrial The Music of Erich Zann takes the 1925 story into some interesting places. If you’re a Lovecraft-loving EDM fan then you’ll be right at home with Forma Tadre’s labor of love.

[image error]Black Goat Of The Woods by Black Mountain Transmitter

£8.99 ($12.00 USD) + Shipping (CD) £4.00 ($5.00 USD) (Digital Download)

This hard-to-find ode to the lore of Shub Niggurath has been recently re-released. A forgotten and distorted ambient soundtrack to a horror movie you’ve never seen and one you might not want to. Atmospheric and haunting it’s the perfect companion to a gaming session or a late night read.

[image error]An Even Scarier Solstice

$20.00 + Shipping (CD)

The H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society is known for quality audio productions (among other things) and this incredible follow-up to their A Very Scary Solstice album continues to inject cosmic horror into songs styled after classic Christmas music. The perfect soundtrack for those yule nights before the fire with a cup of mulled wine—also for creeping out the family.

Not finding any music or audio that interests you? Check out one of the previous guides.

• 2014’s Music • 2015’s Music • 2016’s Music • 2017’s Music •

APPAREL

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Bell Caravans Patch

$5.00 + Shipping (Order by Dec. 10th for Christmas Delivery.)

This beautiful 3″ patch, designed by illustrator Sean Cumiskey, is the perfect way of declaring your loyalty to your beloved caravan master. Put it on your backpack, a tote, or display it on the sleeve of your jacket, just make sure the world knows who you roll with. [From the pages of the Bell Forging Cycle.]

[image error]The Call of Cthulhu Tee

€20.00 ($26.00 USD) + Shipping (Order Early)

I don’t feature a lot of T-shirts on here because most Lovecraftian-themed shirts come across as a bit… uh, silly. More comedic in tone than anything cosmic. But this shirt from Credo quia Absurdum is different, like most of their work, it draws off ancient esoterica to create stunning designs that feel more darkly authentic than cheesy.

[image error]Deep One Brooch

$25.00 (Silver) + Shipping (Order Early)

Ignore Zadok Allen’s warnings, that man’s just an ol’ drunk. No one pays attention to him anymore. This small resin brooch with silver leaf was apparently worn by members of Innsmouth’s elite Esoteric Order of Dagon. Each item—and there are a limited few—comes in its own specimen box. Worthy of any Innsmouth collector.

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Octopus Tentacle Ring

$35.92 USD (Sterling Silver) + Shipping

This charming little ring from Serebra Jewelry is delightfully detailed and evokes the reaching tentacles of Cthulhu himself. The ring is made from .925 Sterling silver and adjusts to fit fingers from size 4-14. Consider pairing this with the tentacle ear cuffs as well. After all, a Cthulhu devotee might as well double down on their devotion.

[image error]Cthulhu Cufflinks

$36.00 (Golden Brass) $66.00 (Sterling Silver)

You’re a person of taste and refinement. Culture. Perhaps you’re a bit fancier than your average cultist (or this humble author) and you need to wear fancy shirts that require cufflinks. Well, you can go wrong with these lovely little monstrosities. Stylized images of Cthulhu that remain as terrifying as they are tasteful.

[image error]Bell Caravans Hoodie

$55.00 + Shipping

Join the caravan with this classic zip hoodie with a warm fleece lining. The full Bell Caravans logo designed by Sean Cumiskey is on the back, while the small wheel-and-bell symbol resides on the front. Stay warm, look good, fight the Firsts. [From the pages of the Bell Forging Cycle.]

[image error]Large Elder Goddess Tentacle Horns

$225.00 + Shipping

Looking for the perfect piece to take your Pan + Cthulhu cosplay to the next level? (The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young was Cthulhu’s grandmother after all.) Consider these tentacle “horns” which come in a variety of incredible colors or customized to your liking. Do these look too large? Fret not, they also come in a smaller size for more subdued dreaming.

Not finding any apparel you like? Check out apparel on one of the previous guides.

• 2014’s Apparel • 2015’s Apparel • 2016’s Apparel • 2017’s Apparel •

GAMES

[image error]The Shrouded Isle

$9.99 (Digital Download)

In this management sim from Kitfox Games, you play the high priest of an island cult working to fulfill the orders of Chernobog. To do this you must bring about the apocalypse, choosing servants to sacrifice. Each game is procedurally generated yet a surprisingly engaging foray into the dark world of the island’s inhabitants. Complex and addictive.

[image error]Cultist Simulator

$19.99 (Digital Download)

I featured Cultist Simulator last year when it was in alpha, and I’m leaving it on here this year because it has launched and it is amazing. Beginnings have to start somewhere, Alexis Kennedy—director and writer of Sunless Sea (Featured in the 2015 Gift Guide)—explores the rise of a Lovecraft-esque cult in a strange little narrative card game.

[image error]The Doom that Came to Atlantic City

$75.00 + Shipping (Price may vary depending on availability)

Here’s a twist on a Lovecraftian board game. In this, you play as one of the Lovecraft’s great old-ones and you’ve recently been awakened by one of your mischievous cults and called back to… Atlantic City? But your not alone, you’re competing with your fellow elder-things and trying to crush houses and hotels, shatter realities, call down doom.

[image error]Cthulhu: Death May Die

$100 and up + Shipping

The ritual is already happening and it’s up to you and your team of investigators to stop the madness and maybe shoot an elder god in the face. Featuring beautiful figures, engaging gameplay, and loads of scenarios. There’s a lot to unpack and Death My Die looks to be more than just a game, it’s a lifestyle.

[image error]CARCOSA: Rise of the Cult

$249.99 (Three Shipments)

Not a games as much as experiences, the Mysterious Package Company tells engaging and customizable stories through the mail. They’re like an interactive alternative reality game. This latest production explores the mystery surrounding a secret society honoring the sinister Yellow King. It’s up to you to decide what is true and what is a fabrication.

Not finding a game you’d enjoy? Check out the games on one of the previous guides.

• 2014’s Games • 2015’s Games • 2016’s Games • 2017’s Games •

HOUSEWARES

[image error]Cree-Pee Lovecraftian Portfolio

$8.50 + Shipping (Single) $15.00 + Shipping (Three Pack)

A humorous riff on the classic Pee-Chee folders from yesteryear replaces the sporting life with the esoteric investigatory life. The sort that includes monsters and cults and running from monsters and cults. Also research, always research. Pay close attention to the interior flaps as well, you’ll find a lot of handy information within.

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King in Yellow Christmas Cards

$12.00 + Shipping

I’ve long been a fan of Heather Hudson’s illustrations, and her Lovecraftian Christmas Cards are the perfect way to add a little cosmic horror to the holiday season. There’s more than just the King in Yellow, she also has several sets based on the Dreamlands stories and a more general Lovecraftiana set. Also available as gift wrap.

[image error]Cedric’s Eatery 11oz. Mug

$16.00 + Shipping (Order by Dec. 10th for Christmas Delivery.)

It’s cold out and you need a new mug. Why not pick one up from Lovat’s own Cedric’s Eatery located in the entresol between Levels Three and Four. An in-between place for in-between folks. Waldo Bell’s latest hangout. Fill your mug with 11 oz. of bad coffee, your favorite tea, or something stronger. [From the pages of the Bell Forging Cycle.]

[image error]Carafe of Cthulhu Designer Series Tiki Mug

$28.00 + Shipping

Cthulhu goes kitsch! Designed by William Stout, this fancy (and canon) tiki mug is perfect for your favorite tropical-themed adult beverage—or anything really. After all, we know the true translation of “Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn” happens to be “In his house at R’lyeh, chill Cthulhu sips mai tais.”

[image error]Lovecraftian R’lyeh Coin

$42.27 + Shipping

I’m a sucker for props—especially well-designed props—and I found these R’lyehian coins to be fantastic little objects. Made to order, these double-sided coins come in their own little box and feature the countenance of the great old one on the obverse and strange markings (Aklo perhaps? Gotta be.) on the reverse.

Lord Cthulhu Laser Engraving[image error]

$125.00 + Shipping (Order early)

Sometimes you’re looking for something more than just your typical print to hang on your wall. This engraved panel is different enough to stand out. Burned into maple, this limited edition beautiful laser etched engraving features the visage of the high priest of R’lyeh himself.

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Nyarlathotep Statuette

$290 + Shipping (Ships in 2019)

Paul Komoda has made a name for himself designing the maddening creatures from Lovecraft’s mythos. (He did the designs for the figures in The Doom that Came to Atlantic City.) Here he captures the Crawling Chaos showing his true form in all his terrible glory. (I particularly like the stack of books he’s standing on.)

Not finding a houseware item you like?

Check out the housewares from one of the previous guides.

• 2016’s Housewares • 2017’s Housewares •

MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY

[image error]Miskatonic University Patch

$7.50 + Shipping (Order Early)

There’s something retro in the styling of this 3-inch Miskatonic U Patch that makes it stand out from the myriad of other Lovecraft-related ephemera. The color and lettering look like something taken directly from the 20s, so it fits its era splendidly. Plus, it’d look great on your book bag.

[image error]Miskatonic Varsity Pins Vol. II

$10.00 + Shipping (Each) $65.00 + Shipping (All Eight)

The HPLHS has released another set of beautifully designed enameled pins for students of Miskatonic University. (Check out the first set here.) Perfect for your letterman jacket and a great way to show other alumni your club participation and sporting achievements.

[image error]The Antarctica Fragment

$65.00 + Shipping (Order Early)

This limited edition collector’s item is direct from the University’s Special Collections Department and taken from the Antarctica Expedition. It depicts a bizarre otherworldly scene in relief. The object comes premounted in its own velvet lined box complete with a collections tag. There’s only a handful left, so get those orders in early!

[image error]The Angell Box

$1,000 + Shipping (Order Early)

For the serious collector or the most dedicated game master. HPLHS has put together this highly detailed real-life version of the box of occult papers and artifacts left behind by Professor George Gammell Angell in the Lovecraft’s story The Call of Cthulhu. Each box is assembled by hand and takes a few weeks to prepare so order early.

Not finding any Miskatonic stuff you like?

Check out the Miskatonic University items from one of the previous guides.

• 2014’s Miskatonic • 2015’s Miskatonic • 2016’s Miskatonic • 2017’s Miskatonic •

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

So that wraps up the 5th annual List of Lists. Big thank you to the wonderful folks who read this blog, and the gibbering weirdos over at r/Lovecraft, r/Cthulhu, and r/WeirdLit who helped me pad out this list. Y’all rule. If I didn’t get to your submission, fret not, there are many more holidays ahead. I appreciate the help.

Do you have a book, game, album, or other Lovecraftian items I should feature in 2019’s Lovecraft-Inspired Holiday Gift Guide? Leave a comment below or send me an email!

Want to stay in touch with me? Sign up for Dead Drop, my rare and elusive newsletter. Subscribers get news, previews, and notices on my books before anyone else delivered directly to their inbox. I work hard to make sure it’s not spammy and full of interesting and relevant information.  SIGN UP TODAY →

#GivingTuesday: International Rescue Committee

For the last four days, we’ve been inundated with deals. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday. Today is a bit different, today is #GivingTuesday. Now in its 7th year, this is the day set aside to give back to our communities.

If you can help out at your local shelter or food bank, do. They’ll appreciate your help, and a little bit of effort will go a long way. If you’re looking for a charity to support today and you have the means, I’d like to suggest one that is near and dear to both Kari-Lise’s and my heart: the International Rescue Committee.

Founded on the request of Albert Einstein in 1933, the IRC’s goal is to provide aid to refugees displaced from war, persecution, or natural disasters and help them become self-sufficient. They originally were founded to help those fleeing from Nazi Germany but as the need grew so did their mission. Today, they do critical work, and I’m proud to be a supporter. Kari-Lise and I have sponsored families in the past, and now we give to them monthly. They make it really easy. Just click here and see how you can help.

Heck, let’s make it more interesting. Today for #GivingTuesday I’ll donate 100% of the profits for every eBook copy of The Stars Were Right purchased from my store. All $2.99 of it. You get a book, and your dollars will go towards helping out some desperate folks. Not bad, eh?

Let’s help the IRC be a refuge for the refugee.

Thank You

It’s Thanksgiving Day here in the United States, and I wanted to take a brief moment to just say thank you to all my loyal readers. There are millions and millions of books in the world, and I appreciate that you spent some of your time with my weird little series. That means a lot to me. Your passion and excitement are incredibly encouraging. I appreciate all your tweets, emails, and reviews. So, on this day of thanksgiving, I extend my heartfelt thanks to you. You’re the best.

Gifting My Books for the 2018 Holidays

Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Once again, the holiday season is upon us, and it’s time to answer questions about how you can acquire my books. Much of this remains the same as last year, but there are a few small differences. As always I break it down into signed paperbacks, regular paperbacks, and gifting ebooks.

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Raunch Review: Warhammer 40k

Raunch Reviews is a series about profanity. Not real profanity, but speculative swearing. Authors often try to incorporate original, innovative forms of profanity into our own fantastical works as a way to expand the worlds we build. Sometimes we’re successful. Often we’re not. In this series, I examine the faux-profanity from various works of sci-fi and fantasy, judge their effectiveness, and rate them on an unscientific and purely subjective scale. This is Raunch Reviews, welcome.

[image error]The Author: Dan Abnett
Work in Question: Warhammer 40k – Gaunt’s Ghosts
The Profanity: “feth”/“fething”/“fether”

Warhammer 40k’s backstory is complicated. So, let’s set the scene. The word “feth” comes from the planet Tanith, a now-dead world in the Warhammer 40k universe. Taken from the name of a forest spirit said to inhabit Tanith’s now-deceased Nalwood trees, “feth” is generally uttered as a vulgarity by Tanith’s survivors. That usage is interesting: typically, within language, the names of deities (or names in general) tend to be uttered as oaths. Yet, that isn’t the case here, to further complicate the usage, the term is mainly used by the survivors from that dead world: a military regiment known as the Tanith First-and-Only. They’re observed combining the word with others the way one would with vulgarities, epithets such as: “fething gakhead” and “tread fethers.”

While I like the added aspect of history, that doesn’t work. It’s inconsistent with language’s evolution. The fact that a grieving unit of survivors exclusively use the word further muddies things. It’s odd that the whole group would choose the name of a forest spirit from a beloved homeland and adopt it as a vulgarity. As a vulgarity, it has no impact. If anything, it’d make more sense to be generally accepted by survivors as a compliment. The name itself doesn’t mean anything offensive. If it were used as an oath, however, “feth” would have scored much higher.

Score: [image error][image error][image error] (1.5)

Previous Raunch Reviews

“Shazbot” from Garry Marshall’s Mork & Mindy and Dynamix’s Starsiege: Tribes
“Seven Hells” from George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice & Fire/Game of Thrones
“Mudblood” from J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series
“Frak” from Glen A. Larson’s, Ronald D. Moore’s, & David Eick’s Battlestar Galactica
“Jabber” from China Miéville’s Bas-Lag series
“Storm it”/”Storms”/”Storming” from Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archives

Have a suggestion for Raunch Reviews? It can be any made up slang word from a book, television show, or movie. You can email me directly with your recommendation or leave a comment below. I’ll need to spend time with the property before I’ll feel confident reviewing it, so give me a little time. I have a lot of books to read.

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The More You Read

“The more you read, the better you’re going to become as a storyteller.”

—Stan Lee

It’s been a while since I shared an inspiring quote. Who better to quote today than the irreplaceable Stan Lee? You can read my thoughts on his passing over here.

Excelsior

Yesterday, we learned that Stan Lee—creator of many of the Marvel characters we all know and love—passed away at 95. Few have profoundly shaped pop culture like him, and fewer still have instilled their values into the zeitgeist. He was incomparable, and the comics world is a lesser place without him.

My own connection with Stan Lee is tenuous. I read every comic I could get my hands on as a kid, but it was never as many as I wanted. What I did read (’80s G.I. Joe, Star Trek) wasn’t usually centered around superheroes, so I don’t have the same relationship to his creations as some of my friends. But as an adult—beyond respecting the man as a creator, storyteller, and visionary—there is also something in Stan Lee’s personal history that I’ve come to admire.

Today our culture is obsessed with the idea of young success. It’s readily apparent in the tech culture where listicles of ‘Youngest Billionaires’ and profiles of the ‘Top 30-under-30’ are standard. But that worship of young success goes well beyond the technology sector. We see it in private lives, we see it in political ones, its apparent in education, religion, and entertainment. This drive for success is heaped upon the shoulders of the next generation, they’re pushed to succeed earlier and faster than their peers. That intense pressure can be both overwhelming and debilitating.

“You know, my motto is ‘Excelsior.’ That’s an old word that means ‘upward and onward to greater glory.’ It’s on the seal of the state of New York. Keep moving forward, and if it’s time to go, it’s time. Nothing lasts forever.”

—Stan Lee

Stan Lee’s own career is an antithesis of our culture’s obsession with young success. Here’s a man who started working at Timely Comics in 1939 when he was 17. But even with mild accomplishments during The Golden Age of Comics, his career languished. It wasn’t until several decades later, after having served in WW2 and after decades of toiling away in the comic’s industry that he launched the Fantastic Four with Jack Kirby. That series transformed comics, they made superheroes people, and the Fantastic Four took off. From there his career only blossomed. Spiderman. Hulk. Thor. Black Panther. Iron Man. The X-Men. Daredevil. The Avengers. Dr. Strange. The list of his creations is nearly endless.

That is what I love about Stan Lee. He was not an overnight success. His debuts weren’t a best-seller hit. But he kept doing what he loved. He fought through those his negative emotions and experiences, and he eventually made a profound impact. But it wasn’t until his forties that he became the success we know today: a man who’s creations reshaped the entertainment world as we know it. It’s important to remember that.

I admire that grit and that tenacity. I admire the willingness to stick with one’s passions—even in the darkest of days. It’s a lesson we should take to heart. Maybe with our own creative careers, we can all strive to be a little more like Stan Lee.

Rest easy, Stan. Thank you for everything. Excelsior, indeed.

I’m Obsessed with La Machine

The French production company La Machine has been producing urban operas since the early 1990s, and to put it simply: they’re stunning. Using wood, leather, copper, or glass, they create enormous mechanical marionettes with a surrealist bent and a bit of a steampunk aesthetic. (This is particularly noticeable in their Elephant marionette.) The movements are precise and that breaths life into the machines. These creations are then used in multi-day operatics with light, sound, steam, music, and even weather effects. I find myself awe inspired every time they perform. But you can just see for yourself in the videos below.

It’s so cool. New bucket list item: see one of these productions in person. This year’s show was The Guardian of the Temple held in Toulouse, France—it was an interpretation of the myth of Ariadne, who helped Theseus defeat the Minotaur. Each production typically lasts through several acts played out through a city and performed over several days.

You can learn more about La Machine on their website. (I’ll link to the English version.) Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter. They also share much more content over on YouTube and on their Instagram. La Machine has upcoming shows scheduled for Nantes and Calais in France.

I’m excited to see what they do next.

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On Armistice

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short day ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

—John McCrae, In Flanders Fields (1915)

It’s Veterans Day here in the United States, Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth of Nations, and  Armistice Day everywhere else. A day set aside around the world to reflect on the ending of World War I which ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918—one hundred years ago today.

World War I is a moment in history we should all consider, and its one we should not forget. The outcome and ramifications of that terrible mess of a war influenced so much of the following century. So, if you’re in the States thanking a veteran, take some time to pause and reflect on WW1 as well.

If you want to know more about the Great War. Here are a few places to start.