Fresh ink! Fresh ink! ow...

It is done. I have a new tattoo. It's on my right forearm. It's between 3 and 4 inches long, I think. It's the alchemical symbol for Mercury. I first became fascinated with Mercury through the pages of a comic book, DOOM PATROL. The writer of the comic, Grant Morrison, is a mad genius. Seriously... he's written some of the best comics ever to see print... Doom Patrol, Zenith and now New X-Men. Doom Patrol under Morrison consisted of Robotman (a human brain in a mechanical body, natch), Crazy Jane (a woman with many multiple personalities and a different super power for each of them), a couple of more boring characters, and Rebis. Rebis was a bit of a mysterious character who was wrapped in bandages. He was the fusion of a man, a woman and 'a spirit in a bottle.' He was bodily representation of the alchemical marriage. He/she/it was one of the coolest characters ever in comics. Through Rebis, I became slightly fascinated with the most confusing subject of alchemy.

In alchemy, mercury was greatly revered. It represented both solid and liquid states, both heaven and earth, both life and death. It was both Above and Below.

I like that. Above and below...

So, now my right arm has the Key to Hell on it. And a representation of both Above and Below. Makes me sound kinda shady, huh? :)