20 cool psychedelic comics to read after seeing Thor: Ragnarok

Still from Thor: Ragnarok official teaser trailer. Image via Marvel/Disney (via Marvel Entertainment YouTube)

Has Thor: Ragnarok piqued your interest in the weird world of psychedelic comics? Read on for some of the most mind-bending and surreal comics out there

Have you already seen Thor: Ragnarok? Early reviews are effusive in their praise, saying that the movie has set a new standard for the Marvel Cinematic Universe with its smart story and dramatic visuals. Of course, we knew that having Taika Waititi at the helm practically guaranteed a great film. Still, it’s good to hear that Ragnarok is doing well with its wild, universe-ranging story.

Of course, a movie typically only lasts for a couple of hours. If you were absolutely drawn into the psychedelic visuals and spacefaring storyline of Thor: Ragnarok, what now? Consider dealing with your post-movie withdrawal by diving into the wide world of psychedelic comics.

“Psychedelia” originated in the 1960s as a subculture that was especially fond of mind-altering drugs. Soon enough, the term was being used to describe all manner of art and music. While we’re not encouraging anyone to indulge in psychoactive substances, the art that came out of this trend is especially fun.

What’s psychedelic?

Need some help identifying it? Psychedelic art often draws on wild, distorted visuals. It also takes quite a few cues from the surrealist movement. Think Salvador Dali, René Magritte, and some of Frida Kahlo’s more fantastic works. In psychedelic art, petty things such as borders, classical composition, and the laws of reality hold no sway.

Of course, comics are art, too. And while you may be used to the staid panel-by-panel format of the Sunday funnies or your favorite superhero series, that’s by no means the only way to go about it. Psychedelic comics often play with the form of the comic itself, transcending panel boundaries and color palettes.

The stories within these comics are also pretty wild. Many of the writers featured here dove deep into other common themes within the psychedelic movement. These include mysticism, non-linear plots, fuzzy boundaries concerning identity, and plenty of spacefaring adventures. Outer space, as it turns out, is ripe for trippy experiences.

So, if the visuals and setting of Thor: Ragnarok has gotten you curious, prepare your mind. Read on for some of the most hallucinatory, mind-altering, and dreamlike comics out there. It’s going to be a very interesting ride.