20 cool psychedelic comics to read after seeing Thor: Ragnarok

Promethea cover (Image via America’s Best Comics)

15. Promethea

Alan Moore is known for being markedly odd by “normal” standards. He’s got the flamboyantly odd stories, intimidating stature, and real-life mystical, magical beliefs of an oftentimes defiantly different person.

However, some of Moore’s best-known comics work is fairly linear. That doesn’t mean Moore and his associates can’t bring some truly weird and wonderful concepts to their work. Think of Watchmen, especially Dr. Manhattan (of the glowing blue skin and scanty, sometimes nonexistent clothing). While everyone around him is bopping along in a standard timeline, Manhattan exists at all points throughout time and space. And, of course, the whole conceit of Swamp Thing (which Moore helmed for a while) is plenty strange.

But psychedelia is a very particular kind of strangeness. It delves into religion, history, and mysticism, often with a kind of wide-eyed edge to its sincerity. Moore especially seems to have a lot to say about it in Promethea.

Promethea begins with a magician living in Greek-colonised Hellenistic Egypt. Faced with an advancing angry mob, he tells his daughter Promethea, to run into the desert.

We then jump forward a few centuries to follow Sophie Bangs, a young college student. She thinks she’s going to interview Barbara Shelley about a recurrent pop culture figure named “Promethea”.

Sophie runs into trouble

However, not only is Barbara rude and unhelpful, but Sophie is later attacked by a strange creature. Barbara rescues her, though she’s dressed strangely and displays some seriously impressive mystical powers. Mortally wounded, Barbara explains that Sophie would only be attacked if she were to be the next vessel for the spirit and concept of Promethea.

Now, someone must use their imagination to make Promethea real. This means that Sophie has to write a really thoughtful poem about the ancient spirit of Promethea in order to become the next vessel. It’s a little more elegant than, but only one step removed from “clap your hands if you believe”. Then again, maybe Peter Pan would be less sugary sweet if it turned out that Tinkerbell was supposed to bring about the end of the world.

Afterwards, Sophie learns about all the previous people who have acted as vessels for Promethea. Meanwhile, she has to learn fairly quickly about her newfound powers, as a whole bunch of demons are knocking at her door. Oh, yeah, also the FBI is on her tail. Promethea takes her on a long, strange trip through the mystic world of her new spirit persona.