114: Self-Actualizing Through Nerd Fandoms & The 'Four Color Grimoire'

Welcome back to Black Hoodie Alchemy, folks! This time around, I have a solo episode diving deeply into something that has really saved me over my medical recovery this year: my nerd fandoms. And I do it all with the help of my friend and colleague, Eric Millar's beautifully written book: The Four Color Grimoire, taking the time to read the first five chapters.

Comic books, video games, movies, television, and pop culture do something for us that is often hard to describe. Past the corporate mill that churns out sales according to data, these ideas often stem from the genuine and unique places within a creator's life, mind and spirit. Things like comic books and video games have long since been a lifeblood for unique story-telling that would not be given a chance in other medias. And when they get into real world-building, it becomes an even greater inspiration.

Whether its Spider-Man, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars or Trek, Fallout, et cetera, these stories and lores and characters strike at archetypal components of our imagination and can help us connect with ourselves in new ways that other schools of thought or spiritual traditions might have trouble addressing properly.

Nerd fandoms are unbound aside from the artistic spirit that creates them, and this not only gives them utility beyond our regular traditions, but separates them from those traditions. It would be improper to call superheroes modern analogues of old gods, because they represent a deeper human authenticity. Suffice it to say that in the same way that science fiction has helped inspire modern scientific advancements, other nerd fandoms provide such inspiration.

I hope you dig the listen this week and thanks for tuning in.

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WE THE HALLOWED MEDIA

BHA episodes with Eric Millar:

Existential Fury

Garbage Wizardry

OG Comics and mysticism pt 1

OG Comics and mysticism pt 2 (with Martin Ferretti)

This week's featured music -- some fire nerd-culture-heavy boombap from some master musicians!

Chances Are - The Liberators

Batman vs Joker - Alex Arck

Model Citizen - Babylon Warchild

Talkin Durty to the Godz - Tainted Wisdom x Babylon Warchild