The Masks of Jack Loki

My idea for this year’s Halloween post occurred to me late. I intended...

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Metsän Kuninkaat (Kings of the Forest)

There is no limit to the number of godparents for a jackalope child, but at least one of them should be a forestcousin. Jack Loki had four such creatures at his christening, invited by his Finnish grandmother. All were metsän kuninkaat with home territories near the river Kapperijoki in Finland.

For a glimpse of all four kings: Metsän Kuninkaat

Invoking the Name of the Mystery as Elilim and Kochavim

For Catholics, today is All Soul's Day, overtaken among Mexicans and hip moderns by the traditions of the Day of the Dead. Elilkocha is the name given to this holiday by jackalopes, who honor the day by drinking coffee and consuming brown butter cake made with bourbon or rum, preferably in their favorite diners. If you want to be really traditional, you will add some coconut liqueur to your coffee, which ruins the coffee and tastes nothing like coconut.

Jackalopes are unabashed thieves of culture, and they stole two Hebrew words for their holiday, Elilim, which means "false gods", and Kochavim, "stars". I mentioned to comandantechispas that jackalopes have a saying, "All names are the name of God." They also have another saying, "All gods are false gods." Jack Loki, the sometimes protagonist of Geranium Lake Properties, explains it like this, "Jackalopes are, by nature and every inclination, atheists, and they consider the various god concepts as metaphors. Metaphors are essentially lies that make facts more poetic, more epic, more mythic. Metaphors make a better story, a good yarn, or a lesson memorable as a parable or fable. If you want to celebrate Elilkocha, use this day to remind yourself not to scorn the good stories and lessons found in the religions of gods you think are false."

The other half of the Elilkocha honors stars as the creators of all life--of all of everything, actually. Patron saint? Carl Sagan, of course.

PS. Diners are sacred places in America, don't you think? Also, there is a larger invocation of this work.

© 2017 lcmt
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Neither Knowing the Other (The Hierophant)

Sometimes we get a glimpse of a card from Jack Loki's tarot deck (which is called the Inquilino Blanco Tarot, or sometimes the Gethryn Tarot).

Jack Loki Encounters the Mighty Mighty of the Western Veldt

Uncertainty Schematic, Treasure Map

Asemic comics are usually published here two times a week, on Tuesday and Friday.

Geranium Lake Properties, Water Snake River

Asemic comics are published here three times a week, on Tuesday (or Monday), Thursday (or Friday) and Sunday (or Saturday).

From the Jack Loki's Raindance series.

Geranium Lake Properties, Green Planet Emerges

Asemic comics are published here three times a week, on Tuesday (or Monday), Thursday (or Friday) and Sunday (or Saturday). We missed last Sunday so we are posting two cartoons today, both from Jack Loki's Raindance series.

Geranium Lake Properties, kiGamnch Dart-and-Tile Boards

Today's comic is a kiGamnch Dart-and-Tile Board, used for various tabletop games that are a popular form of kiGamnch.

The "darts" are not sharp, they are shaped like lima beans, with six short rubber spikes. They are more like jacks than darts. Some people play kiGamnch with jacks instead of kiGamnch darts, but if you have an expensive inlaid kiGamnch table, metal jacks would marr the finish. You can slide, roll and toss the darts across the board. Your opponent has the option of using his darts to displace yours.

The tiles are similiar to mah jongg tiles, and there is even a form of kiGamnch you can play with mah jongg tiles. The most familiar kiGamnch tile is made of Catalin (a plastic similiar to Bakelite), but some players prefer bone, ivory or wood. For me, nothing else has that most satisfying "clack" of a Catalin kiGamnch tile. The tiles can also be triangular or pentagonal.

kiGamnch tiles made of scented soap are a popular gift among game enthusiasts, but they don't use them in play. They are most often seen as a decorative item for the bathroom, packaged in attractive glass jars.

Bottom image: A double kiGamanch gameboard inlay for a tabletop, 36" X 60". This kind of table can be found in bars, diners and coffeehouses frequented by jackalopes.

Asemic comics are supposed to be published here three times a week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, but I missed last Thursday because of minor life issues. My ISP has been having connection problems, and we're having a heat-wave that is so out-of-proportion to our usual weather I find myself inclined to the attitude of "It's too darn hot, I can't be bothered" for even the slightest challenge.

Geranium Lake Properties, "Blue in Green"

Another panel from Jack Loki's Raindance series. By weird coincidence, it rained last night in my part of California.

Asemic comics are published here three times a week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Geranium Lake Properties, The Rain Knot

Part of Jack Loki's Raindance

Geranium Lake Properties, spoken under the aegis

Asemic comics are published here three times a week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Geranium Lake Properties, chinoserie pot

Jack Loki's view from inside the hypergraphic object P16c.

Asemic comics are published here three times a week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Geranium Lake Properties, still life with jackalope

One of Jack Loki's many self-portraits.

Alternative comics are published here three times a week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Geranium Lake Properties, flat iron bild

Jack Loki's view of the 20-second hypergraphic object.

Abstract comics are published here every Tuesday and Thursday, and occasionally Sunday. I forgot to tell you there would be no cartoon last Thursday. To make up for that, today you get two!

Geranium Lake Properties, The Jackalope Mask

Asemic comics are published here every Tuesday and Thursday, and occasionally Sunday.

Geranium Lake Properties, Jack Loki disguised as Hsu Yuen Pao

Today's panel is a repeat of an earlier favorite.

Asemic comics are published here every Tuesday and Thursday, and occasionally Sunday.

Geranium Lake Properties, Caves of Fear, Part 3

Jack Loki puts on his spelunker's hat and visits the Caves of Fear. Part of the "Jack Loki, Tourist" arc.

Online comics are published here every Tuesday and Thursday, and occasionally Sunday.

Geranium Lake Properties, Caves of Fear, Part 2

Extra Extra Wednesday cartoon! Usually Geranium Lake Properties is published here every Tuesday and Thursday, and occasionally Sunday.

Geranium Lake Properties, Caves of Fear, Part 1

Jack Loki puts on his spelunker's hat and visits the Caves of Fear.

Online comics published here every Tuesday and Thursday, and occasionally Sunday.