Monster of the Week: The Griffin

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Griffin mosaic from the Acropolis of Rhodes, ca. 200 BCE

Griffin mosaic, Acropolis of Rhodes, ca 200 BCE

…but the Griffin hath a body bigger than eight Lions, and stronger than 100 Eagles, for certainly he will bear to his Nest flying, a Horse and a Man upon his Back, or two Oxen yoked together as they go to Plow, for he hath long Nails on his Feet as great as Horns of Oxen, and of those they make Cups there to drink with, and of his Ribs they do make Bows to shoot with.
—John Mandeville, The Voyages and Travels, 1357

The Griffin (also Griffon, Gryphon, or Grype, among other variants) is a legendary creature with the body of a lion, and the head, wings, and talons of an eagle. Depictions of the griffin date back to 3rd millennium BCE Egypt and earlier, but are also found in ancient Greece, India, and elsewhere around the world. It is said that the feather of a Griffin can cure blindness, and poison will change color when served in a cup fashioned from a Griffin’s talon. Continue reading →

Constantine S01E02 Recap: The Darkness Beneath

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closedWho made the mine owner?
Say the black bells of Rhondda.
And who robbed the miner?
Cry the grim bells of Blaina.
 —Idris Davies, Gwalia Deserta, 1938
Y Ddraig Goch

Y Ddraig Goch

Although set in the Welsh tract of Pennsylvania, the second episode of Constantine, “The Darkness Beneath,” might just as well have been in Wales itself. The mining town of Heddwich (Heddwich iw lwch is essentially Welsh for “RIP”) has a dragon for a town symbol, as John points out while gesturing toward one of many Welsh flags on the walls of the local bar. Miners have been dying, and the latest one was barbecued in his own shower, so hey, maybe there’s a dragon about? Constantine later even refers to Heddwich as a “Welsh mining town.” Perhaps all of the flags made him forget he’s now living across the pond. Continue reading →

The Hoot Owl of Death

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Birds of omen dark and foul,
Night-crow, raven, bat, and owl,
Leave the sick man to his dream—
All night long he heard your scream.
— Sir Walter Scott

Throughout many cultural traditions, Owls have been considered harbingers of bad luck, ill health, or death.

In most Native American tribes, Owls signify death. The call of the Owl is considered an unlucky omen. Some tribes believe the hoot of an Owl indicates that someone is going to die. Owls are known as messengers and companions for the gods of death. As a messenger of death, the Owl is not evil, but it can be foreboding. They carry messages from beyond the grave and when tribal taboos are broken, Owls deliver a supernatural warning. Owls are associated with ghosts among some Native American tribes because it is understood that the bony circles around an Owl’s eyes are made from the fingernails of ghosts.

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The Walking Dead S05E04 Recap: Slabtown

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ATL watercolor 2Since the start of Season Five we have been enjoying the reunion of our beloved, and not-so-beloved, cast of characters on the Walking Dead. Sure we have our favorites, but characters like Sasha and Tara still help round out the cast. Maybe we have some sort of childhood-driven complex, but we just like it when everyone’s all together. We feel safer with the group, despite Rick telling Carl in the episode “Strangers” (S05E02): “No matter how many people are around or how clear the area looks, no matter what anyone says, no matter what you think, you are not safe.” The departure of Abraham, Eugene, and Rosita, along with Glenn and Maggie—oh, and Tara, in “Four Walls and Roof” (S05E03) makes us feel a little less secure. Though the return of Daryl at the end of the episode made us feel a lot safer. Not safe like sleeping in the backseat of your parents’ car safe, but still pretty content. We were sure hoping that Daryl was going to have Beth with him, because who doesn’t love it when good things happen to boring people? Actually we came to appreciate Beth in Season Four, and we don’t want her to be left out by the group. It does seem like most of them, including her sister Maggie, seemed to have moved on without her. We thought it might be helpful for Beth to learn “How to Cope When You Feel Left Out.”

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Doctor Who S08E11 Recap: Dark Water

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Clara in front of stickies

Clara has something to tell Danny

“Dark Water” is the first part of the Season Eight finale of Doctor Who. The twelfth Doctor has had some great performances this season and has brought interesting complexity to the relationship with companion Clara Oswald. When Peter Capaldi was announced as the new Doctor, we were pretty excited because it seemed like an older actor was about due for the role. He has surpassed our expectations so far, and a big two-part finale, written by Steven Moffat, creates a lot of anticipation.

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Another Supernatural Fox Sister

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Fox Sisters panelThe excellent and scary webcomic The Fox Sister has its roots in a Korean fairy tale of the same name. The comic, still in progress and updated on Tuesdays (when the artists are not too busy with other things!), is set in Seoul in the late 1960s. It is the story of a young Mugyo priestess and her battle with a kumiho—a nine-tailed werevixen demon. Continue reading →

Constantine S01E01 Review: Non Est Asylum

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title cardIn the quarter-century since The DC/Vertigo horror comic Hellblazer began its run, the television landscape has changed to include many shows that follow a similar “occult detective” format: Supernatural, Sleepy Hollow, and the (sadly short-lived) Dresden Files, to name just a few. But fans of John Constantine have waited a long time for a series featuring our favorite anti-hero. Time will tell if NBC can finally pull it off, but the pilot episode seems at least promising.
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Monster of the Week: Kasha

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kaibutsu_ehon_4

Kaibutsu Ehon (Illustrated Book of Monsters), illustrated by Nabeta Gyokuei, 1881.

Kasha (火車) are a Japanese yōkai that bring the bodies of miscreants to hell as punishment for a life of evil deeds. Kasha are feline demons who are human-sized or larger and walk upright. When Kasha seek to make themselves known, they may be surrounded by flames and their arrival may be signified by the presence of thunder and strong winds. Thus, a Kasha’s appearance will often coincide with stormy weather. When Kasha wish to remain hidden, they can disguise themselves as ordinary cats and live among humans. Kasha prefer the night, just as their mortal feline cousins do.

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