Promethea (comic book)

Just curious - has anyone here heard of the comic series Promethea, by Alan Moore? Being a fan of Moore's other work (Watchmen, V for Vendetta), I picked up his Promethea - which turned out to be not at all what I expected. The story is about the "super" heroine Promethea, who is some sort of goddess of imagination, and deals largely with her ascension of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life in search of a dead friend, and her eventual union with Deity (followed by her return to earth and then a crazy ending, can't tell you!). Although it is not the best comic book ever written, it does has some interesting philosophy - I might describe it as Hermiticism for Dummies. It frequently discusses the tarot majors in relation to the paths of the Tree of Life, which is why I brought it up here.

Reyan said:

Just curious - has anyone here heard of the comic series Promethea, by Alan Moore?

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Heard of it, own it, have read it and re-read it several times over. I credit Promethea from transforming me from someone who had the vaguest of notions of what Tarot was about into a full-blown, practicing, studying devotee. That book also introduced me to the Tree of Life concepts, and showed me how they tie in with Tarot, and how other fields and concepts like astrology, numerology, mythology, alchemy, magic, chakras, and planetary correspondences can tie in with both. I love Promethea. I also think that Moore is brilliant in general, I'm a big fan of a lot of his work, and the artist on Promethea, J.H. Williams III, deserves gigantic praise for his phenomenal performance throughout the entire run (the creators who provided inks, colors, and letters also brought their A-games, but Williams' work is always just a joy to behold...).

I'd urge anyone here to read it. One entire issue is devoted to an exploration of how Tarot's Major Arcana map out the evolution of our reality, and that issue is a) told mostly in rhyme, b) features on-point applications of anagrams of the word "Promethea" to help illuminate each card, and c) lays out a joke told by Aleister Crowley that's said to basically explain magic (in fact, Crowley features fairly heavily throughout the series as a minor but very important character, and I've always had the idea that Moore has a lot of respect and affection for the guy). The extended trip through the Tree of Life, with its various pathways and Sephiroth, is fascinating, moving, and genius (I think, anyway), and the more modern, "real world" sections are also packed with tension, wit, and warmth, too.

Reyan said:

Although it is not the best comic book ever written...

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Maybe not...but if it isn't, I don't know what I'd nominate instead. It's one of my all-time favorites, and I say that based on a comics-reading career spanning several decades. Seriously, I'd be hard-pressed to think of other comics I like more, and many of the other candidates would also have Moore's name on their spines...

frac_ture said:

Seriously, I'd be hard-pressed to think of other comics I like more, and many of the other candidates would also have Moore's name on their spines...

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Glad to know there are other comic afficionados out there I agree that Moore's comic books are basically peerless in terms of depth; but although Promethea is a wonderful friendly and visual introduction to certain philosophical ideas, I don't think it can really stand up as a work of fiction to Watchmen, for example. At some points I'd even say Promethea reads more like a lecture than a story. The biggest issue, in my opinion, is that a lot of the dialog feels forced, especially during the parts where Moore is trying really hard to illustrate some religious point.

But literary aesthetics aside, yes I do think it is a great thing to read for those interested in learning about different aspects of the tarot, and some other hermetic/esoteric concepts - especially because it is so visual and accessible.

Reyan said:

Glad to know there are other comic afficionados out there I agree that Moore's comic books are basically peerless in terms of depth; but although Promethea is a wonderful friendly and visual introduction to certain philosophical ideas, I don't think it can really stand up as a work of fiction to Watchmen, for example. At some points I'd even say Promethea reads more like a lecture than a story. The biggest issue, in my opinion, is that a lot of the dialog feels forced, especially during the parts where Moore is trying really hard to illustrate some religious point.

But literary aesthetics aside, yes I do think it is a great thing to read for those interested in learning about different aspects of the tarot, and some other hermetic/esoteric concepts - especially because it is so visual and accessible.

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Well, to be honest, not only are you not the first person I've heard put forth the idea that Promethea gets too lecture-y in a lot of places (especially in the long trek through the Tree of Life), I even do see why you feel that way. Some of the dialogue can admittedly get kind of stilted, and it does read a bit like a chatty textbook on occasion. I think I simply have this tendency to forgive Moore certain lapses that I wouldn't forgive other writers, just because the guy's banked so much credit with me, if that makes sense. Also, I don't mind the lecture-style proceedings in this series because it was a lecture I really wanted to hear! So...points taken, but in a subjective way, I didn't personally mind the things that have bothered you and others about the book (I've even read things on-line about enough people making these complaints that Moore felt the need to respond to them...).

And I agree that Watchmen is a towering achievement in the graphic novel/comic book world! It's definitely one of my other all-time favorites. Of course, you can even find people who'll gripe about that one: "It's too long...the text pieces are boring...the ending, with the giant monster-thing, is stupid and/or doesn't make sense..." I don't agree with any of those beefs myself, but people feel what they feel.

But yeah, if nothing else, Promethea really makes the Tree of Life material pretty accessible since it's presented in this beautiful, pictorial way -- I think if I'd stumbled upon those concepts in purely textual form first, I wouldn't have had anywhere near the appreciation for them that I do now, thanks to Moore, Williams, and company...

Love love love love love love IT...absolutely recommend it.
Great intro to kabalah and the esoteric world.
Packed with info and hidden nuances, symbolism and mysteries...
LOVE IT

Check out this thread
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=106503&highlight=Promethea

frac_ture said:

And I agree that Watchmen is a towering achievement in the graphic novel/comic book world! It's definitely one of my other all-time favorites. Of course, you can even find people who'll gripe about that one: "It's too long...the text pieces are boring...the ending, with the giant monster-thing, is stupid and/or doesn't make sense..." I don't agree with any of those beefs myself, but people feel what they feel.

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Ha ha that is true. I don't get it - its the most amazing ending ever! Well, every piece of fiction has somebody that doesn't like it

frac_ture said:

But yeah, if nothing else, Promethea really makes the Tree of Life material pretty accessible since it's presented in this beautiful, pictorial way -- I think if I'd stumbled upon those concepts in purely textual form first, I wouldn't have had anywhere near the appreciation for them that I do now, thanks to Moore, Williams, and company...

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And definitely agreed. There's a lot to be said for the graphics in Promethea! They really are stunning, and informative too. And I am a fan of the cyclic conversations and other craziness - I'm think of Barbara and Sophie on the Mobius Strip when they're in Hod.

Well, I am intrigued! Must find this, now, it sounds great!

Reyan said:

And definitely agreed. There's a lot to be said for the graphics in Promethea! They really are stunning, and informative too. And I am a fan of the cyclic conversations and other craziness - I'm think of Barbara and Sophie on the Mobius Strip when they're in Hod.

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You may not believe this, but I have a JPEG of that two-page spread of Barbara and Sophie on the Mobius Strip on my desktop here, and I had intended to use it as my icon/avatar on these very boards when I first joined up a couple of months ago (it saddened me greatly when I learned that a penny-pinching non-subscriber like me would be relegated to the land of preselected icons...). I was almost (not quite, but almost!) as dazzled by the two-page spread they do elsewhere -- I think this might be when they reach Tiphereth -- in which the two women walk around the outside of a giant circle, and it becomes apparent if you try it that the dialogue can be read around the circle in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction and still make more or less equal sense...Moore is just working on a whole other level...even beyond "whole other levels!"

Babalon Jones said:

Well, I am intrigued! Must find this, now, it sounds great!

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Hi, Babalon Jones -- I don't want to start repeating myself too much, but I personally think it's a phenomenal read! If I'm not confused, are you not the creator of that really colorful and lovely-looking Rosetta Tarot...? If not, my mistake, and I apologize...but if you are, I think you'd definitely find plenty in Promethea to enjoy! As I mentioned, Moore seems to be quite a fan of Crowley, AC himself appears multiple times, and scenes from the Thoth cards even pop up here and there (I want to give examples, but I don't want to spoil anything for you!). Also, as an artist, you might really get an eyeful out the work on display throughout. The page layouts are amazing, and J.H. Williams III often riffs on the established styles of well-known artists who preceded him, and especially on the covers of each issue -- I think almost every one of these was directly inspired by and a reference to some work or other that you'd probably recognize, whether from classic sources (like the cover that tips its hat to van Gogh's "The Starry Night") or from more modern pop culture (there's a Warhol-derived cover, a Sgt. Pepper's cover, and a tribute to the 1970's Marvel/DC crossover comic book, "Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man," among others). You can even surf up some of the images on-line if you're curious (for example, just going to Yahoo's "Images" section and typing in something simple like "Promethea mobius" will yield up the scene that Reyan was talking about).

The series is now sold all collected up into five volumes -- you can find them in softcover, which aren't too horribly expensive. The Major Arcana/Tarot issue I mentioned comes at the end of the second volume, and the journey through the Tree of Life begins in earnest after that, although a lot of material you'll recognize begins to flow almost right out of the gate.

I'd be very curious to hear your thoughts if you do eventually go hunt it down!

my book club read this a few years back (waves at Ashtaroot) - great fun and it sure beats the Oprah books LOL


I was particularly enamoured with the bits of Uncle Al along the bottom