The Transparent Hypnotist

Huge thanks to Josh, Debbie, Susan, Terry and Michael for providing some really thought provoking posts while I was on my last jaunt. I really enjoy the process of coming home (or ending the days in hotel rooms) to this blog and finding all the wonderful words you have written. It’s better than a birthday!

But much happened last week, so here is a recap.

The Good

Mind over matter indeed! Danny Penman, a mere amateur in self-hypnosis, used the technique to deal with the pain of a broken knee that occurred after a hand gliding accident. That was several years ago. He has written an article in the Mail Online about that and the positive uses of hypnosis, especially in managing pain.

Hypnobirthing is becoming a larger phenomenon. Tralee Pearce of Canada’s Globe and Mail wrote an exemplary article about the process and practitioners of this birthing technique.

Do you suffer from bowel inflammation due to ulcerative colitis or have any clients, friends, or acquaintances with such issues? Well, a recent study from Barts and the London, Queen Mary School of Medicine and Dentistry found that a 50 minutes hypnosis session that centers on relaxation and inflammation reduction helps reduce the actual inflammation by over 50%. Seventeen people were involved in the hypnosis portion, while eight were in a control group that listened to music for the duration of the session. There was no change in the latter group.

Clare White from Halifax, talked about her weight loss program with the Evening Courier. She also employs a lot of EFT work in the process. There is one quote from this that is definitely worth sharing here:

Over the past five years I have met so many people who want to return to a weight they were when they were most happy in their lives. What is ironic is that when people were this “magic” weight, the last thing they probably thought about was dieting. Perhaps then, it’s the happiness that people want back as much as the what the scales said at the time

Dr. Kirby McGill was interviewed by Action News in Omaha, NE.

The Bad (Super Cool Bad)

Scottish hip-hop artist Steve Mason gave an interview to Aidan Smith of Scotland on Sunday. He spoke very positively about using hypnosis to get his life back on track when things went awry. He prefers hypnosis to other types of therapy.

Adam Nelson wants a gold medal - no more silver ones for him. Nelson is a contender for the US Olympic shotputter competition is now using hypnosis to help him achieve his goals of winning a gold medal. Hypnotist Pete Siegel is working with him on this. We will have our fingers crossed for both.

AND THERE IS NO UGLY!!!

Like Ellie, Debbie, Josh, and many others who frequent The Transparent Hypnotist, I’m a member of the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH). The first thing I did when I became certified was to join the NGH because everyone I knew in the hypnosis community said NGH was one of the top, or possibly the top, professional hypnosis organization. In the years since then my friends’ recommendation has proven to be mostly true. Like any large organization NGH has its hang-ups, but by and large I’m still very happy with them.

That doesn’t mean that from time to time I don’t look at other organizations, too. Lately, for instance, I’ve been thinking a lot about the Society of Experiential Trance, a fairly young (established 2005) organization that came to my attention when I attended Hypnoticon earlier this year. That’s their logo at the top of this post.

SET has a feel and attitude that’s different from any other organization I’ve seen or heard about. Where most hypnosis organizations emphasize their training resources, professional codes of conduct, legal/political actions to protect their memberships, and whatnot — all of which, I hasten to say, are very good things — SET, primarily, is all about the trance experience and how people use it. Their membership criteria is telling: while they respect professional certifications from other organizations, the only way to join SET is for one of SET’s officers to actually watch you perform a list of trance phenomena, either live or on video. I have to admit, I like that.

Another interesting thing about SET is that they are extremely inclusive. Most hypnosis organizations are willing to accept and even teach in their conventions things like energy healing, past life regression, emotional freedom technique — things that may or may not be related to hypnosis but which tend to come into play frequently. There are some practices, though, that are decidedly Not Welcome. SET embraces every field of hypnosis, though, even the ones that organizations like NGH frown upon, such as erotic hypnosis. SET’s attitude is that if people are going to do these things — and they are — then it’s important to teach people to do them safely and responsibly. I love that position; I think it’s practical and realistic and fresh.

What I fear — and, after all this set-up, the point of today’s Sunday Question — is that if I join SET, the NGH people may frown on that because SET does support uses of hypnosis that NGH considers unprofessional or inappropriate. I still value my NGH membership and would rather not lose it. I still want to be taken seriously as a professional, and I see the NGH membership as part of that. So, today’s question is:

Would you associate yourself with an organization that supports alternative practices such as erotic hypnosis? Why or why not?

<MR>

Mandrake the Magician

by Terry O’Brien

A true stereotype: Tall, dark-haired and mustachioed, wearing a black tuxedo and tails, top hat and cloak. He is the very image of a stage magician, but he is a whole lot more.

Mandrake the Magician was the creation of Lee Falk, who is also well known as the creator of The Phantom. Falk originally wrote and drew the series, but eventually hired artist Phil Davis to draw the series, which he did until his death in 1964, while Lee continued to write the series. At that time, artist Fred Fredericks took over the artwork. After Falk’s death in 1999, Fredericks also became the writer. This engendered a strong sense of continuity throughout the series, part of its lasting appeal.

Mandrake is one of the longest-running dramatic comic strips in existence, being in continuous publication since its first publication back in 1934, five years before Superman. As such, he can be called the first proto-superhero. He has all the right credentials: superpowers (not just limited to stage magic and hypnosis, he has psychic powers including telepathy and telepathic domination), a costume (the stage magician uniform of tuxedo and tails) and even an origin story (as a child, we was taken to a mystic school deep in the Himalayas, where he trained to become a master of magic.) He also has his share of re-occurring nemeses including such characters as spoiled temptress and sorceress Aleena the Enchantress; Derek, Mandrake’s unethical twin brother; and finally, “The Cobra”, Mandrake’s dark and evil half-brother, who appeared in the very first Mandrake story.

Mandrake was a ground-breaker in another way. His assistant, Lothar, was one of the first black sidekick characters, especially known for being treated as a serious character in his own right and not stereotypically as would be expected in the racist mid 1930’s. Lothar was actually an African prince who left his people to travel at Mandrake’s side. As such, he supplied the muscle to match Mandrake’s magic.

Mandrake’s greatest power is his ability to hypnotize just about anyone with a glance and a gesture and induce hypnotic illusions. “Mandrake gestures hypnotically” is almost a cliche for the comic strip, but it does describe what he does. He also possessed psychic powers of telepathy through his mystic training and possession of the magical Crystal Cube that amplifies his mental abilities.

He may be the first proto-superhero, but he is hardly a groundbreaker in his field. The trope of the Westerner traveling and training in the arts of the Mystic East was established long before then. Nor was he the first heroic magician of the pulp era. Chandu the Magician, a rival magician from the radio and movie serials, first appeared in 1932, two years before Mandrake. (Chandu, by the way, has been described by Stan Lee as the pattern for the character of Doctor Strange.)

And Mandrake may soon appear on the big screen: a Mandrake movie is currently in production.

For more information on Mandrake, see the Wikipedia entry at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandrake_the_magician.

Location: Brandra Cross, Ireland

Cyber Location: www.hypnosisacademy.ie

1. Are you a full time hypnotist, part-time or hobbyist?

I am a full time instructor in hypnotherapy and NLP. I run Hypnosis Academy where I teach the most up to date techniques in Hypnotherapy and NLP. Training is full spectrum covering all of the major styles — Directive, Permissive and Ericksonian plus diagnostic trance work and a full tool kit of techniques to enable clients to achieve their goals. The approach is multi disciplined with a leaning toward cognitive and behavioral psychology. Regarding consultancy work, “once a hypnotist, always a hypnotist” I say. So yes I am a full time hypnotist in that I am always using the tools of the trade to bring about a positive result from my communications. I do see clients but not as many as I would like to. The training schedule is pretty tight and that leaves me with little room for one-to-one therapeutic sessions. However, I get plenty of practice in the class room. We ask every student to bring a challenge to the course and I work on those problems as part of the hypnosis demonstrations we do. I have been passionate about hypnosis since 1995 when I first started training and it is such an integral part of my life that a day never goes by where I am not immersed in the science, art and language of it. I am currently writing a “user-friendly” book on hypnosis that will open up the word of clinical hypnotherapy to non-professionals. I am a bit of a Hypno-Anorak in that I also class it as a hobby. I am always researching or writing about it and it is one of the areas that I feel I am at my most creative. Hypnosis is my world and I love it. I just wish I had been opened up to it when I was a child. So much pain and suffering could have been avoided if I had the philosophy I have now. But I guess it was that desire to unravel the past that gave me the passion.

2. Do you specialize in any type of hypnosis?

I have a special interest in fertility and birthing work and also love working with phobics. These are some of my favourite applications. I don’t stick to one particular style or type of hypnosis though. I always make sure I match my approach to the suggestibility of the client I am working with so over the course of the day I can quite easily switch from Ericksonian to Directive or even Command or Non-Verbal Hypnosis depending on what type is most likely to be effective at that particular moment in time.

3. Is there any type of hypnosis you do not do? Why?

I avoid associated regression work when working with sexually abused clients. There are many therapists out there who are not taking due care and diligence when working with abuse cases. Unqualified regression work and the potential for False Memory Syndrome can play havoc with someone’s life if not done properly.

4. Do you use self-hypnosis regularly in your life? If so, how?

Last thing at night I will program myself for the next day. Quite simply I will make sure it is SMART – Simple, measurable, achievable, realistic and timed. I will also chunk down bigger tasks into small manageable pieces. Longest journey stats with a simple step.. Self hypnosis is simple really. It is all comes down to “trust”. We all value the word of others and our own word to others and endeavor to keep it. But when it comes to the promises we make to ourselves, somehow it seems OK to break them. We let ourselves down and don’t follow through. If you think you value yourself as much as those you care for then you will find it much easier to keep your word to yourself. It is just one of those things, ponder it for a while and it will make sense and you will find it much easier to keep the promises you make to yourself.

5. Describe your hypnosis office or work setting.

Computer, Skype, phone, big comfy office chair and a view of the rolling hills, the cows in the field and the chickens pecking away. With a big Kellogg’s Cornflakes look alike rooster marking out the quarters of the day. That’s when I am in the office. When I am with my clients I could be anywhere depending on where work takes me. I move around a lot as I have clients from all around the country and abroad, so my therapy settings vary considerably. A recent session took me on a private jet to the States. I had a client who had fear of flying and as he had to travel regularly I suggested we worked together in the air. That allows me to keep control of the process and ensure we conquer the fear permanently.

6. Describe a typical day in your life.

I get up a 6am. Jog around the block. For me the block is an old bog road that leads up to a small wooded copse on past some farms and down over the disused railway bridge. I come back, shower, make coffee or green tea or carrot juice depending on what I am doing that day. Each drink marks is part of the previous night’s self hypnosis programming. Coffee, green tea and carrot juice serve as powerful anchors into particular states of mind for me. That way I get my self-hypnosis programming up and running for the day. Then it is “Hi, ho, hi ho, into the world of hypnosis I go…”

7. Where did you get your training in hypnosis and are you certified?

Started with the NGH in the US, then the Farago Clinic in the UK, then took as many courses as I could and still do. It is easy to become egotistical in this business so I keep the ego in check by being a student regularly. I have just come back from doing HypnoBirthing in the Netherlands with Mickey Mongan who created the program. She is a great woman and is an excellent model for those of us in the teaching business. Yes, I am certified. I have lots of certificates in a drawer in my filing cabinet and more in frames in a box somewhere. I used to display them but I don’t any more. I remember how pleased though I was when I got each one and what a sense of achievement. I must get them out and dust them off and take a trip down memory lane!. But seriously, I have alphabet spaghetti after my name and I guess I feel comfortable enough with my skills now that I don’t use my qualifications as much as I should. The most powerful training I received though was at the Farago Clinic in London. Robert Farago is an excellent hypnotist with great communication skills. He is an expert in embedded suggestion. And like the small handful of true hypnotic geniuses in our time, he is also a master of distraction techniques, non verbal inductions and anchoring. As his apprentice, I was perhaps his toughest case as I had very tough Irish skin. It took him seven years to communicate some key concepts I needed to learn. But he got there and I have never looked back since he hammered me into the Hypno-Technician I am today!!

8. Most fabulous hypnosis technique you use?

Rapid, non verbal induction is one I have created and is successful regardless of the presenting suggestibility.

9. Worse moment ever in a hypnosis setting that ended up being a valuable learning experience.

I had a guy who came to see me to quit smoking. During the session I told him to “in a moment I am going to look into your eyes and take you by the hand”… pretty standard stuff for a rapid authoritative induction. But when I did lean over and take him by the hand he thought I was going to kiss him and he closed his eyes and puckered his lips in anticipation!! I wouldn’t say it was a “worse” moment but it certainly was a funny one.

10. Any words of advice to potential clients or other hypnotist.

Advice to potential clients. A hypnotherapist can be a fantastic investment in your own personal growth and success. Choose the one that is best for you. How do you do that? Simple, ask questions. Speak to the therapist themselves. Don’t put up with speaking to the secretary or receptionist. If they don’t have the time to “sell” themselves and their hypnosis to you, look elsewhere. There are excellent client centered therapists out there, who know that success starts when they speak to the client on the phone. They will prepare you for the journey ahead and explain what to expect long before you book an appointment. They will be transparent about the fees etc. And please, don’t buy into this “you can pay for ten session in advance” nonsense. That kind of thing takes the pressure off of the therapist. Good hypnotherapy is short, measurable and specific. If you don’t feel different about your problem or goal after the first session you are probably with the wrong hypnotherapist. Ask them if they do hypnotic convincers? If they don’t, don’t book. You need to know you are responding to the hypnotist and the only way to know that is to test with eye catalepsy, glove anesthesia, time distortion, partial amnesia etc.

Advice to other hypnotists. Remember there is many different types of hypnotherapy and strategies you can use. Know when and how to select the best approach for each client for each session. Ratify the experience for your client. As a hypnotist you are helping a person access their hypnotic state, that is your job. Help them to recognize they are in that state by doing hypnotic convincers. Remember suggestibility testing will teach you more about your client in three minutes than any other technique. Respect professional boundaries and don’t get too egotistical just because your client has found the resources to change their life with your help! Keep learning new skills. The world of clinical hypnosis and the psychology of suggestibility is constantly changing. We have seen a massive shift in the suggestibility of our clients in the past 60 years and it is still changing. Stay involved, stay client centered.

Susan can be contacted directly at info@hypnosisacademy.ie.

For a moment, I thought it was going to take me using some self hypnosis to recall my first time, hypnotizing another that is. It was not particularly spectacular, at least not in the sense that Josh Houghton told about. No blood, no guts, no glory? Well, not exactly. My first classes were informational only. We (the class) experienced hypnosis with the instructor and were given scripts along with information to study before our next class.

I guess, like so many novices, I was impatient. I wanted to put someone under; I wanted to be a pro, yesterday! So, I went home armed with all my information and what I had observed the instructor had done with other students and I was ready to begin.

My youngest son is an easy going type and he was willing to try it. So, we holed up in his room, out of range of the rest of the family and decided to see if Mom could help him relax. He lay down on his bed and I played soft music. Then I began to read from the script. As I proceeded, my son started to giggle. This was not the mother he knew. I was speaking a different language, using words that didn’t sound like me at all. The more I read, the funnier it became to him. Soon, my husband was calling from another room, “what is so funny in there you two?”

I knew this was not going to work. If was destined to become a hypnotist, I was going to have to find a way around this. So, I decided right then and there to chuck the scripts and begin talking to him in my own voice, with my words. It worked, he quieted down. Slowly, he began to listen and relax. It was as if I was telling him a bedtime story, he nestled right down into the bed and closed his eyes, smiling. I asked him to imagine feeling better than he could recall feeling in a very long time. As I finished, I encouraged him to believe that he was stronger and healthier than he had ever felt. He would emerge feeling as though he had a wonderful, peaceful nap that allowed his body to heal.

These instructions were significant because my son has Spherocytosis. At times, without enough oxygen getting through his blood system, he tended to feel aches and fatigue. This particular day was one of those. Well, when we were finished, he told me he heard everything I said. He said it felt so comfortable and kind of dreamy, but he heard me the whole time. What I noticed though was his renewed energy. He seemed so much more vibrant afterwards than he had earlier in the day.

We have used hypnosis together many times since. He uses it himself for studying and test preparation. He had major surgery about 3 years ago and I prepared audios for him to listen to before, during and afterwards. He said it helped just having Mom’s voice there to reassure him. That is more than I could ever ask for.

By Josh Houghton

I have always enjoyed hypnosis and magic since I was a kid. I had seen a few stage shows on television and thought it was pretty cool. It was as if everyone was under some magic spell that the hypnotist placed on them. The hypnotist would walk up to each person and as soon as he shouted the word “SLEEP” they all appeared to go to sleep. As we know now they aren’t asleep, but as a kid I didn’t know any better. So as I got older my love for hypnosis continued. Okay, maybe love is a little strong of a word, maybe interest is a better word. Yet, over the years my interest in hypnosis would fade out and fade back in.

It wasn’t until high school that I had decided to attempt to hypnotize someone for the first time. I had no knowledge other then what I had seen on TV or during the stage shows I went too. I didn’t know the principals behind the techniques and I still thought the people we’re asleep. During the time I never knew you could actually get books on hypnosis from the library. Still I felt to some degree I was ready to give it a try. Technically as a teenager I was ready to give anything a try. I mean, how hard could this hypnosis thing be? I had seen tons of hypnotists put people to sleep on stage.

I had convinced a good friend of mine to be my first subject. He was pretty scared because he didn’t want to be under my power. Even though he had some fear he thought it could be fun as did I. We we’re both teenagers looking to have a little fun and what’s better than having your best friend be your hypnoslave for a few. I’m joking of course, but I may have been serious back in the days. Still kidding.

We had decided to do it after school on the old baseball field. We had invited a few friends to check it out and see the performance. So we arrived at the field and decided to get right into hypnotizing my friend. I had my friend stand in front of me and I went into this long talk. It was pretty much stolen from a hypnotist I had seen on TV a few months earlier. After the talk, which was pretty much a paragraph telling the person how powerful I was and how he will not be able to fight against my will. Looking back at this makes me want to laugh. I told him to then stare into my eyes. So my friend began to stare into my eyes. I kept repeating the phase to him over and over. I swear I must have said it at least 10 times. Eventually I saw his eyes beginning to close and then he would try to open them.

I continued to repeat the phase over and over and each time I said it he appeared to become very tired. I then started to say “As you stare at me your legs are getting very tired and you just want to go to sleep”. Remember all I was doing was repeating some stuff I saw on TV. I waited a moment and as I saw my friend’s eye close I yelled “Sleep” as loud as I could and pulled him toward me. I didn’t realize how heavy he would be in hypnosis. He became very relaxed and fell right into my chest. As he hit me I wasn’t prepared to catch him. I thought at the time he would just move toward me. I never suspected his legs would give out. As he fell into me he knocked me straight over. Since he caught me off guard I wasn’t able to catch my balance. I fell straight to the ground and when I hit the ground my head hit a pretty big rock with a sharp edge to it.
The rock cracked me in the head and that’s all I remember. My next memory was waking up in the hospital. After spending a few moments getting my focus back I could see my parents and my friends who we’re with me at the field. My mom told me my friends called them when I fell and hit my head on the rock. They told her my friend, after being hypnotized fell into me, which caused me to fall and hit my head. My friend who was my subject ended up being fine because I broke his fall. One of my friends thought I was dead so most of them we’re pretty scared. A special thanks to my friends who I’m still friends with today for thinking fast. Who knows what could have happened if they didn’t call 911 and then call my parents.

They said I kept waking up and drifting off during the ride to the hospital, but I don’t remember any of that at all. I was able to leave the hospital that night, but I left with a pretty bad scar which I still have to this day. Luckily my hair covers the scar up pretty well. Looking back on these events now with the knowledge I process I can say I did everything wrong. I put myself in danger and my friend in danger. I decided to mess with something I had no real knowledge of and never ever thought about any dangers to him or me. Looking back on these events the first thing I would have done was learn hypnosis.

I should have spent time studying and practicing with pillows or something before I made my first attempt. I should have tried to hypnotize him in a place I could control rather then a rock filled field. I’m lucky my friend fell on me instead of the rock. My parents and I could have been facing some serious lawsuits. So the lesson of this story is to take the time to learn something before you attempt it. Yes, you may see all the hypnosis videos on youtube. You may want to try what they did in a video. It may look easy, but understand these people are trained the majority of the time. So before trying what you see do a little research.

The final piece of advice is to always make sure your subject or client is safe. They are your responsible and they are trusting you to keep them out of harms way. So don’t break that trust and do what you can to make sure everything goes smooth. This is a true story and yes a little sad, but I felt someone reading this could learn something from my mistake or at least take away a bit of wisdom that they can relate too. Hypnosis by it’s self isn’t harmful, but in the hands of someone untrained accidents can happen. So take the time, study, ask questions and you will have a much better start and experience then I did all those years ago.

Yes, it is true, I am off to see the world yet again. So, I am about to depart, but as always, I am leaving you, dear reader, with wonderful posts to read each day. No, I am not ringing my own bell, but those of other hypnotists who have been kind enough to write for the Transparent Hypnotist. I am starting a new segment that will run when I am not available on days when my regular features aren’t scheduled (10 Question Fridays, Esoteric Saturdays, and The Sunday Question). I call this new feature posting - The First Time. It will be the words of the hypnotists you may have already have come to know here and it will be all about their first experiences hypnotizing someone.

We will begin this tomorrow with Josh Houghton.

On Thursday, we will hear Debbie Lane’s version.

Then its back to 10 Questions for Hypnotists and this week the interview is with Susan Wallace.

Terry O’brien will handle Esoteric Saturday and Michael Raugh will be back with the Sunday Question.

So stay tuned…

Sometimes it seems like I barely left last Monday behind, but for some reason, last Monday seems really quite far away. Guess it is starting anew. A cup of Java and you. Ah, poetics..

Okay, right enough, I’m ready to stop wasting our time and move onto recent happenings in our world (the hypnosis world).

The (Smokin’) Good

Hypnotists or not (more nots in this case), smokers are needed for a study at the San Francisco V.A. Medical Center. They are currently researching a specific form of hypnotist to help smoker’s “stay quit” after they have stopped smoking for at least three days. The study requires 520 men and women, so if you are a smoker about to quit, look them up. You must be 18 or older. Click here for more information.

UC San Francisco, who is also working on the above study, just completed another study and found hypnosis to be as effective as behavioral counseling in smoking cessation.

14 people attended a smoking cessation hypnosis session presented by New Zealand radio station Burn 729am. The independent station did this in honor of World Smoke-free Day on May 31. It was the station manager’s idea, as she herself wanted to quit. They regularly talk on-air about the progress they are making in the world of being non-smokers.

Irish Hypnosis Ltd. has opened two new offices in Ireland and hypnotist Louis Ryan gave a very honest interview about hypnosis for smoking cessation to the Kilkenny Advertiser. Very nice!

Damian Gott of Blackpool is making smoking cessation and weight loss hypnosis affordable (for all you who marked that it is too expensive on the poll). According to the Blackpool Gazette the sessions run for six weeks. I won’t say how much, but if you live near there, the opportunity is quite reasonable.

Just the Good, Ma’am, Nothing But the Good

Concord-based hypnotherapist, Jean Fain gave a most interesting interview to Boston Globe writer Scott LaPierre.

The Bad (as in too cool)

Magician Keith Barry was in a car accident that absolutely demolished his leg. That’s when he decided to put hypnosis to work, and within a few months, he was walking again, according to a blurb in the Toronto Sun. Actually, I think the blurb was for a birth announcement of his first child, due in August, but as this isn’t a baby blog…

The Very Sad

The hypnosis community has lost one of its bright lights, especially in the realm of pain-management hypnosis. Harold Crasilneck passed away after 87 years of what sounds like a life well-lived. He was award-winning and was featured in a 1955 article in Time Magazine about working with severely burned trauma patients.

The Ugly

I once read that one of the things bloggers do is repeat the news as told by other bloggers. I have tried not to be too much of a component of this. However, at the moment I think it is import to mention another fellow hypnotist’s Brian David Phillips blog. A couple of friends emailed me, asking if I knew about the whole MasterCard pulling the plug on hypnotists being able to use MC for payment options for selling erotic hypnosis. Now apparently it isn’t the porn that bothers our goof (whoops typo- thought I’d leave in that little Freudian slip) friends with the money, but the old-fashion idea of mind control. Yikes.  I will keep you posted if I hear anything new (or you can keep me posted as well).

What I have learned this weekend - there is no excuse to hurry!!! I happily wrote yesterday’s post in the morning before heading out for the day. I was rushed, but thought it published. Much to my horror this morning, I discovered it had not run at all. Huge apologies.

Today’s question is all about my weekly poll. As I am always trying to tweak things for the optimum reading pleasure, should I run the poll weekly or for longer durations? I have just left the one in the side bar (about why someone would not use hypnosis) and have gotten a lot more feedback in the two weeks. Should the poll be a bimonthly poll, monthly, or for my loyal participants, do you still want to continue with the weekly one?

I’ve got my bubblegum out, my video games piled high, and now a fun new bit of pop culture to add to my collection - a hypno-themed comic book. Oh, but it gets even better - it is a goth, hypno-themed comic book. Wait, let me get my black clothes and my eye-liner and I’m so there. Hmm, I suspect I’ll stay in the closet for this one and revel with my flash-light under the cover.

No, it doesn’t look anything like the classic comic books, but it could still be interesting. Anyone actually seen it? The Hypnotic Gaze is put out by Bleeding Edge as part of the Begoth books.