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Authors: Chris Knowles

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Modern-day alchemists dream of a New Age in which the occult sciences and technology are no longer in opposition—a time when things now unmeasurable can be understood and utilized. In this context, pop-culture stories of psychic powers and occultism need not be taken literally, but can be seen as a means to keep us aware of possibilities beyond the reach of our present understanding. These stories of supernatural power can act like a carrot at the end of the stick—forever elusive, moving us toward a mythical state of perfection.

Some argue that our present-day rationalist, reductionist viewpoint is a relic of the Industrial Age, a necessary but obsolete transitional phase to a more complex understanding. Our ability to track events in the world is increasing our appreciation of the fractal patterns of reality, what Carl Jung referred to as “synchronicity,” or meaningful coincidence. We have greater access to information, and thus have a greater capacity to recognize patterns in events that would once have eluded us. As our means of perceiving the world increase and expand, perhaps our appreciation of certain occult sciences will increase as well. Perhaps an increased understanding of Jung's synchronicity will lead us to a better understanding of divination systems like astrology and the Tarot. Perhaps we will come to appreciate the Zodiac, not as some spiritual force controlling our lives, but as a giant clock that helps us forecast conditions that reoccur cyclically during certain planetary conjunctions.

The collision of science, morality, and magic is being played out hundreds of times a month in comic books and other media, showing us the implications of superhuman potential. Is this an unconscious form of preparation for an inevitable shift in human reality? Should we pay more careful attention to the visionaries and lunatics who anticipate the future in comic-book storylines? In that supernatural realm called the human imagination, comic-book creators like Alan Moore and Alex Ross may be time-travelers, forecasting the future for us and showing us the way. It's funny how it all seems so similar to the ancient myths.

The past and future are always with us.

162
Stan Lee himself has his own reality show on the SciFi network entitled
Who Wants to Be a Superhero?
where contestants essentially audition to become gods.

163
Jeff Jensen, “The Powers that Be,”
EW
, #906, p. 32.

164
See Marilyn Ferguson,
The Aquarian Conspiracy
(New York: St. Martin's, 1980).

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———.
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———.
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———.
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———.
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INDEX

A

Achilles
26
,
124
,
160

Action Comics
59
,
115
,
120
,
122
,
165
,
184

Adams, Neal
122
,
147

148
,
175
,
176
,
207
,
214

Affleck, Ben
123
,
152

Age of Horus
56
,
59

Alba, Jessica
168

Alchemy
37
,
38
,
39
,
42
,
53
,
131
,
143

Alexander the Great
27

Alice Cooper
18

Aliens
(film)
168
,
196

All Story
75
,
88

Allred, Mike
42

Amazing Stories
81

83
,
98
,
99
,
109

Amazons (historical)
160
,
162
,
163

America's Best Comics
201

American Gods
203

American Revolution
40
,
195

AMORC
39

Anarchism
33

34

Animal Man
204

Antichrist
56
,
98
,
167

Aphrodite
162
,
163

A.R.E.
62

Argosy
73
,
89
,
94

Art Deco
193

Arthur, Arthurian mythos
77
,
113
,
132
,
170
,
181
,
183
,
194

Ascended Masters
48
,
96
,
114
,
179
,
181

Astral projection
88
,
96
,
127
,
151

Atlantean Hall of Records
62

Atlantis
51
,
62
,
88
,
93
,
114
,
127
,
128
,
177
,
195
,
206

Atom
138
,
169
,
170

Authority, The
171

Avenger, the
79
,
81

Avengers
(comics)
132
,
159
,
169
,
170
,
171
,
198

Avengers
(TV)
160
163

B

Bailey, Alice
28
(footnote),
52

Baker, Matt
165

Balder
29

Barker, Clive
213

Barsoom
88

Batman xiii,
3
,
4
,
6
,
7
,
10
,
11
,
12
,
16
,
42
,
80
,
115
,
145
,
146

151
,
152
,
154
,
155
,
170
,
171
,
198
,
204
,
205
,
206
,
211

Beck, CC
124
,
126
,
139

Beowulf
29
,
204

Besant, Anne
39
,
50

Beyond Good and Evil
56

Bible, The xii,
4
,
10
,
27

28
,
41

2

Billy Batson
11
124

126
,
128
,
131

Birdman
12
,
130

BOOK: Our Gods Wear Spandex
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